Renata ran out the back door of the restaurantâ¦yelling âlock up tonight, Barneyâ as she went. She started the car and backed out..heading to her house. A mate? Another mate? How is this possible? But it feels different, this time. Her heart feels different. All the signs she had been told about are there..all of themâ¦the scentâ¦the sparks..the pull in her chest.. Before it was just the scent⦠Sheâs scared. And sheâs scarred!! The BlackAlpha? Will he beat her? Kill her? Why is this happening!!?
She stands in her kitchenâ¦looking at the mountain of dishes she had cooked in her frenzy. She pulled her earphones out and sighed. Taking out plastic ware..she began to portion out the lasagne and chicken alfredoâ¦the spinach quiche was covered in foil for later. It was too much..and would go to the orphanage tomorrow. Her head gets lost in the clouds and this is what happens!
Itâs late afternoon. Renata decides she needs fresh air. She changes into jeans and hiking boots and heads out to the waterfall past the old campground⦠She is lost in thought againâ¦trying to stem her tears..she walks directly into a huge man! Ending on her ass.
â I am so sorry. I didnât see you thereâ¦although I donât see how that argument can hold waterâ¦seeing as how youâre big as a house! How freaking tall are you? Oh⦠Renata Reynolds..nice bumping into you, I guess?â She rambles
The giant rumbles with laughter! âAaron Clark, at your service! What has you so pensive that you didnât see this house? And Iâm 6â7⦠how tall are you?âhe responds to her
She giggles..a tinkling sound that warms him to his soul..she replies âIâm 5â even..and I met my mate today. Or I met another mate today. I donât know. Itâs confusing. Can you have two mates? And if you canâ¦does that mean this second one will beat and torture me until he rejects me? Are you busy? I really need someone to listen and if Iâm imposing..then just say so..Iâm not great making friends..no scratch that! I make friends..they just donât stick around long..and Iâm rambling again..always when my brain overloads. Iâm sorryâ
He stands thereâ¦mouth open..amazed how fast she talks! He mindlinks Orion.. ðº Hey bro. Just leaving the campgroundâ¦serious question though.. Can I take a couple hours to sit with this little woman who bumped into me? She seems seriously rattled, going on about two mates..and meeting the other one today. Confusing, but entertaining as Fuck! ðº ââIs her name Renata?â ðº Yeah! You know her? ðºâIâm the second mateâ¦see what you can learnâ ðº Shit dude! Sheâs already said ALOT! I will do my best ðº
Aaron says âLead the way MiLady! I am yours for the afternoon!â And he took off following her on her hike.
âYouâre a wolf, right?! I can tell. Wolves have such distinctive features. I have never seen an ugly wolf. Have you? Do they make ugly wolves? Iâm not a wolf..Not that I wouldnât make a good one..because I would! I would make a damn fine wolf, right? Oh! Oh shit! Fuck me! Are you in Orionâs pack? You must be..I know you arenât with Lionelâ¦you seem too caring!â She rambles on..
Slow down little fairy! Letâs sit right here and enjoy the waterfallâ¦let it soothe our nerves. Yes. My brother and I are both part of Orionâs pack..I am his Beta. And you would make a fine wolfâ¦but thatâs a conversation for another day.. How about you tell me about this first mate, hmm? Maybe we can puzzle this out together?â he tries soothing her
âAlmost two years ago, I was living in Maine..just graduated from culinary school and working at my first job! Sous chef in an upscale restaurant! The night after my 18th birthdayâ¦a group of men came in..they ate dinner and asked to see the chef to thank him and the bastard sent me to the table! Anyway, they were from pack North of Bangor. The alpha said his name is Luke and heâs my mate. I said noâ¦that couldnât be right. None of the signs were there..they left shortly after that! Two weeks later, I wake up in this cold wet place..chained to a wall. Every dayâ¦every damn dayâ¦he was there. Screaming at me..saying I am his mate. Every day, I said noâ¦and every time I said no..he beat me.. he whipped meâ¦he burned me..he cut meâ she cried.
Aaron pulled her to him and hugged her tightâ¦just holding her ðº Orion? Did you get all that?â¦Orion? ðº Heâs running. He needs it ðº Abrahamâ¦did yâall hear everything? ðº Yes. Itâs why heâs runningâ¦keep the link open! I need as much info as you can get!
âI escaped. One of the serving girls slipped me a key in a sandwich one night. I waited until after midnight and I tricked the guard.. I managed to get past him and I ran. I ran for days. I had to stop every couple days to rest and I reached the outskirts of a town..somewhere in Kansas, I thinkâ¦before I collapsed. I spent two weeks in the hospital..and when they finally let me go..I ran again!â Her cries are sniffles now. But she stays leaned against him.
âTell me, fairyâ¦what pack was this? Do you remember anything about it?â He asksâ¦she whispered âHow do you know?â Aaron looks confused..âKnow what?â
âHow do you know Iâm a fairy? You arenât going to tell anyone? Please? They will try to burn me at the stake again.. I have laid low. I havenât used any magic around anyone. Please donât tellâ she whimpers
âFirst of all..I didnât know. I should have..I mean, look at you! I just call you that as a term of endearment. You see, little fairyâ¦you have found your way into my heart, already! Now, let me tell you what I do knowâ¦.this Luke character was not your mate.. so until I can investigate him further..I am afraid I canât shed any light on the why of it. If you feel sparks..if your chest feels empty when you arenât around each otherâ¦if you smell a scent that you know you would be happy smelling for the rest of your lifeâ¦thenâ¦thatâs your mate!â he smiles at her
âAll of that. All those things happened with Orion. Iâm scared. Will he hurt me? Will I be locked up again? Too many questions. Too much!â She responds.
âHe will never harm you. True Mates are incapable of that! And Orion has searched for you a long time. But thatâs not my story to tell. Do you live nearby? Itâs getting dark and you need dinnerâ¦. Iâll walk you..â standing, he pulls her to her feet.
She says âI already cooked dinner. I actually cooked six dinners. I get carried away. Sometimes, I get lost in my head and then I look around and I have done a lot! Like one time..I was lost in my head and I painted the whole downstairs of my house! All of it! Just like that! Hey! You wanna stay for dinner!? I have a lot! Maybe your brother can come over? That would be nice! I never have guests! Say yes? Please?â
And all Aaron could so was stare at the way she just talks nonstop! Itâs cute, actually. He mindlinked the guys and told them to come to her house. Free foodâ¦and maybe she would talk to Orion. Then he grinned down at her and said âlead the wayâ
They walked in silence for awhile and he watched her closelyâ¦not knowing if she was lost in her head..but not willing to take the chance she wasnât. He linked Orion again ðº Hey broâ¦.you better?ðºâYes. Heracles is calmerâ¦he wants to see herâ¦or kill someone. Heâs not decided. I want that alpha!ââ ðº Brian will run it down. We will know who we kill by tonight! ðºâWe are almost to her address. Where are you? ðº coming through her backyard. I believe
âOh! Fuck! Thereâs someone out front. Are they your friends? Have them come in. Help yourselves to drinks. The liquor cabinet is in the living room.. Iâll take a bourbon on the rocks, if youâre askingâ she giggles
Orion steps quietly into the kitchen and just watches herâ¦. ðº We are going to run that prick to ground! Gonna pop his nuts like grapes. ðº okay Heracles..I know! I fucked up! I let her slip away two years ago and that fucker found her. Thereâs so much information we need! ðº No! All I need is his name! I will find him! And I will use his eyes for ping pong balls! ðº You canât even play ping pong! You need hands, hairball! ðº Asshole!
Reni spins around to put a hot pan on the counter and âAgghhh! How long have you been standing there?! You need to wear a bell or something! Scared the living fuckall out of me like that! I could have burned you! Oh! Is that mine?â She rattles off as she sees her drink. He laughs and says âI will holler next time..will that work?â
She nods and replies âYeah! Yesâ¦that would be good⦠I startle easily, anymore. So a little warning would be good! Now, take these and set the table. Foodâs out in a minute â shoving plates in his hands.
He walks into the dining room and looks over at his men⦠âReckon Iâm on dish duty?â And they laugh