? | ORACLE, garrett

06 ── mate

Garrett snapped out of his trance and turned to see the satisfied expression on Emmett's face. He narrowed his eyes, still maintaining a poker face, and asked, "You saw?"

Emmett chuckled aloud, slapping Garrett's shoulder, and replied, "I did." He continued with a teasing tone, "You're practically under her spell, my friend."

Garrett defensively waved a hand, protesting, "I'm not."

"Right," Emmett chuckled, feigning skepticism, "You've got your eyes on my good ol' cousin, Katie. Best of luck ignoring that pesky mate bond." He concluded with a laugh and walked off, giving a casual wave.

Garrett responded with a hint of cockiness in his voice, "It's not gonna happen!" He chuckled softly, shaking his head and settling into an armchair once more. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to become engulfed in the strong scent once again, succumbing to what he stubbornly denied, falling deeper into the undeniable allure.

It was quite difficult to resist the magnetic pull of one's destined mate, and Garrett, being an adventurous soul, was uncertain about being fettered by "destiny."

However, fate had a playful nature, for as fate would have it, the enchanting scent of the witch grew stronger, and the sound of her footsteps abruptly snatched him from his reverie. Once he opened his eyes, the captivating blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty was suddenly standing in the same room as him.

Her gaze roamed around the room, taking in the bold décor, but before she could focus on the portraits, her body felt an inexplicable pull towards the male in the room. She nervously licked her dry lips, attempting to soothe her suddenly frazzled nerves.

Garrett froze in place, the mere sight of her licking her plump lips causing him to gulp visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing anxiously. Catherina observed the movement and promptly responded by folding her arms, her insecurity rearing its head as she wondered if the gesture was fueled by his thirst for her or something else entirely.

Catherina lacked knowledge about the specifics of a vampire's reaction to her blood. Did it arouse their thirst or did it perhaps repulse them due to its uniquely distinct scent?

It felt presumptuous to assume that her blood might be particularly delicious to a vampire, so she opted to err on the side of caution and consider the possible negatives before succumbing to unwarranted optimism.

Garrett's lip curled into a sly smirk as he leaned casually on his palm and drawled with a poetic charm, "Hey there, pretty lady. The name's Garrett." The melodic quality of his voice struck a chord within Catherina; for a brief moment, she entertained the idea that this was the work of fate, but his poetic tone quickly ignited a flicker of annoyance. Her frown deepened as she tightly folded her arms, feeling her confidence flicker out like a fragile flame. Frustration took hold, leaving her visibly exasperated.

To her, Garrett represented everything she found unattractive in a man. His playful demeanor screamed of an extreme trait that she feared would lead to heartache. Moreover, it wasn't just the initial impression that bothered her; it was the intimate knowledge of his crude, lewd thoughts, which made her all the more uneasy.

Catherina attempted to suppress the scowl that threatened to cross her face and forced a smile instead, albeit half-heartedly. Despite finding it intriguing that fate had matched her with someone who seemed so decidedly at odds with her preferred type, she couldn't help but remain judgmental about the situation.

"Catherina," she responded, her voice lacking genuine warmth. "Pleasure to meet you." Her smile failed to fully reach her eyes, betraying her inner turmoil.

Catherina harbored a fair share of past encounters with men who resembled Garrett, and she had absolutely no desire to repeat those experiences. He was the very opposite of her ideal partner; he embodied every trait she hoped to avoid. Yet, despite her reservations, she knew deep down that it was practically impossible for her to reject fate's plans so easily.