by Chandra Ryan
His Wolf howled in agreement. The scent of cat tickled his nose. He came to a dead stop and sniffed again. A loud hiss echoed through the night as a large weight landed on top of him. He managed to get out a few quick barks before he became fully engaged with the shifter.
Cat shifters were tricky beasts. They were fast, agile, smart, and had wicked sharp nails. As such, he’d gone out of his way to avoid them. Not this time, however. He would rather this one come after him than Thom. He dropped down to his stomach and rolled over to force the cat off his back.
He spit and hissed, but did let go. Hank jumped up and squared off against the shifter before howling to let his pack members know his location. The cat had black fur and bright green eyes. He would’ve considered it handsome if they weren’t currently locked in a deadly standoff.
The cat swiped at him with his sharp claws, but he easily dodged the attack and pounced at the animal. Fur filled his mouth as he looked for an opening to deliver a critical attack. The cat dislodged him before he could sink his teeth into it. Bitter disappointment washed over him as he jumped to his feet and circled the cat again.
They were evenly matched. The cat countered his brute strength with grace. Every time he tried to pin the shifter, it would contort its body to elude the move. Worse, its claws offset his teeth. He had gotten in a couple of good bites, but the cat had marked him as well. Blood ran over both their hides freely. He couldn’t seem to gain any advantage with the shifter.
He started to slow. The day had been a long and emotionally exhausting one followed by a passionate round of sex. He’d been running on endorphins and courage when he’d stepped out the door. Maybe chasing down the shifter had been stupid under those circumstances, but he refused to leave Thom in danger.
The cat jumped at him. Sharp nails and long teeth filled his vision for one second, but then were replaced by a blurry streak of fur. Ryker. He would recognize Drew’s Enforcer’s scent anywhere. The Wolf terrified anybody who had enough sense to recognize the concept of mortality.
Drew ran up next to his Enforcer but shifted back into his human form as he reached the two. “Good work.” He thought the compliment had been for Ryker exclusively until he saw Drew nod in his direction. The simple praise made him want to howl with pleasure. “He’s been a slippery little devil.”
Hank shifted. “With all due respect, my Alpha, what now?” They’d caught the man who’d tried to kill Thom, but they still didn’t have any answers.
“I’ve been in contact with his people. There’s a bounty on his head. He’d thought to get back into their good graces by weakening my pack. With the winter coming, he sought a way to starve us out. He thought your farmer would be an easy target—being human and all. He miscalculated.”
The cat hissed and squirmed in Ryker’s jaw. A quick movement from the wolf sent a loud snap through the woods, and the cat stilled.
“His actions weren’t sanctioned by his people so, officially, the threat ends with him.”
Hank looked from the dead cat back to his Alpha. “How did you find out so much in such a short time?”
“I protect my pack.” Drew’s lips twitched as if he was fighting back a smile. “Sometimes protecting them means meeting a threat head-on and full force. Sometimes, however, it means making phone calls and scheduling political meetings.” Drew looked behind them at the home Hank shared with Thom. “Go home to your farmer. Tell him he’s safe.”
Home. His home. Thom had invited him to live there with him. He let the realization settle in. For too many years, his home had been his rig. Thinking of the small farm as home filled him with a sense of contentment. He nodded and then walked back to the house.
Warmth surrounded him as soon as he stepped over the threshold. The lights were still off, but he didn’t need them to find his way. He’d learned every step and turn during his time here. He made his way up the stairs and into the bathroom without tripping or stumbling once.
He took a quick shower to wash off the blood clinging to him and then slid back into bed.
“Where were you?” Sleep made Thom’s words slow and a little slurred.
Hank wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close. Joy filled him as every inch of his body pressed against Thom’s. “I had to take care of something. Nothing for you to worry about.”
“I thought I heard something in the woods.” The man snuggled against him. The soft skin of his ass rubbed against his cock. “I rolled over to ask you about it but you weren’t here.”
“I’m sorry.” He kissed the man’s temple.
Thom looked up at him. “If you’re so sorry, why are you grinning like an idiot?”
“I found something I thought I’d lost.”
He rolled over so his chest rubbed Hank’s. “What?”
“Home.” The word seemed too simple to encapsulate the depth of happiness filling him. “My home. Our home,” he corrected. “Together.”
Epilogue
Hank walked over to the group of people despite the tinge of nervousness making his stomach tight. After five months of being back in the area, coming to Los Lobos only caused a slight twinge of discomfort instead of the overwhelming urge to run as far and fast as possible. He counted the improvement as a victory.
“Where’s your mate?” When Drew looked squarely at him, he had to avert his gaze.
“He’s at Gee’s Place. We’re having dinner there after the run.” His human had made tremendous strides in finding his place in pack society since their mating two months ago. Sure, Los Lobos would never be their home, but he had become comfortable hanging out in the small town and visiting with the others in the pack.
Drew smiled. “Let’s not keep him waiting too long, then.”
“He’s probably busy unloading the shipment from Texas even though I told him I’d do it when we were done. He does too much.” Since winter had set in, Thom had gone with him on several cross-country trips. The time alone had been amazing, but Hank loved seeing the grass poke through the slushy remnants of snow. Planting would start soon. With local crops once again available, there would be fewer road trips in both of their futures.
“I’m sure Gee’s patrons are thankful for the fresh produce you brought back. As am I.”
Pride filled him at his Alpha’s praise. He hadn’t realized how much he missed being purposeful. He would always be grateful to Drew for giving that back to him. He nodded at Drew before turning his attention to the others. Most had already shifted. Taking a deep breath, he focused his energy and allowed his shift to sweep over him. He’d been sitting behind a wheel too long. He needed to run.
Drew shifted quickly and then howled at the moon. The edge of excitement filling the air became contagious. His howl filled with joy before he followed his Alpha across the night landscape.
***
Thom carried the last box of produce into Gee’s place as a chorus of howls broke the silent night. Gee would probably call him crazy, but he would swear he heard his mate’s. The deep timbre made him shiver, and his skin broke out in goose bumps.
“Can I make you a hamburger while you wait?” Gee set a pint of beer in front of him. “My cook’s on the run with the others, but I’m sure I can still fling a patty or two.”
He shook his head. “I’ll wait.” When he glanced around the bar, a sense of community filled him. He recognized most of the humans, but there were a couple new faces. Evidence Los Lobos continued to grow. “Busy night.”
“Yep.” Gee’s eyes lit with pride. “Good to see the pack growing again.”
Thom raised his glass in a toast before taking a sip of the drink. For the next hour, he drank his beer and chatted with the others in the bar. He might not live in Los Lobos, but the residents always made him feel welcome.
When the mates walked through the door, excitement and joy replaced the calm. He understood the change in mood. Anticipation filled him at being in Hank’s presence again.
“Did y
ou miss me?” he asked as he pulled Thom to him. A demanding kiss robbed him of his chance to answer. He wouldn’t complain. He loved how openly devoted Hank’s kisses were.
His head swam with desire when Hank broke the kiss. “Want to throw something together for dinner at home?”
“I think I know what I want.” Preferably after his mate had fucked him senseless. The way his gaze lingered on the fly of his jeans made him hard.
He threw a twenty on the bar before he took Hank’s hand and allowed the man to lead him out of the chaos. “Crazy isn’t it? Six months ago, I thought I was about to lose everything. When you walked through my door, everything changed.” He waited until they’d climbed up into the cab of the semi to continue. “I love you.”
“Bet your sweet ass you do.” Hank winked at him. “As soon as we get home, I plan on sucking your cock until you scream.”
Thom moaned. The next two hours would be torture—the sweetest torture imaginable. “I always wondered how cults recruited new members. Guess now I know.”
Hank’s rich laughter filled the cab. “Six months ago, I didn’t think I’d ever have a reason to laugh again.” The cab fell into a happy silence. “I love you, too.”
You’re invited to take a run with the Black Hills Wolves….
A year of change since Drew Tao defeated his father and took over the Black Hills… A year of chaos as wolves return home, new packs are merged into the Hills, and human mates join their pack… A year of hope since the pack pulled back from the brink… Together, they will celebrate a new year, a new chance, and all the changes yet to come…. Join the Wolves on their Winter Solstice Run.
Winter Solstice Run
A Black Hills Wolves Mini Series
Look for it Fall 2015
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Reluctant Mate by Chandra Ryan
Chapter One
Aimee sat in Gee’s Bar with her back to the door. The position wasn’t one she would normally be comfortable in, but her pack surrounded her in the one place where she was safe. A tingle of recognition swept through her and forced her to reconsider her positioning. Humans might not be able to harm her here, but there were other dangers she should’ve considered.
She placed a twenty on the bar to settle her tab then moved to stand. She had to get out of there. Fear and anticipation warred in the pit of her stomach as the tingling intensified. As the source got closer to her, the sensation grew. If she could feel him, then he could feel her. She needed to leave before he saw her face.
The bar became a blur as she ducked around the patrons. No one noticed her. Or if they did, they didn’t care. There was no reason for them to worry about a woman weaving through their midst. She could already see the door in front of her. She might make it to freedom.
“Excuse me.” The massive wall of a man stepped in front of her, blocking her escape and dashing her hopes of a clean break.
“I was leaving.” She didn’t dare look up at him. He had her scent. She couldn’t do anything about that. But she didn’t want to have him memorizing her face as well.
“So soon? I just got here.”
She didn’t try to hide the harsh undercurrent of her laugh. “Arrogant much? It’s not like I was waiting for someone.”
“You weren’t waiting for me.” One of his fingers slid under her chin and pulled her head up until her gaze met his.
His touch sent a thrill through her body, but she ignored the sensation. If she refused to recognize the attraction, then it didn’t exist. She couldn’t do the same about him, though. There was no denying his existence. His thick black hair fell to his shoulders in loose curls, and a day’s worth of stubble grew on his chiseled jaw. The sight of him made her heart beat faster and her breath catch in the back of her throat. In short, he was everything a female Wolf could want in a male. Something he seemed aware of as he continued talking. “I didn’t come here looking for you. But now we’ve found each other, I would think—”
“As I already said, I’m leaving.” She didn’t give a damn what he thought. With a stiff movement, she raised her left hand and twisted the ring on her third finger.
He gasped at the wedding band but released her and stepped out of the way. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were married.”
And why would he? He’s found his mate. This close to him, her skin buzzed with the tingling mate call. But Aimee didn’t want a mate. She’d buried her true love. She would never replace him. She walked past the stranger out into the clear night.
She should go home and crawl into her bed. If she tried, she might be able to forget all about him. Instead, she let out an exhausted sigh as she made her way toward the woods. She was a realist, and the reality she found herself in hinged on one fact—she wouldn’t be able to forget him. She’d seen him for one brief second and he’d already been burned into her soul. That was the way it went with mates. He’d managed to get under her skin already, regardless of how she felt about the situation.
As soon as she stepped off the path, she accepted her four-hundred-dollar designer shoes would be ruined. One pair of shoes didn’t matter. She had a closetful of them. But she didn’t have any place to wear them since she’d moved out to the sticks. Her days in court were over. Her old life was over. Nobody cared about her shoes anymore.
The tree branches pulled at the smooth twist she’d worked her blonde hair into, but she didn’t try to stop them. Some things couldn’t be controlled. The grasping and tugging of nature happened to be one of them. She didn’t even bother to remove the little twigs and leaves from her hair as she broke into the clearing.
As if guided by some unseen force, she made her way to the middle of the clearing and stared up at the moon. The light it emitted filled her with warmth despite its wispy crescent shape. The moon called to her—loudly. As if the celestial body knew she’d been ignoring it and demanded her attention.
“I….” She sank down to the soft grass and sniffled “I can’t do this. I can’t love another.” She’d been there, done that, and had the broken heart to prove it. “Asking me to isn’t fair.”
Life isn’t fair.
Max’s voice echoed in the back of her head. So calm and patient.
This was their spot. The place their relationship had started. She used to sneak off to meet him here when they’d been home on vacations and holidays. Back before they ran away and got married.
“It should be, damn it. You fought for them. You made saving their miserable hides your life’s ambition. They owed you. They owed me.” One warm tear slid down her cheek, but she brushed the singular drop aside with an angry swipe of her hand.
Needing to explain to the universe why she would not accept her mate, she looked back up at the sky and spoke directly to the moon. “But they let him die because he was human.”
They could’ve saved him. If her pack had deemed him worthy, he could’ve been bonded to her. Her health and longevity would’ve cured the cancer eating away at him. But her Alpha at the time didn’t believe in human and Wolf bonding. Bonding a human to a Wolf carried a death sentence. None of her pack mates would help her. They wouldn’t take the risk. Not even for the man who had fought in court for them every day. Sure, the pack had a different Alpha. But what the hell good did that do her? Max was dead. That chapter of her life had come to an end.
She lay down on the grass and let the bitter tears flow unchecked. They weren’t going to change anything or make her mate disappear, but they might make her feel better. Feeling better would be enough.
When the tears were all gone and the ground lost its c
omfort, though, she had to admit crying had been a lost cause. She hadn’t felt good since Max had been diagnosed. A few tears shed in the middle of the woods wouldn’t change anything.
Rising, she dusted off what she could of the dirt and grass on her pencil skirt and blazer. If anyone saw her, they’d probably think she’d had a wild tryst under the moon. The thought made her laugh. Like being a lawyer, her days of wild trysts were way beyond her. They belonged to a much younger Wolf.
The woods fell behind her as she made her way back to civilization. She smiled at thinking of Los Lobos as civilized. She’d been here two weeks and she already considered the small town civilized. It amazed her how far she’d fallen since leaving the big city. This town couldn’t even be considered rustic let alone cultured.
Still, the peace and quiet had grown on her. Repairs were in progress. Even if the new Alpha couldn’t help Max, he did seem like an upstanding kind of guy. Maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad place to find a new life. But she wished she knew what she wanted to do next.
She came to her little bungalow and opened the door as silently as possible. Her pack mates kept telling her the town was safe, but she trusted her nose better than empty promises. One quick sniff told her no one hid in the small shelter.
Relieved, she stepped through the doorway and flipped on the light as she slipped her shoes off. She’d been correct. They were ruined. As was her designer outfit. But she didn’t care. The only things she cared about were a nice glass of wine, a hot bubble bath, and a good night’s sleep. Everything would look better in the morning.
She went into the kitchen, opened a bottle of red wine, and poured herself a large glass before making her way into the bathroom. After she took a drink, she sighed. Things had already started looking up. The alcohol in the wine made her blood warm. It was perfect for sipping while soaking in a tub of bubbles. After she’d run her bath and undressed, she set her MP3 player on random and slipped into the hot, sudsy water. Yes, things are improving.