by Sam Crescent
Once he’d gathered his wits, he remembered the human. The scent of her fear was sharp in the air, and he was the reason. He had planned to find her in his human form, not like this. He’d deal with Brass for putting him in this position. He’d broken their law—wolves and humans didn’t mix. But then again, a human was Darius’s mate. Un-fucking-believable.
He turned to face Hailey. She hadn’t moved, her body paralyzed like a deer in his sights. How could he fix this? Darius would have to earn her trust. She’d have to get used to his wolf form eventually.
He lowered to the ground, and settled in front of her, trying to appear peaceful and gentle. She stared, only her eyes moving. Gods, she was immeasurably more beautiful in the light of day. He wanted to talk to her, convince her that they were meant for each other, but he had to wait.
Every passing minute made him more anxious. She hadn’t moved, her fear still ripe. He had to make first contact.
Darius sniffed her shoe and then rose to his feet and nudged her knee. He licked her hand, the only exposed skin he could find. She gasped and pulled back so fast it startled his wolf. He nuzzled his head in her lap, desperate to feel her affection. It took a lot of coaxing before she dared to touch him. The moment he felt her fingers comb into his fur, he wanted to purr like a fucking cat.
She cautiously stroked his head, so he stayed as still as he could. The last thing he wanted to do was spook her again. When her fear subsided, he looked up into her eyes, hoping to spark some sort of connection. Would she sense he was more than a common wolf? Did humans feel the mating bond? Her blue eyes were stunning, and she held eye contact with him as he’d hoped. When he stole a quick lick of her cheek, she actually giggled, stealing his heart completely.
“Am I in the Twilight Zone?” she asked. “Or maybe I’m dreaming…”
He couldn’t answer, only able to savor the physical connection while it lasted. Darius imagined it would take a lot more effort to get this close as a human man. But as much as he wanted to be near Hailey, he needed to keep to his plan. He reluctantly backed away.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” she said. She beckoned for him, reaching out a hand. It took all his resolve to deny her and retreat into the forest.
Chapter Four
Hailey finally made it to the check-out in the lobby, now clear of anyone familiar. She was still in a daze after her crazy run-in with the wild wolves. Either the resort fed and tamed them, or she’d had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She’d felt a connection with the massive beast, and she wished he hadn’t rushed away so quickly.
“I’d like to check out from room 405.” She set the key-cards on the counter and waited, occasionally stealing peripheral glances around the lobby.
“I have a notice on file for you, ma’am. The roads to the city are closed. You’ve been given a complimentary room.” He gave her a new set of keys. “We hope to see you at the luncheon this afternoon. It’s included with your package.”
She stood slack-jawed for a moment too long. “I don’t understand. The roads can’t be closed. I’ve seen new people arriving.” Hailey wasn’t going to specifically mention George’s name.
“The sheriff was just in with the notice. I apologize for the inconvenience.”
Hailey shook her head. She couldn’t stay here indefinitely. Not to mention she had to be at work on Monday morning. “I’d like to speak with him, if possible.”
“Of course.” He picked up the phone, turned his head slightly to mask the brief conversation, and then faced her again. “The sheriff should be in conference room two, just down the hall to the right.”
“Thank you.” She took the new key-cards, just in case, and made her way down the hall. It was about time she got some real answers. Being trapped in the same hotel as George and his entourage was a living nightmare.
The door in question was partially open. She gave it a slight push. The focal point of the conference room was the massive oval table with a black mirror-finish. To her left was a full bar and floor-to-ceiling whiteboard. This was no Holiday Inn. Everything screamed money. By the far window stood two men in uniform. They were huge and muscular, definitely not the donut-eaters who frequented her coffee shop.
“Hailey Robinson?”
“Yes. Are you the sheriff?”
“No, I’m Officer Jacob. This is Officer Brass. The sheriff isn’t on site. I was told you have questions about the road closure?”
She snapped back to the present, briefly taken aback by their larger-than-life presence. Hailey vaguely remembered them from last night at the road block. “Why is there a closure? I haven’t heard about any bad weather. I really need to get home today.”
“That’s not possible.”
Hailey frowned. “Why not?”
The men glanced at each other before Officer Jacob finally returned his attention to her. “It’s dangerous. And top secret.”
Really? “Was there a murder or something?”
“Something like that.”
Heat began to creep up her collar as frustration settled in. She was going to demand to speak with the sheriff. “Surely they can allow cars to pass through. What about one lane? They can’t just trap people here with no answers.”
“Be a good girl and accept the free room,” said Officer Brass.
Hailey crossed her arms over her chest. The nerve of these assholes. These backwoods cops were too much, way too much. They could at least pretend to be politically correct.
“And if I don’t accept?”
“You can sleep in the lobby.”
“Whatever.” She turned to leave the room, her teeth grating so hard her jaw ached. There was no point in arguing with the cops, so she’d wait until she could get answers from the actual sheriff. As she stormed out the room, she crashed into a man walking down the hallway.
“I’m so sorry,” she repeated as the stranger righted her with a hand to each shoulder, saving her from falling on her ass. He wore expensive Armani. She’d seen enough suits a week working downtown to know quality when she saw it. The businessman even smelled amazing—rich and musky.
“Why the rush?” he asked, his voice smooth and controlled. When she looked up, up, up, he had the cutest smirk on his face.
“I’m just a bit upset about the road closure.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “It’s a necessary inconvenience, but I’m a firm believer of making the best out of any given situation … like this one.”
Her previous irritation fizzled away. This new guy stole all her focus. He was exactly what she envisioned a real man should be—five o’clock shadow, mature lines at the corners of his eyes, and a body built like a brick shithouse. His lips were full and the way he moved them was distracting.
“Will you be attending the luncheon?”
Hailey opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She felt like a lovesick school girl. The man’s dark, narrowed eyes were sexy as sin. And the way he watched her every move made her squirmy in a very distracting way.
“Were you not invited?”
“Yes, I’ll be going,” she said, easily making up her mind.
He ran a hand through his tousled black hair. “I’d love to meet you there, Hailey.”
The way he pronounced her name sent tingles to all the right places. Wait, how does he know my name? Maybe he was one of George’s friends. She held her breath, uncertainty clouding her thoughts.
“Are you feeling okay?” He brushed the backs of his fingers along her cheek. She closed her eyes, savouring the familiar touch.
“It’s you!” she blurted, taking a step back. She didn’t even have to ask, she just knew this was her mysterious stranger, the one starring in all her recent fantasies. But it couldn’t be. This man was no hillbilly. He wore a gold Rolex, so how could he live in the backwoods?
A knowing smile softened the sharper planes of his face. The last time they’d met it had been pitch dark. She imagined how disappointed he must be with his damsel-in-distress in th
e light of day. Hailey, on the other hand, couldn’t keep her eyes off every perfect inch of him.
“I’m glad you made it safely to the resort,” he said and then gave her a little wink.
“What happened? You just disappeared. You didn’t even tell me your name.”
“My name’s Darius North.” He stepped into her personal space, forcing her to back up until she hit the wall in the hallway. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you.”
He’d tongue-tied her again. Her senses magnified—each breath and every beat of her heart. He made her feel like the only woman in the world, so much more than the shadow she was accustomed to.
Hailey kept her eyes low, a wave of shyness and insecurity creeping in when she wanted to appear suave and confident. God, his lower half looked equally impressive judging by the bulge in his slacks. Not that she was an expert in cocks. “Thank you,” she squeaked out.
He tilted her chin up, impossibly slow, until they were looking eye to eye. “For what?” he asked.
She swallowed before speaking “Saving me.”
“I’ll do anything for you, little human. You have no idea.”
Hailey could only breathe and stare into those deep, dark eyes. Her pussy pulsed, heat chasing out in every direction. If he kept staring at her like that, she’d have a spontaneous orgasm and melt into a pool by his shiny black shoes.
“I’ll be waiting for you in the dining hall,” he said. “I’ll reserve a table for the two of us.”
She nodded, in shock that he wanted to have lunch with her—Hailey Robinson. And just like that, he was gone, continuing on down the hall as if she wasn’t just ready to let him take her virginity against a wall. What the hell just happened? She couldn’t move, her breathing still labored, and body a hot mess.
All she could think about was the luncheon, not far off now, and seeing Darius again. What she needed to do was get her ass to her new room so she could make herself presentable.
Her new room was on the sixth level, the top floor of the resort. The penthouse, she joked to herself. She expected something more simplistic than the room she’d reserved for herself and George. Since the hotel had to foot the bill for the road closure rooms and luncheon, she didn’t expect much. And she wasn’t picky.
After opening the door, she dropped her bag and stared in awe. The rear wall had floor-to-ceiling glass with a breathtaking view of the forest out back. She walked in a trance, taking in everything from the king-size bed, red roses, and chocolate-covered strawberries. This wasn’t possible. When she neared the glass wall, she noticed the Jacuzzi tub set into the floor, a bottle of wine on ice nearby. This had to be a mistake.
****
Darius waited in the lobby for his mate. He kept checking his watch, his nerves on edge being away from her. Being stuffed into a suit didn’t help his discomfort. The luncheon was filling up with human socialites, and if it weren’t for Hailey, he’d be anywhere but here. How ironic that a little human had stolen his heart. When he saw her coming, his cock reacted immediately. He watched each step she took, capturing every detail to memory. His wolf wanted him to snatch her away, claim her, and fuck her. It was his human side that gave him the composure he desperately needed to do things right.
Before she reached him, Hailey was flanked by three males, blocking her from his view. He growled his irritation.
“Problem, boss?” asked Thorn. His beta had been patrolling the resort, ready to assist Darius with his plan.
“Maybe.”
He wanted to give his woman the fairy-tale experience, and he hoped it would be enough for her to choose him as a life mate. What he hadn’t anticipated were outside complications.
“Hailey, let me explain,” said the blond man. “I promise it’s not what you think.”
Darius could sense his mate’s discomfort, and his fangs lengthened in response. At any moment, he’d lose all composure and make a scene he’d regret. “Thorn, you better deal with this.”
His beta didn’t hesitate, walking directly towards the group. “Is there a problem here?”
“No, there’s no problem, Sheriff. I’m just talking with my fiancée.”
“You’re not my fiancé,” Hailey snapped. “Why don’t you go back to your girlfriend?”
“There’s no one else,” he said. “I was just delayed.”
“Look, I’m not stupid, and I’m not doing this again. I’m done.” Hailey whirled around and headed back to the elevators.
When the male attempted to chase after her, Thorn used an outstretched arm as a road block. “I don’t think so, lover boy. She said she’s done, so be smart and stay away from her.”
“Excuse me? Have I broken the law?”
The little shit was one of those cocky bastards who came to the resort to play golf and boast about their toys. And he thought he had a chance with Darius’s mate. Big fucking mistake.
“If I see you near that woman again, we’re going to have a serious problem.” Thorn walked away from the group with no further discussion.
Darius stayed in the lobby, shattered that his plans had been ruined. He had the best seat in the house reserved, and he looked forward to having a romantic lunch with Hailey. His pack wouldn’t be able to keep up the roadblock ploy much longer, so he’d soon lose his window of opportunity to prove himself as a worthy mate in the human way. He didn’t think hunting her down werewolf-style would be a hit.
He met up with his packmates at the rear of the resort. “Where the fuck did that asshole come from?”
Jacob shrugged. “We won’t let him near your human.”
This had to be the male who’d dumped Hailey. He was a fool, and he’d lost his chance.
Darius wanted to rip the human to unrecognizable shreds, and it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. Maybe the prick would take a walk in the woods.
“You should make your move, Darius. That guy looks like trouble,” said Thorn.
“Do you think I’ll let him have her? That I’ll stand on the sidelines while he takes what’s mine?”
Thorn tugged at the collar of his uniform. “Are you sure it’s the mating call? Maybe you just need to get laid.”
He was losing patience with his pack. They probably wanted to hit up the single females at the luncheon, but their libidos had to take a backseat until Darius had his woman.
“The only female I’ll be fucking is my mate. Now that the lunch has gone to shit, I only have the dinner to get this right. Keep an eye on that male. He gets nowhere near Hailey.”
Darius needed to let off some steam, which meant getting out of his suit so he could shift into his alpha wolf. But even that would have to wait. He’d never felt such aggression for another living thing until he set his eyes on Hailey’s ex.
****
Why am I crying? Hailey blamed her emotional breakdown on the hurt and stress George had caused her, not just this weekend, but their entire relationship. Seeing him in the flesh again brought back a plethora of negative feelings. She’d put up with his bullshit because she didn’t think she deserved anything better, and she desperately wanted to be loved. But it only took one man for her to consider the possibility that real love wasn’t out of the question.
Her thoughts drifted to that deep voice and those fuck-me eyes. Darius had literally saved her life, and promised her the world. It only took a few words from him to make her spineless with desire. But as much as she wanted to run headlong into Darius’s arms, she had to be cautious. It all seemed too good to be true. And she couldn’t survive being burned again.
She flopped on her bed and stared at the ceiling. “I’ve lost my chance because of that idiot.” Hailey had ditched her dream man at the luncheon because of George. She wanted to scream.
A knock at her door made her bolt up in the bed. Was it Darius? George? Her heart raced as she tiptoed to the door.
“Who is it?”
“I have a delivery from the front desk.”
She exhaled before opening the door. A
hotel staff member handed her a large pink box with matching bow. It wasn’t too heavy. What the hell was it?
Hailey set the box on a chair and carefully lifted the lid. She wasn’t used to getting surprises. Inside was a full-length black dress, one she’d never be able to afford. She held it up against herself and did a little spin. It was so extravagant, and she doubted she’d have the nerve to wear it in public. Without a note, she had no clue who’d sent it—and the possibilities excited and terrified her.
Chapter Five
As evening settled over his land, the moon barely revealing itself in the darkening sky, Darius felt his wolf coming to life. It would be a full moon tonight, the peak of his virility. It would take a herculean effort to play the gentleman tonight when all he wanted to do was hunt down Hailey and mark her as his mate. He stood in the shadows far outside the resort, watching the crowds of well-dressed guests make their way from the parking area to the ballroom. Everyone who was anyone in the district was in attendance. He only cared about one—Hailey Robinson.
There was one person standing in his way—George Halbridge in room 211. Thorn had pulled a load of background information up for him, including phone records, bank statements, and employment history. The piece of shit was using Hailey as a marketing strategy. Apparently marrying a little orphan from the poor side of town would give him huge brownie points at the law firm he worked for. But George didn’t love Hailey. He had women on the side, and they were frequently turned over. His swagger was all a façade—the man currently lived off credit, hence the desperate ploy with Hailey.
Now Darius had to court his woman, keep the asshole at bay, and do it without hurting Hailey. She didn’t need to know George had used her from the beginning. Not to mention, Darius had to pull her into his world, one she could consider a horror show or a fairy tale. He hoped to the gods she thought the latter.
“Hey.” Thorn sauntered across the lawn towards him. They stood in the dark shadows, side-by-side, watching the lights and glamour of the hotel and guests in the distance.