I’m your fated mate?

Chapter 5: Calming Thoughts

LACIE POV:

I puff my cheeks and stand up after about an hour of just lying in the sun, dust off my jeans and ruffle Daisy’s mane before I walk to the stables and grab my tack box. I bring it out to the pasture and start to brush Daisy’s tail before I braid it up. Might as well do my job since I’m here, I think as I start to brush her mane. I probably won’t stay till noon because I only have a few things to do with the horses after staying late almost every day this week. Plus, if I stay that means I could possibly run into Liam. I shiver and crack my neck to relieve the stress of that thought. As I brush her mane, I think about what happened at the table earlier, what was that weird shock when Liam shook my hand, and what was with him staring at me?

I step back and move over to Buster, the older gelding, and pick up his front hoof to start cleaning it out, I don’t know what this feeling is but I don’t think it’s fear I feel towards him. Obviously, I’m attracted to him, I mean who wouldn’t with that hard jaw line and those intense dark blue eyes that seem to stare straight to my soul. I shake my head as if to clear my mind.

“As if sis, that boy don’t want a screwball like you,” I think to myself as I roll my eyes. I move over to the next hoof and movement by the gate catches my eye, I pause and stand up straight to see over busters back to what it was.

“Speak of the devil and he shall appear,” I mumble to myself as I watch Liam walk past the gate and into the stables with a duffle bag.

I wonder how long he is gonna be staying here for. I hold off on picking Buster's hooves and move to brushing his mane instead so I can keep watch by the stables. Liam comes back out with a black baseball cap on and walks over to the new load of hay that was delivered yesterday. Looks like I’m about to get some eye candy while I work, running my eyes from top to bottom of this yummy specimen of a man. His arms are broad and muscular, his shirt is tight and you can see the outline of his back and chest which are just as muscular as his arms. His butt is killer in those jeans and I can’t help but drool over his looks from afar.

I watch as he lifts the first bale of hay to take to the barn, he lifts it with ease and walks away towards the barn with... wait! That’s two bales, not one! I widen my eyes in surprise, he doesn’t even break a sweat while holding two bales, what the hell? Is he some kind of Greek god?! I continue to watch as he disappears into the barn with the hay, once he comes back out and is walking towards the load, he glances up at me as if sensing my eyes. I squeak and hide behind Buster, squeezing my eyes tight and holding my breath. Damn it, I hope he didn’t see my staring at him. Okay one more peek and that’s it. I slowly raise my head up to Buster's back and peer over, and to my horror I make direct eye contact with him.

“Oh kill me now, he knows I’m spying on him,” I yell in my head but oddly I can’t break the eye contact.

I know I should look away but I can’t… for the first time ever I feel almost a wave of peace fall over me as I stare into those deep blue eyes. It’s like I’m in a trance and my heart is telling me to sink deeper and find the secrets that lie within. It’s as if his eyes are saying to be free of doubt and accept him as ours. Ours? What the heck does that mean? We stare for what seems like ages before Daisy comes up and bumps my elbow in concern, she always worries about me, that silly horse. I shake my head but look back up to see him nod my way with a smile before going back to moving the hay.

Huh, that was a first.

LIAM POV:

Lacie smiles back to my nod and goes back to picking that one horse's hoof.

“Okay that was a good sign can we pleeease go talk to our mate?!” Dante whines. I shake my head and move up the next bale of hay.

“We can talk to her after the work is done, we need to help as much as we can so there are less chores to occupy her time, remember?” I tell Dante, though in all honesty I feel the same way as him. The way she looked at us just now, it was almost like she felt the bond… definitely need to hurry up with this hay so I can chat with her!

I finish placing the last bale down in the barn about 30 minutes later, the sun is higher in the sky now and it’s starting to get hot. I glance over to the pasture and I don’t see our mate. Hmm where did she go? I walk closer to the pasture gate and see the pregnant mare, I think they called her Daisy, laying down by a tree about half an acre away while the other horses graze around her. I step up on to the gate to get a better angle and that’s when I see her. Lacie is laying against Daisy’s swollen belly singing to herself while twirling a rock mindlessly in her hands. The way the sun glistens on her tan skin, her hair shining like molten chocolate as it falls over her shoulder. And her curves, ugh her curves are so soft and plump, oh how I want kiss her entire body from tip to toe. The thought makes a bulge rise in my pants and Dante paces wanting to touch our mate as well. Yes, I know I sound like a horny teenage boy but that’s the mate bond for you. We are made to find our Fated mate, the other half of our soul, our body made to be the perfect match. As an Alpha, finding our Fated mate makes not only us but the pack stronger as well.

I’m in awe of her beauty. I can’t help myself when I go and hop over the gate, trying to stay quiet and not spook her or the horses. I use my wolf hearing to listen to the words she is singing.

“...you’ll never know dear how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away.” Her voice sends shivers of delight through my body as she continues her song. I creep closer till I’m about 100ft away now and leaning against a tree close to hers. Daisy raises her head and flicks her ears towards me, causing Lacie to stop and look at her.

“What’s wrong baby girl the big bad wolf coming for us?” She giggles as she pets Daisy’s side before she stands and dusts her jeans off. Lacie turns towards the gate, but jumps and squeals when she sees me, throwing the rock in her hand on reflex. It didn’t hit me but it sure came close. Hmm that’s interesting, I muse. My mate is pretty strong for a human.

“Oh! Um h- hi Liam, I didn’t see you there. Um, d-did you need something?” She asks her voice wavering in slight distress. She stares at the ground and digs the toe of her boot into the grass while she chews her bottom lip. She is obviously uncomfortable with male interaction as I can smell the anxiety and fear in her scent so I back up a couple steps before replying.

“I’m sorry to bother you, I just couldn’t help but come listen to you singing, your voice is beautiful by the way.” I say with a small smile. Lacie glances up and chews on her lip harder but doesn’t look away from me this time.

“Thanks, it’s just silly nursery rhymes, gotta love the classics,” she says with a slight giggle.

LACIE POV:

GOT TO LOVE THE CLASSICS?! REALLY LACE REALLY?! I yell in my head as I mentally kick myself. The first real conversation opportunity with Mr. Greek god himself and you have to say something lame like that?

“BAHAHAHA! That’s a good one!" Liam laughs.

I look at my hand and realize I threw my rock at him, I snap my eyes up to his and say almost in a panic,

“I didn’t mean to throw that rock at you by the way, it was reflex, it didn’t hit you, did it?” I chew my bottom lip as my anxiety climbs. Damn it Lacie why can’t you just be normal? Why do you have to always be in fight or flight mode? I chastise myself in my head.

“Nah you didn’t hit me, but I don’t blame you for throwing it at me. It’s the price I pay for spying,” he says as he takes his hand through his hair and shakes his head laughing to himself. Oh, how I’d love to take my hands through his hair I think as I watch his hands move from his hair down to the back of his neck. Wait... what no stop this is not the time or place Lace, snap out of it.

“I saw you moving the hay earlier, you taking a break?” I ask trying to change the subject before my mind has more time to wander.

“Nope I’m done already, I was headed back up to the house when I saw you in here,” he gestures to the pasture around him. He’s done with that whole load already?! That can’t be right that was a whole trailer full and should have taken all day!

“That was fast!” I word vomit before trying to fix my rudeness with,

“I mean, um what I meant to say was, I'm glad you finish fast.” Oh Jesus woman what are you saying?!

“With the hay! Glad you finished moving the hay fast, um so uh yeah.” God woman, he probably thinks you are mentally challenged now. Great job Lacie.

I peek up from my feet that I’ve been staring at since I started talking and see him turning bright red, a blank look on his face with eyes unfocused. Oh no he is mad way to go sis now you’ve done it. I slowly take a couple steps towards Daisy as if to have her as a shield from his anger. His eyes are doing that thing again, shifting from his dark blue to black and back again, weird, maybe it’s NOT my imagination. Liam runs his hands in his hair once more, eyes coming back into focus, turning his deep ocean blue before he smirks and looks me in the eye.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m totally not putting my head in the gutter you just went in and accept the compliment as its true meaning,” he laughs and winks at me.

My heart skipped a beat with that wink, his eyes still looking into mine as if they are the windows to my soul. I can’t help but feel a pull towards him every time we link eyes, I know it’s silly and possibly dangerous but I can’t help the thought that he is meant for me somehow. All I can say for certain is I have fallen for this man, and I’ve fallen HARD.