Zeke

I smiled down at my mate. She was sleeping on our bed in some crazy position. One leg was hanging off of the edge, the other bent towards her center. Her head rested on one of her arms that was stretched out while her other was somewhere hidden underneath her torso. I chuckled before grabbing a spare blanket and draping it over her body. After lightly pressing a kiss to her head, I made my way to the door.

Sam and Liam left three days ago. I haven't heard from either of them, aside from when they told me they got back safely. I've been busy the past couple of days since I decided to begin putting together my office. I just finished furnishing it and I was going to show Valerie; but she was dead asleep. I opened the door, but hesitated. Pulling out my phone, I took multiple photos of Valerie's sleeping form. She stirred a bit before I left the room with a smile on my face.

On my way back to my office, I smelt a scent. I groaned once I realized who it was. "I will kill this girl if she doesn't leave my floor" I mind-linked Nick. Before he responded, I blocked off my mind and entered my office. "Get out" I demanded.

Mina pouted at me as she stopped twisting around in my desk chair. She just doesn't learn. "You're dominating. I get that" she said with a smirk gracing her lips. I scoffed and moved closer, ready to pull her out the chair and literally throw her out of the room. "Dominate me" she held up her hands which were bound by a pair of handcuffs.

It was only then that I realized her lack of clothing. She was wearing undergarments underneath a thin see-through robe that was opened up. "I sure as hell will dominate you" I muttered. I yanked her out of my seat by the handcuffs. She squeaked in surprise, but I could feel her cockiness flowing off of her in waves. She thought I would actually take her to a bedroom. Rolling my eyes, I dragged her out of the office and into the hallway.

My eyes were darkening. I could feel them. I was pissed that Mina had the guts to pursue me again. What would happen if Valerie found Mina sitting like that? I would be screwed and it would be the little bitch's fault. Just as we walked out, Nick emerged from the staircase. His eyes widened before I threw Mina towards him. She shrieked as she slid on the hardwood floor, stopping just in front of Nick's feet. "Get. Her. Out" I commanded in a dangerously low voice.

"Wait" We all froze. Our heads moved towards my bedroom door, where Valerie was standing. "You're not very good at blocking your anger" she informed me before strutting over to Mina. My mate effortlessly ripped off the handcuffs. "Let's get this over with. You want my mate. You can't have him. So stay the fuck away from both of us" Valerie demanded.

Mina didn't look a tiny bit scared. She actually smiled. "Or what? You gonna challenge me to Rock, Paper, Scissors? Sorry. I don't mess with childish pups" Mina mused.

Knowing that Valerie didn't want me to intervene, I watched the scene roll out in front of me. "Put on some clothes, bitch. Outside in five minutes. I'll show you who the real pup is" Valerie shoved Mina away. The girl glared before stomping upstairs. Valerie looked hot when she was angry. But I wasn't about to tell her that. I did step forward though. "Don't. I'm gonna change" She held her hand up, keeping distance between us before she entered our bedroom.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. Of course I was worried about Valerie. I don't know if Mina trains. I don't know how strong she is. Valerie has minimum training. I taught her some dodging when we had free time; she can flip people; she can break a nose. But Mina could be very experienced. "You can't step in" Nick reminded me. I nodded in understanding. It was a battle between Valerie and Mina. It was like people challenging me for the Beta position. No one could intervene. The fight ends when one can't fight or when one gives up. "Mina is calling people outside" he informed me.

She just needs an audience. I growled in frustration before barging into my bedroom. Valerie had her shorts half way up her legs. "I'm not backing out of this" she said sternly before pulling her shorts up so they rested on her hips. She was showing a lot of skin in her short shorts and sports bra. But I knew better than to point it out. "I'm tired of that fucking bitch parading around like she can take anything she want. Like she can take you" Valerie began tugging at the roots of her hair- something she does when she's overwhelmed with emotions.

I could feel every single one of her emotions. Anger. Jealousy. Fear. Sadness. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Why are you sad?" I inquired. She turned away from me and pulled at her hair again. Frowning, I moved behind her and forced her hands away from her scalp. "Stop that" I mumbled, lacing our fingers together so she wouldn't touch her head.

She sighed and lightly leaned against me. "We're marked. She can't take you away from me" Valerie whispered as if she was trying to reassure herself. "I gotta go" she broke out of my hold and made her way to the door. I followed after her. Nick was already outside when we got there. Mina was standing in the middle of a large circle of pack members. She wore similar attire to Valerie. Everyone was whispering as Valerie and I went into the circle. "Don't snap at anyone. Go stand in the crowd" she demanded.

Scowling, I took a few steps back so I was technically in the crowd. I could see people eying both girls. Other guys were seeing my mate in a bra. Seeing one guy shamelessly staring at Valerie, I growled and narrowed my eyes at him. His head snapped to me before he looked down at his feet. Valerie also looked at me with a glare. "I told you not to snap" she hissed through the mind-link. I let out a small growl and shook my head at her. "Stop that. Or I'll move back into my parents' house" I shut up and watched as she turned back around to face Mina. Valerie was already pissed. I needed to stop making it worse.

Just like any normal challenge, Nick explained the situation and told everyone not to intervene. We all backed up a little, making a larger circle around the girls. I felt it was Valerie built up her wall. A bit of panic erupted within me. If she had her wall up, she would be the only one feeling the pain and I wouldn't be able to lessen it. I gave her a look. Just before her wall was completely up, she mind-linked me. "Trust me"

After I gave her a stiff nod, she looked away and got into a fighting position. "Beta Kingsley" I turned to my right, seeing a lady clutching the arm of a man. "Please. Stop this fight. Our daughter was never trained. She can't fight. We'll make sure that she pays for disrespecting you and your mate. Our baby can't get hurt" the woman begged. It was obvious that these were Mina's parents. Her mother was in tears. Mina's father looked tired and extremely defeated. He knew that I couldn't do anything. But it was obvious the woman at least needed to try.

Giving them both an apologetic look, I shook my head. "I can't do that. It was your daughter's decision to insult my mate. It was her decision pursue me when she knew I had a mate. It was her decision to sit in my office half naked even after I told her to stay away. It was her decision to accept this challenge. It is not your decision to stop it" I mused.

The man whispered something in his mate's ear, causing her to nod. "I am not going to apologize for Mina's actions. This is not how we raised her. She needs to own up to her own mistakes. And if this is the way, then so be it. We tried to raise her right. I'm sorry it didn't work out as planned" the man slightly bowed his head at me. It was obvious they were good parents. They just had a bad daughter. The man steered his mate away from me and they disappeared into the crowd.

I turned back to the fight. Mina was just now getting in position. She was observing Valerie's position and trying to mirror her. I relaxed a bit, knowing that Valerie had the upperhand in this fight. Nick announced the beginning of the fight before he stepped into the crowd. Mina swung first. Everything about the hit was wrong. She swung her fist out as the rest of her body cringed as if she was the one about to get hit. Valerie ducked down, but didn't counter-attack.

I took a deep breath, calming my heart from the short period of panic. Valerie held her hands out before opening and closing her hand in a "come here" gesture. Mina narrowed her eyes before swinging her leg out. Valerie blocked her leg with one hand before pushing her away with the other. Mina gasped in surprised as she stumbled back a few steps. After regaining her composure, she got back into position.

Quickly, she swung her arm out and backhanded Valerie. Gasps sounded around the crowd. Mina had a smug look on her face, seeing the red mark on Valerie's cheek. Clenching my fists, I forced myself not to step in. Valerie raised an eyebrow at Mina as if the slap didn't faze her. My mate's movements were so quick, I almost missed it. She pushed her hand forward, right at Mina's nose. The girl screamed as her hands shot up to the area. Blood poured out through the openings between her fingers.

Her nose was broken. Tears rolled down Mina's cheeks, before she wiped them away and got back into position. "How does it feel to get your nose broken by a child?" Valerie taunted.

Mina screamed in annoyance before ducking down and attempting to tackle my mate. Valerie dug her heels into the ground, so she only moved back an inch or two, but kept upright. She brought her elbow down into Mina's back several times. Mina groaned before backing away. "You bitch!" Mina shouted, rubbing her shoulder blade. Valerie shrugged nonchalantly, feigning boredom with the situation. That seemed to get Mina even angrier. She charged again. Valerie moved sideways and stuck her leg out so Mina tripped.

Valerie picked at her nails and yawned. People began laughing and Mina was seething with anger as she pushed herself off of the ground. I finally realized that Valerie wasn't trying to physically hurt Mina. She was humiliating her. While Valerie's back was facing her, Mina wrapped an arm around her throat, attempting to choke her. I knew that Valerie would be fine. She could easily flip Mina; which is exactly what she did. Mina groaned in pain as she laid with her back flat on the ground.

"Give up, Mina. You're not gonna win" Valerie stated.

Mina wiped the blood off of her face after getting up. "I already won. You think your mate is just waiting for the right time. That's bullshit. He doesn't want to screw a child whose less pure than the ocean. Face the facts, sweetheart. Your mate doesn't want you" Mina sneered. Valerie faltered. She didn't easily brush off Mina's comment. She thought it was true. I shook my head, trying to tell her that it was a bunch of lies. But she wasn't facing me. "Is the baby gonna cry?" Mina teased as she flipped her hair out of her face.

Valerie snapped out of her thoughts and sent her fist flying to Mina's face. She crumbled to the floor, knocked out. Valerie stepped over Mina and pushed through the crowd. I followed after her, sighing at the fact that she ignored me. "You fought good" I complimented as I closed our bedroom door. Valerie ignored me as she went into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. She had her wall up, so I couldn't feel her emotions. But I knew it was nothing good.

I just had to wait until she came out. She probably won't talk to me; but she'll have no choice in listening to me. About twenty minutes later, she came out of the bathroom with her hair in a towel and fresh clothes on. "It wasn't true" I informed her. Valerie nodded her head, but didn't say anything as she grabbed her phone and earbuds. Knowing she was about to tune me out, I snatched the items away and stuffed them in my pocket.

She narrowed her eyes at me before grabbing my phone off of the nightstand along with my earbuds. I groaned and took those away too. "Say something" I urged. Chewing on her lip, Valerie sat down at the foot of our bed. "What are you thinking?" I inquired, lacing our fingers together.

Valerie stared at our hands before taking hers away from mine. "Do you hate me?" she blurted. "I slept with those guys. I didn't wait for my mate. Mina was right. I'm not pure. But you are. And-"

"I'm not pure" I interrupted. She looked up at me. "I'm a virgin. But that doesn't make me pure. I killed people. That took away my innocence" I stated. She sighed and leaned against me as I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "I don't care about those guys because I know that you didn't care about them. It's in the past and that's where it's gonna stay" I said confidently.

She grabbed my hand before lifting it up to her lips and pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. Looking down at her hand, I saw a couple small cuts on her knuckles. "I'm fine" she assured me as she saw what I was looking at. Despite her arguments, I wet a towel and lightly dabbed her knuckles. When I finished, I looked at her cheek. It was already bruised and would heal in a few hours. I should've dealt with Mina by myself. Or at least done more damage the first time so she wouldn't try again. "It's not your fault" Valerie mumbled.

I didn't respond as I tossed the towel into the hamper. "Let's watch a movie" I suggested, changing the subject. I remembered that stupid movie with the three guys singing the Pokémon song. Valerie has watched it a lot. I think it might even be her favorite movie. "What's that movie called with the three guys singing Pokémon and the guy is like looking for his dog or something?" I inquired.

Valerie laughed as she moved so she was sitting against the headboard. She grabbed the remote and flipped through the movies. "It's called Paper Towns. And the guy wasn't looking for his dog, he's looking for his friend that he has a crush on. She ran away and leaves clues and stuff" Valerie explained. I saw the title flash on the screen before the movie started playing. A few minutes into the movie, Valerie nudged me. "That's the girl that Quentin likes" On the screen was a blue-eyed girl with dark blonde- almost brown- hair.

"She's pretty" Valerie elbowed me, causing a chuckle to escape my lips. "Such a jealous little mate" I teased, pulling her into my side.

She grumbled, but didn't move away from me. We watched the whole movie in silence until the credits began rolling on the screen. "Hey, Zeke" Valerie said hesitantly. I turned and looked at her as she was curled into my side. "What does your wolf look like?" she wondered. I stiffened at the mention of my wolf. It was only seen once. I didn't even see myself. I don't remember my fur. I don't remember my eye color. I just remember seeing red and wanting to hurt everything around me. "Hey" Valerie said softly, snapping me out of my thoughts. She gave me a small smile as she messed with my hair, trying to relax me.

I sighed and leaned into her touch. "You can't see my wolf" I mumbled. A frown formed on her lips before she stopped moving her hand in my hair. "It's too dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt" I explained.

Valerie shook her head at me. "I won't get hurt" she said confidently. I shook my head in disagreement. "Not even for a couple minutes?" she asked, jutting her bottom lip out. I didn't respond or react to her begging. Sighing, she let it go for the time being. "I'm hungry" Valerie blurted.

We both got up before going to the bedroom door. Surprisingly, Nick was standing on the other side of the door. "What do you want us to do with Mina?" he asked straight-forward. I shrugged and looked at Valerie before mind-linking her that she could decide.

"Kick her out the house"

_______________

"Sometimes, life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith"

-Steve Jobs

Sorry for the extremely late update. Things have been hectic. But I'm kinda getting back on track now. 

Kayyyzzz Byeeezzz

~A.J.