Midnight Mate: A Paranormal Romance Standalone

by Heather Hildenbrand

  “He’s a son of a bitch,” I said, my teeth clenching right along with my fists.

  “Damn right.” Wayne’s eyes glittered with a rage close to the kind spearing through me.

  “I’m going to kill him for this.”

  He smirked. “Might not want to mention that to a cop.”

  “Not even one who’s witnessed what he does to her twice this year and not done a damn thing to stop it?”

  I expected righteous anger. Instead, he just sighed. “I can’t blame you for taking that shot, but unless she wants to press charges, my hands are tied.” He paused, probably waiting for me to argue, but I was sick of wasting my breath. “For what it’s worth, I’ve talked to Tobias about this.”

  “Yeah, I can see he’s really concerned.”

  “I called him on the way. This is worse than the other times,” he added as if that meant something. “He’d like to sit down with both of you.”

  It wasn’t much, but it was more than I’d gotten ten years ago. I nodded, feeling suddenly a hell of a lot older than my twenty-eight years. “Text me the details. I’ll be there.”

  He nodded, his expression hard and determined. “In the meantime, try not to kill the bastard.”

  He clapped me on the back as he left, pretending not to hear when I muttered, “No promises.”

  12

  Cat

  It was cold for early September. And East was late. I’d gone from standing outside the clinic, now closed and locked, to leaning against the windowsill at my back. Texts and calls had gone unanswered. I was about ready to give up this whole business and march home. Rudy wouldn’t leave me locked out if he knew I’d been stood up . . . probably.

  On a final huff, I pushed to my feet and headed for my apartment.

  Of course, this was how my day would end.

  Between the ominous roses and the spilled coffee, this was just icing on the cake. While I walked, my mood spiraled right into misery.

  Losing my parents had been hard. Cleaning up their financial mess had sucked even harder. Giving up my childhood home in order to make the lease payments on the clinic had been a tough decision. Rudy’s offer to let me move in had saved me.

  It was the only reason I let him boss me into tonight’s date. Or at least that’s what I’d told myself.

  And now, East was ghosting me.

  Ugh. I really needed to stop picking unavailable men.

  Head down, I made a sharp right into the alley, intent on cutting through and eliminating my walk through downtown. The last thing I needed was to spot a patient or a friend and be stuck chit-chatting for twenty more minutes.

  I needed wine and pajamas and quiet. In any order.

  Easton Raines could go screw himself. Or anyone else for that matter because it damn sure wouldn’t be me.

  Up ahead, something moved.

  I slowed my steps, sucking in a sharp breath as I squinted into the darkness. My senses prickled with an ominous sort of anticipation. Part of me wanted to retreat to the safety of the main road, but pure human stubbornness rooted me. If I ran every time Midnight Falls felt weird, I’d never leave the house again.

  I waited, but there was only silence. Stillness. I was alone and obviously paranoid.

  Hitching my bag higher on my shoulder, I picked up the pace again.

  Another sound.

  This one a soft swish of air. Something was moving in the alley.

  I spun a full circle, angry at being frightened over what was probably a feral cat.

  “Who’s there?”

  A brush of a hand on my arm.

  I yelped and whirled, praying for a raccoon. Or a squirrel. Hell, I’d take that feral cat right about now.

  Instead, it was a man. And not even close to the one I wanted to see.

  “What the hell, Travis. You scared the shit out of me.” I sucked in a couple of deep breaths, willing my heart not to explode.

  “I had to make sure you weren’t being followed.”

  “I am being followed,” I said. “By you.”

  “Cat.” He closed the distance between us so fast that I nearly toppled.

  His arm shot out, circling my waist with enough rough force to nearly send me sprawling.

  I slapped his hand away and stepped back, but he followed. Fear speared through me. I didn’t stop until my back hit the brick wall behind me. He kept coming, boxing me in.

  Shit.

  This was not good.

  “What do you want?” I demanded, hating how small my voice sounded.

  “Did you get the flowers?” His eyes held the same brightness I’d seen the day he’d nearly shifted on me.

  “Yes, and it was completely inappropriate.”

  His expression tightened.

  “You shouldn’t be here. I don’t want to see you anymore,” I said.

  He shook his head. “You don’t mean that. Look, we were both upset. I’ve given us both time to cool off. We can work this out, I know it.”

  “I don’t need time to cool off,” I protested.

  His eyes gleamed, and I realized I’d said the wrong thing.

  “Even better.” He leaned in until I could smell his stale breath. No alcohol. So this was all his own crazy-ass mind then. That was probably worse. “Let me make it up to you, kitty cat.”

  His use of East’s nickname for me made me want to vomit.

  Oblivious to my disgust, he invaded my space. His nose nuzzled my cheek, and I wrenched away, breathing heavily. Fear zipped up my spine, leaving me lightheaded and nauseous. I had to get out of here.

  I glanced up and down the alley, but there was no one else around. What a dumbass move, cutting through this deserted alley. I might as well be the virgin in a horror movie right now. Except I was anything but a virgin, and unfortunately, the last guy I’d slept with was turning out to be the psychopath.

  “Travis, stop it.”

  Wrenching away, I managed two steps before Travis crowded me in again, pressing me against the wall at my back.

  “While I appreciate you playing hard to get, this is silly, don’t you think? You forgive me. I forgive you. We should cut right to the—”

  “Wait. You forgive me? For what?”

  “Spending time with Raines.” His voice twisted, and I shuddered at the look of hatred he wore now. “That asshole doesn’t deserve you, Cat. I considered punishing him for touching what’s mine, but then I decided we should just move past it. That’s why I’m here tonight.”

  “Travis.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You aren’t listening.”

  “No, you aren’t listening.”

  He moved too quickly for me to see. I grunted as he shoved my back against the wall, pinning me with an evil glare.

  “You’re mine, Cat. Always will be. Don’t forget that.”

  “Cat?”

  East’s voice drifted back from the mouth of the alley.

  Travis hissed.

  “Cat, you still here?” East called again.

  “Here,” I called before Travis could stop me.

  Footsteps came closer.

  “This isn’t over.” Travis released me and vanished into the shadows.

  My knees buckled as relief washed through me.

  East appeared.

  He took one look at me and closed the distance. Instead of pinning me as Travis had, he reached out and cupped my face in gentle hands.

  “What’s wrong? What happened?”

  “Travis was here.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “No, I . . . He—” I broke off, and East gathered me into his arms.

  I buried my face in his shoulder, inhaling the scent of him and letting it steady me.

  Some small part of me hated how helpless I felt falling apart like this, but comfort won out. I wound my arms around East’s shoulders and hugged him back as hard as I could.

  It made no sense, considering how little we knew each other anymore, but standing in the circle of his arms, I’d never felt safer than
I did now.

  13

  Easton

  Cat was safe. Cat was safe. Cat was safe.

  I repeated the words until I was sure my wolf wasn’t going to burst out of my skin and take off to murder Travis. Not yet, I promised the beast inside me. But he had it coming eventually.

  Hell, the list of people I was going to kill kept getting longer.

  Cat pressed herself against me, her heart slowing as I held her. She winced when my hands brushed the backs of her shoulders, and I knew he’d left a mark.

  That was just fine. I’d find him when the time was right and leave a mark of my own.

  “I’m so sorry. I think I just left mascara all over your shirt.”

  “You’re insulting my manliness if you think a little mascara offends me.”

  “Well, I wasn’t going to mention that I just wiped my nose all over your shirt too.”

  I laughed.

  She still had her sense of humor. That was a good sign.

  “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

  “Okay, but I need a tissue and a shower before you’re allowed to see me in the light.”

  “Whatever you say, baby.”

  I kept an arm around her as I led the way to her apartment. This time, she didn’t stop me from walking up with her.

  At the door, she paused and frowned. “Shit.”

  “What?”

  “Rudy locked me out.”

  “He what?”

  “His way of forcing me to go out with you tonight.”

  I smirked but then quickly smoothed out my expression at her glare.

  “Did you have a hand in the coercion?” she asked.

  “I—”

  The door suddenly opened to reveal Rudy looking reproachful. “What are you two doing back? Oh, shit. Cat.” He broke off and grabbed her, hauling her against him and stroking her hair like a worried parent.

  I didn’t mind it. As long as he gave her back.

  Over her shoulder, Rudy met my eyes, and whatever he saw there must have conveyed the severity of things.

  “Come in. Both of you.” He led her away and left me to lock up behind us.

  I did, hoping Travis wouldn’t come looking for us here. A confrontation wouldn’t be good for either of us right now. Not with Cat still upset and with me still needing to maim or murder something.

  “Tell me what happened.” Rudy led Cat to the couch and eased her down against the cushions, crouching in front of her.

  I stood off to the side, watching and assessing.

  “Travis found me in the alley near the clinic.”

  Rudy’s eyes narrowed. “What did I tell you about cutting through there?”

  She sighed. “I know. I just wanted to get home.”

  “Why were you coming home?” Rudy asked, brows crinkling in confusion as he looked from her to me.

  She glanced at me. “East was late. I thought he’d stood me up.”

  Rudy pinned me with a glare that would have made a lesser man wither. “What the hell, pretty boy? I trusted you.”

  I cleared my throat. “I got held up.” My voice was hoarse, thanks to the images of my mother now playing through my mind. I’d gone to meet Cat as soon as I could get away.

  Rudy shot me a strange look. “Uh-huh.” He glanced at Cat, who was still looking at me. “I’m going to pour us all a drink. In my bedroom. For about twenty minutes.” Then, he disappeared, and I heard his door shut.

  The silence between us stretched.

  I tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t make it worse. “I don’t want to make this about me. Leaving you there alone . . . there’s no excuse.”

  “What happened?”

  I blew out a breath and ran a hand through my already-disheveled hair. Cat tracked the movement with her eyes. Not glassy with shock, either. Good. I didn’t want to pile on.

  “I stopped by my mom’s house to ask for some advice before heading up here.”

  “Advice about what?”

  I hesitated, but after the day I’d just had, I couldn’t be anything but honest. “Whether she’d recommend that I continue in the family footsteps—a werewolf mating with a human.”

  Her mouth fell open in shock.

  Any other time, it would have been funny watching her flounder for composure. Not tonight.

  “I see. What did she say?”

  “Nothing. She was unconscious.”

  “Holy…” Cat shoved to her feet. “What happened?”

  “Broken nose. Busted lip. A couple of cracked ribs. They’re saying she might have brain damage after being unconscious so long.”

  “Shit, what are we doing still here?” She moved for her coat, which Rudy had tossed aside for her earlier. “We should go to the hospital and be with her.”

  “I was already there,” I said, grabbing her wrist to stop her before she could brush past me. “It’s why I was late. I had to make sure she’d pull through.”

  Cat laid a hand on my chest. “Of course you did. I’m so sorry.”

  I swallowed hard. “She’s resting now. It’s fine. She’ll be okay.”

  The last words left a lump in my throat. The doc had assured me she’d make a full recovery, that she looked worse than she felt. That was good because she looked like hell.

  “Do you know who did it?” Cat demanded. “They deserve to pay for this.”

  I could see the anger bubbling up inside her. That alone got to me more than anything else my wolf had been drawn to. And in that moment, my resistance shattered. Something inside my chest opened, and a feeling bigger than anything I’d ever felt before came rushing in.

  “East?” Cat pressed when I didn’t answer.

  I blinked to clear my thoughts.

  “My old man,” I finally said.

  Cat’s eyes widened in horror. “God, East. Did you— I mean is he—?”

  “He was already gone when I got there.”

  She grabbed my wrist, her fingers searching out my pulse. Then she lifted my hand to her throat and guided my fingers to her steady heartbeat.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Your wolf needs comfort. I might not be like you, East. I can’t shift, and I can’t lick your wounds or let you kick my ass until they don’t hurt. But I have this. Our heartbeats. Feel that. Focus on it.”

  “You think I’m going to kill him.”

  “Aren’t you?” Her words were without judgment, and I fell for her just a little more.

  “Would you think less of me if I did?”

  “Hell, no. I’d think you’re taking justice into your hands. It’s not like some random human could take him on.”

  “Sheriff Wayne took the report,” I said because I had a feeling she knew who—and what—he was.

  “Good. That means they’ll at least arrest him, right?”

  “Not if she doesn’t press charges.” I blew out a heavy breath and, haltingly, told her the story of my childhood. I ended with the Sheriff’s admission that this made incident number two this year. “But it doesn’t matter because she won’t let them charge him.”

  “What about the pack? Will they do anything?”

  “He says Tobias wants to talk to me.”

  She blew out a breath. “That’s something.”

  I shook my head. “Not really. My word will mean about as much as a stranger’s.”

  “But you’re a werewolf,” she said, confusion knitting her brows.

  “I have no sway unless I join the pack.”

  “Oh.”

  We fell silent, and I could see her lost in thought. My instincts said they’d drifted from my old man’s violence to her own experience earlier tonight. Watching her worry, for the first time, I considered joining the pack again—just to formally accuse the asshole who’d put his hands on her. If I’d been one of them, he’d already be banished. Or dead. And I would’ve had every right to do it myself.

  “Travis isn’t going to stop,” I said quietly.

  Her hand dropped f
rom my wrist. She stepped back, forcing my hand to let go of her throat. “I can handle him.”

  “He’s a wolf, Cat. A beast who’s lost control.”

  “What do you suggest?” she snapped, rubbing her forehead.

  Let me kill him.

  “Report him to the sheriff. Let him handle it. As a cop. And a wolf.”

  “What makes you think they’ll stop him?” she shot back. “He’s one of theirs. I’m a human. No one.”

  I closed the distance and hauled her up by the arms, half-desperate at her words. “You’re not no one. Not to me.”

  Cat stared up at me.

  I cursed myself for handling her so roughly after all she’d been through tonight, but I couldn’t make myself let her go. Instead, I waited for her to shove me away. Maybe even throw me out.

  A second later, she fisted her hands in my shirt and yanked my mouth to hers.

  The moment our lips met, my beast knew it had me.

  Need spiked, hot and fast, eliminating any chance I had at taking this gentle and slow. My mouth claimed hers in the way my wolf had been dreaming about since it laid eyes on her.

  My hands tightened around her, hauling her tighter against me.

  Her lips parted, giving me access, and my tongue swept inside.

  Cat made a soft noise, and I nearly ripped off her clothes right then.

  Lifting her into my arms, I started down the hallway.

  Cat gasped as I broke the kiss.

  “Which room is yours?” I demanded.

  “End of the hall,” she said, breathless.

  I carried her into the room at the end of the hall, and when I didn’t see Rudy lurking anywhere, I assumed I’d gotten it right.

  Crossing to the bed, I tossed her onto the mattress. She looked up at me with those doe eyes, and I could see the words already forming on the tip of her tongue.

  “Don’t say it.”

  “How do you know what I’m going to say?” she asked.

  Breathless. Flushed. Fucking gorgeous.

  “Because it’s written all over you.” I inhaled and almost groaned. Sitting on the mattress beside her, I leaned down and whispered, “I can smell your desire from here, baby. Don’t shut me out.”