Chapter 9
Atlas
Mate.
Opal’s gaze met mine and time slowed to a standstill. She stood frozen. Her big blue eyes shone bright and full like a deer. Like she was afraid.
Go to her, my wolf urged me to stand, to close the distance between us, and publicly declare her as mine.
I drained the last dregs of my coffee, stalling.
It was possible she hadn’t scented me and that’s why she didn’t feel our connection. But no. Twice now we’d locked eyes, our wolves recognizing each other from across the room.
The first time, she’d chosen to dance with another male despite our glaringly obvious bond. This morning, she looked like she was ready to run.
So, I made no move to rise.
Despite the insistence of my beast, I didn’t chase. Not now. Not until I was sure that was what she wanted.
Omega, my wolf said by way of explanation, as if he somehow knew more than I did.
She still needs to choose.
And then she took a step towards me.
Every muscle in my body was tight and tensed, a coil waiting to spring. I didn’t dare move—didn’t so much as breathe as I watched her weave through the tables.
“Do you mind if I sit here?” The timidness in her voice threatened to break me.
My wolf’s ears twitched, nervousness seeping through him too. An Omega. Our mate. I marveled at fate and wondered why I’d been given such a rare and precious thing. My hands suddenly felt too large and my shoulders too big.
I couldn’t even speak past my thick tongue and closed throat to answer her question.
I nodded as best I could.
“Or… I don’t have to sit,” she whispered, taking a tentative step back as her eyes darted about the room.
“Don’t go.” I forced the words that ended up sounding like a bark.
You fool. He growled.
Opal lowered her face in submission. “I’ll leave you alone.” Worry and fear heated her cotton candy scent, making it char like burned sugar.
“No,” I managed to say, not sure that she heard me over the rumble starting in my chest.
My wolf took over, making a sound like a… purr.
An Alpha’s purr.
How he knew what to do, I wasn’t sure.
But Opal closed her eyes and breathed. Her scent softened as she let out a sweet sigh and then sat on the chair beside me.
“That’s nice,” she cooed.
In response, he purred louder. Instinctually giving her what she needed. Thankfully, he’d figured it out. I was too mesmerized by her parted lips and the hints of white fangs peeking out behind them to do anything more than stare as I held myself rigid in place.
When her eyes opened, when she looked at me and smiled, I had no chance of escape.
Not that I wanted to be anywhere else.
“Thank you. I didn’t know an Alpha’s purr could feel that soothing,” she said.
I didn’t know I could purr in the first place. “It’s not a purr.”
“Oh, really?” A teasing spark lit up her face. “And what would you call it?”
A purr.
“I guess I’d…call it… a purr.” I glanced around the cafeteria, panicking. Not that I cared if anyone would hear, but I was hoping to find the next words in the air. Something clever and witty that didn’t make me sound like a bumbling idiot.
“Who are you looking for?” Opal asked.
“No one.” I returned my attention to her where it belonged.
Opal watched me curiously, reading between the lines of my face. “You’re worried about something.”
Messing this up.
“Is there something I should be worried about?” The words just slipped out, sounding rougher than I intended.
What is happening to you?
If you’re not going to help, don’t speak.
Opal worried her bottom lip. “Are you mad that I danced with Dorian first?”
That question was a punch to the gut. She knew what it’d done to me. Yet she didn’t seem remorseful. Was I reading the signs wrong?
A growl started low in my chest.
“Dang it.” She sighed. “You really don’t like him either, do you?”
“I…” I stopped growling. What was I supposed to say to that? “He’s not a good wolf.”
“No?” She didn’t argue. “That’s okay. We can talk about something else.”
The breath left my lungs in a rush. I glanced down at her plate, searching for more words. “Is that your breakfast?”
“It’s not lunch.” Opal gave me a playful look as she picked up a pink frosted doughnut and tore off a piece. The tiniest moan slipped from her as the pastry melted on her tongue and her pupils dilated.
Sweet. She was sugary sweet.
My dick hardened painfully under the table as I barked out, “I’ll get you some meat.”
Her pretty red lips smirked a bit. “Are you offering to give me your meat?”
My wolf let out a short howl.
Down, boy.
“I…” I swallowed, almost forgetting what I’d said. “You need more to eat.”
I stood before I could make a bigger fool of myself.
“Wait.” Opal’s hand touched mine. Her skin was as soft as it looked, but that wasn’t the reason my heart started to beat harder and a deep longing tugged the center of my chest.
I wasn’t sure before that moment if anything in me was broken or in need of fixing, but I felt it then. The missing piece. That emptiness in my soul I’d been carrying for so long. I hadn’t even known it was empty.
The taste of wholeness was another tease, gone too soon when she pulled her hand to her lap.
Those big blue eyes, as deep as a summer sky, blinked up at me like I held the answers to a question I wasn’t sure of, but I’d sure figure it out.
“I don’t usually eat meat for breakfast,” she confessed as she licked a bit of frosting off her bottom lip. “I like sweets.”
Is that what we were still talking about?
I resisted the urge to grab her and taste those lips for myself. To see if they were as sugary as I knew they’d be. But I wasn’t a beast. I had a duty to care for her. My mate.
“You need protein to start the day.” I frowned, realizing that wasn’t the best line I’d ever said. Not that I was good at pick-up lines, if that wasn’t painfully obvious by this encounter. But it was a true statement and that’s all that mattered. “From now on, you’ll include meat.”
“Yes… sir.” Something dark flared in her eyes as she smiled, crossing her legs under the table. Not before I caught the scent of her arousal in the air. The heat this time was more subtle, a warming spice. Like brown sugar. Cookies baking.
I’m hungry.
I groaned as I dragged my wolf away.
She needs to eat.
Reluctantly, he agreed. We have to take her home. Where it’s safe. With all the meat she’d ever need.
I felt her eyes on my back the whole time as I hurried to the serving line. It took everything in me not to lift the entire tray of bacon and carry it to her like some beast with its kill.
My wolf was right.
This was fated.
Opal had to know she was meant to be mine. I knew I was hers. There was no dancing around the truth. We belonged together.
I’d take her back to my territory this season. Mate her nice and proper. Give her a true welcome. Make her feel at home.
There was still the matter of Dorian Bailey and his pack, but I wasn’t going to let him ruin this for me. For her. For us.
And now that I let myself think about it, Volk Pack needed a Luna.
They’d never admit it, but the loss and grief still haunted them.
Opal would fit in with the dams and other women.
They’d care for her like they did everyone else.
I had a good pack. A kind one. They deserved a Luna to help care for them like I did.
I took my time plating a few strips of bacon, picking out perfectly crisped pieces, and tried to get my words ready so I didn’t mess this up.
We don’t belong here…
I can get us off the show.
Come with me, princess. I’ll make sure…
The doors to the cafeteria opened and I felt the cold loss as a breeze before I even turned around.
At the empty table, I carefully set down the plate of bacon, aware of all the eyes on me.
There was a hastily scribbled note on the napkin.
Raincheck on the meat.
But here’s something sweet from me.
I smiled to myself as I lifted the last pink-frosted and rainbow-sprinkled doughnut, sinking my teeth into it.
Does she want the chase?
It was fine if she did.
I chewed as I thought about it. We still had time before the season started.
Worst case scenario, I could run with her here before taking her back home.
I hadn’t planned on it, but plans could change.
With careful forethought, it could be better than I imagined.
I’d win the Alpha Games in her honor. Give her the whole show experience, if that’s what she wanted.
The cafeteria doors swung open. A few female whistles came from the Lunas hanging out at the tables. They cheered his arrival like they did when he came into any room.
Maybe staying a while was fate’s idea.
I could still make sure he failed and win my mate’s approval.
Disgusted by Dorian’s arrival, I pocketed her note and cleaned up the trays, hoping his scent wouldn’t taint Opal’s which still lingered in the air.
But I caught something different I hadn’t noticed before. Primitive notes that riled the protective nature of my beast.
Before I knew it, I was growling and my fists were clenched at my sides as Dorian’s nostrils flared when he caught her scent too.