Page 14 of Elusive Alpha
I’d always been a person who woke up early. Worked hard. Had lists and plans in my head. Staying still felt unsettling. I had no clue how to relax, truly. Sure, I could sit and be still, but doing that made me feel lazy.
That feeling had vanished, I realized, as I woke in Rook’s arms. We’d ended up in my room after a roller coaster of a day. And now, we belonged to each other. I wore his mark on my shoulder and he wore mine on the top of his right pec. Usually shifters marked on the shoulder as he had, but my bear wanted him marked on his chest for some reason.
He didn’t seem to mind.
I took a long, deep breath, expecting the feeling of urgency to come back but instead, there was nothing but warmth and safety.
“Good morning,” Rook said, pulling me closer to his body. We faced each other and my head was tucked under his, so when he spoke, his chin bobbed against the top of my head. Our legs were tangled under the sheets. The memories of the night before came flooding back.
My mate was incredible. Attentive. Loving. Adorable. We learned what made each other tick. We even laughed during sex at our new clumsiness at times. I’d never laughed while making love before.
Everything was new with him.
“Good morning, alpha.”
He kissed my head several times and then suggested a shower. Some things about the day before crept back in. I was still upset that he’d not done his due diligence about selling the company but I also understood his reasons.
“It’s okay if you don’t forgive me,” he said, shutting off the water once we finished cleaning up, getting dirty, and cleaning up again.
“What?”
Rook cocked his head to the side. “I feel you now, omega. I felt that twinge of anger. My actions ruined people’s lives. I had no idea that would happen, but I know it hurt people, including you. I’ve already apologized but I know it might take time for you to forgive me.”
We toweled off and despite him being right, I couldn’t deny my mate when he leaned down to kiss me. It was entirely possible to disagree with someone’s actions and be upset with them and still love them.
Love. Yeah. I loved Rook. He never meant to harm anyone by selling the company, and the wool had been pulled over his eyes more than anyone. He spent so long building that brilliant community and corporation and while he walked away with the money, I knew the whole thing would haunt him as it did me.
“I’m starving,” I said while I got dressed and Rook threw on his pants from the night before.
“Me too. Let me get dressed then come back to get you.”
I snorted. “You’re gonna knock on my door like a date?”
“Yes. This weekend has been fantastic but I’m missing the part where we got to really date. But I’m going to make up for it. Bring you flowers. Surprise you. I’m gonna court the fuck out of you.”
“You do realize we’re already mated and marked, right?”
He chuckled loud, pressing his fingers over his mark. “I’m well aware but that doesn’t mean I can’t woo you.”
While Rook went to get dressed, I combed my hair and reality came crashing down on me. Today, this afternoon, we would both leave this place. He would go his way and I would gomine. We lived close to each other, of course, but mates usually moved in together immediately.
I wasn’t sure how anything would work, but it would work. It had to. We were fated.
A knock on the door had me giddy. The worries of what-if vanished almost completely.
“I’m here to escort my mate to breakfast,” Rook said, somehow looking like he just stepped out of a magazine.
“Thank you.” We went downstairs and had a lovely breakfast with Franklin, who looked entirely pleased with himself. He should’ve been. He’d brought countless mates together and probably, in his own way, made this world a better place. Love always made the world a better place, no matter how we found it.
The breakfast spread that morning was another wonder. French toast casserole and quiche from the morning before. Even the coffee seemed stronger, which was always welcome.
“I don’t know how you do what you do, Franklin, but you certainly have some kind of matchmaking magic.” Rook spoke to Franklin but looked at me.
“There’s no matchmaking or magic about it, Rook. It’s a gift that I can’t explain but Fate already made you two mates. I just made the flight arrangements.”
“Well, we are grateful.”
We finished up breakfast and this time, Franklin let us help with the cleanup. Once that was done, I found my alpha staring at me.
