OH, MY GODDESS!!! How can he be that dense!? How can I be this stupid!? Ugh!
Why would I think after three months of talking and what I thought was subtle flirting meant a damn thing to him? It was all just in my head.
I BAKED him a PIE! I don’t bake for ANYONE! I can’t believe I baked him a pie.
I went through the effort of styling my hair, putting on makeup, and picking a cute outfit. And none of it mattered.
I walked in on Austin with one of his coworkers. I can’t believe I was so wrong about this.
I grumbled, digging out my cell to call Diann to come back and get me. I’m going to feel like such an idiot for this.
I had told Diann about my cute physical therapist and the flirty vibe I’d been picking up. She’s the one who encouraged me. Hell, I’m wearing her skirt!
“Hey, girl. Why are you calling? I dropped you off like a minute ago. Was he out sick or something?” Diann asked with a chuckle.
I, however, wasn’t laughing.
“Suz? Oh no. We misread his signals.” Diann lamented. “I am so sorry, girl. I’ll be right there.” She assured me.
“Thanks…” I sighed, hanging up.
Closing my eyes, I tilted my head up. I will not get upset over some asshole like Clement Shelton, who can’t even get a clue.
My back straightened as I heard voices, and I quickly tried to get out of sight. I do not need anyone from the therapist’s office to see me. I’m sure they aren’t as dense as Austin.
“So you finally made your move?” The receptionist questioned. I don’t remember her name, but I recognize her voice from coming here for three months.
“Yep. For a moment, I thought it was going to go south. That client walked in, and he chased after her.” A different voice I recognized answered.
I gritted my teeth from my hiding spot behind the pillar. It was that woman who was practically in Austin’s lap. And she’s talking about me!
“Yeah, I saw that. It was hard to watch. Austin’s cute, but he isn’t bright. The girl has been looking at him for a couple of weeks now. And he didn’t realize she had a crush.” the receptionist scoffed.
“Yeah, he did seem to be not only oblivious but very certain there was no way she’d be into him. Not sure about the history there. I don’t care. He’s not interested and agreed to a date tonight.”
The slut… no, I won’t call her that. I am better than that.
I don’t know her, so I shouldn’t judge her. Austin is single and free to be involved with anyone he likes until he finds his mate.
Then girls like that one, and I will not stand a chance. The mate bond is something you do fuck with. With how much Amelia suffered when her original mate cheated against the bond, I wouldn’t put anyone through that.
“Way to go, Denise. You’ve had your sights set on him when he was just a client for Grant.” the receptionist chuckled.
“What can I say? I’m a sucker for a broken man working on picking up the pieces. And I’ve watched him work hard over the years. I like work in progress guys, but now he’s more stable, and all the workouts for his training have made him hotter.” Denise laughed.
“Well, have a fun night. I want a full report tomorrow.” the receptionist laughed.
I peered around the pillar to watch Denise head for the parking lot.
“Oh, you bet, Piper. I know you can’t wait to find out if he’s good in bed.” Denise laughed as she got in her car.
I clenched my jaw as the urge to growl was high, even if I didn’t have my wolf yet. I can’t believe these women. He’s not some broken toy to fix or be played with.
I was glaring in the direction Denise drove off when Diann honked her horn. I nearly jumped out of my skin, startled by the sudden sound.
“Yo! Suz! Come on, girl, why are you hiding behind that pillar?” Diann called out, rolling her window down.
I groaned and came out from hiding and hurried into her car. I frowned as I slumped into the front seat and buckled up.
“So what happened?” Diann questioned, eyeing me as we started driving.
I sighed because where do I even begin. “So I went to find Austin. I walked in on him and one of the girls that work here… Denise.” I wrinkled my nose as I said her name.
“What were they doing? Hot and heavy? You see skin?” Diann tried to lighten the mood with a job, but I’m not in the mood.
“It wasn’t hot and heavy. Denise looked to be propositioning him and halfway in his lap. I dropped the pie and ran. He chased after me when he realized I’d been there. But he was oblivious. And it just pissed me off more. So I walked out.” I quickly explained.
“On snap. I’m so sorry, Suz. Males are so dense. This is why the Goddess gave us mates. You scent your mate, so there’s never this issue of misunderstandings and bullshit like humans do.” Diann sighed.
“Yeah. Maybe I should just wait till I find my mate. No point getting interested in a guy who isn’t my mate. And honestly, it’s not like he’s the type of guy I’d want for a mate.” I frowned.
“Girl, don’t say that. Sometimes it takes years to find a mate. And no harm in having companionship until then. And you said this Austin guy was hot. And if he’s a physical therapist, he is probably pretty flexible and knows just how to make your body bend.” Diann laughed with a wink.
I couldn’t stop it. I blushed. Because I was thinking about some of the stretches Austin helped me with and the feel of his hand applying just enough pressure to my body to push my limit without hurting me.
“See, I’m right. So don’t give up so easily. So some girl is also into him. What could she possibly have that you don’t?” Diann scoffed.
I glanced down at my A cup chest and remembered even in the scrubs, Denise was more endowed. “I can think of at least one thing beyond being old enough to drink.”
Diann threw her head back, laughing. “Oh, who cares about that. Maybe he’s more of an ass man. You’ve got a lot of junk in that trunk.”
“It doesn’t matter. Today was my last session. I won’t see Austin again. He made his choice. I overheard Denise talking to the receptionist. She’s going out with him.” I sighed, shoulders slumping.
Diann frowned, glancing at me. “Are you sure? We could find out where they are going on their date and crash.”
I chuckled, shaking my head.
“As fun as that might be. It also sounds super embarrassing and stalkerish. I’ll just put him in the spank bank and move on. Not like he’s someone I’d want to be with forever. He’s…” I tried to think of what to call him.
“Dense. If Austin didn’t realize you were into him or what a catch you are, he’s stupid.” Diann smiled.
“True that. I want my mate to be sweet and endearing—someone like my dad and brother. I want someone who will support me through good and bad times. And I mean, it wouldn’t be one-sided. I’ll support my mate just as much as he supports me.” I sighed.
“I think we all want a mate like your dad. Your parents are mate goals.” Diann smiled as she pulled into my driveway.
“Keep your chin up. You’ll shift soon, and then you can join me to go around the world to gatherings looking for our mates.” Diann smiled.
“Yeah. It’ll be fun and a good reason to visit my brother’s family in Sicily. They have some hot guys in those packs.” I chuckled.
“Thanks for the ride. I’ll wash and return your skirt.” I waved goodbye as I got out. Diann waved as I went inside.
I decided I would put Austin out of my head. He’s not the type of guy I want. It was pointless when I thought about it.
“SUZIE! You’ll never guess what’s happened!” Mom shouted the moment I walked in.
I was worried for a moment, but then I realized she was happy. “What’s going on?”
I was not sure what news could make mom this excited. She hasn’t been this excited since Grace joined the family.
“Stephen just called. Amelia is pregnant! Two months along, they wanted to wait to say anything. The Goddess has blessed your brother and Amelia with another baby.” Mom squealed, pulling me into a tight hug in her excitement.
“OMG! That’s… Oh, that’s wonderful! I’m going to be an aunt again! Grace will get to have a brother or sister!” I let myself get swept into the excitement.
Amelia had been told she couldn’t have children. We were all so happy when Grace appeared on their doorstep four years ago.
The pregnancy news took my mind off Austin and everything that happened with him. I spent the next six months focused on school, preparing for my first shift, and contacting Amelia and Stephen.
Like the rest of my family, we had learned Italian sign language to video chat with Amelia even when Stephen wasn’t there. It’s been so fun keeping up to date on her pregnancy and seeing how excited Grace is to become a big sister.
*SMH* Austin, you dense boy. At least the announcement Amelia and Stephen are having a baby can take Suzie's mind off things.
I haven’t seen nor heard from or about Suzanne Walterson in months. She hasn’t had to come to the office now that her sessions are over. And I tend to keep my distance from pack gatherings so we don’t cross paths. Even if she lives down the street, we don’t generally cross paths. I went years without seeing that kid. Since her brother moved to Madonie, I haven’t had any reason to go by her house. Not that Stephen and I were ever good friends. Mostly I was his ride since I had my car. And given how we left things, his fist in my face, we will not be mending fences. I hadn’t thought that three months of seeing her three times a week would change anything. I got by just fine, not talking to or seeing her before. So why have I missed seeing her? Miss the low-key banter during her sessions. I’ve attempted to distract myself with Denise. She’s not a bad person. I get along with her well enough, but she’s human and not my mate. Unlike the she-wolves at the pack who have snubbed
The most awkward thing about being a werewolf is the nudity part of shifting. Sure we grow up around it because every adult you know shifts, and not a single kid in the pack hasn’t seen their parents naked because of it. It makes us more adjusted than the humans who are just so conservative and worried about nudity. Are some people’s naked bodies more impressive than others? Oh hell yes. I’ve seen Ivan Furlan naked. Now that’s impressive. So while nudity is normal and part of the culture, it is still awkward to shift around the other kids getting their wolves for the first time. My parents took me out to the woods on the full moon night, where everyone was taken to shift for the first time. It was me, Shannon, Paul, and a few others. Overall there were about ten of us shifting on this full moon. So it was our families and Alpha Logan and Luna Aurelia with us. “You’ve all been preparing for today your whole life. Shifting to our wolves is as natural as breathing.” Alpha Log
‘Smooth. Real smooth. Dumbass.’ Jax chuckled while I rubbed my cheek where she slapped me. I’ve been slapped more than once by a she-wolf, but Suzie certainly packs a punch. Maybe rubbing my nose against hers was too forward for her taste. “I see you got Edith’s strength.” I groaned, still rubbing my face. “And I was holding back.” Suzie snorted. “Not a fan of rubbing noses. Noted.” I smirked as she glared at me. “Maybe you should go see if…. Denise likes rubbing noses.” Suzie huffed, turning away from me. Okay, that might have hurt more than the slap, especially as it reminded me that I was in Denise’s bed just last night. ‘Yeah, until she threw you out of it because you wouldn’t commit to her. And the reason you couldn’t is standing in front of us.’ Jax snorted. Though wait, how would Suzie know anything about Denise? I furrowed my brow because even my dad didn’t know about Denise. And I know I do not have her scent anywhere on me. Taking a step around her to be
With a quick pivot at the moment of impact, I remained standing as the boy crashed to the floor, holding my prosthetic leg. “Stop trying to cuddle my prosthetic, you weirdo.” I rolled my eyes, taunting. “While not a bad thought to try and unbalance me, you seemed to be under the false impression that I haven’t learned how to move and fight without the leg.” I sighed. “Don’t underestimate your opponent because of their outer appearance. Now come at me again.” I explained once more, gesturing for him to come at me. The kid was frustrated, tossing my leg aside as he rushed me again. I was laughing as I hopped out of the way. “Toro, toro.” I taunted as he lunged at me. Then with a laugh, add, “Oh lay” when he’d miss. He was huffing out of breath, and a few of the other sparing pairs who felt they had practiced enough had circled up to watch. The giggles of the crowd seemed to piss the boy off more. “Stop playing with him, Cl… Austin.” Scott sighed, correcting himself as he
I wasn’t the only one that was impressed watching Austin fight Paul. Paul has never been much of a fighter. He was below average in our pre-wolf training. But even being a below-average fighter with an Omega wolf, people thought Paul would have fared better. They didn’t think Austin would be able to fight as quickly with his injury. He proved them all wrong. I, of course, was betting on Austin. Even before losing his leg, Austin was no slouch as a fighter. After months of working with him as my physical therapist, I know how strong he is and how easily he can move even without a prosthetic. That doesn’t mean I didn’t feel bad for Paul as he got embarrassed. I’m sure he won’t be living that down any time soon. And while I initially thought Austin could have taken it easier on him, he made a valid point. Even though Paul is an Omega, he will need to grow stronger if he wants to work with the pack’s children. He will have to be able to protect them if something happens. And a
I don’t know why I expect discretion for Suzanne Walterson. I have never known her to bite her tongue or hold back on anything. I really shouldn’t be surprised. As much as I dread having the conversation I know is coming, I’m glad to at least be alone with her. No one to overhear us. No one to watch us. And no one to interrupt us. We probably need to discuss a lot, not just my past relationship with Denise. Like how she seemed hesitant and quickly retreated before I could kiss her earlier. I mean, I’m not looking to pressure her or anything. She’d probably knock me into next week. But still, I’m not so oblivious to have missed the look in her eyes. She anticipated the kiss, but suddenly she moved away and insisted we leave. “Is it so surprising that I can do nice things?” I arched my eyebrow as we left the training center. “Yeah. I mean, have you met yourself?” Suzie shook her head. “Okay, fair, I guess. But that’s you judging me on how I used to be. I’m not that guy any
If I hadn’t seen his change with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it. The Clement Shelton I knew growing up was a total self-centered asshole. But Austin Shelton is entirely different. Well, maybe not completely. He’s still kind of an asshole. But he’s not the same kind of an unredeemable asshole. “You shouldn’t have even been in that accident. That kid is a fucking moron. One for not paying attention while driving and two for even going up that mountain in those conditions.” Austin rumbled. “I chose to be in that truck. I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.” I pointed out. “Congrats, you’re stupider than your friends? Because it takes a real idiot to know something is a bad idea and still does it,” Austin rolled his eyes. “Oh, because you smell your own? I can make a list as long as my arm of all the stupid shit you’ve done that I bet money you knew was a bad idea.” I countered. “Doubtful.” Austin scoffed. “Oh, let’s see. When I was five, I remember you deciding
You have got to be kidding me! Thanks, Maxton, thanks a fucking lot. Cocking blocking, son of a bitch. Do all fathers have a cockblocker mode, or is it just him? Because fuck if he doesn’t. There is no way he could have just coincidentally timed walking out onto the porch like that. No way. He had to have sensed it like that robot in Spaceballs with her virgin alarm. I waited till she was inside, and Maxton had shut the door before backing out of the driveway. Don’t think I didn’t miss the way his eyebrow arched as he looked at me. Oh, he not only knows my jeep, but he saw me clear as day behind the wheel. I can just imagine what conversation is happening inside the Walterson house tonight. What will she tell them? Will she lie and say we ran into each, and I offered to drop her off? Will she tell the truth and say we’re mates? Or will she tell a white lie? Omitting that I’m her mate but say I was one of the instructors? So many possibilities, and I have no way of knowing