The Mating Rules

I don’t care, I want her out of the pack!’ I can hear my mother yelling nearby, and I drag open my eyes to find myself in a white room. My head throbs painfully and I reach up gingerly to touch my hair, finding a huge bump on the side of my head that makes me wince.

Mary-Anne you need to calm down’ my father’s voice tries to sooth my mother.

‘NO!’ My mother growls and even my own wolf cowers slightly in my mind, Alpha auras are scary, but nothing is more scary than my mum when her mumma bear comes out. ‘I will not calm down, that girl could have killed Lauren!

She could be dead right now.’

‘She’s fine, you heard the doctor, they checked her thoroughly, there is no further damage to her head from the hit’ my father placates.

What kind of low down, nasty piece of work hits someone from behind with a rock?’ my mother snarls. ‘It’s cowardly!

Wolves are not cowardly, even Rogues have better morals than that. that ..that ..dog!’

The door pushes open and my father steps inside, my ranting mother behind him who immediately quiets and hurries to my side when she sees that I am awake.

“Where am I?’ I ask, reaching out for the jug of water on the table over my bed so I can pour myself some water.

Mum grabs the jug and fills the glass for me, tsking loudly as she hands the water to me.

You are in the clinic’ she growls, ‘you were hit in the head with a rock.’

I start to nod my head, raising the glass, but wince as pain slices my head

“How long have I been here?’ I question, worry coiling in my stomach.

‘Two hours’ my father quickly replies, pulling over a chair and ushering my mother into it as she continually fusses over my covers.

‘Who hit me?’ I mutter, pressing the button on the bed remote to raise my head up so I’m almost sitting, ignoring my mother’s protests.

That Ophelia girl you are friends with’ mum spits out venomously. ‘ I never liked her you know, always was jealous of you but you always tried to see the best in people.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Luckily that group of girls you’ve been hanging around with recently linked Caden immediately and he came running along with some of the guards. Little mare tried to run, but they caught her, she’s in the dungeon waiting for Caden and Jamie-Lee to decide what to do with her.’

My head snaps up at her words, making the pounding in my head worse, ‘why would she do that?’ I demand, ‘she’s my friend, it must have been a mistake, maybe she tripped or something?’

My dad shakes his head slowly, ‘from what your other friends said, she ran up behind you with the rock in her hand and slammed it against the back of your head pumpkin. She meant to hurt you, I’m sorry, but it’s true’ he sighs.

I close my eyes in confusion, Ophelia and I have been friends since middle school, why would she turn on me?

My eyes pop open again as the door swings open once more to reveal Dr Meadows who gives me a very disappointed look.

1 thought I told you that there would be no fighting’ he growls in annoyance. 1 did not give you clearance to train properly, let alone take on an elite warrior in a fight.’

1 didn’t ..’ I start to protest, just as murky images come back to me, the clearing, Ellie across from me, furious about something. Four girls behind me, Jessica, Inaya, Arleth and Taiga, my new friends who accepted me into their group.

I dig further, and Ophelia appears in my memory, she’s with a small group of my friends, but they are not standing behind me, they are standing behind Ellie. Why would they do that? None of them even like Ellie

‘Well the good news is that you have not caused any further damage to yourself the doctor grumbles as he flips through my chart. ‘Other than another nice bump on your head, you are fine, so you can go back to your own room.’ He looks up, fixing me with a stern look, ‘you will not get into anymore fights though’ he orders, pointing the pen that’s between his fingers at me sternly. If I hear so much as a whisper that you have been getting into any more scraps, I will personally hunt you down, drag you back to the clinic and restrain you to this be until I decide that you are well.’

Topen my mouth to argue that the fight wasn’t my fault, but the look the doctor gives me is enough to have me snap it shut again, nodding mutely.

Glancing at my parents he mutters, ‘get her out of my clinic, put her in her room and lock the door.’ Turning around, he strides out of the room, muttering about pups and their inability to do as they are told causing him extra work.

Throwing back the covers, I’m thankful that I’m still in my clothes and not one of the horrible hospital gowns.

Swinging my legs over the side, I stand up, waving away my mother as she jumps up to help me.

I’m fine I sigh, honestly, just a bit of a headache, I just need to get back to my room and go to sleep.’

My mother glances at my father nervously but he simply shakes his head at her, ‘she’s twenty one Mary’ he murmurs,

‘she’s old enough to make her own decisions on where to recover.

I make my way to the door, pulling it open, my parents behind me as we make our way toward the entrance and out into the afternoon sun. I blink, placing my hand against my forehead, trying to block the rays that are making my headache worse.

“Laur!’ Turning toward the voice, I find Jessica and the other girls thundering toward me, the entire group dragging me into a hug as I try to reach around them all.

‘We were just coming to see you, Doctor Meadows kicked us out because Inaya wouldn’t stop trying to sneak in your room’ Jessica says apologetically.

‘I needed to make sure that they«were looking after her the other she wolf mutters defensively.

I’m fine guys’ I murmur, ‘thank you for coming, I’m sorry you wasted your time though, I’m heading back to my room.’

Jessica waves a hand dismissively, ‘please she huffs, ‘of course we came! You were in the clinic!’

I should have punched that Ophelia b***h in the face’ Arleth growls from my left. ‘Cowardly a*s b***h, hitting you from behind!’

My mother snorts, ‘it’s the only way she could beat my daughter’ she snarls angrily. Her eyes softening, she looks around my new friends, ‘it’s so nice to see Lauren has some real friends to look out for her though, you must all come tổ tea, not tomorrow night obviously because of the claiming, but maybe the weekend?’

My eyes widen, the claiming! That’s tomorrow night? My first ever one, how had I forgotten.

‘Lauren will be at the house of course’ my mother continues, though a shadow crosses her face, ‘unless you think you won’t be OK for it?’ she adds nervously, glancing at my father, ‘maybe we should get Caden to pardon her this month?’

‘Mum I sigh, ‘1 already had this conversation with Jamie-Lee, I am not missing the claiming! All I have to do is sit in the forest, it’s hardly taxing, I can take a blanket with me to sit on in case I get dizzy!*

My mother shuffles her feet nervously, it’s not just sitting in the forest’ she murmurs apprehensively, ‘Laila has to call out, the concentration of calling might hurt you, we don’t even know if you can stop if it causes you pain ..

My father places a hand on his Mate’s arm, ‘she’ll be OK’ he reassures her, ‘our Lauren is made of stern stuff, if she says she’ll be fine, then she’ll be fine. ‘ll be outside of the forest anyway, just like I was for all of the girls so if anything happens, I’ll be right there to help her.’ Mum’s shoulders relax as she nods slowly, releasing a breath as she forces a smile. ‘Yes, of course you will, ignore me, I’m just being silly’ she replies

Disentangling from my friends, I step back to my mum, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her in for a tight hug, no you are not, you are worried about me and I love you for it.’

Mum pats me awkwardly on the back, shaking her head to clear her mood, ‘right, we better get you back to your room’ she states firmly, ‘you need rest, especially with how big a day we have tomorrow.’

Laughing lightly, I nod, ‘let’s go’ I agree.

Our entire group heads over to the pack house and in the door, I smile and nod at pack members as they ask me if I’m OK.

‘I’m fine warrior Marshall’ I say as the fifth member approaches me, ‘honestly, just a slight bump on the head, I’ll be fine by morning.’

Heading up the stairs, I turn back to my family and friends,’ you’d think I’d early died’ I laugh, ‘Man, even Solomon asked if I was OK, that guy never talks to anyone other than his Mate.’

They stare at me dumbfounded and I stumble to a halt, frowning, ‘what?’ I ask, reaching up to the side of my head, to feel my bump, I don’t have b***d running down my hair do I? I swear, you try to take me back to the clinic and I will lock myself in my room and refuse to come out!

You remembered Solomon’s name my mum breathes out.

‘And you called Warrior Marshall by his name and title

Jessica agrees, her face splitting into a wide grin. ‘Oh my Goddess! You remember!’

I stare at them all in bewilderment, ‘well of course I remember them, I’ve lived here my entire life, it’s not like l’d forget their names .. 1 grumble before my face falls slightly because that is exactly what happened.

‘I remember’ I whisper, my awestruck face brightening, ‘l remember!’ I hug everyone, almost toppling Taiga and Arleth down the stairs because I’m so happy.

‘Oh this is wonderful’ my mother gushes, ‘I can’t wait to tell your sisters! I know Bailee was worried sick and hated the fact she couldn’t come to see you, you remember he right?’ she adds.

I nod, grinning widely, ‘yeah, she lives with her Mate, she’s pregnant’ I reply instantly.

We’re going to celebrate!’ Jessica announces, ‘Girls night!’ My other friends agree excitedly and I’m swept toward my bedroom, my parents quickly saying goodbye, leaving me and my girls to curl up in my kind-sized bed, flicking on a film as we gossip excitedly. I lean against my headboard, smiling widely as my friends raid my little fridge, pulling out snacks and drinks I have hidden there.

I remember my life, my pack, and my friends, everything is perfect, I just have a feeling like there’s something I’m missing, a small piece of the puzzle that still evades me. Shaking off the uncertainty, I throw myself into the afternoon and evening with my four best girlfriends, enjoying their company, whatever it is, I doubt it’s important.