down for the day, and this was his last task on his to-do list. He could read and enjoy Gustav's food for as long as he wanted. It was Dylan's minivacation in an endless sea of responsibility.
The sous chef showed Dylan out to his favorite spot on the patio. It was right off the kitchen but quiet and secluded from the rest of the lodge. A light came on above him. It was the perfect brightness for reading, even as the sun set in the west. Dylan enjoyed his steak and vegetables. Gustav's cooking was beyond five stars, and it was a more-than-adequate tip for his weekly deliveries.
He sipped a glass of red wine and opened his novel. He'd only had a chance to read a few chapters and was excited to really dig in tonight. He was slicing his steak and sipping his wine when his phone pinged with a notification. He pulled it out of his pocket and slid his finger over the screen, bringing up the notification.
“Congratulations, we found your fated mate.”
Dylan's arm jerked, banging the table and causing the cutlery to clatter. He nearly knocked over his wine and had to reach out to grab it before it spilled all over the tablecloth. He gulped, swallowing his shock. He took a large swig of wine before opening the app. It opened to a picture of the loveliest creature he'd ever seen. The cut of her brown hair perfectly accentuated her heart-shaped face. She had big brown eyes and a shy smile. Her profile name was Lonely Heart. There was only one picture and barely any profile information. She was a social media marketing freelancer who liked to spend time alone. That was all it said.
He shook his head and drew his eyebrows together. He pressed the “message now” button on the app without a second thought and typed out, “Hello, Lonely Heart. I'm Lone Wolf. I would love to meet you.”
He stared at the app, waiting for the bubbles to show that she was responding. He stared and stared at the screen until it went black. He turned it back on. But still nothing. His food sat forgotten and growing cold. His book lay open to where he'd stopped reading midsentence, where the hero was dangling from a skyscraper. But none of that mattered. He stared and stared and waited and waited. She had just signed up, just filled out the profile—surely she was paying attention.
The last streaks of sunlight disappeared, and the stars twinkled overhead. The moon rose above him, and still no Lonely Heart. He ran his hand over his forehead, sucking a breath through his teeth. He closed his book, put down his phone, and walked off down the path toward the lake. He needed to think. He needed to calm down.
All his senses were on high alert, his heart was pounding, and he was damp with sweat. The autumn breeze cooled him down, but it couldn't cool the fever building inside him. He’d found his mate. But now, he felt as if he couldn't wait a second longer. Where was she? Would she ever respond to him? Would she ever truly be his?
5
The people out on the dance floor were heating up. Annie clutched her phone and felt it vibrate in her hand. She jumped, startled, then looked down at the notification. She'd received a text message from Lone Wolf. And it was the most terrifying thing she'd ever seen. She went back to her seat and shoved her phone in her purse. After downing her glass of warm champagne, she nodded to the others in the wedding party and made for the door. Outside on the porch, the cool autumn air filled her lungs as she gasped for breath.
She needed to get away from the noise, the music… and the text message from her fated mate. She couldn't deal with any of it right now. She just wanted to go home to her quiet apartment.
The moon was high overhead and sparkled in the rippling waters of the lake. She hurried down the stairs toward the pathway that led through the grounds. The sweat that had formed on her forehead cooled in the night air. And as she walked quickly through the darkness, the music from the lodge faded behind her. Soon, all she heard was the sound of her own breath and the beating of her own heart as she walked farther into the darkness. She approached the lake and stood