"I know that," Ace grumbled, thinking back to Tai defending herself outside Rogue's house.
"Then why did you get involved!"
"Because I didn't want to see you get hurt," Ace grunted.
Indianna and Brooke shared a look. "Ace, let me take you to the bathroom, I'll help clean the blood off you."
"And then you'll go home?" Harry said, adjusting his hold on Ace, keeping him up right.
"No." Harry immediately stepped away from Ace and he stumbled slightly. "What the hell?" Ace groaned as Kal caught him and held him up.
"If you're not going to go home, where you should be, and rest, then I'm not helping you," Harry shrugged and grabbed Brooke's hand. "C'mon, babe."
"Harry, wait!" Brooke protested. "Ace needs help-"
"Which he can get from Doc at home. I'm not going to help him suffer at school," Harry said and started walking away. "
"But-"
"Brooke, its fine," Ace winced. "Go."
Brooke scowled at Harry as she was pulled away down the corridor.
"I'm not being there to clean up your blood," Kimberly said and turned her nose up. "I can just about deal with Indie being sick, I can't deal with blood."
"I'll do it," Indianna said. "Kal, help me get him to the toilets-"
"I'll take him," Tai said and walked up to Ace, barging Kal out of the way with her hip. She easily took all of Ace's weight.
"Are you sure?" Indianna asked.
"Yep," Tai muttered and helped Ace down the corridor, in the direction of the toilets.
"Ow, she has a hard barge," Kal mumbled and rubbed his side. He looked at Kimberly. "Be a star and kiss it better?"
Kimberly rolled her eyes at her mate, linked arms with Indianna and walked away from Kal. Kal stared after the two girls and sighed. "Why do I feel like a third wheel when I'm the one in the relationship!"
"Ouch," Ace hissed.
"Stay still," Tai snapped and dabbed at Ace's cuts with a damp tissue. They were in the boys toilets and Ace was leaning against the sink with a pile of bloody tissues next to him. Tai sighed from where she was standing next to Ace and wiped away more blood. "I thought we healed quickly. You're not."
"I'm still recovering from the coma. My healing isn't great," Ace sighed.
"Then you shouldn't get into fights," Tai muttered.
"I don't," Ace said. "This was an exception."
"Why?"
Ace looked down at Tai. "It just was," he said dismissively.
"I don't need you fighting for me," Tai huffed. "I can damn well handle myself."
"Doesn't mean that you should," Ace said and Tai's eyes flickered to his.
"What is this?" Tai asked suddenly and stepped back, throwing the red tissue onto the side. Tai narrowed her eyes at Ace and crossed her arms over her chest. "What is this?"
"What?" Ace asked.
"This!" Tai sighed and gestured between her and Ace. "This is something and I don't know what! Why am I cleaning blood off you! I don't help people, I don't get involved! I keep to myself and push everyone away- why am I helping you?"
Ace grabbed Tai's arm, he gently ran his thumb over her skin. "This?" He said.
"What are you doing?" Tai demanded.
"What do you feel?" Ace asked softly.
"I... I-" Tai's eyes flicked from Ace's hand to his eyes. "Sparks. I feel sparks."
"I think it's time you sat down and read the book Indianna gave you. In fact, I'd recommend a specific chapter... about a thing called mates."
*
Indianna was walking to class alone when she bumped into Stacy who was pinning up flyers about the Christmas Fayre. "Indie!" Stacy said brightly. "How are you? How's the baby?"
Indianna glanced round cautiously, hoping no one had overheard. "Hi, Stacy," Indianna said. "The baby is fine."
"That's good to hear, what's even better to hear is that you agreed to come to dinner! It'll be so good!" Stacy grinned. "I convinced Jason not to cook. He's amazing at many things, but not cooking."
"Amazing at many things?" Indianna repeated. "Who would've thought."
"He's a dark horse," Stacy smiled and thrust a flyer into Indianna's hands. "Please say you're coming. It's going to be even better than the last Fair."
Indianna thought back to Cassie dying and Rogue attacking her. "The last Fair was certainly... memorable."
"It was unforgettable," Stacy scoffed. "It's when I met Jason."
"It's when Cassie died," Indianna murmured.
"What was that?" Stacy wondered.
"Nothing," Indianna said quickly. "I'm sure it will be great. I'll try and make it." Indianna couldn't think of anything worse.
"No, you've got to come!" Stacy gasped. "I've already told you we're running the kissing booth again, last year it was such a success!"
Indianna swallowed. "In that case... I'm sure I can swing by-"
"Fantastic!" Stacy grinned.
"Yeah," Indianna said. "Fantastic."
"It's going to be so great, but I've got to run!" Stacy air kissed Indianna and hurried off down the corridor.
"Gosh, she makes me want to claw my eyes out."
Indianna looked round and saw Tai who had emerged from round the corner. "She's not that bad-"
"She is," Tai said.
"How's Ace?" Indianna asked.
"He'll be fine," Tai nodded. "I wanted to ask you a question, Indianna."
"Of course."
"Ace told me to read about something in the book you gave me, but honestly I've never been much of a reader," Tai shrugged.
"What did he ask you to read about?" Indianna asked.
Tai frowned. "Something about mates?"
Indianna sucked in a breath. "Mates? He said that?"
Tai nodded. "What does that mean? He said something before about soulmates... but I don't understand."
Indianna ran her fingers through her hair. "You really know nothing about us? Do you?"
"I know nothing," Tai said. "And I would really appreciate it if you could tell me something."
Indianna sighed and leaned back against the lockers. "You've heard of Greyson- my boyfriend?"
Tai's eyes flicked to Indianna's stomach. "Yeah," she said slowly. "I have."
"He was my mate."
"Ace said that. What does that really mean?" Tai asked.
"Werewolves have another half. Their mate. Their soulmate. Your mate is someone that completes you. They're the other half to your heart. Someone to love unconditionally and forever. Werewolves only get one chance at love."
Tai paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "So... Ace... no, that's ridiculous! How can you only have one person you're meant to be with! How do you even know that you're mates-"
"What do you feel when you touch him?" Indianna asked softly. Her hand went to her mark that was on her collarbone. It was faded.
"Sparks," Tai whispered. "But-"
"You feel different around him? You can't explain it."
"That's insane," Tai said. "God, I'm 18 years old, I don't want to meet the guy I've got to spend the rest of my life with! I don't want to-"
"Just talk to him and you may change your mind," Indianna said softly. "I've lost my chance at a mate, please don't throw yours away."
Tai took a step back and looked at Indianna sadly. "I've got to go to class," Tai said quickly and rushed off."
*Ace,* Indianna said through mindlink, *she knows.*
*How did she react?* Ace replied immediately, he sounded nervous.
*If I were you I'd turn on your charm. You're going to need it."
*
Indianna was the first to arrive to the canteen at lunch. She bought a sandwich and sat by herself. Her eyes wandered round the canteen and she sighed, wishing she could be a normal teenager. She wish she didn't have anything to worry about.
She took a bite of her sandwich and watched as Brandon walked into the canteen with Raiden by his side. They were laughing. Indianna didn't understand how he could be that happy. After all he'd done.
"Can you stop it?" Tai asked. Indianna blinked and looked up a Tai in surprise, she hadn't realised she was there.
"Stop what?"
"Mates. The bond or whatever it is?"
"No."
Tai took a deep breath and sat down in front of Indianna. "So that's it? The person I'm to spend the rest of my life with is just decided for me?"
"It's not as bad as it sounds."
"I don't want to be with someone. I don't do people," Tai snapped. "How do I stop this?"
"You don't."
"I'm just going to fuck this up, just like I fuck everything up," Tai groaned. "I don't want this. All I have is Raiden and that's because he's got no choice. He's stuck with me. We're family."
"In my experience, family isn't as strong as it seems," Indianna said gently. She thought about Rogue, about her mother, about her father kicking Rogue out, she thought of Brandon and Brooke. "You're stuck with your mate as much as they're stuck with you."
Tai covered her face with her hands and abruptly stood up. She spun round and swore when she crashed into someone. "Shit, watch where you're-" Tai stopped talking when she felt sparks from the hands that were holding her shoulders.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you did crash into me," Ace said softly.
"Fuck," Tai breathed. "I've got to-"
"I can't force you to do anything," Ace said and he gently trailed his fingers down Tai's arms. She stiffened, but not in a bad way. "But I can ask you, please, give this a chance."
"You don't want me to give this a chance," Tai said. "Trust me, you really don't."
Ace smiled. "Try me."
"God, don't do that!" Tai groaned. "Don't smile like that! I'm telling you now, Ace, stay away from me. For your own damn good."
"You're telling me to stay away, but that only makes me want to stay," Ace said.
"Are you stupid? You don't want to be around me! You don't want to know about me!" Tai snapped.
"Why? What's so bad?" Ace asked and he frowned, cocking his head slightly. "What have you done?"
Tai froze. "I need to go," she said and took a step back. "Just... stay away from me, Ace, for your own good." Tai barged past Ace and hurried out of the canteen.
"Why do all of you girls have secrets?" Ace groaned and sat down opposite Indianna.
"She doesn't not want you," Indianna said and took a bite of her sandwich. "She just doesn't want you knowing whatever she's done."
"After everything that's happened to us, I doubt whatever she's done could surprise me. Nothing would scare me away."
"Then you need to get her to understand that," Indianna said.
"I didn't know having a mate would cause me this much stress already," Ace sighed. He was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently.
"Hey," Indianna said and placed her hand over Ace's. "It will work out. Look at me and Brooke, and Kimberly. It works out."