CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE.
Reed’S POV.
“I just finished carrying out the inspection. I’ll discuss the details with you tomorrow at the office.” I tell Jayce over the phone as I step out of my car. I asked my driver to take me to a good coffee shop where I can sit and drink coffee in silence and he has brought me here.
“Alright then. I’ll be waiting.” The line goes dead and I slide my cell phone into my trouser pockets and follow my driver into the coffee shop. The soft, warm smell of coffee brewing hits my nostrils as I step into the space. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, smiling and it’s until I open my eyes that I realize everyone has their heads bowed down before me. I sigh deeply and ask them to raise their heads before heading to an empty table I see at the far end of the room. The moment I sit down, a well dressed man comes to meet me, but I know he’s not a waiter or waitress because his outfit is different from what I see the others who are serving other people, wearing.
He flashes me a very wide smile that makes me uncomfortable.
By the way… what is that flowerish scent I keep perceiving?
“Good day to you, Omega Reed.” He greets enthusiastically. I fight my urge to roll my eyes. I get a whiff of the flowerish smell and crunch my nose as I try to focus on the weird man before me.
“How would you like me to serve you?”
“But you don’t look like a waiter or waitress here.”
“That’s because I’m neither of them, Omega. I’m the manager of the place.”
“I didn’t know managers served customers.” I pick up the menu and scan through it for a while before looking up at him. He still has that fat smile which creeps me out.
“I would love for you to get a proper waiter or waitress to serve me.” I tell him with all seriousness. His face falls. The smile disappears as he steals his spine and squares his shoulders.
He’s upset about my dismissal, but who cares?
“Of course, Omega. Your waitress will be sent to you in a minute.” He flashes me a tight smile and I give him a simple nod. He finally leaves my side and I breathe heavily, and the sweet smell of flowers almost makes me lose my mind. I look left and right as I try to spot any flower vase, but there’s none.
There are no plants in this room, but why do I keep perceiving the smell of roses?
Suddenly, my wolf, Alvin, sprints in my mind and starts sniffing around. I look left and right, confused as to what’s going on.
“Alvin.” I call in my mind. “What are you doing?”
“Mate. I can smell our mate.” His words linger at the forefront of my mind as a strong feeling in my gut comes to life.
“What?” I ask, aghast. He simply nods his head and keeps sniffing. I’m in a trance.
Our mate.
He can smell our mate.
“Here she comes.” He announces and I immediately snap my head up to see what he’s talking about and my eyes meet with that of a beautiful young girl who is heading towards me with a bright smell on her face. She’s putting on the same uniform the other waitresses have on and she’s walking in my direction, meaning she’s coming to me. She’s my waitress for the day.
My heart beat skyrockets.
Thank goodness I took off my suit jacket before coming in here because right now I’m on fire.
My mate!
I’ve found my mate!
She finally reaches my table and as I look up at her, our eyes lock in each other and immediately, the notepad and pen in her hand falls to the ground and her hand flies over to her mouth to stop the scream from pouring out.
That’s when it strikes me that she knows it too.
I grit my teeth and clam hands together.
Apart from my rapidly beating heart, nothing else is happening to me. I don’t feel anything for her and luckily for me, Alvin isn’t objecting to my feelings either. He seems to be agreeing with me.
“Mate!” She finally burst out to the hearing of everyone in the room and now, all eyes are on us.
I want to melt right now.
“We are mates!” She says excitedly and I simply nod my head and rise to my feet.
“Follow me.” I sneer and walk out of the coffee shop. She follows happily and when we get to my car. I lean against it and give her a careful look from head to toe.
She’s beautiful.
Very beautiful. If I wasn’t in love with someone else, I would have accepted right here and now. However, rejecting her is not as easy as I thought it would be. I can see the happiness in her eyes. I can hear the excitement in her voice when she speaks. She’s having a hard time standing still because she probably wants to jump around and tell everyone the good news. Rejecting her right now will shatter her. She might become vindictive.
I already have a lot to deal with on my plate right now. I don’t want to add a jealous, vindictive mate to it.
“Omega Reed, why am I the only one talking? Why haven’t you said anything to me? Aren’t you happy that we’ve found each other?” I reply to her questions with a heavy sigh. Turning around, I open the car seat door and gesture to her to get in, which she gladly does.
Once we are both in and settled, I ask my driver to take us to one of my houses around town.
I can’t take her to my main house.
“This isn’t the house you live in.” She comments the moment we both alight from the car into the compound premises. “Why are you bringing me here instead? Aren’t you supposed to take me to your real house?”
“I own this place, meaning it’s my real house…” I don’t even know her name.
“Madison. My name is Madison.”
“Madison.” I call with a raspy voice. “You will stay here for the meantime until I decide when it’s right for me to take you to the house where I live. There is no room for arguments on this issue.” I walk past her, leading the way into the house and she follows without objecting.
I just lied to her.
I’m never going to take her to the house where I live. She doesn’t belong there. I’m only bringing her here because I haven’t found the perfect way to reject her.
Halle is the woman I want to be with. No one else.