"You know, everybody's curious about you"

It had been two weeks since the opening of my store and things couldn't be better. I had placed a sign for help as I couldn't manage everything alone and Ingrid, my "online" and first friend was now my first employee.

"Really?", I asked her. We were in my apartment right now munching on a batch of muffins I had made.

"Yeah!", Ingrid replied. "You are this polite and cheerful thing with all your customers but when it comes to opening up, you're like the most difficult puzzle on earth"

I smiled sadly. It was going to take time for me to open up to people. I didn't feel like I could trust anybody right now so I definitely couldn't open up to them.

Ingrid was looking at me curiously. I had gone really silent so I understood her.

"You never really told me why you left your old pack", she observed, taking another muffin and biting into it. I envied her. She was so slim and she ate like an elephant. If I ate like that and didn't work out, I'd end up looking like I was pregnant.

"The whole pack signed a petition for me to leave", I replied, biting rather reluctantly into my own muffin.

"Including the Alpha?!"

"Especially the Alpha", I confirmed.

"Damn!", she said, shocked. "I swear if I were you, I'd have set them on fire. Because you're like this innocent angel, I can't imagine you doing something so terrible that turns your whole pack against you"

"Maybe I'll tell you one day", I said, feeling a bit bold.

"I'll hold you to that", Ingrid replied solemnly.

We smiled at each other and resumed looking for a movie to watch on Netflix. Then she said, "I'd buy your muffins if you sold them"

I stayed silent then burst out laughing. "That sounded sooo dirty!"

"Well maybe I intended for it to be dirty", she replied, winking suggestively, making us burst into another bout of laughter.

I'd keep her.

***

"Good morning. What would you like?", I asked the first customer of the day.

"Three muffins and an Americano, please", he replied.

I smiled and told him I would get it ready. I had taken Ingrid's suggestion of putting my muffins on the menu. It made people come even more because apparently, they were the eight wonder of the earth. Ingrid's words.

After making the coffee, I wrapped up the guy's muffins and gave him both. Then I smiled and wished him a good day.

The bell rang signalling his exit then rang again, signalling the entrance of another customer.

As I saw their feet reach the register, I put up my head to give the usual greeting.

"Good morning. What would you...", I trailed off. It was not possible. I could not have another mate.

But the scent coming from him told me the contrary. It was comforting and reassuring, but pleasurable all at the same time. He was quite tall and had blond hair he had tied back into a ponytail. His green eyes were fixed straight on me making me nervous.

"Um, since you, by the looks of things, are not going to continue, I'm just going to say that I want a Cappuccino and five muffins", he let out, looking at me with confusion.

I was confused too. Wasn't he feeling the bond? Unless he was human? That was the last thing I needed. A human who didn't understand the mate bond and who would probably name me crazy.

"I'm sorry. I'll just get to it right away", I said then fixed his coffee and wrapped up his muffins. Smiling at him and apologizing once again.

"It's okay. I get that my good looks frighten people into silence sometimes", he teased and I laughed, blushing a little. He didn't know how close to the truth he was.

"Not me. I was just frightened by your looks, plain and simple", I teased back and he laughed.

"I'm Fabian. And you, beautiful lady are?", he asked, sending his hand forward.

I blushed a bit at his compliment then shook his hand, replying, "Denise"

"Well, Denise, I hate for us to part but I've got to leave now. Until we meet again", I smiled and waved at him, touching my heated cheeks. I smiled then sighed. Life was going to be good.

"Who was that?", Ingrid called out, startling me out of my reverie.

"I don't know", I replied, turning my head away from her and trying to give the impression I was busy.

"I'm not buying that Nisa, I'm not stupid", she insisted, looking at me.

"I'm not ready yet Ingrid. Please drop it", I said quietly.

"I'm sorry", she said sincerely, "I'll leave you to your thoughts"

I sighed. What I had said to Ingrid was true; it wasn't just an attempt to escape the question. Telling her I thought Fabian was my mate was going to bring up questions I wasn't ready to answer... yet.

*FABIAN*

Fabian glared at the muffins in his hand, the delicious muffins he could not resist since his best friend had brought them over to their office. The damn muffins had enchanted him and he had never imagined that he'd find his mate through them; a presence he had no use for and one to whom he could give no time or space. His life was already complicated enough as it was.

*DENISE*

For the rest of that day, I had a smile on my face. Sure I didn't know what was going to happen in future but at least I had a mate, a second chance to experience all what fate had seized from me at birth. In fact, I was so happy that Ingrid noticed and she kept shooting me suspicious looks.

"Tell me now! I'm dying!", she shouted from across the store, frightening the customer that had just entered.

I lifted a finger, silently telling her to wait, served the client then beckoned her over. She rushed over, fished out a muffin, dropped a dollar into the register then sat her ass on the counter.

"Spill"

"You saw the guy, tall, blonde, green eyes, cute smile?", I asked, reeling my smile in.

"Yeah!", Ingrid answered with her mouth full, not caring that crumbs had tumbled on the floor. I chuckled.

"He's my mate"

"Oh-em-gee! Now way!", she exclaimed, then calmed down a little. "But I thought your mate-"

"I thought so too. But turns out the Moon Goddess loves me a little too much", I joked, then added to myself, more like she wants to make up for the times she let me suffer.

Ingrid jumped up and hugged me then whispered, "I know nothing is set yet, and I know you're ready to talk about your past, but all I hope for you is happiness, love and all good things"

I hugged her back silently and prayed for the same thing.