by Anya Byrne
Rescued by His Lone Wolf Mate
Lone Wolf Pack 5.1
Copyright 2014 Anya Byrne
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
All Romance Edition December 2014
All Romance Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please forward them a link to buy their own copy, or use the gift function available on your All Romance account. Thank you for respecting the hard work and livelihood of this author.
This book is a work of fiction, not to be confused with fact, advice or suggestion. The characters are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons is purely coincidental. Cover art is for illustration purposes only.
Blurb:
Connor is a lone wolf. Having been banished from his pack at a very young age, he's spent his entire life evading others of his kind, while still yearning for a home.
Dani is a rabbit shifter. Cast out from his warren, he feels lost and alone in a world that doesn't welcome those who are different.
They have one available course of action—finding the Lone Wolf Pack, the family of outcasts who stood their ground against the entire werewolf world. This illusive spark of hope leads the two men to meet in a diner as lonely as their hearts, changing their lives forever.
Warning: Gay erotic romance. The material in this document contains explicit sexual content that is intended for mature audiences only. All characters involved are adults capable of consent, are over the age of twenty-one, and are willing participants.
11,259 words
Table of Contents
Rescued by His Lone Wolf Mate
About the Author
Other titles by Anya Byrne
Coming Soon
Rescued by His Lone Wolf Mate
Lone Wolf Pack 5.1
Anya Byrne
Copyright 2014
Chapter One
Willow Cove. Willow Cove.
Connor spread his map on the diner table, tracing the line of the freeway with his index finger. He hummed thoughtfully as he pinpointed his location and the distance that still separated him from his destination. Quite a while to go, a day at least. Enough time to change his mind, if he so desired.
He took a sip of coffee, staring at the map and wishing it held the answers to the questions in his mind. Of course, it didn't. If anything, it taunted him, reminding him why he couldn't even use GPS, smart phones, or any sort of Internet-connected device that could draw attention to him.
He was a lone wolf, an exile from his former pack, and had been for most of his life. He was used to it, used to the loneliness, the abandonment, the cold that settled deep in his bones and never went away. At one point, that chill had become comforting, numbing the memories. Did he want to risk it, risk what little anonymity he had left for the vain hope of finding refuge?
Connor took a sip of his coffee and sighed. He didn't have much choice. Otherwise, he wouldn't be here to begin with, considering throwing himself at a stranger's mercy. In past decades, being a lone wolf had become harder and harder. He could barely stay for a week in one single location before an enforcer or a silencer passed through and sensed him. Sometimes, they left him alone, but other times, they hunted him, and there was not much he could do about it, since lone wolves had no rights.
Neutral territory had always been his best bet—like the area around Willow Cove. But even there, he couldn't risk staying too long. Not unless someone was willing to help him and include him in their pack—such as Saul Simmons, the leader of the Lone Wolf Pack.
By now, most everyone in the werewolf world knew the man's story. Moon be blessed, even non-werewolves had learned of it, which was how Connor had found out to begin with. Saul Simmons had found his human mate and left his original pack to start a new one, just so that they could be together. His brothers and his father had followed, with their respective mates.
It hadn't come without a price. TJ St. Claire, the feline shifter Connor regularly kept in contact with, had told Connor that the choices of the Simmons family had caused quite the mess at the Gathering. Nonetheless, in the end, the Lone Wolf Pack had prevailed, and that had convinced Connor to make the attempt to reach out to Saul Simmons and his family.
It was also through TJ that Connor knew the pack included an enforcer, and now, even a silencer. Still, they had all distanced themselves from the ways of regular werewolves, and Connor had hope that, once they listened to his story, they would understand.
At some level, Connor knew his chances of success were slim at best. He should be trying to find a remote location, maybe shift into a wolf on a more permanent basis. It gave him a better chance for survival than a ragtag bunch of crazy werewolves who'd gone against the Gathering and somehow, through some twist of fate, managed to win. They would never chance drawing the eye of the werewolf world on them, not for a stranger. Someone like Connor wouldn't be welcome in Willow Cove—or anywhere else for that matter.
Shaking himself, Connor folded his map and packed it up in his jacket. He took another sip of his coffee, letting the warmth of the liquid soothe the chill in his heart, at least for a brief second. He needed to decide. Should he go through with his original plan, or turn back?
Before he could figure out an answer to his dilemma, the bell announcing the entrance of another customer snapped him out of his trance. Well, to be fair, it wasn't the actual sound that startled him. Plenty of customers had come and gone while Connor had been sitting in the booth, eating, then poring over his map. But this time, the distinctive noise came accompanied by the most tantalizing scent Connor had ever scented in his entire life.
Fire burst through his veins, and for the first time in many years, Connor felt. The warmth the coffee had provided paled when compared to this new emotion. Shocked, he could barely move a muscle, even if his entire being screamed to trace the source of the scent.
Thankfully, he'd chosen a booth that was both out of the way and provided him with a clear view of the entrance to the diner. He looked up just in time to see a vision of beauty hesitantly approach the counter.
Slender, almost tiny, the young man looked fragile, but the way he moved—each step precise and careful—suggested he was very in tune with his body. His light brown hair seemed to shine in the dim glow of the diner lamps, and when he smiled at the waitress, Connor almost melted in his seat.
"Excuse me?" the stranger said softly, addressing the human woman. "I'd like some information, if you please?"
That voice did things to Connor, stirring each and every one of his instincts, both protective and otherwise. His wolf reared up inside him, growling fiercely. Claim. Protect. Take. Mate. Oh, moon help him, the beautiful young man was Connor's mate.
So far, he didn't seem to have noticed Connor, which startled and somewhat alarmed the wolf. Nonetheless, he took advantage of the opportunity to further admire his mate and consider his approach.
Connor's mate was skittish, that much was obvious. He tapped his slender fingers nervously against the counter as he struggled to make himself heard. "Excuse me?"
The waitress finally turned toward him. Her somewhat hostile expression melted when she saw Connor's mate. "What can I get you, sweetie?" she asked. "Information, you said?"
"Ah, yes." The young man fidgeted and bit his lower lip. "I was wondering... I'm trying to get to a town called Willow Cove. You wouldn't happen to have a..."
All of a sudden, he trailed off and every muscle in his body went rigid. Slowly, as if afraid of what he would see, he turned
toward Connor's table. Their eyes met, and Connor's world tilted on its axis.
He had searched for a home and a purpose for so long. He'd been lost and alone, with nothing and no one to call a friend or a companion. But when his gaze met the dark chocolate orbs of his mate, he suddenly knew. This was right. This was why he'd survived all the silencers who'd hunted him down, year after year—to be here, in this moment, for his mate.
Those soulful brown eyes held a spark of something that looked an awful lot like hope, before it quickly vanished under an overwhelming shock of fear. Connor would have deemed his mate's reaction to him disheartening, but then, he noticed several human men passing by his table, zeroing in on the beautiful stranger.
Connor's mate pivoted on his heel and ran out of the diner so fast he left the waitress gaping. The humans followed, cursing under their breaths.
Connor didn't think twice about what he was about to do. He just knew he couldn't let anyone hurt his mate. The beautiful young man needed him. He shot to his feet and was almost out the door when the waitress called out to him. "Hey! You didn't pay!"
Connor reached for his wallet and retrieved a few bills, probably far more than what was needed for the coffee and his lunch. He did his best not to use his superhuman speed, since the last thing he needed right now was to breach the Secrecy Accords. He highly suspected his mate had done the same. His distinctive scent didn't seem human. Not werewolf, but not human either.
The diner where he'd stopped was basically in the middle of nowhere. Connor had no idea how his mate had gotten here—perhaps he'd walked or hitchhiked. Either way, it was far easier to track him down than it would have been in a city, where the scent of gasoline, sweat, fast food and everything else under the sun could overwhelm even a werewolf's nose.
Unfortunately, it was just as easy for the humans, who seemed to be pursuing Connor's mate in their truck. Without a moment of hesitation, Connor got on his bike. He prayed and hoped that he would not be too late, and that when the moment came, he'd know what to say and do. If he didn't, if he failed his mate... He didn't think he could handle it.
****
Dani was scared—but that wasn't anything new. He'd been frightened out of his mind ever since he'd been kicked out of the warren. The humans were so strange and different from his kind. They looked at Dani like they knew he was fundamentally flawed. Sometimes, they tried to touch him, although that never ended well for them.
Dani might be a rabbit shifter, but he was still far stronger than humans, and a kick from his powerful legs could fracture a human's hipbone with ease—as he'd learned, the hard way. He didn't want to hurt people, so he tried to keep his head down and not draw attention to himself. He simply hadn't known where to go... Until he'd heard about the werewolf pack of outcasts who'd stood their ground against their own kind. They all had male mates, some of whom were already pregnant. They wouldn't be affected by Dani's strange pull and would understand Dani's predicament.
It was his only chance, Dani had thought before he'd set out on this long journey. And now, here he was, fleeing once again from a group of humans who had decided to make Dani their target.
He was scared, but he knew how to deal with fear. Run, like his kind did, or face it, like he had been doing since his banishment. He had chosen flight, largely because this fear he felt... It wasn't like anything he'd experienced before.
The humans' hostility wasn't the only thing that frightened him. There had been another man in the diner, a man who made his heart race in ways he wasn't wholly comfortable with. Was the reason behind it even fear? He simply couldn't understand it, and the not knowing, the uncertainty—it was scarier than anything else.
He would have stayed, Dani realized, if not for the humans. He would have approached the stranger, because he had seen something in the man that called out to him. But yet again, Dani's anomaly was betraying him, and he could not choose for himself or have what he wanted.
To a certain extent, he was not surprised when he heard the car approaching. He had seen it in the diner parking lot, and had known that if it belonged to his pursuers, he would be in trouble. Since Dani was on foot, they had a clear advantage in that regard.
But then again, even if he'd decided to go trekking through the rough terrain and avoid roads—which would make his trip take forever—he would just let the fear win. And maybe it didn't make sense, but something inside Dani rebelled against that.
Of course, that didn't mean he was about to wait for them to make a move and attack him. "Hey there, pretty," someone called out from the car. "Why don't you stop and chat with us for a bit?"
Dani ignored them. He was used to such words by now, and if words were the only weapon they used, he'd be fine.
"Oh, playing hard to get, are you? Come on, don't be shy. You know you're just waiting for a man to give you what you want."
Dani almost gagged at the image of any of these humans touching him. He resolutely kept walking, his heart racing even as he tried to control his instincts. If he let go, if he used his speed to escape, he'd be risking the secrecy of his kind, and that was one thing that he could not allow.
The humans didn't appreciate being ignored. Dani heard the car stop, and the humans running toward him. A hand landed on his shoulder, and Dani couldn't take it anymore.
He lashed out, freeing himself from the human's hold before his pursuer could capture him. "Leave me alone."
Predictably, his words fell on deaf ears. The three men just stared at Dani, nostrils flaring, eyes glazed with a mix of lust and anger.
The situation could have gotten really bad had the sound of an approaching motorcycle not interrupted them. Dani risked a glimpse in the direction of the vehicle, although he'd already recognized its owner without having to even look at him.
It was, naturally, the man from the diner. He parked his motorcycle next to the humans' car and got off. He moved slowly, like he was prowling, and his gaze remained fixed on Dani and his attackers as he spoke. "I'd listen to him if I were you."
"Stay out of this," one of the humans snapped. "It's none of your business."
"I disagree."
He stood in front of them now, looking completely at ease and not in the least bit intimidated. Not that Dani was surprised. Predator shifters—which Dani had identified the man as—were nothing if not determined.
A particularly unwise human decided to test this determination and threw a fist at the handsome man. Dani's rescuer caught it without moving an inch. He squeezed, and Dani could almost hear the bones grinding together. "We don't want any trouble," the strange shifter said pleasantly. "Simply back away and leave. It's as easy as that."
Thankfully, not even Dani's anomaly could be stronger than fear and the instinct for survival. At some level, the humans must have realized they were in the presence of a far more dangerous individual, because the moment the shifter released his attacker, the three men bid a hasty retreat.
Dani let out a sigh of relief once they were gone. "Thank you," he said tremulously. "I... I didn't really know how to handle that."
The stranger's dark eyes fixed on Dani. Now that the threat was averted, he looked a little uncertain. "You don't need to thank me. Are you all right?"
Dani nodded jerkily. "They didn't get to hurt me."
He wondered what he should do now. Even shifters were affected by his anomaly, so the best course of action would be to leave. "I really appreciate the help, but I have to go now."
"Wait!" the stranger blurted out. "Please wait. Can I talk to you for a minute?"
Something in the stranger's voice tugged at a small part in Dani's heart, that stupid little hope that had made him embark on this journey to begin with. He suddenly knew the stranger would not attack him. Perhaps he already had someone waiting for him at home? The thought was strangely disheartening.
Just the same, Dani waited. The stranger didn't seem to have expected that reaction. He made a noise in his throat, and then passed an agitated hand through
his hair. "Hi," his rescuer said. "Right... Err... Hi."
"Hello," Dani answered, bemused. After what they'd just experienced, a greeting was definitely not what he expected.
The man looked straight at him and gulped. He opened his mouth, only to close it seconds later, doing a pretty interesting imitation of a fish. For some reason, Dani found it comforting.
"You wanted to talk to me?" he prodded softly.
"Right. Yes. First of all, I think I should introduce myself. I'm Connor... Fleming."
The latter word came out after a very distinctive pause, and Dani scowled, wondering if his new acquaintance was lying about his last name. Banishing the thought, he decided to give Connor a chance before branding him as a liar. "Daniel Fuller," he replied, "but my friends call me Dani."
He had no idea why he'd said that, but it drew a warm, wide smile from Connor. "Dani. I like it. Suits you."
The heat in those dark eyes made Dani burn down to his toes. He took an involuntary step back. "T-Thank you," he managed to stammer.
Connor must have realized something had spooked him because he lifted his hands as if to point out he was harmless. "Look, I'm not good at this, at words, at explanations, so I'll just be honest with you here. You're a shifter, right?" Dani nodded hesitantly, and Connor continued, "Well, I'm a werewolf. And I know this is the worst possible time, but the moment you stepped into that diner, I knew... I knew you were my mate."
Dani's eyes widened as he tried to process what Connor was telling him. It was not possible. Sure, he knew werewolves could mate other species, but Dani had never heard a single one of his kind ever being a werewolf's other half. Their ways of life simply didn't match. "That can't be. I'm a rabbit shifter. We don't have mates."
He regretted his words when Connor's face fell, a flash of agony coursing through the werewolf's dark eyes. It was quickly hidden, and he smiled, not looking in the least bit resentful of Dani. "I understand. I... I won't force you into anything." He paused, as if struggling for words. "But... I couldn't help but overhear you're headed into Willow Cove, and you seem scared. Even if we can't be anything beyond acquaintances, would you at least let me accompany you there?"