Micah

There are many uncertainties in life.

For starters, I'll never know if I'm really ascending as Beta until the day of the ascension ceremony.

I don't know if my mate will be here to live with me or if she's in fact going away to college.

We really don't know anything for sure except for 2 things: one, if you're a werewolf, you will find your mate at some point, no matter what.

Two. The Goddess is never wrong. Not ever.

When Felix first dreamed about his mate, we may have thought it was open for interpretation. It wasn't. Actually, it never is.

He may have thought he dreamed about a straight guy. And his mate may have thought he's indeed straight, which would be fair. But no.

Like I said, many people can be wrong, but not the Goddess.

That's why we don't question her decision.

That's why when I saw a beautiful girl with pitch black eyes looking at me, I just went for it. Like my dad did before me. And his dad. And so on...

Yes, when River asked me about whether or not I dreamed of my mate before I met her, I got the subterfuge right away. Of course, I did. It's not exactly rocket science.

And the next day, when he avoided us, it was even more obvious. He is trying to deny his new found feelings for his mate. Especially because he's a male. Though I can't speak from experience, there was a time when Felix tried to deny he was gay. That didn't last long...

I wasn't even that surprised when I smelled River's stench inside the locker room. Honestly, I'm surprised Felix didn't have an "accident". It even affected ME a little.

When people get excited, their body releases pheromones that are undetectable to the human nose, but werewolves pick that up easily. I could be wrong, but there was only one body in that locker room that could attract River [all of the sudden].

Felix must've blocked it out, but I didn't need to look at River to notice why he was holding a towel at his front like his life depended on it. I may not be gay, but I'm still a guy.

By lunch, River was so distraught it was perceptible. That's why I said what I said. Nobody needs to go through that alone, even if I can't relate to his feelings specifically, I can relate to the mate bond.

And that is undeniable. Relentless. Unforgiving. It doesn't discriminate. Human or werewolf, it'll affect you just the same.

It has for thousands of years. Like death and taxes, you can always count on it, even if you don't like it. That's why werewolves learn to accept it early on in life.

Poor human, he thought he would have escaped it. Yeah... Not so much.

After that day, he still hasn't said anything to us. But we're here if he needs it.

Just not today. It's Saturday and I was promised a dinner date with my mate.

I was just about getting ready when my dad came into my room.

"Hi, son. How are things going with your mate?" - Dad asked me as he showed up by the door of my bedroom.

"Great, dad. She's terrific. Tonight we're going to have dinner downtown. On her. She said River couldn't be Felix's mate. I said she was wrong. I won." - I bragged, smugly.

"I see. Cut her some slack, he's not a werewolf. He wasn't raised on the perception that you can't fool a mate bond. And if he never had any interest in boys before, it's an easy thing to misunderstand." - He lectured me, poised.

"I know, dad. I told him we were there for him if he needed us, that he didn't have to go through this process alone. I felt sorry for him. He tried to avoid Felix as if somehow it'd make it go away. Poor River!" - I exclaimed with a pity expression on my face.

"Good for you, son. I can't even imagine what he must be feeling. It wasn't easy for Felix's grandfather, I imagine. It's even worse for a human." - He spoke with a sorrowful tone.

"I know. I hope he learns to accept it." - I shot him a hopeful gaze.

"Well, have a good date. I'm here just in case." - Dad said as he patted me in the shoulder.

"Thanks, dad." - I replied with a content grin.

I walked out of my house, said goodbye to my family and went to pick Tisha up at her house. I'm so looking forward to this date.

When I showed up at her residency, she opened the door looking worried. I kissed her on the cheek and she let me in. I greeted her parents who were in the living room. Her mother looked concerned as well.

"What's wrong?" - I asked her as soon as I'm inside her house.

"It's River. He's locked inside his bedroom. He won't come out to eat or even talk to us. I'm worried for him." - She replied, clearly very upset about the situation.

Her parents looked troubled. This isn't like him, I gather. And now it's making me concerned for him as well.

I whispered in her ear if they know what's happening to him but she said they don't. She didn't want to tell them or it would make it worse. She's right.

"Hi, Michael. How are you? Do you have any idea why River is withdrawn like this?" - Her mom asked me, sounding deeply disturbed.

"Hi, Mrs. Westbrook. I'm fine, thanks. I think he's realizing something about himself that he's having trouble accepting." - I replied as honestly as I could without giving too much away.

"But what could it be? I never saw him like this, ever. He's such a happy, carefree boy. Especially now that he's reunited with his twin brother, I don't know what could have caused it." - She spoke deeply concerned for his well being.

"I understand, ma'am. I'm very sorry to hear this." - I spoke, unsure of how to react to this. - "Do you want to invite him to have dinner with us?" - I turned to Tisha to ask her.

"I already tried that. He doesn't want to go with us." - She replied, perturbed. She looked so sad all I wanted to do was to hold her close to me.

"Can I talk to him?" - I offered myself, trying to find a way to salvage our night.

"Yes, of course. But his room is locked and he won't open the door to anyone." - She explained, exasperated.

"No problem, ma'am. I'll speak through the door." - I said, just before I walked to his room.

Tisha directed me over there since I've never been in that area of the house before. Until now, I never made it past the living room. We are just getting to know each other.

"Good evening, River. It's Micah." - I started off, standing in front of his bedroom with the door closed.

There was no response.

"I'm sorry to approach you like this, but Tisha, Felix and I are going to have dinner downtown and he told me to invite you to join us." - I continued, humbly.

"You're lying. You're going to a dinner date with Tisha alone. I'm not a werewolf, but I'm not deaf." - He said through the door in an annoyed tone.

"That's fair. But the truth is Felix hasn't been feeling that well lately, so we thought a dinner with us could cheer him up. And since he knew I was going to pick Tisha up tonight, he asked me to invite you. He would've asked you himself, but he doesn't have your phone number." - I explained, masterfully. I also don't have his number.

"Greg does. He could've asked him for my number." - He rebuked, not buying this story.

"Yes, but that would put Greg in a terrible position. And he would never abuse his friendship with him. He's nothing but respectful. And he wouldn't want to invade your space or your privacy in any way." - I elaborated, hoping it'd make him understand.

There was a moment of silence. Then, the door opened. He was looking wretched, under-slept and disheveled. But I put on my best poker face and smiled at him expectantly.

"Fine. Give me a minute to shower and get ready." - He surrendered at last, though his tone wasn't very polite.

"Take your time." - I told him, relieved that my plan worked.

He grabbed a towel and went to the bathroom. I walked back to the living room.

"He's coming with us." - I announced it to Tisha and her parents. She opened the biggest smile at me.

"How the hell did you convince him?" - She asked me, shocked by this turn of events.

"I'll explain later. Please excuse me, I need to step outside for a moment." - I said, then I opened the door and closed it behind me.

I thought about texting Felix but I had to make sure he got the message or my plan would fail miserably. I called him directly.

I explained to him quickly what was going on and told him to meet us at the diner in 15 minutes. Thankfully, we live in Rutherford Falls, not New York City, so it's not like he had any other plans for this Saturday night.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the diner and Felix was already waiting for us at the front looking dapper as if this was planned all along.

The Westbrooks and I exchanged greetings with him and we walked inside.

"Thanks for accepting my invitation, River, I felt awful about crashing Micah's date." - Felix started after we ordered some food.

The two of us take a seat in one of the tables opposite our dates.

"No problem, Felix, I get it. I didn't want to come either when Tisha asked me." - He replied, matter of fact. Tisha frowned at him.

"I'm glad it all worked out. Did you like the food here, River?" - I spoke with a cheerful smile.

"I did, yes. It's surprisingly good." - He replied, pleased. We laughed at his choice of words. And his hubris.

"So, how are you liking our little town so far?" - I asked them, getting the conversation rolling.

"I really like it. But I may be biased. I found my mate here." - Tisha replied with a wide grin. I swooned at her beautiful smile.

"It's not worse than our home town. Thankfully, we grew up in a small town, so it's not that different." - River replied, nonchalant.

"Good. I hope you find happiness here too, River." - Felix spoke with a soft smile.

"I would have already found it if you did what I suggested at our last gathering." - River snickered with a naughty grin.

Felix and I gasped in shock at his words. Tisha glared daggers at him for the comment.

"I'm sorry, River, like I said before, I'm not here to satisfy your urges. I'm not a prostitute, I'm just a guy." - Felix shot back in a snarky tone. Good for him.

"I can't believe you just said that! Who are you?" - Tisha was gobsmacked by her brother's attitude.

"I'm sorry, okay? I know I shouldn't have said that. But now it's all I can dream about. It feels like I'm being punished. And even in the dreams I can't seem to get what I need!" - River exclaimed, sounding very frustrated. Sexually frustrated, I take it from his tone.

I almost empathized with the guy. Goddess knows I felt that way for a long time, trapped in my own shyness towards girls. Thank Goddess for my mate.

"I do hope you're not being punished for presuming gay guys exist to please straight boys. But hopefully it teaches you a lesson in empathy." - Felix smirked, displeased by his behavior.

"I've learned my lesson, okay? You can call off your damn Goddess!" - He defended himself, expressing remorse. We all laughed at his last sentence.

"I wish it worked like that." - Felix snickered. - "But no, she talks to us through dreams but we can't communicate with her, unfortunately. If I could, I would've asked her for a better mate." - He snapped at River with a poignant look.

River gave him the middle finger. Tisha was shocked once again by his attitude and put his hand down herself. I could feel her embarrassment.

"I'm sorry for my brother, Felix. You seem like a nice boy." - She apologized to him, looking mortified by her brother's behavior.

"It's fine, Tisha. River is not the first guy who presumed things about me. I've encountered some sexually frustrated jocks who wanted me to get them off in the bathroom. Excuse my language." - Felix admitted, mildly blushing.

I was surprised by this revelation and so was she. River gasped in shock.

"Really? You don't say... I want their names later." - I snickered.

Felix laughed. So did River. The food arrived and we dug in. After a moment of silent chewing...

"Changing the subject, have you started sewing your ascension dress, Tisha?" - Felix asked her, curiously.

"I have, yeah. It's going to be very beautiful, if I may say so myself." - She replied with an infectious smile.

"Good. Maybe show me your work some time, I'll try to get my parents to buy a new outfit for me for the occasion." - Felix spoke, hopeful and content. She winked at him playfully.

"I'd be happy too." - She said with a smile.

"I thought you couldn't ascend without a mate." - River interjected in a matter of fact tone and we all frowned at him for bursting our bubble.

"I can't, you are right. But I have a mate. I'm just waiting for him to accept it." - Felix didn't miss a beat.

"Maybe if you..." - River suggested with a naughty intonation and Tisha slapped his shoulder in revolt. He is talking about fellatio. That is not even remotely how the mate bond works, human... *eye roll*

"If I was certain that's what it took, maybe. But it doesn't work like that, River. You have to do the work. There are no shortcuts." - Felix stated, mad at him for the suggestion.

"What do you mean? The biting thing?" - River asked him, quizzically.

"No, River! The biting thing is the last step. First step, you have to accept yourself. Accept the bond. Accept what's happening to you. Then, tell your parents. Tell your mate. It's a process." - Felix explained to him, sounding annoyed.

"I see. Why was it so easy for them? But not me?" - River looked puzzled, pointing at Tisha and me.

"It was easy for them because they accepted the bond at face value. They didn't question it. That's why they are happy. And the reason we are not." - Felix spoke in a very serious tone.

There was a moment of silence between them when River thought about what Felix had just said and then...

"Fine. Kiss me, then." - River said and we gasped. Tisha looked shocked. All three of us were.

That took a turn. I admit I did not see it coming. I'm just glad to be here with my mate.

Sure, it's not the date I wanted, but I don't care. I jumped through hoops to get her here and I would've done it all over again. As many times as it is needed. Just as long as she is here by my side. I'd do anything just to see her happy face.

This is my life, she is my mate and I can't wait to find out more about her and go on as many dates as possible. Sure, preferably alone. But she couldn't have enjoyed our night if she was worried about her brother.

I just had to act fast in order to secure our date and save our Saturday night. Though I am curious about where Felix and River's forced date is going, I am here for her. I will always be here for her. Whatever she needs from me, I'm there.

A|N: BOOM!

I love this song. That's a classic from a classic film. The soundtrack of a generation.

Where do we go from here?

Stay tuned. Next is "Something Happened on the way to Heaven".

Love,

Léo.