Chapter Six
Gatlin
He said no to going out for coffee but yes to taking my phone number. That had to mean something. I hoped it did.
I walked away with a heavy heart. He said he had to leave but made no move to do so. So I did what any self-respecting alpha would do. I left him to have some fun while he was at the club. He came to Cuffed, to have a good time, after all.
The other thing? I was head-over-heels happy to see him. Elated. Excited. But Shaw fidgeted and never took one sip of the drink he’d ordered before I approached him.
Maybe my wild omega wasn’t so wild anymore, or the night that changed my life was only mediocre for him.
Perhaps he didn’t feel the mating bond at all.
As I forced every step away from him, the tug to go back tightened. My wolf was not pleased one fucking bit about going home tonight without my omega in my arms. To see him again was a complete surprise but, if we were to be together, it would take time.
But he lived here, in my city, so at least the possibility was there. Unlike before.
If he came here, even if with someone else, I could look after him. He might not accept me as his alpha, but I accepted him as my omega, and I would be here for him through good and bad.
My shift ended soon after seeing him, but I stuck around in case he came back.
Silly thought, but I had to hold onto something.
I walked the new building, making sure the team was in order and no one needed a break or relief.
As I made my rounds, I wondered if Shaw would be back.
Would he come with someone else or find an alpha to play with while he was here.
I’d seen the way the others in the club looked at him.
How could they not? He was a beautiful man.
Dark hair. Mint-green eyes. A smile that could melt an iceberg.
I’d only seen a whisper of that smile tonight.
Being here while Shaw hooked up with other alphas was going to suck, but I would be here if he needed me. Even if that meant he never chose me. That was what being an alpha meant. To protect and care for your mate, even if it meant from afar.
I stopped at the front desk and asked Stephanie to look through the trial memberships to find Shaw. She didn’t tell me information other than to honor my wish to put Shaw on my guest list, meaning, he could come in anytime he liked under my membership.
At least, he could come in and have some fun, get a release, when he wanted to.
Back at home, I went through the motions, growlier than ever. Stephanie hadn’t given me his last name and, while I wanted to look him up on social media, there was no way to find him with only the first name. I’d tried. Millions of times.
I had so many questions. I took stock of them as I made a big dinner with enough leftovers for the week.
How long had he been in town?
Did he look for me? Why did he leave? Did I do something wrong?
Why wasn’t he happy to see me?
I shut the oven on a meat loaf and roasted potatoes and picked up my book to get my mind off Shaw. My thoughts had wandered to him before but, after seeing him tonight, it was nearly impossible to focus on even a paragraph at a time.
When the timer on the oven went off, I put the book aside. I hadn’t read more than a few words and if someone asked me what those words were, I would come up blank.
My omega was here, in my city. I had seen him the other night.
Was Fate so cruel that she would have me meet my mate, take him away, and then bring him back into my life only to have him uninterested in me?
What had I done to deserve that?
I divided up my meals and put everything away, leaving one plate of food for tonight. Did Shaw have dinner? Would he like my cooking? I may never find answers to any of my questions, but I would keep asking them.