The last few minutes flashed through Wyatt’s mind. The last thing he’d expected when they pulled up to Cam’s Diner was to find his mate. Yet there he was, catching her in his arms as she collapsed.

Everything had happened so fast his mind struggled with processing the gravity of the situation. Yes, he had come here to find her, despite knowing he didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell. Gerri had told him that he would find what he was looking for at Twisted Tail.

Had he believed her?

Not for a second. But his instinct drove him to investigate the lead she had given him.

He could only sum up the experience to one thing. Fate.

MINE! His wolf charged, demanding control, demanding the shift. After months of torment, his beast fought tooth and nail, refusing to be denied yet again.

“Not yet. She’s human. We must give her time to warm to the idea. Besides, in case you haven’t noticed, she passed the fuck out when she saw us,” he told his wolf.

They’d waited this long to find and claim her, it wouldn’t kill his wolf to wait a little bit longer.

It took all of his mental might, every single bit of willpower he possessed to keep his beast in check. Wyatt may have found his mate, but the other scent he’d picked up on her was human. That was a curveball he’d have to wrap his head around.

He hated humans. Loathed their very existence. Yet looking down at his beautiful mate, he could admit this one had beauty, even if she was a frail, wispy thing.

His heart hammered in his chest. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear the vital organ was about to burst through his rib cage.

He hadn’t even stepped a foot inside of the building when he had been immediately assaulted with the scent of his mate. The same tantalizing scent that had tortured him for months in his dreams was suddenly in his arms.

“What did you do to her?” A woman raced over to where Wyatt stood holding his mate, clinging to her like a newfound lifeline.

A low growl rumbled in his chest. “Nothing. I would never hurt my mate!”

Every head in the diner snapped to glare at him.

The woman’s brows arched, her hand locked on her hip. “Your mate? This should be good.”

“Yes, my mate.” Wyatt turned to leave with Callie in his arms, but Cam blocked his path.

“You are not taking her anywhere. How do I know you’re not some creep who’s out to hurt her?” Cam growled.

“Do not mess with me, woman,” Wyatt warned.

“I’ll mess with you if I damn well want to. This is my restaurant and Callie is my employee. She’s not going anywhere with you unless she’s conscious and agrees to it. Now, bring her to my office. I have a couch in there.”

“Lead the way.” His wolf mere seconds from gaining control. More than ever, Wyatt had to keep his wits about him. He had to stay in human form. If he shifted with his mate in his arms, he’d likely kill her. A human body wouldn’t be able to heal the damage he’d leave behind if he were to shift with his mate in his arms.

“She recognized me.” The words left Wyatt’s mouth before he could stop them. What did she mean by that? Had she dreamed of him, too?

Wyatt pulled Callie closer and leaned in to inhale her scent.

“I think she’s in shock,” Cam said as she opened the door to her office and pointed to the couch.

“Why would she be?” Wyatt couldn’t come up with a single reason for her reaction to him.

“I guess we’ll have to wait until she wakes up to find out.”

Cam peeked her head out of the door. “Ruby Jean, can you grab a damp towel and a Coke with a straw?”

“Sure thing, boss,” Ruby Jean replied.

Wyatt tried once again to wrap his mind around the fact that she was a human, and one that appeared to be frail. There had to be an explanation for her passing out like she did. “Has she eaten today?”

“Knowing Callie, probably not. She wasn’t due for her break for another hour.” Cam met Ruby Jean at the door and grabbed the towel and Coke from her. “Thanks.”

Cam handed the towel and soda over before resuming her position.

“Boss, there’s another beefcake out here that looks just like the one in here. What should I do with him?”

Wide-eyed, Cam sniffed the air. “Is he with you?”

“Yes.”

“Ruby Jean, if you can send him in, that would be great.”

Cam backed away from the door and bee-lined it to her desk. She quickly flicked on her computer and shuffled around a few papers.

Her sudden movements didn’t escape Wyatt’s notice. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear she was trying to act like she was busy.

Weird.

He’d figure it out later, right now he needed to focus on his mate. Folding the towel in half, then once again, he placed the towel over her forehead, pausing briefly to admire her beauty. More beautiful than he could have imagined, a light dusting of freckles covered her tiny nose. Her lips full and rosy, just waiting to be kissed.

“Do you have a name?” Wyatt asked, figuring he might as well know his mate’s boss and play nice. For now.

“Camryn Dochart. And you?”

“Wyatt Lockhart and when he enters, my brother, Ethan.” Wyatt nodded to the door.

 

***

 

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck, Cam chanted in her mind while her wolf all but howled with delight. The second she caught the scent she’d been both wishing for her whole life—and simultaneously dreading, she was ready to pull a Callie and pass the fuck out, right along with her BFF.

“This can’t be happening,” she said to her wolf.

“Suck it up, buttercup. It can happen and is, indeed, happening.” Her wolf beamed with joy.

Maybe, if she just put her head down and acted busy, he wouldn’t notice her.

“Ha!” Her wolf laughed in her mind.

Any second he would walk through that door and she would get to see her mate for the very first time.

Her voice hitched in her throat. Her mouth flopped open to issue a greeting, but nothing came out. Whatever she’d imagined her mate might look like couldn’t have compared to the mountain of a man filling up her doorway.

“I—I’m Cam. Uh, nice to meet you.” Whew! Words!

She watched as his jaw ticked, his eyes narrowed. His mouth remained closed.

Hardly the greeting she’d expected from anyone, let alone her mate.

“Fuck it. It’s not like I wanted to find my mate, anyway.”