Chapter Two #2
Twilight had started to fall, and in the muted light he searched her features for any sign that she felt the same.
He had never believed in the romantic stories of finding a mate.
That you could find the love of your life simply from a scent.
Yet, here she was, smelling like warm cinnamon rolls with vanilla icing melting on top.
For the first time since his initial transition, his wolf no longer felt disconnected from his sense of self.
The beast no longer an unwanted entity residing within.
With one inhaled fragrance from his mate, everything changed.
It was different. He was different. He might not be a free man yet, but it was extremely hard to ignore the calling in his soul.
“What’s your name?”
She tilted her head as she stared at him, curiosity resting in her scowl. He reached up and smoothed out the frown line between her eyes. She flinched and jerked back, and he held up his hands.
“I won’t hurt you.”
“I didn’t give you permission to touch me.”
“You’re absolutely right,” he said solemnly. “I apologize for overreaching.”
He expected her to back away, but instead, she tilted her head to study him. It gave him hope that she felt the same pull he did.
“Do you have business with Alpha Jericho?”
“Nae,” he replied. “I’m here for personal reasons.”
“You’ll be gone soon?”
“Tomorrow.”
She searched his eyes as if looking for something, and looked disappointed when she didn’t find it. A moment of silence stretched between them before he cleared his throat.
“I, ah, didn’t believe in scent-matched mates,” he confessed.
“I did,” she said softly.
“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”
She gave a ghost of a smile, but it only emphasized the sadness in her eyes. He wanted to ask what was the matter, and wipe away the furrow between her eyes.
“Do you want a scent-matched mate?” she asked.
“I...” His words faltered, wondering how he could explain his predicament. “I can’t.”
“Can’t? Or don’t?”
“I’m not sure,” he replied, honestly. She deserved the truth.
“There’s so much static in my head that I can’t seem to settle on any one thought, but I have to be honest with you.
I’m not free, even if I did want a fated mate.
You see, I’m a married man, although it’s not a marriage I want. Regardless, I can’t disrespect her.”
Her eyes widened. “It sounds like you revere her.”
“’Tis a matter of my own integrity.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe after I obtain my divorce, we can meet again. I can come here or you can come to Scotland.”
She was silent for a long moment, assessing with those somber eyes.
“I don’t think that’s going to work,” she finally said. “Things aren’t always black and white. Or what they seem. I, too, have a commitment I need to end.”
Jealousy hit hard and fast. Even his wolf snarled. When she turned, as if to walk away, his wolf pounced to the forefront and it took almost all his strength to wrangle him under control.
“Wait,” he said, some growl leaking into his voice.
She turned back, with one eyebrow raised.
“May I have your name?”
“If we know each other’s names, it’ll be that much harder to forget one another.”
He had to admit, the words kicked him right in his heart. In a short amount of time, his entire world seemed to have upended, and this added one more fuck you to his evolving universe.
“Why is this happening now?” he muttered under his breath. “I had all this mapped out. I would come to get my wife’s signature on the divorce agreement, return to Scotland, and resume my life. I didn’t expect you. I’m not even sure I want you. Is this real? Can you feel me?”
He touched his sternum where acid burned inside. A recent, unwanted pain.
“Yes, I feel it,” she replied softly. “But it means nothing when someone isn’t free. You’ll go home soon enough.”
He took a deep disappointed breath and gave his acknowledgment. She was right, of course. He had no intention of staying in America. His wolf, however, was not happy about that decision and kept trying to paw his way forward.
“You could come with me,” he said softly. “Instead of two ships passing in the night.”
She raised a hand, then hesitated for a moment. “May I touch you?”
“Please,” he whispered.
She stepped up to him and laid her hand upon his cheek. The feel of her skin against his sent pure electricity through his body, and he closed his eyes against the magical onslaught. He’d never felt anything so sensual, so sexual. Barely a touch and his wolf slid into nirvana from the caress.
With a little pressure, she brought his face down to hers, which wasn’t far because she was tall for a woman.
Their lips met with tender exploration. Soft.
Heartfelt. Soon transitioning into something more.
Something deep and fierce. When her tongue swiped across his lips, he opened for her.
His heart pounded because he’d never had a kiss like this before.
As cliché as it sounded, stars lit up behind his closed eyelids.
His world rocked down to its foundation.
When they broke apart, dragging in a breath, he stared at her in wonder.
“I thought mates were a myth,” he whispered, leaning into her aura. “Or, at least something blown out of proportion, but it’s taking a lot of strength to hold back my wolf. He wants to claim you.”
“And you?” she asked breathlessly as she nuzzled against his chest. Clearly as affected as he was by their explosive attraction. “Do you want to claim me?”
He didn’t answer. He simply wrapped his arms around her, and when she went to move away, he tightened his hold. “Not yet. Please.”
Stolen moments. Minutes ticking by without mercy. He knew, once he let her go, that would be it. At least, until he cleared up the mess of his arranged marriage, and then come hell or high water, he would find her again, learn who she was, and in return, let her get to know him.
Then, she pulled away and he reluctantly released her. His heart thundered in his chest when she gave him a melancholic half-smile.
“I guess it’s best we continue as we were before discovering each other. Two ships, who are indeed passing in the night.”
He wanted to say nae, that wasn’t what he wanted, but he knew he wasn’t thinking rationally. He needed space to deconstruct everything. To determine if this wasn’t some hallucination. Or a heat-of-the-moment kind of thing. His wolf gave a sorrow-filled howl in his head, and fell silent.
“I know you want me to say aye, but that’s not something I can do,” he admitted.
“Now that I know you’re out there, I will never say goodbye.
You asked if I would claim you, and I have two answers.
One is yes, and my wolf would happily do it immediately.
The other is my human side understanding that we need time to learn about one another.
There are issues I must contend with, but know this—I will come back for you. As many times as needed.”
“Are you saying you would keep flying back and forth from Scotland, just to date me?”
“Aye,” he replied.
“And you don’t think this is too sudden?”
“How else can I court you?”
She cocked her head as she studied him, the sadness on her beautiful face fading away.
Now she looked curious. Or maybe assessing.
Probably both. Tavish met her gaze, determined for her to understand this wasn’t a joke to him.
He wasn’t after a one-night stand. He may have been in serious doubt about finding a moon-fated mate, but all those thoughts were now dead and buried.
“Courting me, huh?”
“As soon as I get the divorce papers signed.”
Immediately, the smirk dropped and her body grew tense. The protective shell she’d woven around her body hardening once again.
What the hell did I do? Or say?
“Goodbye, Tavish,” she said softly. Then she stepped aside and continued on. Not once did she look back, and all he wanted to do was give chase.
You let her go!
“Right now, she isn’t ours to keep. Not until I’m a free man.”
Moments later, she turned and disappeared into the dark. Then it dawned on him that she’d said his name. He thought they had agreed to no names, so ... did he fuck up and tell her? Because he had no memory of that happening.
So, how did she know his name?