Page 4 of True for You

“I should have eaten before we came here because everything looks so yummy,” I lament, staring at a display featuring minute made roman noodles.

“I hate to be that guy, Christopher, but you literallyjustate before we left.”

I stick out my bottom lip, giving Ben the biggest pout. “I’m hungry again.”

“Let’s stop at the bakery first and see what they have so you can snack while we shop.”

“See. This is why you’re the best alpha,” I tell him, dragging him over to the bakery. I take in a deep breath and my mouth waters at the sugary goodness. But there’s one scent that hits me harder than all the rest.

Old books, like a cozy library tucked away in a tiny town. The smell fills my nose and my inner omega stands at attention, demanding we find who belongs to this scent. My eyes scan the grocery store for the owner of this amazing, compelling scent.

I’ve never felt anything like this before. This scent compels me all the way down to my very core. It pulls me in. It makes me feel safe and wanted. Ihaveto know who owns this scent. I need it with every fiber of my being.

“You okay?”

“Mate,” I murmur, not even knowing what I’m saying. I touch my stomach, something I tend to do all the time now that there’s a bump there as I turn every which way, looking around. My inner omega is crying out, needing the person who belongs to that scent like we need the very air we’re breathing.

There. A tall man turns before I can see his face, dropping the box he was holding as he runs out of the store without a second glance. He’srunning.

The breath all leaves my lungs at once and Ben’s arms come around me when my knees go weak, catching me.

“Hey,” Ben says, panic clear in his voice. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

“What the hell was that?” I ask, my voice shaky in my own ears, looking at my friend.

“I have no idea. Are you feeling okay? Is it the baby?”

I shake my head, trying to clear it. The fog that was overcoming me from the scent is slowly fading. I step over to the box that was left behind, finding a box of cocoa cereal. Not something I would pick for myself but I toss it into our cart nonetheless, knowing this is the only thing I have connected tohim.

“Hey, talk to me, Christopher.”

I look Ben in the eyes. “So,” I say slowly, realization sinking in. “Do you believe in true mates?”

Chapter Three

Parker

What.The actual. Fuck.

My hands are shaking uncontrollably as I grip my steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. My thoughts are a swirling mess. My lungs are locking up, making it almost impossible to breathe. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

There’s a sick sort of irony that comes with learning that true mates are real and only a few hours later running into mine. The way their scent hit me full force, nearly knocking me on my ass as my instincts screamed out, letting me know I’d found mytrue mate. I should be overjoyed and excited but instead all I feel is bone deep sadness mixed with all sorts of longing.

My chestachesin a way that I’ve never felt before. It’s the only thing I can think about, like that moment you touch your finger to a hot stove. It’s white hot and insistent, throbbing and demanding my full attention. I fucking hate it.

My eyes prickle with unshed tears as I sit in my car, trying to get myself under control. The air rattles out of me each time I try to suck in a breath.

My true mate isbeautiful. He’s shorter than me with wildly messy light hair. When he smiled I thought I might literally faint right then and there from how light the sight made my head. And then he’d turned to the side, showing off the swell of his belly. When my mate froze, the man at his side,Ben, was there to hold him and make sure he was okay. My mate was taken and pregnant with another alpha’s baby.

I’m not sure if it makes things better or worse to know the man my mate is with. Ben works at Studio C with me, working as a cameraman. He’s wonderful. Truly. And I’d always assumed he and Ryder had some sort ofthinggoing on between them. Apparently not. He’s a great alpha, but that doesn’t soothe the hurt inside of me in the least. It’s scalding, burning every inch of me until I can’t feel anything other than searing pain.

Should I call Jeremy right now and quit my job? How the fuck am I supposed to go into work knowing that Ben is the one taking care of my true mate? Fuck! I don’t evenknowmy mate. Right now he’s nothing more than a stranger but my inner alpha is wreaking absolutely havoc inside of me. He’s demanding we go back into the store right now and win our omega over. But this isn’t the fucking stone age. We’ve evolved past our animalist selves. I’m not fucking doing that.

The idea of having to see Ben at work again is daunting. I don’t think I can do it. I can’t pretend that everything is fine and go on like my world hasn’t been completely flipped on its head.

I let my head fall forward, my forehead landing against my steering wheel. I let out a long groan of frustration.

If I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so alone before in my life, not even after Caleb left me. At least when he left, I knew it would take some time but eventually I’d get back on my feet. But this? This hurts so deep I’m not sure my heart will ever recover.

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