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

my shirt sleeve across my face several times.

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

you were

said, “She’s a redhead with

it. Sorry. I didn’t mean to make

with cream.”

into one of the armchairs by the window to

in when a voice broke through the silence. “Clark? Clark Marshall? Is that

high alert. I

“Aiden?”

time I’d seen him two years ago. I could tell he was taller, his hair

he was less scrawny

the same blue eyes and fluffy blonde hair.

knowing about, and interrogated me about

moment, all I could do was stare at him with wide eyes.

had he come from? What was he doing in a

there! Just a friendly reminder that if you’re not reading this book on n𝘰𝚟el5s.com,

Head over there to dive into

Yorba Linda?

with a bright smile and he plopped down on the

it was you when I walked in. I

eyes were even bluer than I remembered them to be

was or how big Steve’s

know when I look like I

“You’re not

didn’t falter for a second. “In this coffee shop or Yorba Linda, you

happy to see you. I guess I just really

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

moved to SoCal about a year ago. I’ve been going to the local college a town over, but I always

coffee ~ nothing beats the pour-over

I remembered about him, his parents

relocated to Oregon when we started dating, and now it

back in California. ‘)

to run into

Aiden said, sipping his own drink, “How’d you end up in Yorba Linda? Last I remember, your dad

strict about your whereabouts.”

wasn’t

saw him glance at his phone. “Shoot…I’ve got to go. I’ve got class in twenty,”

don’t suppose I could see you again? It’s been two years

do too.” \”)

he asking me out?

was cute, we had a brief history

area,

if you’re not reading this book on n𝘰𝚟el5s.com, you might

dive into the next chapter—it’s

was nagging at me –