Chapter 3

LOGAN

I finally found her—my mate.

It has taken me eight years to find her, which is a long time for a werewolf to be without a mate, especially an alpha.

Riley is human, but I don't care; she is perfect.

I'm a werewolf, the alpha of the Black Claw pack. After moving about three years ago, we settled into the unfamiliar territory. While exploring, we all came across an abandoned town on the south side of the territory. It looked like it had been vacant for years.

After many meetings with all pack members, we came up with turning the town into a tourist hot spot. Everyone had ideas for each store, including my grandmother, and even named it Forest Valley. Within a year, we all got to work and finished it. Everyone worked on their own businesses and made it more like the towns in those hallmark movies.

The town is close to a lake and has amazing scenery. We knew we had to advertise this place, and we did. We started our own bus services, which would take a few pack members away, and they would hand out flyers. It was a slow process, but we have had more visitors over the past few months.

Since we are werewolves, we have placed a few rules regarding our wolves and what was expected of everyone, and one of them was never to roam around in their wolf forms in town. We make sure we stay within the pack land near the pack house; it is big enough for all of us. We are only a small pack of sixty, and every rare has rogues roaming around, but I still have patrols around all the town's borders since we don't want a rogue to stumble upon here.

Since finding my mate, I have been making a few trips around town to see her, and today was the same. I was on my way to the grocery store to pick up something when I noticed Riley in the window doing the display for the window. I stopped short and watched her.

My mate was stunning, with her long black hair flowing over her shoulder. I watched as she placed the books on the table. Today, she is wearing short shorts with a tank top. My eyes linger over her body, drinking every inch of her. The damn woman has long legs that go on forever.

My c**k gets hard just looking at her.

Suddenly, I felt movement in my head, which meant that Max, my wolf, was alert and awake. I don't bother to look back at him and keep my eyes solely on her until Riley looks up and locks onto me. I can't move. I feel like I am frozen in place. She watched me for a few seconds before returning to what she was doing.

Fuck, I need to see her. All I want to do is be close to her; it is hard since I must abide by the laws of our kind. Humans can't know about us until they are ready and willing to accept us. It can lead to a lengthy process; as an alpha, I am not patient in waiting. I want her now.

"We need mate," Max said with a whine. He moves closer to the service and stares at her with me. "She looks so good," he muttered huskily. "Enough to eat." He's also getting horny too, which is not helping either me or him.

Trying to get my thoughts back and knowing the only way this would help us was to see her, I headed straight to the bookstore. I always pop into the store daily since I know the owner very well. She is my grandmother.

I usually visit her every day since she is the only family I have left. We always have tea and biscuits while she tells me all the gossip going around the town from the pack members and the tourists. She has an eagle eye for everything.

As I walked into the store a week ago, the most intoxicating lavender scent overwhelmed my senses. I quickly scanned around, trying to figure out where it was coming from until my eyes connected with Riley's, and my wolf howled in my head, chanting 'mate' repeatedly.

Once outside the store, I opened the door and walked in, just as the bell rang out, letting her know someone had entered the store. My eyes darted to the side, where I last saw Riley in the corner. I moved slightly until I had to stop in my tracks and look at her. She was putting the last books on the top shelf while standing on a small chair, stretching.

Fuck.

Max howled while I let my eyes trail over her sweet ass. I could watch her like this for hours.

Suddenly, in slow motion, she stumbles when putting the last book on the shelf and falls backward. Using my quick speed, I catch her in my arms, bridal style.

The sparks fly between us intensely. The mate bond worked for me, and I knew I had to do something about this. I couldn't last any longer without her not being anything toward me. It was feeling like hell.

Riley looked at me with her blue eyes, shocked by the contact. She wriggles out of my arms as I drop her legs onto the ground. I watch her straighten and step back while her eyes stay on me.

"Um... Thanks," she said, putting a strand of her hair behind her ear while a slight blush spread across her cheeks.

The corners of my lips curled into a grin while keeping my eyes on her.

"You're welcome. Do you need any help putting any more on the top shelf?" I asked, immediately regretting it. Goddess, I would have loved to see her stretch like that again.

Damn, she is gorgeous.

Riley looked at me and shook her head. "No, but thanks anyway. I have put them all out. Well, the ones I knew Margret wants to do now while some others are back there," she said, motioning to the back door. "Waiting to be placed on shelving once Margret lets me know where she wants them."

I nodded.

Why was it hard to talk to her? I have spoken to women before, but this was ridiculous.

Max chuckled.

"She's our mate," he murmured, staring at her but making sure he wasn't too close for her to see. "It will be hard. The moon goddess wouldn't have made it easy on us, would she?" He had a point.

Shaking my thoughts away, I looked back to find Riley looking at me. Well, it's more like she was checking me out. I watched while the corners of my lips tugged up more, when she looks me up my body till she catches me looking at her, which causes her to blush a deep shade of red.

The blush suits her. Riley quickly recovers and looks away from me while making small talk. She moves further back and speaks to me. "Well, Margret will be here soon," she said. "Would you like to have a coffee, or do you have to be somewhere?"

Riley tries to compose herself while turning to the counter to look away from me. As much as I wanted to see her bluish again, I knew I had to answer to make sure this didn't turn weird between us.

"I have to go to the shop," I murmured with a smile. "But I can do that later. I would love a coffee."

Riley looks over her shoulder at me and smiles. I watch her look back and head toward the little kitchen in the back. I stay where I am while I listen to her pottering around, and I look toward the sitting area.

I may as well make myself comfortable. This is usually where my grandmother and I would be if I were waiting for her. I sat down, and not long after, Riley came out with two mugs and placed them on the coffee table in front of us.

Riley sits opposite me and gives me the most stunning smile I have ever seen.

Max groaned in my head, but I ignored him. Knowing I had to be more human, I wanted to know more about her and what she was thinking about our little town.

"So, how are you finding Forest Valley?" I asked, trying to make small talk.

I wanted to be forward with her, but that was not the case because she was human. She doesn't know about our kind. I must do it the old-fashioned way and date her like humans do, whereas a werewolf who mates with another werewolf could mate with their mates immediately, even mark them.

There was no way I was going to do that first date. I have to plan this right; I don't want to scare her off where she would run away.

Max growled, not liking that scenario. I wasn't planning on letting her go either way, but we had to do it slowly, so she had no reason to.

"I love it here," she said, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked at her and smiled, liking what I was hearing. "I love the beauty of the town and the lake. I love going to the lake most nights. It is very peaceful. I love working in this bookstore. It reminds me of my home as a child."

As soon as the last few words escaped her lips, I could sense the grief in her voice. It made me want to know more about her story.

Riley looked deep in thought but quickly recovered from whatever she was thinking about and continued. "So, what about you? Do you enjoy living here?"

I smiled.

"Yeah, I do.," I said, leaning further back into the chair and keeping my eyes on her again. "I like the peace, but also, it has so many fun places to see."

"I have seen little of the town," she said. "Only what is around here. I haven't been that far."

I stared at her and knew instantly what to do since her last statement hit me. "You know, I could show you some places. We could make it a date," I said, feeling hopeful.

Riley stared at me, looking slightly stunned. "A date?" she asked, not asking a question while she continued. "I... uh... I would love that."

Riley smiled with a hint of blush while my heart felt like it was about to explode in my chest with excitement.

Max howled in excitement, too, and loved the thought just as much as I did. We would get to spend some time with her.

"Well," I said, pretending to look at my watch and then back at her with a smile. "I will take you somewhere tonight if you want, say around seven?"

Riley smiled widely at me while she gave me a nod. "Yes, that would be great."

Before I could say anything, the bell on the door rang out, which made us look to see who just come into the store—my grandmother, who wasn't alone. We watched her walk in with her friend Betty. Both are gossiping, as usual and are not showing us much attention.

"I best get back to work," Riley blurted as she got up. She stood still with her eyes on me and smiled. "I will see you later."

"You sure will," I said, causing her to blush again. I watched her as she turned and walked away toward the back room.

My eyes never leave her until she is out of sight.

"You got it bad, son," my grandmother said, making me look at her while she took the seat Riley left.

"We are going on our first date tonight," I exclaimed, smiling.

My grandmother grinned.

"It's about time," she said. "Your wolf and you are driving us all crazy."

I said nothing, but I grinned just as she laughed for the last part of her statement.

Letting out a sigh, I move up from my chair and step aside to let Betty take my chair. I looked at my grandmother with a smile. "I best get going," I said. "I need to finish what I need to do. I don't want to be late. I don't want my Luna to be waiting for me."

Before leaving, I bend down and kiss my grandmother on the cheek, and I do the same to Betty.

Standing up, I straightened myself and walked out of the bookstore, happy. Max was happy and humming in my head.

Stepping toward the grocery store, I let my head wander over everything. I want this to work. I have to make it work with her and make her stay. She's my mate and Luna. All alphas long for their Luna, and I needed mine to stay.