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

she could reply, I swiped my shirt sleeve across my face several times. “Oh,

smiling awkwardly, “No, I’m sorry ~ I wasn’t trying to stare. It’s just…you reminded me of someone for

thought you

a redhead with freckles?

to make you feel awkward. Anyway, what

hot Americano with

of the

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

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

“Aiden?”

than the last time I’d seen him two years

he was less scrawny

no mistaking the same blue eyes and fluffy blonde hair. ) This was

Griffin insisted on knowing about, and interrogated me about whether Aiden

stare at him with wide eyes. Of all the people who could

had he come from? What was he doing in a

there! Just a friendly reminder that if you’re not reading this book on n??el5s.com, you might be missing out on

to dive into the next chapter—it’s all

Yorba Linda?

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

when I walked in. I thought I

them to be and I couldn’t help but blush. Suddenly, I felt all too

or how

into somebody I know when I look like I just

I told him, “You’re not seeing things…but what are you doing

second. “In this coffee shop or Yorba

said, “Not that I’m not happy to see you. I guess I just really wasn’t expecting you.” “I

know,” he grinned, “Last I remember, you were living in Washington with your

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

~ nothing

made sense. From what I remembered about him, his parents frequently moved for his dad’s job.

we were kids, relocated to Oregon when we started dating, and now it seemed like

back in California. ‘)

time for me to run

turn,” Aiden said, sipping his own drink, “How’d you end up in

strict about your whereabouts.”

I said, “We’re catching up.” It wasn’t technically a lie, I was doing those things. It just wasn’t the

got to go.

two years – I’m sure you and I have a lot

do too.” \”)

asking me

brief history together, and he was probably the only person ~

I knew in the area, Could going out

reminder that if you’re not reading this book on n??el5s.com, you might be

story. Head over there to dive

was nagging at me – some sort of gut feeling telling me that going