Lycan’s Mate
Book Twelve of the Siberian Volkov Pack Romance Series
Cross-Over to Shadow Walker Romance Series
Caryn Moya Block
Published by Caryn M. Block
Copyright © 2016 Caryn M. Block
Cover Design by Caryn M. Block
Model Photo: Hot Damn Design
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.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Dedication
To the women brave enough to post the first time they were sexually assaulted under the twitter hashtag: #NotOkay. I wasn’t as brave as you even though I am one of you. I was ten years old the first time. It happened so many times growing up, I started treating it like a joke. But it hurt just the same. I blamed myself and had no self-confidence as a woman. It took me years to work through my problems. I couldn’t believe how many women answered the call. It is because we think we are alone that this matter is swept under the rug. You are not alone and this needs to stop. I stand with you. #NotOkay.
Acknowledgements
As always, it takes a village to produce a book. My husband who knows to leave me alone when I say “I’m writing.” My children and friends who listen to me talk about the story and help make it clear in my head. My Beta Readers that go over every word looking for mistakes, and finally my editor Tina Winograd who polishes it for the public. Thank you so much for your support.
Lycan’s Mate
Book Twelve of the Siberian Volkov Pack Romance Series
Cross-Over to Shadow Walker Romance Series.
Gwen Quiet Thunder has fought against her Lycan roots her whole life. She didn’t want anything to do with the wolf inside her and couldn’t fathom finding a mate in a Lycan. She thought all Lycan men were like the boy who terrorized her while growing up, mean, cruel, and aggressive. So when the mating bond snaps into place with her future brother-in-law, there’s only one thing to do. Run.
Mischa Sokolov, Siberian Lycan is thrilled to find his future sister-in-law is also his mate. She may be having some problems accepting the inevitable, but he never expected her to run and put an ocean between them. The more he tries to connect with her, the more she pushes him away. But Lycans only get one heartmate and mate for life. He’s going to have to prove to Gwen that she can trust him with her heart or lose the one woman meant to be his.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Epilogue
Coming Soon
Also by Caryn Moya Block/Caryn Block
About the Author
Chapter One
“Ms. Quiet Thunder,” the secretary’s voice came over the intercom, “I have a call for you from Mr. Solovyov on line one.”
The soft earth tones of the office décor couldn’t stop Gwen’s heart from beginning to beat faster. “I’ll pick up immediately,” she said.
Grigori Solovyov, the owner of Solovyov Security was her boss. He was also the Alpha Lycan of England. Gwen took a deep breath and answered the phone.
“Gwen, good job on the Magic Herbs security camera placement,” Grigori said, his softly Russian accented voice a delight to her ears. Gwen smiled and relaxed back into her chair. “I spoke with Brencis,” he continued, “and he said you got the perfect angle. I need you to send him the photos of whoever stopped at the apartment door this afternoon. Ping his phone from now on anytime someone else shows up. We don’t know who is stalking Meadow Seymour, but Brencis won’t rest until he finds out.”
“I’ll do that right now. Is there anything else?” Gwen asked, a wave of please washing over her from the boss’s compliment.
Files on their next security projects covered her desk and she pushed them aside looking for a notepad. She normally worked closely with Brencis in the home security system division. He was Grigori’s cousin and the lycan pack’s Beta. Brencis was out of the office for a few days while protecting Miss Seymour.
“Yes, I got a call from the security officer of the Sardinia Government Building on Lincoln’s Inn Fields,” Grigori said. “One of our cameras is malfunctioning, overlooking the loading dock. I’d like you to check it out. You know him, don’t you?” Gwen stilled. Grigori supervised the corporate contracts. She’d only worked the home security side of the business before this request.
“Yes, Mr. Thomas. He used to come to the Knight Tea Shoppe next door where I worked before you employed me. He liked a special Russian black tea that had a smoky finish.” Gwen wrote the address down. The Sardinia Government Building on Lincoln’s Inn Fields was one of two government buildings that contracted with Solovyov Security.
“You women and your tea.” Grigori laughed. “You know Brencis met Meadow buying tea for my wife.”
Gwen chuckled and glanced at the mug on her desk. “Are you telling me I might meet my mate if I enjoy tea? We both know Mischa is in Montana. He never mentioned drinking tea.”
“You should contact him and ask. You might be surprised how much you two have in common.”
Gwen frowned, an ache piercing her heart where the mating bond connected her to the lycan male. “I need to get Brencis the photo you requested from this afternoon. Will you be coming into London today?”
“Melisande is having morning sickness. I don’t want to leave her here at the hunting lodge alone.” Gwen and the rest of the pack couldn’t wait for the Alpha’s new pup to arrive. “That’s why I want you to call Mr. Thomas for me. And be careful, Gwen. There are too many strange things happening with the attack at the lodge last evening and the mercenaries claiming they wanted the government building security codes.”
Gwen frowned. The idea that someone tried to break into the Alpha’s lodge and blackmail Grigori to get the security codes was horrendous. Good thing it didn’t work. Whoever ordered the attack didn’t know they were messing with lycans.
“Thanks to you and the security system you put in place, my apartment building is pretty safe. Plus, you forget, I can disappear into a shadow anytime I want. My Shadow Walker ancestors saw to that, so no worries.”
“Of course, I’m going to worry. You’re pack now which makes you family. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will, Alpha, goodbye.” Gwen smiled. The added responsibility of contacting Mr. Thomas felt like a promotion.
Grigori and his American wife welcomed Gwen to England with open arms. They taught her how to accept her wolf half and even revel in the freedom that side of her psyche gave her.
In the past, being a Shadow Walker meant everything to Gwen. She couldn’t accept her lycan half. But with Grigori’s help, she’d learned she could benefit from being both lycan and Shadow Walker.
Now she only had to figure out how to accept her lycan mate, Mischa,
before the separation became too much for him. She had always assumed she’d have a Shadow Walker mate, but she had to admit being separated felt like something was missing in her life. Her heart beat erratically even thinking of Mischa. She shuddered.
Gwen picked up the phone and called the security officer at the Sardinia Government Building. The phone rang several times before someone finally picked up.
“Security Office,” a male voice said.
“Is Mr. Thomas there? This is Solovyov Security calling. I understand you have a broken camera overlooking the loading dock.”
“Yeah, the camera comes on intermittently. It might have a short or something. Mr. Thomas isn’t here right now, but if you come over Wednesday, he should be in.”
“Okay.” Gwen added the appointment into her calendar. “Could you let him know I’ll be coming by? The name is Gwen Quiet Thunder.”
“Sure, sure. I’ll make a note of it in the log.”
Gwen frowned at the phone. The security officer didn’t seem too concerned about the camera not working properly. Did someone damage the equipment? Solovyov Security would replace the camera, but if there had been tampering, there would be fines since the government only leased the equipment.
Time passed quickly as Gwen worked on camera angles, heat sensor and motion sensor placements, and other myriad security system questions for their clients. Her thoughts were on a home security system for a local starlet when her secretary buzzed her.
“It’s five o’clock, Ms. Quiet Thunder. If it’s okay with you, I’ll be leaving now.”
“Five o’clock, already? Sure, go ahead. Lock up, will you? I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Gwen frowned, glancing at the clock. She contemplated whether to stay and finish the placement plans or finish them later. Since Mr. Thomas wasn’t available until Wednesday, she’d have plenty of time to work on the starlet’s project tomorrow.
Sighing, she closed down her computer and picked up her brown leather purse. Locking her office door from the inside and turning off the lights, she searched for a wavering shadow she could use to open a portal into the Shadow Dimension. She discovered one near the floor next to the door.
Putting her hands together, palm to palm, she pushed her fingers into the shadow until ice licked at the tips. The Shadow Dimension was always cold. She pulled her hands apart making an opening she could walk through and stepped into darkness. The black mist of Shadow writhed around her body as if inspecting her before falling to curl around her legs. Her tribal tattoo burned briefly, marking her as one allowed to enter this dimension so close to Earth.
Some Shadow Walkers thought the mist was sentient and that it acted as a protector to decide if the person entering was allowed into the dimension. If not, the person would end up frozen and lost in the dark vastness of the writhing and changing landscape of Shadow. Gwen’s Native American ancestors had been granted permission to traverse the Shadow Dimension in return for their guardianship.
Gwen didn’t mind the mist. The best thing about Shadow Walking was the translocating ability. By visualizing a place Gwen had visited before, she could traverse through space to that place in an instant.
She pictured her apartment building. A crevice around the corner from the entrance to the structure would work for her exit point. She visualized each brick, including the one with the small nick in the face. Her feet shifted beneath her like she stood on wet sand and in a blink she saw her building as if through a dirty window.
Opening another portal, she exited and turned the corner to her apartment. She waved at the camera Grigori had insisted on installing overlooking the stairs. Whoever watched the monitors would report that she got home safely. She waved even though she was often teased about it, security cameras were supposed to be out of sight and out of mind, according to the employee handbook.
She unlocked the door and hurried inside to deactivate the alarm system, another Solovyov installation. The beeping sound alone made her jumpy, even though she had sixty seconds to input her code. Then she slipped off her shoes and headed for the kitchenette. A cup of tea sounded wonderful and she turned on the electric kettle. She sighed as she sat at the table wondering what to eat for dinner, alone again.
The phone rang. Gwen hurried to answer it, relieved by the interruption to her thoughts.
“Gwen, how’s it going?” her sister, Lindy, asked. Gwen smiled. She missed her little sister back in Montana, though she didn’t miss her sister’s husband and new lycan pack.
“Great. I love working for Grigori and Brencis. The pack here is so intimate, more like a family. I also love the children the Alpha has adopted.” She’d been lucky that Grigori adopted her as well.
“So you and your wolf, you’re doing okay?” Lindy asked, her tone tentative.
“Yes, I told you. Do you need me to say I was wrong? That being a lycan is wonderful?” A lycan here in England, anyway.
“It might help. It might help saying being mated to a lycan is wonderful, too.”
Gwen stiffened. “Don’t push it, Lindy. You know I always thought I’d marry a Shadow Walker.”
“The mating bond snapping into place means Mischa is your mate. When are you going to face the fact that you are destined to be together?”
“Why are you bringing this up again?” Gwen sighed. “Why can’t you let me deal with it in my own time?”
“Because Mischa is weakening, Gwen. You’ve got to do something!”
“Weakening?” What did that even mean? “I’ve got to go.”
“Gwen,” her sister groaned.
Gwen hung up the phone. She knew her sister was right about Mischa, but a lycan male? Could she take Mischa as a mate? A lycan like the one who had raped and tried to claim her when she was eighteen. Gwen shuddered and shook her head.
§
“No! Stop! Don’t! You’re hurting me.”
Gwen struggled against the meaty hands that held her down, grabbing and bruising. The musky scent of male lycan filled her nose. Her prom dress ripped, her legs forced apart. Chuck leaned down, his face inches from hers. His alcohol-laden breath reeked. His leering grin all she could see as he penetrated her virgin body. Pain slashed through her. She pushed against him to no avail. Her wolf tried to rise to the surface to protect her, but Gwen kept her buried. If Chuck knew about her lycan half, he could claim her as a mate. Best to keep it hidden from the man who took everything away from her. The sanctity of her body and the pride of her soul. She’d die before she let him take her freedom too.
He pounded into her, ripping her apart, hurting her, humiliating her. Inside her mind, she screamed in horror, pain, and worst of all—shame.
“Wake up, Gwen! You’re safe. Chuck is dead. Please, milaya. You’re killing me. Gwen . . .” a voice called to her from the darkness.
Her wolf knew that voice, trusted it, pressed her to answer. Gwen opened her mouth . . . She sat up, pushed back her damp hair and glanced quickly around the small flat she rented while working in London. Lights from the city filled her room. The steady drone of traffic sounded from the street below. She was alone.
She wiped at her tear-streaked face. Anger and hurt beat at her. Why couldn’t she get over this? It had been ten years since the night Chuck raped her. Ten years and the terror still assailed her, no matter what she did to strengthen her resolve. She’d suffered the nightmare three times this week.
§
Tonight, the Argent pack committees held their general meeting in the newly remodeled Alpha’s Lodge. Mischa Sokolov sat off to one side listening to an argument over which buildings would be refurbished next. Sergei, his oldest brother and Alpha, explained how the decision would be based.
His brother’s voice faded into the distance. In his mind, he struggled against a larger, stronger body that grabbed and bruised his skin. Sweat broke out on his brow and he trembled. The smell of alcohol and male lycan pervaded his senses. He was caught in a nightmare. A nightmare that plagued his mate, interrupting her sleep in Lo
ndon.
His stomach rebelled with the pain of penetration. He gagged. Her fear swamped him. He fought to not drown in her terror. He reached for her in his mind, using their tenuous bond.
“Gwen! Lyubov moya, wake up . . .” He struggled to reach her, sending his mind through space into her awareness.
Finally, he connected. He felt confusion, her pain and disgust.
“Please, milaya. You’re killing me.” He wavered in his seat. “Gwen . . . .” He fell from the chair to his knees.
She threw up a shield around her mind, blocking him. It wounded, like a limb being severed. He trembled, his head bowed. How could he get through to her? How could he convince her not all lycan males were the same?
Hands grabbed at his shoulders and arms. “Mischa, are you all right?” His brothers surrounded him.
“Call Grigori. He needs to check on Gwen, right now.” Mischa coughed, trying to get words through his closed throat. “She shouldn’t be alone.”
“Neither one of you should be alone,” Sergei said. “I’ll call him.”
“Come on, Mischa. Let’s get you up.” Andrei the second oldest brother, a bear of a man, had no problem lifting him.
Mischa listened to Sergei talk to the English Alpha on the phone. It was two o’clock in the morning local London time, but Grigori didn’t seem surprised. Mischa lost track of the conversation when Andrei headed for the stairs.
“Where are we going? The pack meeting . . .”
“Can wait for now. We need to take care of this problem.”
“What do you mean?”
Andrei steered him into his room and pushed him onto the bed. “Sit. Rest.” He reached into the closet and pulled out a leather suitcase.
“What are you doing?” Mischa asked. He knew he should get up and stop his brother, but his heart wasn’t in it. In fact, his heart hadn’t been in much since Gwen left. In human terms, he was depressed. He rolled his eyes. A lycan male should never be so pitiful.
Lycan's Mate: Book Twelve of the Siberian Volkov Pack Romance Series Page 1