Page 5 of The Alpha's Runaway Mate
“I didn’t know who she was at first. Anyway she was trying to go outside and couldn’t figure out the door, we touched and that was it.”
“And you let her get away from you? Why didn’t you make her stay?” Mom asks.
“Because I didn’t want her to freak the hell out. I was trying to give her time for the bond to set in.”
“Annnnd??” She gasps.
“And she’s coming back tonight. I gave her a job.”
“Are you fucking crazy? You’re putting your human mate to work in a supe bar?” Dad growls.
I rub my hand up and down the back of my neck, feeling like a chastised child. “She’s the one who asked for the job. It’s the only thing I could think of to make sure she came back to me.”
“You better watch her like a fucking hawk. They’ll eat her alive in there if you’re not careful,” He tells me.
“She’ll be fine.” As I say it, I’m not sure I believe it myself. The vamps will think she’s a willing snack, and God only knows what the shifters will do. They’d never do anything without her consent, but they’re likely to scare her off.
“Do you want us to come down?”
“No!” Dad and I both say at the same time.
“Fine! But you better not scare her off, Nolan. I want grandcubs! You’re not going to take this away from me.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Nolan?”
“Yeah, Mom?”
“Go easy on her. If she has no idea about shifter life, this is all going to be a shock. It’s your job to help her understand. If you don’t, the start of your mating won’t be as fun and exciting as it should be. Tell her she can call me if she has any questions.”
“Thanks, Mom. I will. Bye, Dad.”
“Bye.”
I end the call and toss my phone onto the bar. Scrubbing my hands down my face, I look around Snarl wondering how I’m going to make this work.
THREE
JESSICA
The restof the afternoon feels off. My nerves are shot, and my body’s humming like I downed three energy drinks and chased them with bad decisions. Every time I blink, I see Nolan. The hard cut of his jaw. The rough growl in his voice when he said my name like it already belonged to him.
I’ve replayed those five minutes in that dark bar so many times it’s starting to feel like a fever dream. His face. The smell of smoke and whiskey clinging to him. The weight of his stare that pinned me to the floor like gravity itself decided I was staying put. I’ve never been this drawn to anyone. Not ever. It’s terrifying. I don’t believe in love at first sight. Hell, I don’t even believe inlikeat first sight. But whatever this is? It’s not normal. It’s too much, too fast, too everything. If this isn’t love, then what the hell is it?
I shouldn’t even be thinking about him. I live in a tent. My bank account is nonexistent. My psycho ex is probably still creeping through the woods pretending he’s Jason Bourne. I’m a walking red flag. Knowing all that doesn’t stop me from putting on my best jeans, the ones that make my ass look borderline illegal,and a black top so tight it could be classified as a safety hazard. I tell myself to change. I don’t. I want him to see me. Reallyseeme.
By the time I slide behind the wheel of my truck, my heart’s already racing like it’s training for a marathon. I catch my reflection in the rearview mirror in my truck. “Normal girls don’t do this,” I mutter. But I couldn’t stop myself if I wanted to. I’m being pulled there by a tether I don’t understand, but can’t deny. Every mile closer to Snarl feels like I’m driving toward something I can’t name but already need.
Eight felt too damn late. What kind of bar starts a new hire that late, anyway? I tell myself I’m just being responsible, showing initiative, coming early for paperwork, but the truth burns in my chest. I just want to see him again.
Snarl’s lot glows under string lights that hang like fireflies trapped in glass. The gravel crunches under my boots as I step out. The place is alive tonight, humming with sound and energy.
The second I open my door, the music hits me. Bluesy, slow, thick with bass. Laughter rolls across the lot. Voices, deep and rough. But beneath it all, there’s something else. Something that vibrates through the air, steady and low, like a pulse. By the time I reach the door, my hands are slick with sweat. Every step closer sends sparks racing up my legs. My body’s in overdrive. My heart can’t decide if it’s terrified or turned on.
I should leave. Everything logical in me screams it. But logic’s been losing this fight since the moment he looked at me. I canfeelhim before I even touch the door. Like my soul already knows where he is. The air thickens as my hand hits the handle. The wood’s warm, alive, almost. Just as I take a breath, the door swings open. And there he is.
Nolan fills the doorway like he’s been waiting for me. His bright blue eyes catch the light and burn electric. He looks me over slow, painfully slow, and the heat that follows makes my whole body light up. “You’re early,” he says, voice low and rough. His gaze drags down to my shirt and back up again, and I swear I can feel it like a touch.
