Her True Mate

Chapter 10 - Boy not a Man

Present Day

Kaitlin’s POV

“Alpha Hamil, Thank you.” He says genuinely, if not ashamed. “You speak the truth. I am truly sorry, and please forgive me for how I addressed you. I had not thought about much of what you pointed out, and I have much to reflect on. Please note that I really will think about that.” He extends his hand to me, and I stand, grasping it firmly. I smile when he properly shakes my hand, not crushing it like some men do. I nodded my head in approval, “I accept your apology. After talking with you like a normal person, you seem like a wonderful man, and it would be a shame to see such a person go down the road as you were.” He smiles a dazzling smile, and my breath catches a bit. Wow.

“A boy, not a man. Otherwise, you hit the nail on the head.” He winks and continues to smile, “If you ever need anything, Alpha, you have the support of the Beta of the Red Moon pack.” I smiled back at him. He pulls his hand back, nods to Blayn, and walks away, looking back once over his shoulder and smiling. This sudden feeling of pride floods me, and I feel like I can breathe easier. What the heck was that?

“I think you got yourself an admirer there, missy.” Blayn laughs and bats his eyelashes. I can’t help but return the laugh. “Definitely not, but I can see what the fuss is about. Very nice!” I winked back at him, and he looked shocked that I admitted Ryan was cute. We laugh again, and I look down at my watch at 10:15 AM. Well, it's time to get ready. I started to gather my things and head up to get ready. Thankfully, the elevator ride was uneventful. However, a lingering scent in the small space gets Annika’s attention.

‘What is it?’ I asked her, breathing slowly, trying to place the scent. It’s almost like it wasn't supposed to be there. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I want more.

‘I don’t know. I feel excited, though, calm and complete all at once. Does that even make sense?’ She seemed equally confused.

“What’s wrong??” Blayn asks nervously. “I don’t know. We smell something and can’t place it. It is not a bad smell; we are just confused.” I told him, and his eyes widened, "What do you mean? I don't smell anything..." “It’s masked or something, though. Hidden from me in some way...” I trailed off. I don’t notice the small smile that creeps into the corner of his mouth.

We exit the elevator and make our way to our rooms. “I should be ready in 45ish. How long do you need?” I turn to ask him, “Luckily, the meeting is in one of the meeting rooms in the hotel.” I mutter, and he opens his door and looks back at me, rolling his eyes, “I am a dude 20 minutes.” He walks into his room, shutting the door. Okay, rude! I continued to the room next door and proceeded to get ready.

I cannot believe what he just did! Shaking my head, I still feel oddly peaceful and proud of what happened downstairs. I felt this overwhelming need to explain how a gentleman should respect a woman. Regardless of how he acted, I was pleasantly surprised at how sweet he was. In my mind, I wanted to scold him, but what came out surprised even me: the gentleness of my voice laced with authority. Very Alpha indeed. I was so calm even though I was mad at first. I wander over to the shower and crank up the heat, pondering that whole interaction.

Closing the door to let it steam, I headed to the closet and looked at the outfits I had brought. My blazer, silky cream blouse, and tight knee-length skirt will do nicely. I slipped the outfit on, grateful I had brought my favorite rose-beige push-up bra from La Perla. It did wonders for the girls. I paired it with the Louis Vuitton pumps I picked up in Paris. I sigh, thinking back on that day. It was beautiful outside, and I wished Sara had been with me. She would have loved it. Her obsession with shoes rivaled my own. I don't feel terribly sad anymore, so I take another deep breath and head into my steamy shower.

Oh, the heat is delicious, but I still need to dry my hair, so my shower is only 10 minutes to wash everything. I shaved the night before back at the packhouse. THANK THE GODDESS! I hurried out, checking the time, 10:45 AM. Ugh, I needed to hurry. I grabbed the blow dryer and started on my hair. Using the round dryer brush, I can get some curls into the ends of my hair with natural volume and add some high-shining spray for the hold. I quickly applied some mascara and a bright red lip tint. I like the natural appearance, so I only add a little else. I love curling my hair, but I don't have time for that right now. Thankfully, my dark blue eyes pop independently and don't need more than a light mascara. I wouldn't say I like this make-up stuff. I tossed the mascara back into my toiletry bag. Glancing down at my watch, 11:05 AM, I was right on time.

I slip on my heels, grab my phone off the charger, and slip it into my purse with my iPad and notebook. I quickly scan the room for anything else I may need. Nope, nothing. I lay my blazer over my arm since I am still warm from the bathroom. I checked for my key and gave myself one long look in the mirror. I can do this. I take several deep breaths, exhaling slowly, nodding at my reflection once, and grab for the door.