My Taken Mate

What ifs and What is

Hayley

"Ugh, why does he have to be so damn hot?"

"Who's hot?" a shrill shout erupts from me at the surprising question. Turning with a hand over my rapidly beating heart, I face my aunt Shelly.

"Who is what now?" I ask, playing dumb.

Her brow arches and with a hand on her hip in a pose I've seen my mom do countless times, she repeats herself, "Who's hot? I've been watching you practically drool on the glass of that window on and off for the past ten minutes." She takes a step in my direction, "Just what's got you so enraptured out there?"

Acting quickly I close the small space between us and place my hands on each of her shoulders, desperately trying to reroute her, "Not who aunty, IT. I said 'Why is it so damn hot?'"

Not believing me for a minute and proving to be quite quick in her ancient age of thirty-five, she side steps my hold and peeks out the window. "Aaah, I see what's caught your eye," she teases with a wink my way before taking a second look outside.

Sticking with my quickly failing lie, I continue trying to dissuade her assumptions, "I have no clue what you're seeing but I was looking at the heat waves coming off the parking lot."

She once again turns to face me and crosses her arms, "Oh really, because I think the only heat waves you were focused on were the ones coming off the two hot guys out there with your dad."

Feigning shock I take another look out the window and see Phoenix and Eric making their way to the office. In a panic I grab her hand and lead her back to her desk, "Really? I didn't see any hot guys. Just Cody's friends and our new pack mates."

Thankfully she doesn't fight me and retakes her seat but she's nowhere near giving this up, "Which ones got your eye? Personally I think the dark haired one is cuter, Phoenix right? He has mysterious charmer written all over him. He's totally your type but that's the mated one and I know you're not like most girls your age who don't abide by the girl code so it can't be him." She continues in her musings too distracted to hear the stressed beating of my heart as their footsteps get closer. "That leaves the other one. Not usually your type with his fair coloring and quiet stillness about him but he is hot, I'll give you that. Sometimes the quiet ones are the most fun," she finishes with an exaggerated pump of her eyebrows.

I'm practically hyperventilating at this point because they're right outside the door and can no doubt hear what she's saying. As the knob turns I give her a pleading look asking her to stop or risk me passing out from embarrassment.

She giggles but relents. I feel like kissing her in thanks as they enter, Eric first with Phoenix close behind, until she gives me a cheeky wink and says with a finger wiping the corner of her mouth, "Hails, you got a little drool right there," then aims a pointed look at Eric.

I love my aunt but I'm seriously considering murdering her and asking Sam to help me hide the body. 

Eric smirks at me, as if we share a secret, while Phoenix physically tenses. He subtly sniffs the air no doubt trying to get a whiff of my pheremones, he clearly is unsure if my aunt is correct in her observations. That act irritates me which I'm sure he can sense as my ire builds. He has no right to question what I'm feeling or who I'm feeling it for!

He aims a small smile my way, most likely satisfied that all he's catching is irritation. I roll my eyes at him before shooting my aunt a chastising look and turning in a huff that has all three of them chuckling.

Ignoring them, I say over my shoulder. "This way guys, let's get this over with." I start toward the other corner of the room where the time clock is and hear Eric say to my aunt, "She's a peach."