Her Wolf Mate

by Hannah Lin

  Her Wolf Mate

  HANNAH LIN

  Copyright © 2022 Hannah Lin

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to

  real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or

  transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

  recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: Melody Simmons

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 1

  KATE

  “I want all the bombs to go off at the same time.”

  I watched Carter's almost black eyes bore into every

  person around him. His black hair was in a severe buzz cut,

  bringing out the harsh angles of his face even more. His

  massive build, combined with his sharp features, gave him a

  compelling presence.

  I shuffled in my seat. I’d seen a lot of things in my years

  as a Testean soldier, but listening to Carter, the leader of a

  suicide bomber cell, speak so passionately about wanting

  the deaths of hundreds to happen like a conductor planning

  the final moments of a symphony, was disconcerting.

  “This is the biggest job we've ever done,” Carter

  continued, his eyes moving over the dozen men, and me,

  the single woman in the room. “Mabos has a monarchy and

  a democracy, so that's twice the number of assholes we

  have to take down.”

  I drew a deep breath and folded my arms, doing my best

  to feign interest. I already knew about Carter's plans. I was

  here to stop them long before the cell members set foot on

  Mabos. But first, I needed to learn more about how the cell

  operated.

  A few weeks ago, intel from a very reliable source came

  across the desk of Testea's General. The information had

  passed down the chains, and they had selected me to go

  undercover. A second dragon would back me up, but he

  hadn't arrived. It didn't matter, this type of mission was my

  specialty.

  I enjoyed immersing myself in an organization, figuring

  out information that a low-level informant could never get.

  For me, it wasn't enough to take down one bad guy. Testea

  needed to learn how they operated, so that we could always

  be a step ahead.

  Testea, as the foremost power in the universe, was hell-

  bent on maintaining peace. For centuries, our neutral

  approach to diplomacy had allowed bloodshed on a level

  that was too painful to recall. All that bloodshed was led by

  Zov, a planet that believed in the subjugation of lesser

  species, placing shifters at the top of their imaginary

  hierarchy.

  Now, elite soldiers like me were sent out with the same

  end goal: to undermine Zov and set up the perfect

  conditions for their demise. I understood the game well.

  While Testea had the most dragons of any planet, making us

  the strongest, we had to take Zov down carefully, otherwise

  another planet would rise to take their place. Finesse was

  the name of the game, and I was ready to play my part.

  “We will station the fifteen couriers we have at different

  spots,” Carter said.

  I lifted my head, my ears pricking up. This was the

  information Testea needed. While we knew that Mabos, an

  ally, was the target, we didn't know precisely what locations

  the Zovites planned to hit.

  While Carter would never get to carry out the mission, as I

  would have killed him long before then, Testea needed to

  understand the logic behind the locations he chose, to

  better protect ourselves and our allies.

  “Your job is to get your courier, or couriers, there on time,

  and to make sure they go through with it. We've been

  working on a new potion that will make them more

  compliant, but sometimes, the adrenaline of that last

  moment gets to them. Those of you who are new to us need

  to remember that a good bit of brutal force and threats

  always help get the couriers over that minor hurdle.”

  The room filled with laughter, and I smirked, despite the

  way my stomach roiled. Carter was referring to humans as

  couriers. Like they were nothing more than a means to an

  end. That was another thing I needed to learn. How and

  where was Carter sourcing these people?

  I sighed inwardly. I’d been undercover for weeks, and my

  progress was slow. Carter kept a tight ship, divulging only

  what the team needed to know at the last minute. I had just

  gained the cell's trust, something that took longer because I

  was the only woman, but I hadn’t been able to get close to

  Carter's office.

  I clenched my fists and sat straight up. This wasn't the

  first time I’d had to play the long game. Carter could be as

  secretive as he wanted to. It didn't matter. I had enough

  patience and reason to wear him out.

  Carter cleared his throat, and the laughter stopped.

  “Alright, for now, I want you focused on sourcing the last few

  couriers we need. The refugee camps on Brade are

  overwhelmed with influxes every day. Those on the border

  are fuller but better guarded. The opposite is true for those

  further away from the border. Take your pick, but remember,

  you've got to give them a good reason to go with you

  willingly. So, head out in twos, and make sure they see their

  loved ones’ suffering. That's the ammo you'll need should

  they choose not to cooperate.”

  I felt my face blanch as a sudden chill hit my core. So

  that's how they were doing it. Carter was using innocent

  people from the most impoverished planets, who were

  fleeing civil wars that he had helped to orchestrate. I felt a

  flush of adrenaline tingle through my body.

  Kill this bastard, my dragon whispered.

  Soon, I responded.

  The people who sought refuge on other planets only

  wanted a new beginning, and room to grieve. That Carter

  was taking the fresh start they fought for, and stripping it

  away, was beyond disgusting.

  “Understood?” Carter said.

  I hadn't heard his final statement, but I responded in

  unison with the other cell members. “Understood.”

  The sound of chairs being pushed back, and gentle

  chatter breaking over the group filled the room. I remained

  seated, needing a moment to process it all. I wouldn't let

  this mission become about my beliefs, but Carter had just

  added another reason to my list of reasons he deserved to

  die.

  “Simon
and Kate, approach,” Carter said.

  I got up quickly, wanting to show Carter that I feared him

  and that I was eager. That attitude would get me closer to

  the information I needed.

  “Kate, I want you to accompany Simon in picking up the

  package we'd discussed earlier.”

  I nodded sharply, keeping up my act. “No problem.”

  “I want to make something clear to you,” Carter said,

  locking eyes with me. “This is a package, not a courier. If

  things get difficult, you have permission to use force, but

  otherwise, I want you to be gentle.”

  I looked down, as Carter stared at me, unblinking. It was

  an alpha move, meant to intimidate me. I was anything but.

  In my dragon form, I could take Carter down in a second. In

  my human form, it would be more of a challenge, but still

  doable. But right now, I was pretending to be a bear. I even

  had a bottle of bear’s scent in my room to help with the

  ruse. So, rather than give him what he had coming to him, I

  nodded silently.

  “Good,” Carter said, turning to Simon. “Be back in time to

  help administer the next dose. I want those couriers primed

  and ready for our move tonight. No hiccups.”

  Simon nodded, then turned around and left. I hurried after

  the older bear. Once we left the building that the meeting

  took place in, we got into a red van and silently drove from

  the barracks with Simon at the wheel.

  I had a lot of questions for Simon, seeing as this was our

  first time alone, but I didn't want to appear suspicious. I

  hoped that our destination was far enough that I’d have

  time to weave my questions into a natural conversation.

  As we drove out of the base, a soldier saluted us. I

  mentally shook my head. I couldn't believe that Zov had a

  suicide bomber cell as an official part of its army. They kept

  the truth from the public, of course, but it was sad that they

  were willing to use any tactic to get what they wanted.

  Zovites had no honor. Perhaps it had something to do with

  the low number of dragons among them. Honor came first

  for dragons. Well, most. There were a few Zovite dragons,

  after all.

  “Do you know why the package has to be handled with

  care?” I asked. It had been a good five minutes, and I felt I

  could bring the topic up without looking suspicious.

  Simon laughed, a low throaty sound. “The package is

  Carter's daughter. That's why we have to be careful.”

  I turned sharply and let my eyes dart over Simon's face.

  “You're not joking.”

  “Nope,” Simon said, smiling as he kept his eyes on the

  road.

  The hard Simon I’d observed around the barracks was a

  ruse. I didn't know why the older bear was letting his guard

  down around me, but I appreciated it. It would make my

  time with the cell easier and might even help me get

  information faster. Simon was Carter's Third, in charge of

  keeping the couriers healthy.

  “Why is she being treated as a package, then?” I asked.

  “It's simple. Maddie pretty much hates all of us. I don't

  know why, considering we barely spend any time with her,

  and I doubt she knows anything about what we do. I'm

  guessing she mostly hates the way the men leer at her.

  She's a beautiful young lady. It’s probably the reason Carter

  brought you on. He rarely hires women. He must think you’ll

  be able to keep Maddie in check by using your female

  powers or something.”

  “Huh.”

  I folded my arms and bit the inside of my cheek. If Maddie

  hated the cell, then she could become an asset. Perhaps I

  could turn her by telling her the truth of what her father did

  for a living. Maddie could get the information I desperately

  needed. Then I could kill Carter and most of his men before

  going home.

  “Why is Maddie coming with us?” I asked.

  Simon shrugged. “I don't know. On past missions, she's

  always stayed on Zov. Something must have happened for

  Carter to want to bring her along, but whatever it is, he's

  not sharing, as usual. The guards at the house are pretty

  quiet, so I doubt we'll ever find out why.”

  I nodded, then looked out of the window. Zov looked a lot

  like Testea, but they were so different. Here, a high-ranking

  military man could run a suicide bomber cell and force his

  daughter to accompany him on a genocidal mission. I was

  definitely on another planet.

  “So why did you decide to join up?” Simon asked.

  “I needed a way up, and progress is almost impossible for

  women,” I said, adding a bitter tone to my voice. My cover

  story wasn't the most exciting, but it rang true for women in

  all spheres of life. “I heard rumors about this unit. I did some

  digging and finally got a name. After that, things moved

  pretty fast.”

  Simon sighed. “I hate to break it to you, but your chances

  of getting promoted and leaving this unit are slim to none.

  We don't exist officially, and you can never talk about it.”

  “I know. But it's better than life in the regular corps,

  fighting day in and day out. At least this way I get better

  money and some downtime.”

  “Ain't that the truth.” Simon grinned. “I knew you were

  alright. A bunch of the guys thought you were a lesbian or a

  spy because you rebuffed them. If you keep your head

  down, and focus on money and downtime, you'll do well

  here.”

  I smiled. “Thanks.”

  I hated pretending to be someone I wasn’t, but I needed

  the protection it afforded me. As a woman, they already

  underestimated me. It was one reason I made a great

  undercover agent. But one wrong move or turn of phrase,

  and as the newest recruit and only woman, I’d be the first

  one they turned on.

  While I knew that I'd get out alive, it would put the lives of

  all the informants and insiders who'd helped get me into my

  position in jeopardy. I couldn’t let that happen.

  Ten minutes later, we drove past the massive gates of an

  old castle. I couldn't believe that Carter got paid enough to

  afford one. Testea compensated their elite soldiers well for

  risking their lives, but not this well. Then again, this was

  suicide bomber money.

  A figure darted out from the garden on my right and

  moved onto the van's path. Simon hit the brakes sharply,

  then hooted. A young woman stopped and turned to face

  us. Her dark brown hair fell in waves, framing her beautiful

  oval face, touching the tops of her generous chest.

  I couldn't help but run my eyes over the delicious curves

  that the woman’s skin-tight jeans hugged. My stomach

  clenched. The men were right about me being a lesbian, and

  this woman was my type.

  I dragged my eyes upward and looked into the woman’s

  deep brown eyes. The fire in them called to the dormant

  sexual part of me.

  Simon rolled the window down and stuck his head out.

  “Rea
dy for us, Maddie?”

  So, this beautiful creature was Carter's daughter. She

  looked nothing like him, and apparently, acted nothing like

  him, too. Maddie gently raised a hand and flipped the bird.

  Simon burst out laughing. My dragon stirred within me.

  “That's Maddie for you,” Simon said. “She doesn't hold

  back.”

  I didn't join in his laughter. My heart jackknifed in my

  chest as I replayed my dragon's words to me.

  Mate, I thought. Maddie is my mate.

  CHAPTER 2

  MADDIE

  I walked into one of the living rooms on the ground floor

  and plopped down on the couch. I sighed as I stared at the

  ceiling, wondering how my life had gotten this way. How I’d

  missed so many signs, then let my emotions blind me.

  “Maddie,” Liana called. “Your transport's here.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. I'd already seen Simon pop his

  head out of the van. Out of all my father's men, Simon was

  the kindest to me, and I couldn't for the life of me

  understand why he stuck by my father's side. Especially

  now that I knew what they did.

  “I already saw them,” I said, sitting up. “I don't think I'm

  going to go.”

  Liana huffed and folded her arms. “You're already on thin

  ice with your father. Is this really the time to make a stand?”

  “Anytime is a good time.”

  “You ought to know better than that.”

  I winced. Liana had never been one to mince words.

  Although she'd worked for my family as head housekeeper

  for as long as I could remember, she'd never been the soft

  mother figure I had desperately needed. Liana was caring,

  but in her own, no-nonsense way.

  “So, what do you suggest?” I said. “Hmm? Am I supposed

  to accompany him on this brief trip, when we both know

  what's likely to happen during it?”

  “You have no choice!” She scoffed. “What don't you get

  about that? Your father is one of the most powerful men on

  Zov, and he sent a message to the house asking me to

  make sure you get in that van. Neither one of us can go

  against his wishes without suffering the consequences.”

  I stood and folded my arms. “You know, I'm realizing that

  the only reason my father has power is because of fear. We

  have to put our feet down, and maybe then things can

  change.”

  Liana threw her hands up in the air. “Fine. That all sounds

  nice, and maybe I'll even dream about it tonight, but now is