His Stubborn Mate (The Ward Wolf Pack Novella Series, Book 2)

by Theresa Hissong

  “Thank you,” she replied. “I guess I need to fill out some paperwork.”

  “I can help you with that,” Aspen hurried to offer her assistance, and Mason left the room without another word. The moment he was gone, the scent he carried disappeared, and her shoulders slumped from the loss.

  She shook herself and headed over to the check-in desk where the sister was waiting. Aspen dug through the small filing cabinet to her left as Charlie took a seat, trying not to glance at the door Mason and Nash were standing in while they talked softly. She didn’t even know the guy, but something about him drew her toward him.

  “Here are your tax forms, and I need all of your contact information,” Aspen began, handing her a pen. The woman’s hand froze when Mason returned. “Everything okay?”

  “I think so,” Charlie admitted, seeing the other couple talking to Nash’s wife. Everyone was being super secretive, and she knew they were talking about her.

  She knew they were worried about her being human, and after the things she’d seen on television about the trouble humans had caused the shifters in Mississippi, Charlie didn’t blame them for being concerned.

  But their worry was going to drive them insane. It was probably for the best that she say something, because she wanted the job, and she didn’t want them to reject her employment.

  “Okay,” she blurted out loud, jumping to her feet. “Look, I know.”

  “Know what?” Aspen asked as she came to Charlie’s side.

  “I know you’re talking about me, and I want you to know that I won’t tell anyone,” she admitted. The whispering, narrowed looks, and secrecy was unnecessary.

  “What are you talking about?” Nash asked, his eyes hazing over.

  And that was when everything clicked.

  “You’re wolves,” she stated, standing her ground. Just from the last few hours of being with Mason, she could tell they were nothing like the gangs in the lower forty-eight. “But you’re not bad.”

  “Who told you?” Nash blurted. Aspen gasped as Mason moved, putting himself between her and the older Ward brother. The scent Mason carried amplified, and that was when all hell broke loose.

  Chapter 2

  Mason’s protective instincts kicked in when his brother crossed the room in a flash to confront Charlie about her knowledge of their kind. There was no way he was going to let his brother, the alpha, touch his potential mate.

  He reached Nash right before he made it to the desk, slamming his hands into his brother’s chest. The force sounded like boulders crashing as Nash crouched low. “Mason, back off!”

  “No,” Mason growled. The female knew what they were, and while that was an issue in itself, the other bit of information was even more revealing. “She is my mate. You can’t hurt her.”

  “What?” Aspen barked from her spot next to Charlie.

  “Your mate?” Charlie chuckled, causing all of the wolves in the room to pause.

  “Everyone, calm down!” Isabell yelled as she ran over to get between Nash and Charlie.

  When Mason took his eyes off of Nash, he saw the three women standing together. The alpha’s mate was protecting Charlie, too. Aspen was poised and ready to stop Nash all for the sake of Mason finding his mate.

  “Nash,” Mason called out. “She’s my mate. You can’t hurt her.”

  The information was true. Mason had found and verbally claimed her. In their world, that was as good as a human marriage. No matter what she knew, Charlie was protected unless she did something to harm another pack member.

  “That changes things,” Nash replied and relaxed his stance. His gaze landed on every single member of his pack, and Mason felt the push of power his brother sent out through their magical bond. “We will let you two talk.”

  Aspen whispered something to Charlie, but the human female cleared her throat. “Look, I’m not finished speaking.”

  Mason saw his brother raise a brow at her forwardness. “What would you like to say?”

  “It’s obvious you are secluded out here,” she began, coming around the desk to stand in front of Mason. She never took her eyes off of Nash, and Mason saw that as a sign of respect. “Do you not know that the humans know about your kind?”

  “What?” Nash snarled, his eyes hazing over. “What are you talking about?”

  “Almost six years ago, news broke of a shifter pride in Mississippi,” Charlie announced. “They were all over the news for a few weeks when the alpha came forward. Since then, there have been some issues with some of the species…namely wolves. They’re rogues and have caused a lot of trouble. Social media is all a buzz over rumors about shifters, but the news doesn’t bother them anymore. I don’t know why, but we only hear reports of drugs and gang violence when a wolf pack moves into a city.”

  Mason was stunned silent. The humans knew. He turned to Isabell, the once-human mate to his brother, the alpha, “Did you know?”

  “No,” Isabell replied. “I lived off the grid. I don’t watch television, and I sure as hell hadn’t heard of anything like this through the magazine.”

  Isabell’s work with the Alaskan magazine was basically done through online uploads, and she never really stepped foot into the office. She’d been hired to do articles on hikes throughout the state and nothing else. There was no reason for her to be among society.

  “You guys really should get online more,” Charlie chuckled, surprising them all. “What?”

  “You’re so nonchalant about this,” Aspen blurted.

  “Look,” Charlie sighed. “I don’t care if you shift into alligators. I need a job, and I want to work here for Ward Air & Transportation. If you prefer to stay in the dark, then it’s not my place to out you to anyone. I just want to fly.”

  “You have the job,” Mason replied. “We need someone like you on our team, Charlie, but you’ll have to forgive us. We need to process the information you have given us, and you and I should talk.”

  “About this mate thing?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he stated, pointing to the office they’d originally used for her interview.

  Mason waited for Charlie to pass, watching as she moved across the room. The human female was beautiful even with the hat covering her light blonde hair, and he wanted nothing more than to touch her…but he would wait. Skin to skin contact would seal the deal in their mating, but he wanted to know how much she knew about that, too. The gods only knew how much they really knew.

  His wolf paced in his mind, giving his body a little push to follow the female. They both wanted to know what she looked like out of those clothes, and Mason wanted to run his fingers through her long hair, holding her still for his mating.

  “What did you mean?” Charlie asked as soon as he closed the door.

  “What do the humans know about our matings?” he blurted. The information she knew was important.

  “Ah, well,” she blushed. “The panther alpha who was asked questions about the shifters never said anything about how your kind mated, but the internet has their theories.”

  “What are their theories?” he pressed.

  “I don’t hold any weight to the rumors online,” she announced, holding up a hand to stop him. “I see the comments and posts online, but I never really got involved in the announcement. My life has been a busy one, and with school, I really didn’t care to follow everything, but I did watch his meetings with the government.”

  “What did this alpha say to the public?” Mason needed all of the information she could provide, but he was certain his family was currently online searching for the videos. They didn’t live completely offline out in the wild, but they’d decided to keep to themselves for safety reasons after their family had been killed by a clan of bear shifters.

  “He announced their existence, answered a lot of questions about their intentions,” she said with a shrug. “I think the humans wanted to make sure the panthers weren’t going to cause trouble like the wolves have done over the last year.”

 
“What have the wolves done?” Mason stiffened. He didn’t want to be grouped in with the rogues, because they were nothing like them.

  “Well, they were running a drug and theft ring in a few states, but that suddenly stopped,” she explained, taking a seat in the chair she’d used earlier. “The news reported the stop in some new drug trade and gang activity dropped over eighty percent. There were some wolf shifters found deceased in a few cities, and after that…nothing.”

  Mason pinched his lips together and walked over to the window to partially shift his face. He didn’t want to do that in front of Charlie until he was certain she wasn’t going to freak out like Isabell had done when she learned the truth. Granted, his female knew more and was welcoming of them, but would that continue once she knew everything?

  His link to Nash was fast as he gave his brother the information he’d learned from Charlie. Somehow, there had been rogue activity, but someone had stopped it immediately. He didn’t know who, but the information she gave changed things.

  “Are you like them? The wolves that were causing problems?” When Mason turned around, the female had stood and folded her arms across her chest as if she was an alpha herself.

  “The rogue wolves don’t know about us,” he admitted, stepping close to her. He didn’t reach for her, but his wolf wanted to. The mating scent he released wasn’t missed, either. “We are white wolves, and our kind are rare. We believe we are the only ones left. So, it’s very important no one knows we are here, Charlie.”

  “So, only white wolves are…good?” she asked as her brow pinched.

  “That’s what we were told as children,” he admitted. “Our family was hunted and killed by bears about ten years ago. Since then, we have stayed out in the forest. To generate money, we started this company.”

  “To help you keep an eye on your territory,” she finished. Mason’s eyes widened.

  “You know a lot,” he growled.

  “No, I pay attention,” she corrected him. “Now, can you elaborate on the fact you believe I am your mate?”

  Charlie leaned against the desk, tilting her head back so she could look up at the wolf shifter who believed they were mates. “There was an article going around right after the panthers announced their existence about the alpha of the pride mating a human woman. There was a lot of speculation and very little facts. So, I know it can happen. Tell me why you think I’m your mate, too.”

  “You’re very matter of fact,” he mentioned, crossing his arms. His eyes kept changing. The yellow in his eyes kept flickering hazy and clear as he waited for her answer.

  “I am,” she agreed. “I’m a bit stubborn, too. Just so you know ahead of time.”

  “That’s good to know,” he chuckled.

  “So, the mate thing?”

  “Well, our kind are different from humans,” he admitted. “We are ruled by our animal nature. I’m sure you’ve read that on the internet if this alpha has told our secrets.”

  “Not all of them,” she interrupted to remind him.

  “Good,” he stated, and the depth to his voice made Charlie shiver.

  “Go on,” she urged.

  “As far as my statement earlier,” he paused, reaching out for her hand, but he didn’t touch her, “this…this is too close for us. For my kind, if my skin touches yours, it will tell me if we are destined mates.”

  “Is that a bad thing?” Wow. If only humans could do that, there wouldn’t be a fifty percent divorce rate. “So, why don’t you just touch me to be sure?”

  “That’s the problem,” he cursed, running his hand over his chin. His teeth ground together, making his sharp jawline tic. “If I touch you and we are mates, my animal instinct will take over and we will mate.”

  “By mate…you mean fuck, right?” she guessed. Charlie knew her eyes were as wide as saucers.

  “Yes,” he nodded. “My wolf will want to mark you and claim you.”

  “Mark me how?” she pressed. This information wasn’t on the internet. The speculations were rampant. Even some gross, kinky shit was talked about. She ignored that altogether.

  “I would bite you, Charlie,” he admitted. “Once that happens, we will be connected for life.”

  “So, your kind doesn’t believe in love? Dating? Getting to know each other?”

  “We do,” he answered. “Look, I’m sorry I blurted that out, and I totally understand your questions, but I need to clarify a few things about us before you leave.”

  “I’ve got nowhere to be,” she admitted, feeling like she wanted to stay there forever.

  “My scent is strong because you are near. It’s our mating scent, and it’s a natural occurrence when a female or male is around their mate. My brother is the alpha, and it is his job to protect us here. When I claimed you, he scented me, and that’s the only reason why he calmed down.”

  “He wouldn’t have hurt me,” she proclaimed.

  “Have you no fear?” he scoffed. “My brother is strong. Hell, we are all stronger than a human. He could’ve killed you if he thought you would out us to the humans.”

  “If the humans know about your kind, why are you hiding?” she pressed. “I know you’re a wolf, but wouldn’t it be as easy as talking to the press? Explaining that you are a rare breed of wolf that doesn’t want to harm anyone?”

  “It’s not that easy,” he corrected her. The look in his eyes changed. There was pain and torture in them, and Charlie stood up automatically, wanting to comfort him. But Mason held out his hand to stop her from getting any closer. “Our family was killed by a clan of bears about ten years ago simply because we were wolves. They left the children to die naturally after they killed our father, who was the alpha. Without an alpha, a pack cannot exist. We need the connection to thrive.”

  “Oh, my god, Mason. That is awful. I’m so sorry,” she cried. “How could they do that to children?”

  “Because they believed us to be bad like the black and gray wolves,” he growled. “So, since we are rare, and because of our histories, we decided as a pack to live out here alone and away from humans.”

  “Jesus,” she mumbled. What he was telling her was right out of a horror movie. She didn’t want to ask any details, because…again…it wasn’t her business. But damn those bears for what they did.

  “Look,” he said, bringing her attention back to him. “I still need you to help us here…if you still want the job. As far as the mating goes, let’s just see what happens…get to know each other.”

  “I told you I need the job, and I don’t care what you are as long as I get paid,” she agreed with a shrug. “Just let me finish my paperwork. Then, you tell me the schedule. I’ll be here prompt and ready to do the work.”

  “Sounds good to me,” he grinned, and when he did, she held in a gasp. His sculptured face turned soft, and she felt her lower half ache with need.

  “Okay, I’m going to do that paperwork and head back to Anchorage.” She had to get out of the office. Between his mating scent and the wetness of her panties, Charlie knew sticking around him was a bad idea. She wasn’t ready for any touching or mating. All she wanted to do was find a job to pay her bills.

  Chapter 3

  “She will be here soon,” Aspen chuckled.

  Mason was tapping his foot as he stood at the back door to the terminal, waiting for the first glimpse of the bright yellow float

  plane. And Charlie.

  She’d left two days ago, and he’d been restless waiting for her return. His wolf was driving him insane. It wanted him to touch her so they could complete the mating, but his human side knew that wasn’t the way to do it.

  “She’s my mate, Aspen,” he reminded her. “When you find yours, you’ll know what I’m feeling.”

  His sister ducked her head and busied herself with the invoice for the latest shipment meant for one of their customers. “I think I understand the concept of mating, Mason.”

  “Just wait until you meet someone. Then we will compare how it feels,” he
scoffed and turned away from her to watch the skies. “In fact, I’d rather you not. I don’t want to kick some male’s ass for sniffing around you.”

  “At this rate, I’ll never find a mate, Mason,” she chuckled. “You two keep me too busy to meet anyone.”

  “That’s true,” he replied, relaxing a bit.

  The radio crackled and Charlie’s voice came over the line. “Ward Air, this is N99 Charlie Alpha Romeo. Do you copy?”

  Mason snatched the receiver off the cradle and responded, “N99 Charlie Alpha Romeo, this is Ward Air. We copy.”

  “Hey, Mason,” she said over the radio. It warmed him that she recognized his voice. “I’m thirty miles out. Should be at your back door in less than ten.”

  “Copy that,” he replied. “Winds are under ten on the ground. You should have a smooth landing. Come on in.”

  “See you soon,” she replied, repeating her call sign before the radio went silent.

  “I’ll let you two have some time,” Aspen offered, reaching for a set of keys. “Here’s her room key for the night. I’ll have dinner ready at six.”

  “Thank you.”

  Their day would start early, and Mason had offered her a room at their small airport for the night so they could get in the air first thing in the morning. Mason would be delivering supplies to two residents and picking up another for transportation to the terminal. Their newest customer, Booker Dupree, had business in Anchorage and would be needing a lift to his truck he kept stored on their lot.

  Charlie would take her first set of hikers to the north end of the pass at four in the morning and wait for another group who’d started on the south end, needing pickup at the top of the trail. She’d be gone for half of the day if the hikers’ plans stayed on schedule.

  It thrilled Mason to know she would be working two days in a row for him, leaving her to stay at the compound for both nights. There would be time for them to get to know each other better then, and if he had his way, maybe they would eventually touch.