Chapter Ten
Oakley
I woke up later than usual. Auburn and I never set a time for me to come in, mostly because my work ethic spoke for itself. But after last night, running with him in the woods, I needed the rest.
What I didn’t need was to be woken by my ringing phone. I picked it up, thinking it was Auburn. He had been so sweet and nervous the night before and, while we ran, our bond thickened. I never knew it could be that way.
He was mine. I knew that now. More than ever.
“Fuck,” I said as I saw the name on the phone. Mason. Of all the times for him to call. “Hello,” I barked. On purpose. The only reason I answered was the slim chance of him reimbursing me for all the money I’d sunk into his business.
“Oak, it’s me. Mason.”
No shit, Sherlock. “Hello, Mason. What do you want?”
I listened to his spiel from a whole new perspective. The gaslighting. The victim mentality. The blame game. Excuses, excuses, excuses.
None of the pretty talk had anything to do with him paying me back or how he abandoned me.
He didn’t even ask me how I was. If I had a place to live since he left me high and dry.
It was all about him and for the first time, I realized, that was how it had always been. Him. His dreams. His wants. Everything his way.
I used to feel sorry for myself that he left me the way he did, but now…Fate stepped in and not only helped me be rid of the anchor that was Mason, but she led me right to Auburn.
Speaking of, I needed to go see my mate. He and I bonded, but my first thought after getting off the phone with Mason was that I needed to run to my mate. And this time, there was no chickening out.
My alpha needed to know this about me.
Everything. All of it.
“Auburn?” I called out as I went into the back door. He was already there. His scent was there. I heard footsteps.
“I’m here, mate.”
I could’ve made a big deal about him calling me that for the first time, but I knew it was the first of many times he would call me that. It warmed me head to toe.
Auburn walked into the room wearing his work clothes. Tattered shirt with holes and paint stains. Equally stained jeans. Bare feet. Yes, the man looked good dressed up a bit, but this is how I loved him most.
Huh. Yeah. I did love him.
“I…” Now, I didn’t know how to start this conversation. “My ex called this morning. I thought I should talk to you about it. No, that’s not right. I wanted to talk to you about it. You were the first person who popped into my mind.”
A smile slowly built on his face, and he dropped the hammer he held and walked over to me.
He put his hands on either side of my face, leaned in, and placed the gentlest, most loving kiss on my lips.
Then another one. “I’m happy to be the first person that popped into your mind, omega.
Come on. I got you one of those honey-almond lattes you love and I brought breakfast burritos. My specialty.”
I stumbled back a bit. That kiss, tender and sweet as it was, made my knees jelly and while I caught what he was saying, I was still in a bit of bliss. “Oh. Coffee. Yes. Thank you.”
He winked at me and took my hand, leading me over to the small table he’d brought in. “I hope you get all discombobulated every time I kiss you, mate. That was adorable. Now tell me what’s going on.”
“Mason called me this morning. I don’t know what I expected. I thought I’d never hear from him.” I took a sip of the latte, hoping the bit of caffeine would help me get through this. I’d relived that time almost daily, but since Auburn came into my life, I barely even thought of it.
Mason had excellent timing, another thing he lacked when we were together.
“He brought us here after seeing that Oliver Creek was a bustling and upcoming new town that had food trucks and restaurants that weren’t found anywhere else in the world.
It was also a haven for shifters, and he knew I wanted to live somewhere where shifters were accepted and could live in peace.
He had a dream of opening up a café of sorts, but he was muddled about the execution.
He didn’t have a clear idea of what kind of café.
There was no menu. No theme. No business plan. Just…flying by the seat of our pants.”
“And you went with him because you’re good like that.”
I nodded. Shook my head and laughed. “I did. I wanted to be the supportive partner. But there was guilt on his part. He would do this thing where he told me he was so glad to have me, but if I decided to choose myself and not go with him or put any money in, he would understand. Then sometimes, he would call me selfish for not wanting to do it or talking about the logistics.”
Auburn listened to the rest of the story in silence. He stayed steady. Too steady, while I told him about Mason’s laziness and lack of work ethic and draining my savings. I’d ended up investing twice as much as I’d said I was comfortable with in the beginning.
When I was done and had even shed tears over how it all went down, my mate reached for me. I got up and sat in his lap and curled into his chest as he held me tight.
“He took advantage of you. Of your giving and loving spirit. Of how amazing a person you are. He was wrong to betray you like that.” Auburn kissed the top of my head.
“We haven’t known each other for long, but I would never abandon you, omega.
I won’t take advantage of you or betray you.
I’m not Mason, if you needed to hear that. ”
I did. How in the hell he knew was beyond me.
“Thank you. I know you wouldn’t do that to me, but I wanted you to know.”
He hugged me tight, and I kissed his neck. “Thank you for telling me. It took bravery to open up to me, and I appreciate it.”