The Alpha King's Human Mate by HC Dolores

Chapter 38

“Your first love is your first love. It cannot be analyzed, explained, or forgotten.”

Aisling Bea

My mom had been right about the little cafe in town ~ it was cute and cozy. They also just had good coffee, much better

than the black sludge that Steve was drinking in his thermos every morning.

After I’d gone with her that first night, I started going there on my own. Sometimes I’d take a book to read, and other

times I would just people-watch with steaming hot coffee in my hand. \°)

Yorba Linda was definitely a small town, there was no denying that. Besides a grocery store, a movie theater, a library, and

the little cafe, there were just houses here. (*

But it was also peaceful and the people were nice but not intrusive. I was used to living in a small town — if you could

call the Blacktooth Pack a town ~ but the pack had never felt peaceful.

Everyone had heightened emotions, mates were all over each other, and people thought they were entitled to know

every aspect of your life. It probably had to do with their “mind link,” but as a human, it wasn’t great. Yorba Linda

might’ve been small, but nobody bothered you. People

went about their business and didn’t inquire about yours. It was nice. )

After ten days in the little town, I found myself spending another afternoon in the coffee shop. This time, I was equipped

with some mystery novel I’d pulled off mom’s bookshelf. Her collection was sparse, so I would need to make a run to the

local library soon.

I walked up to the coffee shop counter to place my order. The shop was a little busy, and I watched the barista ~ a

college-aged girl with dyed purple hair whose nametag read Amber ~ multitask like a pro.

Geez, she really moves fast. (: She slid someone’s mocha down the counter and then turned to me. Despite how quickly

she seemed to be working, there wasn’t a hair out

of place. She didn’t seem to be breaking a sweat. (=

“What can I get you?” she asked with a bright smile, and I saw her eyes

widen when she looked at me. “Woah,” she muttered under her breath. )

My cheeks instantly flushed. Why is she staring at me like that? “What?” I couldn’t help but ask. She was still staring. “Do

I have still

reply, I swiped my shirt sleeve across my face several

I’m sorry ~ I wasn’t trying to stare. It’s just…you reminded

thought you were

I said, “She’s a redhead with freckles? We

mean to make you

hot Americano with

drink, I settled into one of the armchairs by the window to read

was nearly fifty pages in when a voice broke through the silence. “Clark? Clark Marshall?

instantly, my body on high alert. I took a sharp inhale when I saw

“Aiden?”

older than the last time I’d seen him two years ago. I could tell he was taller,

he was less scrawny

blue eyes and fluffy blonde hair. ) This was Aiden,

who Griffin insisted on knowing about, and interrogated me

with wide eyes. Of all the

come from? What was he doing in

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Yorba Linda?

see you,” Aiden said with a bright smile and he plopped down on the empty chair across from me,

walked in. I thought

even bluer than I remembered them to be and I couldn’t help but blush. Suddenly, I felt all

was or how big Steve’s jacket must’ve

know when I look like I just rolled

not

didn’t falter for a second. “In this coffee shop

see you. I guess I just really wasn’t expecting you.” “I

you were living in Washington with your

to SoCal about a year ago. I’ve been going to the local college

nothing beats the

what I remembered about him, his parents frequently moved

lived in California when we were kids, relocated to Oregon when we started dating, and now it seemed

back in California. ‘)

to run

his own drink, “How’d you end up in

strict about your whereabouts.”

catching up.” It wasn’t technically a lie, I

got to go.

suppose I could see you again? It’s been two years – I’m sure you and I have a

do too.” \”)

asking me out?

cheeks. Aiden was cute, we had a brief

area, Could going out with him really do

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story. Head over there to dive into

excited me, but something was nagging at me – some