You're Mine

9: Explosive

Zander's POV

I was sitting in the cafeteria with Sienna when I felt the energy shift. Within moments, the most beautiful girl I had ever seen walked right in front of my eyes and I couldn't even hear Sapphire's introduction of her over my wolf roaring in my head, THIS IS MY MATE.

I wanted more than anything to wrap my arms around her right then and kiss her and tell her that she was my love, my mate, and that I would make her my future luna. However, the smell of her humanity was intoxicating and her essence overwhelmed my senses. Everything about her was perfect and I wanted nothing more than to embrace her and show her all of my affection, but I stayed glued to my chair unsure of how to move forward in this setting. An overwhelming sense of completion surrounded me in her presence and everything in my world stopped at the sight of her.

It was very clear to my sisters, Sienna and Sapphire, as well as Alice what happened when our eyes met. I had never been as appreciative of Sapph as I was in that moment when she had Rose and I follow her to my truck in the parking lot and left us alone to encounter the explosivity of knowing each other in private.

I wanted to go to her, to touch her in every way that I could and to claim her as mine. My wolf was dying to feel her and my heart was aching to be with her. But I also felt empathy for her in that moment when I realized that she would be feeling all of the same emotions as me without knowing that we were mates. She would have no idea why she was experiencing such strong supernatural emotions. So I craved to be there for her and to be a safe and calm place for her as she unpacked the mate connection.

"Hi, I'm Zander," I said with restraint as I tried to talk to her. I was nervous talking to a woman for the first time in my life. My mind flooded with anxieties of what she would think about me and how our connection would fit into her frame of reference.

"Hi, Zander. My name is Rose Garner," she said with a smile that stopped my train of thought completely.

"Wow, you have the most attractive smile I've ever seen in my life," I told her truthfully. She blushed a deep red. I couldn't contain my smile at the thought of flattering her.

"I think you're the most attractive human I've ever seen in my life," she said without taking her eyes away from mine. I was glad that she was comfortable complimenting me in return, but it reminded me of her humanity and my lack of it.

"Will you go on a date with me?" I asked her.

"Right now? We still have classes today," she laughed. I put my hand on her waist and kissed her lips gently. The bond between us was so strong. I could tell that the power of alpha was falling on me in her presence. She made me the man and the wolf I was supposed to be to lead this pack. She was the luna I needed.

"Don't try to resist how you feel in exchange for what you think you need to do," I whispered softly in her ear as I ran my fingers through her hair and placed both of my hands on her exposed back beneath her hair. Her skin on mine brought a new level of desire. It took everything in me to remain still and soak in the feeling shooting up my arms and into my chest. "I promise that everything you're feeling is exactly what you're supposed to be feeling," I assured her. I know that she didn't understand the same way I did, but I wanted her to know that I understood what she was feeling and it was okay to relax with me.

"Oh, okay," she replied, stuttering slightly.

"I promise to explain everything," I told her as I opened my truck door and lifted her up into the seat before racing to the other side to take my place in the driver's seat next to her. I turned the key in the ignition and my truck roared to life, I pulled out of the parking lot and saw the look of shock on her face. "Rose, don't worry about anything, I will have it all taken care of. I promise you can trust me," I told her as I grabbed her hand and our fingers naturally interlocked. "Is this okay?" I asked about our hands. The last thing I wanted to do was make her uncomfortable around me.