Thaddeus sits quietly in the corner of the cozy, dimly lit coffee shop, his tall frame relaxed but alert in the worn armchair he had claimed nearly an hour ago. The golden glow of the hanging lamps casts soft shadows across the wooden tables, and the low murmur of conversations blends with the steady hiss of the espresso machine. To anyone else, he might appear like just another customer lingering over a drink—but his moss-green eyes betray his true focus.
They follow her.
His mate moves behind the counter with easy familiarity, tying a loose strand of hair back as she prepares another order. A soft smile touches his lips without him realizing it. The rich aroma of roasted coffee beans fills the room, warm and comforting, but it barely registers in his mind. His attention is entirely fixed on her—every movement, every laugh she shares with a customer, every small expression that flickers across her face.
She has no idea.
No idea what she is to him.
No idea what he is.
Theo exhales slowly through his nose, forcing himself to remain calm. Patience had always been one of his strengths. Years of control, of discipline, of leading others had taught him that rushing into things rarely ended well. Yet patience felt like a fragile thing tonight, stretched thin by the quiet pull in his chest that urged him closer.
Mate.
The word alone sends a warm but restless energy through his veins.
'' She’s right there…'' Thorn murmurs in the back of his mind, his wolf’s voice low and eager.
“I can see that,” Theo mutters under his breath.
'' Then go to her.''
“It's not that simple.”
Thorn gives a quiet, impatient whine.
Theo rubs a hand down his jaw, glancing back at his cup of tea that had long since gone cold. He had already rehearsed half a dozen ways to approach her.
Ask for her number, order another drink, and start a conversation. Compliment the place, pretend he was new to the area.
Or—his least sensible thought—simply tell her the truth.
Hello. I'm a werewolf. You're my mate.
He almost snorts at the idea.
''She'll think we're mad…'' Thorn complains.
"She would," Theo agrees quietly.
Humans rarely handled the truth well, especially when it involved things that lived in forests and shadows. And even if she believed him… the danger alone would be enough to make any sane person run the other way.
He studies her again as she laughs softly at something a customer says. The sound pulls at him in a way that feels both comforting and terrifying.
Protectiveness settles deep in his chest, instinctive and absolute.
She deserves normal.
Not the complicated, dangerous world he comes from.
Still… fate had never cared much about what anyone deserved.
Theo straightens in his seat, finally making a decision. If he keeps sitting here staring like some brooding stranger, he really will look mad.
Normal.
He can do normal.
Probably.
He rises from the chair, tall frame unfolding as he crosses the small café. Each step feels strangely heavier than it should, his wolf pacing with anticipation beneath the surface.
''Mate.'' Thorn rumbles approvingly.
"Quiet," Theo mutters under his breath.
When he reaches the counter, she turns toward him automatically, ready to greet another customer.
Up close, the pull is even stronger.
Her scent—soft, warm, unmistakably hers—makes his chest tighten.
''Hey,…'' he greets.
The word comes out quieter than intended.
He opens his mouth to say something else, rehearsed lines suddenly scattering in his mind like startled birds. But the moment their eyes meet, everything else vanishes.
Her gaze locks with his.
For a second, the entire café seems to fall away—the conversations, the sounds, the smell of coffee—leaving only the strange, electric stillness between them.
Theo freezes.
His heart gives an unexpected, traitorous flutter in his chest.
''Say something,'' Thorn urges.
But for once in his life, Thaddeus finds himself completely, utterly speechless in front of one human woman.