Valentine's Mate

Chapter 6

SKYE

This hot man in front of me was my mate.

Oh wow.

After food and having a shower to freshen up, I got dressed. The dress fitted perfectly and the shoes. I felt pretty.

Nyla was happy and was eager to leave.

We left and headed over to the fair. There were a few people already there. I walked around, checking out the whole place. There were many couples, which made me feel awkward.

We walked around when a scent came wafting toward me. I halted while Nyla sniffed. She paced. I looked around but felt someone's hands wrap around my waist. Tingles erupted when the person's scent hit me—musk with a hit of rosemary.

Damn, he smelt good.

"Mate," he whispered, while his hand tightened around my waist and pulled closer to me. "Let me see your pretty face."

Tingles erupted through me, sending my entire body into a frenzy. I slowly twisted around until I met with his deep chocolate-brown eyes. Holy shit, he was handsome as sin.

Nyla moves closer and chants. "Mate!"

My eyes stayed on him but widened.

"Mate!" Nyla chanted again. "Skye, he's our mate."

"Mate," I whispered, which only my mate grinned. He had a gorgeous grin.

I searched his face, trying to figure out what to do next.

Did he want us?

"Oh, he wants us," Nyla said with a slight pant. "His wolf is close by. He wants us like we are his—"

I shook my head and stopped listening to her.

My mate moved closer to my face. "You okay?" he murmured, and his hands loosen on my waist.

I needed air. I felt like the whole fair was smothering me slightly.

My breath quickened slightly, which made me look away from my mate. My eyes darted around until I found an opening toward some tents. Maybe I could run through there.

Taking a step away from my mate only made him step closer. My eyes went back to his, which were full of concern. I need air. This was all too much, even for now.

I had always envisioned my mate, but after everything I went through after the war. I couldn't think straight. I took another step back, which only caused hurt in my mate's eyes.

He went to move, but I shook my head and took off running.

"Skye!" Nyla screamed in my head, but I placed a block on her. I was all for celebrating my birthday and going to the fair, but meeting my mate. This one step I didn't think would happen, especially tonight. This much has been why Nyla was acting like she was.

I ran through the opening of the tents and stopped. I had no idea where I was going. Looking both ways until I smelt his scent again from behind, I turned right and ran. I needed time.

I ran, but footsteps were behind me—he was running after me. I didn't know where I was going until I felt a hand wrap around my wrist and pull me into a tent.

My mate spun me around and made me face him. His eyes were full of hurt and pain, which was confusing to me. "Why did you run?" he asked quietly. "Don't you want me?"

My eyes widened while his grip tightened on my wrist.

"I—" I whispered, but there were too many emotions going on and his damn scent was doing more to my core than it should.

My mate pulled me toward him, making me slam into his chest. "Please," he said, which sounded like a plead. "Your mate. We are meant to be together."

I stared at him, my eyes searching his face.

"Why?" I whispered, which caught him off guard. His face looked shocked when I asked the question. "Why do you want me? I'm a rogue. Don't you—"

"I'm a rogue too," he said, leaning toward me.

My eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You're a rogue?" I asked. "You stay with the fair? Isn't it a pack? Or—"

My mate chuckled, which made my heart tighten.

"Yes, I work at the fair," he said, placing his hand on my face and gently stroking my cheek while he continued. "This isn't a pack. We all work together, but it's a safe place. To be honest, we are more like family than a pack. We are all there for each other."

Listening to him talk about the fair and the people around being like family made me feel slightly at ease. The block I had on Nyla came down and she pushed through, coming closer to see our mate.

"Don't ever do that to me again," Nyla murmured. "You scared me."

"Sorry," I whispered, my eyes focused on my mate. "I was scared and overwhelmed with everything."

"I know," she said. "I could sense it, but I told you before he wanted us."

I said nothing, but my mate cocked his head to the side. "I promise," he said, moving his hand away from my face. I felt lost without his touch, but he soon put it into my hand when an electric shock rippled through us.

My eyes widened, which only made him grin broadly. "See," he muttered. "Our mate bond is working."

Even I couldn't help but give him a small smile.

"Now," he said, looking over at the tent and then back at me again. "How about we celebrate the most romantic night of the year together and your birthday?"

What?

How the hell would he know about my birthday?

"He was following us last night and this morning," Nyla blurted out, which made me feel slightly calmer now, knowing that our mate was the one who was watching us.

My mind raced, remembering the entire ordeal I felt, and wondering who was out there. It was my mate all along. "You were following me," I blurted out, which made him grin wider and nod. "Last night and this morning. It was you."

Nyla hummed in my head and sent warmth toward me. She was calm, which put me at ease.

"Yes," he said. "I smelt you in the bar, the first night we came here, but you didn't realise."

"I wasn't twenty then," I muttered, which made him chuckle slightly. "Also, the smells that come from that place will affect anyone's senses."

My mate laughed.

"Yeah, that's true," he said and sighed. He looked at me for a moment and nodded toward the tent.

"Shall we?"

I smiled at him and nodded.

My mate moved first, but there was a sudden realization that set in. I had no clue what his name was.

"I don't even know your name?" I blurt out, which made him stop and look over his shoulder at me.

He smiled.

"Theo," he said. "My name is Theo."

I nodded.

Theo.

I like it.

Theo turned to face me and pulled me toward him again. His head came closer and leaned in. "Come on," he said. "I want to show you all the fair and then have you moan my name while I claim you."

My face heated, while he pressed his lips to mine and kissed me. I kissed him back, but he pulled back slightly. "Come on, Skye," he said, which made my eyes pop at the mere sound of my name coming from his lips. "Let me show give you a birthday and Valentine's Day you will never forget."

Well, this was one I was sure as hell would not forget in a hurry—the night I met my mate.