Creeps and Croissants

*Tatum*

The loud clinking from the kitchen has me creeping out of my bedroom in search of River, my usually quieter roommate. It’s barely six in the morning, far earlier than either of us ever get up, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy she wasn’t able to sleep either. She was passed out on the couch last night when I got home from work, so I haven’t had the chance to tell her the good news yet. I have a date. And it’s not just with any ordinary person.

I half expect her to freak out when she sees me come around the corner. I was not, however, even remotely prepared for the handsome, well-dressed man leaning against my kitchen counter. Panic creeps up my spine as I blink at him.

His dark eyes lift from the cellphone in his hand and a smile grows on his face when he notices me. In an instant he straightens up, places his phone down and saunters over, stuffing his hands in his pressed suit pant pockets.

He’s not a stranger. No, this is the very handsome man I’ve been chatting with for two weeks on the newly launched dating app for the rejected werewolves in the community. Only I opted for the more…well…elite version. I upgraded to the royalty level.

Meaning this gorgeous man with the pretty smile is Artemis. App handle name ArtoftheAlphas. Known to all the werewolf world as Alpha Artemis. The literal Alpha of the Alpha’s. He is our king, one without a queen. And he is staring me down like he might want to put that crown on my head and I’m now ready to freak the flip out.

“I was in town…” he starts when he seems to pick up on my internal freak out. “I just thought…maybe it would be romantic…?” He asks, looking around for reassurance from anyone who will give it. 

I notice the woman who is laying out a display of breakfast pastries. Another prepares two mugs of steaming coffee, all the while frowning at the array of decorative mugs in my cupboard. My jaw drops open, but I force it closed, feeling a little uneasy. Instinctively, I hug my arms around my body, looking for coverage.  

We’ve never met in person before. Nope, not even once. Yet here he stands, overwhelmingly eager to spend time with me, like a golden retriever waiting for a walk. He looks gentle and harmless, so he probably won’t kill me, at least I don’t think he will.

I flash him the best smile I can muster. This is fine. Not how I would do things, but that’s okay. I need to choose him just as much as he has to choose me. 

“This is…sweet,” I offer, and he smiles in relief and chuckles. 

“Go get something on…” he says, looking at me like I am underdressed, though I can see the grin. “And then maybe I can win you over with a unique proposition.”

I arch a brow, intrigued. “I’d say make yourself at home, but well…” 

“Yeah…” he winces “I can see now how this may have been too much.”

“It’s fine.” I tell him, though, I’m not completely comfortable waking up to a man in my house taking over. Okay, not at all comfortable, but it’s not like he came alone and crawled into my bed. He came with staff and is clothed in the nicest tailored suit I’ve ever seen.

“It’s a little creepy, now that I think about it,” he sighs. I grin and nod.

“A creep with croissants and coffee is a creep I can get used to,” the words fumble out like word vomit and I want to crawl away into a corner. Did I just fucking say that? “Uh–I’ll just go get dressed” I chuckle awkwardly as I rush to my room, stopping to glance in the mirror.

I groan in horror, regretting the thought of looking at my reflection. I’m a mess. My ponytail askew with tufts of brown astray on my head and a sleep line from my pillow down my cheek. Just great. I told him he was an okay creep by me when I’m the one looking like I crawled out of a grave looking for brains. At this rate, I should just wish him the best, pack my bags and join a convent.

There is no time to shower, not with my date being a whopping fourteen hours early, so I pull my hair down and brush through it as quickly as possible. I touch up last night’s makeup, freshening up my mascara with a quick stripe before turning to my closet.

I opt for my black maxi dress and grab my emerald green cashmere sweater, tossing it over the dainty straps. Okay, it’s not MY sweater. It’s River’s, but she gave it to me to wear on my date, so this may be the only thing going according to plan.

I do a twirl on my hardwood floor, nibbling my lip in nervous excitement. I don’t look like royalty. Sure a shit doesn’t feel like it either, but royalty is sitting in my kitchen waiting for me. And now that I don’t have time to be nervous, it’s kind of exciting. So I smooth the front of my dress, take a deep inhale and open my door, yelping when I find Artemis waiting right outside of it for me.

“Sorry.” He smirks. “I was just meandering. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such a condensed place before…” He says and I bite back a laugh.

“You’ve never been in an apartment?” I ask him and he smiles a sexy little grin. 

“No. Usually everyone wants to come back to my place.” He shoots me a wink and I can’t fight the laugh. He is strange, but he makes it easy to relax in his presence. It’s refreshing, to say the least. 

“I’d offer you a tour…” I wave my hand around the space. “But there isn’t much else to see but the bathroom.”

“I’ve already looked in there, too. It’s fascinating how you make do with one bathroom for two girls.”

I furrow my brows but follow him as he turns and walks through my apartment and toward the door, completely bypassing the breakfast his staff set up for us.

I squeak in sad surprise as he opens the door to the hallway. With a longing look, I offer a silent goodbye to the delicious smelling coffee that lingers behind us.

He parades me to the elevator; the hallway lined with his staff. I mean, what the hell did I expect? Someone remotely normal? At least he isn’t trying to wink his way into my pants like the weird guy at the bar last week.  

“Uh, Alpha Artemis…”

“Please, call me just Artemis, Tatum.”

“Uh, Artemis…About breakfast…”

“It will still be there when we come back.” He offers me a gentle smile and I return it. 

This may be the first time we have met, but we’ve been talking for weeks, I remind myself. And all along he has been quirky and fun. This is the same Artemis who was up texting until four in the morning days ago because we were watching the same movie and he needed to know how I was reacting. 

My heart flutters as the conversations flood back and blush rises to my cheeks. No, I may have been surprised in the apartment, but I am excited he is here. I feel the heat of his hand, not touching mine, but resting so close it feels like it is. We are both nervous. It’s so easy to sense those nerves when you know them so well, so I reach out and entwine our hand. 

He chuckles, his breath releasing as if an immense weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

“Thank you,” he murmurs, and I give him a curious glance. He gives me a shy grin. “I’ve crossed a few too many barriers this morning already. I was afraid to take your hand.”

I can’t help but giggle and look down at our hands as he gives me a firm squeeze. 

“I am happy to meet you halfway and cross a few of my own.” I tease as the elevators beeps and the doors open.

He drags me alongside him and presses the button to close the door, giving us the first moment of privacy we have had together yet. He seems to relax a little without his warriors and staff around. 

“Can I ask where we are going?”

“Of course.” Artemis says as if he had forgotten he hasn’t told me a dang thing about this supposed date. The one I thought was happening upstairs. “I am taking you shopping.”

“Um…What?” I ask, my eyes wide.

“You do like shopping, right?” He seems worried as he looks at me.

“I mean, as long as it’s not from my paycheck, it’s always a great time.” I tease and he laughs. “But stores don’t open until nine in the morning. We have a good two and a half hours, if not more.”

“You do realize I am the Alpha King, right?” He reminds me. It’s odd how any other man in this position it would sound like he was gloating or trying to remind me how lucky I am. But he seems to be genuinely trying to tease and make light of everything about himself to make me more comfortable, and it’s working. 

“What? You are? Well shit, why didn’t you tell me?” I joke back. His smile seems permanent now, his sweet dimples on display, and I can’t help but want to touch them. He’s devastatingly handsome under ordinary circumstances, but add these playful dimples and I want to just eat him right up.

“I have a proposition for you, Tatum.” He says as we exit the elevator. 

“Okay.”

“Now,” he sighs, his smile dropping for the first time since being with me. “I know this may not come off right…and you can, at anytime, say no, but I truly hope you say yes.”

My heart races, and I try to calm my nerves. Is he…asking me to be his chosen mate already? Because even with our two weeks of chatting, and the smiles and the butterflies…This is all…it’s too soon.

It feels like I am suffocating as I try to control myself and my emotions, my wolf just as distressed and alarmed in my mind as she tries to calm me down. 

Artemis walks me down the corridor and opens the door, dragging me out into the cool crisp morning air that feels like ice against my heated skin. I inhale sharply and give my head a shake. All I have to do is be honest with him and myself. It’s all he has ever asked of me.

“I am seeing other people.” He whispers. I rear my head, turning to look at him, taken aback. 

“I’m sorry…?” I blink, and he takes his hand, rubbing it down his face. 

“It’s just…My advisors thought…I know it seems wrong.”

He fumbles for his explanation, and I find it cute. Clearly Artemis is unaware of the rules they gave us when we signed up for the Royalty package.

It stated, in simple terms, that he would be speaking to several women, overlapping at times. I know he has been talking to other girls. What speaks louder to me is that he is still here, holding my hand. 

“Artemis, I know.” I reach out and press my palm to his cheek. “They informed me it was a possibility when I signed up. It’s okay.” 

“They did?” He asks, taken aback. I nod and he heaves a hefty sigh. “Well, that makes this easier, then.”

“Are you breaking up with me?” I ask, feeling a little sad.

“No, I am asking you to move in.”

“What?!” I squeak, my voice as high as my eyebrows.