The Alpha's Mate

Chapter Four

She was human, beautiful, had a kid and her name was Candace. Those were the four things Rafe knew about his mate. He smiled, making Dan, his best friend and Beta, look at him weirdly.

"You've been smiling since you arrived...", Dan said slowly, looking at Rafe in confusion.

Rafe scowled at him at those words. "So?", he asked, looking at his best friend blankly.

"Okay now I do recognize you. My best mate is back y'all!!", he mock jubilated, making almost everybody in the bar they were at turn and look at them.

Rafe rolled his eyes at Dan's childish antics and decided to keep thinking of his mate, a mate whom, just hours from now, he had given up hope on finding.

"Okay...? Rafe, look I respect you and all but I need answers. Were you kidnapped by an alien and injected some kind of happy serum? I've never seen you smile this much in one sitting", Dan asked cautiously, looking over at his best friend.

Rafe decided to put him out of his misery and answered simply, "I found my mate"

Dan's eyes widened comically and if there had been a bit of his drink in his mouth, he would surely have spat it out, like he had done on numerous previous accounts.

"You found your mate?! When? Who is she? How is she? How?", he asked eagerly, pushing his chair closer to Rafe's.

"Calm the f**k down", Rafe answered, took a sip of his drink slowly just to annoy Dan then continued, "I met her at the hospital. She had an appointment"

Dan's brows furrowed again in confusion, "Um Alpha, no offense but don't tell me the Moon Goddess made you a pedophile?"

"No dumbass. She came with her kid", Rafe answered, scowling once again.

"So she's married?", Dan asked, putting his very large foot in his mouth. Rafe threw his empty glass at him, standing up and leaving. Fortunately for Dan, he dodged on time, and the glass ended up shattered on the floor.

No, she was not married! That was a possibility neither Rafe nor Kyle, his wolf, wanted to consider...

***

The day after the appointment, Candace was still thinking about the reaction that doctor's laughter had given to her. She had not reacted to any man like that since her fifteenth birthday, and even then, it was just a generic crush on the most popular guy in class.

She sighed, willing herself to concentrate. She had decided to venture into town to see some new faces and see whether she could successfully open a café-bakery with no competition. So far, she had seen no face she could mingle with but had noticed that there was no bakery around for ages. That was a good point for her.

Smiling, she wandered into the clothing area of the mall. Elle was at a daycare today so Candace had the day to herself. It was the first time she was leaving her kid with strangers and so retail therapy was the best way to alleviate her anxiety.

"Candace!", she heard a voice call out and she turned, only to see her neighbor's grandson, Jensen. 

He practically ran towards her and gave her a tight hug, then whispered, "I promise you that I'll grow on you. You'll like me one day"

Candace couldn't help but laugh at that. Then she said, "I hope you keep your promise", weaseling her way out of the hug. She was uncomfortable holding people other than her daughter and mother in her arms, and even that was sometimes difficult.

"I'll keep that promise", he said solemnly, then burst into chatter, "So how do you like my hair? The last colour I dyed it was pink. But I couldn't dye it for two months! Because the stylist said too much dye was going to damage my hair you see? So now here we are! I should probably have dyed it green right? Blue doesn't suit me huh?"

Candace rubbed her temples as she tried to keep up with his ceaseless chatter. It was amazing how one person could talk so much. "I think green would look amazing on you Jensen, but I also like this blue. It suits you and it brings out the blue rings around you eyes"

Jensen looked at her surprised. She could understand him, because she was surprised herself. This was the first time since that horrible incident that she had offered such a huge olive branch of friendship to someone.

"You think?! Thank you! I was so scared I looked so ugly with it", then he paused... then continued, "I hope this hasn't made you think I am a vain person who only cares about their appearance"

"I... I–", Candace stuttered.

"I know I am but I didn't want you to discover so soon", Jensen replied, touching his hair.

Candace laughed again, surprised. She had never met someone as blunt as this and she liked it. It was refreshing.

"Well, I'm happy I got to know so early in our relationship. I wouldn't have wanted to get too attached", she joked, surprising herself even further.

Jensen laughed and as he went to answer, a voice interrupted them, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

It was the doctor. The feeling Candace was trying so hard to quell was back. Her stomach was clenced tight at his voice and there were actual butterflies in her stomach.

She turned towards him to reply when she saw the thunderous scowl on his face. Candace shuddered involuntarily, the butterflies in her stomach instantly replaced by spiders.

It was Jensen who brought her out of her stupor, "Why, hello there" he practically purred, slinking up to the doctor.

Suddenly the scowl on his face was gone and was replaced with an uncomfortable look. Jensen was practically rubbing all over him.

"Uh hello", the doctor let out, the uncomfortable look still visible on his face.

Candace couldn't help but let out a small giggle. The sound made him turn his head towards her and give her a playful look that promised retribution.

Candace blushed, and turned her head, a half-smile on her lips.

"Well, uh, I'll have to get going. I was shopping for uh... very, uh... important stuff and... uh, it's best I leave now", the doctor let out, making Jensen pout and step away from him.

"Okay then Rafe, later", Jensen said, then waved. The doctor waved at him, then sent the most beautiful smile in Candace's direction, making her blush even harder, then went off.

"Wooh! Was it hot in here?!", Jensen exclaimed, taking Candace's arm.

"Yeah, the chemistry between you two was palpable", Candace replied.

"I know!", he joked back then they burst into laughter. "But don't think I didn't see that look he sent towards you. You are going to tell me everything"

Candace smiled. One thing was on her mind at that moment. His name is Rafe.