Chapter 3

Caden

How did you lose her?My wolf snaps at me as I get dressed a few days later.

He's been asking some variation of that question ever since Astrid slipped through our fingers the other night, and I sigh, ignoring him.

How?He demands to know, and I grit my teeth.

You were there! You know how.

You should have let me out. I could have run after the car, and then we wouldn't be in this situation.

Yeah, you're right. We'd probably be dead instead because I can guarantee that someone would have shot a giant wolf that was running down Main Street.

I could have taken them.

"Oh my God," I groan as I lace up my boots.

I could have,he insists.

You also would have freaked her the fuck out,I point out, and he snorts.

Maybe, maybe not.

No, you definitely would. She's human, and having a wolf after her and then seeing me shift in front of her is only going to scare her and make us claiming her even harder.

He knows that I'm right. We have to ease into things with our mate.

We need to claim her.

We will. Soon.

We have to find her first.

It's been two days since we lost Astrid, and I've been all over town but haven't seen her yet. I'm determined to find her, though. My wolf and I have both gone a little mad in the last forty-eight hours, and I know I need to find my fated mate sooner rather than later before I snap.

What if she was a tourist?My wolf asks, and I tense.

We'll find her,I promise him. If we can't find her in town today, then we'll go out looking for her. We'll track her down.

I grab my keys and head out to my bike. I need to get to the clubhouse at some point today, but I decide to drive around town and look for my mate first.

I cruise down the backroads towards town, scanning for a curvy woman with pale blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. There's no sign of her though.

I drive around town twice, but there's no sign of my mate. I pull into the parking lot of the Broken Bow Market and climb off my bike. I'm about to run into the store to grab a few things when I spot Astrid headed my way.

My wolf goes on high alert, and I try to calm my racing heart as I watch her head my way. She's looking down and doesn't notice me right away. That's probably for the best. I have a feeling that she might turn and run in the other direction if she saw me.

As if she can feel my gaze on her, she looks up and we lock eyes. Just like I thought, she turns on her heel and starts to walk back the way she came. I huff out a laugh at her feistiness and then go after her.

"Hey there."

She sighs and stops, turning to face me.

"Caden."

"Astrid," I say, grinning down at her. "You got a minute?"

"For you?" She asks with a sweet smile, and I smirk. "Nope."

My smile drops, and I see the spark of amusement in her eyes at my reaction.

"We need to talk," I tell her.

"No, we don't."

"We do," I insist. "Can we go somewhere?"

"No."

"I promise you that we do. I have something that I need to tell you."

"Do it now."

"It should be done in private."

"That is the worst pickup line," she groans, and I can't help but laugh.

"It's not a line. I really do need to talk to you and it really should be done in private."

She shakes her head.

"I'm busy today."

"Let me buy you a cup of coffee," I try, and she sighs long and hard.

"You're not going to give up, are you?" She asks, sounding resigned.

"Nope."

She eyes me for a minute, and I try to look like an upstanding guy, someone she can trust and grow old with. I'm not sure she sees me that way, but eventually, she nods.

"Fine."

"Great. The coffee shop is just a block down."

"I know. I grew up here," she tells me.

I file that information away, desperate to learn more about her.

"Really? Where?"

She side-eyes me as we fall into step together, and I smile at her.

"A few streets over," she says vaguely.

"Did you like it here?"

"No."

"Then why come back here?" I ask.

"How do you know that I left?"

"Because I've been here for almost four years now, and I haven't seen you around. This town isn't big, so that seems unlikely."

We start to cross the street when the roar of motorcycles cuts through the quiet, and I groan when I realize it's not members of the Devil's Pack MC. It's some members from the Midnight Rebels MC.

"Astrid," I start, but she's already backing up the way that she came.

I hate to let her go, and my wolf is screaming at me not to, but I have to. She needs to be safe. I don't know what these guys want, but I know what they're capable of, and I don't want my mate anywhere near them.

I watch Astrid until she turns the corner and disappears, and then with a growl, I turn back to deal with the assholes from the Midnight Rebels.

"You ruined my date," I snarl at them as they rush towards me.

It feels so satisfying when I lay the first one out and even better with the second. By the time they're all crawling or limping away from me, the frustration and anger have been burned off.

I watch them go before I head back to my own bike.

Our mate,my wolf whines, pawing at me.

She lives here. We'll find her again,I promise him.