Page 21 of Reclaiming His Lost Mate (Secret Legacy #3)

A lexis

The bell jingled as I stepped into Selina’s boutique, the sweet chime a welcome sound against the backdrop of a quiet Monday afternoon. The shop was blissfully empty, and I congratulated myself for timing my visit perfectly.

“I’ll be right with you!” Selina called from the back, her voice warm and inviting, sending a thrill through my chest. My heart thumped a little harder at the prospect of finally having her attention all to myself. I tried to temper my excitement, reminding myself not to get my hopes too high.

Wandering over to the haircare section in the center of the floor, I admired her carefully curated display.

Dried lavender and sprigs of frostvine leaves rested next to the sleek bottles, their labels whispering promises of nourishment.

I momentarily lost myself, imagining Selina crafting her concoctions—her hands deftly mixing fragrant oils, her brow furrowed in concentration, her tongue poking out between her teeth as she measured an exact amount.

These were the little habits I’d been lucky enough to witness the last few weeks and now held dear .

But my reverie shattered abruptly when the door chimed again, and I braced myself for the intrusion.

Tom’s tall, impeccably styled figure strode in, exuding an effortless aura of casual confidence. A low growl of irritation stirred within me as my gaze traveled to him.

“Evening, Alexis,” he greeted me, his trademark charming smile in place. It was disarming to most—an open invitation for camaraderie—but to me, it felt like a gauntlet thrown down. “Doing a bit of shopping?”

“Yes,” I replied, forcing my voice to remain neutral as I inspected a bottle of ginger shampoo, the spicy scent wafting up to tantalize my senses. My mind raced, betraying the cool facade I tried so hard to maintain.

As I turned the bottle in my hands, Tom sidled too close, invading my personal space.

“Wouldn’t you say Alexis's hair is better suited for the range for thick hair?” His voice was casual, but I felt the underlying jab, a thinly veiled taunt that ignited my simmering frustration.

I caught Selina returning from the back, and as her focus shifted toward me, I noticed how the atmosphere around us tightened.

Tom’s question hung in the air, heavy and pulsing like a thundercloud about to burst. Selina's gaze darkened to a rich forest green, that unforgettable shade that sparked an upsurge of memories—the look she had worn before we kissed while in the Nightwing Pack.

The intoxicating memory of how she had melted against me, her soft curves fitting perfectly against the hard planes of my body, flooded my mind.

I felt as if I could almost feel her hands running through my hair—

“Definitely thick,” Tom murmured, too close to me.

I realized Tom’s fingers were running through my hair.

Anger bristled through me as I remembered only a few days prior, Tom had pushed my shoulder playfully while telling me about a sparring move.

Clearly a thinly veiled taunt, just like this was.

One he thought he could mask behind that infuriating grin.

A surge of aggression lit a fire in my gut. I wanted to flip him onto the floor, to pin him down and see just how smug he’d be when we changed the power balance .

I stepped away from him, grabbing the ginger shampoo, my movement deliberate and firm, as if the bottle could shield me from the tension in the room. I walked to the till, placing it in front of Selina. “Just that, thank you,” I said, forcing a lightness into my tone.

Tom actually followed me to the counter, leaning beside me, and reached to Selina. “Good choice, Alexis. Selina uses the ginger one, and you can see how glossy her hair is.”

Selina’s face lit up as she laughed, a sound that both thrilled me and stung me with jealousy.

“Stop it, Tom,” she said, her playful tone filled with warmth.

She batted him away lightly. “Alexis doesn’t need a sales pitch.

” I noticed the way her eyes sparkled for him and how my chest squeezed.

“Go make yourself useful and sort the last of those herbs through there, won’t you? ”

I wished desperately that I could be the one to elicit that joy from her—to have her look at me with that same glimmer.

Even as Tom dropped the strand of Selina’s hair, my own jealousy sparked, fierce and unrelenting.

My wolf stirred, a primal urge clawing at my insides, desperate to put this usurper in his place.

But I knew Selina valued her friendship with Tom, and I didn’t want to rock the boat.

Still, the throbbing ache in my chest deepened.

“See you later, Alexis,” Tom said, flashing a smirk as he pivoted to disappear into the kitchen behind the counter.

My mind raced with trying to decipher their interactions. Was it just friendship between them? Was she sending him away because she knew he was getting territorial around me? Did it show that she was protective of him?

I scowled as I waited for her to ring up my purchase on the till, hating that this was how my impromptu visit had turned out. This man was intentionally pushing my boundaries, all while rubbing his closeness to Selina in my face.

In the falling evening light, I couldn’t help admiring Selina’s golden hair.

It did look extra glossy. Her skin was so smooth and soft looking, too, as if all the beauty products in this store had graced it.

But I knew that all of it was her natural beauty, recalling how, even back in the Nightwing Pack, she hadn’t worn heavy makeup.

She hadn’t needed to. She was absolutely stunning just as she was .

“Mia all kitted up for tonight?” I asked, turning the conversation to our daughter, hoping it might soothe the roiling emotions within.

At the mention of Mia, Selina’s face lit up with joy, an entirely different light erupting in her eyes. “Uh-huh! She slept in her Little Miss sleeping bag last night as a rehearsal.” The enthusiasm in her voice melted my tension, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Mia’s school was having a special sleepover that evening centered around a study of the night sky. Thoughts of our daughter filled me with warmth, and I felt the earlier shadows of jealousy begin to lift.

“Thanks for this,” I said, accepting the brown bag Selina passed me, savoring the way her fingers brushed against mine, igniting a spark that traveled straight to my heart.

“You’re welcome.” She smiled, her gaze suddenly flitting back, and I found myself longing to understand the elusive emotions swirling between us. But in the next moment, she hastily added, “I better go help Tom.”

My chest tightened, and I nodded brusquely, a scowl creasing my features.

Our brief connection was severed just like that.

Selina had made it amply clear how much she valued her friendship with Tom, and while I respected that, it didn't mean I had to like it.

And staying here any longer to witness it was like my own personal hell.

Exiting the shop, I swung past my apartment, dropping off my purchases.

I took off the cap, giving it a sniff before leaving it in the shower, ready to use tomorrow.

Everything she made was with care, and I felt a peel of contentment go through me as I imagined using the spicy clove and ginger shampoo, knowing it would make me think of her.

Needing to cool my fraying nerves, I slipped into Matsuna’s sole café—an intimate little spot named The Wandering Brew. The atmosphere buzzed softly as I approached the counter. The aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries enveloped me.

When I caught sight of Lyvia seated at a table, her amber eyes glimmering with mischief, she waved me over. “I’ll have it to stay, thanks,” I told the waitress as I joined her .

"What brings you out this fine evening?” Lyvia asked, a knowing sparkle in her gaze.

“Just needed a change of scenery,” I replied, although the truth clenched at my throat—a truth I was desperately wrestling with. “How about you?”

Her laughter tinkled like wind chimes in the breeze. “This is a usual haunt for me. I write some of my best spells here—the buzz helps.”

Matsuna's "buzz" consisted of about six people scattered around, including the waitress, Hannah, and Phil from the hardware store two doors down, whose occasional chuckle broke the lull.

As I glanced around the café, I took in the soft glow of the hanging lights that illuminated the uneven tables, the barista’s seamless ebb in and out behind the counter, and the gentle hum of conversation enough to draw me away from the heaviness of my run-in with Tom.

“Guess you’re missing having Mia after school, what with her exciting sleepover tonight?” Lyvia remarked.

“It is quiet without her,” I admitted. “But I thought I might ask Selina if she wanted to get dinner tonight.” My heart raced as I looked at Lyvia, gauging her reaction, knowing she was close to Selina. Perhaps she could offer me some guidance as to how to ask her.

But my stomach sank as I saw Lyvia’s face fall. “Oh… she told me Tom’s staying at hers tonight,” she said.

The words hit me like a physical blow.

Overnight? My insides twisted in a storm of nausea.

All the laughter and smiles I had witnessed between them suddenly crystallized into unyielding dread.

Were they already together? Had they been seeing each other?

I’d thought it was friendship. I’d suspected that Tom had designs on Selina.

After all, who wouldn’t? She was clever, talented, and beautiful—anyone who spent time around her couldn’t help but be captivated, but I’d thought that I had time; time to earn her trust again.

“Excuse me,” I murmured, hardly aware of the words spilling out of my mouth as I stumbled up, dropping a five-dollar bill on the counter before shooting out of the café. The need to confirm the truth clawed at me with a desperation I hadn’t known was possible.

I sprinted down the street, each stride fueled by frantic energy and clenched fists. A whirlwind of emotions churned within me as I reached Selina’s cabin, my heart thundering as I knocked on Selina’s door.

“Hey, I—” Selina began as she opened it, clearly expecting someone else. The surprise flickering across her face confirmed my fears. Was she already anticipating Tom? She froze in the doorway, her expression shifting from surprise to concern.

I inhaled sharply, trying to rein in my urgency; the last thing I wanted was to scare her, but I needed to voice the turmoil tearing me apart.

“Please, Selina, you're too generous to toy with me,” I implored, my voice low but charged with feeling. “I need to know where we stand. Is there any chance for us, or are you and Tom together?”

For a heartbeat, her expression softened, and I thought I glimpsed a spark of desire flicker in her gaze before it was quickly replaced by a cloud of uncertainty.

“I don’t know yet,” she responded, her voice steady but strained.

“You being part of Mia’s and my life... it’s been…

a lot. I need to think about things more before—”

She trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself as if wanting comfort. How I longed to hold her, to tell her that I’d be whatever she needed me to be.

“Before what?” I urged, feeling hope bloom in the pit of my stomach. Did that mean there was a chance for us?

My heart drummed at the thought that she might entertain the idea of us as a possibility. A flurry of hope shot through my veins.

But she looked like she was done, her expression closing off a little as she said, “Listen, Tom’s go–”

My heart thundered, a cold blast cutting through the tenderness of the moment, and before I knew what I was doing, I closed the distance between us in an instant.

I couldn’t bear the thought of hearing what I had rushed through the streets to confirm, the fear of what her next words might mean.

The idea of her saying she was with Tom felt like the final straw, a crushing blow to my already hopeless heart.

It was as though my body acted of its own accord—my lips found hers before any rational thought could intervene. The heated collision of our mouths obliterated every lingering doubt. My own terror transformed into passion, electrifying the air between us.

Selina let out a soft purr of satisfaction as I tasted her plush lips, our mouths melding together, and elation surged through me.

The little hum she made sent a jolt of searing heat through me because she couldn’t disguise the want in it.

As her tongue tangled with mine, my need deepened, my hands coming up to cradle the back of her head.

In that monumental moment, each of her kisses kindled hope and heat, stoking the need in me, and I wanted more.