Chapter Four

Max POV

Unknown Number: Loved meeting you tonight. You should come join us at The Rocks.

Max: Ah who is this and how did you get my number?

Unknown Number: First you call me by the wrong name and then you forget you gave me your number?

My eyes shoot up as I look at Levi “Did you give Grace my number?”

He roars with laughter “She texting you already? Wow, I knew I had the moved but that’s even quick for my standards” A growl rumbles in my chest as Levi’s face drops and his hands shoot up in the air “Easy Alpha, I’m just mucking around. I’m well aware she is yours. Are you going to reply?”

“She wants me to meet her and her friends at The Rocks”

“Well, what better way to get to know her over a few drinks. Plus, I could chat to some of those smocking hot friends she has” I roll my eyes as I look back down at my phone. “What name did you call her again?” Levi eyes me suspiciously before he answers

“Hayley”

Max: Hayley my bad

Grace: Guess again big boy

Jesus. I wonder how drunk she is right now. She definitely did not give off this type of aura when she was I the restaurant earlier.

Max: I’m just playing Grace. Mind if my friend tags along.

I figure it’s probably better to tell her face to face that Levi actually wrote my number down and not his. My phone pings again and lights up.

Grace: The more the merrier, see you soon.

I grin at Levi, “Let’s go to The Rocks”

As we get closer to the club I start to feel really nervous, but it’s not a normal nervous it’s like I can feel the emotions but they aren’t mine. We turn the corner to the car park and I’m suddenly smashed with a feeling of panic and fear. Its then that I realize that these aren’t my emotions they are Grace’s. I’m instantly scanning the surroundings trying to find her. I see Levi beside me notice my panic. I spot her, she’s standing outside facing towards the entry and a man is standing in her way. I slam the car in park and I’m out of my seat before I even realize what’s happening. My wolf is in complete control and we are running towards Grace at top speed. As soon as I reach them I grab the guy by the back of his hair and slam his face to the ground, knocking him unconscious instantly.

“Are you okay?”

Grace suddenly looks up at me, her face riddled with confusion “Do I know you?”It’s then that I realize she doesn’t even remember who I am, even though we were just messaging. Her attention then moves to Levi and I feel her heart rate begin to slow, as if its his presence that is calming her. I do everything in my control to calm my wolf who is about ready to murder our bestfriend and Beta for making a better impression on our mate than we did.

“Levi?” His eyes look up suddenly and go wide with fear as if he knows exactly how I would be imagining his death right now

“Hey Grace, you good?” She nods as she looks back over towards me and I try to control my emotions so that I don’t freak her out. I don’t know a whole lot about dating a human but I’m pretty sure coming on super possessive without even having a proper conversation is a bit of a no no.

“You remember Max from the restaurant? My, ah-er boss” Suddenly a flash of recognition comes across her face. I’m so confused as to how she doesn’t remember me and then I realize she thought she was messaging Levi, not me.

“Ah, yes I do. Hi Max, I’m Grace” I suddenly start to spiral, what if she is interested in Levi and not me. What if I’m standing here as the weird third wheel with my Beta and Mate. Oh my god. This couldn’t be any worse.

“Why are you guys here? I mean I definitely appreciate the save. That guy was getting very scary”

“Ah, you texted me and asked me to come meet up with you and your friends” She is back to looking completely confused. Like we are talking to the wrong person. Everything that has happened in the last hour seems to have been erased from her damn memory. The next thing I know I see her roll her eyes and start to laugh. Now it’s my turn to be confused

“Oh my god, Macy”

“Macy?” Levi and i both ask at the same time as she nods at us seemingly aware of something we are oblivious to.

“She asked to borrow my phone earlier, I forgot she even had it. If you’ve been talking to anyone. I can guarantee it’s been Macy the entire time” Okay, so I wasn’t too far off. We apparently were talking to the completely wrong person for the last hour, except none of us were aware of it. This is off to a great start.

“Well, this is slightly embarrassing” Levi responds with a nervous laugh. I run my hand down the front of my face. Waves of anger, frustration and embarrassment run through me. I don’t normally have to try too hard if I was ever interested in a she-wolf. As soon as they feel the Alpha Aura they are practically throwing their panties at you and begging to be your Luna. So, to say I have little to no game wouldn’t be an understatement except now I’ve just rocked up to somewhere I thought I was invited but wasn’t, smashed a guy’s face into a wall like a Neanderthal and I’m not even the one she is interested in. This is just fucking peachy.

“Not at all, just because I didn’t invite you directly. Doesn’t mean I can’t now. I do have to thank you somehow for saving me from whatever that creep was thinking about” She gestures towards the door and even though it’s a pity invite it’s still a direct invite from Grace and I’m gonna take it. Both Levi and I nod and follow her back towards the bar and inside.

Once back inside she heads towards the dance floor and starts scanning the crowd. I’m assuming she is looking for her mates from earlier on at the restaurant.  She then walks over to the table occupied by another group of people before I hear her heart rate begin to pick up and panic flushes through the mate bond again. She turns to smile at us in an attempt to mask that she was suddenly, nervous?

“I’ll just quickly text them and see where they are, then we can grab that drink I owe you”

She pulls out her phone and starts texting at a rapid speed as I turn to look at Levi.

Max: Well this isn’t exactly how I predicted it would go once we got there

I see Levi smirk as he hears me through the mindlink and shrugs his shoulders

Levi: At least you got to swoop in and be her hero

I roll my eyes as I punch his shoulder. Suddenly Grace scoffs and both Levi and I raise our eyebrows. “It appears they left me here. How about that drink?”

I turn to look at Levi knowing good and well he has never turned down a free drink in his entire life, we both shrug our shoulders in unison and follow Grace towards the bar. This is the first time I’ve gotten to appreaciate what a great ass Grace has. Its plump but not over the top, its obvious that she works out or is active in some way. Her pants are so tight, as she sashays ahead of us. Her long brunette hair falls just below her shoulder blades, almost framing her tiny waist. God I wish I could see what she had on underneath. Im snapped out of my imagination as she turns around to ask what we would like. After she orders we head over to a free table and sit down. Finally able to actually have a proper conversation with the girl!

“So, am I going to be mortified when I read through what Macy was texting you, or did she at least keep it PG? She asks Levi. He looks towards me with a grin and then back towards Grace “About that” I start to shake my head as I know what she is about to find out. I guess there goes the chance for a proper conversation. Is anything going to go to plan tonight?

“You were, well your friend was using your phone to text me” She turns to look at me with that adorable confused expression on her face again. I feel my insides go on fire as soon as we lock eyes

“How on earth? I don’t even have your number” Levi starts his evil laugh under his breath as Grace look at him seemingly for an explanation.

“I may have written down Max’s number instead of mine” Shes looks between the two of us again and my hands fly up in defence. I am not going down for Levi’s sly trick. I mean as grateful as I am to of found out her name and get her number this was all on him.

“I had no idea he was doing that until it was already done! I swear. Then you, er your friend texted. Which given what was happening outside I’m glad she did. Why were you outside by yourself anyway? That’s so dangerous. Anything could happen. These places are full of random creeps.” My mind was racing with worry and I couldn’t keep the multitudes of fear at bay. All the horrible things that could possibly have gone wrong if we didn’t get there when we did. Not to mention I had just found my mate, and the thought that she could have been taken away before I had a chance to get to know her was terrifying. If the moon madness didn’t get me, that absolutely would have.

“Your right. There absolutely dangers in finding yourself in situations with men you don’t know” She eyes us both up and down, pulling her drink closer to her and I start to panic I didn’t mean us.

“Not us. Your safe with us. Max- ah we would never let anything happen to you” This is going south really quickly. What the heck is wrong with me that is making me blow this so badly. The next thing I know she is sculling her drink and eyeing us both with a concerned expression etched on her face.

“I think I’m going to call it a night” She suddenly stands without making eye contact with either of us “It was nice to meet you both, and thankyou again for earlier”

Crap, I need to fix this so that she doesn’t leave thinking that I am an absolute creep “How will you get home?”

“I’ll just call a taxi. I’ll be right!” Dismissed again but then I remember the earlier encounter and as low as it is of me to use fear, I need to try and save this meeting and have some sort of normal conversation with her.

“Ah and stand outside on your own again after what happened earlier? I don’t think so, we will drop you home”

“That really isn’t necessary, I’ll be fine” Oh my god, this woman I swear to god. It’s like she is hell bent on absolutely ditching me and closing the door before I have even had a chance to open it. I make one last ditch effort to not have it end right this exact moment.

“At least let us wait with you, while you wait for the cab then” I plead. She takes a deep breath like she is at least considering my final plea. Which I really hope works because I’ve got nothing left to even try with. She nods her head slowly and in that exact instant I down my beer, so does Levi and we follow her back outside.

Levi and I try not to act like we can’t hear her trying to whisper her address to the taxi operator. It brings me some comfort at least to know that she can exercise some sense of personal safety. As she walks back over to us and lets us know the taxi is on its way, the awkward tension returns. I’m too scared to say anything now and put my foot in my mouth again, chasing her away for a second time tonight. Levi chats to her easily and freely and for once in my life, I wish I wasn’t me. I wish I’d spent some time dating so I was so damn awkward right now like Levi. I’d steal glances at her, trying to burn how she looks into my memory in case she flat out refuses to ever see me again, every time she looks up I look away again. I’m such an idiot. I feel my wolf doing the same thing, he is furious at me for the shit show of the night but doesn’t want to forget what she looks like either.

The taxi arrives and my heart sinks as she says goodbye. In one last ditch effort to seem somewhat gentlemanly I reach out to open the door for her. I don’t realize that Grace didn’t see me move and my hand goes over the top of hers on the door handle. The connection is instant. Sparks fly up my hand all the way to my heart. I was already pretty confident, but now I know without a doubt that she is my mate. She gasps at the touch and I pull my hand away as I apologize to her. I wondered if she felt it when I heard her hear rate increase. I was worried that I had managed to scare her when I smelt the sweet scent of arousal. I don’t take my eyes off her as she steps into the taxi and pulls the door closed. She doesn’t look away either until the taxi turns the corner.

“Well that went well” I punch Levi as I turn and start walking towards the car. He runs to keep up with me as I storm off. How the hell am I going to fix this?