The Lycan's Mate

RACHEL'S POV

It was finally here.

Prom.

The night we'd all hyped up for months. And now that it was finally happening, it felt... fine, I guess.

For years, I'd pictured this night being perfect. Sparkling lights, slow dances, and more importantly, Ryan asking me to be his date. But as I stared at him across the room, laughing with Natasha and the rest of the popular girls, I just felt like vanishing under the table.

"Hmmm. Someone's jealous huh?" Sarah my best friend cut in, dragging me back to reality with a smirk.

"I'm not!" I replied quickly, getting all defensive. "Also since when did looking at somebody make you jealous?"

"Well," she continued, grinning as she cut me off, "If it'll prevent you from biting yourself, Natasha's with Dexter tonight. So technically... you still have a shot, tiger."

"Wait, really?" I sat up even straighter, eyes locking on Ryan just in time for him to glance right back at me.

"Oh my god, he's looking at me," I whispered, my heart launching itself into my throat.

"Go on, do something." Sarah nudged me, a bit too enthusiastic if you ask him. "Wave at him or wink!"

"What?" I turned to her like she'd lost her mind. "You do know the guy's supposed to make the first move, right?"

"Well tradition is for cowards," she replied. "This is your last chance hence you'd lose him forever woman. Burn your pride and wink, now."

"Okay, okay!" I replied, flustered and already sweating.

I tried. I really did. But my nerves had other plans.

Classic introverted Rachel.

I reached for my drink since I couldn't do it. I don't know what demon gave me this other crazy idea but I locked eyes with him, pretending to be all cool and casual while taking a sip from my glass. He seemed to notice very shortly, standing up and walking towards us.

"See? It's working!" Sarah whispered, patting my back like she was trying to break it, more excited than I was so I had no choice but to step on her foot just to shut her up before she jinxed my precious moment.

"Ow," she hissed.

While I turned back just in time to see Ryan stop right in front of me. I smiled, probably too wide, hoping my face wasn't doing something weird.

"You look great tonight, Rachel," he said, and just like that, my heart forgot how to beat.

"You look great too, handsome," I blurted. Too fast. Way too fast as his eyes widened in surprised. I immediately wanted to melt into the floor because that was the very definition of naive.

"Pull it together, Rachel." I said to myself only for Ryan to offer me his hand saying, "Would you be my prom queen tonight Rachel?"

Oh. My. God.

Ryan was asking me out? Like, for real?

I jumped up so fast I nearly tripped, but he caught me by the waist before I faceplanted.

Everyone turned. Staring. Whispering.

And I didn't care. Not even a little.

"Yes," I breathed out, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes?" Ryan echoed, his smile widening.

And I replied even louder this time. "Yes!" laughing nervously as I placed my hand in his. I couldn't believe this was happening. I mean, this was happening to me. Awkward, introverted Rachel being asked to dance by Ryan in front of the entire prom.

It felt like every cliché rolled into one and I couldn't believe it.

***

Ryan and I had known each other since freshman year, and I'd been head-over-heels for him since the moment he walked into our classroom. Tall, lean, athletic, with piercing blue eyes and messy black hair that always looked like it belonged in a shampoo commercial. Basically, a walking teenage dream.

I'd been lucky enough to be his seatmate for four years. Torture and blessing in one.

We'd been everything. Academic rivals, lunch buddies, partners in class projects, and occasional mortal enemies during group assignments. Everything you could think of except romantic stuff.

I'd dropped enough hints to fill a novel in the past, but Ryan? He was either completely clueless or really good at pretending not to notice.

Still, something about tonight felt different. And as he led me toward the dance floor, hand in hand, it felt like maybe, just maybe... the timing had finally caught up to us.

The attention from the crowd was instant. People turned. They whispered. Some even gasped. Probably because I wasn't exactly what you'd call prom queen material. I was more... the girl who read in the library and tripped over flat surfaces. But right now? I didn't care about a single pair of eyes.

Not when he was looking at me like that.

Or spinning me around suddenly.

"Whoa!" I yelped, quickly slapping a hand over my mouth as my heels nearly betrayed me. Ryan caught me again, smiling like this was all going exactly as planned.

The DJ, Nathan, must've sensed the moment because suddenly the speakers blasted everyone's favorite classic. Bonnie Tyler's *Holding Out for a Hero*-and the whole room exploded. Cheers, screams, dancing couples. Pure chaos in the best way.

Ryan and I were already in the middle of it, moving without rhythm or reason, just laughing and dancing and not giving a single damn. I didn't know what I was doing, still don't but he didn't either, and that made it perfect.

Forward, backward, spin, clap. It felt like a fairytale with bad choreography, and I loved every second.

When the chorus hit, Ryan scooped me up in his arms and lifted me just like they do in the movies-only this time, I wasn't watching. I was the girl in the air.

And for the first time, it felt like the story might actually be about me.

The crowd erupted around us. One by one, other couples following Ryan's lead, lifting their dates with wide smiles and laughter. Even the prom king and queen mimicked us, and for the first time all night, I felt like I was part of the main event, right there in the middle of it all, instead of watching from the sidelines.

It was way beyond anything I'd imagined.

"Rachel?" Ryan's voice cut through the music, soft and uncertain.

"Ryan?" I replied, smiling up at him with a slight tilt of my head.

He looked nervous now, the easy confidence gone from his face.

"I've..." he began, then paused.

*Please don't tell me he's backing out now. Did I embarrass myself that much?*

"Is everything alright?" I asked, forcing my smile to stay.

He nodded slowly, then took a deep breath.

"Alright, will you be my girlfriend, Rachel?"

Wait.

Did I just hear that right? Did Ryan the hair Patterson just ask me out? Was this a dream? Because it's starting to feel like the kind where everything goes your way only to wake up and realize it's a damn dream.

"You can think on it," he added, probably confused by my stunned silence.

"Yes!" I practically shouted almost bursting in excitement. "I'll be your girlfriend, Ryan!"

He didn't hesitate, leaning in and kissing me on the lips. Soft, sweet, and just long enough to make my knees wobble. Gasps and whispers swept through the room like wildfire. I heard them, but I didn't care. I just held him tighter until he gently pulled away.

And then, of course, Nathan the DJ couldn't help himself.

"Well, would you look at that," his voice rang out through the mic, followed by laughter. "Proof that opposites really do attract huh?"

"The king of the hallway and the queen of quietly avoiding eye contact! Make some noise for this unexpected power couple!"

The applause came fast, clapping, whooping, a few cheers. I caught Sarah in the corner of my eye, practically beaming like a proud mom.

Ryan seemed distracted for some reason before finally turning to me and saying, "I'll be back Rachel."

"What?" I whispered, before he suddenly brushed a thumb over my hand, stepping away.

Today must've been my lucky day.

"I told you my advice always works," Sarah said suddenly, sneaking up behind me like a ghost.

"Jesus, Sarah? don't scare me like that!"

"Well let's call it payment for my genius advice. I told you, Sometimes, you've gotta mark your territory to let everyone know what's yours."

Honestly? She wasn't wrong. She rarely was, even when she was. We headed back to our table together, neither of us was prom queen material on the dance floor anyway and I was more than happy to sit and savor the high.

"What about Logan?" I asked, glancing around.

She pointed toward the entrance. Logan was there with Ryan. They were talking to someone in the shadows. Arguing, maybe? The flickering lights, made it hard to make out faces, but something about their conversation felt...off.

I leaned in to listen. Perks of being a werewolf-we hear things we shouldn't. You've probably heard this kind of story before.

One of the guys with them turned toward me as if he knew I was listening, whispering something to Ryan.

"Ears are listening. Let's head out."

I relaxed a little. He sounded like a friend. Maybe just a private conversation.

Turning back to Sarah, I couldn't help but reveal the good news.

"You know Ryan asked me out," I started, only to hear a thud. Someone had punched someone outside. Very Hard.

"Relax, Gabriel man, we still have the money!" a voice hissed.

My stomach dropped. I couldn't tell if it was Ryan or Logan, but either way, something was definitely wrong.

"They're in trouble," I whispered to Sarah, standing up instinctively.

"What?" Sarah turned toward me.

But before I could answer, a gunshot echoed through the building.

The music had just changed, not loud enough to drown it out so it was loud enough to halt everyone.

I didn't wait or start asking questions. I bolted outside.

Sarah called after me, her voice sharp with fear, but I didn't stop. My heels clicked against the floor, echoing as I threw the doors open and ran outside.

I knew I was vulnerable to silver, but I was still a werewolf and I wasn't about to let someone I cared about bleed alone.

However I was too late.

A black jeep sped off into the night, tires screeching immediately the cold breeze touched my face.

On the ground, layed Ryan, sprawled across the pavement, blood soaking into his shirt. Logan knelt beside him, pressing down on the wound with trembling hands.

"No, no, no-Ryan!" I screamed, rushing to his side.

I dropped to my knees, pulling Ryan into my arms, trying to cover the wound with my hands. My heart was racing. My mind spinning. People were gathering behind us, stepping out slowly, murmuring and gasping but I couldn't hear them anymore.

"Someone call an ambulance!" I screamed. "Please! Call the ambulance!"

I just held him. Held him like if I tried hard enough, I could hold him here.

Keep him from slipping away.