How to Lose a Wolf
A Fated Mates Holiday Short Story
Michelle Ziegler
Introduction
How to Lose a Wolf
He left her once. She won’t let him get away this time.
Paige is positive cupid hates her. The man of her dreams left and never looked back. Now it’s Valentine’s Day, again. When is she supposed to get her happy ending?
Tristan couldn’t watch the woman of his dreams mate another male, so he left before he ruined her life. Running away was never his thing, but he’d do just about anything to make sure she was happy.
Now he’s back and Paige isn’t mated, find out how their story goes.
Copyright © 2020 Michelle Ziegler
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical method, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial users permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher addressed “Attention: Permission coordinator,” at the address below.
[email protected]
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living, or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Acknowledgments
I’m just going to say this - without my crazy author friends I would probably be a little less crazy. But, I also would never push myself either. So thank you Aidy Award from the Romance Chicks.
I have so many readers to thank, but especially my Beta/Alpha readers. Thanks Lucia, Heather, and Carol! They have a knack for reading between the lines.
Of course, my review team is a group that has my undying gratitude!
ALWAYS thank you readers! Thank you for giving me a chance and escaping into my world!
For everyone who’s ever regretted a lost love. Remember there just might be a really bad in-law you dodged.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Holidays with the Romance Chicks
Coming Soon
Also by Michelle Ziegler
About the Author
1
Paige sniffed at the drink in front of her. Her nose wrinkled.
"What did you say this was again?"
Ellen wiped down the bar. "I'm calling it the deadly cupid. But, I'm not sure it's going to stick. Whatever. I have a few hours to get the specialty drinks out on the menu."
Paige's stomach rolled.
"Is there anything but alcohol in here? I get the deadly part, now. And really, after one of these I doubt I'll care any more about being single on yet another Valentine’s day."
She took a sip. It was sweet at first taste. Maybe not so bad. Okay. She could do this.
Down the hatch.
"Wow. It's not a shot, Paige. Geez. Does the pack normally drink like that? I know it's been a little while since I hung out, but... Should I call an ambulance?" asked Ellen.
Paige's eyes crossed, or at least she thought they might have.
"No. No. And no. Did that answer it all?"
A burp gurgled up her esophagus until it burst through her mouth.
Well, that was ladylike. No wonder she wasn't mated yet. It was that, or she still held out for someone that was emotionally unavailable. Of course she did. That was what she did.
"Wow. Pretty sure I just heard your liver scream for help," said Ellen.
Yeah. She deserved that.
"Funny, Ellen. You're a hoot. No. My liver is fine. My heart however, well yeah. It’s super aware of singles awareness day."
That was it.
Thunk.
Her head hit the bar as if it suddenly weighed too much to hold up. Hold your head high, they said. Well, they must never have been in love with someone that would never love them. Or at least, love them enough to go against their mother.
"Hey, there. Paige. Don't let that hard head dent my bar."
Rolling her head against the wood, Paige eyed the dents and dings. Ellen had better be kidding her.
"You named the bar the Drunken Rooster and you're worried about one more ding in the counter that looks like it's seen more action in one day than my vagina in the last two years."
Uh, oh. Ellen's hands planted firm on her hips.
"If you wanted a mate you could have one, Paige. Don't even. There are plenty of wolves waiting for a chance at mating you. All you have to do is say the word and I'll set you up on a date."
This was a Charlie Brown moment where the adult's words faded in a wha-wha-wha.
How was she expected to mate someone she didn't love? Sure, there were plenty of hot shifters within her own pack and packs surrounding the area. If she could talk her masochistic heart into getting over a guy that hadn't given a damn about her since he'd left, she would. Instead, Paige lived like a damn nun. No, worse. She was like a zombie. Going through the motions. Living day to day and in the back of her mind missing him.
She sat up, and the room did a tilt. Nibbling her lip, Paige was happy to realize it was numbing up nicely. That drink should be called the miracle worker. If she could just stay drunk for the next twenty-four hours, maybe she could get through the holiday with no more emotional scars.
"Hey, Ellen. Can I get another of those stupid cupid drinks?"
Glass grated against the wood.
"It's deadly, but I suppose stupid has a ring to it. And no. You're not even sitting up. Let me call you an Uber."
Huh. Paige eyed the bar and realized she was eye level again. Well, apparently she didn't have much of a tolerance for alcohol anymore.
Paige waved at her and moved her cheek up the bar. Maybe she could absorb some of the residual alcohol that sloshed out of the overfull drinks.
When the hell would she be able to forget the last time he'd been in town? When the hell would she be able to ever go down his street again? Going a mile out of the way to get to the grocery store was getting old. Then again, she risked running into his mother if she didn't. A bitter overprotective female that most of the pack feared and hated. God, that woman. Then again, Tristan was a big boy. He should have made his own damn choices. There she went again. Sad, angry, hurt, and most of, all regret circling and creating the perfect storm for this shitty holiday.
"What does a firehouse in a big city have that I don't?"
"What? A firehouse? Plenty of hoses, and by hoses I mean penis. Something you apparently really need right now. Good Lord, girl. Are you still pining away over that idiot?" Ellen said as she poured a shot.
"What's this?" Paige asked, eyeing the pink liquid.
Ellen shook her head. "It doesn't matter what it is, just drink it. This is a stupid holiday. Let it go."
"Says the female that has a mate to go home to," she mumbled.
"Word to the wise, Paige, no one likes a pity party. I think it's time to move on. You get five minutes to sulk and then I'm calling up the pack and you're getting a date."
Paige sighed. "Fine. You're right. Maybe I'll go for a run, clear my head."
Focusing on life, she forced herself to steady, her wolf sitting at attention. She was ready for a run; she was ready for a mate. Now to just get
the human side of Paige on board. Sometimes letting instinct run the show was a much better prescription.
One last thought as she stepped out the back door where the Drunken Rooster let all the shifters change, not that Roswell would be surprised at what lived within the city limits. Still, it was nice to have a safe space.
Paige took off her clothes and folded the dress up, pulling the ribbon from her hair and fastening the fabric around her ankle. She tucked her shoes into the small bench storage box next to the door. She'd come back for those later.
One last thought as she gave into the wolf. She remembered how Tristan had taken a firehouse job hundreds of miles away just to get away from her. Why had she said anything? They'd had the best relationship. Scratch that. Best friendship. All she'd wanted was to change it, take the next step.
Wrong choice, obviously. She gulped in air.
It still hurt. The look on his face as he'd nearly tripped into a bonfire just to get away.
God. All the excitement and happiness from another mating ceremony had gone straight to her head. They'd been sitting there around the bonfire, her leaning against him as he backed against a log. He felt like home and for one brief second she'd thought maybe he'd felt it too.
Her wolf took over, and before another tear could come, she shifted. Letting her wolf take control, they were off and running towards the open space away from town.
2
Tristan turned the key and the throaty purr of his bike stopped. Pausing, he sat there, his hands still gripping the handlebars. If he got off the bike now, he was committed to staying. Well, committed to saying hi to his mom, anyway.
How long had it been since he'd run out in the middle of the night? His mom would either still be holding a grudge, or play the card where you ignore the unpleasantries and move on. Either way, nothing ever got solved. She refused to answer any of his calls, but he'd still left messages monthly. His brother was the only connection to anything going on here.
A couple of years, and yet this town never changed. Ethan, his friend and alpha of another pack, had given him a home and a pack to belong to for a while. The issue was that he'd never truly been home. Kian and Ethan had both been mated, moving on with their lives. He wanted to move on with his own damn life, but he still couldn't get over his best friend. If it wasn't her, he didn't want a mate.
Rubbing at his shoulders, he tried to massage away the pain. What pain was it he wanted to get rid of though? There were a few too many.
"Tristan Lawton, you get your ass in here and hug your mother."
He looked up. There she was. The woman who had high standards. High standards of where Tristan should be in life. She was a perfect example of loving something too much.
"Hey Ma. How did you know I was here?"
She smiled, rubbing her hands in a dishtowel.
"A mother always knows when her baby is home." She came down the rustic railroad tie steps. "My little boy. I'm so happy you finally followed that nose back home. The pack's going to be so excited."
He grunted. "Are they? I sort of abandoned them."
She smiled. "Nonsense. You're not the first pup to challenge the system and find his own way in the world. The pack is always family. Always home."
Swinging a leg over the bike, he got off and met his mother halfway. She seemed shorter, or maybe he was taller. Who knew? It was just nice to be home again, almost.
Tristan swallowed a lump in his throat. Being back with the pack meant he would have to face his past, and damn it if the pain in him didn't radiate out like a balled up explosion.
"So, where is everyone?"
His mom backed up, looking up into his eyes. Man, she looked innocent, but she scared him something fierce. His mom wasn't a female to be bested by anyone, including her own son.
Tristan studied her. Wait for it. Something was brewing in that head of hers.
She cleared her throat and his instinct had a wall going up.
"Well, let's see. Your brother is off showing his pup to hunt. Your sister isn't going anywhere for the next few days or so, not until her pup comes. You know how protective her mate is. He doesn't let her out of his sight. I'm sure you'd be welcome there though, after you come in and eat. You're nothing but skin and bones."
Tristan looked down at himself and shook his head. "Ma. I'm fine. I swear. I had a pack that took me in, fed me, and the alpha is still one of my best friends. You aren't the only one who can take care of me."
He watched as her eyes flashed from mom blue to wolf black and back. There's the scary mom face he knew and loved, or well maybe loved was stretching the truth. It was the scary mom face that caused him to up and leave.
"Fine, Mom. Feed me. Then I meet my nephew and later check in on sis."
She pursed her lips. "Fine. But you will stay here. Are you back for good? It surprised me to hear you want to come home at all, and the fact you came home without anyone special. On Valentine’s Day, I was certain you were bringing me someone to meet. Why else come back?"
He shuddered. Of course that's what she'd thought. Then it crossed his mind. She'd thought that and wasn't ready to tear off his head? This was a first. Maybe she could change?
"This is wonderful news though, Tristan. I found a very acceptable mate. She's a female of good breeding, first cousin to the alpha of her pack and she's looking for a handsome young male. I put a good word in once you told me you were coming."
Closing his eyes, Tristan willed his damn blood pressure to stop rising like the thermometer in the hot New Mexico desert in summer.
"Mother. Didn't you just say you expected me to bring a girlfriend or a mate? What would make you set up dates with others? What if you'd been right?"
She clucked her tongue and turned on a heel
"Well. Mother knows better, Tristan, and I had to have a back-up plan in case she wasn't good enough, now didn't I?"
There was the truth. The reason he'd left and been fucking miserable for the last two years. Mommy dearest couldn't let him make his own choices.
God, he needed to let the anger go.
Tristan hadn't been able to get rid of the last fight he and his mother had had.
He'd needed his mother's advice when his best friend, Paige had told him she loved him. Next thing he knew his mother was ranting about Paige and how she was off limits, wrong for him. What did it matter if she loved him?
Lessons learned in life. How could he get out of lunch faster? Following his mother, the house still looked the same. Quieter.
Swallowing the anger trying to surface up again as they walked past his old room, he blew out a breath. Ten minutes home and he was ready to leave again.
God. He'd asked the one person who was supposed to care about him, his mom. Back then she'd been an elder of the pack, not now though. A younger wolf had finally beaten her. Doubtful that she could separate family before pack any better now though.
His mother had broken his heart. But so had Paige. Could he handle seeing her with a family?
"Tristan, you're much too quiet. I know what you're thinking. Don't start. Paige is unavailable, and it doesn't matter what she wants. Besides, you'll mate far better than her. Things haven't changed. You need to let her go."
He paused. Right now would be a good damn time to leave. This was a huge mistake. He'd go back to his new pack and just suck up seeing everyone he was close to mated. Maybe he'd finally resign himself to being a lone wolf.
Why had he come back?
3
Clear-headed, she almost felt better. Paige needed to stop letting a dumb holiday ruin her day.
Studying the choices through the frosty glass, she contemplated each flavor like it was a magic potion. Chocolate chip cookie dough, mint chip, marble, Neapolitan. Where was the good stuff? The 'forget about Valentine’s day by drowning your sorrows in dairy and sugar.' The 'forget that you don't have the man of your dreams and never will' pint. The 'you probably dodged a bullet of getting a horrible mother-in-law.' No, none o
f those were flavors and now she had to figure out which one would drown her sorrows. It was this damn holiday. She'd been normal a few days ago.
"I love teaching. I love my friends."
Great, now she was talking to a freezer. Well, nothing like embracing crazy. But, seriously. She loved the fact she had a pack who allowed progressive females. Her life was great. But then the aisles of bright pink and red started to sprout up everywhere. The florists lined their windows with flowers and pretty hearts, and she wasn't ever going to get one from him.
That was it. No more pity party. Paige closed her eyes, grabbed the freezer door and yanked. The cold blast of air cooled her burning eyes. Blindly reaching out she grabbed the first cylinder of ice-cream within reach.
Peeking, she made out the label and sighed.
'Limited edition: Swirls of Love.'
Why the hell did fate hate her so much?
Fine. Whatever. She'd show this Swirls of Love who was the boss by eating it and letting it swirl around her digestive track. Screw this love thing. No one needed to get mated to be happy.
If she'd just let this all go, she actually would have had a date on her own. He was a handsome wolf shifter. Good build, nice hair, and yet the words I'm baby-sitting came out of her lips. Baby-sitting what? The loss of her waistline? Lame.
So now, she was plan-less, with a tastelessly named ice cream on the most romantic day of the year.
Walking towards the register, she flipped the bird to the nauseating aisle of love as she passed it without turning an eye. The blinding pink and red nearly glowed on its own. She didn't need to see it to know it existed.
How To Lose A Wolf: Holiday Story (Move Over Fate Book 4) Page 1