Chosen Mate Read online

  The only silver lining of all this was now she was glad she’d told him, glad that she hadn’t outright embarrassed herself by letting him know her feelings for him. Which were clearly one-sided. She could just imagine how embarrassing it would have been because he would have tried to let her down easy. She winced at the thought.

  Taking a few deep breaths, she grabbed her cell phone and called that human male. But after she talked to the human who’d asked her out on a date—telling him that yes, she would have lunch with him tomorrow—she wasn’t sure how she felt. Not better, that was for sure. Just…ugh. Sort of untethered and lost in general.

  But she needed to get out there again, to stop hiding away from the world.

  Since coming to live with the Kendrick pack, she hadn’t been hiding exactly, but it had taken her a while to come out of her shell again, to feel alive again. After being mated to Jude, she’d felt like a shadow of her former self. All hollowed out and pathetic because he’d certainly pulled the wool over her eyes.

  Before they’d mated, he’d been wonderful and sweet and nothing at all like the man who’d started hitting her, telling her that she didn’t need to work outside the home because she needed to take care of him. The man who’d been demanding of all her time and energy to the point where it had been easier to just quit her job than argue with him all the time. She hadn’t realized at first that was exactly what he’d wanted. She’d fallen right into his trap.

  And if he hadn’t threatened her mother—and if Leslie hadn’t been absolutely certain he would have followed through on that threat—she would have left him long before the six-month mark of their mating. As a rule, she-wolves didn’t put up with shit from anyone.

  But he’d had brothers, and she and her mother had been no match for them in physical strength. He’d made it almost impossible for her to be alone with her mom, let alone escape their pack’s territory. And if she hadn’t been smart about it, hadn’t asked for outside help from her aunt Sapphire, Leslie knew without a doubt that she and her mom would be dead. Strong she-wolves or not, going up against a bunch of violent male wolves was tough.

  Leslie shook those thoughts off and pulled open the front door, breathing in the fresh mountain air. Summer was right around the corner, spring fading into the distance already. Even if there was a chilly breeze rolling through, she didn’t care. Her body ran hotter than humans’ and the feel of all the fresh air and sunlight on her arms and legs was wonderful.

  Slipping on her flip-flops, she hurried down the stairs of her cabin’s front porch and walked right next door to find her mom and her son playing on that front porch. Elijah was in his wolf form, tumbling around and doing actual somersaults. Though he kept landing on his belly, his paws splayed out since he wasn’t remotely in control of himself yet. His antics were definitely the cutest thing she had ever seen in her life.

  “Did Malcolm fix your sink?” her mom, Luna, asked from her position on the porch, where she sat cross-legged in shorts and a T-shirt, her dark hair in little braids down her back.

  “Yep.” She leaned against the porch column, watching her son race back and forth along the porch. “He seems to have extra energy this morning.” That was saying something, considering the type of energy and metabolism that shifters had as a whole. But he was a pup and they were always ready to go. Thankfully he slept well at night.

  Her mom’s dark eyes sparkled. “He’s just like you were at that age.”

  She grinned because she’d definitely been a handful. “I was thinking of heading into town today and getting my hair done.” It was Sunday and the pack’s salon was open, whereas they wouldn’t be tomorrow. She’d learned since moving here that pack businesses in town tended to close on Mondays so everyone got a break. And thanks to the tourists who frequented their mountain town, they saw most of their business on weekends anyway. Her job was different, since she worked on the pack’s property and she made her own hours.

  “Go on. I’ve got this little furball.” Her mom opened her arms as Elijah jumped into them. Then just as quickly, he shifted into a little boy, the change so seamless, the spark of magic bursting and then fading as he snuggled up in his nana’s arms before falling into a light sleep.

  She missed being able to fall asleep like that. Now at nights she often stared at the ceiling, begging for rest that rarely came—because she had an itch she couldn’t scratch. Only one wolf could do that. But she wasn’t going to get all caught up in her head right now.

  “Thanks, Mama,” she said, bending down and kissing her mom on the forehead, then her son on his cheek. “I’m probably going to get a manicure too, but call me if you need me.”

  “Take your time. And definitely get the manicure. Your nails are starting to get sad.”

  “Hey!” Then she looked down and winced because it was true. She had gel nail polish but they’d grown out so far it looked ridiculous.

  But she’d been so busy at work lately that she hadn’t had time to get away. “Yeah, you’re right. By the way, I have a date tomorrow afternoon.” She tossed the news out all casual even though she felt anything but casual about the date. She’d decided to do it on her lunch break because then she would have the perfect excuse to leave if things got uncomfortable.

  Her mom’s eyebrows raised in true surprise. “A date? With Malcolm?”

  “No! And hush,” she said, looking around. She didn’t want anyone in the pack thinking she had set her sights on Malcolm. The mere thought was ridiculous. “A human in town asked me out. I figured it can’t hurt to see what’s out there.”

  Her mom simply made a humming sound as she stood, cradling a still-snoozing Elijah in her arms.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  Leslie narrowed her gaze. “You didn’t need to.”

  “I have nothing to say on the matter. You are a grown she-wolf and I’m glad you’re getting out there again. It’s time.” Truth rolled off her mom in waves, easing the weird tension inside Leslie. “Now go take care of yourself.”

  Feeling much lighter, she hurried down the short set of stairs. She might even get a pedicure today too. And she wasn’t doing it because she was going on a date tomorrow. She was doing this for her.

  Her ex had been so critical of her anytime she’d gone to the salon, demanding to know who she was getting “all prettied up for”. His dumbass words, not hers.

  So she’d finally just stopped going. In hindsight, she realized just how controlling he’d started to be even at the beginning of their mating. He really hadn’t hidden who he was for very long after they’d mated. Maybe if she’d insisted on a longer courting period, she’d have seen him for who he was. Instead, she’d been foolish enough to jump into a mating without getting to know him well. But she’d been attracted and she’d believed in the whole fairytale thing even if she’d never felt the mating pull with him.

  She’d convinced herself that the mating pull was just something that had been built up by other wolves. In reality, she’d so desperately wanted what her parents had—before her dad died. She’d only been two at the time, but the way her mom still talked about her dad made it clear that they’d had a once-in-a-lifetime type of mating.

  Well that fairytale happily ever after hadn’t existed for Leslie. And she had to stop believing in foolish dreams.

  Chapter Three

  Malcolm leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out as his younger brother jumped up onto his desk, scattering papers like some crazed pup. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing. Just came to bug you.” Hudson’s grin grew as he knocked a couple papers off the desk with a finger, just to get a rise out of Malcolm.

  “No respect,” he muttered. If it had been anyone else in the pack, he wouldn’t have put up with this, but Hudson was his younger brother and there were different rules for the two of them. Right now it was clear that Hudson was in “annoying little brother mode” and not mature second-in-command. It d
idn’t matter that Hudson was over two hundred years old, some days he acted no better than a pup. “So where’s your better half? And why aren’t you with her?” Malcolm asked dryly. He had a shit ton of paperwork to catch up on, and then he planned to go running in wolf form. He was still off kilter after that talk with Leslie yesterday. Even the thought of her letting some male touch her had his wolf edgy.

  “She’s out running with the boys.”

  The boys were Hudson’s young twin pups. The two of them got into all sorts of mischief and couldn’t seem to keep their clothes on. Whenever he saw them, they were naked or in wolf form. He knew once they hit four or so, they’d grow out of this phase.

  “So…did you stop by for something? Or are you just here to bug me?” Leaning down, he started picking up some of the scattered papers.

  “Just wanted to see what you’re up to for lunch today.” Hudson had a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin and a glint in his eyes Malcolm recognized.

  His brother was up to something. He stood and crossed his arms over his chest. “Nothing. Why?”

  “Just wanted to see if you could join me, Erica and the boys for lunch.” Now his expression went carefully neutral.

  Oh yeah, he was up to something. “Sounds good. I’ll be free in an hour.” His office was on pack land—in one of the cabins—so it was a quick walk across their compound. Compound meaning the big spread of cabins out in the Montana wilderness. Though not as wild as it used to be since they were fairly close to town. They owned thousands of acres with plenty of room to run, free of human eyes. “Until then, some of us actually have to work,” he said dryly.

  Hudson jumped off the desk, his boots making a soft thud against the oversized throw rug. “I’ll clear out. By the way, what’s Leslie doing for lunch today?”

  Malcolm shifted slightly, narrowing his gaze at his brother. “Why do I get the feeling you already know the answer to that?”

  “She was at the salon yesterday getting her hair done. Nails too. Erica told me she looks fantastic.”

  Leslie always looked sexy, and she didn’t need her nails or hair or anything else done for that. She was a natural beauty, inside and out. “Can you get to the damn point?”

  His brother took a step back from the desk, inching closer to the door. “I can’t help but wonder if she got all that done for the date she’s going on during lunch today.” He looked at his watch. “I bet she’s leaving soon too.”

  “Date?” Malcolm rounded the desk, shoving his chair out of the way before he even realized he’d moved.

  But Hudson was long gone, his cackling laughter echoing in his wake as he practically sprinted from the cabin.

  Yesterday Leslie had told him she was maybe thinking about dating but she was actually going out with someone? Not bothering to subdue his growl, he stalked out of his office, his brother long gone by the time he stomped out the front door. His office was part of his home, but it was sectioned off and separate so when he was in there, people knew he was working.

  Leslie was in one of the other pack office buildings—right next to his home. It was a cabin too, but they’d set it up with offices instead of bedrooms. As he approached the other building, he was surprised to find her outside and shutting the door behind her.

  She jumped when she saw him, and he wasn’t sure if it was because he’d surprised her or if it was one of those delayed reactions from the abuse she’d suffered.

  “Hey, Malcolm.” She slid her crossbody bag over her head as she descended the stairs. She had indeed gotten her hair done, her dark curls straightened into soft waves, and her nails were a sparkly purple instead of blue today.

  “Hey, just coming by to see if you wanted to grab lunch.” And to see if she was going on a date.

  She cleared her throat. “I can’t. I’ve got plans.”

  “Oh? Lunch with your mom?” He definitely wanted an answer.

  “No,” she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder almost nervously. “I decided to go out with that human. The one who asked me out. Figured it can’t hurt.”

  He ground his molars, but forced out a smile. Barely. “Right, well, have fun.” He turned away then, because he knew if he stayed a second longer, he was going to say something he would regret. And of all the people he’d ever known in his entire two-hundred plus years, he never wanted to say something he regretted to Leslie. It would rip his heart out to hurt her. She was all softness and sunshine, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her frowning or hurt because of him.

  He also couldn’t stand the thought of her out with another male. Yep, if she was moving on, he needed to make damn sure she moved with him.

  Chapter Four

  Leslie sat across from Marcus and couldn’t help but think that he was more or less an alternate version of Malcolm. Which was pretty much the entire reason she’d said yes to the date. His name even started with an M. He was human, yes, but he had tattoos, dark hair, blue eyes and a nice smile. Just like Malcolm. Though their tattoos weren’t anything alike, even if they both had sleeves. And when he talked, he was sincere and kind but… There was absolutely no attraction. He was funny though, and she appreciated that. But as far as that intangible thing that got her heart racing, her blood pumping and her fantasies going into overtime? Nope.

  Not even a sliver of it now.

  “So is your son’s father in the picture?” he asked casually as he sat back, pushing his empty plate slightly in front of him.

  “No.” Her abusive asshole of a mate was dead but she didn’t want him to feel sorry for her because she was a widow. Because she was actually glad her former mate was gone. “It’s just me and my little guy. Well, that’s not true because I’ve got my mom and…friends and family.” She stumbled on the last two words because she couldn’t very well say pack. He wouldn’t know what she was talking about. Which was another reason she shouldn’t have come out with him. Shifters and humans very rarely dated. Because if they ever got serious, the shifter had to tell the human about their other nature—and they had to be very sure that the human would be able to deal with it.

  “That’s good then. I was raised by a single mom and a bunch of aunts. I think I turned out all right.” He lifted a shoulder, giving her a self-deprecating smile.

  She laughed lightly. “I would say so. Look, lunch has been great, but…”

  “I already know there’s not going to be another date. There’s no chemistry here.”

  She blinked at his bluntness. “You’re so hot, I wish there was,” she blurted, then felt herself flush. What the hell was wrong with her?

  Apparently she’d lost her filter today. Seeing Malcolm earlier, having him not seem to care at all about her going on a date, had knocked her off balance in the worst way possible. She was busy pining after him and he was clearly not pining after her. Sure, they went to lunch all the time, but that was just packmates going out as friends. Man, she would be so embarrassed if Malcolm could read her thoughts. Luckily she’d been able to hide her attraction to him, but she wondered how long she’d be able to.

  Marcus let out a startled laugh. “Likewise. I wish there was as well.” He let out a sigh, and there was something sad in his expression she could read only because she felt it herself.

  “Is there someone else you’re into?” she asked quietly.

  “Yeah. Someone I’m trying to get over. You kinda look like her,” he muttered, as if embarrassed.

  Oh wow, she was right there with him. Apparently they were riding the same wavelength of pathetic-ness. “I completely relate. I’m currently trying to get over a crush that’s not reciprocated.” Crush felt like far too juvenile a word for what she felt for Malcolm, but she wasn’t going to tell this guy that she needed to get over her obsession. That wouldn’t make her sound pathetic or desperate at all.

  “Hopefully we can still be friends though?”

  “I would like that.” And she meant it. It was always tricky being friends with humans, but she’d managed it over the years. Of
course, she was only in her thirties, unlike many others in the pack, some of whom were over two hundred years old—including Malcolm.

  Dammit, she had to stop thinking about him. But he just seemed to pop up in her every waking thought. And her dreams. Gah, she couldn’t get the male out of her head.

  They each paid for their lunch, though Marcus tried to pay for hers since he’d invited her. But she didn’t want to start off their friendship that way. She could tell it bothered him to let her pay, which made him that much more adorable. Still, he paled in comparison to Malcolm.

  Everyone did.

  By the time she made it back to the pack’s land, she was surprised to find Malcolm sitting on the front steps of her office cabin. Cross-legged, he was leaning back and working on his laptop, but he stopped as she approached.

  “Hey, everything okay?” She sat on the steps a few feet away from him, stretching her legs out under the sunlight. It was warm on her skin and made her wish she was out running in wolf form. Mainly because being near Malcolm put her on edge, had her whole body waking up with an awareness she wished she could ignore.

  He set his laptop aside and watched her so intently with those bright blue eyes that she resisted the urge to squirm. “How was your date?”

  She frowned. “Ah, fine. Is everything okay with work?”

  He paused for a long moment. “Yeah. I’m headed to The Golden Grape Vineyard and Winery. It’s not on the market officially, but it’s going up for sale and I’m thinking about buying it as an investment for the pack. I was hoping you could take time off and come with me. You can look at all the numbers on the way there.”

  “Of course I’ll go.” He was the alpha so if he asked for something, she was going to do it. She would do anything he asked, she thought, her mind straying to completely nonwork things. Quickly she shook those thoughts off so her body wouldn’t react. Because he would scent it, and then she would simply die of embarrassment. Yep, she would cut a hole in the ground and let it swallow her up. “I want to go spend some time with Elijah first. He’s been with my mom all morning. Do we need to leave right now?”