Contents
Finding Finn
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Epilogue-Read on at your own risk!
Claiming Christian
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Epilogue
Saving Sorell
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Protecting Pippen
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Epilogue
Theirs to Love
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Epilogue
Thank You!
Finding Finn
Wolf's Mate Series Book 1
By Kiki Burrelli
Copyright © 2016 Kiki Burrelli
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
Wolf's Mate Series
Finding Finn
Claiming Christian
Saving Sorell
Protecting Pippen
Theirs to Love
His to Love - Free short story!
The Den Series
His Baby to Protect
To AB
;) For helping me with research.
Chapter One
"You have your toiletries bag?" Finn's mother asked him yet again. She'd asked variations of the same question from the moment she'd picked him up from Cedar Hills Behavioral Health Institute. He'd assumed having to pick up your twenty-five year old son after he had been committed for four months for attempting suicide would make a mother worried and forgetful.
"Yes, Mom. Besides, I'm sure Frannie will lend me some toothpaste or toilet paper if I forgot them."
Finn's mom pursed her lips. Her cherry red lipstick had worn to the lip line. She wasn't happy that Finn had all but demanded to stay with his younger sister during family therapy sessions. In fact, Finn had gone as far as to make it a condition of his own release. He had no intentions of hurting his mother, but knew even a week under her well meaning care would slap him back in the loony bin. Probably not for the same reason. Hopefully.
That had all been an accident. Finn brushed the puckered scar at his wrist. Yeah, he'd cut his wrist and okay, he didn't immediately try to apply pressure or find a band aid, but it hadn't been for the reason everyone thought. The blood leaking from his body had been so surreal, beautiful in its finality. Try explaining that to a roommate who already looked at you like a bomb about to go off. He'd gone straight to the university apartment security station and the rest was history.
Finn didn't judge him too harshly. It had probably been scary stumbling across him in his boxers, standing in the kitchenette, a knife in his hand, staring at the blood coating his arm.
Finn sat back in the passenger seat of his mom's Oldsmobile. He enjoyed the summer sun flashing across his face. He had issues, never felt like he belonged. Even during family photos, Finn would offer to be the one taking the picture. He'd failed at any team sport, despite his naturally athletic build.
His mom pulled off the highway, taking a maple tree lined exit that would bring them to Frannie's neighborhood. Finn had always struggled in finding where he fit, his purpose. But, he'd learned in therapy that everyone struggled with that. And if they didn't, then they were lying.
He was re-energized by this new revelation and had all the motivation he needed to get his life back on track. He'd dropped out of his graduate studies in clinical psychology but hadn't really missed that much. A couple weeks of studying hard and a handful of aptitude tests should be all he needed to get back in the program. The university might need to do a few psychological evaluations. Finn might have to ask the instructors who'd given him letters of recommendation the first time around to do so again, but he was confident he would get back in and set his life back on track. Easy as that.
It wouldn't be easy as that though, if Finn had his mother hovering over his shoulder every second of the day asking how he was feeling and if he was hungry and, did he take his meds? Besides, of all of his five family members, Finn was most comfortable with Frannie. His mother hovered, his dad was perpetually irritated by him, and his older brothers, Felix and Farley alternated between torturing him or ignoring him. Francesca—Frannie—mostly left him alone. She didn't ignore him but didn't pester him with a lot of questions or demands. She just let him…breathe.
Finn's mom stopped at the curb in front of Frannie's modest but stylish one story home. The building itself looked more like a cottage, but the neighborhood was stellar. Food carts on the corner fostering an awesome night life, p
lus, it was close to the university that Finn had been attending before. He brushed his scar again, the motion was becoming something of a security blanket for him. He stopped though, when he looked over at his mother and saw her eyes widen with shock.
"Mom." Finn faked a smile and tried to sound calm. "It is going to be fine. Alright? I'm better now." He hauled his duffel higher up his arm and opened the door. "Thank you for the ride. I'll call you later."
She grabbed his arm. "Maybe I should help you get settled? I don't see Frannie's car. Have you even tried using that phone yet? You bought it at the gas station for goodness' sake."
This time, he really did smile. "Frannie has a phone too. I don't think she bought hers at a gas station." He swung a leg out and stepped onto the pavement, but his mom didn't let go.
"Finn. I…just. I don't know what I would do if…" Her eyes filled with tears and Finn had to look away. He caught his own image in the side mirror, dirty blond hair, boring brown eyes. How much of a shit bag was he that he made his mother worry so much? A rising tide of hatred welled up inside of him. He didn't deserve such a loving, caring mom. She'd be better off not having to worry anymore.
Sensing more dark thoughts, Finn closed his eyes and forced himself to silently repeat the mantra he'd been taught during group therapy.
I am worthy. I am worthy. I am worthy.
When he opened his eyes he avoided the side mirror. Instead, he leaned back into the car and pulled his mom in a hug. "You won't have to know, Mom. I promise. I swear. You should go now, it's Tuesday. You get your nails done on Tuesdays," he said like he was trying to prove how normal he was. "Maybe we can have lunch later this week. Thursday?" He spoke whilst still hugging her. Her darker, curly hair tickled his cheek.
She sniffled and nodded. Finn managed to step all the way out of the car this time and shut the door. True to her nature, his mom waited for Finn to fish the second key out from under a ceramic alligator in a tutu near the front door and open the door, before she drove off.
Finn shut the door behind himself, leaned with his back against it and breathed in a calming breath. It was dark inside Frannie's house and cold.
"Frannie? Francesca?" he called out thinking now how strange it really was that she hadn't at least come out to say hi to their mom. The front door and entry way led directly to a wide living room with windows at the front and a wall at the back that acted as part of the hallway. There was a brown sectional couch in an L shape around a wicker coffee table and a large plasma television that hung on the wall. He wondered how she'd gotten that installed but figured she'd probably had the delivery guy do it. Frannie was great at getting guys to do what she wanted.
He stepped through the living room to the kitchen. Straight ahead was the marble topped island and on the other side sat the fridge, sink and window that looked out onto her patio and yard. The appliances were all either marbled or stainless and she had a gas stove and oven. It was really a great house. Frannie had started raking it in writing romance books online. Finn didn't know if his parents knew that yet or if they still thought she was a freelance editor.
Finn plopped his duffel on the island. There was a note there being held down by a can of light beer. He recognized Frannie's impatient scribble.
Welcome home, Randle! How was the cuckoo's nest? Joking, joking. Anyway, I'm not home. You can probably tell that by now. But, don't worry, I will text mom and tell her you settled in beautifully. Enjoy this, most likely warm by now, beer.
Finn smiled. This was why Frannie was his favorite. Somehow, she had known he would need some time to settle. Get his shit back together. Her note continued:
I'll be back by Saturday most likely. Early next week at the latest, probably. Oh and don't freak out, but—
Just then, there was a distinct sound of someone moving behind him. Someone who was trying to be very quiet. Frannie didn't have a live in boyfriend or a girlfriend. This was a nice neighborhood, but nice neighborhoods attracted robbers, right? Finn tensed. He heard one more clear, heavy, ominous step and snatched the can of light beer, spun and hurtled it toward the sound.
The can met its mark, hitting a huge man right in the forehead before bouncing off and clanging to the floor. It didn't knock him over or even stall him much. Finn caught a glimpse of the man's dark hair and blue eyes before launching himself on top of the intruder, trying to knock him down.
He'd literally leapt on the man, but he still didn't fall. Instead, he'd managed to catch Finn and restrain him by holding him tightly to his chest, pinning both of his arms between them. Finn struggled, not a small man by most standards. He was considered fit but this guy managed to catch and hold onto him like he was a child.
"Let me go, fucker! My sister is going to be home any minute!" Finn lied.
The man with the chiseled jaw didn't speak and he didn't set him down either.
Finn changed tactics. "I just got out of the crazy hospital. Do you want me to go insane on you?"
That got a smile from his stoic face. Oddly, Finn noticed he had dimples when he smiled.
Why the hell do you care if this asshole has dimples? Finn opened his mouth again, gearing up to say something truly scathing, something that was sure to scare the big man off.
The big man noticed Finn's parted lips and scowled. He set Finn down, slowly, to his feet. "Your sister, Frannie, she left a note," he said with a voice as smooth as forty year old scotch. "She was supposed to warn you I would be here."
Finn exhaled loudly, only noticing then that he'd been holding his breath. He felt a pang in his gut when the guy had said Frannie's name. He must be a new boyfriend. With his broad shoulders and huge biceps he looked like he could be her type. Hell, he looked like anyone's type.
Finn very nearly physically shook the train of thought from his head. His sexual preferences were confusing and not really important to him until this point. As unimportant as it had been, he'd still never thought of himself as gay. So then why did he feel a tiny bit sad when he discovered this guy was here for Frannie? Loony bin, buddy. Does it to the best of us.
Finn backed up, away from the man, careful to never turn away. He bumped into the island, reached blindly for the note and brought it around so he could see the guy and read at the same time.
Oh, and don't freak out, but my buddy Luke needed a place to stay for a couple weeks too. There's more than enough room so I figured, the more the merrier. Don't worry, Luke just looks big and scary, he is really a puppy dog. Have a great time!-Frannie
P.S. I locked up all the kitchen knives.
P.P.S. Joke, no I didn't, but DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ME WISH I HAD!
Finn blushed furiously reading the last line of her note.
"Everything okay?" the man, Luke, asked. He rubbed at a red spot on his forehead. Finn noticed a small bump already forming.
"Shit, fuck, dude, I am sorry." Finn grabbed a towel and pushed the button on the fridge for the ice dispenser. He wrapped a couple of cubes up and stretched his arm out, almost like he was going to put the ice up against Luke' s forehead himself. At the last minute, he caught himself and handed the towel to the guy instead.
"Thanks," Luke mumbled. "You have a pretty strong right arm. Play any baseball?"
"I played little league in grade school, but got kicked off the team for apologizing too much."
Luke looked like he was going to laugh. "What were you apologizing for?"
"For being there." The moment he said it, he wondered why. What was it about this guy that made him want to throw out something so personal? Most likely, his subconscious wanted to scare him away nice and early so that Finn wouldn't have to worry about Luke wanting to hang out or do anything together. He had shit to do, tests to study for, a life to get back to. He didn't have time to hit the bars or play wingman or whatever it was guys did.
That was, if he wasn't already dating Frannie. Even if he wasn't, Finn didn't think a guy like Luke would need a wingman. Not with his piercing stare, square jaw and wide, strong ches
t…
What the actual fuck, Finn? He turned all the way around, not caring that his back was to him. This was what four months of self-discovery would do to a person. He opened the fridge and snagged the rest of the six pack of light beer.
Luke eyed the five pack in his hand. Finn yanked one out of the plastic ring and handed it to Luke while being very careful that their fingers did not touch. Then, he hauled his duffel back up and with a short wave over his shoulder, headed down the hallway to the guest bedroom he usually stayed in. As he stepped through the doorway he heard Luke crack open the can.
"Nice to meet you," Luke called a moment before Finn shut the door.
He tossed the duffel on the bed and leaned against the cool wood. His body felt like he'd just sprinted a mile, skin flushed, heart beating wildly. He was sure if he swiped a finger over his forehead that it would come off sweaty. Was there something wrong with him? A bad reaction to his meds?
He had no prejudice towards anyone's sexual preference. It was more that he'd always felt separate from the crushing and lusting that had gone on around him. He'd never been interested much in…anyone.
What was he even going on about now? He wasn't interested in Luke, he was his sister's boyfriend for goodness' sake. It had to be the adrenaline coursing through his body when he'd thought he was a robber. There were documented studies of people developing feelings they wouldn't normally during times of duress.
Finn chuckled once, nervously. It felt nice to have a logical excuse for whatever it was that raced through him. Now he could work on forgetting it.
Chapter Two
Luke's feet got wet in the growing pool of light beer spreading across the hardwood floor. The thin aluminum casing of the beer can in his hand had been no match for his claws. Normally—no not normally—always, Luke always had control over his animal instincts. He couldn't say that anymore, not with the proof of his uninhibited moment covering more and more of the hardwood floor.
A small mess and a destroyed can were acceptable casualties to Luke. The interaction could be considered nothing but a success, especially if you took into account what Luke had really wanted to do the moment he'd left the guest room and spotted his friend's brother, with a lean body like a soccer player and a round ass like a dream, bending over the kitchen island, practically offering himself to Luke.
Wolf's Mate Mpreg Romance Box Set Page 1