C5 You are my mate

Annie had been so wound up all afternoon, that she'd exhausted herself to calmness by the time she set up camp that evening. She made use of the campground shower and then stood in the front of the mirror for a long time, toothbrush in hand studying her face. Trying to imagine how an outsider would see it. How Jacob might have seen it.

She was not hoping he would show up, she told herself as she fixed her dinner-- frozen chicken and rice soup and opened a can of sliced peaches. She like him already and wanted to give him a chance "No! "I can love him," she said to herself. She'd seen the last of the sexy, mysterious motorcycle man. He was her mate, and she forced herself to forget about him, but the more she try, the more he engulf her mind. She couldn't get the thought of him off her mind. Trying to focus on her food.

Suddenly the little hairs on the back of her neck prickled to attention with a long, delicious shiver. He was a long, dense shadow at the edge of the flickering light of her campfire. She nodded politely.

"Hello, Jacob. " she manage to sound cool, even though her heart was thudding. "I thought I'd lost you."

His teeth flashed white in the gloom. "Not a chance ."

She tugged her short T-shirt down over her belly, wishing it didn't have a coffee stain. " Want some peaches," she held out the can.

He remained motionless, barely visible under the trees. " No, thanks. I'm fine," he said politely. "I ate earlier. "

She gave him a crooked, nervous little smile. " Why are you lurking out there in the dark? Are you trying to freak me out?

" On the contrary, I'm trying not to. I won't come any closer unless you invite me."

She laughed, surprised at his unexpected gallantry. "You're has been following me ever since Charlottesville. I didn't invite you to do that."

"Philadelphia," he said simply.

Her jaw dropped. "Philadelphia?"

"You just didn't notice me until Charlottesville. Besides, I couldn't help myself. You are my mate, and your beauty is an irresistible lure. You're like one of that siren in the old stories, enticing love-struck mariners to their doom."

A teenage-sounding giggle burst out of her, and the peach chunk slipped off her fork and plopped into the syrup with a splash. "I've never lured anybody to his doom," she told him, dabbling at the splotch of syrup that had joined forces with the coffee stain on her shirt. "Still, it was a nice thing to say. Go ahead, Jacob, pull up a stump. Make yourself comfortable. "

He glided silently closer, and she noticed that his hair was wet, combed smoothly back from the face. Did you just take a shower?"

"Yeah, I washed up a bit," he said.

"Bet you thought you were going to get lucky, didn't you?"

He shrugged and sank into a comfortable crouch across the fire from her. "A guy can hope, and besides your scent is too strong, I can't resist it. Can you shift?" He asked suddenly

"I can't shift," she said and looked up at him to see his reaction, but he didn't budge, she continued, I'm omega, from the weakest pack, both my parents were omega and poor, they were farmers but we are happy family, the sudden rogue attack made me an orphan. Their death change me, ever since then, I promised myself never to do anything with my mate.

"But it's not possible," Jacob said softly " am sorry for your loss, but you can't reject me, Annie, Goddess of the moon paired us, I've been searching for you for years, just to be with you and protect you...

Annie cut him off immediately " please! Please, Jacob!" I'm Ok" as you can see, I don't need protection from anybody. "Liar!" Her wolf called her, she'd been battling with her since the first day they meet Jacob, she decided to keep quiet because of her stubborn spirit, but she couldn't keep quiet any longer, she have to speak up to save both of them.

"But am not anybody Annie." He said quietly, " I am Alpha king, your mate. Their eyes meet, she blushed and stared fixedly into the fire.

Jacob was furious because of her stubborn spirit, he wanted to mark her now, he couldn't wait any longer, but he didn't want to make her cry, or make the whole situation worse, he decided to change the subject and take things easy with her. " She will change, she will accept me, it will only take time, just one more little time, she will be all mine and mine alone." He assured himself.

"Your hair's wet, he observed in a soft voice, to break the silence between them.

"Yeah, Well, don't flatter yourself," she snapped. " some of us battle for reasons other than intent to seduce. " He laughed, unabashed, and her blush deepened. "Where did you first see me?" She demanded.

"At a restaurant of 1-95, right after Philadelphia," he told her.

"Philadelphia. That's wild," she murmured, trying vainly to subdue the foolish, flattering smile that kept taking control of her face.

"Yeah, I know," he agreed. "I was intrigued. The first time I saw you, your scent is too strong, that's what drew me to you, after many years of searching, I never knew my mate was a gorgeous, mysterious woman, traveling all alone, from who knows where. I just got on my bike and followed you without thinking. You've been dragging me in your wake across fives states."

She covered her hot cheek with her hands, loving the way his smile creased his lean face with sensual, deeply carved laugh lines." I cannot believe I didn't notice you,"

He shrugged, studying her with intense curiosity. " You looked pretty distracted at the time," he said quietly.

"Yeah. I must have been. " She had gone through Philadelphia on the first dazed, delirious day of her journey. She wouldn't have noticed if an eighteen-wheeler had driven over her.

"Where are you headed, If you don't mind me asking. he asked.

She hesitated. She hadn't told anyone about her destination. She hadn't decided if it would be good luck or bad, but when she looked into his keen, hazel eyes, she felt a surge of energy that could only be lucky. "I'm going to the Black cat casino in St. Honore, Louisiana." She sid. He looked thoughtful. "May I ask why?"

She put a possessive hand on the purse that sat beside her. " I have a stash of silver dollars. It's from my parents, for good luck, she brought out another silver dollar. The last of the money I won there five years ago. That money helped me start a new life." Her voice shook and faltered. "Now I need to start a new life all over again. I hope....... that they'll help me a second time. "

He prodded at the embers. " I wish you luck," he said in a careful, measured voice " What's plan B?.

"None of your goddamn business," she flared, stung. They were silent for a moment.

" Don't be mad, Annie," he said gently "Starting a new life is a hell of a lot to ask a slot machine. "

She snagged another peach chunk, but his calm words had robbed her of her appetite, and she let it plop back into the can with a dejected sigh. "There's no plan B." She admitted. "If it doesn't work out, I'll think of something when the time comes, like I always do."

"What are you running away from?" Annie's jaw clenched. Thinking about ken did not feel lucky. "I'd rather not talk about it," she said stiffly.

"Whatever."

There was a wealth of controlled curiosity behind the single quiet word. "I'm not on the run from the cops, or anything if that's what you're wondering," she snapped.

"Relax, Annie," he soothed. "The thought never crossed my mind. "

She shot him a derisive look. "How am I supposed to relax with you looking at me like that. Jacob, all I know about you is that you're my mate and you want to have sex with me, to mark me.