Misunderstanding His Mate (Paranormals of Rockydale Book 1)

by Ezra Dawn

  Misunderstanding His Mate

  Ezra Dawn

  Cover art created by JeB Designs

  jebdesigns@outlook.com

  Misunderstanding His Mate © 2018 Ezra Dawn

  eBook ISBN: 9781370277230

  ISBN-13: 9781984066626

  All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any means without express permission from the copyright holder. This book contains sexually explicit content which is suitable only for mature adults.

  Character Name Pronunciation

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Epilogue

  Playlists

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Other Books by Ezra

  Teague Jackson (Tea-gue, Jack-son)

  Roman Johnson (Ro-man, John-son)

  I have to leave. There’s no way I can stay here any longer and keep myself in check. There’s no way I can stay away from him. He’s supposed to be mine but he’s in love with her. My wolf is becoming harder and harder to control, he wants what’s his. I’ve got to go before I do something I’ll regret. Fate is a cruel bitch. I’ve known Roman was mine ever since my first shift but he’s human, straight, and dating my sister.

  Roman and I, we’re best friends; have been since we were kids but for the past month and a half I’ve been avoiding him like the plague. It’s not his fault, it’s mine. The more time I spend with him the more I want to claim him as my own and that can’t happen. Not when my parents are whispering about a bonding ceremony between him and my sister. Not when my feelings for him are more than those of friends. Not when the wolf inside is pushing me at every turn, wearing on my control. With Roman’s happiness in mind, I’m going to do the only thing I can do. Walk away.

  “Teague, there’s someone here to see you.”

  I look up from the design I’m tattooing on my client’s leg and say, “I’ll be right there Vic, as soon as I’m finished. Ten minutes tops.”

  Vic nods and exits the booth.

  I continue working on the design, trying to ignore the sense of dread pooling in the pit of my stomach. No one comes to see me at work unless it’s really important. Hopefully, my surprise visitor isn’t who I think it is. I’ve managed to dodge Roman for this long. I only need to do it for a few more hours and then I’ll be gone. Vic is the only one who knows of my plans. Mainly, because I had to give him a reason why I was quitting so suddenly. He wasn’t pleased at my leaving but he understands.

  I finish up the design on my client, administer the aftercare, and collect my payment. Once done I clean up my station in an attempt to stall for time before facing the music so to speak. When there’s nothing left for me to do I exit my booth and walk to the front where Roman is seated on one of the couches. Shit.

  Sighing, I walk over to him and say, “What are you doing here?”

  He looks up from the magazine he’s reading and says, “I came to talk to you. I thought we could grab lunch or something.”

  Folding my arms I say, “I already ate.” Which is a total lie but he doesn’t know that.

  He tosses the magazine onto the table, stands and says, “Then is there someplace private we can talk?”

  Sighing, I nod and say, “Follow me.”

  I lead him back to my booth and sit on my rolling stool gesturing for him to sit in the only other available chair, which is on the other side of the room. I’ve got to keep my distance if I want to control myself. Roman has other ideas though. He grabs the chair and moves it so we’re sitting directly across from each other. His scent begins to permeate the room and I bite my lip to fight the groan that threatens to escape. Fuck, he smells so good, like Twizzlers candy and my favorite Irish whiskey. Makes me want to roll in it.

  Control yourself Teague. He came here to talk nothing more. After calming myself, I look Roman in those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes of his and say, “What did you want to talk about?”

  He wrings his hands together and says, “Well, you know your sister and I have been together for a while now.”

  “Yeah I know.” It’s not something I’ll forget anytime soon. My sister and I have always been close but since the day she started dating Roman I’ve distanced myself from her as well. We hardly even speak anymore.

  Roman nods and says, “Well, I’ve asked her to be my bond mate. I know I’m technically human since I never shifted but I’ve grown up around shifters so I know what being a bond mate means.”

  I keep my expression neutral so he doesn’t realize how much that statement hurts. Feels like a knife has been shoved into my heart. My wolf is pissed, he’s fighting me for control. Roman is ours, hearing that Roman intends to mate someone else is pushing him over the edge. I’ve got to end this conversation before I lose all control.

  “What does your bonding with my sister have to do with me?”

  “I want you to be by my side at the ceremony. Kind of like a best man.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  His eyes widen. “Why? We’re best friends! I want you there!”

  “I just can’t. Friends or not. It won’t happen.”

  “At least tell me why.”

  I shake my head. I can’t tell him that the ceremony would send me over the edge and I’d likely kill my sister for poaching. Feeling the wolf push me for control once more I look at him and say, “If that’s all you wanted to talk about then this conversation is over. You need to leave.”

  He shakes his head and crosses his arms. “Not until you tell me why.”

  With a snarl I shout, “Because I’m leaving town!! I won’t be here when you have your ceremony! Now get the fuck out!”

  Shoving him out the booth I slam the door closed behind him and sink down to the floor. I’ve got to get out of here before it’s too late.

  I walk into my apartment and collapse on the couch with a sigh. Renee comes out of her room and plops down next to me.

  “So, what’s the verdict? Is he going to be there?”

  I shake my head and pull my knees up to my chest letting the tears I’ve been holding in fall. They quickly turn into full blown sobs and Renee pulls me into her arms. “What happened, Ro?”

  “He threw me out.”

  She looks at me with a shocked expression. “What? Why?”

  Wiping away the tears I say, “I did what you asked. Told him I wanted him to be my best man and everything but he said no. When I asked why, he went postal on me. Said he was leaving town and threw me out. I’ve never seen him so mad.”

  “Well, this changes things.”

  I raise an eyebrow at her. “You think? I’m starting to think this plan of yours was a bad idea. I should’ve told him how I felt from the start. At least then I could’ve saved myself from all of this. There’s no way he’d want me anyways. I’m plain, my looks are average at best, and I have nothing to offer him. Sure, I can cook and I have a good job but that’s it.”

  She crosses her arms and says, “Cut the shit Ro, you can offer him love and that’s all he needs. I don’t know where you came up with the idea that you’re somehow not good enough for him but that’s just not true. Besides, you’re the one who wanted to know if he felt the same way without risking rejection. I just came up with the plan. Fake dating to make him jealous worked. Even I saw the longing looks he sent your way when you weren
’t paying attention. So, he definitely feels the same about you but maybe the bonding ceremony trap was a bad idea.”

  “Nah, really?”

  She smacks me on the arm and says, “Drop the sarcasm. It seemed like a good plan at the time. Tell him what you want from him with a grand romantic gesture. Although, luring him to his own bonding ceremony when he thinks it’s mine might not have been the best course of action.”

  “Like I said. I should’ve told him the truth. It would’ve saved us a whole lot of trouble.”

  She nods and says, “You’re probably right. Guess we better go stop him from leaving huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  She grabs her purse off the table and heads for the door. I follow closely behind her, hoping we make it in time. I’ve been in love with Teague for years but I was afraid he only thought of me as a friend. So, one night after a lot of drinking I confessed everything to Renee and a plan was formed. We’d pretend to date to test the waters and see if Teague felt the same about me as I did him. If he did, we’d pretend to have a bonding ceremony only Teague and I would be the ones to end up bonded instead of Renee and I. It seemed like the perfect plan but now I’m not so sure. I just wanted him to know how much I loved him, that I was willing to spend forever with him even if we weren’t fated mates. In the end, all I did was make him mad. I’ve never seen Teague so angry but even in anger he was sexy.

  Teague is the very description of tall dark and handsome with jet black hair, vibrant green eyes, and tattoos covering most of his body. I live for the town’s equivalent of a pack run because they’re the one and only time I get to see Teague in all his naked glory. Lately, he hasn’t been coming to them and if I’m honest I’d say he’s been avoiding me. Now he’s leaving and if I don’t make it in time to put things right, I’ll lose him forever.

  Renee parks the car on the street outside of his house. She turns to me and says, “I was going to go to the door with you to explain but I think it would be better if you went on your own. My brother doesn’t need the both of us telling him the same thing. Especially, since I’ve ignored the scents he’s been putting off in favor of making sure this plan succeeded.”

  I raise an eyebrow at her, “What do you mean you’ve been ignoring the scents?”

  She shrugs, “I mean, when we’re together he smells of jealousy. When it’s just you, there’s arousal. So, he has feelings for you but even as a shifter I couldn’t tell how far those feelings went. Even the jealousy could be explained away by simply saying he’s jealous of the relationship. That he wants one like ours. Scents are never that specific. They tell you what someone is feeling but they don’t go so far as giving you the why. Which, makes the plan was necessary in finding out. Sure, I could’ve just asked him, but where’s the fun in that?”

  Rolling my eyes, I say, “You’re impossible. Thanks for the ride. I’ll call you to let you know how things turn out.”

  Exiting the car, I make my way towards the front door praying Teague won’t hate me after he hears what I have to say.

  Why did I wait until the last minute to pack? Oh yeah, because my wolf doesn’t want to leave his mate and also because I didn’t want anyone to know I’d be leaving until after I was gone. As I stuff more clothes into a bag, the doorbell rings. Groaning inwardly, I make my way downstairs and open the door.

  “Roman? What are you doing here?”

  He pushes past me and enters the house. “We need to talk.”

  Sighing as I close the door, “We already had this conversation. The answer is still no.”

  “Your sister and I aren’t together.”

  My eyes widen and I lean forward to make sure I heard him correctly. “Say what?”

  “Renee and I aren’t together. We never were. It was all a ploy to see if you had feelings for me.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. Could this day get any worse? My mate and my sister treating my feelings like an experiment hurts more than I want to admit. “Oh, it was?”

  He bites his lip and says, “You’re angry.”

  “Of course, I’m fucking angry. My best friend and my sister have been using me as an experiment for months! Why would I not be angry?”

  Roman shakes his head and says, “It wasn’t like that! You’re not an experiment.”

  “Then tell me what it was because it sure sounds like that’s what you two were doing.”

  “Renee only came up with it because I wanted to see if you felt the same way about me as I do about you.”

  I cross my arms. “What are you talking about?”

  He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “I’ve been in love with you for years, Teague, but was too afraid to say anything. I got a little drunk one night and spilled the beans to Renee so she came up with this plan to see if you felt the same way before I made a fool of myself by confessing. Although, the bonding ceremony thing was all her idea. That woman and her idea of romantic gestures leaves much to be desired.”

  “What bonding ceremony?”

  He blushes and says, “Asking you to be my best man was a trap to get you there. The ceremony was supposed to be for us. I, ugh, wanted to show you that even if we aren’t fated mates I still wanted to be with you. Forever.”

  Is it possible to melt into a puddle on the floor because I think I just did? My mate may have went about things the wrong way but he looks so adorable right now I can’t help but forgive him.

  He shoves his hands into his pockets and bites his lip nervously. “Well, that’s all I came to say so I guess I’ll be going now.”

  As he slowly walks past me, I let go of my control and shove him against the wall. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

  With Roman being a few inches shorter than I am I don’t have to lean down very far when I press my lips against his. His tongue sweeps across my bottom lip and I open for him excited to finally taste my mate. We kiss until we’re both breathless. Reluctantly, I pull away and press my nose against his neck, basking in his scent.

  Roman runs his fingers through my hair and says, “I know it was a trap but, why did you say no to being my best man?”

  With a sigh, I pull back and look into his eyes. “Because if I’d gone to that ceremony I would’ve killed my sister.”

  Roman’s mouth drops open in shock. “Why?”

  I bite my lip and say, “For taking what’s mine. I’ve been trying to keep my wolf from taking control. Every time I saw you with her or caught your scent he pushed me to claim you. That’s why I was leaving town. When I realized you were going to bond with my sister, I knew I didn’t have a chance. I was going to walk away before I lost control and bit you without your consent.”

  His eyes widen. “We’re fated mates?”

  I nod. Before I can say anything else about it he launches himself at me, wrapping his legs around my waist and taking my lips in a fierce kiss that scorches me from the inside out.

  He pulls away looking sated for a moment before anger sets in. “If you knew, why didn’t you tell me?! Didn’t you want me?”

  “Of course, I wanted you. I still want you. When I figured it out, we were teenagers, and you’re human. I wanted to give you time to do the things you wanted. Experience life before I tied you to me.”

  “That’s a piss poor excuse Teague. Just admit you didn’t want me and we can move on. I know I’m plain looking. There’s no reason you’d be interested in me romantically other than the mate pull. You can still walk away if you want to. I know that was your plan.”

  “Shut up. You’re fucking stunning and any one would be lucky to have you including me. I’m ecstatic that fate decided to put us together. I was walking away because I had to not because I wanted to.”

  “If you’re so happy about it, then explain the real reason for not telling me.”

  I run my fingers through my hair and sigh. “Honestly? It was fear. I was afraid that if I told you and you didn’t want to be with me. I’d lose you. I was also afraid that if we did claim each other that you’d co
me to resent me later on for not giving you the chance to go out and enjoy all that life has to offer before tying you to me.”

  “You mean sowing my wild oats, don’t you?”

  Laughing, I say “That was part of it yes, but I was talking about college and travel. Love. I wanted to give you the chance to love someone who wasn’t me because when we did get together, it would be for centuries.”

  Roman strokes my cheek and says, “I’ve always loved you. There’s been no other in that department.”

  “I’m glad…sooo, my sister?”

  He laughs, “Not my finest hour, trust me. When she gets an idea into her head she doesn’t stop until she sees it through. I just went along with it in the hopes that I’d get to have you when it was all said and done.”

  “You will have me.”

  Pulling him into my arms, I seal my lips over his in another searing kiss before lifting him into the air.

  His legs wrap around my waist and I keep him occupied with kisses as I make my way up the stairs to my bedroom. I place Roman on the bed moving the bag I was packing to the floor. Roman sits up on his knees and whips his t-shirt over his head. For a moment I’m awestruck by the man in front of me. Gorgeous brown hair and eyes, lightly tanned skin and muscles I could lick for days. I’m not sure what I did to deserve someone as beautiful as Roman but I’m glad fate decided he should be mine.

  He grins at me and says, “Are you just going to stare at me all day or are you going to get naked and claim me?”

  As quickly as possible, I strip out of my clothes and pounce on my mate grabbing the lube from the side table as I go.

  Roman looks at me and says, “You always keep that there?”

  I shake my head. “No but I’ve been spending a lot of time with my hand lately fantasizing about a certain mate of mine. It’s easier to get to when I don’t have to grab it out of a drawer.”

  He practically purrs when he says, “I hope you’ll share those fantasies with me sometime.”

  Smiling I say, “Anytime you want.”