First Ever Look

By the time the bottle of wine is gone, I already have Theodore’s number and a real date set for next week. Easy peasy. Theo looks a little scary, but so far he has been a real gentleman.

I spend the rest of the week doing extensive research on him and his family, which isn’t that hard because everyone knows all about the Heiden family. Even I knew the basics because they have been running Greyhound since its inception, I just never imagined Theodore would grow up so... well.

"I love this, Issy. Theodore is perfect for you, exactly the type of man you deserve,” my mom says when I tell her what’s been going on. She suddenly has the biggest smile ever, "Luna Lidia became my good friend when your father and Alpha Robert went into business together. She was a very humble woman, if it wasn’t for her obsession with jewelry you would never guess she was a billionaire. She didn't like to talk bad about anyone, she just had nice things to say. She was a very good Luna, but a boring friend."

I nod as I take in the information. She sounds very boring. I’m sooo sorry if this sounds awful, but I’m kind of glad she’s in Luna heaven and I don’t have to deal with her.

"What else?" I ask, "How was her relationship with Theodore? Good?"

"Oh, yes. They were very close, Theodore adored his mother. When she was killed, he lost his mind for a while and gained a horrible reputation around the pack, especially among the new addition... you know, the Poor Ones," she says with disgust in her voice and I just raise my glass to drink as I hear about everything that has happened since I left.

Theodore has done some questionable things and is now known as 'The Enforcer' by some people, but my mom thinks it's just nonsense. He's too serious and responsible for that, she said. Apparently, everyone in Greyhound knows he’ll be a great Alpha. And very, very soon. Like, in less than a year.

With all that new information fresh in my head, I see him for our date. I'm ready to win him over and it doesn't look like it's going to be too hard. I just have to be kind and humble like his mother.

I want to be his Luna, so he has to see his mom reflected in me. Not to mention that men often fall in love with their mothers, so I can take advantage of that sick psychological fact to get what I want.

And I think it works, because Theodore looks at me with sparkling eyes the whole time and asks me out again. And again.

On our third date, he finally kisses me. At first it's a boring kiss, but when I dare to capture his bottom lip between mine, he gets more comfortable and kisses me in earnest.

His kiss awakens a couple of butterflies and makes me feel something no one I've dated in four years managed to make me feel: desire.

Now that I know we have chemistry, I know this is absolutely going to work. In no time I'll have him eating out of my hand. And later on, I'll be able to use sex as a weapon... But not yet. I have to be smart.

"Stop," I gasp as his hand starts to wrap around my waist tighter, trying to lift me up and pull me to him. I feign a shy look, "I'm not… I’m not an easy girl, Theo. You’re mistaken if that’s what you think.”

I mean, I could be easy if I knew it was going to get me somewhere, but right now I have to pretend to be a good girl. Wife material. Luna material

"Of course. I know you're not easy," he replies with a smile and moves his hand away from me without getting in a bad mood, which surprises me a little. So far, Theo hasn't shown any red flags. That in itself may be a red flag, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I just... I don't like to move too fast. But we can still hang out, right?"

"Of course. I'll be really busy all week, I have to help my dad with some things... but how about we go out for dinner on Friday? I'll take you to the restaurant you mentioned earlier," he offers easily and I nod with a smile. Another date secured.

I unbuckle my seatbelt to get out of his car, but before I do, I get closer to him and give him one last kiss on the lips.

"I'll be looking forward to it," I murmur before getting out. As I’m walking to my house I can't help but let out a smile of triumph.

This is coming to be easier than I expected, but then again... everything comes easily to me.

And maybe I seriously want Theo as my husband and I’m doing this whole scheme to get him, but it's not like he's doing me a huge favor by dating me. I know I'm gorgeous and a great catch, he's very lucky I’m interested.

Men also look at things like social standing, money and power. He knows I'm the best of the best.

I hope he knows we belong together… and even if he doesn't, I'm going to make sure it happens anyway.

➿➿➿➿

When Friday arrives and we go out on our fourth date, Theodore takes me to the best restaurant in Greyhound, as he promised.

We walk inside hand in hand and I start to entertain the idea of inviting him over to my place when we get back. I won’t let him fuck me yet, but I can give him a taste of what it will be like.

"What? What are they doing here?" Theodore spits out suddenly. I realize he's not talking to me when I look up and his gaze is set straight ahead, his jaw clenched. When I follow his eyes, I see four guys getting up from a table to approach us, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We’re hungry, man. We decided to take ourselves out," one of them replies, but his smile is mocking so I sense there’s another reason, especially when they all stare at me.

Theodore's friends are just like him, young and handsome rich guys. But one of them in particular is so… earth shattering.

Seriously, the ground beneath me starts to shake while everything around me ceases to exist. And my legs start to fail. I have to grab Theodore's arm to keep from falling on my ass.

He's introducing me to his friends so he doesn't notice what's going on with me, but me and the blondish guy are interlocked in a staring match while a deep feeling of belonging is filling me so much that I can hardly think of anything else except how much I... god, how much I want to run to him and jump him.

A very strong force is pulling me towards him.

My wolf, who usually finds peace with herself, is pushing and trying to get out to go to him. She's the one who wants me to jump into his arms and... let him do whatever he wants to me. She's telling me that this guy belongs to her and only her.

"And this is Liam Fierro," Theo finishes, managing to shut out all the background noise for a second because what I'm hearing is important.

My mate's name is Liam Fierro.

I move first and extend my hand towards him like I did with the rest of the guys, but he just stares at it unmovingly.

"Come on, Liam," Theo says in a warning tone and his presence gets heavier with each passing second Liam Fierro doesn't move.

"Right... uh, hi," he mumbles a second later, swallows and lifts his hand to mine. It's big and warm and he absorbs my hand with a gentleness I wouldn't expect. And I think we hold hands for too long, so I pull it away even though he tightens his grip. Once I manage to escape, Liam blinks, "So... are you two together or what?"

"I just said we’re on a date, idiot," Theo spits, sounding like a kid, "Can you guys leave now? Seriously."

"Ohw, he's on a date," one of them teases lightly, winking at me to show he’s just playing, "Okay, let's go. Let’s give them space."

Liam nods and goes with them, but we end up sitting close to their table anyway.

We can't stop looking at each other, like there's a magnet between us. Theo is talking, but I can't really pay attention to what he’s saying because my mind is somewhere else.

Try as I might, I can't stop looking over to Liam’s table and thinking only of him.

Theodore Heiden is hot and surprisingly a nice guy… but Liam? Liam is absolutely gorgeous.

Liam is perfect. His face is so symmetrical. His body is so commanding. His presence is so powerful. His eyes are so warm.

And he's all mine.

Except he doesn't fit into my plans.

His last name is not Heiden, I have no business being interested in him.

I have to remember that.