Page 36 of Reclaiming His Lost Mate
“But Teddy said these were dark elves,” she said, her bottom lip wobbling.
I frowned. Teddy had a lot to answer for.
Alexis already had a smile on his face. “I know my little warrior would have defeated any dark elf easily.” Soon, a matching smile painted Mia’s lips so that she looked even more like her father.
Sammy waved goodbye as she shot off to drop the other kids off home.
“I’m thirsty, Mommy,” Mia said, claiming my attention
“Why don’t you go get a juice box, baby?” I suggested as Alexis set her down again. She skipped off into the kitchen. “I should go settle her,” I said quietly to Alexis. “The sleepover was a big step for her; I think she needs her usual routine tonight.”
A flicker of disappointment fell over Alexis’s face but was soon replaced with one of stoic understanding. “Of course.”
“We’ll talk soon,” I said. I needed time to sort through my feelings and re-evaluate everything that had happened. I didn’t want to rush. Rushing could lead to mistakes and more misunderstandings. He had kissed me, and I had kissed him back. But as the heady swirl of feelings died down with my daughter’s steps behind me in the kitchen, I couldn’t help feeling that perhaps it was a good thing we’d been interrupted.
Alexis acknowledged the shift in my expression, and he moved back out the door. My wolf whined with disappointment, longing tugging at my heart as I let him leave.
But a new fire was apparent in Alexis’s blue eyes as they lingered on me. “Good night, Selina. I’ll see you soon.” Intention rang through that final word, reminding me of his earlier declaration: to prove he was the one meant for me. Nervous anticipation coiled in my stomach, paired with a whisper of excitement, as I wondered what the future had in store.
Chapter 17
Selina
The bell chimed above my shop door. It was 9 a.m. Tuesday, and I’d only just opened, but my heart skipped, pretty sure it wasn’t a customer.
Sure enough, Alexis walked in, two coffee cups in hand. The simple sight sent a rush of warmth flooding me. His green earth scent was becoming as essential to me as the caffeine fix he never failed to bring me on the days I did the school run. He knew I didn’t, generally, have time for a coffee before dropping her off.
“I saw Phil. Apparently, the betting pool is the highest it’s ever been.”
I chuckled. After getting over the whole thing that Tom wasn’t trying to steal me away, Alexis was tickled by how many Matsuna residents were still putting in bets on who would win in the ring. A spark of amusement moved through me as I thought about how I could sympathize with the residents’ curiosity; who wouldn’t want to see a topless Alexis? Ever since our kiss a week ago, and with these frequent daily visits, he had often featured in my dreams—often without a stitch on.
As Alexis passed me my favorite oat milk latte from the WanderingBrew, our fingers brushed. An electric thrill coursed through me. The spark in his blue eyes held a renewed confidence that made my breath hitch, but then I settled into the comforting ritual of sharing my morning brew with my handsome Alpha.
Again, this quiet morning, he seemed content to lean against the counter across from me, sipping his coffee. Alexis’s gentleness had taken me by surprise. After our kiss a week ago, I’d expected him to push for us to move forward. But he hadn’t rushed me into intimacy. Instead, he’d dedicated himself to showing his patience and affection in fostering these little rituals.
“Mia says it’s taco Tuesday,” he said. “Do you want to swing by the shop after picking her up this afternoon, and I’ll cook tonight?”
I nodded. “Sounds great.” It sounded more than great. My wolf did something like a little purr as I pictured Alexis once again in my cabin’s kitchen.
I thought of last weekend that we’d spent together as a family, a collage of shared laughter and stolen glances. When he’d offered to help me with the dishes, Alexis’s fingers had brushed against mine as I handed him plates, and I’d felt the same charge I had seconds ago flickering between us—a silent promise of more to come. Each interaction laid the groundwork for something more, a slow-burning desire that we both recognized but I was hesitant to embrace. I couldn’t shake the feeling that, while I longed for our connection to ignite, a part of me still questioned if I was ready for what that might mean.
I wondered if tonight would finally be the night that it all came to a head. Tension crackled in the air, a thrilling mix of anticipation and trepidation.
In this quiet moment, when Alexis glanced at me with a smile, I wondered if he was thinking similarly. Our newfound connection was slowly dismantling the walls I’d built around my heart—his thoughtful actions quietly telling me that he saw me.
The bell chimed again, and a cry suddenly cut through the quiet. I glanced up to see Jeanie, a shifter mom of two pups, both under the age of five. She carried her youngest, a three-year-old, in a carrier on her front.
“Sorry, Selina,” she apologized, trying to bounce the little one as hescreamed. “He’s really suffering this morning. And I don’t know how it happened, but I’m out of agglikkuk.”
I smiled in understanding, quickly going to my shelves. I frowned at the empty jar. “Hang on a moment. I just need to get some from the back,” I told Jeanie.
The staple herb was a crucial one to many of my shifter clientele. The soft, brown bark, when steeped in a tea or tincture, was a remedy for many ailments. It soothed teething pains in the young—helping restless pups. For the teens, it helped with their first shifts, providing relief during those challenging growth phases. Agglikkuk also reinforced bone strength for the shifters in general, whose bodies endured frequent transformations. Without it, fractures and fatigue after or while in their wolf forms were far more likely.
In the back, I rummaged through my stock cupboard, only to remember it had been a month since I’d had the new supply come in. There was a bunch of kiva and palliks from the last month that needed sorting, but otherwise, my stock was looking slim. I checked the date and thanked Igaluk that the cargo plane was due in today. Tom would deliver some today or tomorrow. I’d phone him this morning and ask him to stop by with the new stock today.
I rifled through my remaining supplies, my heart sinking as I saw I’d have to sell the last of my wares. Part of me was reluctant, in case there was anything more urgent that might need tending to—such as a shifter with a broken bone. But just then, Jeanie’s little son let out a sharp wail going straight to my heart.
“The Moon Goddess is smiling on you, Jeanie,” I said as I returned with the big bit of bark. “This is the last of it until the delivery today.”
