Pizza Date
1775 Words
Damn it. This store falls under his pack. That must mean the guy behind the counter was the assigned employee for this branch. Caleb’s eyes narrowed, jaw ticking with irritation.
Autumn, meanwhile, blinked between the manager and Caleb, confusion knitting her brows.
Did that man… greet us?
Did he just say alpha?
What even is an alpha? A name? A title?
She turned slowly toward Caleb. “What did he just call you?”
Caleb instantly went rigid. His muscles tightened. Damn him.
‘You better explain it to her properly. And don't you dare call me alpha again.’ Caleb growled in the mindlink, making the store manager shrink.
Maximus growled in his head. ‘And someone tell that i***t to stop shouting alpha!’
Caleb’s mental snarl cracked through the mindlink like thunder, and the manager visibly flinched. He scrambled for a recovery, forcing a nervous, overly wide smile.
“Oh! Ah—uh—hello! I mean—we, uh—we yell alpha here when couples walk in.” He nodded too fast, too eagerly. “Like a greeting. Tradition!”
“Huh?” Autumn hummed. He is weird.
‘i***t!’ Caleb yelled again in mindlink.
Autumn turned to Caleb as she whispered, “he's creepy. Do you wanna go to another place?”
Great! Now she thinks my establishments are run by creeps. Caleb sighed.
But before he could defend the place—or the i***t employee—Autumn exhaled a frosty breath and said, “Forget it. The whole street is buried under snow. Let’s just eat and leave.”
Caleb leaned down, his voice dropping to a low, protective rumble. “Don’t worry. No one touches you while I’m here. You’ll always be safe.”
Her heart lurched again.
His eyes… why do his eyes feel like gravity? Like they’re pulling me in every time I meet them?
Caleb straightened slowly, studying her face. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re red again.”
Autumn cleared her throat so fast she almost choked. I’m red because of you, you stupidly handsome refrigerator of muscles.
She forced a crooked smile. “N-no, nothing. Let’s eat.”
“Okay.” Caleb guided her toward a table, then reached out to gently pull the chair back for her.
“Oh—thank you,” Autumn said softly.
I have been with Julian for so many years but he never pulled a chair for me before. Hell, sometimes he didn’t even show up on dates and I had to sit in a restaurant all by myself for hours only to be humiliated. A sigh left her lips as she touched the back of the high chair.
Jesus, I hate these chairs. They are way too high. How do they expect me to sit on it? Do they expect me to pole-vault onto it?
Her brain was still spiraling when Caleb’s voice slid right against her ear.
“Hold still.”
Autumn looked up—and froze. Caleb was right there, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him.
Before she could even inhale, his arms slid around her waist, lifting her as if she weighed nothing and settling her gently onto the tall chair.
It happened so quickly, so effortlessly, her brain lagged behind.
She blinked. Once. Twice. He… did he just pick me up?
By the time she found breath again, Caleb was already walking around to the other side of the table, completely unfazed.
“Did you just—” Autumn stammered.
“Help my fiancée have a seat?” Caleb finished, flashing her a smile that sent a wildfire down her spine. “My pleasure.”
Her heart raced again. God, this man! He is nothing like Julian. He wants to make me believe in love again!
The counter attendant arrived before she could muster a response. “Hello. What can I get for you two?”
Autumn glanced at the menu, then looked at Caleb. “What do you want?”
Caleb’s fingers brushed over hers where her hand rested on the table—barely a touch, but enough to jolt her.
“Whatever you want is perfect,” he said softly.
Autumn's eyes went wide. Julian never asked me what I want. It was always about him. What he wants. What he likes. He never cared. And I was just expected to deal with it.
“I’m not picky,” Autumn murmured shyly.
“You’re allowed to be picky when you’re with me,” Caleb replied with a small smile.
“You… you’re just saying that,” she whispered before she could stop herself.
“Why would I?” His brows dipped, genuinely confused.
Autumn swallowed hard. All the unspoken insecurity, all the years of being treated like an afterthought, spilled out in a breath. “I know you don’t care. You don’t have to pretend.”
Because that’s all this is, right?
A job.
He’s only here because I offered money.
Her chest ached as she whispered, “You don’t have to make me feel special.”
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes again—but before they could fall, Caleb’s hand closed firmly around hers. The warmth, the strength, the certainty in his grip… it was like her pain was being siphoned straight out of her chest. Her breathing steadied without her permission.
“I’m not pretending, Autumn.” His voice dropped, deep and unshakable. “I will never pretend with you.”
The finality in his tone silenced every tremor inside her.
Across the counter, the shop manager visibly stiffened. His gaze darted between them in disbelief. Alpha Caleb, dressed like a homeless, holding a human woman’s hand, speaking to her like she was precious—this was a sight no sane wolf expected to see.
Caleb Blackwood, who never let women close, who kept every distance because he was waiting for a mate… now sitting here, softening like melted snow under her touch.
There was only one explanation.
And the manager suddenly knew it.
This human was his mate. And possibly doesn't know yet about who Caleb was.
“Ahem ahem!” He cleared his throat, trying not to gawk. “If you two don’t mind… may I suggest the meat lover? It’s our best seller.”
Autumn blinked, glancing from the menu to the man. “Oh. That actually sounds pretty good.”
Her shoulders loosened slightly.
He’s not so bad… maybe he just wanted to diffuse the tension.
“Bring it,” Caleb said, his voice slipping into something commanding—effortless authority that made the manager’s spine straighten.
Another shiver. Another bow of the head.And Autumn’s brows pinched.
This man… he’s really just homeless? Why does he talk like that? Why does everyone react like he’s… someone?
Autumn shook her head. Maybe I am just overthinking.
The pizza came up in ten minutes. Caleb smiled at her as he spoke, “let's dig in.”
“Okay,” Autumn murmured.
Caleb reached for the serving spatula, lifted the first slice, and gently placed it on her plate before serving himself. The small gesture shouldn’t have meant anything… but it did. Autumn felt her throat tighten.
I shouldn’t have reacted that way. He’s probably just being nice. She sighed inwardly.
“Thank you,” she whispered. Then, after a beat, “And… I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
Caleb’s smile was soft, warm, and devastatingly patient. “You can yell at me all you want, Autumn. You’re my fiancée. You have every right.”
“You don’t really mean that,” she muttered, almost to herself.
“And why not?” he asked casually, taking a bite of his pizza like her doubts were the strangest thing in the world.
“No, I mean… I’m paying you to pretend. And we– we don’t even know each other.” She stammered, searching for logic that wasn’t crumbling under his gaze.
“I know you well enough,” Caleb said, wiping his thumb against the corner of his mouth. “You’re kind. You like to wear yellow—by the way, it suits you. And you prefer lilies over roses.”
Autumn froze, her eyes widening. She had been with Julian for years. He didn’t know half of that.
“How on earth do you know all that?” she asked, stunned.
Caleb’s expression softened as he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to a whisper that brushed her skin like a secret, “Because I noticed.”
Her breath hitched.
The world slipped into a softer hue as they ate. Time didn’t just pass—it drifted around them, unnoticed, suspended between shared glances and shy smiles. Her heart, heavy a few hours ago, felt startlingly light.
Autumn laughed quietly, brushing a stray curl behind her ear. “You make me feel like we’re on a real date.”
Caleb’s lips lifted into a slow, confident smirk. “We are, fiancée. Our very first one.”
Autumn choked on her food. A… date? Aren't we just pretending to be… engaged?
“It’s getting late. Let’s go,” she said quickly, trying to gather herself.
Caleb was on his feet instantly. “Let me help you,” he murmured, guiding her gently as she stepped down from the chair.
“Thank you…” Autumn whispered. Warmth bubbled inside her chest—unexpected but impossible to ignore.
Caleb didn’t let go of her hand. Instead, he laced their fingers and led her toward the door with a confidence that made her pulse skip.
“Wait,” Autumn said suddenly. “We haven’t paid yet.”
The manager rushed forward at once. “Oh! No need for that.”
“Caleb’s eyes narrowed at the man. His voice thundered through the mindlink, ‘You better come up with a good reason.’
The manager swallowed hard and forced a shaky smile. “B–Because… you are our fiftieth customer of… uh… pre-Christmas week!” He let out a nervous laugh. “So the meal is on the house.”
“Is that even a thing?” Autumn whispered.
“Goddess knows,” Caleb muttered. The poor man was absolutely doomed.
“Let’s go,” Caleb said, slipping his arm around her protectively.
Just as he was to leave the store, Julian walked in.
His eyes locked on Autumn first, shock flickering… then darkening as they slid to Caleb, whose arm was firmly around her waist.
Julian’s lip curled. “Well, well… look what we have here. The trash finally found her trash.”
- Writer
