Vow of a Mate
Chapter 2
ROSE
It’s been a week since I last visited the diner. The day after my exam, Alice rang me up, saying there was some pack emergency and no one was allowed to leave. So, the diner had been shut for a week.
Diana was planning to open it again today. My classes were ending early, so I thought I’d head there instead of going back to my room.
As usual, the diner was quiet when I walked in. Alice was busy cleaning the counter and Diana was nowhere in sight.
“Hey, Alice! Where’s Diana?”
Alice looked up when she heard my voice and gave me a bright smile.
“Hi there, Rosie. You’re early.”
“Yup! My last two classes got canceled.”
“Hmm…Diana won’t be in today.”
“Why? Is she okay?” I was suddenly worried.
“Check the date,” Alice said, her voice heavy. I checked and then it hit me.
“Oh! Today is the anniversary of her mate’s death.” I winced just saying it out loud. I knew the pain of losing someone you love. No one should have to experience that.
“Why did she decide to open the diner today? We could have just opened tomorrow.”
Alice chuckled. “Diana said that you’d miss the diner, and us.”
She was right. Diana was one of the few people who truly cared about me, and I was grateful for that.
With a sigh, I got up to update the menu board and set up the tables and booths. We were expecting more customers than usual today since the diner had been closed for a week.
***
Alice asked me to cover for her for ten minutes when she got a call. I put on her apron and was heading toward a booth when I heard a low growl. It was quiet enough for only wolves to hear.
I turned to see a tall woman standing at the entrance. With her dark brown hair and curvy figure, she was absolutely stunning. But she was glaring at me with pure hatred. Did I know her? I was confused.
With her eyes narrowed, she marched straight toward me, grabbed my hand, and dragged me to the back of the diner.
When Clarke tried to intervene, she just shot him a glare and kept going. I stumbled a few times trying to pull my hand free. She didn’t let go or answer any of my questions.
Once we were in the back, she pushed me against the wall.
“You don’t smell like a rogue. But you don’t smell like one of my pack members either. Who are you, wolf? What are you doing in my territory?”
Her territory?
“Who are you to ask me that?” I asked, my voice stern. I was shocked by this kind of treatment. No one had ever treated me like this before.
“I asked you a question, and if you want to live another day, you better give me a damn answer.” She spat the words out through clenched teeth. I decided to tread carefully in this situation.
“I’m Dr. Rose Nooman.”
“Doctor?” Her stance faltered a bit.
“Yes,” I answered back, my tone curt.
“What are you doing here? And why are you wearing Alice’s uniform?” she asked, still not completely convinced.
“She’s just wearing my apron, Aubrey. I took a break and Rose filled in for me. She’s working here part-time.”
We both looked up to see Alice rushing toward us. Aubrey? Alpha Reol’s sister? I turned to face her.
“I apologize. I haven’t seen you in my pack. And seeing you in Alice’s uniform, I got suspicious,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion.
“I understand,” I responded, my voice just as flat.
Alice turned to me. “Clarke was so worried. I managed to stop him from calling the cops. You better get back inside.”
I nodded at them and we all went back into the diner.
“Who was that, Rose? Are you okay?” Clarke, Nate, and Yoni were now surrounding me. I looked around to see the customers curiously watching us. I sighed at the sudden attention.
“I’m fine. She’s a friend of Alice’s. She got confused because I was wearing Alice’s apron. Everything’s fine now.”
Nate and Yoni nodded and went back to the kitchen, but not before making sure I was okay. Clarke was still suspicious. Of course he would be, he saw the whole thing.
“Clarke, relax. I’m fine. Look, everyone’s watching. We’ll talk about this later.” I patted his arm. He checked on me one more time before leaving.
I let out a breath and headed to the counter, taking off the controversial apron on the way.
Alice and Aubrey came back inside after a while. I then noticed that there was another man with Aubrey. He was lean and taller than her.
He seemed more like a gentle soul, not really the warrior type. Was he her boyfriend?
They both sat down at one of the booths. Alice chatted with them for a few minutes before going back to serving. After the crowd thinned out, Alice called me over to join Aubrey and her friend.
“Rose, I’m sorry about earlier. Let’s start over. I’m Aubrey, Alpha Reol’s sister. This is my mate, Leon.”
Mate? Didn’t Alice say he was her boyfriend? Had they already mated? Before my face could betray my thoughts, I felt a sharp kick on my shin.
I glanced over to see Alice giving me a warning look. Her subtle shake of the head told me not to ask any questions.
I just smiled and said hi. Aubrey asked me a lot of questions about myself. She even asked about my plans after my course.
Even though I was planning to settle in Olivia’s pack, I didn’t want to share that information. I didn’t want people knowing my next steps. That way, I could avoid a lot of people without any discomfort.
I simply said that I hadn’t decided yet, since I still had a year left to complete. She nodded, saying she understood.
I excused myself and went to the counter to tally up the day’s accounts. Since Diana wasn’t there, I did her job. I also knew she wouldn’t be okay for the next few days, so I didn’t want her work to pile up.
Clarke, Nate, and Yoni said their goodbyes for the day. I noticed Aubrey saying goodbye to Alice a little while later.
Alice came and sat next to me.
“Appreciate you keeping the secrets,” she said. I paused my work and looked up at her.
“Sure thing. But are they mated yet?”
She shook her head.
“So why did she call him mate? Isn’t he her boyfriend?” I asked, puzzled.
“Because he is her mate.”
Wait, what??
“Aubrey brought her boyfriend to ask for mating permission. But she met her true mate at the party that day. Leon is from Alpha Pearson’s pack.
“He’s the alpha’s cousin. He was away for training and just got back to his pack.”
She let out a sigh before going on. I stayed silent, still trying to make sense of it all.
“The party turned into a total mess. Aubrey was about to introduce her boyfriend to the pack when Leon suddenly attacked him.
“After the chaos, everyone figured out what was happening. Aubrey was stunned by how things unfolded. She was torn between her mate and her boyfriend.
“Finally, Alpha Reol took the three of them aside to sort things out. The next day, the boyfriend was gone and Aubrey has been with her mate ever since.”
“Wow,” I said.
Alice laughed. “Wow is right! And the pack was closed down because of all the tension. Her boyfriend is an alpha’s brother, so there was a lot of strain between the three Alphas and their packs.”
I shook my head, trying to take in all the information. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the other guy. He must be so let down. He hadn’t found his true mate and had lost the one he chose. Poor guy.
The sound of the wind chime signaled someone entering the diner.
“Excuse me. Are you still open?” A deep voice echoed through the room, sending a chill down my spine. Why was this voice affecting me so much?
As I turned to see who it was, I heard Alice’s quiet remark. “Oh God!”
I looked at her, confused.
“It’s Aubrey’s ex-boyfriend.”
I turned to see who it was, and my eyes widened at the gravity of the situation. Why now? I never thought I’d find myself saying the words I’d only dreamed of in this situation.
Mate…
Continue to the next chapter of Vow of a Mate