Chapter 117: Chapter 11

COLE

I can’t believe this is really happening. I’ve found my mate, I’m sure of it. Alexis is a beautiful name, but I think Lexi suits her just a little bit better.

Goddess, she’s stunning, even more beautiful than I imagined. I hoped that she would be the one, but there was always that doubt in the back of my mind. I do have a mate.

The Goddess gifted me a mate. I’m not a mistake, I do have another half of my soul. I was right to come here.

I was right to follow this random lead. Thank you, Goddess. Thank you, Dara. Thank you, Rosalie. Thank you, Ethan. And thank you, Mom and Dad, for helping me find her after all this time.

I don’t think Lexi recognizes me as her mate yet, but when she looks in my eyes, I think there’s at least a thread of the bond there. I definitely felt it when she locked eyes with me.

When I touched her hand, my whole body felt like a live wire. When she walked past me, trying to grab my attention, I realized that she thinks she has to. Like I would notice anyone else after meeting her.

Dara was right. I’m one hundred percent sure Lexi is my mate, even though she doesn’t seem to know. I touch my lips, thinking of my time with Dara.

I still have no regret. She’s incredibly special to me, or I wouldn’t be able to think about her with my mate here in my arms. Lexi’s head leans heavily on my shoulder, and I smile that she recognizes enough to know I’m not a threat to her.

I grab her throw and toss it over her dainty yet sexy body. I move my arm around her shoulders and turn her so her head rests on my chest.

My finger tangles around a dark strand of smooth, soft hair. I can’t resist the urge to smell her hair, then kiss the warm skin of her forehead. I’m curious as to how this is going to work out.

I feel our bond completely, but I fear it’s one-sided. What happens if I’m just some guy to her?

I can’t push too hard too fast. I have to get her to fall for me, which could definitely become a problem. She thinks she’s human and knows of nothing else.

“Goddess, we can’t just mate like everyone else. She would freak out if I marked her. How can we complete a mating anyway without her wolf?”

“Fuck, I’m destined to be her little puppy, always following her around. I can’t shift in front of her either. It would give her nightmares.”

“How the hell am I going to introduce her to our world? She’ll probably see me as a monster and think I infected her like some stupid Hollywood film.”

“A bite from a werewolf doesn’t turn a human, that’s so absurd.” Lexi adjusts her body and her sweet magnolia scent wafts to me.

I close my eyes and deeply inhale. The room doesn’t smell completely of Lexi, and I know she recently moved in. Fuck, that’s another thing; how am I going to get her to move to my pack?

I can’t stay up here with the Smith Pack. I would go crazy with those misogynistic assholes. I can’t take her home for her to accidentally see someone shift.

I don’t care about any contract she may have signed for the apartment. I can just pay the fees, but I need to be around other wolves. We’re social creatures; our strength comes from our pack.

Me especially as an alpha… an alpha of what though? It’s obvious that Lexi is not the next Oracle, so I’m not the next king.

What does that make me? I’m ranked just below my dad, but equal to Jason as the king’s beta, but higher than any other alpha, including Alpha Declan Redd.

Even Conall and Derrick are under me. They’re just regular alphas even though they’re mated to my sisters. What does that make you, my sleeping beauty?

I kiss my Lexi’s soft hair then switch off the movie. I adjust us so we’re laying out on the couch.

I really like this couch. It’s extra wide and we both fit on it. She snuggles close to me, her nose seeking my marking spot where our scents are the strongest.

I wonder if it’s her wolf seeking me out. I really need help on this one. I don’t know what to do. I can’t seek out the Oracle; she can’t see my future.

She barely saw Lexi’s thread. Goddess help me, but I’m screwed. Wyatt thinks mating will awaken her wolf, but that could traumatize her.

I would have to introduce her to the Were world before I mate her. I’m certain no wolf has ever mated a human. How would that even work? She doesn’t have the right teeth.

I ever so gently lift her partially open mouth to see her humanlike canines. They’re way too small and dull to get the job done.

I grunt as all of these problems pile up in my mind. Her fingers curl into my shirt, and I reflexively hold her tighter.

My mind clears, and I focus my attention on my mate. My mate that I’m holding against my shirt as she sleeps in my arms.

For now, this is all I need. I’ll worry about the rest when the time comes. I adjust the thin throw around her shoulders, then take her hand in mine, holding it to my chest.

I kiss her head goodnight, then close my eyes and let sleep take me.

Lexi

I wake up comfortably sandwiched between my couch cushions and a warm, solid body, my head resting on a firm shoulder. Cole’s hand holds mine to his chest, and his other arm is holding me to him.

Our legs are intertwined under my throw as he continues to peacefully snooze. I have no idea how we ended up in this position, but I can only assume it’s Cole’s doing.

Rather than wake him, I lay my head back on his shoulder and inhale his manly scent. Mmm, heaven. My eyes close and relax, trying to figure out the events of last night.

A few minutes of flirting and the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on is crashed on my couch. I’ve never had a man in my apartment before, let alone one that made himself at home in seconds.

Oddly, I am completely comfortable with him. It’s almost as if he belongs here, better yet, belongs to me. He inhales deeply, then stretches his legs and feet.

His arm that is holding me runs up my arm, and he kisses the top of my head.

“Morning, Lexi. Please tell me you’re a coffee drinker.”

His voice is husky from sleep and sexy as sin.

I softly chuckle and shake my head.

“Sorry. Fresh out.”

He opens one eye to look at me.

“That’s it. I’m breaking up with you.”

His little smirk lets me know he’s joking.

I attempt to stand, but he tightens his grip, refusing to let me up.

“Are you planning on leaving me already?”

I give him the most innocent face I can muster.

“You’re the one that dumped me.”

A full-on smile spreads across his face, and I think I’m in love. His dimples soften his features, making him even more attractive.

He brings my hand to his lips for a soft kiss, then turns his body to his side, facing me.

I rest my head on his arm as he plays with my stray hairs, his eyes holding mine.

“What is your schedule like?”

I reach up to touch his handsome face with my fingers.

“I don’t really have anything until graduation. I need to start looking for a job. I have bills to pay.”

He turns his body back to where he was originally sleeping, this time pulling me on top of him, and wiggles until he’s comfortable.

“Perfect,” he says as he closes his eyes.

I prop my head up with my hand.

“Do you normally crash on the couch of girls you pick up at clubs?”

His arms wrap around me.

“No, never.”

He guides my head back down to his chest.

I need to do my morning business and definitely brush my teeth. I kiss his chin, then climb off of him.

“I need to freshen up.”

He grunts but lets me go.

After a quick shower and dressing in a cute summer dress and light makeup, I walk back out to find Cole facing away from me as he works at the stove.

“No coffee, no orange juice. What the hell do you drink in the mornings?”

He doesn’t even turn around as he calls out to me.

“Usually either water or chocolate milk. I’m allergic to oranges and caffeine gives me headaches,” I tell him as I sit at the island.

He turns around and gives me a confused look.

“You get headaches and have allergies?”

“Uh, yeah…? It’s not uncommon.”

My cheeks warm up as he looks me over for another moment. He turns back around to finish cooking.

He places two plates of pancakes right next to each other, then grabs the butter dish and some syrup to lay out on the counter. He grabs two glasses and pours chocolate milk in both, then takes the seat beside me.

He holds my hand in his as we eat, and I realize he’s a lefty. Breakfast is delicious. We spend this time asking questions about each other and making small talk.

“So, tell me about yourself. How old are you? What do you do? What is your family like?” I ask to cover the basics.

“Well.” He swallows, then takes a drink of the chocolate milk. “I’m 25. I’m the oldest of a set of triplets, two identical sisters Angie and Ellie. I’m from North Carolina. I do a lot of traveling, helping my parents with the family business.”

I set my glass back down.

“You’re working now?”

He gives me his smirk.

“Not at the moment. I guess you could say I’m on vacation. My parents are going to Greenland today, then next weekend they’ll be in Idaho. Unless my dad needs me to check in on things, I’ll be here. What about you? Same questions.”

I push my hair over my ear and reveal my life story.

“I’m twenty-one. As you know, I’m fresh out of college. I’m going to start applying for jobs ASAP. Right now I work part-time at a call center and I hate it. I took last week off for finals, but it ate up all of my sick leave. My brother is in North Carolina, he came up here to help me move last weekend, but he works a lot so I won’t get to see him anytime soon. My mom is crazy and lives in Montana and my dad was never really around when we were kids.”

He nods along with everything I tell him.

Once he’s finished eating, Cole places his dishes in the sink then grabs his clothes and heads to the bathroom.

He comes out fully clothed, including his tie, and just as sexy as last night.

“Are you planning on leaving me already?” I throw his words back at him as he slips his suit jacket on.

His full-on dazzling smile has me nibbling my lip and it’s then I realize that I want to make him smile as often as possible.

His thumb pulls my lip from between my teeth.

“You don’t have coffee,” he tells me as he pulls me against his body.

His lips trace mine before he actually commits to a full-on kiss.

His breath is fresh and clean and I can taste the mint on his tongue as it explores my mouth with delicate precision.

I close my eyes and bask in the glory of feeling his skilled mouth.

His manhood comes to life and I step back, twiddling my fingers together as warmth spreads across my face.

Cole’s thumb pulls my lip out of my teeth again. Then he has me look up at him.

“What has you freaking out? This is the first time you’ve been uncomfortable since we met.”

I look down as I slowly hook my hair over my ear.

“I um... I felt your... your...” I can’t get the words out.

Cole chuckles then abruptly stops.

“You’ve never been with a man, have you?”

I look away but then shake my head no.

“Good to know.” He holds my face and gives me another kiss. This one is soft and sweet.

“I’ll be back, Lexi. Don’t go anywhere, okay? I don’t want to have to sit on the steps and wait for you to get back.”

“You are coming back?” I ask as he opens the door then turns to face me.

His eyes smolder and he softly smiles.

“Of course. There’s still a lot I don’t know about you.”

He reaches out his hand.

I accept it.

His thumb runs over my knuckles before he kisses each one.

He pulls me in for one more quick kiss.

“Wait for me.”

I nod. Then he closes the door, leaving me standing alone in my apartment.

It’s the first time ever I feel like something is missing.