Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 39050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39050 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 195(@200wpm)___ 156(@250wpm)___ 130(@300wpm)
Children had gifted her a bracelet. There had to be easily twenty on her wrist. He’d seen them running toward her, excited to give the sweet woman a bracelet. Misha accepted each and every single gift they gave her, wearing them all.
“No one is serving me.”
“We’ve got a full house. Will you accept me serving you, or do you want me to get someone else?”
“I’ll have a coffee, extra sweet, please,” he said.
“Coming right up.” She turned her back on him and went to the coffee pot. “To go or to stay?”
“To stay.”
He always left whenever she was near. This was unusual behavior for him. Misha didn’t say anything else. She poured his coffee, added the right amount of sugar, and turned toward him, sliding the large mug his way. “Enjoy.” She gave a little curtsy and left to the kitchen.
Decker watched her go.
Damn it.
He shouldn’t be watching her, or wanting to speak to her, or doing anything. She was a fucking menace.
After lifting the coffee, he took a sip. He couldn’t complain about the drink either because it was good, just as Misha knew it would be. The woman was a thorn in his side.
His gaze returned to the table of single men. Keeping an eye on the guy who had touched her, he waited, drinking his coffee, enjoying the hot liquid as it slid down his throat. Acutely aware of Misha’s movements in and out of the kitchen, he knew she looked … good. No, amazing. She was a stunner.
The moment the handsy guy got up and left the diner, Decker stood, pulled out some cash, including a generous tip, and left as well, following close behind him.
When the guy was near an alley between a florist and a gift store, Decker shoved him down, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, then throwing him up against the wall.
“If you value your place in this pack, you will stay well clear of Misha Parks, do you understand me?”
“What the fuck, man?”
“It’s Alpha to you.”
“I thought you rejected her.”
“She is not for you to touch. If I catch your hands on her again, there will be consequences.”
He didn’t punch him. That would have made him a bad alpha. The warning should suit for now, but the wolf within him wasn’t satisfied. With the full moon only a few hours behind him, his need to possess her was so strong. Denying his needs was starting to cause him problems.
Chapter Two
Misha ignored the burning desire to seek Decker out and yell at him. On odd days, she had this overwhelming need to piss him off, but instead, she walked the town square, enjoying the night, alone. It was always best not to allow herself to be alone with the shitty alpha. That was what she thought of him now. She hated him, forcing her to serve him. He didn’t deserve her time or her attention.
After doing several laps of the town square, she sat down on the bench and looked up at the sky.
What the hell was she supposed to do with her life?
Stay in this hell? Watch the man who was supposed to be her mate, or take a chance and leave?
The decision was so easy. It wasn’t like it was a hard one.
Decker was never going to take her as his mate. After three years of waiting, no one else was ever going to take a chance with her either. No one wanted her.
“I hear your troubled thoughts all the way back at my shop,” Blueberry said, taking a seat beside her.
“I’m not thinking.”
“You’re thinking way too loudly. Everyone can hear you.”
“I don’t mean to think too loudly. Sorry.”
Blueberry chuckled. “You’re thinking of leaving again, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know how you do it,” Misha said. “How do you know everything?”
“I’m an awesome person. I hear all. I see all. I know all.”
Misha sighed. “I don’t think I can stay here another moment. I’m … lonely.” She hated admitting the truth.
“Your wolf knows your mate is close by. She wants to be mated, I get it. The only problem is that you’ve got to talk to the alpha. He will be the only one to let you go.”
She groaned. “I can’t just run away?”
“You know it doesn’t work that way, right?”
“Ugh, why does pack life have to be so complicated?” She ran her fingers through her hair and stood. “You’re right. So totally right. I should talk to the alpha. My time to move on has come.”
Three years. She’d waited too damn long to move on.
Leaning down, she pressed a kiss to Blueberry’s cheek. “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry about it, but I should warn you, he might not let you go.”
Misha snorted. “Please, he doesn’t want me around. He’s told me plenty of times that he thinks I’m in the way.” She shrugged. “Either way, I’m going. Do you want me to walk you back to your shop?”