Riley
This is my first training with the Eternal pack. I'm the new girl, and the girls are sneering at me. They know I'm their alpha's mate, but they are also aware that the mating ritual isn't completed.
I'm still unmarked, which has made the girls in the pack think of William as free real estate. He is standing at the front, shirtless and ready to train us in hand-to-hand combat.
"Listen up," William let his gaze slide over each of us. "The city has been taken over by the Crescent pack. They are our enemy, and it's not safe going out on the street anymore. It means you all need to know how to defend yourselves."
One of the girls flips her ponytail over her shoulder. I believe her name is Sonja. She is wearing black eyeliner to form cat eyes, and heavy makeup outlines her face even though it's five in the morning.
She is also batting her eyelashes at my shirtless mate, making me ball my hands into fists. William is gorgeous, but I never expected him to be this insanely popular with the ladies.
It bothers me. Insecurity is churning in the pit of my belly. What if someone tries to steal William away from me? We haven't marked each other, so the possibility is there.
"Sorry, I'm late!"
I look to my left. Isabella is standing there with her pink hair put up in a ponytail. The color is almost washed-out, and all her clothes are a vibrant purple, even her sports bra.
"Where did you sleep tonight?" I ask Isabella. She wasn't in the kitchen when I was making smoothies for later. I've spent days sleeping in William's room alone.
"Dane's apartment," Isabella flashes me a grin. "It's a long story, but I found my mate."
My eyes flare into cannonballs. "WHAT?!"
The high-pitched tone of my noise makes William stops talking, and heads turn in my direction. I gulp and plaster on an awkward smile with sweat running down my back.
I have just interrupted my new alpha's speech, but my mate seems amused. There is a smirk on William's lush lips. It makes a thousand shudders run down my spine.
"Ah, my sister finally decided to join us," William says, crossing his formidable arms over his muscular chest. "And you," his eyes travel to mine, and his lips curl into a devious smile. "Did the gossip my sister brought interest you?"
Everyone laughs, and my cheeks turn molten hot. I'm probably beat red in the entire face. Even my heart is thumping.
William winks at me, and I stare down at my feet. I usually would quip back at anyone who embarrassed me, but...
Lately, when I look at William, all I can think about is sex. Especially since he is standing there half-naked with his body on full display. It should be outlawed for him to talk around like that. If a woman on a bicycle saw him, she would crash into a lamppost.
"Sorry..." I apologize. "Do go on with your speech."
William stifles a laugh. "Thank you, Mrs. Archer."
William continues the lecture with more defense talk. He even calls a few pack members to the front to show how to defend yourself against certain moves. It makes all the girls swoon over him.
Sonja even touches William's chest when he demonstrates something, and I growl. It was not a mistake.
Isabella whistles lowly next to me. "Girl, I'm sorry to say this, but you and my brother need to finish the deed."
I swallow thickly while watching Sonja flirt with my mate. William doesn't seem to realize what she is doing. He is too into training. It makes him too big of a target since the girls know they can get away with keeping their gazes on his ridiculous abs.
"He is a fairy, though," I say bitterly. "I find it a bit scary that my mate has an insane thirst for human flesh. Not blood. Actual human flesh. Have you seen a fairy? They are huge."
Isabella shrugs. "I don't think William would ever hurt you, especially not if you finished the mating ritual."
"You don't think so?"
"No," A smile lights up her face. She gets this dreamy expression. "The mate-bond is sacred, and hurting your mate is stupid because you feel every bit of their pain like your own."
My gaze travels to William. He looks so cute the way he is smiling while teaching choking moves. Watching him makes my heart squeeze in joy. I think I'm already deeply in love with my mate.
"Yes, but..." I hesitate. "I'm still a bit reluctant to finish the mating ritual. At some point, William might have to return to the magical realm. Because one of those fairies wouldn't be able to live in the human world."
"True..." Isabella gives me a sad smile. "That's the reason William's mother chose the fairy realm. Her thirst for human flesh made it impossible for her to live here... And when a fairy gets hungry, nothing stops them from eating someone."
I shudder. "I hope William doesn't turn into a full-fledged fairy."
Isabella pats my shoulder. "Me too. I would like to keep my brother living in this realm."
I squeeze my arm with a sad smile. "Yeah..."
"Don't overthink, though," Isabella stretches to touch her toes. William still hasn't called us lazy for talking. "Take your time to think about what you want, Riley. It's not healthy to stress things."
"I suppose you're right."
"In the meantime, you can give me ideas on how to seduce an older man in his later thirties."
"I can't believe Dane is your mate. You said your father had hired him as your bodyguard, right?" I snort in amusement.
"Yup, that's him," Isabella grins at me. "He is smoking hot and so dangerous and brooding I get excited simply being near him. But he tells me he doesn't want me."
I frown. "Why?"
"He says I'm too young."
"Oh," I give her a sheepish smile. "That's probably true."
"Shut up!"
I laugh, but my smile eventually fades.
Once again, I absorb William. He is about to shape-shift to duel someone, and while I should be doing push-ups like everybody else, I'm checking him out instead.
Is it safe to complete the mating ritual with William or not? Of this, I'm not sure, but the future worries me. Our world is being taken over by the Crescent pack, while William seems to look a little more ethereal every day. Soon, I might not even recognize him.