Lennox’ POV:

Ramsay attempts to take me away from the chaotic scene, but the man in front of us (who’s also my mate) stops him. Neither of us are able to get a word in as we’re brought to one of the more booths in the back of the club where it’s quieter. We’re sat down across from my mate and between two other vampires.

My mate is a vampire… of course he is. He’ll reject me in two seconds flat, especially with how he seems to be a high ranking vampire. It’s usually easy to tell; high ranking vampires show it off in their clothes, their attitude, and the fact that he seems to have guys working for him… yeah, I’m screwed.

“Samuel Gates is your father. You look just like him,” my mate says to Ramsay. “And you must be the infamous adopted werewolf.”

Ramsay and I share a look and I can tell he has no clue who this guy is.

“What about it?” Ramsay asks. “We’re allowed to go to clubs like anyone else.”

“If you’re twenty one you are, fledgling,” he says. “How did you even get in?”

“We are twenty one. It’s my brother’s birthday and you’re ruining it.”

My mate holds out his hand. “Give me your IDs.”

“Who are you to ask for them?”

“My aunt owns this club and I work here as a security guard. Hand them over.”

Ramsay sighs irritably and tosses his over while I pass mine over with a shaky hand. I’m extremely overwhelmed by this whole situation; finding my mate not even an hour after I’ve turned eighteen, having said mate work here and catching us in a lie, and on top of that all, he’s most likely going to reject me.

Perfect way to start my birthday.

“Your birthday is different on this ID,” he says, looking at me with narrow eyes. “And these are very badly made fakes.”

“Got past your bouncer,” Ramsay mumbles.

I elbow him; I don’t need him making this worse for either of us. This guy means business and I have no idea what the vampiric punishment for using a fake to get into a club is. It’s too much and I’m starting to feel horribly nauseous.

“Excuse me?” I ask, my throat tight and voice high pitched.

The vampire across from us makes eye contact with me. There’s a strange look in his eye, and I can see confusion, but also concern? It must be a trick of the light because he also looks pissed off.

“I’m going to throw up,” I say, standing up shakily, but before I can take a step toward the bathroom, my stomach lurches.

I throw up all over the table and a lot of it gets onto my mate. Tears are dripping down my cheeks and I’m sure my cheeks are as red as my mate’s eyes. I have never felt this embarrassed or humiliated in my life. I know it’s bad because even Ramsay isn’t laughing at me.

“Gods… get these two to the car. I’ll meet up with you in a few minutes,” my mate says, grabbing my arm. “And send Samuel Gates a message that-”

“No, don’t!” Ramsay exclaims, his eyes wide. He reaches out and grabs my arm. “I’m fine, I’m going to drive us home.”

My mate shakes his head. “Fledgling, you have very little experience with supernatural liquor. I can see how dilated and dazed your eyes look. You may not be at risk of death in a car accident, but I will not have you risking the lives of humans because of your stupidity. Get them to the car.”

“Please don’t call our dad,” I beg, my voice scratchy from throwing up.

The vampire stares at me for a brief second. “Hold off on the message. I’ll take care of it myself when we get them home.”

At least if he takes us home we can lie. Well, Ramsay can try. It’s a small percentage chance that Dad will believe us, but maybe we can get away with it. At least we’ll be home in the morning so he won’t have to panic even if we get grounded.

Ramsay and I are taken to a sleek, black car. It smells clean inside and I’m handed a small silver bucket, which makes me blush because I know why they’re handing it to me. We’re sitting in the far back of the car so we can’t open the door and escape, with me on the right and Ramsay on the left.

My stomach is still uneasy but I don’t feel as nauseous anymore. Drinking those two drinks on an empty stomach was extremely stupid of me. Honestly, drinking two drinks was just stupid in general. After a few minutes, I catch wind of my mate’s scent once again and he sits in front of Ramsay so he can turn to look at the two of us.

“How’s your stomach?” he asks me. “I just got this car detailed and I don’t want to have to get it done again.”

“Fine,” I murmur, noticing that he’s wearing a new outfit.

He doesn’t look convinced at all. “Just… keep that bucket close to your mouth.”

My cheeks are pink again. I can feel how hot my face is and I stop looking at him. I’ve never shied away from confrontation but my mate doesn’t stand down and I’m so embarrassed right now. Also, I’ve never had to deal with this situation and no one told me how powerful the mate bond is when you sense it.

“Do you need our address?” Ramsay asks.

“Why would I need that?”

“Because we’re going home? You said that.”

He scoffs. “You’re both not fully sober and apparently I’m this one’s mate,” he comments, pointing at me and making my stomach drop. “And I happen to know that your father is at one of those little meetings that they like to hold, as well as your older siblings. I’m not leaving you two home alone.”

“We’re not drunk!” Ramsay exclaims, clearly infuriated.

“Gods, you’re irritating. Just keep quiet unless you’d like to borrow my phone and call your father?” he asks, a smug expression on his face.

Ramsay scowls and falls silent for a few seconds. “Will you at least help us get home before nine?”

My mate groans. “Just keep quiet. Your voice is giving me a damned headache.”

We arrive in front of a two story house that, despite it being smaller than ours, is very nice looking. It’s clean and very well taken care of on the outside, and the inside is just as impressive. Ramsay doesn’t look too impressed by the house, but I can’t hide my awe.

“You’ll stay in here,” my mate says, showing me to a room. “There’s an attached bathroom.” He disappears and shows Ramsay to his room, only to return a few minutes later. “Now, werewolves need to eat much more frequently, right? And your stomach needs to be settled anyway, so let’s go.”

I follow him hesitantly to his giant kitchen. It’s weird to me that he has a kitchen this big since he doesn’t really need to use it unless he really wants to eat something other than blood.

“You’ll have to guide me on what you usually eat to settle your stomach.”

“I don’t usually puke,” I mumble. “Probably toast or yogurt… or whatever else you have.”

He frowns when he opens the almost barren fridge before he grabs his phone. “Hi, I need you to stop by the store and get bread and yogurt… just vanilla is fine… I don’t know the difference between Greek and normal, so just get both… yes, get white bread, it’s the easiest on a sensitive stomach. Thanks, bye.” He puts his phone down on the counter and gets me a glass of water.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I mumble. “Uh… are you going to tell me your name?”

He smirks. “So me being a vampire doesn’t chase you away?”

“What?”

“Is it not your preference to be mated to a werewolf?” he asks, leaning on the counter across from me. “I was waiting for you to reject me.”

I raise my eyebrows. “I thought you would reject me.”

“No, I don’t plan on it. If your moon goddess or whoever chooses your mates decided we would be compatible, I have no reason not to give it a chance. Plus… even if this wasn’t the situation, I’d probably hit on you.”

I scoff. “You would hit on an Alpha werewolf?”

“I hit on anyone I find attractive,” he says, still looking annoyingly cocky. “Now, how old are you really? Your brother said it’s your birthday but it’s clear you two are still young, even for human standards.”

“How old are you?”

“I asked first.”

I close my mouth. I’m not usually this irritable, but I’m tired and he’s being stubborn. I can be just as stubborn, though. None of my siblings are as stubborn as I am, but it’s a big part of my personality. Dad says it’s a really common Alpha trait so he isn’t surprised by my stubbornness.

“The silent treatment?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. “Nevermind, I think I can guess your age now. Ten? Eleven?”

I glare at him, still silent.

“Hm… I’ll tell you my name and age. But you need to tell me your age first since your fake ID told me your name. Unless that was a lie, too?”

“I don’t lie,” I quip. “And since you won’t let me leave, don’t you owe it to me to tell me your name and age first?”

He narrows his eyes, which are a brighter red than Ramsay’s but still dark. They almost look like red wine, a warm, deep red that I could get lost in for hours. Or, I would if I wasn’t so annoyed with this guy right now.

“That’s fair, I suppose.” He pauses, pursing his lips. “How about this: I’ll tell you my age, then you tell me yours, and then I’ll tell you my name.”

“Fine.”

“I’m… twenty six.”

His pause makes me a bit skeptical. “Like, looks? Or actually?”

“As in: I was turned by a vampire who was set on killing me when I was twenty six and a human. My aunt, as I call her, helped me struggle through the turn. I have been this age for three years, so I suppose I’m twenty nine, but I will age much more slowly now that I’m a vampire, and I don’t feel right telling someone who is my mate and much younger than me that I’m twenty nine.”

It makes sense, how he looks; when a human is turned into a vampire, they still age like a vampire which entails extending their lives over thousands of years or until they are killed. Like how Dad has lived for six hundred years; he’ll stay looking like he’s in his forties for a long time. Raina and Joseph both look like they’re in their twenties and they’ll look like that for a long time.

That’s how Ramsay and I got into the club and got away with it for a while. Well, until my mate got to us and recognized that we can’t handle liquor all that well. If I was a bit more level-headed, we probably could’ve gotten away with it.

“Now, it’s your turn,” he says, smirking.

“Eighteen,” I mumble. “Actually eighteen.”

He chuckles. “Well, I assumed that you were born, not turned.”

Werewolves can turn humans if they intend to, but it’s rare they survive the turn. It’s much more difficult to turn as a werewolf than it is a vampire due to the entire bone structure changing. It often results in a slow, agonizing death for humans, but it only really happens when a werewolf is extremely ill and loses their mind.

That’s what Dad taught me, at least.

“Now, how did you end up in a family of vampires? Aren’t you an Alpha?”

I don’t answer his question. “You told me that you’d tell me your name.”

“Oh, I did, didn’t I?”

“Don’t play dumb.”

“Sorry, pup, you’re just easy to tease,” he says, making me growl. “Gods, you’re so serious. My name is Callum. Does that satisfy your burning question, Lennox?”

I shrug. “I guess so.”

“Now, why’d they adopt you?”

“I don’t know you well enough to share that information.”

The front door opens and some guy walks in with two bags of groceries. He drops them off on the counter before disappearing out through the front door again. It seems as though Callum has guys available twenty four seven to do whatever he wants.

Callum opens the bags and begins to unpack them. He fills the barren fridge with yogurt and juice boxes before putting bread, crackers, and cans of soup in the cupboards. He leaves one of the loaves out and puts two pieces in the toaster.

“How do you have a house?” I ask as he sets a juice box in front of me. “I’m eighteen, not five.”

“Just drink your juice,” he says. “My aunt has been around for a long time. She bought it but never uses it, so she allows me to live here. Her team of guards also helps me out when I need it.”

I punch the juice box with the straw and take a long drink from it.

“Now, I don’t know how this whole mate thing works, so you’re going to have to break it down for me.”

“I’ve grown up around vampires so I don’t know much either.” I thank him when he sets the two pieces of toast in front of me. “I can sense that you’re my mate, but I don’t know anything else about it.”

Callum purses his lips again. “I’ll do some research then. You should go to bed, though. You look exhausted.”

I do feel really tired, so I finish my toast and juicebox. “You won’t tell my dad, right?” I ask. “He told Ramsay and I not to go out tonight. We need to be home tomorrow before nine in the morning.”

“I won’t tell him,” Callum says. “I’ll drive you both back to your car tomorrow morning and you can go home. This doesn’t mean I’ll be leaving you alone, though.”

I scoff. “I didn’t think so,” I say, unable to stop myself from smiling. “Goodnight, Callum.”

“Goodnight, Lennox.”