Page 5 of Evergreen Desires (Wildheart Chronicles #1)

BEAU

As I watched Jake through the store window, a strange sense of calm washed over me. The lingering scent of his presence still hung in the air, evoking warm memories of honey and milk. It was an enchanting aroma that filled my senses.

I wondered where Jake was from, considering he wasn't a local. I would recognize him if he was; I knew everyone who lived in town. Maybe he was just passing through, or maybe he was staying a while. I was positive I’d recognize him if I’d seen him before.

Someone as captivating as him would surely have caught my attention.

My plan was to wait for Jake to come out so we could talk, maybe even get to know each other a little better.

I felt inexplicably drawn to him and wanted another chance to talk to him.

But I had to shake off the creeping feeling of being a creeper.

Taking a deep breath, I reached for my keys, preparing to start the engine, when I noticed Bob suddenly spring into action behind the counter.

Turning quickly, I saw Jake's panicked expression as he shook his head.

Alarm bells rang in my head, and an instinctual growl rumbled within me, urging me to protect Jake.

I jumped out of my Jeep, leaving the door open, and rushed into the store.

My haste caused me to stumble on the curb, but I pushed forward, flinging the door open just in time to see Jake collapse onto the floor.

As I knelt beside him, I could smell a mix of the familiar milk and honey, but this time it was tainted with the pungent scent of fear.

It was overpowering, almost causing me to gag, but it only strengthened my protective instincts.

I cradled Jake's head in my lap, stroking his hair gently, and called out to him.

"Jake, are you okay? Come back to me, Jake," I pleaded, my voice filled with concern.

I noticed Bob's surprise as he pulled back slightly. Frankly, I am surprised myself given I met him less than 5 minutes ago.Bob must have thought I knew him better than I actually did, since I’d rushed to his aid.

Maybe I could use that to my advantage. A uniformed police officer rushed into the store, his cruiser parked at an angle outside, a clear sign that he had hurried to the scene.

Still stroking Jake's hair, I felt a sense of relief as his eyes began to flutter and gradually opened. His gaze seemed unfocused as he tried to regain his bearings. I quickly spotted his glasses nearby and placed them over his eyes, keeping his head on my lap for support. I hoped when he came to, he’d realize I was helping him and not being some kind of creep.

Though I couldn’t help but notice the butterflies in my stomach at being so close to him. Damn butterflies !

The police officer turned to me, inquiring about the need for an ambulance. Jake’s response came from my lap, "No ambulance, I'm fine." His voice was weak, but his determination was evident as he attempted to sit up.

"Take it easy, don't try to stand just yet," I said, keeping close to him. I wanted to ensure he didn't push himself too hard. Bob and the police officer continued their conversation.The officer must have been the new police chief that Will had mentioned, the one with the “vibes.”

Bob explained that Jake had been shoplifting so he pressed the silent alarm behind the counter.

He mentioned that Jake had passed out after panicking and shouting about being sorry.

My protective instincts surged within me, intensifying my internal growl.

The chief's gaze shifted to me, and I could sense his curiosity. Weird, did the police chief hear me? Most can’t. Wait, Jake can’t get arrested…

"Bob, I don't think he was trying to steal from you. He left his wallet in the car. He was just coming back to get it. I explained.I didn’t want to lie to Bob or the police chief, but my urge to protect Jake was too strong. I had to get him out of this mess. I turned my attention to Jake, wanting to reassure him and (hopefully) let him in on my plan. I didn’t want him to say something to contradict me as he came to.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I should have brought it to you. "

Jake seemed dazed, but his presence calmed me as he looked at me.I turned back to Bob, "I'm sorry, Bob. I've got this. Just ring up what he wants." I could sense Bob's skepticism as he glanced between us, before apologizing to the chief for calling him out unnecessarily .

Bob seemed satisfied, offering his apologies for the false alarm and assuring us that the beef stick and Snickers bar were not an issue. Then, he turned to me with a grin. "About time you found someone to make you happy. I figured you'd end up a bachelor for life in this town."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate your kind words." My cheeks reddened. Maybe my lie had gone a bit too far—Bob thought we were together! I didn’t know how I was going to talk my way out of this one. I supposed I’d never actually said we were together.

They’d just assumed it and I didn’t correct them.

Hopefully, Jake appreciated how far I’d gone to keep him out of trouble and didn’t think I was a creep!

I pulled Jake close and gave him another gentle hug from behind.

It felt natural to protect him. "Come on, let's get you home.

" Noticing the police chief's continued observation, I suggested, "Sir, perhaps we can talk a little more outside? "

"Of course," he agreed, and I detected a sharp uptick in Jake's fear scent.

As we stood, I placed a reassuring hand on Jake's shoulder and guided him towards the door.

I felt an overwhelming desire to keep him safe, even though I couldn't explain why.

My focus narrowed to that singular purpose as we exited the store together.