Page 7 of My Unexpected Mate

I turned around and looked at the clock. It was 7 am. I slept for over 12 hours. I was not surprised. I was exhausted. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. As if what happened in my village wasn’t enough, I ran into the most terrifying man and got myself another dose of fear.

I need to pull myself together. I have to find Annie. I will feel better when I see a familiar face.

I got dressed. It was cold outside, so I put on my jeans, my sneakers, and my warm sweater. I grabbed my phone, jacket, wallet, and room key and I walked downstairs.

I saw Ian’s smiling face and I already felt a little bit better.

“Good morning, Aria.”

“Hey, Ian. It’s nice to see you,” I said, smiling at him and handing him my room key.

I didn’t want to risk losing it.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked, putting my room key in a safe.

“Great, thanks. Hey, do you know any good places I could get breakfast around here?”

I was getting hungry. I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning.

“Yeah, there is a great bakery just around the corner from here. Pete’s. Pete is the owner. He is a great guy, and he makes the best coffee. You can sit and eat inside. Make sure to get a donut. It is the best,” he told me.

“Thank you, Ian. I will definitely get a donut,” I smiled.

“I wish I could go with you,” he smiled at me significantly, “but I have a lot to do here.”

“It’s okay, Ian. Maybe another time,” I smiled and turned around.

“Definitely another time. Bye Aria,” he yelled after me.

I smiled and waved at him.

The bakery was close by. I got inside and was welcomed by so many amazing smells. A chubby middle-aged man smiled at me. That must be Pete.

“Hello, beautiful. What can I get you?”

“Hello, Sir,” I said politely. “I would like one coffee with cream and sugar and one donut. My friend Ian said they are the best.”

“Ah, Ian,” Pete smiled. “He is one of my best customers. I would have to thank him for sending such a charming young woman to my humble shop.”

“And I will have to thank him for recommending such a lovely place,” I smiled as I took my order.

Pete winked at me. He was a warlock. I wonder if Ian knew. Or if he even believed in supernatural beings. Pete knew I was a witch. I could tell by the way he emphasized the word “charming”.

It wasn’t hard for us to recognize the supernatural. We smelled different. Only humans couldn’t tell. Their sense of smell wasn’t as powerful as ours.

I sat close to a window and looked outside. The city was charming. Nature was a big part of the city’s design. Buildings were big and modern and if there weren’t parks everywhere it would look like an ocean of concrete. I liked it. I was always a fan of modern, minimalist designs. But I also loved nature. If the city’s main square wasn’t turned into an execution stage, I could see myself living here. But the smell of burning human flesh was omnipresent in the air and it made me sick.

I finished my breakfast. Ian was right. Pete’s donuts were amazing. I paid and said my goodbyes to Pete.

“Be careful, beautiful,” Pete advised me as I was getting out.

He was giving me the look ‘I know you are a witch, please don’t get caught’ kind of look.

“I will. Thank you, Pete,” I smiled and left. It was time to find Annie.

CHAPTER FOUR - The Search

Gabriel’s POV