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I watch as her eyes dart around the tiny room but there is no other escape because the door behind me is the only way out. Unless she wants to catapult herself out of the window and risk breaking those precious candle holders she clearly needs.

My eyes wander across her attire, she's dressed in dark grey cargos, ones with rips across the thighs and the backs of the knees. I'm sure they're not intentional. A black jumper that is clung to her chest and arms like a thermal and black converse that have definitely seen better days.

Her features convince me that she's in her early twenties, free of makeup or any jewellery. I don't even know if she's a guest at the committee but my senses are telling me no because she would not be allowed inside dressed in those clothes.

The blonde hair that cascades down her back is almost platinum, so blonde that it's not even natural. Her complexion is pale but not a sickly pale, a healthy shade against her light hair.

I can't read anything from her except her scent which has my heart thrashing away inside my chest like a child in a toy store. But I can't help but notice that my own scent doesn't have her reacting in any kind of way.

She might not belong here but I still want her, of course I still want her. She's my soul-mate, gifted from the Moon Goddess. She is made for me and I can see past all the materialistic shit, I don't care about any of that.

It's obvious that she's beautiful, the face of the most angelic soul. Although her body language tells me different, it could never take away from her attractiveness in my eyes.

Her attention is drawn to the window after a few moments but she turns away her gaze and then looks back at the door behind me, blonde knotted hair flowing over her shoulder. She takes one step to the left suddenly and I copy her quick actions, this encounter is far from over.

"Don't even think about it," my voice is deeper than I expect.

Her blue eyes flick between mine, she gulps for a second and then shakes out her body, straightening her spine. She's trying not to act scared even though she's just been caught stealing gold candle holders but I see past her little act.

"Look," she huffs out and places one hand on her hip. "I'm not here to cause trouble, I was just leaving."

The voice that floats out of her mouth isn't the one I dreamt of, she's not soft and delicate in her words, instead she's harsh and her pronunciation is sharp. She's trying to get her message across without seeming like a pushover.

I flex an eyebrow at her. "Causing no trouble... huh?"

She shakes her head in my direction, flicking her eyes between me again. I can tell she's squaring up to me in her mind but on the outside she stays well, well away from me.

"What's in the bag?" I ask curiously.

My eyes snap down to the fabric tote bag over her shoulder, she clutches the handle and holds it close to her chest. Her eyes grow cold within a matter of seconds. "Nothing, it's nothing."

"No?" I step closer and her hand begins to shake, she's gripping the handle so hard I'm expecting her knuckles to turn white any given moment. "Because it looks like a bunch of items you've stolen from the committee."

"There is nothing of worth in this bag anyway." I notice how her jaw tightens. When I don't instantly respond she huffs out a harsh breath and stares me down. "Are you trying to give me a lecture or snitch on me?"

My arms fold over my chest by default and I shrug. "Neither, I'm just asking considering you are my mate after all."

The words rumble from my chest and even I'm stunned by that sentence, one that I've dreamt of saying for years and years and now that time has come. Except my mate is a thief and she still doesn't seem phased by the sense of my scent or the bond.

Nothing is affecting her at all.

The girl flinches from my sentence and then shakes her head, ridding herself of these words. Her body turns rigid and something casts over her expression, something that I wish I could read.

"We're not mates."

Well that fucking hurts.

My wolf howls loudly inside me, so loud that it almost knocks the air out of my lungs. She doesn't want to accept we're mates? She probably thinks I'm going to hand her into security and get her in trouble but that's the last thing I want to do.

So I inhale a slow breath and showcase a soft smile on my lips, one so that I don't scare her away. "Yes we are," I say and then pause because I don't want to bombard her words. "And if you're worried about me 'snitching', best believe I've got other things to think about."

She debates my words for a fraction of a second. "We can't be," she says in her next breath. "We can't be mates."

The tone of her voice proves to me that she doesn't want to hear any more, she's convinced herself of this and there is no changing her mind. But she's naive to think I'm just going to leave without putting up a fight.

Is the idea of mates not important to her at all?

My head tilts towards her. "Says who?"

"Says me."

I can't help the scoff that leaves my chest. "And that's just how it's going to go is it?"

"Yes," she hisses through her teeth and glances down at the floor. She squeezes her bag tighter one last time and moves closer to me. "Now if you'll excuse me."

Before she can make it to the door behind me I stop her, I'm twice if not three times her size and there is no way she's getting away this easily. She stops when our feet are parallel to each other, she trails her eyes up my legs, my chest and finally they rest on my face.

"You can't just walk away from this." My arms are still folded over my chest. "Wolves wait years for this moment and you just want to walk away like it's nothing?"

She swallows harshly and grunts. "Or what?" Her voice is stronger now. "You'll restrain me?"

"I won't lay a finger on you," I say because it's true.

What trust would she give me if I manhandle her like something I own?

I cannot force her to do anything so words are my next best option.

"So I can go then?" She longates her words and points to the door.

My lungs inhale as much air as I can and then puff out my chest because all I can smell is her scent, the one that could send my wolf into a fit of wildness. I want to close my eyes as soon as it touches my nose but I refrain because this is not the time to enjoy her scent when she wants absolutely nothing to do with me.

"What is your problem?" I find myself saying this because I don't know how else to get her to stay.

She recoils from my words and scowls at me. "I don't have a problem, I was just minding my business and you're up in here trying to disturb that."

I can feel my nostrils flare but I compose myself. Do not react to her words. She's trying to get to you.

"What's your name?"

Her eyes roll dramatically.

"What is your name?" I repeat but louder.

She releases a deep and morbid sigh, her eyes scanning around the room before she smiles and pans her gaze back to me. "Lily," she flashes me a forced grin. "My name is Lily."

"Lily?"

"Yes, that's what I said." Her tone expresses how her patience is wearing thin. She might not want to be standing here with me but I do, a moment like this cannot be passed up.

She might be a tough person to crack but I've never given up on anyone in my life.

"Okay," I say as I clear my throat. "Well I'm Everett."

"Okay?" She mumbles. "Can I go now?"

My eyes narrow in her direction, not being able to grasp what the hell is happening right now. "You really want to walk away from me, from this?"

Lily yawns and then walks around me but I don't stop her, I said I wouldn't touch her and I stick to my word. I rotate towards her body as she reaches the door, pressing a hand down onto the handle. "It's for your own good, you'll just end up regretting this, regretting ever meeting me." There is a certain sadness in her eyes which has me hating everything because I wish I could understand her thought process for abandoning me here.

"Don't you think that should be up to me to decide?" I struggle with my words.

Her lip finds its way between her teeth and she tugs at it. "Trust me," her shoulders drop from a tense sigh. "It's for your own good. You'll thank me one day."

My lips open to speak, anything to get her to turn around and give this a shot. "You can't ignore the feeling of the bond because even I can feel it, and I know that it's true, that it's real."

I study her movements as she presses down on the golden handle and slips from the door, her actions sleek and her exit completely silent. My eyes focus on the spot she was standing merely seconds ago and I can't help but grow angry at myself for not trying harder.

But what am I supposed to do?

Pin her down and claim that she's mine? She'd hate me forever and I'd never get her to come around from that.

If she wants to give up on me that easily, fine. But now I know her scent, I know her face and her voice, I will be able to find her again and give the encounter another go.

Not until she agrees to sit down with me and we can talk, talk because that is what mates do. They get to know each other, regardless of what has happened in our pasts. Mates are supposed to understand, to consolidate and help you grow.

I can't do any of that if she shuts me off before we even give it a shot.

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Author's Note
Read up to chapter 46 on Patreon and bonus chapters! Link in bio.

Hello friends, what did you think of the second chapter?🫢🫢

Should Everett have stopped Lily? I respect that he didn't manhandle her, Everett doesn't believe in that and I love his soft Alpha nature❤️

But best believe he is a menace in those sheets!

Don't forget to vote and leave a comment if you enjoyed!

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