Is She Our Mate?

Romeo couldn't believe that Helena was the woman he'd spent the night with. He hadn't recognized her at all. Sure she was as beautiful as she'd always been, but now she was gorgeous.

The woman whom he had torn through the city to find was Helena, his Helena.

He tried to remember when was the last time he'd seen her. She'd cut off all contact with him, and she'd never sent photos back home. Even when he'd pleaded with his stepmother and sister, they said she didn't send any pictures of herself.

When his eyes met hers at the bar last night, Romeo thought that she would be the woman to snap him out of his obsession with his stepsister.

He knew that if his pining for Helena was still as obvious as it had always been he might make her visit awkward.

Helena left nine years ago and he was heartbroken and he'd never moved on.

When he heard that she was finally coming home for his Alpha rite he jumped in and asked his father if she could play the role of his Luna. No one even seemed surprised when he had asked.

But he felt that he connected with the she-wolf that night on a different level and his wolf Ryder seemed to like her.

'Of course, I liked her,' Romeo's wolf chuckled in his head. 'I've always liked her.'

'Is she our mate?' Romeo asked as he watched Helena disappear into the pack house.

'We can't tell who is our mate for sure until the Blood Moon,' Ryder said.

'But she's different, we've always known she's different,' Romeo insisted.

"I'm guessing you've just forgotten about the girl from last night," Neil chuckled as he slapped Romeo's back.

No, Romeo hadn't forgotten, she was still the same person.

It's just she'd chosen to act like last night didn't happen at all.

"No," Romeo answered in a gruff voice. "But this is Helena."

Neil nodded as he stood by his Alpha's side.

"We'll see you tonight son," Raul said as he walked up to the house with Helena's other bags. "I'm taking Rebecca out for a run."

"She's blossomed, hasn't she," Alyssa said as she gave her stepson's shoulder a squeeze. "Don't let her leave us again, Romeo."

"I'll try my best, Mom," he said as he gave the woman who'd raised him a hug.

Alyssa Black Moon was more than just his stepmother, he was his mother's best friend, and before she lost her mate and he'd lost his mother she'd already been a frequent figure in his life.

Her, her late mate, and Helena, his Helena.

The woman he'd loved since they were children, his stepsister.

"We'll see you later," Alyssa said as she followed her mate and youngest into the pack house leaving Romeo standing outside with Neil and Rae.

When his parents were finally out of earshot Rae walked up to Romeo with a frown on her lips.

"I should probably warn you, I think she's seeing someone and I think she found her mate," Rae said as she came up next to her brother.

"Hmmmm?" Romeo hummed as he thought of ways to get back at Helena for acting like they hadn't spent the night together.

"Doesn't it bother you?!" Rae said as she raised her voice. "You've wanted her as your mate ever since we were children."

"He's acting like that because he met someone too," Neil teased.

"But this is Helena!" Rae grumbled.

Romeo sighed and shook his head.

He knew how sensitive Helena was to the thought of having a mate, he'd been there when she swore off of having one.

Romeo knew that he needed to treat this matter sensitively, he needed Helena to stay till the Blood Moon Ball.

If he told Neil and Rae that Helena was the woman he'd spent the night with and the two decided to push her about it he knew Helena would leave and so would his chance of confirming that she was his mate.

'Smart move,' his wolf said. 'Put her first.'

'I'll always put her first,' Romeo promised.

"She'll fill in the traditional roles of my Luna-to-be," Romeo told the pair. "I'll have more than enough time to spend with her, to convince her to stay."

Rae paused before answering, making Romeo look at his sister.

If anyone knew what was going through Helena's mind it would be Rae.

"I hope you convince her," Rae finally said. "The man she met, he's an Alpha, probably one visiting for your Rite."

Of course, he was an Alpha, Romeo wanted to say.

"She also looked like they'd connected on a different level," Rae explained. "You should have seen her Romeo, I really thought she'd met her mate."

"We don't know for sure if someone is our mate until the Blood Moon, Rae," Romeo reminded his sister.

"Well, Romeo seemed pretty convinced about the woman last night too," Neil chuckled. "He sent the staff and some warriors searching for her this morning."

'But we didn't have to,' Ryder teased.

'Yeah, she was waiting for us at home,' Romeo said.

He grinned at the thought of Helena waiting for him at home, at their home and hopefully someday soon that would be their reality.