GALATEA

Kidnapped by My Mate

The next best series in romance for 2023
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Chapter 1

BELLE

I took deep breaths as I walked across the airport, luggage in tow. I couldn’t seem to calm myself down, even though I tried.

I absolutely hated flying.

And an eleven-hour flight to Paris was the last thing I wanted to be doing the day before Christmas Eve. But my mother had begged me to come spend the holidays with her and her husband.

I knew that she’d only invited me out of guilt.

I hadn’t seen my mother in over five years, and she’d seemed to have no problem leaving me behind after my dad had gotten sick. It had only taken her one year to get remarried and one more to have a kid. She’d completely cut off my dad and me, acting as if we’d never existed.

So the fact that she was inviting me to come see her now really pissed me off.

But I had no one else. Paris was my only option if I didn’t want to spend Christmas alone.

Getting through security was easier than I’d thought it would be, and I found my gate with little trouble. But even with all this good luck, I still couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

I had only flown once in my life, for my grandmother’s funeral in Florida. And now, the second time would be for my mother’s wedding in Paris to a man I had never met before—a man who was not my father.

So, not only was flying absolutely terrifying, but the only experience I had of it was delivering me into an unwanted situation. I knew this flight wouldn’t be any different.

I waited to board for about half an hour. I wanted to be early just to make sure I wouldn’t miss the flight. I did not want to have to pay for another one.

Once on the airplane, I couldn’t keep my hands from shaking. A flight attendant smiled at me as I walked past her, and, noticing my nervousness, she gave me a reassuring nod.

I tried my best to return the smile.

When I finally made it to my seat, far in the back of the plane, I looked at the man who I would sit beside for the next eleven hours. His gaze moved up and down my body, stopping at my chest for a while before meeting my eyes.

He smirked. “Well, hello there.”

Great. Just perfect.

I get to spend the next eleven hours being ogled by a creep.

“Hi,” I muttered.

Ignoring Mr. Creeper, I picked up my carry-on and lifted it above me to put it in the overhead compartment. Noticing that the asshole—who was now watching me struggle—had put his suitcase in the middle of the compartment, I huffed, trying to move it with one hand as I struggled to shove mine in next to it.

I had almost managed to fit my luggage in when I felt hands wrap around my waist, touching the bare skin of my stomach where my shirt had ridden up.

Thinking it was Mr. Creeper, I tried to jump away, but stopped as the hands tightened around me and sparks ran down my frame. I jerked my head around to see who was attached to the hands, and felt my eyes widen as I took him in.

He was breathtaking… Large to the point that he almost looked comical in our tiny plane.

His muscles strained against his black shirt and blue jeans, telling me he must’ve spent quite a lot of time in the gym. He had chocolate-brown hair, mesmerizing dark-green eyes, and a jaw that could’ve cut through paper.

His lips were luscious and full, and I unconsciously leaned in, imagining how it would feel to press my lips against them.

A sudden deep growl snapped me back into an upright position, and my eyes met his to find that he was watching me check him out. My cheeks immediately turned red, but before I could feel too embarrassed, he spoke.

“Mine. Mate,” he said, his deep, husky voice ringing in my ears. He squeezed my waist gently as his forehead came down to meet mine, and he breathed in deeply.

I probably should have slapped him, but instead I let my eyes close and basked in the feeling of his arms around me as delicious sparks coursed through my body. I didn’t even know that it was possible to feel this good.

I felt his head move from mine as he bent to nuzzle my neck. I tilted my head to give him better access, and he let out an approving grunt.

And then I felt him place a gentle kiss right where my neck and shoulder met. First my knees went weak, then my entire body went numb as a breathy sigh exited my mouth. He smiled against my neck, chuckling and taking all of my weight into his arms as I leaned completely into him to stop myself from falling.

I was in absolute heaven.