From Heartbreak to Mate

Chapter 10

Drew sighed as he stuck his phone back in his jacket pocket. Alice was sitting in the driver’s seat beside him, snickering at his discomfort. She could not help but find it entertaining that the Alpha werewolf was made nervous by a blonde human woman who had a crush on him.

“You are an evil woman,” Drew huffed as he slumped in his seat as they slowly progressed along the driveway.

Alice laughed, “I am not evil! It’s not my fault that I find it humorous that an Alpha werewolf of your status is afraid of Hailey Evans. You could snap her in half like a twig if you wanted to.”

“I could, but I won’t,” Drew said with another sigh. “John is one of my closest friends, and Hailey is his only child. I would never hurt her intentionally because of that. No matter how much I want to wring her neck or smack it into her head that I am not interested in her, I will not do it.”

“When we arrive, would you like me to take you to your room or just take your bag there and put it on the bed?” Alice said, trying to stifle a giggle.

“If it is the same room I always use, just take my bag, please,” Drew said as he shifted in his seat. “I can find my way there while I hide from Hailey.”

“As you wish, Alpha,” Alice grinned as she parked in front of the home’s main entrance. A young man was waiting to take the SUV to the back, park it in the garage, and unload the supplies Alice had picked up. “Go make your grand entrance. I will be along in a minute with your bag. I need to give Andy some instructions first.”

“You just want me to have to fend off Hailey on my own,” Drew smirked as he got out of the SUV and smoothed his dark suit. He adjusted his tie and muttered, “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck!” Alice laughed.

Drew glanced over his shoulder to see Alice point at the young man, who obediently got into the passenger seat. Alice was shaking her head as she started the SUV and drove toward the back kitchen entrance and garage. Drew turned back to the house and took a deep breath to steel himself before walking inside.

“Andrew Fenn! You aren’t trying to sneak in, are you?” Hailey called out before Drew had even closed the door behind him.

“I would never try to sneak in, Hailey,” Drew said politely as he plastered on a weary smile. “I only just arrived, and Alice had to park and deliver things to the kitchen before she could join us.”

Hailey sauntered over to Drew and ran her finger down his necktie in an attempt to be seductive. The overwhelming scent of her sickeningly sweet perfume made his nose itch and burn. The only thing he could focus on was trying not to sneeze, not the advances of the beautiful blonde woman before him.

“Don’t I at least get a hug from you?” Hailey asked. She wrapped her arms around Drew’s neck, not giving him a chance to object, as she continued, “We have been friends long enough that a hug is in order.”

Drew indulged her with a quick hug. Her perfume was so strong that he could no longer fight his sneeze. He quickly pulled away from her and sneezed violently three times before he wiped his nose with his handkerchief. Hailey was frowning at him as he gave her a sheepish grin.

“I may be coming down with a cold or something,” Drew explained as he held his handkerchief over his nose to help filter the perfume.

“Oh, I hope it isn’t anything serious,” Hailey said with wide eyes as she feigned innocence. “If it’s serious, you might have to stay here and let me help nurse you back to health.”

“I will be fine,” Drew replied, doing his best to hide his horror at the idea of Hailey acting as his nurse. He felt his wolf snort in the back of his mind at the thought of being near Hailey more than necessary. “I inhaled a little smoke from the fireplaces as I came in. That must be it. I will be fine in a few minutes.”

“Drew!” a familiar voice came from deeper inside the house.

Drew breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of John’s voice calling to him. He looked past Hailey and saw John walking toward him with a stunning brunette on his arm. He could feel his wolf stir as he stood in his mind and looked at the woman through Drew’s eyes. Drew slipped past Hailey and hurried to meet John and the mystery woman who was captivating him and his wolf.

“John,” Drew said as he shook his friend’s hand the instant he was within reach.

“Drew, let me introduce you to Carissa Young. She is the teacher I told you about,” John said with a grin, his eyes twinkling. “Carrie, this is Andrew Fenn. He is the CEO of Fenn Enterprises. I believe the two of you have a lot in common.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Drew said, shaking Carissa’s hand.

“The pleasure is mine,” Carissa replied politely. As they shook hands, tingles filled her hand, making it itch until she pulled her hand away. “I was told you would be a good person to bounce an idea I have off of.”

“You were?” Drew questioned with a smile. He had felt the same tingles and knew something was special about the woman before him. The perfume Hailey wore had rendered his nose useless, especially since she had followed, bringing the scent with her. “May I ask what that idea is?”

Carissa looked at John sheepishly. He smiled at her and said, “Hailey, why don’t you and I mingle among the guests so Drew and Carrie can talk business. I doubt either of us will fully understand what they are talking about.”

“Sure,” Hailey said, smiling at Drew and Carissa. “Have fun, you two.”

Carissa smiled at the look of relief on Drew’s face as Hailey and John walked away. He was still holding his handkerchief over his nose as he watched Hailey walk away from them.

“So, Mr. Fenn, are you sick or have you been sneezing because of Hailey’s perfume addiction?” Carissa asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh, thank the goddess,” Drew breathed as he moved the cloth from his face and tested the air. “I was afraid I was the only one it bothered.”

Carissa laughed and shook her head. “Hailey and I have had plenty of fights about her overuse of perfume. A hint is best. A couple of sprays is acceptable. Taking a bath in it the way she does should be a crime, especially if you are trapped in a car with her on a long drive.”

“I must agree with you about that,” Drew said with a smile. “Why don’t we get a drink and discuss this idea of yours? John told me that you might be the person to give me advice on an idea that I have, since you are a teacher.”

“You know who I am?” Carissa asked wearily.

“Only from John and Alice. When John called me this morning to talk me into coming, he mentioned your name and that you are a teacher. He said you might be willing to give me feedback on a private school I would like to open. Alice also mentioned you and said you would help protect me from Hailey.”

Carissa laughed, “That falls right in line with what I wanted to talk to you about. I think families would benefit from an at-home head-start type program. John thought you might have some advice on how to get started with it. As for protecting you from Hailey, I will do my best, but I make no promises.”

“Mate,” Drew’s wolf, Onyx, whispered in his mind. “Carissa is our mate.”

Drew said nothing. He shifted his weight and smiled at Carissa. He had finally found his mate, but she was a human who knew nothing about who he was. Her delightful scent filtered through the remnants of the perfume filling his nostrils, leaving him no doubt she was his.

“Carissa, I think tonight will answer questions for both of us,” Drew said with a genuine smile. “Let’s get that drink and see if we can find a place where we can talk.”

“Please, call me Carrie. Everyone does,” Carissa smiled.

“Only if you call me Drew,” he replied as he guided Carissa toward the bar on the far wall.”

“Then Drew it is,” Carissa laughed.

That laugh was the most beautiful sound Drew had ever heard. It made his wolf preen in his head at the idea of Carissa being their mate. Now all Drew had to do was keep his wolf calm until he could explain that he was a werewolf, and she was his mate. He looked at Carrie, seeing her smile at him, and knew that would be easier said than done.