His Ghost

The Wifey. 23

Carters POV

"I hear the wifey is coming to the Gym today." Aiden winked at me. My right hook got him square in the jaw, and he staggered back against the ropes, a smirk on his face as he rubbed his jaw.

"Shit, man, you need to pay more attention; you're getting sloppy," I remarked. At the same time, he stepped back up to me.

'Wifey' had become the new nickname every time she came up; it pissed me off and made me smile. It had a nice ring to it. Who knew?

It's been two days since we got Emma and Tia back here. The vampire family claimed they knew nothing. Like the Lycans, Vampires operated under a monarchy system. Vampire nobles arrived, wiped out the local family and handed it over to a new one. It's the same policy Lycans had for those who stepped out of line.

They remained uncooperative in how Emma came to be there. And we lost any lead we had to them and the rogue shifters.

Tia was in a world of hurt. She had overheard the others talking about the situation. By pretending to be interested in Emma, she betrayed Erica. Then, she told the Elders that Emma was fine. They signed off on her leaving the Estate. Tia did not count on them sending her with Emma.

It was one cluster fuck of errors, no one asked Tia to get involved, so I had no way of incriminating anyone. She was just a stupid girl out of her depth. She was trying to please the wrong people.

When we found them locked in a cage in the warehouse guarded by substandard drunken shifters, she was a mess. It was punishment enough. I requested her transfer and am still waiting for the council to respond.

Since finding the third blade, Erika seemed like a new girl. She was glowing. I found it fucking odd.

The only clues we had were vague and fragmented memories from Emma, who had been kidnapped and drugged. She got the impression she was a sacrifice to please the 'wolf-man' on the upcoming full moon. It all went wrong when Erika turned up.

"You sure you and Erika are a match."

Aiden's voice broke me from my thoughts. We had headed for the showers, and I was towelling off.

"A match? She is my mate; what do you mean a match?"

Aiden and I had started talking again; now I wondered why I fucking bothered.

"The story around the Estate is that she is your mate, and you don't want her. So, you have separate living arrangements. They laugh that she is your concubine until you find your chosen mate."

Anger took over, and I shouted. "That is bullshit, and you know it."

He shrugged, he was cocky, laughing at me. I was seething. I wondered where these stories started. He and Clara had become close since he dumped Tia, he added.

"I just think it can't work. We are a new age; she is from the old world and her old ways. Fated mates are great, sure, but we can choose now. She isn't your type. She is stuck up and condescending. At least Lucy was fun and hot as fuck. Erika would not know fun if it smacked her in the face. Also, her tits are not much; you're a big tit guy. Your strung-out Carter, at least Lucy, kept you satisfied. Face it; she will be a lousy lay and a boring bitch."

I was on him before he saw it coming. Aiden and I were on the floor; he was an Alpha like me, and this would get rough. I remember hearing bones splinter. Gym lockers smashed to the floor. I heard shouting from other men. Before, I was on one side of the Gym locker room, held by Guy and a group of warriors. He was pinned to the other side by Sam and some more warriors.