Hate Mates (The Alpha Shifter)

After she took a seat at the counter, he poured her a glass of water and slid it across the counter. She picked it up and took a sip. “What’s for dinner?” she asked.

He opened the fridge and pulled out the ingredients. There were a lot of fresh vegetables, herbs, and she scented the steak.

“How about you let me do my magic?” he asked.

“Sure, go ahead.”

He winked at her.

Alexa took a sip of her water and watched him flick the oven on.

Next, he put some potatoes in a saucepan, which he told her he’d already washed, ready to go. He put them on to boil. After the potatoes, he got to work on the other vegetables. She eyed some asparagus, sugar snaps, and carrots. He arranged them on a baking tray. The carrots he’d cut into very thin strips, and he drizzled them with a little oil and black pepper. Into the oven, they went.

He lifted the food processor, and she watched him put the herbs into the main bowl, and then a bunch of other ingredients.

“I had no idea you could cook,” she said.

“My mom taught me. She figured the best way of making a good alpha was to make sure he had plenty of skills. My dad can cook as well. He also swears that the key to a good mating is to be … you know, able to do everything.” He wrinkled his nose.

Alexa giggled. “What is it?”

“You know how as a kid, you think what your parents mean is like cooking and cleaning and stuff.”

“I think so.”

“Yeah, I just realized my dad was probably also talking about sex.”

“Landon, come on, both of our parents are mated. It only makes sense that they will, you know, have sex. It is the natural order of things.”

He turned on the processor and glared at her.

She rolled her eyes. “Gertie and Marcel had sex to have you. Just like my parents had sex for me. Trust me, when we have kids, we’re going to have to have sex to have them.” The moment she said those words, she pressed her lips together. She didn’t know where they had come from.

Yes, mating with Landon was going to happen. She had no doubt about it, but what if he didn’t want kids? What if he didn’t want to be mated to her?

There was a whole host of questions and potential problems they still faced. Like the fact for the last twenty-one years, they’d hated each other and had denied this mating at every single turn.

Now, they were suddenly what? Mated? Together? They’d enjoyed each other’s company, and she loved feeling his hands on her body. Not to mention how good his mouth was on her pussy. Then there was the fact she loved sucking his dick last night. Why was she even thinking about this?

“I want us to take a chance,” Landon said.

She lifted her gaze to his. “A chance?” Her voice was slightly high-pitched, not that it was meant to be.

“Yeah, a chance. For you and me. A chance to make this mating work. I know it’s a long shot, but you can’t deny how good things are between us, Alexa. Especially if we close off all of that fucking bullshit from before. We don’t need anyone telling us what we can and cannot be.”

He rounded the counter and took her hand within his.

The moment he touched her, she felt that connection, the peace. The wolf inside her was more than happy when Landon touched her. “Don’t tell me you don’t feel this as well,” he said.

“I do feel it, Landon. When I’m with you, I feel … I’m happier,” she said.

“Then why not? Why don’t we give this a chance? I don’t know if you only want to be a mate in front of the pack, but I don’t want that. I want to be a mate with you for real.”

She opened her mouth and closed it, a little shocked he was saying exactly what she was feeling.

The sound of water spilling out of a pan had her pulling away and pointing. Words failed her.

Landon cursed and rushed to the pan, taking the lid off and then checking the potatoes. The knife slid straight through, and he drained it.