Chapter 5: First Meeting… New Mate?

-Celeste-

The shot glasses slammed down onto the counter, and I exclaimed a large “aaah!” before turning to my best friend, Simone. We chuckled at each other, relishing the freedom of the night, while glancing at the many wolves in the secret underground club in the city. I knew my brother would kill me if he knew I was there, but what he didn’t know wouldn’t kill him.

“Let’s dance!” Simone told me, grabbing my hand and leading me away.

We began swaying to the music as we mingled with the crowd. My heart was pumping with joy, and I let the feeling of the song move through me. I lifted my arms into the air, getting lost in the dance and barely noticing the time. However, my bladder soon thought it was a good idea to go to the bathroom. So I leaned forward, whispering in Simone’s ear that I would be back soon. She nodded at me and quickly grabbed a random guy as her new dance partner. I rolled my eyes, chuckling as I went away.

I shoved myself through the crowd, trying to get to the end so I could reach the hallway with all the stalls. However, just as I slipped through the crowd, I tripped, knocking into a guy who was coming toward me. He caught me, catching me from hitting the ground, though I knocked him back a few steps.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I told him, lifting my head to look up into green eyes.

However, the moment I looked into them, something flashed in my mind. I saw pictures of an older version of him. He was sitting in a chair with a cruel look on his face and a woman beside him, whom I, for some reason, detested. What was happening? The image disappeared as fast as it appeared, and I quickly took a step back away from him.

“No worries,” he told them. “Glad I caught you.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to break free of my trance, but for some reason goosebumps had risen all over my skin, and I didn’t like being in his presence anymore, though he had done nothing to hurt me.

“You’re Celeste, aren’t you?” he asked.

“Um… yes.”

“Zack,” he introduced, and that’s when I realized who he was.

I had only seen him from afar and heard he had quite an attitude problem, but he seemed nice enough toward me. I nodded in a greeting manner, and I knew he noticed my nervous behavior.

“Are you with someone?” he asked.

“My friend. We are celebrating my 19th birthday,” I explained.

“Oh, great. We have a table over there,” he said, pointing to a whole group of male wolves in a more secluded area. “Come join us later.”

I smiled kindly at him, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to join. Zack continued on, and I began walking to the bathroom, but I hadn’t gotten far before my head began hurting and my vision started to get blurry. I groaned, leaning against the wall. Had I had too much to drink? But I had only been served a few glasses! I could barely stand, my head felt double the size, and I began sliding to the ground. Some women around me grew concerned, trying to speak to me, but I could barely hear their voices. Something wasn’t right. It was all I could think before I blacked out right in the middle of the hallway.

---

I woke up, hearing voices around me. My head was pounding, but it no longer felt like double the size. Yet, I had the strangest and coldest feeling inside me, and it made me feel scared. I forced my eyes open, luckily, no sharp light hit my eyes, but the voices were quite loud. I groaned, rising up a little and realizing I was lying on a bed—a hospital bed. I grabbed the thin blanket, clutching it in my hand, but the feeling of it was almost distant. What was happening to me? Why was I feeling this way?

Suddenly more images flashed in my mind, and I groaned louder, grabbing my head. The images flew through my mind so fast I couldn’t discern them, but my groaning was heard by the people on the other side. My brother entered together with Brendon, my parents, and the pack doctor. I stared, shocked, at the group while the images began disappearing again.

“You’re awake!” my brother said happily, but surprisingly, it wasn’t my brother who came to my side.

Brendon suddenly stood beside me, his hand squeezing my shoulder gently, and his touch made electric feelings surge through me, making me gasp and look up at him. He gave me a small smile. He never smiled at me! Why was he smiling now?

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Um…”

“We were so worried when Simone called us,” my mother joined in, and I turned to her, seeing her come closer and take my hand. “You never better than to go to such a place.”

“What?” I asked.

“The club,” she said.

“Right…” I began thinking about the club, but all I could think about was my strange meeting with Zack. Everything had begun after I had run into him.

“She will be fine, right, doc?” Brendon asked.

“Yes, she will. I couldn’t find anything wrong with her.”

“But that’s what's concerning,” my dad said. “Why did she faint if there was nothing wrong with her?”

“I can’t say, but let’s keep her overnight and take a look in the morning.”

“I will stay with her,” Brendon informed them, placing himself in a chair beside me.

I stared, shocked, at him. Why wasn’t he scolding me? Why wasn’t he saying it was all my fault for fainting? Why wasn’t he being his usual mean self? Nothing made sense, and I kept looking at him while he gave me a small smile.

My mother leaned closer, kissing my temple, and then took off with the rest to give us some space. I slowly turned to Brendon again, but the moment I did, he stood up from his chair.

“Scoot over,” he told me.

“Why?”

“Because I’m getting into bed with you.”

“You’re… what?”

“Scoot over, beautiful.”

“Beautiful?” I murmured, but I was so confused, and so when he gently nudged me, I began moving to the side, and he slipped in beside me, covering us both with the blanket. However, when he lifted it, I saw a dissatisfied look on his face as he noticed the dress I was wearing.

Yes, I thought, here we go. Now he would tell me I was acting like a slut or a street worker for wearing a dress so short, but Brendon just shook his head before pulling me closer and letting me rest on his chest.

“I thought we agreed you could only wear something so short for me,” he chuckled.

“I wear what for you?”

He chuckled once more, then kissed me on top of my head, and I felt so warm. I had never felt this way, and especially not with Brendon, but now he was making me feel so many things. What was happening to me?

“Listen, you should have told me you were going to that club. It attracts nasty types,” he told me.

“I was with Simone.”

“Yes, but I am your mate, which means you don’t keep secrets from me.”

“My what?” I exclaimed, sitting up and staring at Brendon, shocked. What did he just say to me?

Brendon looked confused at me, titling his head a little to the side.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“What did you just say?”

“You shouldn’t keep secrets from me.”

“No, after that.”

“Um…”

“The mate part!” I yelled.

“I’m your mate,” he repeated, but it sounded like a question.

“What in the…” More images flashed in my mind—too many for me to handle—and I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples.

“Hey, come here,” he urged, wrapping his arms around me and keeping me secure to his body. “You’re fine. You’re going to be okay.”

For some reason, I believed him, and yet, why couldn’t I remember we were mates? What were these images in my mind?