Tasmina's Heart
Chapter 1The monotone professor dragged on about correct punctuation. Tasmina was never able to listen for long. Looking over; she saw that Jackson was sleeping as well as Haylee. Since the start summer term Tasmina had found three friends, something she never thought would happen. They had formed a study group, having most of the same classes. This one, Composition was the worst. Lost in her thoughts, Tasmina didn’t notice that class was over until she saw everyone getting up.
“Tas, you ready for group?” Jackson was the only person to use a nickname for her.
“No, I have to work a few hours. We could meet at the bar and study there.”
“Great, I could eat their buffalo wings forever.” Tasmina noticed that every time the met where she worked Jackson would eat himself into a coma.
“Alright see you later.”
Tasmina walked into work, Takoda’s Bar and Grill, only to be greeted by a few dozen shifters. Great, she had forgotten that The Gathering started today. She had wanted to hide. The Gathering is a get together to find mates. One hadn’t been held in her 19 years of life and she wasn’t participating. In fact she didn’t want to have anything to do with it. It was the reason she had asked her boss, Beta of her pack, to schedule her plenty of hours for the next few weeks. The last thing she wanted was for a male to take interest and command her to mate him. Males just taking females as mates was archaic but it had been done for thousands of years and not much would change. As the fear rippled through her the males could scent it and turned to her. Quickly she made it to Takoda’s office to stash her books and pull her hair up.
“Tasmina, you are an hour early.”
“I came from school.”
“You don’t want to drop your things off at the house?”
“No, a group is coming to study after my shift. Well…” looking at the floor in shame, “If that’s alright?”
“Of course. That one kid sure can eat.”
Tasmina laughed. Knowing he was trying to get her in a better mood. “Yes he can. He was excited about coming too.”
“Then off you go.”
Takoda and Sage, her Alpha, were the only ones outside of Council that really knew about her past and not all of it. They gave her more space than most in the pack. She would get annoyed with it but today she was glad.
Unable to avoid the visiting wolves, Tasmina tried to ignore them when not waiting on them. Many were watching her and scenting her. It was nerve racking to say the least. She had been trained from a very young age not to make eye contact with others but she still felt them and scented them.
“Hey!” one yelled.
Slowly walking over she took a glance up at the male. It was one she knew, “Hello Elijah, sir. What may I get for you?”
“Always formal. I’d like a steak medium rare, a salad and a cold draft.”
“I’ll get it right away.”
Looking with a tilted head, “Is something the matter dear one?”
Fear crept over her, she thought she was hiding it well. “No sir.”
“You can not lie little one.”
Looking to the table full of males, “Just a bit uncomfortable.”
“Yes, I have seen them watching you. Do you not wish for one?” Shaking her head vigorously. “I will take care of it then.”
Watching Elijah get up she turned toward the kitchen to place his order. When she came out to check the tables the males adverted their eyes the second she was in range. Tasmina hadn’t wanted to get them into trouble. Now they would certainly cause trouble. She walked filling glasses with water and coffee. When the cook called her up she was worrying again.
“Here you go. I hope he cooked it right. Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“No little one, this will be all.” She could tell he was scenting her emotions by the way her inhaled. “You are still fearful. Sit and explain.”
Knowing it was a command and she’d be punished for not obeying she sat. “Now please tell me what has you so emotional.”
“You told them to leave me alone, now they will make it hard on me and I’ll be an omega once again. Please don’t take it wrong. I thank you.”
“They will not retaliate. I told them you were off limits is all.”
Gulping the news, “They will think I am yours.”
“If it keeps a little one safe then I see no issue with it. I am here to find a mate but they must know you are much young for me. Too young to mate in my thoughts.”
“Thank you.”
“Now work and be at ease.”
Relief had washed over Tasmina after learning none of the males would bother her while they were there. If one knew she was off limits they all would very soon. It still bugged her that Elijah had insinuated she was his. The rest of her short shift went as any other, easy and she enjoyed talking with the regulars.
Elijah had smiled towards her as he had left. She almost missed it as her friends were walking in. Takoda had allowed Tasmina to reserve a table in the only quiet corner of the bar, so she walked them over.
“This seems to have become our table.” Jackson smiled. He was always happy and smiling. Nothing seemed to bother him. It was refreshing to her since her life had always been serious with very little fun.
“Yeah, Takoda set it aside for us tonight. We are really busy.
©2016 Jessica Markley
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