Chapter 2
Abel
“See you next week, Abel.”
I turned and waved to Monroe. He was a great boss to work for.
“Bye, Monroe. See you Monday!” I was probably more excited than I should be.
I had the entire weekend off, and I was planning on doing all the fun things.
I was going to treat myself to dinner out tonight, something I hadn’t done in a while.
There was a certain alpha down in Lucky Lake that was going to take me out tomorrow night, and although I wasn’t certain, it was possible I would be spending the night with him.
He wasn’t my mate, but he was sexy, and I had a heat coming up in a few weeks.
I certainly wouldn’t mind spending it with him.
I realized I was already at the transport building and needed to remember to make sure I didn’t get too distracted while down in Timber Valley. I was going to Burgers N Shakes, because I wasn’t fooling myself. I really wanted the shake more than the burger.
“Hi, Timothy,” I said to the warlock that was there to help transport us on and off Treasure Ridge.
“Good afternoon, Abel. How are you doing today?”
“Not bad. I have the weekend off, and I’m planning on spending some time off of Treasure Ridge.”
“That sounds lovely. It’s good to get away and do things off of the mountain at times.” I nodded in agreement. “Ready to head down?”
“Yes, please.” I smiled when I felt my stomach tickle.
It was always fun going up and down off the mountain.
We were at the cabin in a blink, and I waved to Timothy as I walked off.
I looked at the line of keys that were on the wall and grabbed the ones for the little SUV.
It was just me, and I wasn’t exactly tall at five eight.
And to be honest, the larger SUVs that the dragons and gargoyles always took intimidated me.
I’d thought about moving off the mountain, but why? I only had Tyler as a roommate, and he was awesome. We hung out every so often when we had time, but for the most part, I didn’t know he was there, and he didn’t know I was there. It worked for us.
I found the little red SUV, and after pushing the button on the fob, the lights flashed when it unlocked.
I opened the driver’s door and climbed in.
It was a newer SUV that the council had purchased for all of us to share, and I loved the little push-button start.
After I had my seat belt on, I backed out of the spot.
It was only a ten-minute drive to Burgers N Shakes, and already my stomach was growling in anticipation.
I was getting a strawberry shake with extra strawberry.
I loved all fruits, but strawberries were my absolute favorite.
I turned on the radio to the local pop music station and bopped along as I drove to my destination.
It was busy when I pulled into the parking lot, but that was expected for a Friday after work.
I saw several others from Treasure Ridge as I parked the vehicle, and when I got out, I waved to Lewis.
He gestured for me to come over, and when I joined him at the door, his eyes widened.
“Are you here alone, or are you meeting someone?”
“Alone. Why?”
“Will you eat with me? I thought I could do this, but there’s so many alphas in there right now, and I’m not intimidated, but some of them are super sexy.”
I chuckled, looped my arm through his, and pulled him inside with me. “Let’s go eat. I’m hungry, and I really want my strawberry shake.”
When we entered, I immediately saw what he meant. It was as if there were some sort of alpha meetup or something because the back half of the restaurant was full of them. There were some omegas here—I could scent them—but the amount of alpha pheromones that were in the place was a bit overwhelming.
“Umm…did you want to go somewhere else?” I asked.
Lewis looked at me, as if he could tell I wasn’t exactly comfortable.
“Are you all right to stay? Is there anywhere else to get your shake?”
I sighed. “This is the only place that makes shakes with ice cream and not soft serve or some sort of ice cream dessert shit that isn’t real ice cream.”
Lewis leaned in close. “Well, I can get us out of here in a blink if needed, if that makes you feel better.” I nodded because it honestly did.
Lewis pulled me along, and after we ordered, we took our drink cups over to the machine.
I got the lemon lime option, because why not, and Lewis filled his cup with cola.
We went searching for a table, and I hesitated when I saw Cole.
I normally wouldn’t think anything of it, but he wasn’t alone, and it was obvious that he and the woman he was with were on a date.
“What’s wrong?” Lewis asked.
I shook my head and pointed to a table on the other side of the restaurant.
“Let’s sit over there,” I said. We were close enough to Cole’s table that he heard me and looked up.
His eyes widened briefly before he turned back to his date.
She kept talking as Lewis and I went to the other side of the dining area and sat at one of the little tables against the windows.
This was about as far away from the alphahole—because that’s now who he certainly was to me—that I could get while still being in the same restaurant.
Once we were settled, Lewis gave me a look. I sighed and leaned closer to whisper. “See that alpha over there? The blond one with the long-haired brunette?”
Lewis moved his eyes just enough to look, something I was thankful for because he got it. It would be incredibly obvious if he turned his entire head to look.
“Yeah. What about him?”
I rubbed my hand down my face, irritated with myself. “I’ve been dating him. He’s not my mate, but we were having fun spending time together. I thought we were seeing only each other though.”
“Ah. So he’s a jerk? Do you want me to zap him with magic?”
I snorted. It was possible that she was his mate, but I wouldn’t think so. I’d been out with Cole just this week on Tuesday. If she were his mate, I wouldn’t think that he’d be out in public with her so soon. But maybe?
“It’s possible she’s his mate, but he and I went out on Tuesday, and although we got a little hot in the make-out session, that was the extent of things, and maybe he’s decided to try elsewhere?
” I shrugged. I sat up when they brought our tray of food to us.
“Thanks,” I said to the teenager. Immediately, I recognized him as Monroe’s brother-in-law.
He lived with him up on Treasure Ridge, and I guess he was working here.
“No problem,” he told us before he took the number and went back to the front of the restaurant.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket but ignored it.
There was nobody I needed to talk to right now, and my strawberry shake was calling to me.
I grabbed it first, and after jamming the straw in, I started sucking.
Those first few draws were tough, but once you got the ice cream to the top, it was easygoing.
“You didn’t close today?” I asked.
“Naw, Beau did. I close tomorrow and the next five days after that. We take turns. One opens, the other closes. I keep telling him I’ll do both since he has a mate and family now, but he won’t listen.
Some days, I force the issue and he gives in, but most of them, he’s stubborn, and we both end up doing both.
I keep telling him if nothing else, I’ll open since his mornings are busier, but I get it, he came here specifically to run the bakery, and he wants to be there doing things. ”
My phone vibrated again, and then again. I realize it had to be text messages, so I pulled it out, saw Cole’s name on the little window, and rolled my eyes. I set the phone face down on the table and picked my shake back up. The phone vibrated against the table, and Lewis looked at it in question.
“It’s…” I tilted my head to the right, in the direction of Cole.
“Ah. Yeah, no.”
I smiled as I picked up a french fry and shoved it in my mouth. The phone kept vibrating, and I shook my head as Lewis glared at it. “I can turn it off.”
“Naw. What does he have to say though? Because I’m about to go over and embarrass him in front of everyone if he doesn’t stop. Well, not if you actually want to see him again.”
I shook my head, then handed Lewis my phone after unlocking it. He sat there and read the messages, snorting every so often. “He’s whining.” I rolled my eyes at that. I absolutely did not expect this from him. “She asked him out, he said yes, he didn’t think you would show up.”
“What a jerk. He could have said no?” I said.
“Just turn the phone off. Or block his number. I’m done with him.
That last part is enough. He was happy to go out with her, thinking I wouldn’t find out.
Yeah, no. I don’t want to play games. We aren’t mates.
I’m good with not putting up with that from someone who isn’t my mate. ” I ate another fry and then another.
Lewis typed something on my phone and held it up.
I smiled and nodded, and Lewis hit Send.
I looked to my right, not caring if anyone realized I was staring at Cole now.
He checked his phone, then met my gaze. I smirked at him, then went back to eating my food.
“No loss, really,” I told Lewis. It would suck to spend my upcoming heat alone, but it wasn’t the first and wouldn’t be the last. I could take the suppressors, but they always made me feel terrible overall, and I didn’t care for that.
“Had you been seeing him long?”
“Not really. A few months. He was always nice and a complete gentleman. I thought we were seeing only each other though. But really, it’s not like I really lost anything.
” I leaned in closer. “I was going to take things to that next step this weekend, so I’m glad I found out now before I did that with him. ”
Lewis’s eyes widened. “Oh. Yeah, I…we don’t…”
I nodded. “Yeah, I get that. But you always find your mates super early, right?”