The Alpha Prince's Mate (Book 7 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 11

Once they were back at the pack house, Ethan and Noelle parted ways. She would probably go greet Nick like she hadn't seen him in weeks, while he would go stay by himself.

He headed back up to the room he was staying in for his visit and headed into the bathroom. He hadn't even bothered with the Alpha's quarters. He just didn't care, and given that he had no intention of staying in the position, what was the point in getting settled into a suite for maybe two weeks?

He stripped off his clothes and walked into the small bathroom, flipping on the water and letting it warm. He stood there for a moment, looking at himself in the mirror. He needed to find a gym. Ethan had never been vain, but he did like to keep in excellent shape. Those in his pack would kick his ass if he didn't. He did take pride in himself though.

He turned his attention back to the now warm shower and stepped inside. That was when he finally let his mind drift back to Mila.

She'd been so beautiful today. She had such a gorgeous smile. He wondered what her hair would look like down, how long it really was and what it would look like spread over his pillow while he was over her and inside of her. What noises would she make? How would she taste? He hoped he had the chance to find out. He couldn't wait to explore her body. Couldn't wait to explore every one of her curves.

He closed his eyes, letting his mind go over those moments slowly. Moments from his dream of her last night, and how she'd responded to him, to his touch, to his lips on her body, floated through his mind. He wanted her so badly. But he hadn't even touched her yet. He knew the moment that happened, she'd become aware of the tingles. He hoped they didn't freak her out. He didn't have any idea of how they felt, if they'd be subtle or what. And he wouldn't know until he touched her. He couldn't wait to touch her.

He was very aroused now, as his thoughts drifted to when she'd been aroused at the garden center. That had been unexpected, but a pleasant surprise. It was nice to know that she was that attracted to him, that drawn to him. That her body was responding to him just being there near her. That her body was responding to the bond that was between them. A bond she was only somewhat aware of as of yet.

He thought about what Noelle had said to him about dreams and wondered if Mila had dreamed about him and if they'd been nearly as erotic as his own. That could easily explain why she'd been so aroused when she'd seen him.

He wrapped his own hand around his cock and let his thoughts of her consume him for a few moments, not that they hadn't been already, as an orgasm rippled through him, taking off the edge, and hopefully letting him sleep tonight. He wondered how many more times he'd be doing that before he actually had the chance to mate her. Hopefully not for months on end.

He finished bathing, then got out of the shower and walked back into the bedroom. He didn't bother putting on clothes and crawled into his bed. Tomorrow, Mila. Tomorrow.

***

She didn't show up.

Ethan sat there at the table in the coffee shop, watching the door, as he sipped his own latte. His sister had gotten him hooked on them a while ago, though he didn't have them often. Noelle had at least one every day.

He watched the door open again, but she still didn't walk in. He'd seen six people walk in so far. Four women and two men. Not one of them had been his mate. He glanced at his phone and saw that it was almost 9:30. He felt deflated, and frustrated. Maverick was on edge too, pacing in his mind.

He wasn't sure what to think. He hadn't thought she'd stand him up, but she had. It made him a bit sick to his stomach, knowing that she had the power over him to crush him like this, to hurt him like this.

He didn't know what to do. He'd never dated. He had hooked up a handful of times, but he'd never gone on a real date. What did one do when the girl didn't show up? He didn't have her number. But she was his mate, the woman he was fated to be with, and she hadn't shown on their first date. He tried to ignore the hurt he was feeling. He swallowed in frustration.

He'd thought she'd felt the connection between them, but maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe she wasn't that interested. The annoyed part of him wanted to walk out and go back to Pennsylvania and forget about her, but the rational part of him knew that he couldn't. Not yet. If she didn't want this, she had to reject him. He couldn't just take off and have a mate out there somewhere. It would drive him insane.

'Maybe she had a reason for not coming,' Maverick suggested.

Ethan could tell his wolf was as hurt as he was, but he might also be right. He wished he'd exchanged numbers with her, then he could at least call her, or text her or something. Find out why she hadn't shown. Maybe she had forgotten, but that thought hurt him even more. He just wasn't that important to her. Not enough for her to show.

He impatiently waited until her shift started before he decided to head over to the garden center. He didn't have a reason to go except for her, but he wanted to know why she'd ghosted him. If she didn't want a relationship, at least she could reject him. How weird would that be if he asked her for that? But he knew he was getting ahead of himself. He was overreacting. Or at least he hoped he was.

He walked into the garden center a little after ten and breathed in deeply, scenting the air. She wasn't there either and that's when the worry set in. He glanced around, looking for someone who might know where she was.

The fact that not only had she not shown up for their date, but also not shown up for work has his mind working in overtime. Had something happened to her? Was she sick? Had she suddenly left town? Someone had to know something.

The woman who had helped him with his date this morning was behind the counter, looking through a catalog and he walked up to the counter and stopped, eyeing her. She was blond and pretty, but he wasn't interested in her.

She glanced up at him and frowned. "Crap," she muttered, and sighed.

He lifted an eyebrow at her. She knew.

"She didn't stand you up," she told him.

"She didn't show," he responded. "That's the definition of standing someone up."

She cringed and sighed. "I know. She stood you up but she has her reasons for not showing this morning. Trust me, she wanted to."

That was not at all what he wanted to hear. He debated about asking what those reasons were.

"Can I ask you something that might sound really crazy?" She looked past him and around the garden center.

Not what he'd expected and he frowned but nodded. He just wanted to know why Mila hadn't shown and if he still had any chance with her.

"Are you one of them?" She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him as though she was daring him to say no.

Ethan's frown deepened. Was she asking him what he thought she was? "What do you mean?" he asked vaguely.

"Are you from out by Valley Creek, with the group that lives out there?"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "What do you know about that?"

"Are you?" she persisted.

"Maybe." He glared at her. He did NOT want to be having this conversation with her now. He wanted to know what had happened to Mila, not answer questions about what he was. It was none of her business.

"I know .. about Alamo. What William has done. I know how bad it's been," she said quietly, staring him in the eye.