Chapter 3 Mate

The smell of clean sheets and lavender invades my senses before I am aware of my surroundings. Soft and hard, both contrasting features, but laden with comfort. I open my eyes to see a sleeping man beside me. I sit up and the blankets fall over my shoulders and his, revealing a half-naked man, peacefully sleeping next to me.

I swallow as events replay in my head. This man is my mate. A human, but still my mate. Then desire washes over me as I watch his sleeping form. I want to touch him. I want to smother him with kisses. I am about to reach out to him when I pause and suddenly pull back.

What the hell! Nowra warns me about this too. Heightened desire and being horny all the time. The need to touch my mate and the desire to make him happy. This is uncomfortable and yet very... what? Pleasing? I shake my head and look around the room.

The bed is in the middle with cabinets on its side. A door is on my left. Crossing swords decorate the wall, but other than that, the room is simple. The pieces of furniture are only necessities.

I look at myself. I am wearing a white nightgown and it's kind of see-through. Did I sleep with my mate like this? That's embarrassing!

"You have a nice body. You don't have to worry about that," a deep voice says.

I look beside me and find him, my mate. He is looking at my body too. He's staring at me, but unlike that guy called Klevon, his gaze on my body sends a delicious shiver down my skin. And I want him to look more. No, I want him to do more, and maybe I flush. Damn! I am starting to dislike this mate bond!

"My family, where are they?" I ask. I get off the bed and pull a blanket to cover myself.

"You mean the other werewolves?"

I nod, my eyes traveling to his perfect form. The blanket crumples around his waist and he looks enticing, especially with his black-violet hair falling all over his shoulders. A sight of freedom and nonchalance.

He leans on the headboard and regards me. A smile forms on his lips and I look away.

"They are on the island to be treated. You don't have to worry about them. That place will cease to become a park. I bought it, including all its inhabitants," he says.

"Including me?" I ask. If he bought us, then does that mean I am his slave, rather than his mate?

He frowns. "I bought your freedom too."

"So I am your slave now?"

"No!" He massages his head and looks at me. "Let's talk outside. Not here where all I could think of is to pull you into my arms."

I instantly redden. Can he feel it too? Can he really feel the mate bond, too? This desire to be close... Is it the same with him?

He stands up and wears clothes. Then, he throws a dress at me. "Wear that," he says. "Thicker clothing means lesser temptation."

He leaves the room and the instant he shuts the door, the smell of ocean wafts into the room. Ocean?

Nervous, I hurriedly wear my clothes and run after him, only to be welcomed by the rays of twilight in a hallway window.

Slowly, I climb the stairs going up the deck. I perfectly understand where I am–a huge ship, traveling to wherever. My mate waves at me at a nearby table on my right and then there's Klevon and his blonde leader on my left.

I make my way towards my mate, while my eyes are still on the mage hunter who's staring at me. Then his leader hits him in the head, which shifts his attention away from me. Thankfully though, I can't handle him. His family is a werewolf nemesis.

I sit in the chair opposite my mate, and he offers his hand to me.

"My name is Eugene Theo Pitchford, but I want you to call me Theo."

I reach for his outstretched hand and electricity courses through my body. I frown. I want to hit myself for feeling like this. I pull back and make a smile, which I'm sure may look like a wince.

"I'm Kaiya," I answer.

Werewolves don't have a family name, and I'm sure he knows that too. Besides, even if I have one, I won't be able to tell him, as my memories are only that of fifteen years ago and 'Kaiya' is all I have.

Instead, I study Theo's features. Dark, bushy eyebrows and an open, friendly face. Like Klevon and his leader, he's got a nice body. Even if he's not my mate, I will describe him as gorgeous.

He smiles and gazes at my face. "You've been staring at me since you woke up."

I redden again. I hate these reactions! "Because I wake up beside an unfamiliar man. Any woman would get embarrassed by it," I say.

He looks surprised. "You don't know me?"

"Should I?" I ask.

"I am the King of Pitchford Kingdom," he says, waiting for my reaction.

I purse my lips. My mate is a king?! How will that work? If he makes me his Queen, wouldn't that create a divide between his subjects? Humans rarely like werewolves, right? And is that why those hunters look different from what we are familiar with? Is that why we are helplessly defeated?

"I've been in that park for fifteen years. I don't think you are already King by then," I answer as calmly as possible. But more than our position, there's one more thing I need to ask. "Are you married? Since you're a King and all?" I swallow, dreading his answer. If he's married, what will happen to this mate bond? Should I ask him to reject it?

Instead of answering, he smiles and leans his chin on his hands again. "I'm single. Are you worried?"

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight."

"You look young to become a King."

"I'm just a King for two years. My Kingdom is new, so you don't have to feel restricted by all the noble rules that you know of."

"You created your own Kingdom?!" I ask, amazed at the man in front of me.

"I have help. And of course, it's not easy," he answers.

I swallow. A mate as amazing as this man? Seriously, moon goddess? Can't you just give me someone more ordinary?!

"This new Kingdom. Is that our destination?"

He nods.

"You might have bought my freedom, but werewolves are never really free in this world."

"That might be true. In my kingdom, all we have are freed, human slaves. You will be the first werewolf in my Kingdom. Are you worried about that?"

I shake my head. Meeting my mate is a dream come true, even if he is a human. All that's missing is having Nowra and my family with me.

"About my family. In the future, will they be able to come and visit me?"

"Of course! You are the first freed werewolf, does not mean that you will be the last."

"Is that why you freed me? To set an example?"

"No. I freed you and bring you with me because you will become my woman."

My breathing stops. The way he puts a claim on me makes me want to claim him too. "I-"

"Ah! Don't worry about answering me now. I will give you time to consider me."

I look at the table and entwine my fingers together. I take a deep breath and look back at him. "I want that too," I whisper. "I want to become your woman, too."

I answer the surprise on his face by flushing scarlet. Then, he looks away and I can see a blush creeping on his face, too.

"So, starting now, are we together?" he asks.

"Before that, we need to do a promise."

"A promise?"

I take his hand to mine and say, "You are my mate, whom I promise to love and cherish forever until the gods and fate separate us."

He squeezes my hand and answers, "You are my mate, whom I promise to love and cherish forever, even if the gods and fate may try to separate us."