Denial

'Talking to their werecat'

~Mind-link ~

Lilith's P.O.V.

Shoving my books into my backpack I double check the time on my phone one last time while I zip my bag shut. Seeing that I have ten minutes till the bell rings I throw my bag over my shoulder. Leaving the library, I enter the semi empty college hallways. walking down the halls I make my way towards the history class my best friend Kate is currently stuck suffering in.

Though as I walk down the hall her classroom is on a scent catches my attention as well as my lioness' attention. The scent smelling of an oak forest after an early morning storm. There also being the smell of freshly dug up soil as well as hints of what smells like worn out leather. Though was the hint of smoke from a cigarette which makes my nose scrunch up in distaste. Unable to resist it I follow it letting it lead me towards the source. Following it to the other end of the hallway I freeze when I hear my lioness Ali happily shout the one word that I have always been dreading. 'Mate!'

Taking a couple steps back away from the end of the hall in a panic. 'Ali what did you just say?'

'I said mate. That is our mate's scent I just know it.'

Ali's excitement being, so strong that she can't feel my fear through our bond. Though I can feel her strong desire to go to him and meet him. 'Ali, I know what you are thinking, and the answer is no. I refuse to go to him.'

'But Lil he is our mate.'

'Ali, you know how I feel about having a mate and why.'

Ali lets out a small whine as she remembers Dante and what he did to us. Which causes me to feel guilty as I know she doesn't feel the same as I do about having a mate. 'Alright we can take a look, but only a look. We have to stay hidden though. I don't want him seeing us okay.'

At this Ali perks up right away in excitement at getting the chance to see our mate. 'Really? You really mean it Lil?'

'Yes, I mean it as long as you promise that you won't give away our location, so that he can find us.'

Ali grumbles at this a bit but knows that she won't get to see what he looks like if she refuses. 'Alright I promise.'

With Ali's promise I swallow my fear and practically cling to the wall as I make my way closer to the end of the hall. When I finally get to the end of the hall why I carefully peek around the corner. As he is the only one in the hallway, I spot him right away. Sitting in one of the few chairs set out in front of the administration office typing away on his phone.

Ali giggles happily when she sees him, I want to roll my eyes. Though I can't help but feel the same even if it is only a little bit. Mentally scolding myself and blaming what I am feeling on the mate bond I decide to give him a once over. Though his skin is fair it is clear to see that he probably spends a lot of his time outside in the sun. As first glance his disheveled hair looks black though on a second and longer glance, I realize that his hair is actually a dark honey brown.

Even though he is sitting I can tell that he is tall as even though the halls are empty his legs are pulled in close to his body. While his broad shoulders are slightly hunched over as he is leaded forward over his phone. Though because he is looking down at his phone, I can't really see his face. Of course, I speak to soon as a student walks past him. Which quickly pulls his attention away from his phone.

When he looks up it isn't his brown eyes that catch my attention, but the large scar on the left side of his face. The scar being deep and jagged as it covers most of the left side if his face. It goes from his temple and going down across the center of his cheek coming to a stop at the corner of his mouth. Even though it was clear that the scar is old I couldn't stop the small gasp that slips past my lips. While Ali lets out a growl in anger at whoever did that to our mate.

Though as soon as my gasp escapes my mouth, I mentally curse myself as he heard me gasp. His eyes that had been following the student snap towards my direction. I quickly move out of sight as I pray to the sun goddess that he didn't see me. But thanks to my heighten hearing I can hear the creaking of his chair as he leaves it. I can also hear him sniff the air as he has probably caught my scent. It being another thing I curse at myself for as I forgot all about my scent. How he didn't catch it earlier I don't really know.

I close my eyes in a panic as I hear his footsteps slowly get closer to me. Though they stop when a soft voice fills the empty halls. "Alright I am all done. Um... Ryder what are you doing?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing I thought I smelt something."

"Alright then let's go home we are famished."

Hearing a deep laugh, I peek back around the corner and what I see tears my heart and soul into two even though I don't want a mate. Standing next to my mate who's name I know now is Ryder is a woman. The woman being very clearly pregnant as she has to be due in a month or two. He smiles at her softly the affection he has for her clear to see on his face. "How about we pick you two up some food on the way back then. Whatever you two want. No limits."

The woman smiles grows as she rubs her belly before she kisses his cheek. "We are definitely going to hold you to that Ryder."

His smile grows as he chuckles again which only breaks Ali's heart even more. Unable to take it anymore I turn to leave as I hate feeling Ali, so upset. As if on cue people start to clamber out into the halls as if to try and hide me. As I make my way down the hall a hand grabs my shoulder causing me to practically jump out of my skin. "Damn Lil it's just me take it easy."

Turning to the voice I relax majorly when I see that it is Kate. "Oh, sorry Kate, I guess you just startled me a bit."

"Clearly. What's got you, so wound up and don't say that it's nothing because that's clearly not true."

I groan as we start to head to our calculus class. As this is one of the many things, I love but hate about Kate. Her ability to read me like an open book and make me open up to her without even really trying. It's why I am that she was willing to be my friend again after Dante. "I'll tell you when we get home. I am still processing it."

Kate frowns as we enter our classroom and take our usual seats in the back. Studying my face for a couple seconds with a frown still on hers. "Do you promise?"

Chuckling I playfully roll my eyes at her. "I promise that I will tell you everything when we get home."

"Pinky promise?"

Kate holding out her pinky finger out at me. Chuckling I wrap my pinky around her pinky sealing the promise. "Yes, I pinky promise."

Her smile returns as she seems satisfied with my answer. "Good because I would hate for all the peanut butter ice cream to disappear."

I let out a gasp in horror as she basically threatens my weird, but delicious ice cream. "You wouldn't dare."

Kate only grins at me as class starts. Reaching into my bag I pull out a notebook and pencil as I quickly start taking notes. Though all throughout this class and my other classes I have left my mind can't help but wander back to him my mate. Even though I don't want a mate and had always planned on rejecting him my heart still aches every time I remember him with that woman. The thought that she is probably carrying his kit not only angers me but makes Ali very distraught.

No matter how many times I try to tell myself that I don't care and that it is just another reason to reject him. The mate bond that has started to form as well as Ali's feelings would wash over me. I try my hardest to ignore it but am unsuccessful at denying them. Even as Kate drives us home my mind continues to wander to him. As soon as the car is parked in the driveway I jump out and head to the front door. Taking out my house keys I unlock the door and head inside leaving the door open for Kate. While I head straight to my room dropping my bag on the floor next to my desk.

Making my way towards my bed I collapse onto it face first. Which is when I hear my door creak open telling me that Kate is coming in. After a couple seconds of silence, I feel my bed dip slightly before I feel Kate lay her head on my back. "So, we are home now which means that it is time to spill it."

I let out a loud groan into my pillow as she says this since part of me was hoping that she would have forgotten. "Come on you promised don't make me carry out your threat on your ice cream."

"Okay. Okay. There is no need to threaten the ice cream like that."

"Then spill it Lil. What's been bugging you?"

"Well while I was waiting for you to get out of your history class, I ended up finding my mate."