Chapter Eleven
Hazel
WTF was that?
When he came in the door and I looked up from my work, I gasped.
Softly enough, I didn’t think he saw or heard, and I quickly plastered on a smile, but a sharp tingle spun up from my core.
He was tall, muscular but not overly so.
More like nature gifted him with the physique than if he had to work out for it.
He stood so straight, but not stiff. At ease in his skin.
And as we spoke, he looked directly in my eyes.
But when I asked why he was there, his comfort level dropped. Almost as if he wasn’t telling me the truth. But why would he lie about needing a sleep remedy?
For what reason? He had zero bags under those watchful eyes. No tired lines on his face. If he was really having trouble sleeping, it didn’t show. But I was glad to give him help, even if it was a minimal problem. And if it was a lie…then why?
And what was with the cat following him out?
No sooner had the strange alpha left with his purchase than the others returned from the market.
“We saw a guy with one of your bags,” Goldie said. “You made a sale.”
“Yes, I did. But it was so weird.”
“Oh, I want to hear all about it.” Stine shifted two canvas bags in her arms. “Let me get these put away first. We brought ice cream.”
“All right.” I wasn’t sure how to tell the whole thing anyway. Basically, the story went, someone came in, inquired about a sleep remedy, I sold him one, and he left. The end. But it was so much more than that. I just wasn’t sure why or how to express it. I might be overthinking.
Lost in thought, I didn’t even see them all come back until they lined up in front of me and cleared their throats. “Hazel?” Goldie asked. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. There was just something odd about the guy who came in.” I stared into the jar of herbs I’d been muddling. “I-I have never experienced anything like it. When he walked in, I thought I knew him. I expected him to greet me by name, to know his. Isn’t that odd?”
Clover, who often hung back, didn’t this time. “Hazel, have you considered that maybe he’s your mate?”
“What? No, of course not. That’s ridiculous.”
“Why is it ridiculous?” Goldie asked. “You had a strong reaction to him. Why do you think that was?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t want a mate. No alpha can own me again. And a mate would want to have control of me. Would want to make decisions for me and tell me when I can come and go. How could I ever trust him?”
And wasn’t that the true heartbreak of it all?
Silence greeted my words.
Did the others not agree?
They all watched me with varying degrees of, what? Pity? No, it couldn’t be that.
“Please? Someone say something?”
Goldie exchanged a glance with Stine before looking at me again. “Hazel, I understand, I think we all understand why you say that, but we also don’t want you to reject the idea out of hand. Fate may have a plan for you.”
“And for you? For all of you?”
Goldie shuddered. “I hope not.”
“Exactly.”
I went over to the register and pulled out the money he’d paid me. Lifted it to my nose and breathed in the scent.
Fuck. He was my mate.
“I can’t have a mate. I belong to someone else.”
Clover shook her head. “You don’t believe that, do you?”
“Does it matter what I believe? The Omega Laws do, and any hunter would bring me back and turn me over to the—” I barked out a laugh. “And I don’t even know who they are, specifically. One of my father’s sleazeball associates. Maybe more than one. Goddess, do you think it could be more?”
Stine put her arms around me and rested her head on my shoulder. “You belong to yourself. And if Fate has a mate for you, do not reject that out of hand.”
Clover nodded. “Who do you think has a better say over things, Fate or some bookie or drug dealer or whatever they were?”
I wished I knew.