The Alpha's Stolen Mate

Chapter 4 - Call me Buck

Amyleigh pulls into her usual parking spot behind the grocery store. Actually her spot was designated for two cars but Amyleigh had a knack for parking diagonally across both spots and no one seemed to care either way. I grabbed my bag and started towards the staff entrance leaving Amyleigh to lock up the car.

"Hey, where are you going with all those empty hands?"

Her question puzzled me, right up until the moment I saw the cake slab patisserie box being placed on top of a growing tower of party paraphernalia. Today was Harry's last day as our store manager. Amyleigh had organised a joint farewell party for Harry and welcome to the team for Buck Wilson, the new manager. I liked Harry, he was the only person willing to take a chance on me. You can't imagine how difficult it is to find a job without knowing if you have any experience or not. Seven months later and I'm still here.

Amyleigh loaded me up with as much stuff as possible and we headed to the store's staff entrance. We were able to sneak everything past Harry and hide it in the cool room near the back dock.

"Have you met the new guy yet?" I asked as we headed to the office.

"No I haven't and I know everyone in town." She replied, the irritation clinging to her every word. Amyleigh prided herself on being born and bred in the little township of Medlow Bath. She knew every local, regular visitor and prospective resident, making a point of getting to know those she didn't as quickly as she could. My own unannounced arrival in her little township caused her great irritation. I mean, how do you get to know someone when that someone doesn't even know themself. Sometimes I felt she was determined to get to know who I was before I did. I smiled at the thought of her introducing the pre-coma me to present day me.

I turned to her, walking backwards and told her, "If I know you, it won't take you long to remedy that."

Her eyes widened and mouth dropped open and I was about to ask what's wrong when my back hit something hard as my feet got tangled up into the beginning of a gravity induced stumble. I clenched my eyes shut and extended my arms out to brace for impact, when it hit me.

The smell. Well more of a delicious flavour than a smell. The scent of pine needles, freshly turned earth and forest berries hit my nose, swimming around my head and seeping into every pore of skin.

"Are you okay?"

The deep husky voice came from behind me. My eyes fluttered open and I slowly turned my head. My eyes followed the tanned thickness of the arms holding me up, over the stretched IGA work logo and up into the piercing blue eyes of the most beautiful man I had ever seen. His brows were furrowed in concern as his eyes bore a hole straight through me and into my soul. Maybe a little overdramatic I must admit, but I was getting drunk off his scent. My head was swimming and every part of my body tingled with electricity. I had to get control.

I pushed against him with my back to break free but his arms were like a seatbelt around me holding me secure. Panic was starting to rise up the back of my throat as visions of the cage room men came into my mind. My hands reached for his wrists to pry them away from my body but they had moved from seatbelt secure to stand on your own two feet position before disappearing behind me. I calmed down my breathing and did my best to swallow down the panic stuck in my throat. I looked to my friend for support but the look on her face was frozen as if the wind changed and she was stuck like that forever.

"Are you okay?" He asks again.

I turn to face him, taking a step backwards so as to fit all six feet of this god-like man into my field of vision. "I'm all good," I reply. "Sorry about running into you like that. I really should watch where I'm going."

"May I suggest walking forward" he said with a crooked grin creeping across his face.

"Is that what I was doing wrong" I said, tapping my hand on my forehead and rolling my eyes.

"Good morning Katarina, I see you have already met Mr Wilson." I turn to see Harry walking up one of the isles towards us, clipboard in hand. "What's wrong with Amyleigh?"

I turn around to see what he's talking about when Amyleigh suddenly snaps out of it and bounds up to Mr Wilson with an outstretched hand.

"Nice to meet you Mr Wilson, I'm Amyleigh Baxter. If there is anything you need help with, just ask me." Her face was flushed with embarrassment and the shyness hinted in her smile betrayed the confidence she showed shaking the god-like man's hand.

"Call me Buck," he replied, keeping his gaze fixed on me.

Did he feel the same electricity that I did or was it totally obvious how he affected me. I averted my eyes from his and tried to focus on Harry.

"You must be Katarina." It was more of a statement then a question and once again I found my eyes locked with his.

"Yes, but everyone calls me Kat." I struggle to drag my eyes away again. Finding some stains on the floor I summoned all the concentration I could to see different images in the white ink blots.

"Nice to meet you Kat." He extended his arm out towards me in the gesture of a handshake.

A tingle of electricity shot through my body, heating my blood, at least it felt like my blood was about to boil. The closer his hand got to mine, the stronger the current and warmer my blood felt. I wanted to get closer. Get drunk on his aroma, but my head was screaming at me to run as fast as I could away from him. With all the willpower I could summon, I took an exaggerated step backwards, my eyes darting around the room searching for an escape. I find Amyleigh and silently plead with her to save me.

Please help me!

Get me out of here!

I scream the words over and over in my head to no avail. Obviously she can't hear me, she's a cashier not a mind reader. Although the way she's staring at Mr Wilson I'm pretty sure that if I screamed at the top of my lungs she still wouldn't have heard me. I could feel the temperature rising just below my skin.

He's getting closer.

He's going to get me.

I have to escape.

I spot the back door starting to open and I make a break for it. Adrenaline spurring me on, I sprint for the door, side stepping around obstacles like a footy player heading for the try line. I feel his body crashing into me and the thunderous sound close behind. Shoving the door the rest of the way open I see a wall of red. Fear and panic course through my veins with an uneasy familiarity, then everything goes black.