Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 12 **

William

My heart broke and shattered into a thousand pieces when I saw my mate chosen by the moon goddess during today's run. I had never expected to meet them, and now I'm sitting by the breakfast table, pretending that red-haired woman wasn't my mate.

The sun is shimmering in through the windows, making me squint as images of that freckled face enter my mind, eating me alive. My mate was so beautiful, small and innocent, but with this attractive fierceness to her eyes, telling me, she wasn't a coward.

Sadly, I can't think about her.

June wouldn't let me remember my mate if she knew I was thinking about her. She is in love with my body, using it every night to get off, and she is probably hoping I will someday love her.

It will never happen. I'm a lifeless doll inside of this mansion, praying every day that someone will save me.

I'm so pathetic, but I can't flee from this hell.

June wasn't a mate I chose. She is a half-vampire with this hobby of removing any memories that don't benefit her. She bit me when I was a child and forced herself onto me, making us complete the mating ritual while I was under trance.

Now, I'm bound to her, but since my heart doesn't belong to her, I've always found great pleasure in watching other women, dreaming about not being imprisoned by June.

My first crush was Patricia, with her unique curves and determined personality. I've always had eyes for her, right until I spotted the red-haired woman and experienced the mate-bond wreck my brain like a freight train.

Who was she?

She carried the scent of a witch.

"Are you enjoying your sandwich?" June asks as she takes a seat across from me. Her blonde hair and doe-eyes give her an angelic appearance, which is somewhat ironic considering she is down straight evil.

I hand her a smile, knowing upsetting her will end up with me getting more scars slashed across my back. June loves to reign and rule, and even though we have finished the mating ritual, the logical part of my brain isn't drawn to this woman.

June is centuries old, a power-hungry hybrid that took over my pack many years ago before I was even born. She compelled my father to give up his standing as the alpha and then had him promise her that she would marry his son to keep her position.

"It's delicious—I love the amount of cheese you used."

My smile is faked and brief. The only thing I can focus on is that red-haired girl, but I can't show any sign of thinking about another woman—June would brainwash me again.

I have learned to see the signs of her psychic abilities these days, and I know for sure that she waltzed into my head after I dumbly admired Patricia's rack. Perhaps I deserved it, but I still don't appreciate June messing with my brain.

"Good," June flashes me a smile. "You know, I've been thinking lately."

"Hm?" My mouth is filled with cheese.

June is playing with her fork, sticking it into her sandwich and watching the cheese flow out like blood. Her smile widens, and I suppress a shudder—I find her incredibly creepy at times.

"I don't simply wish to destroy the Winterbite pack—I'm also interested in taking over other areas. There are so many werewolf packs that I would love to slaughter, and soon, we have the strength."

I chew on my sandwich. June has been gotten more powerful lately and is practicing controlling the rotten, half-dead creatures. I'm still not sure where the zombies are coming from, but June indeed uses their existence to her advantage.

With unease, I stare at the juice on the table. I wish I possessed the strength to argue with June, tell her that we don't need more land, but she has always been a conquerer. I'm also useless. I can't for the life of me figure out how to withstand her compulsion, and the forced mate-bond between us isn't making it any easier.

"You certainly have big plans."

"Oh, yes!" June is beaming at me with her eyes shifting to red. Whenever she gets excited, her true colors show. "I want to be on the throne and reign over both vampires and werewolves! And could you imagine how fun it would be to take over a big company with my compulsion?!"

I frown, already concerned. "The supernatural council, the ones looking after all magical creatures, wouldn't like it if you meddled with humans. They aren't supposed to know of our existence."

June smiles wickedly. "What if we took down the entire council? They are old and grey—five magical creatures begging to be killed."

I stare at her. "Have you gone entirely mad? We can't fight the council!"

"Of course we can!" June laughs. "Once I've gathered an army of the undead, we are going to war, mate. I don't want to be held back, and I've always felt like vampires have been treated unkindly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, werewolves can have land, but vampires aren't allowed to compel living humans and drink from them—I want that to change. Imagine vampire pubs, where my kind can drink freely from a wide selection of beautiful men and women."

The spreading smile on June's lips is freaking me out. I knew she was mad, but I didn't expect her to want to enslave humans. Her idea of this pub is making me uncomfortable. All I want is to live an easy life—not fight the council for a mate who I don't even love.

"I think we need to call that Patricia over again," June says, showing me a glimpse of her pointy canine teeth. She usually hides them by wearing fake teeth, but not today. "If I wish for my plan to succeed, I need more men on my side, and defeating Dior and taking over his pack would be the perfect way of enlarging our army. I need Patricia to feed me with more information."

I smile to myself. "Why haven't you defeated Dior yet?"

I know the answer too well, but I love to see the flash of frustration cross June's face when I mention that name. There is a person June dislikes more than that tall, pretty-boy alpha.

"Because there is something wrong with him!" June throws a tantrum, and I watch her coffee cup break against the wall. "Gah! I've tried to compel Dior, but it doesn't work with him! That man-... Something is wrong with that fucking werewolf! I need to find his weakness!"

While I'm not a fan of June's plans, I know better than to stand in the way of her dreams. I'm also her mate and should help her out in any way that I can, even if I'm not in love.

Shit, the bond between us is fuzzing my brain again. Freewill doesn't exist after finishing that damn ritual—I'm already thinking differently. Try as I might, I'm losing that control I think I had, and my mind conjures ideas of how to help June.

With calm movements, I set down my cup. "Dior will turn eighteen later this week, and if he finds hit mate, she or he will become his weakness. We should kidnap his mate and use them to control Dior, force him to resign from his position as alpha."

June beams at me. "Now you're finally talking! That's an excellent idea, William!"

I wink at June, proud of myself. "Sometimes I use my brain. It is rare, but it happens."

Laughter erupts from June's throat. "True! I can't wait to find out who Dior's mate will be—it's interesting even if I plan on torturing the unlucky soul who belongs together with him."

"It will probably be someone else braindead," I say, not afraid of stating my opinion. My eyes lock on the scenery outside our window. "Dior most likely belongs to someone who doesn't possess a soul. The moon goddess wouldn't pick someone wonderful for someone with a heart made of stone. It would be cruel."

"Please," June snorts. "The moon goddess is a cunning woman—she might pick Dior the total opposite of himself, someone who can thaw his heart from the ice surrounding it. I wouldn't be surprised. Alpha-boy might get mated with someone resembling an angel. Not that it matters—both Dior and his mate are dying. I already have the perfect plan."

I smile. "Please, feel free to tell me all about it."