THE WEREWOLF AND VAMPIRE'S MATE

AURORA'S POV:

My body temperature keeps increasing as the images blurs in front of me.

The blood dripping from sharp fangs, the blue eyes staring intensely at me in the darkness - cold and piercing.

Then the green eyes. Forest green, burning like embers. I flinch as a snarl rips through the silence and claws reach out, wrapping around my neck. My chest tightens. I can't move. It's like my entire body is frozen.

The images start flickering, shifting too fast for me to grasp.

My body jerks up, drenched in cold sweat and I look around the room in fear, waiting for the creatures who keep showing up in dreams to jump on me in real life.

I haven't had one of these in a while. It's probably because of the horror movie I watched last night.

The first day of junior year should feel like any other. But it doesn't.

Maybe it's the dream that woke me up in bad way; flashes of different eyes, a whisper I can't make out. Or maybe it's the fact that the Andersons are taking in an exchange student today, which means I won't be the only one in this house anymore. Either way, something feels off.

Picking up my phone from the bedside table, I check the time.

"Shit! I forgot to set my alarm!" I scramble out of bed and quickly take my bath. I start putting on my clothes and packing my books for school. It's even weird that Ava has not come to my school to wake me up.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Ava, my foster mom, peeks into my room. She's always smiling, always gentle, and I don't think she and Henry expected to take in a teenager when they signed up for fostering.

But they try. And that's more than I can say for the others before them.

"Yeah, just grabbing my bag." I sling it over my shoulder and follow her downstairs, where Henry is reading the news on his tablet.

"Where is the guest?" I asked them as I took my sit. I expected to already see him here considering today is the first day of school.

"He's arriving this afternoon," Henry says. "Jon Drago. He is from Australia. I must say, the boy has a pretty impressive profile."

Henry has a small smile on his face which means that this Jon is definitely impressive.

"Well, he will fit right into Clarence then." Ava serves me some pancakes with a knowing look on her face and a slight frown.

"What?" I furrow my brows in confusion.

"Nothing. I just think you need to make friends and this might be an opportunity." She shrugs.

"I don't even know the guy. And I have a lot of friends already."

"Pfft. As if. Anyways, six months is more than enough time to get to know each other." My eyes widen at her statement.

"What? Six months?" Shit!

"Yes. That's the duration for the exchange program."

Worry seeps into my mind as I start overthinking. I feel a hand on mine and I look up to see Ava smiling at me.

"I'm sure you two will get along just fine." I nod in response and continue eating.

Doubt it. I've spent years bouncing from home to home, learning how to keep my distance. I have one friend, Cali, and that's more than enough.

After eating, I head out and thankfully, I'm able to meet up with the bus.

*****

At school, everything is the same. Girl, I cannot! I repeat! I cannot wait to graduate. I'm tired.

Clarence High is a mix of brick walls, flickering hallway lights, and students who either pretend I don't exist or glance my way like I'm some stray puppy. I don't care. It's easier this way.

"Morning, loser." Cali slams her locker shut and loops her arm through mine. Her purple-streaked hair is tied into a messy bun, and she's already got that wild energy that tells me she's had at least two energy drinks.

"Morning, psycho," I reply.

She grins. "Did you hear? New guy's coming today. Apparently, he's Australian and hot. That accent? Instant heartbreaker."

"And how is that my business, darling?" I ask her in a false British accent.

"Whatever. I'm gonna taste out of that Australian juice." I make a disgusted face at her.

"Eww"

Cali gasps dramatically. "No. But seriously, Aurora, how can you not be excited? This is a once-in-a-lifetime event. A hot guy in our school that isn't related to half the town."

I snort, but before I can reply, the air shifts.

It's subtle at first, like the temperature just dropped a few degrees. Then, the scent hits me- earthy, fresh, something almost electric in the air. The hallway quiets, heads turning toward the entrance.

And there he is.

Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a fitted black t-shirt that does nothing to hide the lean muscle underneath. His dark hair is tousled, and his green eyes scan the hallway like he already owns the place.

Jon Drago.

My new housemate.

His gaze locks onto mine, and for a second, it's like I forget how to breathe. His expression shifts, something like shock, confusion, and then something deeper, something primal.

Those eyes... Those green eyes... They look familiar.

The hallway is its usual chaotic mess; students laughing, lockers slamming, the faint scent of cheap cafeteria food clinging to the air. But something shifts, thickens, like the atmosphere itself has changed.

Then I see him.

He's standing near the front office, listening to one of the school administrators while casually scanning the hallway.

The moment stretches, too long, too intense for a glance between strangers. His expression flickers, something like surprise, confusion before his lips press into a firm line.

Then, without hesitation, he moves.

I tense as he strides through the crowd, students instinctively parting for him like they feel something I don't. I dart a glance at Cali, expecting her to say something, but she's watching him approach with open curiosity.

And then, he's in front of me.

Then, suddenly, he exhales and offers a lopsided smile. "Hey. You must be Aurora."

I blink. How does he know my name. "Uh... yeah?"

He nods like that confirms something, then holds out his hand. "I'm Jon Drago. I just moved here from Australia. Don't be creeped out, Ava sent me your picture... For easy recognition."

I hesitate, still thrown off by how intensely he's watching me. But after a beat, I reach out, letting my hand slip into his.

The moment our palms touch-

A jolt.

Not pain. Not quite a spark. But something. A strange, pulling sensation, deep and instinctive, like my body recognizes him before my mind does.

Jon stiffens. His grip on my hand tightens just slightly.

Then, before I can react, he leans in, just enough that only I can hear him.

His breath is warm against my ear as he whispers,

"Mate."

AURORA'S POV:

Jon doesn't move. He just stands there, looking at me like I'm supposed to understand what he just said.

I don't.

"You're... what?" I ask, glancing at Cali for some kind of sanity check.

She looks just as stunned. "Did he just say mate? Like... soulmate? Or like... kangaroo mate?"

Jon ignores her, his green eyes locked on mine. "I know this sounds crazy, but you're my mate. My-"

"Nope." I cut him off and take a step back. "I don't know what you think is happening here, but I'm not your anything."

Something flickers in his expression, something almost hurt but he schools his face quickly. "You don't understand yet."

"You're right. I don't."

And I don't plan to.

I turn on my heel and walk away, ignoring the stares, the whispers. Jon Drago can take his weird Australian nonsense and keep it far, far away from me.

I have enough drama in my life to come and start adding boys to it.

The first half of the day goes by pretty quickly thankfully because I'm already sick of everyone talking about Jon.

Soon enough, it's lunch break and Cali and I head over to the cafeteria.

Jon hasn't tried to talk to me again, but I catch him watching me from across the cafeteria. Cali is having the time of her life with this.

"So, let's review," she says, poking at her fries. "New guy shows up, calls you his mate, and now he's been staring at you like a lovesick puppy for the past twenty minutes. You should go talk to him."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because that's how horror movies start."

Cali snickers. "Or romance novels."

I groan, pushing my tray away. "I need air."

She wiggles her eyebrows. "Try not to get kidnapped by your mysterious new admirer."

I roll my eyes and step outside, into the quieter part of campus. The air is crisp, autumn sneaking into the breeze. I close my eyes for a second, breathing it in-

And then I crash into someone.

Hard.

I stumble back, expecting some annoyed senior to cuss me out. But when I look up, my words freeze.

White hair. Piercing blue eyes. Pale, flawless skin.

I don't know his name, but I've seen him before, always sitting alone, always watching people like they're beneath him.

He transferred here late last year and was the talk of the entire school for the rest of my freshman year. It got annoying real quick. Like, girls, I know this man is fine and all, but y'all should calm the fuck down. Now, Jon has taken his place.

I don't think I've ever heard him speak, but right now, he's staring at me like I've just done something impossible.

His cold blue eyes narrow. "You..."

"Uh... sorry?" I say awkwardly. "Didn't mean to run into you."

He doesn't respond. Instead, he takes a slow step forward, his head tilting slightly, like he's studying something invisible. His expression shifts from confusion to disbelief, then something darker.

"No," he mutters, almost to himself. "That's not possible."

My skin prickles. "What's not possible?"

He doesn't answer.

Instead, his hand snaps out, faster than I can react, gripping my wrist. Not hard, but firm. His touch is ice cold.

And then, in a low, tense voice, he says,

"Mate."

You have got to be kidding me.

I yank my hand away, my pulse hammering.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?"

I take a step back, half-expecting him to lunge at me or something. He doesn't. He just stands there, staring like I've grown a second head.

"Who even are you?" I demand, rubbing my wrist where his fingers had been. It still feels cold, like his touch left an imprint.

His gaze flickers to something behind me, and I follow it, only to see Jon standing a few feet away, watching us.

Oh, fantastic.

Jon's jaw tightens. He takes a slow step forward.

"Step away from her," he says, voice low and dangerous.

The white-haired guy doesn't move. Doesn't even blink. Instead, his lips curl into something between a smirk and a sneer. "How interesting," he murmurs.

Jon's shoulders tense. "This isn't your concern, Arc."

Arc. So that's his name.

But if memory serves me right, Jon just joined the school today and Arc has been here for more than a month. What in the-

Arc shifts his gaze back to me, something calculating in his stare. Then, slowly, too slowly, he takes a step back. "As you wish."

He gives me one last unreadable look before turning and disappearing around the corner, silent as a shadow.

I exhale sharply. "What the actual fuck?"

Jon steps closer, his expression still tense. "Are you okay?"

I take another step back. "No, I'm not okay! First, you call me your mate out of nowhere, and now he does too? What is this? Some kind of prank?"

Jon runs a hand through his hair, exhaling. "It's not a prank, Aurora."

"Then what is it?"

Jon hesitates. Like he's debating how much to tell me.

I fold my arms. "Spit it out, Drago, or I'm walking."

He sighs. "You're... different. Special. You don't know it yet, but Arc and I, our kind, we can sense it. And when we do... we don't get a choice."

I narrow my eyes. "A choice in what?"

Jon looks at me, green eyes burning. "In who we belong to."

The words send a shiver down my spine.

Because the way he says it... it doesn't sound like a confession.

It sounds like a warning but I'm definitely just loosing my mind right?

AURORA'S POV:

I don't know what's worse, the way Arc is looking at me, or the way my heart is pounding like I just sprinted a mile.

Mate.

Jon said it first. Now Arc.

Two completely different guys. Two complete strangers. And both of them are acting like they own me.

Two people I have never spoken to before today. I just new there was something bad about today.

I take another step back, trying to put distance between us, but Arc moves just as quickly, closing the space. His expression is unreadable, but there's something sharp in his eyes-like he's trying to figure out a puzzle and doesn't like the answer.

"This doesn't make sense," he mutters. "Vampires don't have mates."

Vampire.

I almost laugh. This guy is obviously insane. First Jon and his mate nonsense, now Arc talking about vampires? Is this some elaborate prank? Some secret game all the hot guys at Clarence High play?

"Yeah, okay," I say, voice tight. "Well, whatever weird fantasy you're living in, leave me out of it."

I try to push past him, but he moves faster than I can blink, blocking my path.

I freeze.

I didn't even see him move.

My stomach twists, a cold sliver of fear threading through me. I glance around, but the courtyard is empty. It's just me and him.

His jaw clenches. "What are you?"

My breath catches. "Excuse me?"

Arc's eyes narrow. "You're not human. You can't be."

I bark out a laugh. "Okay, well, that's news to me. Pretty sure I've been a boring, average human my whole life. I could be a fairy though. Don't I look like one?"

His lips curl slightly, but there's no humor in it. "That's a lie."

Something about the way he says it makes my pulse spike.

I don't like this.

I don't like the way my skin prickles under his gaze. I don't like the way his voice sounds so certain, like he knows something I don't.

I need to get out of here.

I sidestep, bolting toward the doors. This time, he lets me go. But as I reach the entrance, I swear I hear him whisper-

"I'll find out the truth."

I spend the rest of the day pretending none of this happened.

I avoid Jon. I avoid Arc. I even avoid Cali because I know the second she sees my face, she'll know something's up.

******

By the time the last bell rings, I'm exhausted. All I want to do is go home, crawl into bed, and pretend today never happened.

But, of course, life isn't that kind.

When I step outside, Jon is waiting for me by the Andersons' car.

"Can we talk?" His voice is calm, but there's something tense in his posture.

"No."

He sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. "Aurora, please. I know you don't understand what's happening, but I need you to listen to me."

I cross my arms. "Why? So you can tell me more about this 'mate' thing?"

He nods. "Yes."

I exhale sharply, glancing around. Students are still spilling out of the building, but no one's paying attention to us.

"Fine," I say. "You have five minutes."

Jon studies me, then glances toward the parking lot. "Not here."

A warning bell goes off in my head. "If you think I'm going anywhere alone with you, you're insane."

"I would never hurt you." His voice is low, sincere. "But if you don't believe me, we can talk at home. Just... please, Aurora."

Something in his expression makes me hesitate.

Jon isn't just frustrated. He looks desperate. And, against my better judgment, I nod.

****

Dinner at the Andersons' is awkward.

Henry and Ava are their usual, cheerful selves, asking Jon questions about Australia, about school, about how he's adjusting.

I barely hear any of it. My mind is still tangled in the events of the day.

Jon's mate claim.

Arc's weird reaction.

The way they both acted like I was something else... something impossible.

When I finally escape to my room, I expect Jon to follow.

He doesn't.

Instead, he knocks.That alone surprises me.

"Come in," I say hesitantly.

Jon steps inside, shutting the door behind him. He leans against the wall, arms crossed.

"You have questions."

"No kidding." I sit on the edge of my bed. "Start with this mate thing. What does it mean?"

Jon exhales, running a hand through his hair. "It means we're bonded. Soulmates. Fated to be together."

I stare at him. "First of all, you don't even know me. Secondly, this is some full on fantasy shit."

"I didn't have to," he says softly. "The moment I saw you, I knew. My wolf knew."

I blink. "Your what now?" I cover my mouth to hold back a snort.

Jon holds my gaze. "I'm a werewolf, Aurora."

I wait for the punchline. Some indication that this is all some elaborate joke.

It doesn't come. His expression is open, honest. And terrifyingly serious.

I shake my head. "You expect me to believe that?"

"I don't expect anything. I just need you to listen." He hesitates, then sits across from me, his green eyes searching mine. "I don't know why you don't feel the bond yet, but it's there. And it's not just me who senses it."

I swallow. "Arc."

Jon's jaw tightens. "Yeah. That's why I need to figure out what's happening."

I rub my temples. "So let me get this straight. You're a werewolf. Arc is... what? A vampire?"

Jon nods.

I bark out a laugh. "Great. And I'm just a normal human caught in the middle of some supernatural pissing contest?"

Jon watches me for a long moment.

"No," he says finally.

Something in his tone makes my stomach drop.

"I don't think you're human at all."

"Okay. That's it. You have finally overstayed your welcome here. You can now take your leave. And never ever, talk to me about this again."

He looks defeated and his mouth opens and closes as if he wants to say something. He nods with an understanding look and leaves.

I stand up and lock the door after him. Letting out a shaky breath, I plop down on my bed, closing my eyes.