The Mate Mistake (The Woolven Secret Book 3)

by Saranna Dewylde

  Enough! Be silent. He’s already afraid. He stinks of it.

  He should be, the beast answered him.

  “Unless you don’t pull the car over,” he kept his tone conversational. “I think you understand what you’re dealing with. It’s why you’re afraid. Did you know predators can smell fear? It helps them to find their prey.”

  The man began muttering prayers under his breath as he pulled the car over. “They want you, Belle. No amount of money in the world is going to protect you.”

  Parker was offended. “I’m more than money, little man.”

  “They move in the dark,” he said. “They’re unkillable…”

  “Everything that lives can die,” Parker said. “Now, get out. There’s an attaché in the trunk with a couple grand I won at the tables. Take it.”

  The man twisted himself in the seat so that he faced them. He was holding a gun in his shaking hands.

  Belle tensed, but remained silent.

  Parker cocked his head to the side, trying to decide how best to handle him. He was already afraid, so showing him there were more things in the dark than vampires might be the last shove off the cliff of his sanity.

  However, he wasn’t ready to explain to Belle why, if this man actually shot him, it wasn’t a big deal.

  The bullets weren’t silver.

  At least, they didn’t smell silver.

  He’d been wrong before.

  “Everything can die? Even you?” His hands quivered.

  “Even me. Even her.” He cocked his head to the side, the bestial part of him gaining dominance. “Even you.”

  “Your eyes—” he gasped.

  “Yes, all the better to see you with.” Parker leaned forward. “And see you, I do.”

  The stench of urine filled the car and he fumbled with the door and ran. He didn’t take the attaché, he didn’t look back. All he did was run.

  “Poor bastard,” Parker muttered as he got out of the car. “I hope he didn’t piss on the seat.”

  Belle laughed. “That would be unfortunate.”

  “At least he left the keys. Let’s go.”

  “How can you be sure we won’t run in to anyone else at the airport?” Belle asked, getting into the front seat of the car with him.

  “I can’t, but I know our jet is secure. I travel with a full staff. Pilot and maintenance are all under Woolven employ and our benefits, well, you can’t beat them.”

  “That man was terrified of you.”

  “Yes, he was.” He kept waiting for her to ask about his eyes. Why the man had been terrified of his eyes, but she didn’t. She stared straight ahead.

  He wondered what she was, what she’d done that vampires would be after her. That she knew what they were?

  He had to tell her.

  Parker wanted her to get used to the idea of being married to him first, before he told her that he was a werewolf. She was under enough stress as it was.

  He also knew this had been an attempt on her life. The vampires that were after her were powerful if they’d already gotten an assassin in play. The only way to keep her truly safe was to mark her.

  That would keep his pack, his family safe, too.

  He spared her a glance as he drove. She was serene and still, her hands folded in her lap. Parker had the strangest urge to ask her what she was thinking about, but that was a stupid question. If she was smart, and he was sure she was, she’d be thinking about survival.

  He wanted to peel away those layers and see inside her head. He wanted to see the cogs and wheels turn.

  “Is there really all that money in the trunk?” she asked.

  “Yeah. You want it?”

  “What? You can’t just…” she waved her fingers.

  “Just give you money? Why not? It’s just paper. It doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Wow, must be nice.”

  Parker took the exit for McCarran International Airport and followed the signs that would take him to the tarmac for the private travelers. “I guess it is nice. There are few things that money can’t fix, and money makes those bearable. I told you I’m aware of my privilege.”

  “That much money could change my life. I could hide for a long time with that at my disposal.”

  “It’s yours. And anything else you need.”

  “If I stay married to you.”

  “You can have the cash regardless.” He shrugged. “I should probably use it like some bargaining tool, and take it to the mat, but I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to force you into anything. I do need your help though.”

  “Isn’t this where you say there’s more where that came from if I help you?” She offered him a small smile.

  “Do I have to say it?” Parker drawled.

  “No, I guess not.” She pressed her lips together and stayed silent until they pulled in past security and his staff greeted them.

  “I have to tell you something.”

  “Can it wait until we’re on the plane?” He searched her face.

  “Yeah, I guess so.” She bit her lip.

  He squeezed her hand. “Hey, I want to hear what you have to say, but we need to get in the air. It’s the best way to keep you safe.”

  She nodded.

  Boarding the plane, he thought about the bedroom and all the hours they had in the air. He shook the thought out of his head, but definitely not out of his pants. His cock was rock hard. He wished the fucking thing would lay down like a good dog and be quiet. Parker had other, more pressing concerns.

  Well, maybe pressing was the wrong word, he thought, as he adjusted his slacks.

  “There’s a bedroom in there. A real bathroom if you’d like to freshen up after we takeoff.”

  “Oh, no trying to get me into bed now?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I’m trying really fucking hard to be a gentleman.”

  “So noted.” She sat down and strapped in. Then gave him a real smile. “You’re actually being very gallant. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Yeah, that was good. Asking for a cookie for not being a shit. He shook his head at himself.

  It wasn’t long before they were in the air and she breathed an audible sigh that sounded like relief.

  “This is the fastest getaway I’ve ever made.” She looked around. “Are there any of those mini liquor bottles? I could use… a hundred?”

  Parker wrinkled his nose. “How about more champagne?”

  “I could get used to this so easily.”

  He couldn’t help the smirk that curved his lips. “I’d like to cordially invite you to do so. This can be your life. All you have to do is say yes.”

  “You might be the devil,” she said.

  He waved his hand and a stewardess came back with a bottle of champagne and two flutes.

  “Thanks, Dee. Might you have a hot cloth for my lady?” He flashed his Woolven grin.

  Dee grinned back. “I’ll be right back with that. Anything else I can get for you?”

  He looked to Belle.

  She shook her head. “I think I’ll take you up on your offer to clean up.”

  Dee returned with two steaming cloths and Parker used his on his hands and face before handing it back to Dee.

  “As you know, I’m a licensed massage therapist as well. Would Mrs. Woolven care for some reflexology?” Dee asked.

  Mrs. Woolven.

  Mrs. Fucking. Woolven.

  Who the fuck was that?

  Oh. Right. Belle.

  Hearing that out loud shook him to his core. He’d always known he was going to have to marry. Mate. It had never seemed to terribly real until this moment.

  He was married to this woman.

  Who didn’t know he was a werewolf.

  He suddenly understood the displeasure in Drew’s voice.

  “No, thank you. I think Parker and I would like some time alone. Thank you,” Belle answered her.

  Time alone? His cock perked.

  Lay down, fucker.

  I
t did not obey him.

  He poured the champagne. “Well, here’s to us, Mrs. Woolven.”

  She arched a brow. “Yes. Here’s to us, Mr. Woolven.” Belle reached out and took the flute from him and downed the contents. “Show me to the bedroom?” She laughed. “That came out a lot more sex kitten than I intended.”

  “Strangely, I don’t find that problematic.”

  She laughed again and the sound was like music. “No, I don’t suppose you would. But really, I have to tell you something.”

  “I probably should tell you something, too.”

  “Oh, good. I like quid pro quo. Then everything is on the table. Fair is fair.” She punctuated her words with nods.

  He led her back toward the bedroom.

  As soon as they were alone, something in the air changed. It was as if a switch had been flipped and the rest of the world, the danger clawing at their heels, it was gone. There was only this moment. Only the two of them.

  Her pheromones were wild, filling up his senses with her. A thousand tabs in his brain were open and they all featured the same subject.

  Her.

  Her on her knees.

  On her back.

  The smell of her.

  Dear goddess, that taste of her on his tongue…

  The feeling was obviously mutual because her pupils had dilated and she grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

  He did like a woman who took charge.

  Especially this one.

  Her mouth was hot, and demanding. Her grip strong. He liked how solid she was in his arms. With other women, he always worried about hurting them. About his beast getting carried away, but he instinctively knew she could handle anything he could throw her way. That was hot.

  His fingers tangled in her hair and he had her clothes in a pool on the floor in seconds. He was pretty proud of himself for not tearing them to shreds. He didn’t exactly want her to meet the rest of the family naked.

  A low growl started in the back of his throat just thinking about it.

  “Oh, I like it when you do that,” she gasped.

  He went to his knees between her thighs. “You’ll like it when I do this, too.”

  Her fingers tunneled through his hair. “Parker—”

  “Mmm.” He lifted her and used his supernatural strength to hold her aloft while he laved at her.

  “Oh gods, I have to tell you some—”

  “Me too,” he mumbled against the softness of her cleft, swiping his tongue over her sweetness.

  Maybe if he was ears deep, “I’m a werewolf” wouldn’t be so scary.

  Or maybe, he should mark her now. Right here, on the inside of her thigh. She’d be his. His brother would approve. He’d told Drew to mark Emmie to keep her safe. Then there’d be no question about what lengths his family would go to so that she was protected.

  For some reason, that was paramount. He needed her safe more than he needed anything.

  That thought should’ve scared him, but maybe it had decided to manifest while he was ears deep for the same reason.

  So it didn’t scare the living shit out of him.

  His beast rose and he couldn’t fight it. Parker sank his teeth into her inner thigh.

  She called out names of gods he didn’t recognize and her orgasm was sweet on his tongue.

  But the wound healed immediately, much faster than even his saliva could instigate, and the taste of her blood was almost like a ghost pepper, burning through his tongue.

  “Did you just try to mark me?” she asked.

  So much for telling her he was a werewolf. She already knew.

  But just what in the hell was Belle Vaughn?

  Chapter 4

  He’d tried to mark her!

  Belle wasn’t sure if she should be horrified or intrigued. It had felt… yeah, it had been like a supernova between her thighs. She wanted him to bite her again.

  From the look on his face, he probably didn’t want to bite her again.

  “I tried to tell you I was a vampire.”

  “And here I was worried you’d be upset when I told you I was a wolf.” He leaned back on his haunches. “Why didn’t you tell me you knew? I feel pretty stupid.”

  “Parker, we barely know each other. I didn’t know how you’d react.”

  “You know me well enough to let me put my face in your—”

  “That’s different.”

  “You knew me well enough to marry me.”

  “We were both drunk.”

  “How were you even drunk? You’re a vampire?”

  She sighed. “I’m not your average bloodsucker. I don’t drink human blood. I haven’t for five hundred years.”

  “Holy shit, you’re old.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Listen, even immortals don’t want to be told they’re old.”

  Parker grinned, the flash of his white teeth endearing, somehow. “But you’re still beautiful.”

  “I’m not going to let you off the hook just because you told me I’m beautiful.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “What about if I eat you again?” He chomped his teeth.

  Her cheeks warmed. “Well, I mean… I won’t argue.”

  “We should probably put the rest of our baggage on the table, though.”

  “Yeah, you’re right, and if you want to drop me off in…say… Colorado, I won’t be upset. When I tell you about the people who are after me, you may want to keep your own family as far away from them as possible.”

  He ushered her into the shower. “Water is heavy, so we don’t have a lot. We should share.”

  “I don’t feel like we’ll get anything discussed.”

  “We will. I promise.” He held up a Lush shampoo bar. “Let me help.”

  His hands were everywhere, in her hair, massaging her scalp, down the back of her neck, her shoulders, the length of her spine… she couldn’t help but melt into him as his strong hands worked her flesh.

  “So, Q&A?”

  “Mmmhmm,” she mumbled.

  “Who is after you?”

  It was hard to think with his hands on her. It had been so long she’d allowed herself a real connection with another being. She’d had sex, but it had been about the mechanics. With Parker Woolven, she knew it was something more.

  Belle had to stop this before it went any further. She didn’t want her family to hurt him. They didn’t call groups of vampires a murder for nothing.

  But she wasn’t ready to give up this touch, the sparks that tingled along her skin wherever he made contact.

  It occurred to her again that his touch was like the sun. It warmed her from the inside out, starting in her bones.

  “I can’t think when you’re doing that.”

  He tipped her head under the water and continued to massage her scalp, rinsing away the soap. His body was hard, and slick, water beading off skin.

  “It’s so strange.”

  “What is?”

  “That you don’t smell like a wolf to me.”

  “You mean I don’t smell like wet dog?” He nosed at her neck, as if to punctuate that no matter what he smelled like, his nature was all wolf.

  “No.” She took the bar from him and lathered it in her hands before pushing it through his hair, and returning the caress. “You smell like sunlight.”

  He laughed. “And you, pretty fang, smell like chocolate.”

  “Is that why you’re obsessed with having your mouth on me?” she teased.

  “Maybe,” he said, his tone serious.

  She scrubbed her fingers through his perfect blond hair, getting an odd thrill from making it not perfect. He turned his face into her touch and she playfully scratched behind his ear.

  Belle found herself pushed up against the wall of the tiny shower, his hands cupping her ass and her legs wrapped around his hips of their own accord.

  “If you keep doing that,” he said, even as the water streaked down his face, “we’re not going to get
anything done.”

  “Yes, we will,” she purred. “You’ll get to remember last night.”

  Belle knew she was supposed to be thinking about how to disentangle herself from this mess, but he felt so good.

  Strangely safe.

  And she’d been alone for oh so long.

  Parker Woolven knew what she was now, and there was a freedom in that, too. She hadn’t told anyone. She’d lived alone, on the edges of society. Always hiding that part of her. She hadn’t realized how much she missed letting her guard down.

  His cock was pressed against her cleft and he leaned his forehead against hers, keeping their gazes locked as he pushed inside of her. He was impossibly deep, but it was more than his cock. Some metaphysical part of him was inside of her, too. It was if she’d always known him, from the beginning when she’d crawled from the ether of dark creation.

  Belle wanted to break this connection because it was too much, too soon, but it fed the empty pitch inside of her that grew hungrier by the day and she’d thought it was the craving for human blood, but Parker filled it, sated it.

  And oh my gods, they were in deep shit.

  The water spluttered and ran dry, but Parker didn’t seem to care. He kissed her, his mouth hard and demanding, her fangs descended, but still he didn’t stop.

  Not even when his tongue scraped against her incisor and she tasted his blood.

  That single drop of his blood sated another hunger she hadn’t realized she’d been denying. If she’d thought he smelled like sunshine, tasting him was like drinking a volcano. It burned, it was fire, but made her strong.

  “Mine,” he growled against her lips.

  This was the part where she was supposed to say no. She couldn’t be his. She was a vampire. He was a werewolf. Never shall the two join.

  Like, ever.

  But here they were, joined in the most intimate way possible.

  His body got bigger. It was a subtle growth there in the width of his shoulders, in his height, and the spread of his palms as he gripped her.

  “Say you’re mine, Belle.” The growl was lower this time and there was no mistaking his voice for human.

  His beast was rising.

  That should’ve scared her. Werewolves and vampires were mostly evenly matched. When they’d gone to war in the past, many had died at the hand of the other. He could hurt her. He could maybe rip her limb from limb.