Cupcakes Ch. 03

Rig put on his seatbelt and started the truck. He dialed the alpha's office while backing out of the construction site. As luck would have it the alpha had an opening in an hour, just enough time to make it back to pack territory.

He turned off the main road on to the private drive that led to the compound. He'd had a long, quiet drive to organize his thoughts and put together questions. About a mile down the drive the gate came into view, Rig rolled down his window to enter the access code and the gate rolled smoothly open.

Another couple of miles through dense forest and he was at the compound. It looked like a large, well appointed neighborhood, centered around a community building with a pool and playground. Rig parked in front of the community building and walked in to be greeted by the receptionist. She checked the appointment book, before calling in to the Alpha's office to announce his arrival.

"He'll see you now, follow me." She led him through a set of double doors and into the Alpha's office. Alpha William Smith and his mate Karen were seated in front of a crackling fire, casual and relaxed. Will stood up as Rig entered and held out his hand.

"Rig! So good to see you, come have a seat." Will motioned to a chair across from the loveseat he and Karen shared and Rig perched on the edge of the seat.

"You look like you are about to come apart at the seams Rig, what's going on?" Karen asked, concern and kindness radiating from her.

"I'm not quite sure where to start. I met my mate this morning."

Will and Karen grinned and congratulated him.

"That's good news, but there's something more isn't there?" Will prodded gently.

"She's human."

Karen gasped and Will looked concerned. "Rig, you are a strong and valued member of this pack. We've had our eye on you for more responsibility. But you have to know how unlikely this claim is?"

Rig tried to rein in his temper. He wasn't an Alpha, it was an unusual situation, but he knew his mate. "I understand it is unusual, but I have no doubt. She is my mate."

Will and Karen exchanged a glance. "Rig," Karen started with a gentle tone, "If she truly is your mate there are some things that will confirm that for us. We need to make absolutely sure."

"Take it from the beginning. I don't mean yesterday, go back over the past 6 months. Has anything strange been happening?"

"Yes actually," Rig looked surprised, "for a few months now I've been dreaming I was chasing my mate through the woods, but I couldn't catch her. These dreams are unlike any I've ever had."

"What was so unusual about them?" Will prompted.

"First they didn't feel like a dream, they felt like a memory." Rig was uncertain what they wanted, but thought back over the past couple of months, "And the smell. It's been driving me crazy. Always cupcakes."

Will and Karen exchanged another meaningful glance. "Tell us about this morning." Karen leaned towards him.

"I had the dream again and woke up smelling cupcakes. On the way to work I stopped at a coffee shop near the site I'm working at, as soon as I walked in I was hit with the cupcake smell again, only this time. . . " He paused, slightly embarrassed.

"This time it was like somebody gave you a shot of viagra?" Will had a chuckle in his voice.

"Yeah." Rig admitted, "and my wolf was going crazy. I looked around for the source of the smell but there were no cupcakes in the shop. Then I heard a woman laugh and everything else just disappeared, my wolf was lunging, nearly out of my control."

"You introduced yourself?" Karen reached for Will's hand, squeezing it affectionately.

"Yes, there were no empty tables so I asked if I could sit with her. We shook hands and it was like a thousand volts went through me. It seemed like she felt something too. We talked for about an hour and she's. . . " he gestured, trying to find the right word, "well there's no other way to say it, she's perfect."

Will nodded, contemplating for a moment, "Was she aroused?"

Rig nodded, shifting in his seat as he remembered the smell of her arousal, her erect nipples pushing against that green dress.

"Rig you know a human mate is highly unusual at all, let alone for a Beta member of a pack. We are about to share some information with you that most people don't know." he put his arm around Karen and pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head. "There are very specific things that happen when a wolf is fated a human mate. This isn't common knowledge because we don't want false claims being made. Do you understand?"

Rig tensed and asked defensively, "Do you think I'm making a false claim?"

"No Rig," Karen shook her head earnestly, "You have definitely not made a mistake. The first things we look for are reoccurring dreams and a haunting smell. Human mates always show up in our dreams first for some reason, always elusive and out of reach. Then the smell. You already know we all identify our mates by smell but a human mate teases us long before we meet them."

Rig relaxed hearing his Alphas validate his claim.

"Then of course we look for your reactions to each other. Though she knows nothing of wolves and fated mates her body recognizes you already. The fact that you find her compatible is not surprising, Luna is wise in her matches." Karen smiled up at her mate.

"Rig we need you to understand that this is highly classified information. You must not share it with anyone else. But from what you've shared with us it appears that Luna has blessed our pack with another human mate. We are incredibly lucky and your children will be strong and valued members of this pack. Our pack will continue to be strong and healthy well in to the future with the gentic diversity from Karen and. . ." He paused, not knowing the name of Rig's mate.

"Georgia." Rig offered.

"Georgia, that's lovely!" Karen gushed.

"But, well, what now?" Rig was at once hopeful and concerned. How on earth did he move forward with making her his?

"That's tricky." Will stood up and paced a couple times in front of the fire before turning back toward him. "Have you arranged to see her again?"

"Tonight. She agreed to meet me for dinner."

"Good. That's a great start. For now here is what you need to do. Go slow, as difficult as that will be. Your wolf will want to go fast, claim her and bring her home, but you know that is almost guaranteed to end badly."

"We know you can do it Rig, Luna wouldn't have chosen Georgia for you if you weren't strong enough to do this right. Be patient and get to know her. We will be here to help you every step of the way." Karen reached out and took his hand, squeezing it in a reassuring gesture.

Rig took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Thank you both. I feel like I'm about to lose my mind. This is reassuring, terrifying, but reassuring."

"Trust me, I understand." Will chuckled, "I can tell you from personal experience your sanity will be tested more than once before you bring her home, but it will happen."

Karen released his hand and joined her mate by the fire, "Sorry I drove you so crazy my love."

"You've made up for it." He smiled down at her.

Rig basked in the warm, loving emotions emanating from his Alphas. A strong pack started with a strong Alpha pair and Will and Karen were as strong as they come.

"Come see us again tomorrow Rig." Will tore his eyes away from Karen, "I imagine your dad relieved you of responsibilities for now?"

"Yes Sir, I was too distracted to be safe on a construction site, but I'm not looking forward to sitting around either."

"Like I said, come see us tomorrow, I've got some projects I could use help on. Enough to keep you busy but nothing that will mean disaster when you are inevitably distracted."

"I'm nothing but distracted." Rig shook his head but grinned. Will and Karen were going to be there to guide him.

"I can't wait to hear how your date goes!" Karen practically squealed, "This is so exciting!"

They shook Rig's hand and sent him to get ready for his date. When the door closed behind him Will gathered Karen in a long, slow kiss.

"I'm remembering the first time I saw you love, it was a USO dance, you were dancing and laughing. I'd followed the smell of cinnamon that had been driving me crazy for months, and there you were."

Karen laughed, a far away look in her eyes. "You were quite the dashing figure yourself, in your uniform, stepping in and dismissing my dance partner without so much as a by your leave."

She laid her head on his chest, "Will they be ok? Rig and Georgia?"

"Yes, I expect so. We'll be here to help."

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George glanced at the clock in the corner of her computer screen. 1 more hour to go.. She'd been distracted all day, thinking about her date this evening. She had a date. On a Wednesday night even. With a tall, dark, handsome and charming man. Surely, she thought, something was unbalanced in the universe somewhere.

Rig stood beside his truck, staring incredulously at a flat tire. Of all the absolutely rotten luck, why tonight? He pulled out his phone to give Georgia a heads up.

"Hey there! I'm really looking forward to seeing you tonight. I just came out to my truck and I've got a flat tire, I'm not sure how long it will take to fix but I wanted you to know in case I'm running a little late."

Ah, she thought, of course. He's set up a graceful exit. Next will be the text canceling.

The final hour of work drug by with a heavy feeling in her stomach. When it was time to log off and leave she gathered her things and checked her phone one more time for the cancellation. He hadn't called it off yet.

She walked the 2 blocks to the coffee shop, tempted more than once to turn around and catch the bus home. Her feet kept moving forward though and soon enough she found herself standing on the sidewalk, fidgeting nervously. The warm, fragrant interior full of people seemed like too much for her jangled nerves so she settled on a bench out front. Glancing at her phone she realized she had about 15 mintues before Rig was supposed to show up, so she opened up a game of Alphabear and tried to keep herself from thinking too much.

30 minutes later he was officially late. He hadn't even had the decency to pretend to be unable to come, he'd just stood her up. George sighed and put her phone in her bag, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, trying to hold back the hot tears that threatened to spill over. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Sure sometimes in the movies the wallflower ended up with the hottie, but not in her life. Here in the real world the smart, bookish, fat girls ended up doing exactly what she was about to do: spending the evening with Netflix and a pint of ice cream. She furiously wiped away the tears she couldn't hold back and gathered her things, walking back toward the bus stop.

Rig pulled up to the coffee shop just before 7. He jammed the truck into park and checked his phone. Surpisingly she hadn't texted or called to check on his progress. At least he had a Three Stooges style story of misadventure to make her laugh. He jumped out and sprinted toward the shop, pausing near the door as he caught her scent. She'd passed by here, probably on her way inside.

Inside, to his surprise, he didn't smell her at all. Coffee, pastries and people, but not that wonderful smell of vanilla and sugar that made his heart pound and his cock twitch. He scanned the shop but confirmed what his nose told him, she wasn't here.

Walking back outside he caught her scent lingering around the bench. His heart dropped when he realized what it meant, she'd sat here and waited. She'd waited and she'd given up. He scanned the street as he pulled out his phone, his wolf pulling him to follow her scent trail.

"Georgia? I'm at the coffee shop. Where are you?"

George heard her phone ding but couldn't bring herself to look at it. There was absolutely nobody she wanted to talk to right now. She leaned against the wall of the bus shelter and allowed the sadness and loneliness to wash over her. It wasn't usually this bad, she wasn't prone to moping, but Rig had stirred something up in her. For a moment she'd been excited, felt desired in a way that sent her head spinning. She wondered if that was something he did for fun, flirt with unattractive women, then leave them hanging. He was probably laughing with his buddies somewhere about how pathetic she was. Despite her best efforts a few more tears spilled down her cheeks.

She'd gone this way not long ago, the air was cool and still, her scent fresh and clear. Rig kept glancing at his phone but she hadn't responded, hadn't even read his message. What could have happened to her? Why wasn't she responding? He turned a corner and saw her down the street at the bus stop. Her back was to him as she leaned against the shelter wall, he started to call out to her but stopped as he caught her scent. It was the same incredibly delicious smell but as he drew closer he smelled tears. She was crying?

"Georgia?" He called from a few feet away. She jumped and yelped, spinning to face him. He caught his breath, at once taken back by her beauty and devastated by the red rimmed eyes and tears on her cheeks.

"What? What are you doing here?" She bristled with hostility.

Rig held up his hands, "I texted you when I got to the coffee shop but you didn't answer. I'm sorry I'm late, the tire was flat, the spare was flat, it was a whole crazy thing." He stepped towards her and winced when she stepped back.

"Oh, well, that's ok. I'm pretty tired anyway so it's probably for the best. The bus will be here in a few minutes." She gestured down the street, trying to sound unconcerned but he couldn't miss the tremor in her voice.

"You don't want to go to dinner?" He felt sick to his stomach, his wolf was in a panic, they had to fix this.

"Uh, no," She glanced away and surreptitiously wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Thanks, but, ummmm, you know, it's just been a long day and . . ." her voice trailed off, not really sure what to say. Where was that damn bus anyway?

"George, please," he stepped towards her again, she backed up against the wall and looked about to panic as she realized she had nowhere to go. Being this close to him again she didn't trust her reactions. All the anger was trying to slip away. She squared her shoulders, determined not to let him play her.

"Please," he sounded so sincere, "I don't know how to apologize enough, I am really looking forward to taking you to dinner. I won't keep you out late, just come to dinner please."

"Why are you doing this?!" Her anger was a physical thing, making him take a step back.

"Doing what?" She wished she could trust the genuine look of puzzlement on his face.

"Is this entertainment to you? Was standing me up not enough humiliation? Now what? Take me to dinner and sneak out the bathroom window while I wait for you to come back?"

Rig's jaw dropped, "George I didn't stand you up, I texted you that I had a flat tire, didn't you get my text?" He reached out towards her, needing to feel that electric tingle of their connection, but she scooted away. "Please, I don't know what is going on but I've obviously screwed up here and given you a terrible impression of me. What can I do to make it up?"

George heard the bus approaching, escape was close. She had to get away from him so she could think straight. He kept confusing her, and that weird electric tingle whenever he got close was disconcerting. She scooted further away, along the back wall of the structure and he took a step back, realizing he'd been crowding her.

George felt panic well up as he moved away. Her head spun as two contradictory lines of thinking tried to reconcile inside her. She wanted to get far away from him and the way he made her feel but was now terrified she'd never see him again.

"You have my number." She heard herself saying, "Maybe, I don't know, maybe we can try again."

The bus pulled up and she looked around him pointedly.

"Ok, yes, thank you, I'll text you ok? We'll try again and I won't be late I swear!" He stepped out of the way as the doors hissed open. She slipped past him cautiously and climbed on the bus. He stood watching as she took a seat. George raised her head and met his eyes, he smiled and she dropped her eyes again, looking down at her lap as the bus pulled away.

What the hell had happened? Rig stood at the empty bus stop watching the bus take her further and further away. He'd been a little late but she was reacting to far more than that. Her angry accusation echoed in his head. Did she think he was, was what? It didn't make any sense. He walked back to his truck, his feet heavy and his shoulders slumped.

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Rig sat at the kitchen island, his head in his hands as various members of his family peppered him with questions.

"Enough!" his mother shouted above the din, "Give him some air." She pushed aside a couple of his younger sisters and put her arm around him.

"Let's start from the beginning." His dad took control of the inquisition, "Did you meet up with Georgia?"

"Eventually yes, I had a flat tire so I was late and she had left the coffee shop and was waiting for the bus."

His sisters all opened their mouths but were silenced by a look from their mother. "Then what?" Claudia asked gently.

"I followed her scent and found her, when I got there she was crying and said that was fine that I had been late because she was tired and just wanted to go home." Grunts from a couple of his sisters but they stayed quiet. "So I tried to get her to go ahead and come to dinner, but that made her mad apparently."

"What did she say EXACTLY?" some sibling braved Claudia's wrath and tossed in a question. She glared at the gathered family.

"She asked if standing her up wasn't humiliation enough and did I want to take her to dinner and sneak out the bathroom window to leave her waiting at the table. What the hell?" He shook his head in exasperation.

"Oooooooh." His sisters in a chorus of understanding. Claudia nodded towards her daughters and gave her husband a knowing look.

"I think I know what the problem is." She told Rai over Rig's head.

"I'm glad you all seem to know what's going on, because I'll be damned if it makes sense to me." Rai looked as confused as his son.

"Rig," Claudia moved around the counter so she was facing him, "I know you think me and your sisters are just being loyal when we tell you how handsome you are, but by any objective standard you are a very attractive man. Physically good looking, smart, funny and all around charming."

"It's kind of disgusting." One of the younger girls teased.

"So? What has that got to do with anything?"

"So," Claudia paused, trying to find the right was to explain this to her clueless son, "It sounds like Georgia has very low self esteem. You describe her as amazing and beautiful but from the sounds of things I bet she does not see herself that way. She sees herself as plain or even unattractive."

Rig and his dad exchanged a look, the puzzle pieces were not fitting for either of them.

"She was surprised you asked her out because she thinks you are out of her league," one of his sisters added, sounding impatient.

"She probably didn't expect you to show up at all, so when you were late her imagination got the best of her. She thought you asked her out as a joke and probably thought you were laughing imagining her sitting there waiting for you." another sister chimed in.

"What?! That's ridiculous!" Rig looked around at the women gathered around him, all nodding and looking sad.