The Witch's Unconventional Alpha

Chapter 4: Mates and Mourning

-Leena-

It's absolutely freezing, and my eyes protest against the cold as I try to open them. It's only morning, but it may as well be high noon with how bright the orange-red light of dawn feels. With my first moments of actual awareness, I realize I'm not in my bedroom, also, I'm not alone. Then the night comes back to me in a rush and I can feel myself flush before Alec rustles beside me, my movement and scent changing probably waking him.

“Well, good morning, beautiful." Alec's morning voice is almost as good as his bedroom one, rough with sleep and slurred just a bit around vowels, like he's awake but not committed to it. Not a morning person myself, I find this preferable over someone like my sister who is horridly peppy first thing in the morning.

“Hello yourself, handsome. Sleep well?" It feels natural like this, even though we're both naked and on a public beach at some ungodly hour like 5am.

“Like the dead," Alec says quietly and turns over to face me for the first time since last night. His face is soft and relaxed, expression unusually unguarded, and it feels like bees bumping against my ribcage, heart beating with a feeling I shove down with venom. Alec is great in bed, handsome, and funny; but this is a one-night stand, he never made it to be anything else. Besides, he's a traveler, and this here is my home. He's just visiting.

“Same here, you tired me out." I try to be casual, unsure how to handle the morning-after of one-night stands.

“In the best way possible, I hope," Alec quips with a grin, sitting up a bit so the blankets shift to pool in his lap, “What're the plans for today, m'lady?"

I'm distracted, if only for a moment, by the smattering of old wounds and scars on Alec's torso, no doubt from the life of a wolf, but they catch my attention anyway, my own body so clean of anything resembling permanence. Alec is covered in dark black tattoos, much more visible in daylight on his dark skin rather than by candlelight like last night, and the twin scars on his chest could almost be confused with a shadow under the strong musculature there.

“Uh—" I realize I've lost the plot before Alec's laugh pulls me back.

“I'm the same person I was last night, Leena. Just a little more light to read by is all."

His expression shifts, once open and relaxed now guarded and aloof, using humor to deflect. It's a change I wouldn't have noticed if it hadn't happened before my eyes. I ignore it the best I can, chances are, I'll never see Alec again after today. And maybe it's for the better.

“Hah, sorry. Things always look different in the morning," It sounds lame, even to my own ears, so I bulldoze, “Not much planned for today. I have to be at the shop around 9am to open and get some work done. But otherwise, just another day. What are your next big travel plans? Are you staying on the coast, or?"

“Actually," Alec starts, sitting up and facing me fully, I can't help but mimic the body language, “There is something very important I need to tell you, Leena. Please promise to hear me out."

“Okay—“ I hold the 'a' until my breath runs out, “Are you having regrets about last night…or?"

“f**k, Leena, no. No, nothing like that," Alec huffs out a breath, expression tight and nervous, “It's just really important, and it makes it so much easier that you're a witch and will understand why it's important, but…" Alec seems to derail, hands fiddling with the blankets in an unusual gesture of nervousness.

“Alec—"

“Leena. You're my mate."

“Excuse me?"

We hold eye contact for what feels like ages, neither of us moving or even breathing too deeply with the fear of breaking the spell. Alec is, of course, the first to speak again, far more confident.

“You're my mate, Leena. I've been traveling the world in search of my mate after—" Alec trails off, searching for words he can't seem to find, “After I lost my family years ago. I caught your scent on the wind and it led me here, to you."

I try to take a few seconds to process, but my brain is working overtime with anxiety. I know what a mate means to a wolf, I also know what it means to the other party.

“Alec, as sweet as that is, you must be mistaken. I'm no one's mate, there's no way. I'm a bee witch in a small seaside town, I cultivate hives and sell jars of honey. I'm not mate material, I'm sorry."

Alec looks gutted for a moment, and the coil of guilt in my gut is so strong I almost take my words back. But there's no way, absolutely no way he's right on this. It must be a mistake. And some distance from me and my scent will probably do Alec some good now that he's gotten the s*x out of his system from last night.

“Leena…"

“Look, Alec. You're a great guy. Fun, handsome, sexy; but we live two very different lives. We're just not compatible in the long term." I smile softly, put a hand out, and put it on Alec's clenched fists. Not willing to let him convince me otherwise, I continue to bulldoze the conversation.

“If you're ever back in town, come find me at the florist shop, maybe we can go out for drinks and have another fun night. But, for now," I lean forward and place a chaste kiss on his lips before standing and collecting my clothes, “I have to get back to my normal life. Thanks for a great night, see you around sometime. Good luck."

I pull on my sundress as I walk away, foregoing anything else, haste of the utmost importance when trying to get away from a conversation like this.

“Leena, wait!" I hear Alec call to me from a distance, but I pick up my pace, heels clicking together in my hands as I make it to the boardwalk. When I look back, Alec is gone, and the sound of a lone wolf howling in the distance sounds much sadder than I've ever noticed before.

****

How could I have been so stupid?

This whole situation is why I don't do relationships, everything always ends up complicated and messy in a way that I hate. Feelings and emotions aren't my forte, but I'm certainly more adept at them than Alec. How could he spring something like that on me without warning? I'm not mate material, not even girlfriend material. He has to be wrong.

“Leena, you're looking pleasantly f****d. Good night I assume?" Bri quips as I come in through the front door of the ranch, a full day of work looming over me like a dark cloud on my already bitter moon.

“Not in the mood, Bri," I grumble, trying my best not to be snappy with her, knowing that she's just trying to engage in my life in the only way she knows how as a big sister.

“Oh, so it was that kind of night, huh?" She comes over to my side as I pour water from the kettle that was already boiling on the stove.

“I mean…don't get me wrong, the s*x was great," I flush simply thinking about it, and Bri must notice because her grin is almost as sharp as Alec's was. “Don't—" I warn, and Bri splutters a laugh before clearing her throat and tossing her hair in a flourished gesture.

“I'm not saying anything, Leena. Just observing how delicate your sensibilities are when it comes to s*x and relationships, go ahead, continue."

I glare at her, “As I was saying," I sit down at the kitchen table with my mug of tea, Bri plopping down next to be in a languid sprawl, so unlike my proper sit, “s*x was great, fantastic even, but he dropped this huge emotional bomb on me this morning and I just…"

“Bulldozed him mid-conversation and then took off before he could say anything?"

Bri looks at me with a knowing expression, and I know my face must be pulled into a grimace. “How did you know?"

“Leena; my absolute best, most favorite sister in the entire world, my moon and stars, my good time charlie, my home slice…you are the most predictable person in the world. If I had a nickel for every time you ruined a relationship by verbally bulldozing someone, I'd never need to get stung by one of your bees again."

“You and me both," I grumble, putting my chin in my hands before dropping my forehead to the table.

“There are other bees in the hive, Leena. Don't worry about it." Bri tries to be offhand about it, but I can hear the sympathy in her voice. I decide to go for broke.

“I really liked this guy, Bri," I whisper into the table, hoping she can hear me, “He was funny and nice and didn't take my s**t. I just feel like—"

“You lost out on an opportunity?" Bri finishes, knowing me too well.

“Yeah," I say miserably.

“Always the proper business venture with you, huh, Leena? Listen, if it's meant to be, it will be. Have faith in the universe, alright? And finish your tea before it gets cold or I'm going to drink it."

I chuckle, taking a sip of my already lukewarm tea and looking at Bri with a smile, “Thanks, Bri. You're right."

“Can I have that in writing?"

“Don't push your luck."