I don't even know where this story is going...random as hell, sorry.

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I wake early in the morning, thanks to my alarm. After getting ready and dressing in smart, business-like clothes, I meet the girls in the corridor.

We go downstairs for breakfast, where I lock eyes with my mate across the room. He gives me a smile and a nod, which I return.

Iota is given the itinerary for meetings today, we have three. The first one is with the three Alphas from our neighbouring packs.

Dyxnia and I mostly just listen whilst the four Alphas discuss matters like hunters, border patrol, that sort of thing. It's quite dull really.

We get a fifteen minute break before our second meeting, which is with the Alpha that oversees our region of the country. We get to make requests, ask for funding, talk through queries etc. There's nothing much to report, our pack keeps to itself, so we rarely have problems.

The third and final meeting, is with a group of ten Alphas who have put themselves forwards for the council.

The council is made up of fifteen Alphas, all of whom work together to control every pack in the country. They act as the law for our kind. One of the council members has stepped down, leaving an opening. Our Alpha, Iota, has put herself forward.

Whilst the Betas, Gammas and Deltas stand to one side, the Alphas each get five minutes to give their pitch on why they should be chosen.

We clap after Iota says her piece and watch the others, commenting quietly to each other. I can feel Dorian's eyes on me and we lock gazes a couple of times during the presentation. My body feels hot under his intense gaze. I can't remember the last time a man made me feel like this.

When it comes to an end, the council members go into a separate room to deliberate. Iota stands and chats with us whilst we wait.

Two Lycans come over to us, sneers on their attractive faces. They're not from Dorian's pack.

'Amazons,' one of them comments derisively. 'Aren't you lot those men-hating, lesbian feminists?'

Anger flares through me and Dyxnia takes a step forwards. Iota grabs her wrist and pulls her back.

'Goddess, you're an idiot,' Iota retorts calmly, seemingly unfazed by the fact the Lycan is almost two foot taller than her. 'Aren't you lot those overgrown, steroid beefcakes that can't have daughters?'

Ouch.

I rub my lips together to stop myself from smiling. The only problem for Lycans is that their population growth is limited. They more often have sons than daughters, making it impossible for them to ever take over from shifters. They can't increase their numbers easily and it's a tender subject for them.

The Lycan growls and takes a threatening step towards Iota. 'Watch who you insult, dyke.'

I open my mouth, about to curse this prejudiced prick to high heaven, but someone beats us to it.

'I'll remind you to have some more respect, Gamma Longhorn,' Dorian reprimands coldly.

He comes to stand behind me and I'm filled with pride. He places his hands on my shoulders and I lean back into his touch. 'Especially when talking to my mate's pack.'

The Gamma looks back and forth between us before awkwardly clearing his throat.

'I didn't know she was your mate,' he comments petulantly.

'She is. But you should have more respect anyways. You have to be careful what you say, one day, you might get punched.'

The threat is apparent in his tone and I find myself turned on by this defensive side of Dorian.

The Gamma doesn't say anything else. He simply glares and then gives Dorian a stiff nod. He and the other Lycan scamper off pretty quickly.

'Thank you.' I turn to Dorian and smile.

He smiles back down at me and strokes my hair from my face. 'He's a jerk at the best of times. I'm sorry about his rude behaviour.'

The council members come back in and announce their choice. They don't choose Iota, which is annoying, but they do choose another woman, which makes us all happy. There isn't enough female representation on the council, so this is definitely a step forward.

With the meetings over, we're free to go. Dorian follows us out of the conference room and we pull to one side as everyone starts exiting.

'I want you to come back with me,' he says. 'Do you need to collect anything from your old pack?'

'Yes, my whole life is back there. I need some time to go home and pack. Plus, I need to tell my mother, I live with her.'

Dorian nods, his jaw set in disappointment.

'I take it that I can't come with you?'

I laugh at the suggestion, apologising when I realise how rude it is.

'No males are allowed on our territory, sorry. I will pack and meet you somewhere in a day or two, here is my number.'

I put my number into his phone, but it doesn't placate him much.

'I'm not comfortable letting you go away, unprotected and unmarked.'

My lips twitch as I resist a smile. 'I have survived twenty-five years, I think I can survive another two days going unmarked, Dorian.'

He narrows his eyes at me, but reluctantly nods. 'Very well, but I want to see you in two days. Do you think you can manage that?'

'Yes.'

I sigh heavily. Two days before my life changes completely.

'Hey,' Dorian says softly. He places his hand under my chin and gently lifts it. 'I promise, you will like the territory.'

'I know I probably will,' I reply quietly. 'But I'll miss home.'

He smiles and kisses my forehead. 'You can visit anytime, Taliope. You're not a prisoner.'

I glance over at Dyxnia and Iota to see them still waiting for me, looking bored.

'I need to go, they're waiting. I'll text you when I'm ready and packed,' I tell Dorian.

He nods and his sapphire-blue eyes drop to my lips. He wants to kiss me. I want to kiss him.

When he leans in, I lean in too. Our lips meet and fireworks explode behind my closed eyelids. The reaction from my body is explosive, it thrums with desire and happiness. Dorian must experience the same thing, because he moans quietly into the kiss and presses his lips harder against mine.

As we pull back, we're both breathing heavily, our lips swollen.

'I will see you soon, sweet Taliope,' he murmurs.

I give him one last longing look and then return to my girls.

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Telling my mum isn't hard, it's the packing that's hard.

Mum sits on my bed, folding my clothes beautifully for me. I throw things into my suitcases with a heavy heart.

I've been with my mum my whole life. She's my rock and I'm hers. I'm worried about leaving her.

'Are you sure that you won't come with me?' I ask desperately for the thousandth time.

She gives me a sad smile. 'You know this is my home, Tali,' she says gently. 'I love it here. You need to go and make the mountain your home. You can, your mate is there.'

'I know,' I mumble.

She wouldn't like it in the mountains, she loves it here. So do I, but at the same time, I'm excited for something new.

I have lived in this pack for the last eight years and we rarely go out, because there are men there. A lot of the pack members have been abused or assaulted, so they never leave the territory.

I have left occasionally with Dyxnia or Iota, even once or twice with Espaira.

Espaira.

I told her about Dorian when we got back yesterday. She took the news well, as I knew she would. She's classy like that, and, she's a woman of her word. She told me that she wouldn't let herself get feelings for me and she kept her word.

I knew I was going to end up with a male mate, so I kept the promise, too.

Dorian has texted me a lot, checking if I'm okay. I can understand it. It makes me uncomfortable that he's out there, away from me, unmarked. It's in our nature to mark and protect our territory, and our mates fall under the territory title.

I'm excited to see him again.

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The next morning, it's my turn to patrol.

I have only been walking a few minutes when I feel someone watching me. It's just a feeling but I don't like it. I quickly slip behind a large tree and look around. I can't see anyone but I climb the tree anyways, wanting the cover of the branches.

There's movement in the bushes below, so I knock an arrow into place and aim. My heart kicks into overdrive when Dorian comes out of the trees.

What the hell is he doing here?

I'm about to call out to him, when an arrow comes out of the trees and hits him in the thigh. He grunts in pain and looks down at the weapon sticking out of his leg. I put my own arrow back into my quiver and begin to climb down the tree.

As I land on the ground, another arrow shoots through and hits him in the chest.

'Stop!' I shout loudly, calling out to whichever warrior is in the trees.

A couple of my pack step into the clearing.

'He is trespassing,' one of them comments angrily.

'He's my mate,' I urge them.

'He is your mate, Beta Taliope?' One of them asks, looking at me uncertainly.

Dorian has pulled both of the arrows out and is looking really pissed off.

'Taliope,' he says my name, making me shiver.

I turn to him with a frown.

'What are you doing here? You need to leave, you shouldn't be here,' I tell him and he frowns back.

'I'm here to get you, you haven't been answering your phone.'

I groan as I realise I forgot to charge it last night. It's probably dead in my bedroom somewhere.

'I'm sorry, but you're not allowed to be here, you need to leave!' I reply, looking anxiously at the warriors.

Dorian looks back and forth between us. 'I'm not leaving without you.'

'Look, I'll meet you somewhere, but you need to go. Men aren't allowed on the territory.'

'Alpha is coming, Beta,' one of the warriors tells me.

I sigh in irritation.

Great, Iota isn't going to be happy.

Iota turns up a few moments later, looking between the both of us with a disapproving frown on her face.

She turns to me. 'Bring him to my office, but try not to make a big deal of it, I don't want anyone getting upset.'

Dorian frowns, no doubt confused as to why anyone would get upset.

He is lead to the pack house, with warriors surrounding him.

Dyxnia and Espaira are already in Iota's office. They both look up as the three of us enter.

Dorian has blood coming out of his leg and chest. I encourage him to sit down on the sofa.

'Look who we found,' Iota says dryly.

Ex-lesbian lover and new mate in the same room? This could be awkward.

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I stumbled across something whilst erasing data off old USBs: a short story that I wrote when I was fifteen. I had only been writing a few months and it should win an award it is so bad.

Like beyond painful. I was CRINGING like mad trying to read it.

But a part of me kinda wants to share it with you so that you can have a laugh at my expense? 😂

You'll have to excuse the plot because, apparently, 15 year old me thought that getting it on with four different guys was the epitome of plot writing. Fortunately, she doesn't get it on with all of them at the same time. Nooo, she makes her way around the house day by day.

What the fuck was I thinking???

It's awful to read because the plot is just so terrible. Everyone is 'fit' and 'omg literally' and it's completely unrealistic and that's before you've even got to the getting with a different guy every day.

So...wanna read it? L x