The Gamma's Hybrid Mate

Chapter 13 - Mixed Signals

Charlie's POV

"Finish him"  The Xbox mocked me as Liam finished me off for the fifth time in a row

"Yes!"  he yelled punching the air, and then did a little victory hand jive!  "Bro, you are playing shite today!!  Reckon it's got something to do with the human?"

"Maybe,"  I said "Another game?"  As much as I hated getting beaten I really needed a distraction.

"Sure, if you really want to keep embarrassing yourself.."  Liam scoffed. 

We got ready to start our sixth game when Samuel came running through the door.

"Daddy!!"  The little boy  ran over to Liam and jumped onto his lap

"Sammy"  Liam called his name, overjoyed to see him "How you been buddy?"

"Good, Can I stay at Nanny's again tonight please?"

"Well you could, but Mommy and Daddy would really miss you..  Do you want to live with Nanny?"

"Noooooooo"  Samuel cried "I want to live with you and Momma"  Liam smiled at him.  "That's good news Samuel, because we want to live with you."

"Liam don't tease him!" Lauren came in through the door wearing a huge smile whilst she looked at Liam and Samuel.  She clearly loved them with all her heart.

It was then that I saw her, Alex was hiding behind Lauren.  She looked so tiny in comparison that I nearly missed her altogether.  Her eyes locked with mine and she took my breath away.  She was dressed in jeans and a simple t-shirt but to me she looked like a goddess.  Her smell bowled me over and I fought for control against Enzo my Wolf.

"MINE!"

"Enzo you need to calm down pal, she has no idea what we are" 

"Then we'll show her"   Enzo challenged, he sounded really confident."

"Not a good idea yet Enz, we're going to have to try something called patience" 

Enzo roared in my head before I felt him stick his nose up in the air and turn his back to me.  Charming!

"Charlie we have to get back with Samuel. Lucas and April have gone to see Bethany so can we leave you to entertain Alex until they get back?"

"Sure,"  I said in a high pitched loud voice.  Lauren jumped and Liam laughed.  I cleared my throat and tried again "Of course I will" This was torture!  If she was a wolf we'd have mated by now!  I was so worried I would scare her that I was all over the bloody place.  

"Great"  Said Lauren with forced joviality, she clearly thought I was losing the plot.

"Bye Uncle 'larlie"  sang Samuel reaching up to me.  I picked him up and gave him a huge hug.  He could say Uncle Charlie these days, but he'd always called me 'larlie' and it sort of stuck.  

"Bye Sammy, love you."

"Love you more,"  He said and ran towards Lauren who scooped him up.

"Call me later bud"  Liam winked and walked out of the room.

And then there were just the two of us.  My heartbeat accelerated.

"How are you feeling?"  I asked. She looked better but I was still worried about how fragile she seemed.  There was nothing of her and she looked exhausted.  She was a good six inches shorter than I was, so I was looking down into her eyes.  She licked her lips before she answered and Enzo came charging towards the surface for the second time.

"I feel a little better thank you,"  She said quietly.

"I'm glad,"  I said my voice thick with emotion.  I watched her intently trying to gauge if I was freaking her out.  But she seemed fine.  Congratulations Charlie, You've managed 90 seconds without messing up.

"Are you hungry?"  I asked with a smile, I so wanted her to be comfortable in my company.

"That would be great actually,"  She said grinning. 

I returned the grin "Come on then!"  I took her hand without thinking and pulled her out of the games room.  The sparks shooting up my arm felt amazing.  I didn't want to let go but I could feel her pulling her hand away.  "Sorry, Alex, guess I'm just hungry myself."

I paused outside the kitchen and opened the door for her to go in ahead of me.  She had to brush past me to get through the entrance.  The reaction in my body was so intense I thought I might pass out.  I wondered if she was feeling anything at all towards me, she looked completely in control.  I couldn't exactly ask her if she felt a mate bond and so I just suffered in silence.

"Right I can get you anything you want.  So what'll it be?"

"Maybe some cereal?"  She suggested

I pulled a face "That's not a meal, plus it's hardly a challenge for me to prepare"

This time she really thought about it, she put her finger on the front of her nose and curled her top lip.  It was the most endearing thinking face I had ever seen, and I couldn't help laugh out loud.

"What?"  She asked

"What on earth is that face about?"  I said still chuckling to myself

"It's my concentration face,"  She replied, laughing along with me.  "And I've decided, scrambled egg on toast"

"You pull a face like that, and all you come up with is scrambled eggs?" 

She reached out and playfully slapped me on the arm.  That small touch of contact resonated through my entire body.  I used all my willpower to stop the effect from showing on my face.  Instead, I offered her a polite smile.  "So scrambled eggs it is"

"Yes please,"  She said, but she looked disappointed at my previous reaction.

I set about getting out the ingredients, I wasn't too bad a cook.  It was kind of my thing when it came to she-wolves.  I'd invite them over to mine, cook them dinner, give them a little wine, a little flattery and then take them to bed.  I never cooked them breakfast though, I woke early and called them a cab.  That was my style, I didn't get attached, and I hoped they didn't either.  One thing though, I was always careful, And I never lead anyone on.  I might have been a man hoar but the girls that stayed with me knew that.

Alex sat in comfortable silence as I cooked breakfast.  She seemed relaxed in my company and I wondered if she could feel any of the mate bond.  Which prompted me to ask her about her next birthday.

"Hey Alex, when are you 18"  

"9 days time"  she answered with a shrug.

"Are you not excited about it?"

"Not really,  a couple of years ago I wondered if it would lead to the end of my nightmares, but they're getting worse now so I doubt they'll suddenly disappear"

I set her breakfast down in front of her and went back to the stove to serve my own.

"Sorry,"  She said suddenly "I didn't mean to overshare"

 I sat down next to her with my plate of food "Alex, don't ever worry about oversharing.  I want to know everything there is to know about you."  I smiled, but she didn't return it.  In fact, she looked a little taken aback.  I realised my mistake a couple of seconds afterwards - s**t!

"What I mean is, if it helps to get to the bottom of your nightmares then we should hear about it" 

Again she looked disappointed - What had I done wrong now?

Alex put her head down and started eating. She moaned when she tasted the eggs

"Mmmm this is delicious, thank you Charlie"  The moan she made in the back of her throat coupled with the way she said my name was too much and I lost my self control.  I shot up off of my bar stool.  

"Just going for a wee"  I said and then mentally slapped my forehead as I shot out of the kitchen.  Could I not of thought of something else,  anything else?

I paused outside the kitchen door and heard Alex muttering under her breath.  With Werewolf hearing I caught exactly what she said. 

"Cheers for that, weirdo!"

Looks like I was back to square one!!