The Mating Rules

Lauren’s POV

Waking up surrounded by my friends who all raided my drawers for something to sleep in, and are now curled up on the couch and my bed, I smile brightly as I wriggle out from under the covers.

Heading toward my bathroom, I quickly use the facilities before walking into my closet and pulling out some clothes to wear. As I step back into my room, the four she wolves are already awake, Jessica and Inaya bickering playfully as Arleth hammers on my bathroom door angrily.

“Taiga! Hurry up, some of us need to pee!’ she growls.

‘What do you think I’m doing?’ our friend calls back in annoyance.

Looking up at me, Jessica pulls a face,

‘I can’t believe you

are already dressed’ she m***s, ‘what is it with you and being super healthy and stuff? You’re love to train, you go for runs in the forest and now we find out you are an early riser? Ugh!’

I laugh, walking over to my bed and plonking down on the edge, ‘it’s claiming day’ I reply with a shrug.

My friend’s face clears in understanding and she squeals exceitedly, ‘Oh Goddess! You must be so excited! Your first claiming, I’m so jealous!’

I shrug, a small smile playing around my lips, it’s highly unlikely I’ll get heard on my first go’ I demure, Ill still be heading out in a few months when you reach twenty one.

The she wolf scoffs, ‘please, you are so finding your fated tonight’ she retorts, ‘you are a Beta! Unless your Mate is from another pack that’s far away like Bailee, you are getting claimed.’

The girls get redressed in their clothes from the day before, saying they’ll meet me in the dining room after they ve all gone back to their rooms and changed before leaving.

I finish getting ready and head downstairs, walking into the dining room, my grin growing as each face pops a name into my mind, another memory from my life that was missing only a day ago.

As I join the line for food, someone steps in behind me and I turn around to find one of the boys that had been with Ophelia in the clearing yesterday.

He smiles awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. Hey Lauren’ he sighs, ‘you probably don’t remember me..

‘Francis’ I cut him off, ‘1 remember you.’ My tone isn’t friendly, more and more of the fight is coming back to me and I am well aware that the guy in front of me stood behind Ellie, hoping l’a lose.

“Yeah’ he agrees, ‘you remember me?’

I shrug, I remember that you stood opposite me yesterday. supporting my opponent and then did nothing when Ophelia knocked me out with a rock’ I retort.

The warrior flushes pink, averting his eyes from me shamefully, 1 wasn’t really on Ellie’s … Ophelia got the link from her… I didn’t really want to go.. ‘ he mumbles.

“What do you want?’ I snap, getting tired of listening to this shallow a*****e bumble on about nothing,

Francis blows out a breath, ‘I’m sorry’ he finally mutters, ‘1 don’t like Ellie, and I didn’t want to be on her side. Ophelia got the mind link and said we were going, I didn’t even know that we would be on Ellie’s side until we got there.’

I raise an eyebrow, ‘yet you still stood behind her in direct opposition to me, the person who was supposed to be your friend’ I retort acidly.

The warrior nods slowly, ‘yeah, I was worried about what Ophelia and the others would say, and I picked the easy option.’ He meets my gaze, his own pleading, ‘1 should have stood with your other friends Lauren and I should have ran after Ophelia when she suddenly ran after you.

He swallows thickly, licking his lips, 1 didn’t know she was going to attack you, I never would have thought that she would do that.’ He smiles sadly, ‘I was really scared when I heard your friends screaming, I raced to you, I swear but you were already unconscious and the Alpha was with us seconds later. I helped the warriors chase down Ophelia though, I want you to know that.’

He sighs deeply, ‘anyway, I just wanted to say I was sorry, for not being a good friend to you and I understand if you don’t want to, but I’d really like a chance to prove I’m not a complete a*****e’

I stare at him, trying to gauge if he’s being truthful and can detect no word of a lie in his gaze.

‘TIl think about it’ I reply finally, not quite ready to trust any of the people I once thought of as my friends.

Francis nods, giving me a small smile, ‘I’ll take it’ he murmurs, ‘it’s not an outright no so I can’t complain.!

I nod curtly before tilting my head slightly, ‘why didn’t you come and visit me in the clinic?’ I ask before I can stop myself. It’s something that has bothered me since I woke up the first time, how I could have missed that all my friends were not really my friends at all?

The warrior gives me a lopsided grin, ‘I did he replies, ‘me, Violet and Honor came to see you the night you got taken in. The doctor wouldn’t let us in, said you were too unwell, he made us leave. Then Ophelia and her little group kind of took over our friendship group, without you there anymore, she stepped in as queen bee and we were basically expected to do whatever she wanted.

I nod, my chest releasing slightly, not all of my friends had been completely fake, they still turned their back on me though and I’d have to see if I was willing to forgive that.

The knowledge that I hadn’t been a complete fool does soothe my feelings a little though

“Thank you’l say, sincerely,

‘for the apology and for coming

to see me when I was sick.’Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

Francis nods, I don’t want to lose you as a friend Lauren, none of us, your real friends, want to, we were all just too cowardly to go against Ophelia and her tribe:

Giving me a wave, he steps out of the queue, hurrying away as I turn back and cover the distance to the food which is now clear as everyone in front of me has served themselves whilst I was talking

Piling my plate, I head to what is now, our usual table, that I sit at with the girls, sliding into a seat, and starting to eat as I keep an eye on the door, grinning widely and waving as my friends enter the room, instinctively looking for me.

Once they grab their own plates, the girls hurry over to me, sitting in the seats around me as they chatter loudly.

‘Oh my Goddesssss it’s your claiming day!’ Taiga trills excitedly, nudging me, ‘are you ready?’

I smile through my mouthful of food, swallowing quickly as I shrug, ‘as ready as ‘ll ever be’ I reply, looking around them all curiously, ‘are any of you going to be there tonight?’ I add.

Jessica, Arleth, and Taiga shake their heads, ‘Arleth and I are not twenty-one yet Jessica explains.

” will be’ Inaya murmurs, “this will be my third” she sighs sadly, shovelling a large piece of waffle into her mouth.

I grab her arm, squeezing it tightly, we can stand together when we meet the Alpha’ I say quietly, you can be my support and ‘ll be yours.’

The she wolf perks up slightly, a smile on her face,

‘deal’

she agrees.

“What about you?’ I ask Taiga curiously.

The she wolf shrugs, ‘I turned twenty-one tomorrow, so I’ve just missed this month’ she replies, biting off the end of her bacon. I’m kind of glad though, that I’ve got another month you know, If I’m honest with myself I don’t feel like I’m ready ..’she glances down at her plate, worry marring her features ‘I’m not sure that I will ever be ready, how can I be Mated to a werewolf when I like girls?’ she mutters.

I glance at the others who are all nodding sadly, I’d never actually given that a thought before. All she wolves get claimed by werewolves but Taiga likes girls.

We finish our breakfasts in silence, clearing the plates, and then head out of the packhouse toward the training grounds.

As we approach, Eleanor peels off from the group, striding toward us with her hands up.

‘Nope!’ she declares loudly, coming to a stop in front of me,

‘you are not training.’

What?’ I whine, I’m fine! It was just a little bump, look you can hardly see it’ I add, pulling apart the strands of my hair that cover the lump on my head

1 don’t care’ Eleanor growls, Ive had orders from the Alpha, Luna, Gamma, and the damn Beta! Under no circumstances are you to train this week, you are banned from the groups until the doctor gives you the all clear.’

I try pleading with the warrior but she stands firm, arms crossed over her chest.

After five minutes I reluctantly give up, giving my friends a dejected wave before stomping my way back toward the pack house on my own.

‘Lauren!’ a deep voice calls out to me, and I glance over my shoulder to see Tyler hurrying toward me, his work out gear sticking to his muscles as I stop to wait.

‘Hi’ I murmur, peeking up at him through my lashes.

‘Hi’ he replies, dragging his fingers through his hair, as he stops in front of me. I came to see you yesterday, I uh .. wanted to talk about the other night’ he says uncertainly.

I nod, nod lifting my head as colour flushes my cheeks, It’s OK’ I mutter, ‘we got caught up in the moment that was all.’

The warrior back straightens, his hands that were loose by his sides, now lifting to cross in front of that muscular chest that I now have intimate knowledge of.

You think it was a mistake?’ he asks slowly, staring at me.

1 shrug

‘don’t you?’ I question back, we’re best friends, neither of us have been interested in the other like that before.’ I raise my eyes, meeting his as I frown, ‘even if we were, it wouldn’t work’ I sigh. ‘Just being your friend got me into a fight with Ellie and then knocked out with a rock by Ophelia! Can you imagine what would happen if we dated?

And tonight is the claiming! What if you get called or I get answered? Then what?’

Tyler’s mouth opens but I shake my head sadly, ‘lets just leave it for what it was OK?’ I say softly, ‘two friends who got carried away. I don’t want to lose you as my best friend Ty, you know everything about me, and I do about you. I don’t want one night of stupidity to come between us’ I finish, trying not to allow my emotions to show.

I give him a small smile, and turn to walk away, making it only a few paces before Tyler’s yoice stops me. You are wrong you know’ he calls after me, making me turn. ‘About knowing everything about me he adds angrily, ‘you don’t know everything Lauren, not about me and not about yourself. You can keep hiding behind our friendship all you want, but I know what’s really happening, I just hope you figure it out before it’s too late.

Giving me one last unreadable look, he turns on his heel and stalks away, tension rolling off his body as he returns to the Elite training group and disappears into the middle.