Alpha's Little Human Mate

Chapter 8: Jason's POV — Cute Mates and Lethal Enemies

I followed my mate, Emma, into the back room.

I soaked up every little bit of her I could. From her delicate features, like the slight upward tilt to her button nose and the soft curve of her cheekbones, to the way she moved, with a graceful sway of her hips and a confident, albeit shy, step.

I greedily took in her rounded butt, slender shoulders, and long, soft, light brown hair. The color was so intriguing — sort of like old gold, but with a red undertone. It was loose, falling in natural waves around her shoulders. It looked soft, silky, and I yearned to run my fingers through it, to feel the strands against my skin.

Soon she stopped in front of a shelf and started explaining the way the books were organized and how to find the right title or author. I was barely listening.

Being this close to her for the very first time blew me away. The smell of books was everywhere — that musty, comforting scent that reminded me of tranquility and knowledge. But underneath that was the unique scent of Emma. Her delicious aroma was everywhere; I could tell she spent a lot of time in between these rows.

I could feel her warmth, hear her rapid heartbeat, see the light sheen of sweat on her forehead, and the redness in her cheeks. Her lovely scent was so potent that my thoughts clouded over, and my c**k twitched.

Did I detect a hint of arousal on her as well? f**k meee.

It was intoxicating, a heady mix that made me want to bury my nose in her neck and inhale deeply. I put my fists in my pockets to keep from grabbing her and claiming her against the shelf.

As on cue, my mouth filled with saliva, and my fangs elongated. I swallowed loudly and saw her eyes snap to my throat, a hungry look in them.

Okay, if I didn't get out of here fast, I wouldn't be able to control myself. I'd do something stupid, and she'd call the cops on me. Again.

So I took out the first book my hand landed on. "This one will do," I said before looking at the title.

Which was a mistake. My glance fell on the title a second too late, making me nearly drop the book in shock. Apparently, my hand had picked out the book with possibly the most embarrassing title in the entire library.

"Forever in Fur — a steamy shifter romance novel by Liv Wolfie. That's a... good choice, Jason." Emma said, barely able to contain a smile, and I wanted to bury myself alive.

But there was nothing to be done now, so I had to roll with it. "Thanks. This one looked... um... appealing. Maybe we can talk about it over a coffee when I finish it? Since we seem to share an interest in werewolves and all." I added with a playful grin, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a lovely shade of pink, and it took all of my self-control not to lean over and press a kiss against her warm skin. Instead, I settled for giving her my most charming smile.

Please say yes, please say yes.

"Um, sure. Why not." She answered as she led the way back to the front office. I grinned so wide behind her back, a sense of triumph riding me high.

She said yes!

Emma scribbled her phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to me together with the book, saying, "Just text me when you're done, and we can set up a time and place. It'll be like a book club."

She smiled shyly.

A book club? Oh, honey. No. The way I see it happening, the encounter will be less nerdy and more R-rated. But she looked so sweet, smiling up at me like that, that I couldn't make myself ruin her poor attempt at making some distance between us.

So, I just nodded and said, "Sure, Emma. Like a book club."

I reached for the paper and the book, making sure our fingers grazed as I took them from her. A delightful feeling shot from my hand straight to my c**k.

The oddest sort of pleasure set deep in my chest. It felt as if I had found a missing piece of my soul. It felt like coming home. And the mate bond snapped into place right then and there.

Mates. A single word, but one that carried such weight. It was a connection deeper than love, an unbreakable bond that transcended time and space. I found my other half, my soul's mirror. It was a recognition, an instinctual pull that told me she was meant to be mine, and I hers.

Emma must have felt something, too, judging from the goosebumps that rose across her skin, the blush in her cheeks, and a delicate shudder that shook her hand. Her breathing became shallow, and her heartbeat sped up.

My sweet, sweet mate. You have no idea what I have planned for you.

Gods, I wished I could just tell her everything right now. I wished I could just grab her and kiss her until we shared the same air. I wished I could just bury myself in her and never let go.

I loved her. Although it was impossible, I loved her with a ferocity that scared me. I loved her with a depth that I didn't think was possible. And the knowledge of that love was a heavy weight on my chest, a burden that I would bear for the rest of my life.

And even though it killed me, I had to leave her now. My meeting with Damien would soon start, and I needed to clear my head beforehand. So, with one last look at her lovely face, I waved and closed the door behind me.

I rushed across the busy square, nodding subtly at my warriors to resume their posts watching over their Luna.

****

Damien was already seated at the local coffee shop overlooking the street when I came inside. A cup of coffee and a scone in front of him.

On the rare occasions we met, the asshole always chose a fancy location, be it a bar, restaurant, or place like this. I preferred the woods, somewhere on neutral ground where we could speak freely without worrying about being overheard. And then obliterated by the Elders.

But according to the rule, the one who is summoned to a meeting gets to choose the time and place. So, here we were, in the damned coffee shop filled with humans to the brim. People sat around, sipping from mugs, engrossed in conversations or their laptops. The air was thick with the smell of coffee, the buzz of chatter, and the clatter of cutlery. Every once in a while, a bell would ring as the door opened, letting in a fresh gust of air.

Astonished stares and excited whispers followed us, the scent of lust heavy in the air. We drew too much attention among humans as it was — they found us too attractive to give us the privacy we needed. The Dark bastard reveled in it.

A waitress appeared as soon as I sat across from Damien. Her blush was full on, visible through the heavy makeup. The smell of her arousal felt disgusting to me, and I had to make an effort not to let it show on my face.

"What can I get you, darlin'?"

"One black coffee, please," I ordered, with a quick, neutral glance in her direction and a curt smile. As she turned around, my eyes snapped to the fucker in front of me who was sneering.

"I never took you for a library guy," Damien said, gesturing toward the big window in front of him.

Dread filled me, head to toe. He saw me exiting the library.

The sight of Damien, that smug, self-assured smile plastered on his face, made my skin crawl. The realization of what he could have seen, who he could have noticed, left a bitter taste in my mouth. I could feel the temperature drop as if the air in the room had suddenly turned icy cold. My muscles tensed, my mind racing with the worst-case scenarios.

He had seen me, there was no escaping that. Now, the question was, did he see Emma? Did he notice my reaction to her? The thought of him finding out about her filled me with a dread I hadn't felt in a long time.

There was no way he was going to let it pass. He will go and probe around, checking for any clue of what I was doing there. He will find her.

And just like that, all the resemblances of cool disappeared, replaced by a hot fury.

It was like a dark cloud had settled over the coffee shop, casting a shadow over the cheerfulness of the place. I could feel my body reacting to his presence, my instincts screaming at me to protect what was mine. My teeth clenched, a growl rumbling in my chest as I fought to control my wolf.

Damien was a threat, not just to me, but to Emma. And that was something I could not, and would not, tolerate.