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realize I was holding, before falling face-down on the bed.

I was completely and utterly mortified. How could my mom let Reece inside my room knowing full well that I was in the shower?

My eyebrows furrowed slightly as I pondered that thought. Something was up with her, I could feel it.

Suddenly, I rolled over and sat up quickly. Something in my gut told me she had her suspicions about Reece and I, and that notion filled the pit of my stomach with dread.

My mom was quite the matchmaker. Ellie’s mom, Natasha, had a mate that rejected her, until my mom used her matchmaking skills to unite the two. Now they were the proud parents of Ellie and her little brother, all thanks to Momma Knight.

A part of me wanted my mom’s matchmaking skills to force Reece and I together, but another, stronger part knew I wasn’t ready or willing to have that just yet.

I rolled my eyes, before venturing to my closet to pick out something to wear.

After settling on a pair of skinny jeans, a ruffled blue tank and an asymmetrical black leather jacket, I slipped on a pair of black sneakers to finish the look.

Putting on a bit of eyeliner and mascara and a spritz of my favorite perfume, I checked my look in the mirror. My outfit was cute and stylish, two words that were never used to describe my look. Despite my hobo like appearance most of the time, I was actually making an effort in my appearance, and I knew exactly why.

“Ugh, is this how I’m going to be for the rest of my life? Pleasing him?” I murmured to my reflection, taking one last look before heading down the stairs.

Waiting at the bottom was a slightly flushed looking Reece. I suppressed a laugh, considering he looked like a school boy who got caught peeping into the girl’s locker room.

I flew past him and into the kitchen, where my mom was residing.

“Mom, why are you asking me to take Alpha Parker on a tour of the town?” I bristled, staring straight at her and crossing my arms.

She barely gave me a glance. All she did was chop the vegetables in front of her like I wasn’t even there.

“Mom?” I repeated.

“Cass, the poor guy has so genuinely donated his time to train you, the least you could do is spend a bit of time with him? It couldn’t hurt you to be a bit friendly sweetheart,” she mused.

I groaned. Was she serious? Guilting me into this? I scoffed, and turned around, marching out of the kitchen. I heard soft chuckles behind me as I promptly left.

Grounding my teeth together, I walked back over to Reece waiting patiently in the foyer.

“Let’s go,” I murmured, barely giving him a glance while I grabbed my purse and keys off the side table and walked out the door.

I heard him step outside behind me, shutting the door I so rudely left open. Trust me, I felt awful for treating him like this. Just passing by him while his delicious scent wafted into my nose was no easy feat, but I had to be the cold, distant girl I’ve always been. It got me through school, through college, and now it would get me through this. Hopefully.

I opened the door to my black corvette, and stepped in. Next to me, I heard the passenger door open and Reece’s scent enveloped me. It was musky, yet had a sliver of citrus.

All I did was stare ahead, clutching the steering wheel with a death grip. When I heard the distinct sound of a buckle being clicked, I shifted the gear into reverse, and unfortunately, had to turn my head in his direction to view the back.

He was staring at me with an unreadable expression, but I could feel his eyes boring into my face as I averted my own from his and reversed the car.

Back on the road, I stepped on the gas, heading towards the town. Our house was situated in the woods, next to the house my father grew up in. It was strange, seeing two mansions parked next to each other in the middle of the forest, but hey, werewolves need their space. The pack lived a bit further into the woods, in a neighborhood hidden by the tall trees. This place was my home, and I definitely felt a pang of guilt for leaving it behind to pursue my dreams.

But I was back now, and I was happy about that. I still get to continue studying at grad school here, and I’d be closer to my family, friends, and my pack. I’m sure it seemed like the perfect compromise between my family and friends, and I, but it was far from that, thanks to the gorgeous alpha sitting beside me.

The tension in the car was too palpable. We’d barely driven a mile from the house and already I wanted to ditch him and the car and just run off to the woods in wolf form.

But all I did was grip the wheel tighter, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat.

“Relax,” a firm voice came from my right.

I turned my head over to his side so fast I probably got whiplash.

How did he know I was so nervous?

“You’re clenching the steering wheel like it’s my neck,” he scoffed irritably.

I looked down at my hands, easing them slightly.

“Your heartbeat isn’t helping much either,” I heard him murmur after.

My heartbeat quickened at his words, causing him to scoff and possibly roll his eyes at me. I couldn’t really tell. I was too embarrassed at the fact that I forgot he could hear my heart. Mate or not, we were part wolf after all.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, trying to keep my eyes on the road and not on my mate.

I knew this would be hard. I knew exactly what I was doing when I denied my mate. Heck, I was basically signing my death warrant.

Not that I was gonna die, but I might as well be dead. At least then I wouldn’t have to deal with all the conflicting emotions I was feeling.

Being without your other half is hard. I don’t know how some wolves manage to reject their mates. Actually I did know. A horrible memory flashed into my mind, but I whisked it away just as fast.

Mates are the only people in the entire world that will make a wolf feel whole. No other being could love, admire, respect, and accept them as much as their mate. What I was doing, by denying my mate for the time being, was tying a noose around both our necks, slowly but surely getting tighter and tighter until I decided to be sane and call this whole thing off. But I couldn’t. Not now anyway.

Fortunately, we arrived at the towns square. The shops were bustling with tourists and natives, all taking a leisurely stroll at this time of day. I parked the car on the side of the road.

Before I got out, I cleared my throat, hoping to attract Reece’s attention.

“I’m sorry,” I said somberly, “for doing this to you, us. It’s not fair for me to decide what our life will be like. I’m being selfish, I know. But I – I just need a little more time.”

I stared down at my lap, fiddling with a ring on my finger and too afraid to meet his gaze.

“Okay,” he replied softly. I turned my head over to him, surprised by the tenderness in his eyes. My body thrummed with want. Nobody had ever looked at me with such emotion as the man in front of me was doing right now, and it hit someplace deep inside.

 “We should go,” I said firmly, pulling away from our heated eyecontact and getting out of the car.

I felt bad for blowing hot and cold on him again, but if there was anything I could do to make it easier for him to avoid me, us, I would do it. Even if it meant being a bitch to him.

I heard his door open and his lean figure step out. His eyebrows were halfway up his forehead, staring at me in confusion. I just lifted my chin up slightly and crossed the front of the car to his side.

Looking up at the shop we’d parked in front of, I could see it was the old antique place my mom loves to come to. She has this obsession with finding little knick knacks to add to our home, and this place was her main source on getting her hands on them. My dad always rolled his eyes when she talked about yet another antique china set or glass figurine she’d found and bought. He always scolded her for spending all his money, but then he’d put an arm around her and kiss her, time and time again.

A pang hit my chest as I looked back over at Reece, knowing we’d probably never have that kind of a relationship, after all the damage control I’d have to do to pay for my idea of staying apart.

Turning back around, I walked to the front door, and called out to him.

“You coming?”

I heard his footsteps behind me, as I walked inside the little shop.

The bell rung overhead as I opened the door, and I was immediately assaulted by the smell of rose and jasmine.

“Hey Helen, how are you today?” I smiled warmly at the old woman behind the counter.

“Miss Knight, what a surprise! Didn’t expect you to be here! Your mother sent you?”

“Oh no, I’m just showing my friend around town. Helen, meet Alpha Parker,” I gestured to him behind me.

He walked up to Helen, giving her a delicate handshake before placing a kiss on her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Helen,” he smiled at her, causing the sixty year old to blush as bright as a tomato.

“Well aren’t you a dear?” she mused, placing a hand on her chest.

“I try,” he shrugged, sending her a gorgeous smile.

His smile seemed to strike me just as much as it did Helen. He was clearly quite the charmer.

“Oh stop it you. If my mate finds you flirting with me, I won’t be responsible for what he does to you!” she quipped, and they both laughed.

Not wanting to be intrusive, I began combing the aisles, looking for something my mom would probably like. Fortunately, when I was growing up, my mom would bring me with her to this shop and I could see what her tastes were.

I found a metal bird cage, with two doors wide open, and two metal bird figurines facing one another, with one holding a little flower in its beak. The birds were blue, with white bellies. The piece was beautiful, and I just knew my mom was gonna love it.

Carrying it back to the front, I found Helen and Reece in a secret conversation. Their heads were bent near each other as they whispered things back and forth.

Helen saw me first, giggling a bit before pulling back and smiling at me.

“Oh dear, looks like your mate here caught us,” she giggled again. My body froze, as I looked at Reece with a shocked expression.

He merely held his hands up in surrender.

“Hey, don’t look at me. Helen is just too wise. She figured out we were mates the minute we walked in,” he shrugged, winking at Helen.

“B-But, I-” I was at a loss for words.

“Oh hush dear! I’ll keep it to myself. Reece told me all about your little proposal. But please, sweetheart, put the man out of his misery soon! Trust me when I say this. My mate would get me so mad when we were young, that I’d tell him I wouldn’t kiss him for a week. He was begging at my feet by the third day. These men, I tell ya. They have no self-control,” she winked at me.

“Helen, I’m thoroughly offended,” he made a show of placing his hand on his chest in feign hurt.

She only tapped his hand lightly in response,