Chapter 2: The Closed Door

"I guess it's lucky we're in the bathroom then," I mumbled sarcastically, causing him to chuckle.

"Do you wanna come out?" the voice suggested hopefully.

I sighed, pressing my back against the cool wall, feeling its chill seep through me. "No. Not yet. I just... I need a minute," I replied before blowing my nose.

"Fair enough," he conceded, then I was certain I heard him sit down.

"Um... Are you staying then?" I asked tentatively.

"Yeah, if that's okay. I mean, you did say it was a good thing we were in the bathroom if we might throw up..." he tried to justify his presence.

"I mean, I guess..." was all I managed in response, my tears on pause for the moment as I tried to deal with this weird turn of events.

I unrolled another length of toilet paper, crumpling it into a ball and dabbing at my nose, which continued to run. Then I took a deep breath as I tried to regain my composure.

"Shouldn't you be at the Mating Celebration?" I asked, unable to disguise the bitterness in my voice.

"Shouldn't you?" he countered, a hint of challenge in his voice.

I huffed as a lock of hair fell into my eyes, then I swatted it away. "It's not really my thing," I confessed vaguely.

"Which part? The mate part or the celebration?" he asked teasingly.

"Both," I admitted offhandedly as I hugged my knees to my chest.

"Well then, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm pretty sure I'm your mate," he revealed, sounding kind of nervous.

I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "I don't think so," I brushed him off with a scoff.

"Open the door and we'll know for sure," he suggested, a mixture of hope and anxiety lacing his voice.

"No way..." I replied, but I was starting to feel a little uncertain now. I did feel a pull. I did feel butterflies in my stomach. This couldn’t be real, could it?

I sat there on the cold tiled floor of the restroom, my emotions a tangled mess.

The stranger outside seemed to hesitate for a moment before speaking again. "It's a little overwhelming, I know. Like, no pressure or anything," he said, his voice soft and oddly comforting. It resonated with me, stirring something deep inside that I was struggling to come to terms with.

I had always scoffed at the pack's tales of mystical bonds and destinies, yet here I was, feeling an inexplicable connection to a stranger I hadn’t even laid eyes on yet. I was torn and conflicted between my preconceived notions and the actual experience of the mate bond that I had so vehemently denied.

I leaned my head against the stall door, considering his words, ‘I’m pretty sure I’m your mate’. A part of me wanted to dismiss this whole encounter as a weird coincidence, but another part, a part I wasn't fully ready to acknowledge, told me that there was more to this.

"So, why are you crying?" he asked suddenly. His words cut through my rapidly increasing panic as I considered the possibility that I was sitting in a public restroom with the person I would spend the rest of my life with.

"Um... I uh... Well, I suppose I should probably tell you. I just broke up with my boyfriend," I reluctantly admitted.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said in a reassuring voice, then he added, "But you have to admit that the timing is pretty perfect."

I couldn't help the tiny chuckle that escaped my lips as I wiped away the tears that had trailed down my cheeks as I revealed the truth to him.

"How old are you?" he asked, steering the conversation in a different direction now, for which I was only too grateful. I didn't feel like wasting any more tears on Liam tonight.

"18," I mumbled softly.

"18? Have you had your first shift then?" he asked curiously.

"Obviously. Otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we?" I replied a little sarcastically, knowing that you can only meet your mate once you've had your first shift.

"Oh, right. I guess that's true," he agreed.

"How old are you?" I turned the question on him, curiosity getting the better of me.

"20," he replied in a casual tone.

"Are you working or studying?" I asked, genuinely interested to know more about him. 

"Uh... I suppose it's a bit of both," he replied evasively. Then he quickly changed the subject by asking me another question. "Do I know you? I don't think I recognize your voice. Or your scent, for that matter. Are you from one of the visiting packs?" he went on, curious to try and puzzle out who I was.

"I'm kinda new here," I replied with a tone of resignation.

"How new? I know everyone in this pack," he pointed out, his suspicions now rising.

I sighed and took a deep breath before answering, hoping to still my bitter resentment. My relationship with my parents wasn't exactly great, but I didn't really want to delve into all the details right at this moment.

"I've been here a grand total of 5 days now. My parents shipped me off to stay here with my aunt," I explained, my voice dripping with venom that I just couldn't seem to contain.

"Why would they do that?" he asked, sounding a little nervous to hear the answer.

"Um... I... You know, I think we can skip that one for now, if that's okay with you?" I suggested, desperate to avoid the question.

"Sure, sorry. I don't mean to pry. I just want to get to know you," he responded innocently.

Silence fell over the restroom before he broke it again. "Can I ask where you're originally from then?"

"Colorado. The Aspenwood Pack," I revealed. I was pretty sure he was nodding on the other side of the door as silence descended once again.

"...So..." he mumbled, trying to break it.

"So?" I replied, not taking the bait.

"Do you like music?" he asked, suddenly sounding more upbeat. Music was a topic everyone could discuss, even if they had different tastes.

"Yeah... But I don't think you'll like the kind of music I like," I replied with a chuckle, well aware that my taste certainly did not resonate well with most people.

"Oh yeah? Try me," he challenged, a hint of teasing in his voice.