As shifters, we were accustomed to nudity. Modesty was an unfamiliar concept to most werewolves. Considering we often stripped, shifted, and hunted together, most wolves weren’t shy, so no one batted an eye when Chloe walked around in her underwear. Even if it had been a big deal, I doubt any of the wolves in either pack would have had the guts to risk pissing her off.
“Here,” she said as she handed me a card. “This is my number. As things progress with the packs and the Council, we’ll need to keep in touch.”
She leaned forward, highlighting all the gorgeous curves and firm muscle on her body. Just a few days ago, faced with that barely there lingerie, I would have been all over her. In fact, in the past, we had blown off steam together. Now, she was just a beautiful woman that inspired my admiration rather than lust.
When she noticed my lack of response, her brows raised. “That lucky girl waiting on you must be pretty special.”
Ricki was. She was mine and I was hers. My mind stuttered at the thought. Awareness snapped through my brain. Fuck me, she was my mate. How had I not recognized it? My attraction to her scent, my possessiveness bordering on obsession, and the driving, uncontrollable urge to mark her as mine. These were the classic signs of a male who’d found his mate.
I cleared my throat, which had all but closed up at my epiphany. “She’s my mate,” I choked out. Feeling weaker than a newborn pup, I staggered back and collapsed on the sofa in Conner’s office. “Holy shit, she’s my mate.” I rubbed my aching chest, realizing that it hurt because I was holding my breath. I sucked in air and released it so quickly, I thought I was going to pass out. I glared at Chloe as she giggled and clapped her hands.
“Oh my God!” she squealed. “I never thought I’d see the day. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!”
With her wide smile and high-pitched giggles, she looked nothing like the deadly she-bitch I knew her to be. Knowing it would wipe that smug look off her face, I replied, “You know, you’re acting like a girlie girl.”
Sure enough, she scowled at me. “Shut up.”
I shrugged. “Call’em like I see’em.”
Chloe studied me with narrowed eyes for a moment before she smirked. “You’re just pissy because you know your days of sniffing after any bitch in heat are over.”
Actually, I hadn’t given that a second thought. Sex with Ricki was better than anything I’d ever experienced. I didn’t want anyone else if I could have her. The only obstacle was her humanity. It would be almost impossible for her to gain respect within the pack unless I turned her. After our short conversations earlier, I doubted that would be an easy task. Ricki had a mind of her own and she was stubborn. Also, turning a human was difficult and painful and my heart constricted at the idea of causing Ricki any pain. There had to be another solution.
Groaning, I buried my head in my hands. “I can’t wait until you find your mate,” I grumbled. “I’m going to rub this moment in your face.”
“Oh hell no. I have yet to meet a wolf who could take me on and win.”
I lifted my head. “Maybe your mate isn’t a wolf.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Never gonna happen.”
I rose to my feet. “As fun as this has been, I need to get back to my….mate.” I rolled that word over my tongue and discovered I enjoyed not only the sound of it but also the thought.
She swayed over to me and kissed my cheek. “Seriously, Calder. Congratulations. You deserve to be happy.”
I only nodded in response and left Conner’s office. My body had suddenly realized that it was well past dawn and it hadn’t rested for over twenty-four hours. Knowing that Ricki had promised to wait for me gave me the energy to bound up the stairs.
My room was almost completely dark when I entered. Thinking Ricki was still sleeping, I didn’t bother with the light. I stripped off my jeans and boots, wincing as the motion pulled at the fresh scratches on my back.
It wasn’t until I pulled back the blankets that I realized the bed was empty. Frowning, I went into the bathroom, hoping to find her there. Empty. Fighting my rising panic, I sniffed the air and realized that Ricki’s scent was fading. Considering how strong it had been when I entered the room, she must have just left.
When I went back to the bed to pull my jeans on and go in search of her, I noticed a piece of paper on the nightstand. Snatching it up, I switched on the lamp and read the words scrawled on the page.
I can’t do this. Last night was a mistake.
I crumpled the note in my hand, anger, and what felt suspiciously like hurt, warring within me. She’d left me. I finally found my mate and she thought it was a mistake. The wolf within me howled in rage. I didn’t know what to do. She was human and didn’t understand how shifter society worked. Should I let her go? Try to explain? When a male marked a female the way I’d marked her, when he asked her to stay with him, it was the same as proposing marriage in the Pack.
MINE!
The growl escaped my throat before I could swallow it. Letting her go was no longer an option. She belonged to me. I would let her run, for now. After all, I’d warned her last night, never run from a wolf unless you want to be chased. I intended to chase her until she no longer had the will to flee.
Ricki belonged to me. It was only a matter of time before she knew it too.
A native Texan, C.C. grew up either reading or playing the piano. Years later, she’s still not grown up and doing the same things. Since the voices in her head never shut up, C.C. decided to try and profit from their crazy stories and started writing books.
Now that she has a baby girl at home, C.C.’s non-writing time is usually spent cleaning up poopy diapers or feeding the poop machine. Sometimes she teaches piano, cooks, or spends time bugging her hubby and two beagles.
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Titles by C.C. Wood
Novellas:
Girl Next Door Series:
Friends with Benefits
Frenemies
Drive Me Crazy
Girl Next Door-The Complete Series
Kiss Series:
A Kiss for Christmas
Kiss Me
Novels:
Seasons of Sorrow
NSFW Series:
In Love With Lucy
Earning Yancy
Paranormal Romance:
Bitten Series
Bite Me
Once Bitten, Twice Shy