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chapter 1
Since the day Esther went home, Scott kept to himself. He had hoped she would be his life mate since he was a teenager.
It broke his heart to find out she wasn't. He stayed in his room mostly. When he did come out, he moped around silently, not
paying attention to anyone around him.
As he moped around the house one day, he ran into Kevin. "You look like hell, man." "Gee, thanks." "Come on. Come have
a drink with me. We need to have a talk." Scott followed him into the den, and had a seat on the couch. "I know you fell hard
for Esther, but she wasn't right for you." "Yeah. Thanks for the reminder." "My point is that you need to keep looking. Your
mate isn't just going to waltz through the door one day." "I know. And, you finding your mate has put pressure on the rest
of us." "And, I don't know what I saw in any of the others I was with before her. You'll be like that when you find your's."
Kevin handed him a glass with scotch and ice. "I hate to tell you this, but Esther found her mate." 'Kevin Nash, I am
going to hurt you for telling him,' Jade scolded in his head. 'He was going to find out one way or another,' he
replied. Scott leaned his head back. "She didn't waste any time looking." "Apparently, she found him while trying to forget
you." "That doesn't help." 'It was worth a try, hun,' Jade sent. 'Will you let me talk to him?' 'I'm worried about
him, too.' "Tell Jade I'm ok," Scott said. "What?" "I sense she's worried, and I know she's talking to you. You get that
blank stare when you two are using your telepathy." 'You heard him.' 'But I don't believe him.'
"You're both right, though." "How is that?" "I can't stay like this. I need to find the one that is right for me." "So,
what are you going to do about it?" "Try to find her. Duh." Kevin laughed. "Best of luck, bro." He lifted his glass. "To finding
your bitch." They both laughed. "Cheers." They drank their scotch. Scott set down his glass, and stood. "I guess I should
start looking if she's not going to walk through the door." "Alright. I'll see you later."
As Scott walked out of the study, there was a knock on the door. He went over to the door, and opened it. On the other
side was a beautiful woman. He stared at her with his mouth agape. She waved her hand in front of his face after a moment.
"Hey. Can you talk?" "Oh, sorry. May I help you?" "My name is Chawni. I'm here to see Jade." "Please, come in. I'll have Kevin
locate her." He led her into the den, where Kevin informed them that she was on her way down.
After a moment, they heard, "Chawni! Damn it's good to see you. You look great." "Hey, girl. How have you been?" "Pretty
good. And you?" "Good." "Excuse these two. They act like they've never had company. The tall silent one is my Kevin, and the
one staring is his brother, Scott." "I'm not staring." "Yes, you are." "I'm admiring." "Either way, it is rude." Chawni smiled
at him. "But appreciated." "Guys, this is one of my best friends from home."
"Oh, hell... This can't be good," they heard from the hall. "And that is the infamous Hunter, I have told you about." "He's
the one you used to fight with?" "Still do, sometimes." "But I let her win. If I hurt her pup, Kev would kill me." Chawni
looked at her, shocked. "Pup?" Jade blushed as she looked at Kevin. "Yeah. I'm only about a month along." "Congrats." "Thanks.
So, how long can you stay?" "Until you kick me out," she laughed. "Great! I set up a room for you next to Scott. I'm sure
he wouldn't mind helping you to your room," she said as she turned to him. "Oh. Uh... no, I don't mind." Jade stood there
smiling as she watched them walk out of the room.
'What are you up to, my love?' came Kevin's voice in her head. 'Nothing, dear.' 'Bullshit. You're trying to set
him up, aren't you?' 'I'm just trying to help things along.'
As they walked out of the room, Chawni took hold of Scott's elbow. When he looked down at her she said, "it is proper for
a woman to be escorted by a gentleman like this, isn't it?" He smiled. "I've been taught that it is. It is not required when
they just met." He laid his hand over her's. "I don't mind, though."
chapter 2
Later that evening, at the dinner table, Jade sat Chawni next to Scott. That's when she got to meet Sean and Michael. "For
a bunch of guys that aren't related by blood, you are all very handsome." They all smiled and thanked her. "Just remember,
hands off the tall blonde." "Yeah, yeah..." She looked at Scott, then back to Jade. "You don't have to worry about me."
As they ate, they exchanged small talk. Once Scott was done, he went outside, and sat on the steps. A faint smile played
at his lips as her scent drew nearer. "Would you care to join me, Chawni?" "Don't mind if I do." She took a seat next to him.
"You seem troubled. Would you like to talk about it?" "It hasn't done me much good," he mumbled. "Try me." He told her
about Esther, and his problem. "Hunny, I've seen this problem before. It happened to me actually." "What did you do?" "We
started dating anyways. It didn't last long. We started hating each other."
"Have you found your life mate?" "No. I will find him eventually." Scott looked down at the ground. "I don't have the luxury
of time. I have to find my mate by the end of the year." "Why?" "Those damn rules..." "What rules?" "The ones that come with
being Vince's son, even if not by blood." "If you aren't the next in line, why does it matter?" "Because if anything happened
to Kevin and Jade, my mate and I would take their place." "I see. What about their child?" "My mate and I would have to raise
the child, and train him or her as the next leader."
Chawni looked up at the moonlit sky. "It's a nice night." "Yes, it is." "Why don't we take a walk?" "That sounds like a
good idea." Scott stood, then held out his hand to help her up. She smiled as she slid her hand in his, and stood. He returned
the smile as he laid her hand on his elbow.
As they started away from the house, Chawni asked, "what happens if you don't find your mate by the end of the year?" "I
never thought to ask, really. I was so sure that Esther was my mate, that I never thought of the consequences. Knowing Vince,
though, he would probably kick me out of the pack." "That's a little severe." "I know. There's a world full of lycan and humans,
and I'm expected to find my mate in one year. But, that's how Vince is." Chawni shook her head. "The way you put it, it sounds
like any lycan is lucky to be mated at all." "Linda believes that they are drawn together at a certain age, but... I don't
believe it."
"What type of guy would you want to be mated to?" he asked. "I try not to think of it. I don't want to get my hopes up,
then have them crushed. Besides, I'm enjoying being single." "You've never thought of it?" "Well... Somebody tall, and handsome.
It doesn't really matter, though, as long as he treats me right. I've kissed too many frogs, to wind up with a toad." Scott
chuckled. "What about you?" "What?" "Well, your dream mate isn't your's, so who would you like to be mated to?" "Somebody
totally opposite of Esther." "Good. Ms. Priss would have driven you insane anyways." He laughed. "Why do you say that?" "Because
I rarely ever saw her, and she drove me insane. People like us, we're too down to earth to put up with snobs like her for
long." Scott sighed. "You're probably right."
Neither realized they had made it all the way around to the back of the large house. Scott took her hands in his, and turned
to face her. "I should really go up stairs and get some rest. Vince and Linda are due to return tomorrow. There's no telling
what will happen if Vince's treatments didn't work." "Treatments?" "He went a little psycho over Kevin and Jade. Linda forced
him to spend some time in a mental hospital." "Oh." "If all goes well, maybe I can give you the grand tour in the afternoon."
She smiled at him. "I'd like that." She stood on her toes, and kissed his cheek. When she did, they were both shocked, much
like a static electrical shock. They both laughed. "Goodnight, Chawni." "Goodnight, Scott."
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