“I don’t have anything. That’s why I’m so mad. Even if I can fight her, she’s still someone who can support my mate better than me.”
“What about your mate? What does he want?”
“He wants... me,” I confess a bit shyly.
“Then that’s all you need to know. Don’t let others interfere with your relationship. A fated mate bond is way too rare and precious to give it up because of a stranger.”
“It’s not just about us... The fate of several Clans is at stake.”
He shakes his head and yells to remind one of the chefs about the meat’s cooking. I step out a second to give a hand to the sous-chef, who is having a hard time with all the desserts. I quickly get his workspace cleaned up and take away a couple of ready plates. He thanks me, and I return to chef Michel’s side.
“Don’t think too hard about the consequences, Nora. It’s not all about your own decisions, either. Your mate is an Alpha; he can make his own judgments.”
“I’m afraid he will make bad judgments because of me.”
“Maybe. But that’s his call, not yours. Instead of thinking about mistakes, start thinking about solutions. When you cook, do you think about how you might fail or how you should do things?”
The Chef is right... My decision is taken anyway, and so is Damian’s. There is no way I would ever let that woman getanything she wants from my mate. I know I couldn’t take it, the same way I could never submit to her.
“I get it, Chef. Thank you.”
“Good then. Now go and help that moron with the sauces before I get there myself.”
I tried to keep the Chef’s words in mind all day after that. I didn’t make a wrong decision, and I won’t regret it. This woman had no right to come here and make a scene. I just put her right back where she belongs. Those thoughts keep me preoccupied for a while, enough for my coworkers to leave me alone. A lot of them even act slightly differently around me now, probably because they discovered I’m an Alpha. When we are done, Narcissa calls everyone for the usual meeting at the end of the day, but I just listen to it absentmindedly. No one mentions what happened with Alessandra King.
When the meeting finishes, I’m the first one in the changing room. My clothes smell, so I change back to Damian’s t-shirt and my denim skirt, feeling better in it than in my work outfit. Probably because I can smell a bit of my mate on it, too. I realize the crimson butterfly is still around. I had forgotten about that... If I try to touch him, he doesn’t really react, and just flies away, only to come back if I insist. He really acts like a regular butterfly, except for the fact that he is set on hanging around me.
I check my phone. No news from Damian, butI decide to call my mate quickly. It takes a few seconds before he can answer.
“Nora. Are you done already?”
“It’s not already, the lunch service ended late, actually. I just got a couple of hours before the dinner shift.”
“Really? Crap, I didn’t look at the time...”
He sounds preoccupied, but I can guess right away why.
“You’re still busy, aren’t you?”
“Yeah... I’m sorry. I still got a ton of work.”
I knew it. There was no way he would be done by four; he took a full day off yesterday, and Neal looked exhausted this morning. They probably have a lot to catch up now that Damian’s back to work; I can’t possibly blame them.
“It’s okay, I figured so. I’m going to hang out with a friend until my night shift, okay? You can come and get me if you’re done by then.”
“A friend?”
“A female friend,” I specify, because of his inquisitive tone.
“Okay. Take Bobo with you.”
“Does Bobo ever get a day off?”
“Sure, when you’re with me.”
I roll my eyes. Seriously, this man... For a second, I hesitate to tell him about Alessandra and my show-off, but he’s probably busy with work right now, and I’m afraid he might drop it all and come here if I tell him. Surely this can wait for later.
“When does your night shift end?” Asks Damian.
