C6 You owe me an explanation

Flashback*

"Okay new recruits, let's see what you got!" The head warrior yelled out to the newest addition to the pack warrior. "Any volunteers?"

Kara raised her hand, stepping forward in a sleeveless dark blue t-shirt. She'd been working towards this ever since senior years of high school began. The defined cut of her biceps gave away exactly how hard she'd trained to pass this recruitment test. Having just graduated high school, Kara was certain that this is what she wanted to do with her life moving forward. Of course, being a female and wanting to go into a male dominant field meant she'd have to work twice as hard as the rest of the guys to climb ranks.

Warriors were required to be strong, something Kara's petite frame just couldn't pull off. But she honed herself in other skills to compensate. And she'd be damned if she let being a female throw her back.

The head warrior motioned for Stephen, the pack beta to step forward.

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you," Stephen whispered into Kara's ear as he walked by her to get into position.

Kara rolled her eyes as she prepared herself. Stephen was conceitedly arrogant. Being the pack beta since senior year, he definitely hadn't been training with Kara and the other guys. So of course, he had no idea what he'd gotten himself into.

"On 3!" Greg, the head warrior, called out.

He gave the signal, Stephen lunged to grab her. Kara's small frame swiftly ducked, delivering a kick to the back of his knees. Stephen lost his balance but was able to push himself back up with his hands. He moved forward to pin Kara down, but she gave him the slip, he missed her by a mere hairs breadth. Surprised by her speed, Stephen was momentarily taken aback. Kara saw her opening and threw herself into his midriff, knocking the wind out of him as she put the weight of her entire body into it.

Stephen fell on his back, more from surprise than anything else. Kara straddled him, pinning his hands to the ground in the process.

Everyone clapped at her success. Kara smirked down at Stephen. Stephen felt a jerk in his lower abdomen that had nothing to do with pain but everything to do with the brunette sitting on top of him. He blinked in confusion as Kara hovered over him looking immensely pleased. He could feel the heat of her thighs as she struggled his waist.

At the moment he decided two things. 1) he'd never underestimate Kara again, and 2) whatever he felt needed to be buried deep inside him.

This was Kara, the guys would never let him live it down. Plus she was his friend. No... maybe he just needed a good lay to forget about whatever she was making him feel. He was a guy after all and Kara was on top of him in a way that made him picture what she'd look like naked in this very same position. It had nothing to do with feelings but everything to do with hormones.

Kara lifted herself off of him, offering him a hand to help him up. She couldn't hide the smirk on her face. Stephen took it gratefully.

In an attempt to cover up how unnerved he was, he couldn't help but remark,

"You wanted me under you so bad, all you had to do was ask."

"Please," Kara scoffed, rolling her eyes. She elbowed him in the side for good measure as she passed him to take her place back in the ranks of the new recruits.

"I think we can expect great things from you." Greg said appreciatively to Kara.

Stephen was suddenly distracted by Olivia, another warrior who was whispering seductively into his ear. She coyly asked if asking nicely could get her under him.

End of flashback*

Stephen sat nursing his jaw as Kara looked at Stephen, hands on her hips.

"Well?" Kara huffed expectantly. "You owe me an explanation. What is it? Did you run out of girls to f**k or something? What sick twisted game are you playing?"

Stephen shook his head, still reeling from so much that happened. How in goddess name were they even together in the future when she punched him for kissing her? She'd probably cut his dick off if he as much try to sleep with her.

"You know I'm waiting for my mate, just what exactly was that?" Kara pushed him for an answer into the unending silence.

And before Stephen could stop himself, the word rolled off his tongue.

"You're closing in on 19 and haven't found your mate yet Kara. Are you going to keep waiting until you're 40?"

Kara's eyes narrowed.

"What exactly are you trying to say here?"

"All I'm saying that it's ok to live a little." Stephen looked down at the ground, hoping she wasn't going to smack him again.

"And what...you want me to fall into your arms or something? F**k you're my superior... what's more you're my friend..." Kara trailed off awkwardly, afraid to keep talking.

There was just no way that Stephen could be looking for anything more than a one night stand. She knew the man like she knew the back of her. But the fact that he was willing to risk their friendship over it hurts.

"Just... forget about it. Pretend it never happened." Stephen finally grit out the word warily.

What was he supposed to do? He had no clue what the hell had happened, and he was in no position to talk about what happened to him with her. And clearly, she was not willing to entertain the idea of them together at this moment.

How was he supposed to go about this? Part of him felt like going, finding the time travel device and just going to live in the future. Maybe future Stephen could do the hard part for him.

There was an acute silence before Kara spoke again.

"You and your stupid game!" She exclaimed, shaking her head in disgust. "I bet it was some stupid dare, but you're still a sick f**k for doing that." Kara looked at him threateningly. "You can't go around doing things like that with me. I won't let it slide next time." Kara warned before turning on her heel and storming out of Stephen's house.

Stephen threw his head back against his couch. What had he just gotten himself into? How were they true mates in the future, but his wolf felt nothing aside from a bit of happiness when she's around? None of this made any sense. And as Stephen sat, going over everything that happened in the last 24 hours, he realised one thing with startling clarity: he wanted that life. He just needed to know how to get there and if the letter left from his future self was any indication, it all seemed to rest on Kara.

Stephen found himself aching to go back. To go back to the Kara that looked at him as if he was amazing. To go back to the most amazing sex he'd ever had. To go back to a family of his own.

It never occurred at the time to Stephen that maybe the future Kara looked at him differently because he'd earned her devotion. Or that maybe the sex was amazing because it was the product of a prolonged intimate relationship with someone in which both felt comfortable experimenting with eachother to figure out what worked best. The only thing that occurred to Stephen was that it would be wonderful to be able to skip the hard part and get to the good part of his life. Because what he'd experienced was definitely the good part of his life. Trying to get Kara was going to be the hard part. She was though as nail, but he'd been lucky enough to get glimpse past her though exterior while he'd been in the future.

So even though Stephen didn't like research or reading books, he'd got to it. He found out about the concept of chosen mates and true mates. What he learned was that the bond was definitely different between true mates and chosen mates even after marking eachother. Chosen mates didn't feel the sparks that true mates felt. And a persons wolf was less active when it came to chosen mates.

Still, searching for answers Stephen decided it was time to go to the one person he knew could help him the most. Luna Lilliana's father and previous beta of the pack.