The One

Mine

 It was the next morning, the morning of William and Anna's short vacation on top of their family getaway. With unbridled enthusiasm, Sharon pushed her parents' luggage with all her might as her sister Karol leaned casually against the car, arching an eyebrow.

"Did you take everything you need?" Karol asked, her tone dripping with mock seriousness.

"Absolutely! Everything is in here. Just call us if anything happens, okay?" Anna replied, giving Sharon a bear hug.

William, wrapping his arms around Karol, added, "We're trusting you two to keep things moderately chaotic."

Karol rolled her eyes, smirking. "Nothing will happen within 24 hours! You both know we are a dangerous duo."

"That's why we're scared—not for you two, but for the safety of others," William shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Both sisters turned to their parents, playful glares ready, before waving goodbye. "Have fun, you two!" Sharon called out. "Have fun like you're in your thirties! I mean, your twenties!"

William narrowed his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he retorted, "You too! Have fun—just remember, no stupid things!"

As soon as their parents were out of sight, Sharon turned to Karol, bursting with excitement. "Hahaha, the parents are gone! Let's have a wild Sunday!" She flung open the passenger door and hopped in.

Karol swiftly took the driver's seat, fastening her seatbelt. "Sissy, before 'wild Sunday', we need food! I'm starving! We haven't eaten breakfast yet! Let's go to Elm's Diner!"

"Great idea!" Sharon cheered, pulling out her phone to search for directions.

Upon reaching Elm's Diner, they expertly parked between two flashy sports cars. As they hopped out, Sharon asked, "Wanna go clubbing tonight?"

Karol shrugged, "Nope! Not feeling it, but I'm definitely down for some fancy dinner with a sky view and wine, of course! What do you think?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Sharon agreed as they entered the diner.

A middle-aged waitress greeted them. "Hi, sweeties! Welcome to Elm's Diner!"

"Hi there! Can we get a booth, just the two of us?" Karol requested, scanning the crowd.

"Of course, sweeties! Right this way." The waitress led them to a cosy booth, handing them the menus. "I'll give you five minutes and be back to take your order, okay?"

Once seated, they eagerly glanced at the menus. Five minutes later, the waitress returned, ready to take their orders. "Ready to order, sweeties?"

Karol was quick to respond. "Yes, please! I'll have the vanilla pancakes with bacon strips and a cup of tea, thank you!"

"For me, the blueberry pancakes with coffee, please!" Sharon chimed in, handing over her menu with a grin.

After collecting their menus, the waitress asked, "Will that be all, ladies?"

"Absolutely!" both sisters replied in unison, excitement bubbling in their voices as the waitress sauntered off.

Sharon suddenly peered past Karol and smirked. Leaning closer, she whispered, "Damn! The guy behind you is handsome as hell!"

"Where? Where?" Karol turned around, her expression a mix of intrigue and desperate hope.

"Behind you! Just—don't look too obvious!"

"Shit! Why do you always get the good seats? Wait, is he alone? Does he have a friend or brother who's equally hot?"

"Probably because I'm God's favourite. And nope, he's alone, staring right at you. Goodness, he's really hot!"

"Sharon! Focus!" Karol hissed playfully, leaning forward to block Sharon's view of the mysterious man.

"Oh, please! You're the one melting into a puddle!" Karol teased, rolling her eyes. "Damn! You're looking a bit hot and bothered right now."

Sharon glared but couldn't suppress her smirk. "Shush! I can't help it; it's the 'divine intervention' seat, I guess."

Karol pursed her lips, her amusement clear. "Wait, he's the first one to affect you like this? No one's ever done that, not even those high-up court types. Who is this man? You need to bag him! Make him yours before he gets away!"

"I will—if fate decides we're fated," Sharon replied, deadpan.

"Eww, cringe much! (fake gag) Bitch, where's my phone?" Karol protested, shaking her head with laughter.

Sharon shot a glance at her sister, exasperation etched on her face. "Honestly, it's your phone! I didn't keep it. You know we used yours for directions to the airport with Mum and Dad. Can you try to remember? It's probably still in the car."

"Fine, fine! You don't have to sound so dramatic," Karol snapped, rolling her eyes. "It was you who insisted I use my phone for the maps, even though we have a perfectly good navigator in the car! Just give me five minutes to grab it, I'll be right back." She stood up, then turned back and shot Sharon a conspiratorial look. "He's absolutely gorgeous," she mouthed, pointing discreetly at the man still fixated on her sister. "Get his number!"

With a sly smile, Karol strode towards the exit, leaving Sharon both flattered and flustered.

Meanwhile, the diner had transformed from a warm atmosphere to a silent battleground of lingering gazes between two strangers.

"Dude, seriously, what are you doing?" asked the second stranger as he positioned himself across from the first.

The handsome one replied in a low, velvety murmur, barely above a whisper, "Just having a friendly competition over my Donna."

The second stranger turned his head to look at Sharon, who was still locked in their silent duel. A smirk crept across his face, and he chuckled. "You're quite brave, mate," he teased before his expression shifted as he took a deep breath, stopping short. "Wait, why does she smell like vanilla?!"

"What?" The handsome stranger's gaze remained unwavering, intrigued.

"No, really, now that I mention it, it's like this diner is drenched in vanilla," he remarked, sniffing the air curiously. His eyes darted back to Sharon, confusion spreading across his features. "Please tell me she's not my mate!"

"Dude, she's mine," the handsome stranger snapped, irritation flashing in his eyes as he broke his focus with Sharon, who smirked triumphantly, convinced she had won their unspoken contest.

"Then why does she smell so good? It's like my wolf can't get enough of her scent! I really think she's my mate," the second stranger confessed, urgency rising in his voice.

"How certain are you?" the handsome stranger pressed, his expression turning serious.

"I thi—" But before he could finish, he noticed a stronger waft of vanilla washing over him as the girl approached their booth.

"MINE!" he whispered vehemently, feeling his determination surge as his eyes transformed briefly to an all-consuming black before reverting back.

When their eyes met, a spark lit between them, and he felt his heart drum in his chest. She smiled genuinely, that friendly smile that made him feel as though he had just laid eyes on an angel. His thoughts raced: 'Mate, mine, human, strong? Perfect, mine, mate.'