Chapter 3

James

I was jogging down the stairs without a care in the world as I remembered the hot redhead that I f*ked last night. That was a good sport, and maaan that mouth of hers was able to suck. I chuckled at myself. Oh, sweet memories.

Suddenly, I caught an amazing smell as my wolf started to circle in my head restlessly. I stopped dead in my tracks, and without thinking, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the most delightful smell that had ever waffled in my nose. It smelled fresh like...grass? No. It was like grass that has heated up in the sun and turned into hay quickly. I could feel, smell, and see that hot summer day being outdoors. I opened my eyes and they locked on a magical creature standing at the entrance. My wolf said that one magical word that I had been dreaming, hoping and waiting and waiting, and waiting to hear for days, weeks, months, and years.

“Mate”.

My mind went on a high drive. No f*ing way!! My mate was in front of me! MY MATE was in my own house! I had a mate! After waiting for twelve...no scratch that, for fifteen long, agonizing years, my mate was here! I have been dreaming of meeting my mate since I was fifteen years old. I had bright and shining eyes the day I turned eighteen. My heart was beating fast and my hands were sweaty while I ran around the pack house and our territory to find her. I was convinced that my mate was from my pack. I didn’t care who she was – whether an omega or a lead warrior she-wolf. But I didn’t meet my mate then. I thought that maybe my mate hadn’t turned eighteen yet or maybe she was from another pack. I kept smiling and waited.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into long months, and long months turned into torturous years. There was a stabbing pain in my heart whenever I witnessed how mates met each other in my pack. There was jealousy every time someone announced that he or she had found their fated One. There was grief in my heart after every day that ended without me finding My Love. I spent days without the one in whose neck I wanted to bury my face and witnessed cold and lonely nights as I longed to hug my mate while falling asleep.

And how unbelievable it is that I do have a mate? At one point, I started to think she was dead, killed by rouges or something like that. Sometimes I thought that the Moon Goddess didn’t bless me with a mate. I gave up on hope five years ago. Okay, if I’m honest – of course, I still hoped, but I buried that hope deep, deep in my heart. Because that hope just brought me more pain. And after so many tormenting years, the pain was something I didn’t want to feel anymore. So, I filled my time with endless training, missions, and duties. I filled my nights with exhaustion or cheap girls to f*ck. I was trying to distract or numb myself in every possible way.

 But today my world has turned upside down because here she is – a stunning beauty that was MY Mate. She studied me and then locked eyes with me. Will she run to me and jump in my arms? Or I could run to her and spin her around. I was that happy!

I caught another smell. Oh. Is she a human? Then…This complicates stuff. My highly excited mood plummeted a bit. Because it means she doesn’t feel the bond the way I do. OK, whatever! It doesn’t matter, right? A mate is a mate. And I have one! I wanted to fist-bump air. I felt like I had just won a jackpot. Oh, happy days! I was having a happy dance in my head, alongside my wolf, who was happily jogging, turning, and howling in joy in my head.

I took in all of her. She had straight blond hair that was open and went down to her elbows. It was dyed as darker roots were coming out. She had sharp cheekbones, a small pointy nose, and plum pink lips that were covered in shiny lip balm. Oh, those juicy lips that I wanted to suck, nibble and feel how soft they were. My mate seemed quite tall and could be five feet and six inches. But as she had brown ankle boots on at least three-inch heels, it was harder to estimate her real height. She was wearing a light brown dress that fit her like a second skin. The black belt around her waist accented it delightfully. She looked professional. But for me – oh boy, I was sporting a semi in my pants already. Her body was perfect! She was thin and fit with average-sized breasts but nice hips. I bet she has a nice round ass too. I would love to spank that ass. Ooh, my thoughts were running wild.

And then the most unexpected thing happened. She squinted her light blue eyes that had long lashes, and then my mate frowned. After a moment she even scrunched her nose. My heart suddenly sank. Do I smell bad or something? Am I too ugly in this simple home attire? Does she not like me? No, this is not possible! All the girls loved me – human or wolf. They were always rubbing against me, giving me their phone numbers, flashing me smiles. They were doing anything to get closer to me, to touch me or kiss me, or to get in my bed.

My heavenly mate put a blank expression on her face. Then she smiled politely and greeted me as if she was an aristocrat from Queen Elizabeth’s family and I was a duke. What the hell? Then she left towards the living room as if she lived here.

I felt thunderstruck as I couldn’t reply and just stayed rooted in my place. My confusion ran dozens of questions in my head. Has she been here before? Where was I? How come I didn’t catch her scent then? Why did no one mention we had a human visitor? Who was she meeting here?

Thank Goddess I didn’t have a brother, or I would kick his ass from jealousy. Well, of course, in case he was doing something with her. I was going nuts. I didn’t have a brother, but I was kicking his imaginary ass already about something I wasn’t sure if he was even guilty of. Could this be mate bond kicking in? This is overboard jealousy level one thousand! I could admit it with my brain, but it didn’t make me feel any less jealous. D*mn! I growled. I was beyond frustrated. The most amazing thing just happened to me. I met my mate, but she…

Wait! She left? What happened to the mate bond? What happened to the ‘love at first sight’ stuff? Ok, she is a human. It is a bit different for them. But she just walked out on me. Wah! I felt so frustrated! I ran my hands over my face and rubbed my temples which started to hurt from all the whirlpool of emotions and questions I experienced in this short time. For f*cks sake! I saw her for less than five minutes and I was already a psychotic mess...

Oh man, what will I do? Ok. Strategize! I allowed my rational brain to take over my fast-beating and confused heart. First things first - let’s follow her. Then I would make a proper introduction. Let’s take it slow. I should get to know her, she should get to know me. I could take her for a date tonight or this week or something. That’s how humans do it, right? I would get to know her, and then win her heart. Her heart already belongs to me, she just doesn’t know it yet.

And I’m more than happy to show everything of myself. I wiggled my eyebrows inwardly. This body of mine will make her salivate soon. I smirked as I liked my plan.

Her smell still lingered in the hall, and I was delighted to inhale it again. Who would have thought that today I was going to meet my mate at last? I sighed happily. I wasn’t doomed like I used to think. I did have a happy ending.