Fate Mate

Chapter 16

I slept like a dog that night. When I woke up on the couch then next morning, confusion settled over me. Slowly, I blinked in my surroundings: a dead fireplace, a few blankets thrown across the ground, and the Black Lupis Alpha. 

Nolan's impressive body laid on the floor, extended alongside the couch. A soft snore vibrated from his chest every time he exhaled, utterly unaffected by the rising sun. I sat up on the couch and smiled at the memory of the night before.

 Nolan and I stayed awake for hours. We spoke of our lives and childhoods.  I told him about Lizzie, my troublesome best-friend, and he retold stories of his youth spent training alongside Raegan. We laughed. And when I could no longer fight my exhaustion, I fell asleep with my hand twined in his. At the time, it felt like an intimate gesture. But looking back on our conversation, I had a difficult time comprehending the meaning of the seemingly innocent touch...

Moon goddess, he's out like a light. I considered waking him up with a poke to his rock-hard shoulders, but he looked so peaceful... And honestly, I didn't know how often nightmares plagued his sleep. Maybe he needed to sleep in? 

I decided to leave Nolan to his snoring and drooling, and I slipped off of the couch and tiptoed around his hefty body. With my mate in the house, I was painfully aware of my own morning-breath.  I'd go to his bathroom and rummage through the drawers for a toothbrush, or mouthwash, or even just a mint. Anything before he woke up. 

But a movement in the window caught my eye before I reached his bedroom door, and I paused. A young man, probably only a few years older than myself, walked through the cottage's little garden toward the front door. I'd seen the man a few times before in the pack house, and decided to defer my dental hygiene in hopes of intercepting him before his knocking woke up Nolan. 

I opened the front door just as the man arrived. He had dark skin, and tattoos decorating his arms. He blinked, eyebrows high in surprise. "Uh, I'm here to see--" 

"Shhh!" I interrupted in a whisper. He obeyed my command and waited until I stepped onto the front step and shut the door with the softest click. "Sleeping alpha," I breathed out and nodded my head toward the cottage, as if that was all the explanation he would need. 

"Right..." The poor man looked lost. He ran a hand through his buzzed hair, as if uncomfortable with the situation I'd put him in. I couldn't comprehend why... Is it because I'm a woman? The thought had me fuming. I opened my mouth, intent on asking whether he had forgotten how to speak, but paused when his eyes flickered down my body. 

Moon Goddess, I'm only wearing Nolan's t-shirt. My eyes widened, and I instinctively crossed my arms against my chest. The fabric reached the middle of my thigh, which wasn't too scandalous. But I'd taken off my bra for the sake of comfort the night before, and the morning air was a bit chilly... 

"Yes?" I tried to ignore the heat pooling in my cheeks.

Before the stunned man could get a word out, the front door swung open and a low growl rumbled from behind. I winced. Within seconds, Nolan had stepped in front of me, and I was dwarfed by his figure. Territorial Alpha male, I rolled my eyes. 

"What do you want Eric?" Nolan seethed. 

"You missed the meeting this morning, and we tried mind-linking with you but you blocked us off. And Raegan's occupado with Abby, so I came to get the patrols for today." The guy, Eric sounded unsure of himself as he rambled on.

Nolan mumbled something under his breath before sighing, "Same patrols as yesterday. And if I ever see you lay eyes on my mate like that again..." He trialed off, but Eric and I knew that the threat still stood. 

I frowned. Poor Eric hadn't known I would answer the door dressed in only a t-shirt. 

"Yes, Alpha. I'm sorry, Alpha." Eric rambled, and I was surprised the male did not drop to his knees to kiss the ground that Nolan walked on. Instead, Eric turned away. I couldn't blame him-- I would want to get far away, too.