Chapter 13

MARKUS

I didn’t go back to work. I texted the guys to say I had to sort out a family issue, and instead, went and saw the diner owner that Lexie used to work for.

Despite the amazing sex we’d enjoyed—or perhaps because of it, with my body and emotions in heightened mode—I was full of testosterone and rage.

At my mom.

At Fate.

At every person who’d told me that I was a shit of a man and didn’t have the heart or discipline to be a decent husband.

So, instead of staying with the woman I was meant to mate with, I left and drove into town. I was there in mere minutes and found a parking spot right out the front of the diner.

It was early in the week, and mid-afternoon, so Main Street was quiet at this time.

I hopped out of the truck and tightened my belt another hole. I hadn’t tightened it properly after sex with Lexie, being too concerned about her.

Damn, that session had been hot.

Last night had been amazing enough, but to come home and be able to turn her anger into a way to connect and be close... that had been incredible. To take her so roughly against the wall had satisfied every urge inside me, and while I’d hoped she enjoyed it too, the moment we were done I’d begun to worry. What if she hadn’t enjoyed it? What if she hated it, and was disgusted with how I’d just treated her? I’d immediately assumed she would turn away. Be horrified at my animal impulses.

More than one lover in the past had complained about my passion, especially human women. It was one of the reasons I preferred sleeping with shifters. They didn’t look down on me for needing a bit of roughness, or tell me I’d gone too far and pushed them past their comfort level.

It made the tenderness Lexie showed me afterwards so much sweeter, knowing she accepted every part of me.

When I’d carried her to bed because she looked like she was half asleep on her feet, she’d wanted to cuddle, to kiss. To touch my face and whisper how wonderful our time together had been.

Such a stark contrast to the wildcat who had been in my arms only minutes before.

And damn, I loved both sides of her, equally.

I shook off the distracting thought, though the feeling of warmth toward Lexie remained. A perfect pair like Ollie and me were complimentary, but also significantly different men.

I’d always believed it would be impossible to find a woman who would suit both of us and yet, Lexie seemed to have all the fire I required, coupled with a tender and sweet side that calmed me. How she suited Ollie as well, I had no idea, but he seemed just as rapt with her as I was.

I rolled up my shirt sleeves while I leaned against my truck and stared up at the sign above the diner. If the owner was in, he was paying Lexie her money.

We didn’t need the cash, of course, but she’d earned it. And I had the feeling she’d be one of those women who didn’t want to take unnecessarily from others but needed her own money. More power to her, if she did.

I walked forward and pushed open the glass door, the bells ringing above my head.

“Hey. Take a seat and I’ll be with you in a minute.” The waitress behind the counter smiled at me.

I walked up to the seats at the counter. “I’m looking for the owner.”

The girl frowned as though that was an unusual request. “He’s not working today. Can I leave him a message?”

I leaned forward to put my hands on the counter. “No. But I do need to speak to him. Can you tell me when he’ll be in next?”

She stared at me quizzically, as if trying to figure me out. “Can I ask what this is about?”

How much could I trust her? “Do you know Lexie at all?”

The girl’s face transformed, lighting up with a huge smile. “Oh, yeah. She’s awesome. I can’t believe the boss fired her for punching some guy who was handsy with her. We get treated like shit and no one cares.”

“I care,” I managed to growl out. “And I want to sort out a few things with your boss.”

She looked left and right as though to make sure no one else was listening. Then she dropped her voice to a whisper and said, “He’s in tomorrow. Dinner shift. Five till eleven.”

I winked at her and gave her a smile that I usually reserved for someone I was trying to seduce. “Thanks.”

Then I left. The girl was cute, but she was young, and my wolf wasn’t interested in her. Not one bit.

I frowned as I climbed into my truck. She’d definitely been cute. And not that young. My disinterest was a strange reaction.

My phone buzzed, and when I glanced down there was a text from Nancy.

You coming over tonight?

My immediate response was a loud groan. Hell, no.

I blinked. Since when did I knock back Nancy? Was I seriously cured from feeling like I needed to be on the hunt all the time? Never satisfied. Was the feeling actually gone?

I had to test out this strange theory.

I texted back. I’m busy tonight, but can catch up for a drink now. You around?

Nancy was a sales consultant and could be anywhere in the city at any time.

Yeah. I’m around the corner from my place. You wanna come over for a beer?

In Nancy speak that was, “Do you wanna come by for a quick fuck?” And maybe I did... I wanted to see what my wolf would do if I gave him the option.

I sent back, Cool. Be there in ten.

During the drive to Nancy’s townhouse, my gut twisted tighter with every quarter mile that passed. When I finally pulled up outside her place and saw the lights in the window, I couldn’t get out of the truck.

I tried to. I told myself I wanted to, even if I wasn’t sure I did. I sure as hell didn’t want to sit there like a stuffed turkey. But my legs wouldn’t move. My arms wouldn’t reach for the door handle.

My wolf remained curled up inside my chest, unmoving.

“Come on. Get out. She’s waiting.” With a cold beer and a hot pussy. “You pussy. Move!”

But there was no use. It appeared I was paralyzed from the neck down. Frozen in place.

“Fine,” I grunted out. “Let’s go home.” Then suddenly I was able to turn the key and start the truck again.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “You idiot.” And the funniest part of all was that my wolf was also happy to go home, giving a rumble of approval before curling up once again to sleep. He suddenly didn’t want anything to do with a woman I’d had hundreds of times during the past decade.

And neither did I.

Nancy came running out the front door with a huge smile on her face and the door to my escape slammed shut on me. “You’re here! Come inside.”

I turned the ignition off again and got out. I already had my answer, I didn’t need to go inside. But Nancy and I had a lot of history and the last thing I wanted to do was insult her. We had a better friendship than that. Or so I thought.

The front door was open, so I went inside.

She shut the door behind us.

“Beers are on the counter!” she called out as I walked through the living room, familiar with the layout. I’d been here more times than I could count.

I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to explain that I was off the market, but it had to be said.

I found the beers and grabbed one, taking a sip to quench my thirst. I really needed water. The session with Lexie had really dehydrated me.

I wanted to go home to Lexie. I still wasn’t sure whether I wanted a mate and all that went with it, but I wanted her. And that was a start.

Nancy sauntered into the room naked, her tiny tits pushed out.

I groaned and closed my eyes. “Nancy. Stop.”

“Stop what?” she asked, grabbing onto my shirt and pushing the buttons through the holes at lightning speed.

I twisted away to stop her and put the beer back down on the counter. “I came here for a drink and a chat.”

Nancy folded her arms over her breasts and affected a powerful stance. Her pussy was shaved, her body sleek and strong. And not a single hair on my wolf stirred to look her way.

If anything, I was feeling sicker by the minute. Guilty. I shouldn’t be here.

Wow. You’ve got it bad.

“I’ve gotta go.”

I went to walk past her. I wasn’t sticking around to deal with this. She stepped in my way and pushed her hand against my chest. “Don’t tell me this is because of that fat little human I saw with Ollie last night?”

I growled at her, a clear warning and one her wolf wouldn’t ignore.

She snapped her trap shut but continued to glare at me.

“Get out of my way, Nancy.”

“You can’t be serious!” she said. “You’re not Ollie. You don’t want a mate for life. Or little brats hanging around your ankles. We’ve already talked about this a hundred times. You could never be faithful to a woman you have to share. This whole perfect pair shit is fucked up.”

They were the same words I’d said a thousand times to anyone who would listen. They were the same thoughts I’d expressed to her since we were twenty years old.

Yet hearing my words come out of her luscious, poisonous mouth, they sounded wrong. I didn’t believe them anymore.

My glare made her take a step back. “Nance. Get out of the way. I’m going home to Lexie. I don’t know if she’ll be my mate, or what’s happening there, but you and I are done. You need to find another fuck friend.”

I walked around her and left the house, shuddering at the dirty feeling I had all over my body. Was this what it felt like to be content? To be happy with the woman I was with?

I’d never known this feeling before. Even on nights where I’d had sex—hell, even a threesome with two hot women—it didn’t stop me looking for the next one as soon as we were done. I was never satisfied, the heat in my blood never quenched. But as I drove home to my house on the outskirts of town, my wolf slept happily.

I’d truly never known such peace.

When I pulled up outside the house, my phone rang, and I answered. It was my dad.

“Markus. Your mother and I need to have a word.”

“Now?” I asked, turning off the ignition and leaning back in the seat. I was finally home. Couldn’t it wait?

“Preferably. Can you come right away?”

I frowned. “What about Ollie?” My parents never spoke to us separately, especially not about anything important.

“We just need to speak to you. If you’re free, come by.”

“I’m free,” I confirmed, aching to go inside, but feeling like my parents’ fears needed addressing. Mom had already upset Lexie once. I didn’t want her doing it again.

“We’re home,” Dad said.

So I started the truck once more and set off, hoping that Lexie had found something to occupy her afternoon, because I was learning more about myself today than I ever thought possible. And I couldn’t wait to get back to her.