My Mate

Chapter 4

I grabbed my phone and checked the time: 4:30 a.m. I noticed a text from Cyrus, and my heart sank. I quickly opened his message: "Did you get the abortion?" I wasn't sure why it surprised me; he had made it clear he didn’t want me or this baby. I didn’t even bother to respond. I crawled out of bed, realizing it was as good a time as any to leave. Sleep was out of the question; I had tossed and turned most of the night.

I slipped into some sweatpants and a plain white T-shirt. After taking one last look around my apartment, I grabbed my bag and stepped out. I headed Southern, eager to leave Augusta behind. I drove, stopping only for gas and food, and when I finally crossed the Georgia border, a wave of relief washed over me. Cyrus kept bombarding my phone with text messages, a mix of questions and threats.

"Hello! Did you get it done?"

"You better have taken care of it."

"Open your door."

"Where are you?!"

"Answer your damn phone!"

Then came the message that made my skin crawl: "I’m sorry, I don’t know how this happened, but you can’t have a baby with me… I don’t want a half-breed."

I didn’t respond to any of his messages. He would never have to know that I decided to keep the baby. The thought of what would happen when I gave birth consumed me. Would it be a baby or a puppy? Oh my God… I don’t know if I can handle this. I felt the panic rising, so I pulled into a small restaurant on the side of the road. I just needed a moment to breathe. I was exhausted and overwhelmed. The restaurant was in a quaint, one-horse town, surrounded by fields and farm animals as far as the eye could see. It was peaceful here, and I found comfort in that.

I stepped inside the restaurant and settled into a cozy booth in the back corner. An older woman, perhaps in her early 50s, approached to take my order. Her friendly smile and sparkling eyes made me feel welcome. “Hi, sweetie! What can I get ya?” Her country accent was warm and inviting.

“I’ll just have a cheeseburger and some fries, please. And if you have any sweet tea, that would be great,” I replied. She laughed, her eyes lighting up even more. “Of course, we have sweet tea! What kind of Georgia restaurant would we be without it?" she said before heading off to place my order with the cook. I turned my gaze to the large window, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The view was stunning; I had never taken the time to appreciate a sunset before, but the colors against the fields were truly breathtaking.

Suddenly, a small bell chimed, signaling the arrival of a new customer. I could hear the sound of boots approaching the counter, but I resisted the urge to glance over, not wanting to appear nosy. As I waited for my food, I realized this was the perfect place to settle down and raise my child. It was quiet and small, and no one knew me here. I didn’t think Cyrus would be able to find me. However, I could hear whispers coming from the counter and felt the weight of curious stares on me.

Unable to endure it any longer, I shot a quick glance toward the counter. A tall man, easily over six feet, with bulging muscles and sun-kissed skin was chatting with my waiter. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him. His right arm was adorned with tattoos, and his striking sky-blue eyes contrasted sharply with his dark complexion and tousled brown hair. His Wrangler jeans fit him like a second skin, and his shirt hugged his physique. When our eyes locked, I could have sworn I saw a swirl of gray in his gaze—was I imagining it? Clearly, I still had a long way to go in moving on from Cyrus.

The cook rang the tiny bell on the counter, and the older lady picked up the plate of food to bring to me. Before she could make it around the counter, the cowboy snatched it from her, whispering something I couldn’t catch, and then approached me himself. My heart began to race as he drew closer. He flashed a smile that revealed a row of perfectly straight, white teeth. “How are you doin', ma’am?” he asked, placing my food in front of me, his southern drawl echoing that of the woman who had served me earlier.

“I-I’m fine, thank you,” I replied, feeling the familiar sting of embarrassment as I stuttered. Lately, my nerves had a way of getting the best of me, and I hated it. I avoided looking at the striking man beside me. “I’m Gael Black,” he said, extending his hand for a shake. “I’m Adelaide,” I said, shaking his outstretched hand. His skin was rough, yet his grip was surprisingly gentle. A jolt of electricity shot up my arm, and I quickly withdrew my hand, startled by the sensation.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked. I did mind, but I couldn’t bring myself to say so—not if I intended to stay in this town. “If you don’t mind me asking, where are you from?” And just like that, the questions began. I hadn’t considered this yet. Unsure whether to lie or tell the truth, I glanced at him while shoving a French fry into my mouth. Our eyes locked, and a wave of calm washed over me. I wasn’t nervous or scared anymore. “I’m from Augusta,” I said. His eyebrows shot up. “Oh yeah? What part?”

I hesitated, wondering if he might know people there. “I’m just curious what pack you’re running from,” he continued, his blue eyes flashing silver. My heart skipped a beat as panic surged through me. “It’s okay. Let me reintroduce myself: I’m Alpha Gael Black.” I hadn’t even finished my meal when a wave of nausea hit me. “I-I-I’m not a werewolf,” I whispered, glancing around the nearly empty restaurant. The only other people present were the older woman and the cook, who appeared to be preparing to leave, so I kept my voice low. He looked puzzled. “Then why do you smell like one?”

That was more than enough questions for me. My mind was racing, struggling to make sense of it all. I was already running from a werewolf when it felt like I stumbled right into another one. I jumped out of the booth, tossed down a tip, and dashed for the door. As I reached my car and fumbled to unlock the door, I heard footsteps behind me. s**t! I spun around and saw Gael standing a few feet away. Instantly, a wave of calm washed over me, and my heart rate began to slow. I had never experienced anything like this before, and, quite frankly, it was a little scary.

“I wasn’t trying to scare you. I’m just looking out for my pack, making sure you’re not trouble, but now…” He trailed off, leaving his sentence unfinished. But now what? What does that mean? Does he think I’m trouble? I suppose if Cyrus decided to come looking for me, it could create some issues, but I seriously doubt he will. “Look, you say you’re not a werewolf, yet you smell like one. I’d appreciate some answers.” He seemed to be holding something back, but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

“Look, I’m sorry, Alpha Gael. I really don’t want any trouble. I’m just exhausted from driving, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to try to find a hotel,” I said, doing my best to be polite. I didn’t want to provoke him; I’d seen enough movies to know what could happen when an alpha got angry. He looked either disappointed or sad—maybe a bit of both. It stirred a sense of guilt in me for not responding to his simple questions. “If you can just point me toward a hotel, I’ll answer your question, but you have to promise it stays between us.” I wasn’t sure if this was a mistake, but I was exhausted and just wanted to get some sleep.

His eyes brightened. “I promise, it’ll stay between us. And Mother's, I hate to break it to you, but we don’t have any hotels around here. However, you’re more than welcome to stay at my guest house behind my mother’s,” he said, gesturing toward the woman locking up the front door of the restaurant. So that’s his mom—how sweet.

I glanced around at the fields once more. It didn’t seem like I had many options unless I wanted to drive who knows how much longer to reach the next town. I sighed and nodded. “Do you want to take your car, or would you prefer to ride with my mother or me?” he asked, gesturing toward the older woman standing by an old pickup truck. “It’s an old dirt road, and it rained pretty hard last night, so it’s a bit muddy.” So, he wasn’t being creepy; he just wanted to make sure my car didn’t get stuck.

“I’ll ride with you, I guess, but don’t get any ideas. I have pepper spray,” I warned him. I wasn't certain if pepper spray would be effective against a werewolf, but I was willing to give it a shot. Surprisingly, I felt no sense of unease around him; in fact, I felt oddly at ease. He smiled, clearly trying to suppress a laugh, then placed his hat back on his head and gestured toward the large pickup parked at the corner of the restaurant’s lot. I noticed that the older woman had already left, leaving just the two of us. I grabbed my bag from the trunk of my car when he said, “Let me help ya,” taking my heavy duffel from my hands. A smile spread across my face—I couldn’t help it. This man was simply irresistible. I guess this is the Southern charm I’ve seen in movies.

I followed him to the truck, and he opened the passenger side door for me. I glanced at the truck and then back at him. “Umm, how am I supposed to get in?” I asked shyly. At 5'3", I knew I was on the shorter side, and I doubted I could even manage to run and jump into the truck. He laughed, tossing my bag into the pickup before turning to me. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me into the truck. A jolt of electricity coursed through me at his touch, leaving me momentarily stunned. I couldn’t quite understand what was happening. I really need some sleep, I reminded myself. I watched as he walked around to the front and climbed into the driver's seat. Good grief, this man looked like a Greek god. The pickup roared to life, and he turned to me, his expression serious. “So, care to explain?”

I hesitated, unsure if I should respond. “Let’s start with why you’re running,” he continued, his tone patient and kind—something I wasn’t accustomed to.

“Well… it’s all connected, really. You promise it will stay between us?” I needed to hear him say it one more time. He nodded in agreement, “Alright, so I’m human,” his tone suggested uncertainty rather than certainty. Gael simply smiled. “I’m human, and I’m pregnant.” There was no turning back now. I didn’t let him interject, “I got pregnant by a werewolf, and he... well, he doesn’t want the baby and told me to have an abortion. He said, and I quote, ‘I don’t want a half-breed.’ So, I walked away. I don’t know much about werewolves, and to be honest, the thought of having this baby terrifies me. I was given up as a child, and I refuse to do that to my own kid. I just didn’t know what else to do. I’m afraid of him, which is why I can’t let anyone know I’m here.”

I glanced at Gael, who was gripping the steering wheel so tightly that I thought it might snap. He looked furious. “I’m sorry, just take me back to my car. I’ll leave.”

“I really don’t want any trouble.” I turned to the window, trying to conceal the tears that were streaming down my face. The pickup came to a halt in the middle of the road. “Look at me,” Gael ordered. I quickly wiped my face before meeting his gaze. “You are my mate. No one will hurt you; I promise on my life. Please don’t cry.” He gently brushed his thumb under my eyes, wiping away more of my tears. “I don’t understand what that means, and I don’t need you to fight my battles; I can handle myself just fine.” I wasn’t sure why I felt this sudden surge of anger, but I refused to let another werewolf use me and discard me as Cyrus had. I wouldn’t allow that to happen again.