"That's the thing Mar, you're my mate."

I'm a bundle of nerves as I say that. What if she rejects me? I can't lose her!

Luca growls at that thought.

"She's not gonna reject us nitwit. She's my mate. Mine"

"OUR mate. She's OURS" I correct my wolf.

"Same thing"

I choose to ignore him and look back at Mar. A battle of emotions is dancing though her beautiful chocolate eyes.

Shock.

Confusion.

Happiness?

And

Relief?

I take a hesitant step forward, desperately wanting her in my arms. She takes a step back.

I frown again. Deeply hurt. I feel Luca start to get antsy with her uneasiness. I can tell my friends notice because Damien says.

"Hey, Mariah. You might want to stop backing away." She breaks eye contact with me which makes me growl.

Her gaze shoots back to me. I smirk inside.

"Why Damien?" My little mate asks, still focused solely on me. Luca purrs at the attention our mate's giving us.

"Because his wolf's going crazy knowing your scared. Every step you take back he becomes more determined to comfort you."

Nate answers this time and I know he knows the best because Rylin used to back away from him.

It got to the point where Nate never let her go in fear of her moving away. I feel like grabbing Mar and never letting her out of my touch.

It's insane the amount of possessiveness I have towards her. It's making me frustrated having her in the same room as my guy friends.

"B-but, wolf?" Mar asked shakily. I'm barely keeping control of Luca. I know if he takes control Mariah will freak out more at my wolf's touchiness.

"Ryder's wolf's name is Luca." Ethan pipes up.

"Luca?" My mate questions. Her eyes still locked on mine and Luca overthrows me. I try desperately to stop him but he's already gotten the front controls.

I watch in my eyes, in complete uselessness as Luca walks towards Mariah.

She backs away again but Luca just growls. In a split second he's in front of her and grabs under her thighs.

Mariah gasps as Luca picks her up. I feel the sparks flood my system and Luca growls in content. Mar's legs wrap tightly around my torso and her arms, my neck.

Luca puts his face in Mariah's neck, where her drug-like scent is the strongest and inhales deeply.

I feel Mariah tense in my arms but Luca doesn't particularly care. He just moves his hands to her ass, pulling her closer.

Luca starts walking towards the bedroom but I shout at him.

"LUCA SHE'S HUMAN! IF YOU TRY TO TAKE HER TO OUR BED SHE'LL GET OVERWHELMED AND LEAVE!"

This seems to knock some sense into him because he changes directions and sits on the couch. Mariah's legs are still wrapped around my abdomen and she's facing us.

Luca forcefully, but extremly gently guides our mate's head down to rest on his collarbone. She tries to resist but her little human strength isn't going to beat an Alpha werewolf.

Luca lightly snickers at her struggling until she gives in. I notice she's still tense. Luca rubs up and down Mariah's back in a loving matter.

All the sudden I get a mind-link.

"Dude can you take the reins back again?" That was Damien.

"I don't know bro. Luca doesn't feel like letting his mate go anytime soon."

I keep struggling with Luca for control but he's sitting with our mate in his lap. He doesn't plan on letting go anytime soon.

"LUCA GIVE ME BACK CONTROL!"

Of course that little fucker completly ignores me. I do have to admit I'm absolutely and utterly content having Mariah on my lap but I just told her everything and she probably wants space.

"Mate okay? See? I won't hurt mate" Luca can only speak a couple phrases out loud at a time and still they're badly said.

I'm surrounded and drowning in lemons and sugar as our mate's scent invades my system over and over.

Luca runs his nose up Mar's neck and she shudders involuntarily in pleasure. I smirk knowing only I can have that affect on her.

"Um guys? Alittle help?" Mariah squeaks out. Luca just pushes her head back down again.

"Luca? I need you to give control over to Ryder now." Bryli steps forwards. When she is in grabbing length of Mariah he growls and pulls her tighter to him.

Damien is instantly up and in front of his mate protectively while baring his teeth.

Luca takes it as a challenge and stands. Still holding our mate in his arms. I feel her face heat up and chuckle in my head knowing she probably hates being held like a small child.

"Stop it!" Mariah demands when Luca snarls and steps forwards threateningly.

Luca's momentarily stunned and it's just enough for me to pull him back and take control.

"Damien I'm back." I instantly say. I don't want to fight one of my best friends. He visibly relaxes.

"Good because I'd hate to have to beat your ass." I growl playfully at him but then remember the situation when I hear a soft voice.

"Ryder?"

"Mariah! I'm so sorry!" I rush out quickly putting her down. When she's steady I see her cheeks are red.

"Yah, so that was Luca?" She asks.

Luca lays happily in the back of my mind now that he got to hold and spend time our mate.

"Yah, he's my wolf. As you can tell he's kinda touchy. He likes you alot though." I say, scratching the back of my head embarrased.

I see Mariah nod. I now notice that Selena's up and smirking. Oh no.

"Well that was interesting." She states making Mar flush all over again. Everyone chuckles. Great friends I have. Note the sarcasm.

"Oh sheep!" Mariah suddenly explains. Pretty much all of my friends snicker at her lame excuse of the swear but I'm full of worry.

"What!?" I ask rushing towards her. She backs up again and I can't ignore the sadness that fills my body.

"I was supposed to be home 2 hours ago when school ended!" With that my mate runs to the door.

"No! I want you to stay here!" I say really desperately and I hate it but it's the full truth. I feel cold without her.

"I have to go Ryder!" Mar begs me and I sigh before grabbing my keys.

"Lead the way" I grumble. She suddenly runs up, jumping up on the top of her toes, and kisses both my cheeks and in between my brows.

I immediately perk up and am on cloud 9. Mariah looks completely red and my friends look shocked.

"Let's go!" She squeaks. It's adorable. We head out to my car and sit in comfortable silence through the drive.

When we pull up to her house after she directs me to it I ask sadly.

"Are you sure you have to go? You can stay with me!" Mariah actually looks like she's considering it until she shakes her head.

I sigh heavily.

"Bye Mar"

"Bye Ryder."