The Blind date

Bella's POV:

"Mom, I got it, okay? I'm already outside the café. I'll call you later." I ended the call, feeling a little irritated.

My name was Bella Shane, and I was 28 years old. My job as an andrologist earned me about 300 grand a year. I paid my own bills, lived on my own, and didn't depend on anyone. But in my mom's eyes, I was practically expired goods. In her opinion, I was about to hit the shelf-life limit, so she nagged constantly about marriage. But as I had no time or energy to go meet people, blind dates became the usual.

This one was the 18th blind date.

I already knew how this would go-awkward small talk, no chemistry, another wasted afternoon. Still, I had to go through the motions, even though it was driving me crazy.

"Help! Someone... please!"

Just as I was about to push open the café's big wooden door, I heard a weak cry nearby. An old lady had collapsed on the street, not far from the entrance. People kept walking by. acting like they didn't notice. These days, folks didn't want to get involved-they were afraid of getting scammed or blamed.

But I couldn't ignore her. Without hesitating. I ran over and helped her up carefully. "Ma'am, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm okay. Thank you, sweetheart! You're such a kind young lady. You don't see many like you anymore. I need to thank you properly!" She gave me a warm smile i was only then that I noticed something about her. Her clothes were plain and a little old-fashioned but clean. Her hands, though, looked soft and well cared for-not what you'd expect from someone who did rough chores. There was something refined about her.

"No need to thank me. It was nothing." Once I saw she was fine, I said goodbye and went into the café.

Inside was dim and kind of maze-like, with small tables spread out everywhere. Mom told me the guy would be at Table 8. I walked in circles for a while, trying to find it. My head was starting to spin when I accidentally wandered into a part of the café that looked way different.

The lighting was softer, and there was this woody, relaxing smell in the air. Everything looked expensive but in a quiet, understated way.

That was when I froze.

There, at a black table with a shiny silver "8" on it, sat a

man.

Actually, calling him a man didn't quite fit.

He had this intense vibe that made the air feel heavy. His face looked like it belonged in a museum, carved perfectly like some statue from ancient times. He sat there, relaxed but powerful, drinking something deep red that definitely wasn't coffee. A thick old book sat in front of him, covered in dark gold. I couldn't make out the writing, it wasn't in any language I recognized.

He looked up when I walked in. His eyes were icy blue, like frozen lakes. Cold. His expression had this mix ofconfusion... and maybe disgust?

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

My heart started racing like crazy. I'd seen attractive men before being a doctor kind of ruined the mystery of the male body-but this guy? He made my chest tighten.

Was it the way he carried himself? Or was there something more?

And then I saw it-that big silver "8" on the table.

Wait... was this the guy I was supposed to meet?

I tried to collect myself. I fixed my hair, straightened my outfit, and walked over, pretending to stay cool. I sat down across from him.

He stared at me like I was some puzzle he couldn't solve. A faint flicker flashed in his cold eyes, and I noticed a glint of gold, though I wasn't sure. The air around him felt even more intense.

Seriously? I just sat down, and he already looked so annoyed?

Whatever. I was used to men acting weird. I'd just power through this like always

Hi, I'm Bella Shane, 28. I'm an andrologist and make about 300 grand a year. I'm not in a rush to have kids, but I'm open to starting a family later on."

Saying that to a guy with his kind of presence took guts, but I stayed calm. Maybe it was my job that gave me a confident vibe.

He kept watching me with those blue eyes, and I couldn't read the look in them. After a moment, his lips curved into a small smirk.

"I'm Todd. I'm... Age doesn't really matter to us. I'm the Alpha of the Thunder Pack. And when it comes to money. well, the forests and mountains of Northlane are mine."

I just stared at him.

What? Pack? Alpha? Northlane's forests?

Was this some elaborate joke? Or was he roleplaying something? Guys on blind dates usually had one or two red flags, but this was next-level strange.

Maybe he was delusional? Or he was some kind of performance artist?

Or did he have some secret ailment, perhaps impotence? Or maybe he had some personality disorder.

My mind was all over the place.

He must've seen my reaction because his smirk got wider His eyes were practically mocking me now,

I got it now. He was trying to weird me out so I'd leave first.

We both went quiet. The air felt weird.

Fine. Whatever this guy's deal was. I'd finish the date and move on. At least I could tell my mom I tried.

I told him, "My salary might not be super impressive, but I'd work hard to give my partner a comfortable life. We'd split the housework equally. I'm also a pretty decent cook. But I expect to be treated with respect, especially around my family.

"If we get married, I'll bring home around 20 grand a month. That's enough to live decently."

I always laid out my expectations upfront.

He looked stunned, like he didn't know what to do with how serious I was.

Then, out of nowhere, he started laughing.

It wasn't just a little chuckle but a real laugh.

1 frowned. "What's so funny? I know my situation's not perfect, but I'm being honest here. I'd make a great partner."

He just kept chuckling.

I crossed my arms. "Mr. Todd, are you done? You're being pretty rude."

"Ms. Shane, you're a good person," he said, his smile fading and his voice suddenly going cold again. "But you've got the wrong idea. I'm not here on a blind date."

Wait-what?

My eyes went wide. "This isn't Table 87"

"Yes, this is Table 8. But it's the VIP section's Table & He casually pointed out toward the main hall. "Your Table 8 is to the left when you go back out."

"O-Oh, I'm so sorry! I got the wrong table!"

I wanted to crawl into a hole. No wonder he looked at me like I was nuts. I shot up from my seat and rushed out of there.

What a disaster. I couldn't even find the right guy.

Of course, he laughed. I must've seemed like a total idiot.