Chapter 12 MATE WITH A HEART EMOJI
Adam’s POV
The first thing I noticed when I stepped into the house was the noise.
That awful, familiar noise of voices I didn’t want to hear.
“Look who finally decided to show up,” my mother’s voice rang out before I even reached the living room. She was sitting there on the couch like she owned the air itself, one hand on her hip, the other holding her ever-present cup of tea. And right beside her, lounging comfortably, was Brian — the golden child. Her pride. The thief of my scholarship.
I didn’t say a word. I didn’t even look at them. I just wanted to get to my room and shut the world out before my already-fragile sanity cracked. But of course, that was too much to ask.
“What’s that you’ve got there?” Brian asked, pointing to the bags of stuff Kael had bought me. His tone was mocking, as if me holding something nice was some kind of joke.
“None of your business,” I muttered, brushing past him.
But my mother stood, her eyes narrowing. “Don’t you talk to your brother like that. Show me what you’re hiding.”
Before I could even react, Brian snatched one of the bags out of my hand; fast and smug, like a reflex he’d practiced for years. Something inside me snapped. I didn’t think, I just moved. I grabbed the bag back so quickly that Brian stumbled a step backward, shock flickering across his face.
“Don’t touch my things,” I said, my voice low.
My mother gasped dramatically. “Oh, so now you steal and you’re bold enough to talk back to your family?!”
I clenched my jaw. “It’s mine.”
“Yours?” she scoffed. “Where would you even get money for all this? You think I don’t know you’ve been sneaking out?!”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t owe her one. I just turned, pushed past them, and headed straight to my room. Her voice followed me down the hallway, loud and sharp like the edge of broken glass.
“Ungrateful child! This is how you repay me after all I’ve done for you!”
I locked the door and leaned against it, breathing hard. My heart was pounding, my hands trembling but it wasn’t fear this time. It was… frustration. A thick, heavy frustration that made my eyes sting.
I tossed the bags onto my bed, sank beside them, and buried my face in my hands.
It was all too much. My body still ached, my fever hadn’t completely gone, and now Kael — a literal werewolf — was real. His wolf form kept flashing in my mind, the way the sunlight had brushed over his white fur, those icy eyes watching me with something too human, too intense.
He wasn’t just real.
He was beautiful. Terrifying, yes, but beautiful in a way that made it hard to breathe.
I pulled out one of the snack bags he’d bought and opened it. The taste was familiar, simple, grounding. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was until I’d already finished half the pack. Then I grabbed the phone — sleek, new, still smelling like the store — and switched it on.
He’d already saved his number in it with:
Mate and a heart emoji.
I couldn’t help it… I laughed. Out loud. A small, stupid laugh that made my chest feel lighter for a moment.
Scrolling through the apps, I found myself doom-scrolling on social media, watching strangers dance, fight, cry… living normal lives while mine had flipped upside down. I couldn’t decide if I was jealous or just numb.
A knock on my door startled me. I froze, hoping whoever it was would just go away.
“Adam,” my mother’s voice came softly. Softer than before. “You forgot to take your medicine. It’s on the table.”
I waited until her footsteps faded before answering, “Okay.”
I didn’t take it, though. I didn’t even move.
Minutes blurred into hours. The house grew quiet. And then, the phone rang.
My heart skipped.
Mate ❤️ calling…
I rolled my eyes at the name, but I couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at my lips as I swiped to answer.
“Hey,” came his voice; low, calm, grounding. “Did you get home safely?”
“Yeah,” I said, leaning back against the headboard. “Though my family wasn’t exactly happy to see me.”
“Did they hurt you?” His tone shifted immediately, a hint of danger curling under it.
“No,” I replied quickly. “They just… yelled. Nothing new.”
He was silent for a moment. I could almost imagine him on the other end, jaw tight, eyes dark.
“Adam,” he finally said, voice softer now, “you shouldn’t have to live like that.”
I sighed, rubbing my temple. “I’ve been living like this for years, Kael. I’ll survive.”
He didn’t sound convinced. “You shouldn’t have to just survive.”
“Maybe not,” I said quietly, “but it’s what I know.”
Another pause. Then his tone changed; lighter, teasing. “Did you see what I saved my number as?”
I couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped. “Yeah, I did. You’re so full of yourself.”
“I thought it was appropriate,” he said, and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “You are my mate, after all.”
I rolled my eyes, though a small warmth spread through my chest. “You’re impossible.”
“Maybe,” he murmured. “But you’re stuck with me now.”
There was a quiet beat between us. I didn’t know what to say. The bond, the pull… it felt like gravity. Like something I couldn’t run from even if I tried.
“So…” I began, hesitating. “You said earlier that you had duties. Are you… okay? You sounded tense when those people came.”
“I’m fine,” he said, though his sigh betrayed him. “Just pack matters. I’ll handle it. Don’t worry about me.”
“I’m not worried,” I lied.
“Liar.”
That one word, low and amused, made me smile again.
Then his tone softened, serious now. “I’m coming over soon.”
“What?” I straightened. “No, you don’t have to—”
“You said I could come by later,” he cut in gently. “You can’t change your mind now.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he was faster. “I just want to see you. Make sure you’re really okay.”
I hesitated. Every rational thought in me screamed that it was a bad idea. That he belonged to another world; one that killed people for less than what I was. But another part of me — the one that remembered the warmth of his arms, the calm of his voice — whispered that maybe it wasn’t so bad to let him come.
“Fine,” I said quietly. “But just for a bit.”
“Deal,” he said. And before hanging up, his voice softened once more. “Get some rest until I get there, Adam. You sound tired.”
The call ended, and I sat there, staring at the phone screen until it dimmed.
Tired didn’t even begin to cover it.
But for the first time in a long while, I didn’t feel entirely alone.