Page 32 of Reclaiming His Lost Mate
Lyv had her serious face back on. “I’ve never been lucky enough to be in love, so I can’t speak from experience,” she said, “But my advice is to spend time observing him and getting to know him better before you make any decisions about your future together."
I nodded. “Thanks, Lyv, I will.” I knew my friend’s advice was sage as ever and as comforting as the ice cream.
As the next few days unfolded, I tried to follow her advice. But as business boomed, I found myself engulfed by work. Customers trickled in, drawn by the rich scents. I could hear whispers among them. Word had spread from Leah and Kyle of the Blood Moon and Moonlight Packs, thrusting my humble boutique into the spotlight and putting this neutral territory between packs firmly on the magical map. My herbal shop was prospering, my jars of teas, tinctures, and potions flying off the shelves more quickly than I could make and restock them.
With joy, I leaned into the world of fragrant herbs and healing I had cultivated with Lyvia's support, savoring my success. Yet, as demand surged, so too did the expectations of my time.
One afternoon, Tom, my long-time supplier, dropped in. “Selina, honey, I have a new shipment coming in next week.” His golden hair was tousled from the autumn breeze, and he sported one of his soft cashmere sweaters, ripped jeans, and sparkling white trainers, looking as impeccably turned out as ever. “I think you and I should hunker down and see what else I can do for you. Whatta ya reckon?”
“Absolutely,” I replied, already thinking about what new products I wanted to bring out for next season, as well as the restock I’d need. “If you can do it next week, we can go through inventory each evening after I close up.” I knew Lyvia would be more than happy to help me with watching Mia.
“For you, honey, I’m free whenever,” Tom agreed charmingly, knowing full well it was the extra sales he was interested in.
With that, my work intensified even more. Tom and I spent countless hours together, sorting through freshly harvested herbs, discussing their uses, and brainstorming new recipes for tinctures. The comfortand familiarity of our partnership flourished under the sunlight streaming into the back kitchen, where I cooked up my herbal products.
Yet, as I dedicated more time to work, the hours with Alexis dwindled. I felt the air shift as his once-constant presence faded from the shop. He was still there, sometimes with Mia, but with my being so much busier, he frequently took her to the apartment he rented in Matsuna’s center. Whenever he was around, I couldn’t help but notice how frequently his blue stare was turned toward me, observing from a distance but too cautious to disturb me. There was something oddly satisfying about knowing he cared enough to stay—even if it was silent and unassuming.
One afternoon, while Alexis knelt in the grass, laughing as Mia dashed around him, carefree and vibrant, I noticed, not for the first time, Tom's lingering glances at Alexis. Often, I caught Tom’s dark eyes admiring him during our herb-sorting sessions. Each time I caught him smiling at Alexis, genuine and unguarded, a coil of discomfort tightened in. “Hand me that sage,” I’d asked one afternoon. I looked up, “Tom?”
Tom’s dark eyes, yet again, were clearly undressing Alexis. It was a cold afternoon, but even in a cable-knit sweater, Alexis looked far too sexy, his biceps straining his sleeves, the wool taut across his chest.
“Earth to Tom?” I called, a forced lightness in my voice. Beneath the surface, though, my wolf stirred restlessly, feeling the prickle of possessiveness rise in my chest as I noticed Tom’s lingering gaze on Alexis. It didn't matter that, logically, I knew Alexis wasn’t into guys and that Tom didn’t have a chance with him. Still, a deep, primal instinct within me bristled at Tom’s obvious admiration of my mate.
He finally dragged his gaze away from Alexis, a brazen smile on his face. “He sure is dreamy, isn’t he?”
I forced a laugh, trying to keep my tone light while masking the heat rising through me and the feelings I still didn’t know what I wanted to do about. “Alpha energy,” I commented, trying not to notice how my stomach knotted at my own dismissive tone. I regained my composure, but still, deep down, my wolf snarled within. “He’s ours, back off!” It made my stomach tighten, the sudden fierceness I feltconcerning Alexis.“Nah, it’s more than that, honey,” Tom continued, gazing out at him. “He’s kind and caring beneath that rugged exterior. You just need to see how he is with Mia to know that he’s a generous lover.”
I almost crushed the herbs in my grips as memories of just how generous Alexis had been were suddenly tumbling through my head. My cheeks heated as too many memories of our sweat-slicked, pleasure-addled bodies entangled together were suddenly cartwheeling through my head.
Part of me wanted to tell Tom that, as far as I knew, Alexis wasn’t into men. But my stomach squeezed at the thought of having to tell him how I knew that. All I’d said was that I’d met Alexis while I’d been part of the Nightwing Pack and that he was a family friend. The whole broken alliance between my father, Lucian, and him, and his history with Marissa and I, wasn’t, perhaps, strictly speaking, a fitting description of that term, but it I’d needed a way to explain Alexis’s sudden willingness to babysit Mia.
I didn’t want to open up a whole can of worms about just how complicated our relationship and history were. Once again, I decided to stay silent, not wanting to rock the boat.
After another particularly long afternoon of processing herbs and experimenting with different samples with Tom, Alexis came into the shop. He was dropping off Mia, who had been spending the day with him.
Tom and I were just packing up, and with his usual charm, Tom was soon chatting to Alexis. “There’s this move I’m still not getting right when a couple of my buddies and I train in the ring.”
Matsuna had a small fighting ring in Lyvia’s house, which in the past had acted as a safe house for shifters in trouble. I knew that Tom frequented the ring there. In fact, part of his general gossip was about who the town had money on in the various fights. Winter was long in Matsuna, and the town-wide betting pool acted as a form of entertainment and gossip. “I know my friends and I would love to have an Alpha walk us through the technique,” Tom continued, his hand slipping onto Alexis’s shoulder.
My cheeks flushed as I imagined exactly what Tom would love—Alexis with his top off. I’d heard enough from Tom’s enthusiastic recounting of past matches to know that the males sparred fiercely and often without their shirts, which made my stomach twist. The thought of Alexis with his muscles taut and skin glistening was enough to stir a mix of longing and irritation within me.
I tried to mask my flustered feelings, but when I met Alexis’s stormy-blue eyes, his voice gravelly and commanding, it only fueled my internal conflict. “I might just come along one of these days,” he said. The forceful look he gave me made my knees feel weak. My heart raced at the prospect, but so did my wolf’s protective instincts.
I pictured myself at the match, standing in the front row, bracing myself to see Alexis, his muscles slick with sweat, dark hair clinging to his forehead, and those intense blue eyes simmering with focus. But along with the thrill came a wave of unease—wouldn’t it just embolden Tom’s infatuation? I could feel my wolf pacing restlessly within me, a low growl echoing as she snarled, “He’s ours. We won’t share him!”
Shit, I shouldn’t be like this.
Chapter 15
Alexis
The bell jingled as I stepped into Selina’s boutique, the sweet chime a welcome sound against the backdrop of a quiet Monday afternoon. The shop was blissfully empty, and I congratulated myself for timing my visit perfectly.
“I’ll be right with you!” Selina called from the back, her voice warm and inviting, sending a thrill through my chest. My heart thumped a little harder at the prospect of finally having her attention all to myself. I tried to temper my excitement, reminding myself not to get my hopes too high.
Wandering over to the haircare section in the center of the floor, I admired her carefully curated display. Dried lavender and sprigs of frostvine leaves rested next to the sleek bottles, their labels whispering promises of nourishment. I momentarily lost myself, imagining Selina crafting her concoctions—her hands deftly mixing fragrant oils, her brow furrowed in concentration, her tongue poking out between her teeth as she measured an exact amount. These were the little habits I’d been lucky enough to witness the last few weeks and now held dear.
But my reverie shattered abruptly when the door chimed again, and I braced myself for the intrusion.
