I want him to feel my longing; how lonely I get sometimes. I want him to know all of me through this simple act of intimacy. However, he pulls away before I can go further. Our breathes are fast and come in rushed gasps. He looks at me like I'm the only one he sees. A vortex build up in the pit of my stomach and I don't know how to explain it for a moment.

"Has your ex ever kissed you like that?"

The sweet moment I am basking in pauses. "I don't know." I say honestly and I get to my feet and flee. I run back to my room and lock the door. I start to berate myself. What if he's a criminal? What if he is a villain? Why did I let him kiss me like that? He must think I'm easy. Oh, mother, I feel so stupid. I'm about to unite with my mate tomorrow and here I am daydreaming about another man. I feel around my mouth as if I want to retain some of that warmth he left on me. I can't stop thinking about that kiss. His hands on my thighs, on my waist. Ugh. I pull the duvet covers over my head and groan.

I wake up from a dream and I groggily stare at the alarm clock. I sigh. I'm late. I break into a scuffle; bathing, brushing, brushing, slipping into my clothes-a flurry of activities. I leave my room and go to the dining room, heading to the fridge for some fruits. I can't stay for breakfast since I'm so late. I'm greeted with my mom and Aaron sitting for breakfast, conversing. I mindlink my mom, «mommy, you're being too nice to a stranger.»

She eyes me, «it's called simple courtesy.»

«It's an eyesore.»

«Whatever.»

"Morning, Ms. Olsen." Aaron raises one fine brow at me. His brown hair is brushed and tied into a fine bun. Finer than the messy bun sitting on top of my head right now. "Are you going to work? It's already late. Should you hurry?" He's mocking me. I suddenly feel the need to skip work. He probably can't wait to see me leave. Scratch the sweet kiss last night. I don't trust him. I look at my mom, almost glaring. She merely nods. Reassuringly as if she understands my fear. I'll be fine. I'm still concerned but I leave.

It takes about twenty six minutes or so to get to my workplace. Thirty-five minutes later and I blame it on slow traffic. Today isn't my lucky day. My white t-shirt is marred with a child's tea during my wait for a taxi in the subway and all I can do is stare at him while his mother apologizes profusely. Now my sandals strap has snapped and I'm practically walking around in the store on foot. I can't help but heap all the blame on Aaron Turner. I let him kiss me last night and now I'm a bag of nerves.

"Whoa," Nicole Timothy says as soon as I step into the store on foot. "Baby, you're a mess. What happened?"

"Tell me about it. Today is just not my day."

"You've got to go clean up. You can't look like that attending to clients. Especially the VIPs. You know they like..."

"I know..." I go to the ladies bathroom, passing by a couple of coworkers and we're murmuring greetings to each other. I try to open the tap but it refuses to budge. I try a few times until I get impatient and miscalculate my strength and practically wrench it out, the water spraying all over me and I scream. I cover it with my hands, tilting my chin away, all to no avail. I suck my teeth and yell, "fuck! You've got to be kidding me. Someone!" I call out, "someone, help me!"

Someone does come to my aid. A beautiful man. He's dressed in a blue suit and his brown hair is cropped. His hazel eyes scans the situation and he chuckles. I'm displeased. He has a nose mask on so I don't recognize who this man is. I don't know if he finds my predicament funny or he's laughing at something else entirely. He goes under the sink and fiddles with the pipe and the water recedes. I look at my clothes and I feel like crying. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to think of something when I feel a hand enclosing my right shoulder. My eyes snap open and I growl, ready to charge. Instead, he takes his suit off his body and hands it to me. I look at him.

"You don't want it?"

What? Of course I want it. I take it from him and slip it on, then say in the smallest voice possible, "thank you." I sigh and regard him with utmost respect, "are you looking to buy a car, sir?"

"Yes. Ms. Timothy is finalizing the dealership contract." His voice is soft. Not too deep like Aaron's.

"Oh. Okay." I look down at my bare feet and sigh again. The clothes had been taken care of... Just the shoes. He peers at me. I can see him through my hair.

"What's your name?"

"Ah... um... Leticia Olsen."

"Leticia, you don't have a footwear?"

I cringe in embarrassment and try to retract my feet from his scrutiny. I feel like digging a hole and hiding there for the rest of my days. He looks at me with a smirk, his hazel eyes filled with amusement at my expense. Something about him reminds me of Aaron Turner. "Oh, uh... My footwear. Well... My sandals snapped. I can't..." I stop stammering and bite my lower lip, considering the option to run and never come back.

I see him take out his phone and he calls someone, "Nathan, can you go to a convenience store and get me some ladies shoes for a nice woman?" He takes the phone out his ear and asks me, "What's your size?"

"40," I say. I have pretty big feet for a lady.

"Her shoe size is 40. Please, hurry." He puts his phone right back in his pocket.

"Thank you. You're so nice." I want to kneel and pledge my allegiance too but I'm at my workplace. That'd be too low.

"That's no problem." He takes a breath, "so, what's your job around here?"

"A salesperson."

"So, why haven't I seen you before?"

I laugh nervously and scratch my nose. I've been working here every five days for four years now. Everyone sees me when they come into the sales store. Maybe he hasn't noticed me until now. I don't have a reply for this question.

His phone ringtone blares the bathroom and he takes it out and picks up, "I'm in the ladies bathroom. Hurry over before some women see me here and start screaming." He glances at me as if expecting a reaction from me. I hold a laugh. A laconic man hurry inside, carrying shopping bags. He stops short before him and bows. The man who gave me his suit gestures at me and Nathan hands me the shopping bags. "For you."

"I... I can't thank you enough..."

"Please to meet you, Leticia." And he is gone. Like a breeze. He's gone. I check the shopping bags and see the shoes. A black flat sandals worth a hundred grand. In fact, all of them are expensive. I suddenly feel like putting my feet in the shoes will be a sin.

♣ ♣ ♣

"Baby, looks like your boyfriend got you some clothes, huh?" Nicole Timothy says when she sees me approach my desk.

"Zephyr broke up with me. He doesn't care about my problems. A man was kind enough to give his suit. He even bought me shoes." I flaunt the shopping bags and the Zara sandals I'm wearing.

"Ooh. A so-not secret admirer." She nudges me, "tell me. What did he look like?"

"Cropped brown hair. Hazel eyes? He said you were processing his dealership paperwork. I don't-"

"No way." She's laughing, her voice high-pitched. "Regan Turner? Did The Regan Turner meet you in the ladies bathroom?"

I start feeling a sense of déjà-vu. Regan Turner. His name leaves an inexplicable taste in my mouth. Aaron Turner. Are these two related?

"Regan Turner," I blink. Did my pack's Alpha just give me his suit jacket and buy me shoes? When did I get important?

Nicole Timothy grabs me and squeals, "You met The Regan Turner. OMG, you're so lucky!"

"Is he our top client here?"

"He is a VVIP client. Today, he bought our limited edition Ferrari. He's bought at least twelve cars from our store. I mean he bought six cars in one day from this store. He is rich as fuck. And don't forget. He is fine. His family are eccentric but they are legends. People say." Nicole gush about the Turners like I don't already know about them. She talks like she worships him. He is that impressive? Buying six cars in one day? Most of the cars in the store cost at least several hundred grand with the most expensive here, the Ford Mustang about a million bucks. Who spends money like that these days? But this young, rich, billionaire wolf gave me his suit jacket and bought me shoes. My face breaks into a smile and my heart blossoms.

"Hello?!"

I look up to see a couple, hands intertwined, looking haughtily at me. "I want to buy a car from here. They say this store have luxurious cars."

"We do, ma'am." I proceed to find the catalog book from under the paperwork.

"My boyfriend is buying me an Ashton Martin. Got any here?" She fans her gigantic eyelashes.

"Any Ashton Martin you've got in this store?" The boyfriend half yell at me like I'm a halfwit. I suppress myself from rolling my eyes, put on my killer smile instead and lead them to the garage.

♣ ♣ ♣

I return home tired and weary from the day's shift. Aaron Turner is sitting at the porch and I ignore him, passing by but he grabs my wrist and I turn, ready to scold him.

"Whose suit jacket are you wearing?" He eyes Regan Turner's suit jacket like he has a problem with it.

I look back at the blue suit jacket and regard him growing irritation, "how is the suit jacket I'm wearing any of your business?"

His face contorts and he orders, "take it off."

Is he joking? "What?"

"Take that thing off, Leticia."

I look at him like he has a few nuts missing in his brain and it's open, gushing nonsense. He rises to his feet, towering above me, hostility emanating from him. My heart skips a beat. "Do you have any self-respect? Is it every man that you wear his things?"

I smile, anger slicing through me like a knife, "have you lost your darn mind, Aaron Turner? Don't forget you're in my house." That seems to set him straight and he takes a big step back.

He sighs like he knows what he has done. I want him gone from my house right now. "I don't know what happened... I'm sorry..."

"Go fuck yourself," I snap and shake off his grip, barging inside the house, in an angry march. I hear him muttering curses. He kicks something and now I feel my eyes glisten.

Aaron's POV:

Why did I do that? I grab the plastic chair I had kicked and sit, my head in my hands. I am just starting to get close to her and I ruined everything. My mate. She is my mate. It came as a shock and didn't as well. I commend the moon goddess for choosing a beautiful, capable mate for me. I hadn't even realized she is my mate until that night I kissed her. In fact, the first time I laid my eyes on her, I felt a pull towards her like she was a magnet and I was a metal. But judging by my interactions with her, I think she doesn't realize it. I've waited so long to find my mate only to see that the moon goddess once again played a trick on me.

When I sniffed Regan's scent on that piece of clothing she wore-I knew it wasn't hers. I knew how she was dressed before she left. I instinctively tried to pry it off of her body. Even after successfully becoming Alpha, Regan still wants to leave his imprints on my things. On my mate. I can't let him. I shouldn't have done that. I scared her and I might be thrown out of the house later.

She comes out a while later, dressed in a blue sundress and black sandals. I stand and reach out for her but retract my hand. Oh, how I want to grab her and kiss her hard, pin her against the wall and feel every inch of her body, maybe punish her for letting Regan talk to her. "Leticia..."

"How long did you say you were staying again?" She looks at with coldly. She's distant. The warmth I saw in her eyes yesterday has vanished.

My heart drops and I swallow. "Just for three nights." I want to stay longer than three nights. I want her to realize I'm her mate. Why can't she see that? I have already ruined that chance and I might never see her again.

"Okay." She spins and leaves the house. I watch her gets smaller and smaller in the distance until she's out of my sight.

Her mother comes out. She must have caught me staring. I swear Leticia's curves are pulling. "When are you going to tell her?"

I pull my gaze from where I saw Leticia disappear and look at Mrs. Olsen. "What?"

"When are you going to tell her you're mates?"

My eyes widen. "How did you know?"

"I saw it the first day you came over. I'm seeing it now. It's in your eyes. The flashing."

So, that's how they find out. I nod. "I-"

"She knows you're her mate but she's in denial. Though I could be misinterpreting." She finds herself a plastic chair from the stack of it resting in the nook of the porch. She sits beside me. "Are you willing to accept my daughter as your mate, Aaron?"

I laugh self deprecatingly, "mother knows I've been waiting for her all my life."

"Then, tell her."

"Mrs. Olsen. She doesn't feel anything for me and I... sort of scared her."

"Then, wait for matters to settle."

I look at her with an apologetic smile. She must think it's easy. I used to think finding your mate is easy-just when it comes, you're both in the same fucking place and boom, it happens, you both confess your feelings to each other. That's all. I have held some kind of longing for my mate, always picturing what she'd be like. And indeed, she is incredible but she's incredibly hot tempered. I feel unlucky. I never got lucky with my siblings. We all hate each other. I never get lucky with my love life. Most of the girls I've date secretly simped for Regan, the impressive one in my family and I always end up breaking up with them first. Am I not good enough that every little action of yours is for my little brother's scrutiny?

"Your family. How are they all doing? Have you talked with any of them?"

"They're great," I mutter casually.

"At least, some of them has found their mates. When will Alpha Regan get his?"

I squeeze my eyes. I really don't want to talk about my little brother. If there's one thing I want to eradicate from my life, it's Regan Turner.

If Regan hadn't been so competitive, I wouldn't be so ordinary and disregarded. Or maybe my mate would have recognized me a little sooner.

"You haven't told me why you're stranded, Aaron. What about your phone? Have you even reached out to your parents?" She pauses and says in a low voice, "is someone in your family trying to get you killed?"

Isn't it wonderful? Everyone in the family wants me dead. And I found my mate in the process of being saved. Should I thank them? "I'll be going back home in three days. I'll get my life back on track soon. You don't have to worry about me." I end the topic and we talk about something else and I'm grateful she understands.

♠ ♠ ♠

During dinner, Leticia spares me no glance as she dish out the cobb salad. She's on her phone as she slowly eats. It's as if she's trying hard not to look at me. I'm tempted to kick her shin and yell, 'notice me, girl!' Her phone keeps dinging and I wonder if she's chatting with Regan. I feel jealousy licking at my insides. My food tastes like candle and I lose my appetite.

I come outside for air but mostly to catch her outside. She isn't out. I still by the porch, waiting. Waiting. Waiting... She doesn't come out. I still wait. No sign of her. She's very upset. I walk inside my room, filled with disappointment and self-hate.

By morning, she wakes earlier than yesterday, and I see her carry Regan's suit jacket on her forearm; his scent from that piece of clothing makes me want to snatch it up from her and tear it to shreds. It is washed and half dried.

"Good morning, Ms. Olsen," I manage.

She shoots me a glance and forces a smile, murmuring, "good morning."

At least, she isn't that upset with me now. I am tempted to ask her questions. Like, why wasn't she out last night? Why is she still carrying Regan's clothing? Should I burn it for her? Instead, I ask, "did you have a good night?"

"I surely did."

With nothing left to say, I mutter an "okay" and leave the sitting room. I watch her through the doorless dining room. She's dropping bowls of porridge she might have made herself.

She yells, "everyone, come over for breakfast." I enter the dining room and sit. She hands me a bowl of porridge, some hard bread and some raspberries.

"You look happy. Any good news?" Mrs. Olsen asks her when she gets to the table and sits. Leticia gives her her servings.

"Oh." She pouts, "is me smiling a problem now?" I like how open and easy she gets with her mother. After spending two days with both mother and daughter, I believe I want to be part of this family too.

"Just asking," Mrs. Olsen shrugs, "I want to be part of the celebration too."

"Hilarious," Leticia says amidst her mother's laughter.

I drink the porridge and I like the taste of it. I imagine myself in my little house with Leticia as my wife, the cubs clambering to be served first. I imagine at least six boys.

♠ ♠ ♠

By the third day, I still can't tell Leticia that I'm her fucking mate and my time here has ended. Mrs. Olsen hands me a velvety Tshirt and a pair of black denim pants, exactly my size. She adds new boots and a belt to the gift.

"I'll miss your company," she tells me, standing by the door which is now wide open. I must have left it ajar.

I buckle my belt and slip into the black boots. "Well, that makes both of us."

"I still can't understand why you youngsters enjoy torturing yourselves so much. Just go tell her before you leave."

"She'll think I'm making it up to stay here some more."

"And if she believes you. Will you stay?"

I laugh.

Leticia walks in on us and kisses her mother's cheek. "Mommy. I'm off for work now." I look away, knowing how strong my body reacts every time she shows a little act of intimacy to someone who isn't me. "Oh, are you leaving now?"

I look at her and sees she staring right at me. "Uh... Yeah. Yeah."

"Should I accompany you?"

"Uh... Yeah."

"Alright. Are you ready to go?"

I look around me. I made the bed. There's nothing I'm leaving behind. I came here with nothing. I wish I'm leaving something. Something to make me come back just to be with her again. Mrs. Olsen waves me off with a sly smile, "just go."

Leticia eyes her. Suspicious is written all over her face. I hold back a laugh. "Thank you, Mrs. Olsen," I give her a warm hug and pull away, holding her elbows, "for everything."

"Anytime," she hiss playfully and I hug her again. I join Leticia outside and we walk forward. I ask her, "are you taking me to my house?"

"Is that a problem?"

"You really don't have to. Wait. You still don't trust me? You still want to know if I'm a Turner, right?"

She smirks, "is that obvious?"

I frown. She wants a glimpse of Regan. I eye the bag in her grip. The blue clothing sticking out makes everything apparent. Why now? If I lie and say Regan isn't my brother, it will only put more distance between us. And if I let her into the mansion, Regan sees her-which I'm sure he will-he will try and get close to her. He may even claim her as his mate. Who knows? I'm stuck in a dilemma. I don't want her to see him.

She flags down a taxi and we hop in. "Turner Street, please," she says and the taxi moves. We utter no words to each other throughout the ride. She suddenly finds the city of country M more appealing than I am. The taxi stops by the fence. We climb down and she pays the fare. The taxi zooms off.

"Holy shit, you're really Alpha Regan's brother." She grins, "though, you look nothing like him."

That joke does nothing to calm the turmoil bubbling in my stomach. The gates slid open and we're welcomed in a mini town; a flurry of activities overwhelming her. She is gaping at everything and everywhere including the servants who are working. I cringe in embarrassment. "Now, you've seen where I live. You can go to work now."

She shakes her head defiantly. "Not until I give Alpha Regan his suit jacket back."

I sigh and keep walking. We arrive before the entrance of the house and I sight Regan along with his beta, coming out, heading towards us. I curse under my breath. Regan has his hands clasped behind his back and he has his face down, listening to his beta talk. As if on instinct, he looks up. The surprise etched on his face makes me livid. I must admit, I'm worried his good looks might start to affect Leticia.

"Alpha Regan," I hear Leticia whisper. There's so much sweetness in her voice. Too much sweetness.