Chapter 08 Missing Mate

~Liam~

She slapped me! For what?

Is she rejecting me?

No, she doesn’t know it yet. Fuck!

“Get off me,” she said.

I didn’t like the tone of her voice.

No one disrespects me.

“Now!” she screamed as she raised her hand to land another slap, but I caught it by the wrist.

Not even my own mate.

I turned my head to look down on her and fuck it if I scared her. She was already afraid of me, to begin with. But her eyes held me frozen in place. They burned with rage but behind it was pain. It wasn’t caused by me but by someone else. Luca flashed his canines in my mind.

Whoever dare hurt my Luna better start praying.

“Liam!” Lexy shouted and my grip loosened, realizing that it hurt her.

“Now why would you do that,” I said calmly, so as not to scare her more. She was still my mate and I owed her.

We’d have to talk about this later. Leaving the bed, I dragged Lexy out of the room and into hers, despite her protest. Plans have changed.

I slammed the door shut and she crossed her arms as she glared at me.

“Care explaining?” she asked.

Moving across the room, I sat on the couch, waiting for her to come over. This would be a long talk and she was already ranting.

“I can’t believe you’d try to fuck her when we’re supposed to be helping her,” she said, standing in front of me with a hand on her hip. “Helping, Liam. What on earth possessed you to fuck her?”

There she goes again with her overthinking.

Ever since she caught me on top of a woman, she had always been messing with my personal life. In my defense, I was drunk and in heat, and I still haven’t found my mate.

She had this principle that sex was sacred and should only be shared with one’s mate. And as my little sister, she would make sure that I understood her point. Her words, not mine.

To be honest, I first thought she was insane until I met mine. The guilt I felt for screwing around before I met her, scared me to the point that I started thinking she would reject me if she found out. But when I came clean, she didn’t, and I’d never touched another since.

“Hello? Liam? Are you listening to me?” she asked, waving a hand in my face.

“You might want to sit down for this, sis,” I said, my voice matching my serious expression.

She pouted like a child and sat beside me, whilst crossing her arms.

“Cassanova,” she muttered.

Somehow, she still thought I was messing around with women. I tried to explain to her many times over that I wasn’t, but she wouldn’t believe me. She was probably thinking she was right all along after having caught me with… wait, I don’t know her name!

“Idiot,” Luca commented.

Seriously Luca, not now.

“So? Are you going to stay quiet or explain to me what’s going on?” she snapped.

I turned to my side to face her. There was no point in beating around the bush. Sighing, I confessed. “She’s my mate.”

Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She gaped at me for an uncomfortable amount of time and I had to tip her jaw to close it.

“She’s my mate,” I repeated, and she leaned back as she gasped.

“No…” she whispered. “You’re lying to me.”

Shaking my head, I said, “Come on, Lexy. I’ve no reason to lie, especially not to you.”

Pointing a finger at me, “You’re taking advantage of the fact that she’s wolf-less,” she accused. What the- I don’t give a flying fuck that she’s wolf-less! What’s that got to do with anything?

I didn’t know what was going on in that annoying head of hers, but I wasn’t dealing with it. “Look, sis. Either you believe me, or you don’t. Up to you,” I said as I raised both hands in surrender. “But I’m telling you, she’s my mate. Ask Luca, he’ll vouch for me.”

She closed her eyes as she talked to her wolf. She knew that Luca wouldn’t lie to her. He would gladly rat me out if I ever messed up on anything. That was how my sister was able to keep an eye on me. I didn’t even know if Luca tells her everything, but whenever I fuck up, I’d be sure to hear from her.

I couldn’t hide anything from Luca because we’re basically one being.

So much for keeping secrets.

I closed my eyes as well and began to talk to him. “What are you telling her, Luca? Enjoying your little chat?”

“Do you mind, Liam? I’m in the middle of a conversation,” he said coolly, obviously to annoy me.

“After years of stabbing me from behind, it actually came useful this time,” I said.

“I know. You’re welcome.” He smirked. This fucker really knew how to get to my nerves.

Opening my eyes, Lexy was already staring at me. She still gave me a dubious look, but I know she believed me now. “She doesn’t know?” she asked, sounding more like a statement.

“Didn’t get a chance to tell her,” I replied.

“Ah! I know that look,” she said, smiling.

“What look?”

“The look that says you’ve done something I shouldn’t know about, but nothing troublesome, and it makes you happy.”

“Wow. That was very descriptive, sis. And downright creepy,” I said, jokingly and we both laughed.

“I’m happy for you, bro.”

“Thanks, sis.”

“So… what now?”

“That a- “I stopped myself before saying the a-word because she doesn’t like cuss words and cleared my throat before continuing. She could cuss whenever she wanted but didn’t want us using them – hypocrite. “Because she’s my Luna, Alpha Flynn would have to give her to me. He has no say on the matter.”

She nodded, silently telling me to continue. “She, however – What’s her name?”

She raised a brow at me and scoffed. “What? She didn’t get a chance to tell you?”

I smirked at her and she rolled her eyes. “Her name’s Anna.”

“Anna,” I repeated.

Anna Rose. Fitting, isn’t it?

“Your smile’s creeping me out so stop it,” she said. I hadn’t even realized I was smiling. “Can we focus here, please? The mating ceremony’s about to start and my mate is probably looking for me.”

“You found your mate?” I asked and pink colored her cheeks.

“Not yet. But tonight, I’m sure I’ll- “

“Single!” I exclaimed, cutting her off, and I laughed as the blush darkened in color. “Good luck with that, sis. I hope you won’t feel left out when I take Anna back home.”

She smacked my arm and pouted, making me laugh harder.

Just because you’ve turned eighteen doesn’t mean you’ll immediately find your mate. Can’t you see that the Goddess enjoys making us wait?

As I calmed down, she kept glaring at me. “I’ll find mine soon,” said she.

“Of course, you will,” I joked.

“Can we go back on what to do with your mate now?” she asked, annoyed.

Alright, enough teasing for now.

“So, as I was saying, she can stay if she wants to. I can’t force her to come with me,” I explained. “Thing is, I’m not entirely sure what her decision will be.”

We sat in silence, thinking about the situation. “We’re you trying to bed her?” she asked bluntly.

Huh, guess Luca didn’t tell her everything. Good boy.

I could see where this conversion would go but it’d be best, she knew. “No,” I answered. “I think she felt a connection with me, but she couldn’t tell it was the bond. When you entered, she was suddenly rejecting me. I don’t even know why I got slapped!”

She chuckled at that. “Fine. I’ll talk to her,” she said, getting up. “You owe me one.”

“Thanks, sis,” I said, watching her leave. “You’re the best!” I added before the door closed.

It suddenly opened after just a few moments and she had a worried expression on her face. “Liam, she’s gone.”

I stood to my feet and walked over to her. “What do you mean she’s gone?”

“She’s not in the room,” she said.

Did she leave? Why would she? She isn’t safe here.

I made my way to my room and it was indeed empty of her. My pack was yet to report on the investigation but so far, I was getting a bad feeling about the White Lake Pack.

She shouldn’t be out there!

“Luca!” I called and he responded. Channeling his energy to further enhance the sensitivity of my senses, her lingering sweet scent calmed my nervous nerves. With her scent, I could track her location.

But another scent mixed with hers – cologne. And I knew who it belonged to.