by V. Vaughn
Paul pulls me to stand in front of him, and I lean back against his chest as he grips my shoulders and says, “Silver Lake Wolves, this is my mate Caroline”—he places his hands on my belly—“and we’re pregnant.”
Whoops and cheers sound as they clap for us. I find Trixie in the crowd, and my tears start again when I notice her swipe moisture off her face. Her grin is huge as she comes toward me. She hugs me tight as other people come forward to wish Paul and me well. Trixie says, “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier for you, Mom.”
“Thanks, honey.”
Paul orders everyone back to their meals and leads me to our table. He has my hand, and even when we sit, he doesn’t let go until he’s pulled my chair close enough for our thighs to touch. I think it’s his animal instinct to make sure everyone knows I’m his.
I gaze up into the face of my mate. The first phase of my adult life was devoted to raising a strong, independent daughter. I spent those years recreating the perfect man in my stories, when all along, fate had a plan for me. I reach up to place my hand on Paul’s cheek. A hint of stubble is rough like sandpaper on my fingers, and his strong jaw is firm. My alpha. My mate. “You’re my hero, Paul. I waited a long time for you.”
“I didn’t know it, but I waited a long time for you too, Caroline. I love you.”
I kiss him and say, “I love you too.” Finally, my very own happy ending.
* * *
Sophie doesn’t trust men, especially her new neighbor, Warren. And he doesn’t trust humans, but there’s a true mate attraction neither can control. In Destined…
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More Winter Valley Wolves:
As bundles -
The Lindholms
The Wakefields
The Quinns
Or Singles -
Brindle
Bosun
Berch
Ergan
Ekton
Esher
Chosen
Fated
Destined
V. Vaughn also has a bear shifter serial - Called by the Bear.
Complete Edition
Called by the Bear Parts 1-3
Called by the Bear Parts 4-6
Called by the Bear Parts 7-9
Tempted by the Bear :
Tempted by the Bear - Parts 1-3
Tempted by the Bear - Parts 4-6
Tempted by the Bear - Parts 7-9
Tempted by the Bear - Complete Edition
Rocked by the Bear is Coming in February 2016
Andre
Adrian
Aleck
Aaron
Desired by the Bear is Coming Spring 2016!
Part III
Destined
Winter Valley Wolves 9
Sophie Quinn’s failed at marriage before, but after a few years living a free-spirited lifestyle she’s ready to try love one more time. She moves into a quaint summer cottage on Silver Lake with a plan to find a new man, and her silver fox neighbor would be perfect, except for the fact he can’t stand to be around her. When she finds out Warren is a werewolf, Sophie has no trouble moving on, even after she discovers they’re true mates. But she doesn’t count on the way their physical attraction takes her places she didn’t know she wanted to go.
Warren Nelson has waited years to find his true mate, and when the sumptuous Sophie Quinn moves in next door he finds her. The problem is she’s human, and recent events have reminded Warren why her kind is dangerous to his pack. Try as he might, he can’t deny the need to be with his true mate, and he has to find a way to trust her as he convinces her he’s worth the risk.
28
“No!” A string of obscenities that would make a sailor blush comes from my mouth as I slam the hatch of my SUV with enough force it shakes. It’s been raining for a week in this godforsaken town. I gaze down at the pile of hanging clothes that now lies in a muddy puddle, and I huff. Sarcasm drips from my voice. “Rent a cozy cottage on Silver Lake for the summer, Sophie.” I’m completely soaked, and my hair is stuck to my face with moisture. I push it out of the way as I continue to talk to myself. “Get Caroline out of her house and find yourself some men, Sophie.”
A lot of good that plan did me. I managed to get my sister a man in record time. Now she’s boinking him like a bunny, and I’m left whispering sweet nothings to my vibrator. I’d stamp my foot in the puddle if I didn’t think it would only soak my dresses with more mud.
I lift the sopping mess and pull open the screen door to my new home. I race through the entrance before the spring makes the door slam shut behind me. My cute rain boots squeak on the shiny wood floor as I walk quickly to the bathroom, and my clothing splats when I drop it in the tub. At least it’s all machine washable. That’s the thing about my new job as a wedding planner at the Winter Valley Country Club—most of my outfits need to be able to withstand a splash of coffee or red wine.
Even though my marriage crashed and burned, I still have a soft spot for weddings. There’s something magical about the white dress that makes every woman look beautiful. And the way the groom gazes at his bride with so much love... My throat gets thick with my emotions, and I blink to tamp down my tears.
Water rushes as I rinse out a turquoise number that makes my butt look good. The dirt comes off easily, and I let out a sigh of relief. If only the pain of my divorce had gone down the drain that quickly. I married a man that didn’t love me the way I loved him. I’d never considered myself a stupid girl too lovesick to see the truth. But apparently I was.
I finish my task and transport the items to the washer to the left of the tub. I smile when I think about the fact that at least I got a hefty settlement that put me in a position where I don’t have to work. It’s nice to choose an occupation because I want it instead of for financial reasons.
I’ve made the most of the last two years of being a divorcee with no ties. While I nursed my broken heart, I had a lot of fun. I worked at a ski resort in Colorado, on a cruise ship off the southern coast, and tended bar at a swanky California vineyard. But when everything you own fits in your car at my age, you long for roots. I thought moving near my sister and niece might provide me with the comfort of family I crave. Living the free-spirit life has made me lonely, and I yearn for a place where people know my name. I’m a thirty-something living a twenty-something’s life, and it’s time to settle down.
A cabinet door clicks as I open it and search for laundry soap the owners of the cottage might have left behind. I discover a nearly empty jug and take it to the sink to add water. While my summer of frolicking with my sister to find love has been cut short, I am happy to be near Caroline and my niece, Trixie. I have two new great-nephews to dote on, and most likely a wedding to plan for my sister instead. I’ll just have to find a man to do more than stoke my fire on my own time.
I shake the detergent container to dissolve any residual soap and pour the bubbly contents over my clothes. The dial on the washer grinds as I twist it and set the load for a wash.
Movement outside the small window of the bathroom makes me look out toward the back door where my car is located. What the hell? The hatch is up, and a man is unloading my things to place them on the covered stoop. He’s in a pair of shorts that are stuck to his body as if he’s been swimming, although the way it’s raining could mean he got that soaked in seconds. Muscles flex in his arms, and I take a moment to appreciate his body. Moisture makes his skin glisten, and I bite my lip as I imagine licking the hard planes of his chest.
He’s cut like a college boy and probably too young for me, but I fantasize about being a cougar anyway. “Rawrr. The things I could teach you.” The guy whips his head around as if he heard me. “Shit.” I duck quickly as my face heats up. The window is shut, and I didn’t speak loudly. It must have been something else that made him turn.
I stand again as I shake my head and make my way outside. The guy has gotten into the back of my car to ge
t something and is crawling backward as I say, “Hey.”
He steps out of the SUV and turns to me with a plant in his hand. It might be dead, because it’s been living in my car for two weeks. I gaze into a face that definitely doesn’t belong to a boy. There’s something about his eyes that is mesmerizing in a way I’ve never felt before. I move off the porch into the rain to be closer to him as if I can’t help myself, and this time I let out my growl on the inside. He’s hot like a silver fox, and I notice that he just might be when his hair is dry.
I shake my trance when he holds the plant up and tilts his head as if he’s asking me why I still have it. I can’t tell him that it’s been with me no matter where I went since I left Dave. So I grin at what I think is a joke, but the man doesn’t smile back. I say, “Thank you for unloading my car for me. That was very nice.”
I reach for the plant, and he pulls it back out of reach. He nods at me before turning to walk away. I stand dumbfounded as he strolls across the lawn toward the house next door. “Fine.” I shrug as I watch his powerful legs flex with his movement. I should have known a man that hot would only be good for only one thing. “I’ll teach you to talk in the morning, Foxy.” I swear the guy hesitates for a second when I speak, but that’s crazy, because this time I made sure to whisper.
Wait. I recall what my sister Caroline said about her new super-sensitive hearing. “Oh—” I slap my hand over my mouth. Shit. He’s a werewolf.
29
I fiddle with a lilac-colored napkin as I experiment with a fancy fold. I’m at my desk at the Winter Valley Country Club, and I can’t get the idea that my sexy new neighbor is a werewolf out of my head. I’m not sure why I’m freaked out about it. My sister just became one, and my niece changed into a werewolf over a year ago to be with her true mate. The only difference I’ve noticed is that they both seem to look a bit more fit than before. So it shouldn’t be a problem. Perhaps it’s because my neighbor is the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on and he was the star of my sex dreams last night.
My pencil taps on a seating chart for the Miller wedding as I replay a fantasy with the man I’m calling Foxy. My cell phone rings and jars me from my thoughts. It’s my sister, Caroline.
“Hey.” I spin in my twisting office chair to gaze out the window at the golf course.
“Hi,” says Caroline. “Did the move go smoothly?”
My view is of the first hole on the golf course, and I watch a group of men wearing jacquard pants in bright colors. I wonder if they make a female version and if you have to be a golfer to wear them. I say, “Other than the fact that it was pouring and I dropped my clothes in a mud puddle, yeah. The place is really cute. I have a great view of the lake, and this morning I sat on my deck to drink my coffee.”
“That sounds glorious,” says Caroline. “But the clothes—that had to have been a mess.”
“It was.” I flash to Foxy’s naked back rippling with muscles as he unloaded my car. “So what’s up?”
“I thought I’d bring you something to cook for dinner in your new place,” says Caroline.
“I’d love that. But do you think you can spare the time? Aren’t you in horndog phase?”
Caroline chuckles and says, “Mating season. And yes, I’m in full-on give-it-to-me-or-I-might-die mode. How does curried shrimp sound? Even a nymphomaniac needs a break sometimes. Besides, Paul has a meeting tonight.”
“I like how you snuck that in there. It sounds like the meal I ate for dinner five times last week.” Caroline has to make a potluck item for some introduction dinner her mate, Paul is giving for her, and there’s fierce competition to be the best. I ask, “Don’t you know how to cook anything else?”
“I really have to get this right, Soph. I’m going to add a bit more curry this time. Please say yes. I don’t think Paul can stomach another bite.”
“Yes,” I say. “You’re lucky I love you.”
“I’ll bring wine.”
“You do that, and all is forgiven.”
“Great,” says Caroline. “I’ll be over at six.”
“See you then.” I click off my phone, and the faintest tap sounds as a golfer strikes his ball hard. The glass of my window is thick and must be reinforced to withstand strong impact, because the sound of the smack is so quiet that I wouldn’t have heard it if I wasn’t watching. It makes me think about how yesterday my neighbor could hear me across the lawn even when I whispered. I wonder if Caroline knows him yet. Paul is the alpha of the pack, so I’m sure he does. I really should find out if werewolves can be dangerous.
I smile as I think about how I’d better learn to curtail my habit of talking to myself. Although Foxy could be fun to taunt. He’s smoking hot. I wonder what he would think about the sounds I make when I use my vibrator. Wow. I must need to get laid, because even my fantasies are going a bit too far. I turn back around to work on my seating chart before the Miller bride and her mother arrive.
After a day of wedding details, I’m happy to get home to my house on the lake. The sun is shining, and the temperature is warm. The idea of taking a quick swim before Caroline arrives is inviting, and I change into my bathing suit. My feet pound over the wood dock as I walk to the end. I recall how when Caroline and I were children she would sit to dip her toes in and test the water first, while I would usually dive without thinking. Not much has changed.
When I hit the water, I go down deep, and the icy chill sucks the air from my lungs. I race to the top and sputter as I gasp to breathe. What kind of lake is this cold in June? I swim quickly to warm up. I notice that the temperature on the surface is tolerable, and by the time I return to the dock, I’m comfortable again. I climb out, and moisture drips on the wood as I reach for my towel.
A tiny shiver races down my spine as if someone’s watching me. I glance over at my neighbor’s house, but nobody is on his back deck. Although, if he were watching from behind a window, I wouldn’t be able to see him. I shake off the eerie feeling when I hear a car approach, and I glance at the road I share with Foxy to see Caroline coming.
I make my way into the house to greet my sister and open the door just as she’s slamming hers. “Come on in,” I say.
Carline says, “Oh my god. I bet the water was freezing.”
I grab some grocery bags from my sister, and they rustle as we set them on the counter with a thump. “It was. I forgot how far north I am.”
“And you dove right in, didn’t you?” asks Caroline.
I chuckle as I nod and then say, “I’ll go change and be right down.”
When I return from my bedroom, Caroline has a glass of wine ready for me. Condensation has formed on it, and it’s damp in my hand when I grab it to take a sip.
She says, “Let’s go enjoy your deck.”
“Even better,” I say. “Let’s take chairs down to the dock.”
Water laps at the wooden structure as we make our way to the end, and Caroline asks, “Have you met any neighbors yet?”
“Just the guy next door. He helped me unload my car yesterday.”
“Warren?”
“Is that his name?” I grin. “I’ve been calling him Foxy.”
Caroline snorts, and I think wine comes out of her nose. “Oh my god, has he heard you say that?”
I shrug. “Probably. You know how I talk to myself, and I think he’s a werewolf.”
“He is.” She chuckles before she adds, “I bet it bothered him. I can’t imagine a wolf likes to be compared to a smaller animal like that.”
I frown at her. “Seriously? Do you care?”
“Well no, but I’ve only been a werewolf for a couple of weeks. I’m not quite as in touch with my animal side as the rest of the pack. I still think of myself as human.”
“It doesn’t matter. The guy’s strange.” I take a drink from my glass and let the tart flavor of the wine sit on my tongue for a moment.
“Why do you say that?”
“He didn’t speak, Caro. And he walked off with my dead plant.” I s
hake my head. “Such an odd man, even if he is super hot.”
“Huh. Well, when you come to dinner tomorrow night, I’ll make him talk to you. He’s Paul’s best friend.”
I sigh. “You didn’t.”
“Yes,” says Caroline. “I did.”
I tilt my head back and groan. When my sister invited me to have dinner at Paul’s house, I didn’t expect it was a setup. I say, “He didn’t even smile. This Warren guy definitely decided he doesn’t like me.”
“Oh, come on. Five minutes with you, and whatever bad first impression he got will be gone.”
I recall how Warren heard me growl when I was watching him out the window. I start to chuckle, and as my words roll around in my head, the situation gets more ridiculous, which makes me laugh harder.
“What’s so funny?” asks Caroline.
I control myself and answer, “He came over when I was inside, and I watched him out the bathroom window for a while.” My sister frowns at me, and I say, “He didn’t have much on, and I was appreciating the view.” Caroline rolls her eyes as I add, “But wait until you hear what I said.” I repeat the words. “Rawrr. The things I could teach you.”
Now Caroline laughs, and I join her. When we recover, I say, “Some first impression.”
Caroline swallows a mouthful of wine before she speaks. “It is mating season.” She waggles her eyebrows at me. “Tomorrow night should be interesting. Promise me you’ll give him a chance?”
Mating season. I wonder if maybe my sister’s need for sex is rubbing off on me, because I like the idea of being with Warren sexually. A lot. Even if he doesn’t talk.
Heat rises to my cheeks when I remember what else I said that he must have overheard. “I’ll teach you to talk in the morning, Foxy.” Yeah, tomorrow night should be interesting indeed. I smile. “Sure. I’ll keep an open mind.”