Cassidy's mate

When they arrived at the restaurant, Cassidy couldn’t hide her surprise. It was the most elegant and expensive place in the entire pack.

Kael was the first to step out of the car, followed by the others. Once everyone was out, he locked it and led the way toward the entrance.

Inside, a waiter greeted them warmly. “Good morning, Alphas. Good morning, Ms. Cassidy,” he said with a polite bow.“Please follow me to the VIP section.”

“Alright,” Kael replied on behalf of everyone, and the waiter led them toward the elevator that would take them to the top floor.

When they reached the VIP section, they were shown to the best table, where they settled comfortably.

“What would you like to have?” the waiter asked.

“We’ll take steak and four bottles of vodka,” Damien replied for the group, and the waiter wrote the order down quickly.

“Would you like dessert?” he asked next.

“We’ll have—” Damien began, but Kael cut him off.

“No dessert,” Kael said simply.

Damien and Lucian exchanged a questioning glance, but Kael ignored them.

“Okay,” the waiter said and left to place their order.

“How are you doing?” Kael asked, turning his attention to Cassidy.

“I’m fine. How about you?” she replied, smiling lightly.

“I’m great,” Kael said.

“How’s handling the pack?” Cassidy asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

“It’s going well,” Kael replied calmly.

“Did you actually want to go on a date with us?” Damien asked, raising a brow.

“Yes, of course. I was really excited to know I’d be having a date with all of you,” Cassidy said honestly.

“Have you ever been to the human world before?” Lucian asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

“Yes, a couple of times,” Cassidy admitted, even though she wasn’t supposed to say that.

“To where exactly?” Kael asked with curiosity.

“New York City,” Cassidy answered.

“To do what?” Damien asked, interested.

“A few personal things,” she said.

“Like what?” Damien pressed further.

“Exploring,” Cassidy lied, but Kael caught it instantly, because her expression gave her away.

Kael decided not to confront her just yet, though he silently promised to find out what she was hiding. The others, however, seemed to believe her easily.

“Alright,” Kael said, nodding like he believed her too.

While they were still talking, the waiter returned with their food on a cart. He placed each tray neatly on the table, set the bottles in the middle, and placed a tumbler beside every plate.

“Enjoy your meal,” he said politely before leaving with the cart.

Lucian was the first to start eating, and the others soon joined in. He was also the first to finish.

“Thank you for the meal,” Cassidy said, smiling brightly.

“You’re welcome,” Damien replied.

When the waiter noticed they were done, he returned.

“How much is the bill?” Damien asked.

“The total is $2000,” the waiter replied. Damien took out his Amex black card and handed it over. The waiter swiped it and returned it once the payment was approved.

After settling the bill, they all stood up and headed out. They took the elevator down, exited the restaurant, and returned to the car.

Kael unlocked the BMW M8, and they got in, keeping their same seats. He started the engine and drove back toward the packhouse.

After a thirty-minute drive, they arrived and parked in the garage. Once they stepped out, Kael locked the car.

“Thank you,” Cassidy said again.

“You’re welcome,” Kael replied this time.

Inside the packhouse, they parted ways. Cassidy started toward her room but accidentally bumped into someone. The moment she did, a strong pull shot through her body, the kind that only came from a mate bond.

“Mate,” her wolf whispered inside her, catching her completely off guard. She hadn’t expected this.

When she looked up to see who it was, disappointment filled her eyes. It was a low-ranked pack warrior, someone she recognized immediately from his uniform. It wasn’t that he wasn’t attractive; he was, with raven-black hair, gray eyes, and a body that could rival a model’s, but Cassidy didn’t like him one bit.

“Mate,” he said softly and pulled her into a hug, but she pushed him away.

“Don’t ever hold or hug me again,” Cassidy warned through clenched teeth.

“But,” he started, but she cut him off sharply.

“No buts. This bond is a mistake. The Moon Goddess would never pair me with a lowlife commoner like you,” Cassidy snapped, leaving Kyle frozen in shock.

Fuming, Cassidy stormed off toward her quarters. Once inside, she locked the door and collapsed on her bed without even taking off her shoes. Her legs hung halfway off the edge as she stared blankly at the ceiling.

She still couldn’t believe she’d been mated to a low rank. The thought made her furious. She tried to convince herself it had to be a mistake.

“Damn it, I forgot to reject the bond,” Cassidy muttered aloud, sitting up quickly.

She rushed out of her room, hoping to find him and reject him properly, but when she got to the same spot, he was gone. After looking around and not finding him anywhere, she decided to visit Emily instead.

Cassidy walked down the hall and knocked on Emily’s door.

“Who is it?” Emily’s voice called from the other side.

“It’s Cassidy,” she replied, soon the door opened, and Cassidy stepped inside, sitting heavily on Emily’s bed.

Emily immediately noticed the gloomy look on her friend’s face.

“What’s wrong? I thought you were happy about the date,” Emily asked, concern written all over her face.

“Yes, I was, and I still am,” Cassidy said softly. “But I’m not happy about the fact that I found my mate and he’s a low rank.”

“What the— Are you serious?” Emily gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.