Cassie Wescott had walked away from her hometown over a decade ago with no desire to look back on her old life. When she's called home to help her elderly mother, Cassie realizes that running was probably one of her biggest mistakes ever. Especially when it was from the man she’d always loved.

Jackson Smith was lucky to have found his mate early in life, or so he had always thought. That was until a stupid misunderstanding sent her fleeing. Has his luck suddenly changed when he pulled into the gas station and saw her?

Jackson doesn’t know what brought Cassie back to town, but he is bound and determined to be the reason she stays. It’s going to take everything he’s got to not only keep Cassie safe, but get her to give their relationship a second chance.

Chapter 1: Jackson

Jackson Smith couldn’t believe what he was seeing right in front of him as he pulled his truck to a stop at the QuickMart. “No fucking way,” he breathed, double-checking to make sure what … or rather who he saw was really there … parked right freaking in front of him. 

She had walked out of his life just over ten years ago because of a stupid damn mistake … a misunderstanding. If she would have stuck around to work things out or even hear his side of the story, their lives could have, and probably would have, turned out so differently. But no, she ran. Literally packed up and took the fuck off without another word. She was there one day and gone the next … just like that. 

None of their mutual friends would tell him where she had gone. When he had eventually found her on social media, she’d blocked him quicker than he could bat an eyelash. 

Now, there she was, pumping gas not more than twenty feet in front of him. 

She looked good. Damn good. 

Her chestnut hair flowed to the middle of her back. He wanted to run his fingers through her soft, sexy curls like he used to. Damn, her curves were rockin’. She looked better now than she had the last time he saw her. How that was even possible, he didn’t know. Time had been hella’ good to her. 

Hopping out of his truck, he approached her slowly, not knowing what kind of reception he’d receive. He had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from grabbing her and yanking her into his arms. 

“Cassie Wescott, it’s been a minute.” 

“Jesus. I pull into town, and the first person I run into is you. Are you shitting me?” she asked with a cluck of her tongue. 

“What can I say? I’m just on my way to work and popped in to fill up before I head out. And what do you know? Here you are. I figured it couldn’t hurt to say hi. It’s not like we’re strangers or anything. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Hell, we grew up together.” He tried to reason with her. 

“Yeah, and now, we’re done with each other. We’ve been done for a long, long time. So, move on. Go live your life like you want to. Pretend as if I’m not even here. I’ll be gone in a few days anyway.” She turned away from him, clicked the nozzle off, and put it back in place. She pressed a few buttons on the pump and quietly waited for her receipt. 

“Cassie, what the fuck. Please don’t be like this,” Jackson said, running his fingers through his shaggy, dark brown hair. Frustrated beyond hell didn’t begin to describe how he felt about the current bullshit he was dealing with. Yeah, they hadn’t ended things on the best terms, but fuck. It had been ten freaking years.

“I’ll say it one more time, Jackson, and I’ll say it slowly this time so you can clearly understand. Fuck off.”

“What the hell, Cass? I’ve apologized a million times. Can you please just talk to me?” he begged. Did the insane woman want him to get down on his hands and knees? Because he would if he had to. 

“I have nothing to say to you. I think I said all I had to say when I walked away from you last time,” she said, climbing into her car.

“That was ten years ago, Cass. Please. Can we discuss this like adults?” Jackson wanted to grab her and shake her until she listened to him, but he never would, no matter how badly he wanted to. 

“Really, I’m good, Jack. I don’t have anything I need to say or clear up. I’ve got nothing for you. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to get to the hospital to see my mom.” Cassie started her car and drove off, never once looking back in her rearview mirror. 

Well, that was not the way he’d expected that conversation to go. It wasn’t like he’d expected her to fall into his arms and gush over how good-looking he still was or anything. He certainly hadn’t expected her to beg for his …

But whatever. Simple common courtesy would have sufficed. Guess that was off the table for now. 

Jackson didn’t know what it would take to get back into Cassie’s good graces, but he’d have to find a way.

“Get your head out of your ass, man. She said she was going to see her mom in the hospital, and you’re thinking about how you can get back with her? Really? No wonder she wants nothing to do with you.” His beast had been too quiet for far too long. But he had taken this moment to speak up and tell Jackson what a shit he’d been. 

His beast was right. He should have asked what her mom was in the hospital for and if she was going to be okay. He should have sent healing vibes, prayers, or whatever would bring her comfort. Instead, he’d been an ass and tried to push a conversation at a gas station. 

“What the hell is wrong with me?” Jackson asked as he shoved the nozzle into the side of his truck and lifted the lever for the gas pump. 

It was the exact same pattern he had always fallen into with Cassie, and it only happened with her. It was like his brain didn’t exist around her. Like he had a freaking one-track mind with her. With any other woman, he could keep his cool. Not with Cassie. Never with Cassie. 

That’s because she was his and his alone. She just didn’t know it. Or maybe she did and didn’t give a fuck. She was fully human, and the shifter rules didn’t apply to her. She didn’t live with or by the instincts he did. The instincts that drove him to be a caveman asshat when he would have otherwise acted semi-normal. Well, normal enough … he was still a man. 

He replaced the nozzle and kicked his tire … like that was going to do any good.

“I need to get it together. What the fuck. Why can’t I keep my mind straight around that woman?” 

Her scent lingered in his mind, reminding him why he couldn’t keep his thoughts even semi-coherent around her. She smelled like strawberries and cream, and he wanted nothing more than to throw her down on the bed and taste every inch of that sweet, sweet body of hers. 

Jackson hopped back in his truck and pulled away from the pumps. Grabbing his cell phone, he pressed the speed dial, then send button, and waited for the call to be answered.

“Good morning, baby boy.”

“Good morning, Mom,” Jackson replied.

“What’s up? Shouldn’t you be on your way to work?”

“I am. I just stopped to get gas, and you’ll never believe who I ran into.”

“I haven’t had anywhere near enough caffeine today to figure this out, so just spill it and tell me. Please.” She laughed.

“Cassie Wescott.” Her name rolled off his tongue like it was a forbidden fruit. 

“Really!” his mom gasped, surprise filling her voice.

“The one and only,” he confirmed.

“What is she doing back in town? You know what this means, don’t you? Did you talk to her? What did she say?”

“Easy, Mom. One thing at a time. She said her mom was in the hospital. Have you heard anything about Helen lately? Is she okay?”

“Not a word. I’ll make some calls and see what I can find out. What else did she have to say?” Mira asked.

“She told me to fuck off, Mom. What do you expect?”

“I don’t know. Maybe for the two of you to figure it out one day. For my son to finally claim his mate. Should I keep going, or do you get the picture?” Mira sighed.

“I get it. I do. There is nothing I want more than to claim Cassie as my mate, but I don’t have a chance in hell if she won’t give me the time of day. I can’t believe I’m still dealing with this a decade later,” Jackson growled.

“Well, she has a stubborn streak. You’ve always known that.” Mira laughed. “It was one of the things you always loved about her.”

“That’s because I was young and dumb. I’ve got to get to work. Text me if you find out anything about Helen.”

“I will. I love you. Have a good day. Oh, and just think, this could finally be it.”

“I love you too, Mom. But I’m not getting my hopes up just yet.”

“Oh. Don’t forget, I told Barbara and Tristan that we’d all be at the Annual Scenting Ceremony this weekend,” Mira said.

“Sorry, Mom. I’m going to have to pass on this one. Cassie is back in town, and you already know she’s my mate. I will do whatever it takes to make things right with her this time. You know that, don’t you? She’s not going to run this time.”

Come hell or high water, Jackson would do anything … everything … he had to do to claim Cassie. His heart raced at the thought. His skin tightened to the point of discomfort. His wolf paced back and forth in his mind. Their little impromptu chat had his animal charged and ready to claim what was rightfully his, whether she knew it or not. 

“Jack, baby. Be careful. She’s not one of us. She’s human,” Mira said, warning her only son about the dangers of mating with a human.

“I know, Mom. But she’s my mate. You know how it works. It’s not like I have a choice in the matter. The Fates made sure of that.” He couldn’t believe he had to explain this shit to his mom. She, of all people, should know better. She was a shifter, just like him. She knew damn well he didn’t have a choice in mates. 

“Fine. Just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“I will. I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

Jack ended the call and headed to work with more optimism than he had felt in a long time.