by Milly Taiden
Her eyes gave him the once over and she licked her bottom lip. The invitation was clear, as was the greed in her eyes. It wasn’t just Giselle, though. The title Alpha sent ripples through the entire pack, and suddenly his senses were buffeted by estrogen and heat. No wonder the other males were sullen.
Jaylon dismissed the promise of easy sex and focused on Matheus and his father. “Why now?” he asked both men.
“You hit the nail on the head yourself. The half-bloods need someone to show them the true meaning of being dual-natured. Not one or the other,” his father replied.
“Your father’s right.” Matheus nodded. “You are to be our example, Jaylon. The one who can bring shifter pride back to our pack.”
Jaylon laughed. “And how do you expect me to do that?”
Matheus exchanged a glance with Wyatt and then raised one hand, placing it on the book of rites in his lap. “A scenting ceremony followed by a mating rite with a shifter woman of our choice.”
“What?” Jaylon roared and his wolf rose to just beneath the surface. “No!”
“Are you refusing the council, then?” Matheus questioned.
“I’ll do it,” a male called out. “I’ll take one for the team, easy. Make me Alpha and I’ll mount whatever shifter bitch you point my way.”
Matheus’s eyes narrowed at the man. “We can’t simply appoint someone Alpha and you all know it. However, if Jaylon is too proud to put the needs of the pack ahead of his own, then that constitutes grounds for a blood challenge, should any of you be inclined.”
“You never mentioned that as a possibility, Matheus! I won’t allow it!” Wyatt clenched his fists, ignoring the tittering laughter.
Jaylon eyed the old council member. “You do realize you’re giving me no choice.”
Matheus templed his fingers, his elbows on the arms of his chair with the gold leaf along the spine of the book of rites glinting in the fire light. “You have a choice, Jaylon. It may not be one you like, but it is a choice, nonetheless.”
“Cut the bullshit, Matheus. You know I’m not going to bow to your provisos nor am I going to submit to a needless blood challenge.”
“Jaylon—” Wyatt’s tone warned.
Jay raised one hand. The motion acknowledged his father, but he still continued. “Since this is my father’s wish and as he is ill, I will step up and do my duty to our pack, but I demand the right to choose my own mate.”
Matheus nodded. “Very well. You have thirty days to find an acceptable mate. If by that time you haven’t done so, you will submit to our choice or face a blood challenge.”
Jaylon’s jaw tightened. Matheus was a shrewd old dog. Somehow he allowed the old wolf to corner him. He had no choice. Not a real one, anyway.
“Thirty days. Done.” Jaylon nodded once and then turned on his heel and stormed out.
He stalked across the wide lawn into the dark and headed over the planked walkway toward the sand and the beach beyond. Standing in the wind, he ran a hand through his hair.
“And I was having such a good day,” he muttered at the sound of his father’s approach.
“I’m sorry, son. I didn’t anticipate Matheus’s curve ball. You’d think I’d know by now not to underestimate the old mutt.”
“How the hell am I going to find a mate in one month? Especially on Long Island.”
His father reached into the breast pocket of his jacket. “Maybe you need to cast your net wider.”
“And how do you suggest I do that?”
Wyatt held out the business card in his hand. “Here’s your answer.”
3
Gerri Wilder slid her eyes to her landline, picking up the receiver before the phone even rang. “Paranormal Dating Agency, how may I help you?”
“May I speak with Gerri Wilder, please?”
Phone to her ear, a knowing grin spread across the older woman’s face. “Jaylon Ross. I’ve been expecting your call.” Her smile widened at his pregnant pause on the other side of the receiver.
“How—”
“It’s best you don’t ask too many questions, dear,” Gerri replied, cutting him off. “Suffice it to say I knew your mother, God rest her soul. And how is your father, by the way?”
“As well as can be expected, considering.” He hesitated, clearing his throat, obviously trying to salvage his composure.
“Indeed. So, tell me, what can I do for you?”
“I assume you got my email. I had to google the address as your business card only has a phone number listed,” Jay answered.
She chuckled. “That card is older than you, boy. There was no such thing as email back then.”
“Uhm, of course,” was his awkward reply. “Did you have a chance to read what I sent?”
“Yes. It’s quite the situation you find yourself in, eh?”
“This is embarrassing, Ms. Wilder, but as I explained, my circumstances are unusual.”
“Thirty days,” she restated from the info he sent. “I understand your constraints and your concerns, but I’ve handled worse. Shifter matches, especially ones that involve Alphas, can be tricky to say the least.”
“Good, then you can get started culling your list of possible candidates or whatever it is you do,” he answered.
“You don’t trust easily, do you, Jaylon?”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
Gerri chuckled. “I would and I’m always right. Like father, like son.”
She opened his file on her laptop and skimmed his email again before clicking on another file, situating the two side by side on the screen. A slow smile tugged at her lips.
“Both so sure of what you want,” she murmured to herself, her gaze flicking between the two files.
“This really doesn’t concern my father,” he muttered, slightly put off.
A knowing tingle tickled her stomach, the same feeling she had whenever a match was right.
“I wasn’t referring to your father, Jaylon, and I never provide a list of possible candidates, culled or otherwise. There’s only one pick and I’m looking at yours right now.”
“With all due respect, Ms. Wilder, that doesn’t offer me much in terms of choice.”
“Let’s get right down to it, then. Do you like pussy?”
There was a short silence. She tried not to laugh, knowing exactly what he was thinking.
“I don’t really see what that has anything to do with—”
“Felines, cats...pussy. Got any problem with pussy, Jaylon?”
“Uh, no. I don’t…” he said in a voice that sounded less and less sure.
She loved making big Alpha men question what she was up to.
“Good. What about bears, birds, other shifters or paranormals?”
“At this rate, I’d be happy if she is of child-bearing age.”
“There is something to be said for older women, Jaylon.” Gerri grinned. “They know all the tricks to make men crazy.”
“Are you—”
“So, are you ready to listen?” she asked, cutting him off again.
He gave an exasperated sigh. “I guess I have no choice.”
She closed both files and turned her attention to the call. “I color outside the lines, Jaylon, and my instincts are one hundred percent right. While I appreciate your list of essential character traits in a potential mate, you’ll just have to trust me. Meet me for coffee tomorrow at Madman Espresso on 35th Street near Pennsylvania Station in New York City and we can discuss things further.”
The other end of the line clicked off and Jaylon glanced at the creased business card in his hand.
Sparing a look for his dad, he watched a smirk cross his father’s face, the words I told you so hanging in the air between them.
4
“I gotta go, Lys. The train is pulling into the station—what? No, of course not. I have no intention of meeting anyone other than Ms. Wilder today. I’ll hear what she has to say, but that’s it. Yes, I know what she looks like, jeez. I googled her profile. Wh
at? No—I promise. No decisions today. If I don’t like the guy she picked out, I’ll look at pics and profiles of other candidates, if any.”
Gathering her jacket and purse, Becca juggled the phone between her shoulder and her ear as Lyssa talked on, exhausted before her afternoon began. She would meet with Gerri later and then do a little shopping before catching the five p.m. train for the two hour trek back to southern Jersey.
“I know I can fight what the council said, Lys, and I love you for going to bat for me.” She paused. “Exactly! If I stand my ground, then I let the Leap down, but if I don’t stand up for myself, what message am I sending our females?”
Becca didn’t care how the council painted the scenario. Package it up pretty and label it an alliance, it didn’t change the fact she was taking one for the team. Done. Drop the mic.
In this game, she was both scorekeeper and umpire, and it would be game over if this Paranormal Dating Agency didn’t produce what she wanted. A guy with a strong pack, but no ambition to run things. Easy on the eyes would be a plus, but good-looking went hand-in-hand with ego, and ego equaled self-importance. That was a strike in this ball game.
“No, Lys. I know what I want. A strong pack, yes, but I don’t want a throwback to the Jurassic period either. Neanderthal shifters need not apply, know what I mean?”
Becca snorted. “Oh my God, Lyssa! Well hung is of NO consequence, you dirty bitch. Listen…I love you, but I really gotta go. Everyone’s getting off the train. Yeah, yeah…I’ll call you later.”
Becca hung up, ignoring Lyssa’s last comment, and stepped onto the platform. She followed the crowd up the escalator to the main terminal. At the top, she lifted her foot to step off the moving stairs, but caught her heel in the hem of her maxi skirt.
“Oh, Crap! Damn!”
She pitched forward, careening toward the floor, but a strong hand caught her around the waist. Her handbag tumbled to the ground, its contents spilling everywhere.
“Easy there, killer. You okay?” a deep, masculine voice asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Too embarrassed to look up, Becca knelt to gather her wallet and personal items. “I don’t know what happened. Balance is usually second nature to me.”
“Not a city girl, huh? Don’t sweat it. I’m here all the time and I still get distracted by the hustle and bustle,” he said with a small chuckle.
At this point, Becca stopped stuffing items into her purse and looked up, not wanting to be rude. Shielding her eyes from the florescent glare, Becca blinked, her mouth going dry at the sight of the gorgeous man standing over her.
“Uhm, no. Not a city girl at all. Am I that obvious?” she replied. Obvious? Try star struck teenager.
He held out his hand to help her up from her knees. “You’re a country mouse, all right. Not a good thing in this neck of the woods, though.” He leaned in with a wink. “Too many predators.”
An amazing smile flashed across his full mouth and Becca’s inner cat purred, her whole body reacting to his proximity. Heat crawled up her cheeks and she had to clear her throat to find her voice.
“Predators don’t worry me that much. I’m pretty good at taking care of myself,” she answered matter-of-factly.
He gave her a knowing nod. “I guessed as much. I have the same specialized set of skills.”
His hand was still on her arm, and sparks skittered across her bare skin at the pressure from his fingers. “Wolf. Right?” she croaked.
“Jaylon Ross, at your service, Miss—”
“Becca Duran.”
Jaylon smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Becca, and your escalator escapade notwithstanding, my guess is your balance would rival a tightrope walker. I bet your specialized skills are as sharp as mine, including a bit of jungle camouflage in a tawny, spotted coat.”
She nodded. “North American leopard.” God, the smell of him sent her cat into a purring frenzy.
Without letting go of her arm, Jaylon bent to scoop up her jacket, draping it over her shoulders.
“Well, Becca Duran, I’d be happy to escort you anywhere you want in the big, bad city.”
She smirked. “Says the big, bad wolf.”
He grinned. “I’d say the better to eat you with my dear, but we’ve only known each other for two minutes.”
Oh no, he didn’t!
Excitement zigged straight from her belly to the sweet spot between her legs. Her panties dampened and she stifled a gasp at the images her mind conjured.
“I’d love to stretch these two minutes into longer, if you’re game. Can I buy you a cup of coffee or something?” he asked.
Her mind screamed, “Yes!” but she hesitated before giving him a casual shrug. “Why not?”
“You sure?” he questioned. “For a second you looked like you had some place you needed to be.”
She glanced at her watch and then at Jaylon. “Actually, I did have an appointment. I’m supposed to meet a friend for coffee.”
Disappointment laced his eyes. “Lucky guy.”
“It’s not like that, honest,” Becca quickly replied. “I am supposed to meet someone, but she’s more of a business acquaintance. I can shoot her a quick text and then catch up with her later.”
There was no way to get in touch with Gerri, as the woman told Becca she’d be out of pocket until their meeting, but Jaylon’s sexy grin was worth the little white lie.
5
Becca’s breath hitched at the gorgeous curve to his full lips and she licked her own, imagining the taste of him. He definitely had a mouth worth kissing.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. What’s wrong with you? He’s a total stranger! Glancing at him again, she squashed the mental warnings from the human side of her brain and focused on her cat instead.
If Jaylon Ross posed any kind of a threat, his scent would give it away. Right now, the only thing she sensed was his utterly sex-on-a-stick maleness.
If she had to shackle herself for the sake of her Leap, then damn it to hell, she was entitled to one day of uninhibited pleasure and she had every intention of seeing where this led.
“Where to, then?” he asked, holding his elbow out for her to take.
“Chivalry twice in two minutes. Who says gentlemen are a dying breed?” She slipped her hand around his arm and her inner cat went crazy, clawing at her to drop to all fours and give him her ass and anything else he wanted.
Here wolfy, wolfy.
No. Bad kitty. Bad.
She grinned at her own mental sparring. It was amazing to feel that alive again. Especially after everything that happened with her father and then with her brother, Charlie.
The two stepped through the revolving doors and out to the street and Becca turned to face him, knowing her cat was evident in her eyes.
“Yellow with flecks of jungle green. Your eyes were light brown a minute ago,” he said, letting a soft rumble edge his voice.
“Anticipation does that sometimes. My cat is an impatient creature.”
“Impatient for what?” he asked with a smirk.
She lifted her chin. “For whatever comes next.”
Brave much? What are you going to do if he calls your bluff? Becca’s cat answered for her, purring enough to make her skin vibrate.
Jaylon stepped to the curb and raised two fingers, whistling for a cab.
A yellow checkered taxi pulled to the corner, and a guy in a suit carrying a briefcase snatched the rear passenger handle.
“I wouldn’t do that, buddy,” Jaylon said, his voice low, but his meaning loud and clear.
The businessman turned with a retort on his lips, but his mouth puckered with one look at Jaylon’s face. He dropped his hand from the door and high-tailed it to another taxi queue.
“Stealing taxis is an art form in this town. You learn fast how to defend what’s yours,” Jay commented as the man scurried away.
Becca slid into the backseat with Jaylon’s eyes on her, and in that moment, she swore he wasn’t just talking about
the cab and the tingle in her stomach turned into a full butterfly dive-bomb.
“Where to, mac?” the cabbie asked.
Jay glanced at Becca and then looked to the driver. “The Boathouse, Central Park.”
The taxi pulled into traffic and Jaylon sat back in his seat, and Becca fidgeted under the weight of his gaze.
“You seem uneasy all of a sudden,” Jay remarked.
She shook her head. “Not really. Just a slash of guilt, that’s all. I’m not one for blowing off appointments.”
“If you’ve got buyer’s remorse, Becca, I can have the driver drop you wherever you need to be. It’s okay. I get it, but I promise I don’t bite unless asked.”
She knew her cheeks had pinked again by the telltale heat. What was wrong with her? She was the Prowl Leader of her Leap, not some coy little kitten. “My bite’s worse, so I give fair warning.”
“Good.” Jaylon grinned. “I knew there was fire in those gorgeous jungle eyes.”
She met his gaze for a moment and then turned to look out at the traffic and teeming streets from the cab’s window.
“Are you sure the Boathouse will be able to accommodate us? It’s well past lunch hour,” she asked, but didn’t turn.
He chuckled. “Claws and all, you really are a naïve country mouse. New York is a twenty-four/seven town, and yes, we’ll be fine. The deck bar is one of the nicest in the city and I thought you might appreciate the view of the park from there.”
Annoyance slashed. How could one statement be so condescending and yet considerate at the same time? She turned, giving him a sugary smile. “Aww, that’s sweet.” She batted her eyes for effect. “It makes me want to ruffle your furry ears.”
He laughed out loud. “Touché. I’ll cool it with the country mouse cliché.”
Becca looked out the window again, a small smirk on her face. Gorgeous and quick on the uptake.
Her cat purred again.
This was going to be interesting.
6
Becca didn’t say much as the cab wove through thick uptown traffic. The ride took much longer than expected, but Jaylon didn’t mind. Not with such delicious company.