Chapter 5 I Know Who My Mate Is

ISABELLA

The noise from the party was deafening. I stood in my bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror. My mother had a professional makeup artist cake on a bunch of stuff. I didn't need all that crap, so here I was, washing a fortune off my face.

Definitely going to piss her off, which is usually my agenda when she throws a party. My mother was relentless. According to her, she knows best because she's 'been there'. Whatever the hell that meant? I knew this whole party was her way of butting into my personal life. Again! When I get my mate, I'm making sure I get the hell away from here, from her.

"Isa, come on. You've been in there for half an hour now. What are you doing," Zira asked, knocking on the door.

Zira, my girl, my best friend since we were fifteen. Heck, we were stuck together like glue the first day we met, much to my pleasure. I remember the first day I saw her at school. We were all in the gym getting ready for dodgeball. She stood in the corner, scanning the room. She looked like she was trying to shrink and disappear, but she stood out from the others with her dark caramel skin and light hazel eyes.

When our eyes met, I could feel my heart jump with excitement. I just knew she had to be mine. She smiled, and I swore it lit up the room until she looked down at her feet shyly.

The next thing I heard was Isaiah screaming, "WATCH OUT!"

Zira looked up right when a ball hit her square in the face. She hit the ground fast, but to me, it was the slowest fall I'd ever seen. I immediately ran to her side. Her eyes were closed, tears building up at the corner, and blood trickled down her nose.

Jimmy and his stupid friends were laughing on the other side of the court. Jimmy was supposed to be a senior this year but was held back because of his grades. So I growled at them, and it only made them laugh louder. Unfortunately, my growl didn't pack a punch like I wanted; besides, I didn't have my werewolf yet.

"Are you OK?" I heard Isaiah ask as I helped Zira sit up.

She didn't speak, just nodded while running her fingers through her curly afro. I imagined myself doing the same thing for a second, but I shook those thoughts away and focused on her well-being. Isaiah gently moved his fingers around her face, ensuring nothing was broken. He was always trying to take care of people. That was the Alpha in him. I heard her gasp when he touched her nose, and she opened her eyes.

Then I saw the way she was staring at him. The same way I was staring at her a few minutes ago. Of course, she was staring at him. Every girl in school wanted my brother, so why did I think she was any different? Then her eyes broke away from Isaiah, and she looked at me. It wasn't the same, but her eyes held me in place. She looked away, trying to hide the blush creeping on her cheeks as I helped her to her feet.

"Thank you. I seem to always find myself in these situations," she laughed and winced from the pain. Then her gaze returned to mine, and I felt victorious. Like I won something to have all her attention.

Her voice. So sweet and gentle. If I were a cat, I would've purred, but I just smiled and stared at her for now. Isaiah cleared his throat, breaking our trance.

"I'm Isaiah; this is my sister, Isabella."

"But you can call me Isa. All my friends do," I quickly interrupted.

"I'm Zira. I'm new here. Nice to meet you."

She reached out her hand, and I shook it. Holding on a little longer than needed, Zira giggled and held out her other hand for my brother to shake. I don't know why I thought that was the cutest thing. I dropped her hand as soon as my brother did. I didn't want to be a weirdo, but we might have been past that point.

"Girl, you took that ball like a champ," Hunter boasted, coming in between us. "I'm Hunter, and you call me whatever you want." He grabbed her hands and gave them a kiss.

I scoffed at his display and then punched him in the ribs. "Back off, you rabid beast. Give the girl some room."

Zira giggled again, which made me smile. If punching Hunter was the reason, I would gladly do it every minute of every day.

"Don't mind her. She gets a bit jealous when I'm showing interest in anyone but her," Hunter said, pursing his lips at me. "Don't worry, little Bella. There's enough of me to go around." I made a gagging sound before I was interrupted by another ball flying past us. Zira was shocked as it barely missed her face.

That was it. I stomped over to Jimmy and his friends. I was tall for a girl, and even though he towered over me, I didn't have to strain my neck to look in the eyes. Jimmy's dad was my father's Beta, which usually means he's next in line to become Isaiah's Beta. Still, Isaiah made it clear it was Hunter's position. Jimmy didn't like being passed up, so he decided to make my life a living hell. Usually, when my brother is not around. He didn't realize that I was the evil twin in this relationship.

When he noticed I could hold my own, he developed this huge "crush" on me. Granted, I knew it was because he wanted a position of power, but I was the wrong person. I just saw him as a big bully and didn't tolerate bullies. I don't care who his dad is.

"Oh, if it isn't Bella off to the rescue," he said, squaring his shoulders.

"You know, Jimmy, if you were half as good at school as you are with throwing balls at unexpected people, you could have graduated a year ago," I said.

"I would stay back ten years if it meant I could stay with you, little Bella," he said, trying to touch my hair, but I cocked my head to the side.

I heard Zira behind me. "I think I should help her." It was sweet that she thought I needed help. Sweeter that she wanted to help me herself.

"No, she's a big girl. She can handle herself," my brother said, and he was right.

I was the Alpha's daughter, which means I was a fighter. So I had no choice but to train, even if my mother disagreed. I trained daily with my brother, and the warriors didn't take it easy on us. I'm glad about it.

"Jimmy, I wouldn't date you if you were the last werewolf in the world, and the goddess felt compelled to make you my mate. So control your balls, or I'll do it for you," I said, turning on my heels and walking away.

His friends laughed at the altercation, which escalated the situation. I could feel his anger radiate throughout the room.

"I think you can help me find a place to put them," Jimmy said, grabbing my shoulder. Wrong move, buddy.

I caressed his hand on my shoulder and turned my head to look at him. His smile was plastered across his face but it didn't last long. I held his hand, spun around, and kicked him square in his balls.

Then I used all my might to punch him square in the face, hearing a satisfying crunch. A nose for a nose. He fell to the floor, and I glared at his friends, daring them to step up. For a minute, I thought they would, but their faces turned to fear as they looked past me. I turned to see Isaiah and his signature Alpha's stare. He shook his head, and the other two ran, leaving their friend behind.

"You bitch," Jimmy tried to yell, holding his bloody nose. He took a step towards me, and I took a fighting stance.

"What the hell is going on here," yelled our gym teacher, Miss Black. She walked over, staring between Jimmy and me. "You know what, I don't even care. Both of you, to the principal's office. Now!"

Just great. Now I have to withstand a stupid lecture from my mother about how girls shouldn't fight. 'How are you supposed to find your mate if you keep beating up boys,' she would say. If only she knew. I was walking behind Jimmy, watching him, when someone grabbed my hand. It was Zira.

"I'll go with you and explain it was my fault."

"No, I threw the-"

"No, it was my face that was in the way. So, I'm going too," she said with a smile. "Besides, if I stay with you, no one would try to bully the new kid."

She was smart, this one, and I liked it. Here I decided that my mission is to protect her from now on. Always.

Now I'm here, stuck in my bathroom, hiding from this stupid party my mother decided to throw. Claiming it for celebrating Isaiah becoming Alpha. What bullshit! Parading me around like a big prize around the other alphas. Goddess, I hate her!

Zira's banging interrupted my thoughts. "Isa! Come on. Do you want your brother to feel you're not proud of him?"

She's got to be joking. She should know this party had nothing to do with Isaiah. My mother had her ways of making people see things her way.

"Oh please," I screamed through the door. "Everyone knows this party is just a ploy for my mother to find me a mate."

"Is that so bad," Zira pleaded.

"You're supposed to be on my side," I said, opening the door to throw a towel in her face before closing it again.

"Come on, Isa," Zira laughed, "What if your mate is down there right now, and you're losing time to meet them?"

"That's the thing," I yelled. "I know who my mate is."

There I said it. It's out in the open. Now if only I could tell my mother, who I could hear on the other side of the door. I panicked, hoping she hadn't heard what I had just said.