The Hybrid Mate

Chapter Twelve

The First Conversation

"Do you like what you see?"

"I um. What?"

"Do. You. Like what you see?"

"..."

Liam unleashes a thunderish laugh and makes his way to a chair in front of the desk. Tia just sits there stuck without a comeback.

"I'm just teasing you, Love. I came to see what you were doing."

"I was just finishing the notes from the meeting so I could have time to myself tomorrow."

"Does he overwork you?"

"No, not at all. He's really thorough but so am I."

"Thorough, hm?"

"Yeah. I've learned a lot from him over the years."

"How long have you been working for him?"

"A little over three years. But my time is almost up."

"Time? What do you mean?"

"I was punished for an incident in high school. I was required to spend my weekends as his assistant until I finished college and entered the workforce."

"What did you do in high school?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Do I?"

"Still a question."

"I apologize. I just want to know more about you."

"Well to answer your question, in short, Deva force shifted in the school cafeteria and mauled three girls."

"Three? Holy shit, my mate's a badass!"

"Not funny."

"Did you kill them?"

"No! They healed fine in a couple of days."

"So why did Deva force the shift?"

"You and your questions!"

"Wolves don't force a shift unless there's severe trauma. So what happened?"

Sigh "I had been bullied for quite some time. Since like, middle school. I mean, I had a few enemies before that but it really was nothing. Stolen lunch money, hiding my clothes after gym, being left to feel isolated. But I preferred to be alone. It was almost always the same group of girls. When they went to high school, I couldn't be happier. It wasn't as bad as before. But in my freshman year, I was promoted a grade and ended up in the same classes as them. And since I was a year younger, I couldn't train like them. They felt like they were better than me."

Tia starts to cry.

"The summer after Junior year, I got Deva. She's bigger and stronger than all of them. So they called me a freak. They blamed my weight. They said her color matched mine. They would say and do anything just to hurt me. They would recruit people to corner me and beat me just for shits and giggles. If I looked their way or even breathed too loud, I would be targeted. I tried so hard to be invisible but they would actively seek me out just to fuck with me! That day, in the cafeteria, they started a rumor that I had slept with Alpha Artemis's son, Benjamin. I denied the accusations and told Shelley, his girlfriend, that she was a wannabe Luna and he would never mark her. I told her that he was waiting for his mate and she was just an easy whore to keep his dick wet in the meantime. She got so mad because I had embarrassed her. She shoved me so hard! I flew into a table and broke two of my ribs. I heard the crack of my bones. I felt like I was blacking out. But it was Deva trying to save me. She forced the shift to take care of the situation because I couldn't stand up for myself. Somehow when I got home that day my dad knew that my ribs were broken. He laid me in bed, aligned my bones and gave me herbal tea. When I woke up, I was good as new. I was badly bruised but had completely healed. We had a meeting with the alpha the next day. I couldn't attend graduation or go back on school grounds and had to become his assistant. He found out about all of the bullying and banished Shelley. Her co-conspirators and her parents now work for him as Omegas. I haven't had any problems since."

"You are one the strongest and bravest people I know. And you have a heart of gold. Don't let anyone tell you that you're less than perfect. Your body's perfect, your skin is perfect, and you are so much more than what I've been praying for in a mate. No one will ever hurt you again because you are mine."

"I can't believe you said more than two sentences." Tia chuckled to lighten the mood.

"I don't talk much, huh?"

"No, you don't. But you ask a lot of questions."

They both laughed as Tia stood for tissues desperately freeing her face of tears. Liam got up from his seat and went to hug her and rub her back in comfort. They stayed this way for a moment. Until a knock came at the door. They both turned to see young master Benjamin with a mischievous grin.