Chapter 46 - THE EXCHANGE OF PACK WARRIORS II: A NERVOUS WRECK

Maya's eyes bulged out as she beheld the fine specimen that had just interrupted her cousin's excuse; partly from his beauty and build, and partly from his scent which was so invigorating and exhilarating. She could also feel Sia, her wolf, howling in happiness. She had just found her mate! Oh what pure joy, it brought to her that she wasn't mateless at last.

Taking candid but small short steps towards the handsome figure that stood talking with her cousin, talks that she was completely oblivious of, as her mind was entranced and all centered on her mate; she thought of the happiness that would cloth her mother's face at the news.

When she had turned 18, and let out her wolf,Sia, everyone had been expecting her to show her mate forth within a week or two; but it hadn't been so. They had decided to let her be for a month or two.

But months had turned to a year, and still nothing had happened. Her father had made it worse for her by threantening to disown her if she didn't bring a mate as the months ran by. He had also stopped her from joining the very important conference meetings, letting only Curtis stay.

Only her mother had stood by her, her only brother hadn't even. Although he was jovial and playful, he could be a devil when angered or provoked. He had sometimes thrown jabs at her for being mateless.

She had also lost her best friend then. Zoe was her name.

She and Zoe had been best friends since they were little, even while they were still joined to the Black Moon's Pack. They almost had the same birthdays, just two weeks apart, and were both blonds. Because of that, they were usually mistaken as twins whilst growing up. They attended the same high school, and had almost the same taste in things; except that she was an introvert while Zoe was an extrovert.

Although her best friend hadn't found a mate yet, she still had flings with boys, unlike her which was always indoors or outside training. They didn't have any issues, until one of Zoe's male friends developed a huge crush on her. He was a human.

Normally she and Zoe joked about the silly humans who fell over heels in love with both of them, but this had been different to her best friend. The human, Zeke, was her favorite plaything . And although Maya turned him down many times, out of respect for the girls code and because she wasn't really interested, he still pressed on until he stole her first kiss forcefully during their last prom night in high school in an empty classroom; and Zoe had seen it.

She had slapped Zeke then in front of her best friend, before going over to render explanations on how the human had tricked her into coming into the class alone and the fact that she couldn't use her wolf-strength in order to prevent stirring up rumours or the human's curiosity which would certainly land her into her father's trouble net. But then, Zoe hadn't listened then or after, till after some months passed.

It had been their first big fight, and although it had anused her then that they had fought over a human who they could never be mated with, she had still missed her and had tried consistently to make amends.

It had worked out after a while or so she thought, the reconciliation that is; until she stayed mateless for a year after letting her wolf out.

It started with the rumours between her friends, and age group that she rejected her mate so that she could be with a human; before spreading over the pack environs. Her pack members snorted in her presence, not minding that she was the Alpha's daughter. Her father had almost disowned her when he heard of the news; he would have if her mother hadn't intervened, citing events and reasons until he rubuffed the news.

After an investigation was instigated, it was discovered that her best friend had been the architect of her misfortune. She hadn't also been remorseful, but had called her a mateless ho even though she herself, hadn't found her mate too.

She had been devastated emotionally at how their friendship had festered to that extent, but had let it go on her mother's advise. It wasn't worth having a friend who could be a devil over a slight misunderstanding. It had made her wonder how she had never known the true nature of her best friend, or perhaps, when she had changed to this bitter and wicked personality.

They had never spoken since then, till three days ago; when it became known to the pack that she was going with some of their pack warriors to the Black Moon's Pack.

She had been suprised when she saw her ex best friend step into her room for the first after their separation, during her packing up process. She still remembered their conversation.

"Hi.." Zoe had said, when she stepped into her room tentatively.

She had replied with a hi too, watching to see what her old friend was doing in her room.

"I need a favor from you." Her old friend had said.

" Okay. Go on. I'm listening. " She had stated then, standing up to pick some clothes from the wardrobe.

"I want you to take this scarf, and give it to a guy named Leo." Zoe had said, with a pleading look, bringing out a yellow and red dotted scarf from her pocket.

Maya had remembered then that the scarf had always been one of Zoe's prized possessions since they turned 16. But she hadn't known why, her old friend had never told her then, even when she had asked. So she had found the occasion a nice one to know the reason.

"Who's Leo, and why the scarf?" She asked, determined not to grant the favour if her ex bestie didn't answer her questions.

"Leo is my boyfriend. He's a wolf too. He gave me this scarf two years ago." Her Zoe had replied.

"Your boyfriend?" She had asked, suprised at the news. "Is he your mate?" She had queried, without thinking.

"I don't know. He was a rogue, who had saved me when I was attacked by other rogues. You remember when I was lost, right???" Zoe had asked.

"Yes." She had replied, not finding it necessary to say that the girl hadn't told her of being attacked by rogues then, or been saved by a knight in shining armour.

"But why are you giving me the scarf?" She has asked, not understanding why she should be the holder of a love scarf.

"We had begun meeting secretly after that. But two weeks after, he decided that he had to be leaving to a neighbouring pack which he heard was friendly to rogues who were interested in joining them." Zoe had been saying, before she had interrupted her.

"And let me guess, the pack is Black Moon's Pack." She had stated.

"Yes. Could you give it to him. Tell him I'm still mateless and waiting." Zoe had mentioned.

Maya hadn't felt it necessary to point out that the Leo might already have found his mate. She had just nodded and taken the scarf, before telling her friend to leave.

"Maya!!!!"

Maya jerked out of her reverie, as she heard Louis's voice through the pack link.

"Your cousin has been trying to get your attention for a while now." He continued.

Maya tapped her nose twice, an action she always did whenever she was nervous, as she met her cousin's eyes, still trying to control her wolf which was begging to get closer to the fine man beside him.

"Seems you were deep in thoughts." She heard him say, and nodded, her tongue tied for no just cause.

"Well then, meet the head of my pack warriors." He said.

"His name is Leo."