The Alpha's Winning Bid

First Step to Trust

Jacob's POV

I pressed my palms against the edge of the desk, leaning over as if it could hold back the storm inside me. My stomach twisted and my thoughts raced, making it impossible to stay still.

She clearly needed so much—after all, she came here with nothing but herself—but she was too hesitant to ask.

Had I really made her feel this uneasy? I gritted my teeth, cursing myself for rushing things, for not taking the time to make her feel safe before trying to claim her.

"Natalie, I've told you before, don't be afraid of me. You're my Luna; you can ask for anything you need," I said softly, trying to put her at ease.

She seemed a little more relaxed, but I could still feel her hesitation. I rubbed my forehead, thinking hard about how to get through to her. I drummed my fingers on the table.

"Alright, come with me," I said, standing up. Without waiting for her reply, I took her hand and gently guided her out of the chair, leading her out of the room.

I could tell she was probably shocked or confused, but she didn't ask anything—she just kept walking, trying to keep up with my quick pace. I guided her into the passenger seat of my black Rolls-Royce and slid into the driver's seat, starting the engine.

I was already blaming myself for not taking proper care of my mate, even after all the effort it took to get her. I hadn't done enough to make Natalie happy. Anger flared inside me. I gripped the steering wheel tighter and pressed harder on the accelerator, making the car go faster.

"Jacob, slow down!" Dylan scolded. "You're going to make her nervous. Be gentle. She's our mate, not a servant."

The moment I saw Natalie's pale face, her hand gripping the seat tightly and her eyes squinting in fear, my stomach dropped. I hit my hand against the steering wheel, frustrated with myself. Why does my rough side always come out like this?

I eased off the gas pedal, letting the car slow down. I noticed her taking a deep breath, her hand pressed against her chest as she tried to calm herself.

I clenched and unclenched my fist, wanting to reach out and hold her hand... but I stopped myself.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, keeping my eyes on the road. "I shouldn't have been driving so fast."

"It's fine..." she said, then hesitated before asking, "By the way, where are we going?"

Her question gave me a small sense of hope. Maybe this outing would help us start building our relationship. I thought of a few ways to help her feel more comfortable.

With patience, she'd open up to me more.

"For a little shopping," I said.

"Shopping?" she repeated, surprised.

"Yes. You need a few things, right?" I glanced at her from the corner of my eye while keeping my eyes on the road.

"Are you saying... this is all for me?"

"Of course. Why would it be a problem?" I raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on my face as I caught her smile—the first real one I'd seen from her.

Oh wow, her smile was even more beautiful than I expected. Shopping really seems to be cheering her up.

"Nothing, it's just... I've never really gone shopping before."

Her eyes flickered with a hint of sadness, and I realized how hard her life at Blue Moon must have been.

I could have sped up the car to vent my anger, but I held back. Doing something like that would only push her away. I bit my lower lip hard to calm myself down.

I promised myself I'd make sure she enjoyed today and made some happy memories.

I parked the car and led Natalie into the busy mall. Her eyes were wide, taking in the stores and the crowd. It reminded me of my younger days wandering through malls, and I wanted her to enjoy it just as much.

After wandering through a few shops, Natalie finally started opening up, pointing at the things she liked or didn't like like a curious child. I just smiled, adoring her while holding her hand tightly.

"Jacob, look at all these stores!" she said, her voice full of awe. "I've never seen anything like this before!"

I chuckled, happy to see her excited. It felt like a small breakthrough. "Yeah, it can be a bit overwhelming at first," I said, gently guiding her toward a boutique. "But don't worry, we've got plenty of time. You can look around as much as you want."

As soon as we stepped into the store, Natalie clinging to my arm, the staff gathered around, giving us a warm, respectful welcome.

"Welcome, Chairman," they said in unison, their voices ringing out. Natalie looked startled and squeezed my arm tighter, clearly nervous.

"Dismiss," I said firmly, gesturing for them to step back. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze to calm her. Seeing her nervous like that made me tense.

"Get the manager here," I said again, my voice firm, and led her to the private room I had reserved, wanting her shopping to be peaceful.

"What was that?" Natalie asked, her voice shaking slightly.

I guided her to the couch, sat beside her, and held her hand. "This mall is part of the Wood Group of Companies. After my father, I took over as chairman, since I'm the only heir."

"A billionaire CEO, just like in novels?" she asked, curious. I chuckled, shaking my head.

"Something like that."

"Wow..." she said quietly, clearly impressed. "I never knew this brand was yours."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "You knew this brand? Have you been here before?" I asked softly.

"No, it's my first time in a shopping mall," she explained. "But I've heard about it from other she-wolves in Blue Moon. They always talk about this brand, and most of them are fans—especially Fiona, Asher's mistress. She always shows off her shopping from here.".

I noticed Natalie didn't seem as sad anymore when talking about Blue Moon. Looks like the shopping was working as therapy.

"I circled my arm around her shoulder. 'Then that's great,' I said.

I wanted to add that from now on she owned the brand, but I stopped myself—didn't want to overwhelm her."

"Ma'am, would you like to see our latest collection?" the store manager asked.

Natalie looked at him, startled, then at me. I blinked at her and then turned to the manager. "Bring the 'Vibgyor Autumn' collection by designer Lumina that launched last week in Paris," I ordered.

A set of single-piece designer dresses was brought out neatly. I let Natalie choose what she liked, and I had to admit, she had excellent taste. I felt proud watching her pick.