You Are Mine

KAT

After leaving Faelan, I popped into the grocery store.

I was planning on making a chicken stir fry, Roman’s favorite dish, in hopes of having a civilized evening together before I moved out.

Perusing the vegetable aisle, I picked up on a delightful smell.

What is that? Citrus? A touch of sandalwood?

It was the most amazing thing I had ever smelled in my life.

I sniffed the air, trying to determine the direction of the foreign scent, finding it already filling my nostrils from behind.

“Excuse me,” a deep voice purred from behind me.

“Sorry,” I whispered, moving aside so I didn’t block the other person’s path anymore.

I turned to smile apologetically at the owner of the gorgeous voice and realized it was Mr. Parking Lot. I was about to take a step back when my shoes slipped on the newly waxed floors.

In an instant his big, strong arms took hold of me before I could hit the floor. He helped me stay upright, gripping me tightly.

“Mine,” I heard him declare in a low voice.

Mine?

Too distracted to give it another thought, I gazed into his eyes and felt tiny tingles where he was touching me.

“Thank you,” I breathed. Unconsciously, I leaned in closer and smelled him.

Smelled him!

He grinned.

I slapped my hand over my mouth, letting out a loud gasp. I wanted the floor to swallow me whole, but he just smelled so good.

“I’m so sorry, that was so rude,” I said with wide eyes. “I don’t know what came over me.”

He had adorable dimples and a masculine jawline. He was now close enough that his ocean-colored eyes bore directly into mine.

They were a combination of blue and green, and I could stare at them all day long. Adonis let me go and chuckled.

All I could think about was the loss of the tingles after he released me.

I wanted to grab his hand and see whether they would return, but we were in a public space, and I didn’t know this guy from Adam.

He cleared his throat and I realized I had been staring again. Back to reality. I could feel a blush creep onto my cheeks.

“I’m Katherine, but my friends call me Kat,” I told him before I could do something embarrassing again.

“Rex,” he said, giving me his megawatt smile, and all I could do was admire the view.

Oh, my, those dimples…

“Hmmm?” I asked, gazing at him.

He chuckled again. “My name. I’m Rex. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand.

I took hold of his hand and more tingling sensations ran up and down my arm. I let out an involuntary sigh when they continued caressing my skin.

Keep it together, Kat!

His touch was hypnotic─hell, he was hypnotic. I looked into his eyes and tilted my head.

Why is he so beautiful? I looked down at my hand clasped in his.

Why isn’t he letting go? Is this weird? I should leave.

“Listen, I’ve got to go.”

“Why? I’d love to take you out to coffee if you’d like,” he said, flashing me another brilliant smile.

This guy obviously has an irrational and unnatural hold over me. Maybe going out with him isn’t such a good idea.

I laughed nervously.

“It was nice to meet you, Rex, but unfortunately it’s time for me to get home, and I still have some errands to run,” I lied.

I gave him an awkward smile as I spun on my heel toward the checkout line.

“At least give me your number!” he shouted after me.

“Maybe next time,” I smiled sweetly and high-tailed it out of there.

REX

Having a human mate meant I had to take it slow, court her, and hope she doesn’t freak the hell out when she finds out I’m a werewolf.

How am I supposed to court her if she keeps running away from me?

When I saw her earlier at the entrance of the mall, my wolf nearly took over as I inhaled her intoxicating scent.

I followed her to the coffee shop, hoping to have a word with her, but she wasn’t alone, and I didn’t want to make things more awkward than they were bound to be.

Especially since she was with one of my pack members.

Apparently stalking her in the grocery store wasn’t the best decision, either, since I had frightened her away.

I needed help desperately, so I took out my phone to make a call.

“Hi, Alpha,” she answered almost immediately.

“Fae, I need you to do me a favor…”

KAT

I quietly opened the front door, trying not to make a noise. I switched on the light and there he was, sitting at the kitchen table, tapping his foot impatiently like a child.

“Really, Katherine, is this the time to be getting home?” My stepfather had a scowl on his face.

I knew he was adamant about eating early since he worked the night shift, but it was still a good two hours before he had to go.

“I’m sorry, Roman, I got distracted at the store.”

“Distracted?” He came closer, sniffing the air and stiffening immediately.

What the hell?

“What are you doing? Is the chicken off?” I took out the chicken from the bag and sniffed it. It smelled fine to me.

“No, it’s fine, forget about it. I hope dinner’s going to be ready soon. I need to leave early tonight,” he said before stomping up the stairs.

I took out the wok and started to prepare the chicken and vegetables. I didn’t know what had him so riled up. In addition to being a control freak, my stepfather had always been a bit weird.

Mom used to say he was eccentric. Oh, how I missed her.

Roman used to joke that we were twins. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, Mom could have easily been mistaken for my older sister.

That was, before she got sick. The cancer had been so aggressive that it took her from me within six months of being diagnosed.

I didn’t even have enough time to process her diagnosis, and then she was gone. Forever.

Roman was a wreck the entire time she had been sick. He had married Mom a few months after Dad had died.

I was only seven at the time, but I remember their whirlwind romance like it was yesterday. Roman had worshipped the ground my mother walked on, and in return she had doted on him.

After she passed, Roman had never really been quite the same again. Not that I could blame him.

I don’t think I’ve quite worked through her death, either. She died about two weeks after my ninth birthday.

I sighed, thinking about how lost I’d been. I started doting on Roman like my mother had, hoping it would make him feel better.

In a way it helped me, too, because I felt that I was honoring Mom’s memory.

The delicious smell of chicken stir fry wafted through the air when Roman came downstairs, dressed for work.

“Listen, sweetheart, I don’t know what came over me earlier─”

“It’s okay,” I interrupted. “Here.” I handed him a plate of food. “Your favorite,” I smiled.

“Thank you,” he smiled back.

He devoured his meal and put his plate in the dishwasher.

“That was delicious! I’m going to be home late tonight. Remember to lock the doors. Don’t stay up too late,” he said, treating me like a teenager.

When is he going to realize I’ve grown up?