Chapter Fourteen
Hudson
The alpha who had weaved his way into my heart was one of a kind. He texted me about a million times before our date asking questions. We both had busy schedules, so it was almost a week before we saw each other again.
Evander had many responsibilities. But each night, he made time to call me, let me tell him about my day. He gave me the gossip about things that happened in the club. He never gave names or specifics, but some of his stories were outrageous.
One night, I had the slightest of sore throats and told him and, in minutes, soup was on my doorstep, piping hot, with a sweet note attached. How he got it delivered so fast and with a note, I’d probably never know. I assumed a big tip was involved.
We’d decided to take things slow. Build up trust and a bond.
He said he would be there for me no matter what.
I gave myself a once-over in the mirror as a knock came at my door. Evander insisted on coming to my apartment and picking me up like a real date.
When I answered, I gasped. Dark jeans and a long-sleeved shirt fit as if made for him. Goddess, I was falling hard for him. “Hi.” My voice cracked with emotion. It had only been a week, but I missed him as though it had been a year.
“Hi, yourself. These are for you.” He held out a dozen roses, each one as perfect as him.
“Thank you. I’ve never had…” I took them without finishing the sentence. “Let me put these in water.”
We held hands on the way to the car, and he opened my door for me.
The alpha was a gentleman, and it didn’t feel like the gestures were to impress me. They were simply ingrained in him as a decent person.
“What are we doing tonight?” I asked as we got on the road.
“There’s a new museum exhibit tonight. An immersive display with lights and music to go along with the showing of the art. It sounded fun. After that, dinner at my favorite hole-in-the-wall.”
“I thought you were a dinner and a movie guy,” I admitted.
“I like that too. We have time to do everything we want to.”
We went to the museum. The artist was world-renowned, but seeing his art with the accompaniment of the music and light show made it all come to life. I cried during one of the showings. The artist’s portrayal of himself made me think about how sad he must’ve been.
I’d felt a similar sadness. But the more time I spent with Evander, the more it faded.
I retained the fear of him changing. Becoming mean or controlling, but my wolf didn’t. He’d bonded with Evander even without shifting.
We had dinner at a place I’d never seen.
Maybe I’d passed it but never looked twice.
The enchiladas and soup burst with Latin flavors.
Over coffee and a plate of cakes, we talked about everything.
His work. I told him about my day. There was a lab manager position, but there were plenty of employees who had been there longer and who deserved the job. I didn’t even apply.
Keeping my life as simple as possible was the whole point.
“There’s one more place I’d like to go but I need you to be honest with me. Completely.”
“Where?” I finished my coffee. It was rich and dark and would probably keep me up the rest of the night. Worth it.
“There’s a place right outside the city where other shifters go to run as their animals. My wolf wants to meet yours. If you don’t want to or it’s too fast—”
“I want to,” I interrupted in my excitement. “It’s been so long since I went for a run.”
Evander beamed with a big smile. “That’s great. Are you ready to go?”
We drove to the outskirts of the city to a small patch of forest. We stripped and shifted together, and that was when everything changed.
My wolf whined at Evander’s alpha wolf. He came over and licked my muzzle and scented me, all over my body. Scenting his mate, his omega.
I thought shifters had to run together to bond but right there, only seconds after shifting, the bond clicked into place.
He was my mate. My true mate. The one person born to love me and I him.
No question about it. Thank goodness I’d finished my coffee. I would need the energy. Evander nudged me with his wolf nose and took off at a sprint. I ran after him.
His wolf was all black with blue eyes just like his human side. He was beautiful. Thick, shiny fur.
We played for hours. Chasing each other under the cover of the trees. Finally, we tired and lay at a tree’s roots next to each other.
Can you hear me, mate?
I startled, whirling from my side onto my belly. I’d heard of other shifters who were able to speak into each other’s minds when they were bonded, but I wasn’t marked by Evander.
Maybe it didn’t matter.
I hear you, alpha. How is this possible?
Because, Hudson, we’re mates. You’re my omega. I always knew you were. Your wolf likes me.
Smug alpha.
My wolf adored him. Was head over tail in love with him.
And I had to admit, so was I.