Chapter 5
1207 Words
Casey stares at her phone like it just exposed her deepest secret to the world.
“He knows,” she whispers.
“What?” Molly demands immediately.
“He knows.” Casey sits straight up on her bed, heart racing. “He knew in the bedroom. He knew I was fighting it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He said he followed me because of my scent. And once we were inside…” Her voice drops to a horrified whisper. “He could smell my arousal.”
There’s a beat of silence.
Then Molly bursts into laughter.
“This is not funny!” Casey hisses, pacing now. “I am never leaving this house again.”
“Casey,” Molly says between giggles, “you’re a wolf. That is literally how this works.”
“That does not make it better.”
“He’s your mate.”
“That does not make it less embarrassing!”
Casey presses her hand to her forehead and starts pacing the length of her bedroom.
“He knows I wanted him,” she says dramatically. “He knows I was fighting the pull.”
“And?” Molly challenges.
“And I can’t face him!”
“Why not?”
“Because what if he thinks I’m weak? Or desperate?”
There’s a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone.
“Casey,” Molly says patiently, “we are wolves. When we find our mates, we don’t politely schedule emotional development. We jump at them the chance we get.”
Casey groans. “Can you stop saying jump?”
“No. Why are you holding back? Especially from the sexy beast that is Miles?”
Casey flops onto her bed face-first and muffles her voice into the pillow.
“Because every girl throws herself at him!”
She rolls over, staring at the ceiling.
“I don’t want to be just another girl.”
Molly’s voice softens.
“You are not another girl.”
Casey’s throat tightens.
“You are his mate.”
The word settles heavy in her chest.
“But he still has choices,” Casey whispers. “He could reject me.”
“Why would he?”
“What if I’m not enough? What if he decides I’m too complicated? I haven’t even shifted yet. What kind of future Luna can’t even shift?”
Molly exhales slowly.
“He already told you he wants you.”
Casey closes her eyes, remembering his voice. The way he said it. The certainty.
I want you.
Her stomach flips.
“And he kissed you twice,” Molly adds helpfully.
“Don’t remind me.”
“You literally just reminded me.”
Casey presses her fingers to her lips unconsciously.
“The second one was worse,” she mutters.
“Worse how?”
“It wasn’t shocking like the first one. It was… intentional. He took his time. Like he knew I wouldn’t pull away.”
Molly goes quiet.
“And you didn’t pull away?” she asks softly.
“No.”
“Did you want to?”
Casey hesitates.
“…No.”
Silence lingers between them, thick and honest.
“He makes me feel like I’m already his,” Casey admits quietly. “And I don’t know if that scares me or makes me feel safe.”
Before Molly can respond—
Her phone vibrates.
Both girls freeze.
Molly whispers, “Is it him?”
Casey looks down.
Unknown number.
Her stomach drops.
“I don’t recognize it,” she says nervously.
“Answer it.”
“What if it’s him?”
“It is him.”
Casey swallows and clicks over.
“Hold on,” she whispers to Molly.
She answers.
“Hello?”
There’s a brief pause.
Then—
“Casey.”
Her breath catches instantly.
Miles.
“Are you ignoring my messages?”
Her heart starts slamming against her ribs.
“Uh—no. Sorry. I was… washing my hands.”
Silence.
“Washing your hands?” he repeats slowly.
“Yes,” she says quickly. “Because I was doing the dishes.”
Another pause.
“Casey.”
Her pulse spikes at the tone.
“You are a very bad liar.”
Heat rushes into her cheeks.
“But it’s cute,” he adds.
Her heart stumbles.
She hears the faint sound of him exhaling on the other end. It’s not angry. It’s controlled. Amused.
“You read them,” he says quietly.
It’s not a question.
“Yes.”
“And?”
She opens her mouth… closes it again.
“I’m embarrassed,” she blurts.
A low chuckle rumbles through the phone.
“Why?”
“Because you knew.”
“I always knew.”
Her stomach flips.
“You think I didn’t notice how your scent changed when I got close?” he continues. “You were fighting yourself.”
She grips the phone tighter.
“I didn’t want to lose control.”
“You wouldn’t have.”
The certainty in his voice makes her knees weak.
“Casey,” he says more gently, “I’m not some random male chasing a reaction from you. I’m your mate.”
Her chest tightens.
“I know.”
“Then stop acting like you have to hide from me.”
Silence stretches.
Then he shifts the tone.
“Can I see you tomorrow?”
Her brain scrambles.
“NO!” she blurts again.
There’s a long pause.
“I mean,” she rushes, “I have classes. And I won’t be around.”
“Casey.”
Her name in his voice does dangerous things to her pulse.
“Are you worried something may happen between us?”
“No,” she says too fast. “Not at all.”
A soft laugh.
“You’re terrible at this.”
“At what?”
“Pretending you don’t want me.”
Her breath catches.
“I do have classes,” she insists weakly.
“I know.”
She blinks.
“You do?”
“I know your schedule.”
Her stomach drops in a completely different way.
“You—what?”
“Relax,” he says smoothly. “It’s public information. You have late afternoon lectures tomorrow.”
She opens her mouth to argue—
“Seven,” he continues calmly.
“What?”
“I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“That’s not what I—”
“Night, Casey.”
The line clicks dead.
She stares at her phone in disbelief.
Slowly, she brings it back to her ear.
“He’s picking me up at seven.”
Molly squeals so loudly Casey has to pull the phone away.
“Oh my God. He is so confident.”
Casey presses her hand to her racing heart.
“I think I’m going to pass out.”
“You are not passing out. You are going on a date with the future Alpha.”
Casey stares at the ceiling again.
“He sounds so sure,” she whispers.
“Because he is.”
One month.
One month until the bond completes.
And already, Miles sounds like a man who has no intention of letting her run.
Casey swallows.
Seven suddenly feels very close.
- Writer
