A truck full of mess

Callan drove back to the pack territory, an eerie silence filling the car. We were both caught off guard with the news of Callan's house being on fire and both of us were worried whether someone got hurt or not.

As we drove up to the house, we could hear the commotion of people, the sounds of the firetrucks.

The entire East wing of his house was destroyed. I stood besides my parents, who rushed towards me and engulfed me in a bear hug as soon as they saw me make my way towards the crowd of pack members.

My mother's eyes were red from all her crying, she thought Callan and I were inside the house. My father looked on the verge of tears as well.

"It's a relief that the Luna came out here to talk to you or else noone would've known the house caught on fire" my mother said. It was true, Callan's house was newly built and was located in the middle of a dense canopy of trees, away from our pack community.

I nodded my head and looked around for Callan and found him standing with his parents.

"Mum, I'll be back in a minute" I told my mother and made my way towards him.

"Hey, so what's the damage?" I asked him making him snap out of his daze. He looked tired and devestated.. I'd be too if my house was burnt to a crisp.

"The entire East wing is gone and they say it isn't safe to even step inside for the fear of the entire structure collapsing" he said while running his hand through his hair.

"And do they know how it happened?" I asked him to which he just shook his head.

Houses don't just catch on fire on their own....was it an electric issue?

"They're still looking into it, one of the fireman said they suspect it could be due to an electric spark or something" he said while tugging at his hair again.

I took a hold of his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"It's okay Callan, atleast noone got hurt" I told him with a tight smile on my face. I suck at consoling..

"You know I made this house for you right?" He said while looking at me sadly.

What?...

"I started building the house for my mate, as soon as I turned 17 last year, I started meeting up with professional architects and made plans for this house. This was going to be our house...." He said, his shoulders slouched down and his eyes looking over at his house.

I felt bad for him...for an entire year he planned it out and now.

"It's okay Callan, it's just a house as long as we're safe. The house just needs a little fixin up." I told him while rubbing my thumb over his hand. He looked so dejected and I had no idea how to comfort him.

After some hours of inspections, Callan, me and both of our parents were the only ones left standing infront of Callan's house.

"Well, I think you two should stay at the pack house for the time being. Son, we'll hire some people and get on reconstructing the house as soon as possible." Alpha Kendrik said while patting Callan on his shoulder. Callan remained silent and simply nodded at his father.

"Yea, I'll have some people retrieve your clothing and essentials from the house and you two can move into an empty room in the pack house. It's a relief both of you are safe, my heart almost gave out when I saw the flames that engulfed the house" Luna Christy said, her hands on her chest. She must have been thoroughly shaken up..

"I think it's better if Callan just moves into the pack house, I can simply go back to my home." I said making everybody look at me as if I have grown two heads.

"Mija Callan is your mate, you're supposed to live with him" my mother said while smacking my head as if I was a child.

"Ma just because I'm his mate doesn't mean I'll live with him in the same room. I'm not comfortable with that" I said to my mother who was about to say something but got interrupted by Callan's growl.

We all were now looking at Callan, who instead of saying something simply stalked away into the forest.

All the eyes turned back on me. The Alpha and Luna looking sympathetic and my parents eye's accusing me.

"I'm guessing I'm the one expected to go after the angry caveman?" I asked to which everybody just nodded their head. I huffed and followed after Callan.

It took me a good 20 minutes to pick up his scent and I followed it deep inside the forest. The vegetation was so thick it felt as if the sun had already set.

"CALLAN!!" I screamed out in frustration. Where the fuck did he disappeared to?!?

"Good job Anaïs, you pissed of mate once again" Isis snapped at me.

"Everything pisses that idiot off and what I said is more practical. I'm not comfortable sharing a room with a guy!" I snapped back at her. Everybody is acting as if I belong to Callan Baraed just because I'm his mate.

We literally just fucking talked how I wanted to take baby steps with this whole thing and he still expects me to treat our relationship like other mated couples! Urgh! Like he didn't torture me all my life and now just expects me to share a freaking room with him!

I blocked out Isis who was just angering me with her stupid ancient thinking.

My legs started to hurt soon from walking around so much. I was sweaty and tired and also very scared since I was all alone in such a dense part of the forest.

I suddenly got an idea

"CALLAN HELP ME CALLAN HELP!!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and as expected my ears soon picked up the sound of approaching footsteps.

I quickly fell down on my butt and held onto my ankle, acting as if I was hurt.

"Anaïs!" Callan was over me within a few minutes, his eyes carefully assessing the area I was holding on to.

I quickly held onto his arm as tightly as I could, just in case he decided to run away.

"Finally, I thought the forest ate you up or something" I said while dropping my act.

In no time Callan figured out that I just faked an injury so I could find him and all signs of worry on his face were replaced with fury and irritation.

"Are you crazy Anaïs?!? Do you like making me worried like this?!" He spat out, his tone a little louder than usual. He tried to pull away from me but I just wrapped my hands around his arm tighter.

"I couldn't find you anywhere and I was tired and sweaty. This was the only option and it's your fault, running away and everything" I said

"What did you want me to do? Fight with you infront of our parents? Wasn't it enough that you ran away from me infront of them once already? You want to show them that you don't even want to stay in the same room as me?!?" He said while jerking his arm out of my hold and standing up, facing away from me.

"Callan I'm just not comfortable with that arrangement. It's not something to get mad over. I'm not saying I don't want you, it's just too fast! " I scoffed out at his childish behaviour.

"You're my mate Anaïs and mates stay together, in their own home once they find each other" he told me making me roll my eyes.

"There you again with the mate excuse. Callan just because I'm your mate does not mean you possess me! I don't have to do everything you want or expect of me. If I'm not comfortable sharing a room with a guy, then I don't have to. It's my life, my decisions" I told him while poking him in the chest with my finger.

Just because I'm his mate I'm supposed to do everything he wants me to. I'm supposed to be understanding of his position but he doesn't give a flying fuck about me! He doesn't care that being in the same room as him would make me uncomfortable! He doesn't care that every time I look at him I remember all the horrible bullshit he has ever said to me!

"And what if it had been someone else? What if it wasn't me who was your mate? Would you do the same with him?" He said while slowly backing me up against a tree.

We both were glaring at each other and breathing heavily at this point.

"Yea Callan! Even if it was someone else, I would've asked for a few days to get used to this idea. I'm sorry I'm such disappointment for a mate, I'm sorry I'm not like the other girls who are comfortable enough to mark and mate their other half as soon as they meet them!" I screamed at him, annoyed how him and everybody else just keep on walking all over me just because I hold different ideals than them.

Callan's eyes softened a bit over my words and he shook his head.

I pushed him away with all my might making him stumble a few steps back.

"You know what Callan, fuck you! Fuck you and fuck this bond and fuck werewolves and their stupid fucking rules. If I don't want to do something then nobody can force me into doing it! You want a more obedient mate, then fucking find someone else cause I'm not giving up my freedom and bending over backwards for you. Fuck you!" I screamed at him and stormed off.

When I heard Callan follow me I turned around and screamed at him to leave me alone.

It took me hours to get back to my home. I was sweating, tired and dirty but most of all I was sad and so close to breaking down.

He thinks this is all easy for me, to push my mate away, to run away from him.

Does he think it didn't rip me in half when I ran away from my soulmate last night?!? Does he really not know how much angry it makes my wolf everytime I walk away from him?!?

I'm just as confused and scared as he is! It's new to me too! I just need time to adjust but people just won't let me breathe...

Does he really think this is easy for me?

I moved one of the potted plants kept on our front porch and grabbed the spare key to our house that was hidden under it.

I unlocked the door and went straight up to my room. My mind was numb and I wanted it to be that way. These two days have been nothing but stressful. I took a warm shower and changed into some clean clothes.

I went downstairs to the kitchen to get myself some snacks and ice-cream and bumped into my brother.

He was chewing a mouthful of chips while on his phone.

"Hey Anaïs" he said as I entered the kitchen. I simply grunted at him and went to the fridge. I grabbed a tub of chocolate fudge ice-cream and a spoon from the counter.

"What's up with you? Wait why are you here? Didn't you find your mate" he said while wiggling his eyes suggestively.

"Why I'm not welcomed in my own house just because I found my mate?! You all are stranger to me now?" I screamed at him, my tears finally making an appearance. I was tired of people treating me like now my entire life revolves around Callan!

"Hey I didn't mean that" he cooed at me softly while wrapping me in his warm brotherly embrace.

I stood their crying in his arms for what felt like hours but Apollo didn't complain, he just quietly stood there, holding me and comforting me.

Once I was done with my emotional outburst, we both settled down on the couch in the living room.

"So you wanna tell me what happened?" He asked me once he saw me calm down a little.

"Literally everybody thinks that I should just give up on my life and follow Callan around now that he's my mate" I said and continued. "I mean nobody said anything when he literally took me away as I screamed at him to let me go! Noone said anything! They all treated it as if It was okay for a guy to just kidnap a girl" I said to him.

"But he's your mate Anaïs" Apollo said making me furious once again.

"Oh so it's okay for him to do anything to me cause he's my mate. I guess if tommorow he decided to rape me, that'll be okay with everybody too right?!?" I snapped at him.

"That's not what I meant" he started but was interrupted by me.

"You know I won't be able to study psychology anymore, something I've been looking forward to for the past 4 years! He's my mate which means I have to be the Luna now and I can't do what I have wanted to do my entire life now!" I told him but held up my hand to tell him I wasn't done.

"And you remember how I've always said that I don't wanna have pups? What about now Apollo? He's an alpha, he needs to have heirs which means fuck Anaïs's wishes right?!?" I threw my arms in the air, overflowing with frustration.

"Everybody treats me like my wishes don't matter anymore and when I give them importance they make it seem like I'm selfish. Why is wanting to study selfish on my part? Why is not wanting to put my body through the pain of childbirth selfish of me? Why not wanting to share a bed with a guy selfish!!?" I screamed at him, tears once again streaming down my cheeks.

"Can't I just think about myself now?!? Why do I have to think about him?! Why does everybody act as if I'm supposed to put his needs above mine?!?" I said and then buried my face in my hands.

"I don't know what to say" Apollo said. Of course he doesn't know what to say, even he thinks like everybody else.

"My life doesn't revolve around Callan. I just told mum I wanted to stay in my room and she looked at me as if I was crazy! My own mother! What is wrong with not wanting to share a room with Callan! What is so hard to understand that I just don't want to! Do I have to have a reason? I don't want to and that should be enough of a reason" I said.

"It's been hardly a day and look at the mess Apollo. He has completely disrupted everything in my life and instead of giving me space and being understanding, he storms off and screams at me and acts like this all my fault." I cried out "I don't know what to do anymore...I just want everything to go back to normal!" I said and slowly sank down in my brother's lap.

I stayed there sobbing for hours and soon fell asleep due to exhaustion.

I knew one thing for sure though, I will not let people treat me like Callan's bitch, who's supposed to listen to every single request of his. I am a woman of my own and I will do what I want to do and not what they expect of me.

I'm not Callan's mate, I'm Anais!