Chapter Four
Wilder
“This one contains almond oil, apricot oil, lavender, and comfrey. Put it all over your belly once a day at least. But remember, stretch marks are a part of growing a person inside you. You can’t prevent them entirely. A lot of stretch marks is dependent on the person and genetics.”
The last thing I wanted was an angry new mother or father in my store telling me my surefire cure for their stretch marks was anything but.
Nothing was surefire in this life. Another lesson from my mother.
“Thank you.”
I helped customer after customer until I almost cringed when the bell above the door rang softly once again. Business was great, and I really needed to hire help, but my customers needed knowledgeable assistance. Maybe I could at least get someone to run the register while I offered advice.
My gaze drifted to a man who stood outside the shop. Tall and thin. Tanned, with a lean muscular build.
And a grimace that could scare puppies. He looked into the shop with his eyebrows bunched above his nose.
Starting for the door to speak to him, a customer grabbed my arm and asked about help with psoriasis to the skincare section where I recommended several salves and a slight change of diet as well.
Four customers later, I looked up to see the alpha turning away from the doorway, and my heart sank. Opportunity lost.
My wolf nudged me to go after him, but if he wanted to leave, what could I do to stop him?
And then the man coughed. He covered his mouth with his fist at first and then switched to the crook of his elbow.
This alpha was sick, and although I had a lot of customers in the shop, I couldn’t keep myself from running to him.
“Hey, I’m Lewis. Why don’t you come inside for a glass of water.”
I touched his elbow, the non-coughed-into one and nudged him.
“I’ll be okay,” he answered, his voice gravelly bass. It made a shiver run down my spine.
“It’s only water. Come on.”
My wolf knew instantly who was shuffling into my shop. This was no ordinary alpha. This was my mate. Fire burned through my veins, and I barely controlled the shaking as we walked through the customers to the back. I filled a glass and promised him I would be back in a few minutes.
A few minutes turned into twenty but, when I returned, he had finished the water and was still waiting on the stool.
“Thank you. I’m okay now.”
“Not so fast.” I took the glass from his hand. “I’ve got a tea that will help your cough and a salve that goes on your chest. It will break up that mucus. Do you get sick often?”
He scoffed. “I can’t even remember the last time.”
“That’s good, at least.”
I gathered the tea, a tincture, and a chest salve better than anything he could buy off the shelf and put it in a white bag and included handwritten instructions. When I handed it to him, I found he was already watching me.
“I’m Wilder. What’s your name?”
It took him a few seconds to answer. “My name is Lewis. You own this shop. I’ve heard about it.”
“That’s why you came in today? For the cough or to check out the shop.”
His eyes roamed my form. “To check things out. Maybe about the cough.”
Oh. My wolf clawed me from the inside. He wanted to get out and introduce himself to our mate. He thought maybe his form would make the alpha…friendlier.
I had a feeling our mate was a grumpy guy.
A very sexy, grumpy guy.
“Well, here you go, Lewis. Brew the tea for about five minutes. You can add honey if you like.”
He huffed out a laugh at me, and I wondered why until my brain caught up and put all the pieces together. “Oh, you’re the Lewis who owns the bee farm. You must be the beekeeper.”
“I am. How did you know?”
I pointed to the fridge where his business card had been moved in my attempt to actually complete something on my list. “That’s you. I had your honey on a rack of very good ribs yesterday.”
“Oh. Anyone can buy my honey.”
“That’s good. Um, I really have to get back to the customers.”
He looked down at the bag I’d handed him and then put it down like it might combust in his hands. “I don’t take things for free. The cough will go away.”
And before I could stop him, he’d opened the back door and bolted out into the alley.
Damn it. One encounter with my alpha, and I’d managed to run him off.