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  We began the walk to his house, it was a short one. The houses were all clustered together in the clearing. More wolves came out of their homes to get a look at me, I assumed.

  “I’ll introduce you to more of the pack tomorrow. You’ll meet my boys tonight, they will all return when they're hungry.”

  Zack’s home was a two-story, yellow farmhouse with a large wrap-around porch with several chairs including a swing.

  A woman stepped onto the porch, her auburn hair pulled back in a braid, a broad smile on her face. “You must be Sanford. It's nice to meet you. Finally,” she said. She pulled me into a hug. “Zack talks about you all the time. You should visit more.”

  I chuckled. “Don't say that! You might get sick of me after a few days.”

  “Please, you already feel like family.”

  It was odd because the sentiment rang true for me as well. This place felt right. Perfect. Like I belonged here. But what place did a porpoise shifter have in a pack of wolves?

  None.

  My porpoise clicked, admonishing me for being so pessimistic.

  “Dinner's almost ready. The boys will be back later. Well, all except for Archer. He's constantly late. He's probably out by Grey Lake reading right now.”

  Zack shook his head. “That one always has his nose in a book, not unlike you,” he said to me, “You were always the studious sort.”

  That I had been, which is why I became the wanderer that I was. I was curious about other packs and it was easy for me to write down their histories as I went. I was never a part of their histories though, or anyone’s.

  Just a wanderer. Visiting one day, gone and forgotten the next.

  Twelve

  Archer

  The autumn wind blew around me, rustling the leaves that had begun to change. I had my feet in the cold water of the lake. It was my favorite place on the territory. In the summer it was warm, but right now it was nice, cool and quiet.

  Every so often, pack members would run by. But right now, it was peaceful, maybe a little too peaceful.

  Usually some wolves were running out and about. I paused my reading for a moment and pulled my phone out of my pocket to check the time.

  It was well past seven o’clock.

  Fuck. Late for dinner again.

  I grabbed a leaf and stuck it in my book to hold my place although I remembered right where I left off. Dr. Turnstein was describing the vast number of differences between porpoises and dolphins. I wasn't sure why this particular book was my absolute favorite of all the books about animals that I had, but it was. Most people chose a fiction book as their favorite, but not me, I preferred animal science books. I had read this particular one over and over again, always coming back to reading about marine life.

  Once upon a time I had thought about becoming a marine biologist, but I wasn't sure how that particular skill would fit into the pack life. So instead, I had studied fisheries and wildlife sciences. And with my help, we had managed to keep this lake, as well as two others in our territory robust with enough aquatic life to satisfy our wolves as well as keep the ecosystem around us healthy.

  I took my book and my cell phone and tucked them into my bag and shifted to my wolf form. I ran toward the house. Mom wouldn't be too upset with me, Dad might have a few words to say about my tardiness, but that was all right. I liked being by my lake. It wasn’t as if I was off causing trouble or goofing around. I was just reading.

  I was the oldest of the three kids in the family and the only one to not have a steady relationship. My younger brother, though he was only a year younger than me, had found a nice female shifter to settle down with. The two of them were expected to have their mating ceremony in a few months. My youngest brother met an omega from the Northbay pack at our last joint run, and they were seeing each other socially on a regular basis. It wouldn’t be long before the two of them planned a mating ceremony as well.

  Me? I remained a virgin.

  It wasn’t for lack of effort by Alpha’s my own age. I’d been asked out on dates from dinner and a movie to midnight strolls through the territory, but I’d always declined. I just wasn’t interested in wolves my own age. They weren’t…. I didn’t know what. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for.

  I raced into the house, nosing open the back door. Laughter reached my ears, it was unfamiliar. A strange scent lingered in the house. It was fresh and earthy, like that of my lake. I let out a whimper. I followed the scent, though I should have been heading upstairs to get dressed.

  I stepped into the dining room. There was my family, but also at the table was a man I didn't recognize. His blond hair was short, and brushed to one side. He had to be my father's age, but he was younger looking. He had less worry lines around his face. His blue eyes sparkled like the sea as he looked at me.

  My breath caught in my throat and I shifted back to my human form without telling my body to do so.

  My mother scoffed. “Archer, really? It's bad enough that you're late for dinner but coming in like this? We have company.”

  I looked down at myself, wondering if perhaps I was dirty from hanging out at the lake. Being naked among shifters was nothing new, but then again when we were having dinner and inside the house, clothes were typically warranted.

  “I'm—” I licked my lips, trying to clear my fogged mine. All I could see in front of me was that man, like nothing else in the world existed. It was just him and me, and that was just perfect. “I'm sorry,” I said finally. “I got caught up reading at the lake.”

  My younger brother, Curt laughed. “That's Archer for you. Always has his nose in a book.”

  I blushed a deep crimson red that went down my chest, almost reaching my navel.

  “Oh, I was a lot like that too,” the man said and he smiled at me.

  My knees wobbled and this time the blush really did reach my navel, and went straight down to my dick. All the blood from my brain rushed there as well as I took in this stranger’s scent. He was a shifter, I could tell that, but what kind? Marine life, for sure. Dolphin? No, porpoise. My eyes widened. A porpoise? In real life? But those were rare. The only one I’d heard of was…

  “You’re Sanford? My dad’s friend?” I blurted out.

  The man nodded. “Yes, glad to meet you. You must be Archer.”

  My vision blurred. I willed my cock to calm the fuck down. I could not—would not—be attracted to this man. But even as I thought it, my wolf whined. He was ours.

  “I'll go get dressed,” I said and I ran off to my room before my cock could betray me and stiffen right there in the dining room. As it was, the scent of my arousal probably reached them. Everyone would know what I was thinking.

  Though generally we were polite enough not to mention things like that, my parents and my brothers could be real jerks.

  I pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and went downstairs. Everyone had begun talking again and I took my seat at the table, which happened to be directly across from Sanford.

  He was telling a story about how he got snowed in with a pack of Artic wolves. “I spent three days trying to explain to them, that no, I was not a dolphin and I would not be doing any tricks like Flipper did.”

  Everyone laughed. My two brothers and my mom were listening intently to Sanford’s story. I was sad I’d missed it. I wanted to know everything about him, even if he was my dad’s friend. I couldn't think too hard on that right now.

  Mine. Mate.

  It couldn’t be, though, could it? Sanford, my fated mate? My mind raced a mile a minute, all the while I tried to maintain outward composure so no one else would know what I was thinking.

  “How does your pack feel about you travelling so much, Sanford?” Ben, my middle brother, asked.

  “Porpoises aren’t pack animals,” I said automatically.

  Sanford grinned. “That’s right. Closest thing I had to a pack was hanging out with your dad in college.”

  “That’s very interesting. I couldn’t imagine not living with
a bunch of people, having your mate and family around,” my mom said.

  Sanford’s eyes met mine. “I’ve never given it much thought, until recently. I liked being alone, but someday…”

  I swallowed thickly as he stared at me. Did he feel the same connection? Or was I being incredibly naive? That had to be it.

  “What’s it like travelling from pack to pack hearing about their histories? That’s got to be interesting work,” my dad asked.

  Sanford turned away from me. “It is. I’ve amassed quite a collection of notes. Now all I have to do is write a book,” he laughed. “Honestly, it was easier than you think. Lots of packs like to talk about themselves. The hardest part was finding places that I could shift. Take this place for instance, hard to find a place for a porpoise to hang out in the middle of the woods.”

  “We have the lake.” My voice came out louder than I intended and all eyes turned to me. “The water is fresh, so it won't’ be anything like the ocean, but it’s clean and deep enough.”

  “Thank you, Archer. I think I’d like to see this lake.”

  “I can show you. I go there all the time. I practically live there.” Oh god, could I sound anymore idiotic?

  “Archer is our resident expert on aquatic life. He studied fisheries and wildlife. He keeps an eye on our local ecosystems to make sure we’re keeping them healthy,” my dad explained.

  “Is that right?” Sanford met my gaze again and I swear I saw desire in his eyes.

  “My focus was on marine life.” I mumbled.

  How long was he staying? There was no way I’d be able to be this close to this man without climbing him like a polecat.

  Fuck, what was wrong with me? I was never the type of omega to lose their head over an Alpha, but this one? Hell, I was ready to kneel down and beg him to take me.

  Thirteen

  Sanford

  I lay in the guest room that night, unable to sleep. Each time I closed my eyes I saw Archer.

  Mine, my porpoise clicked. He’d been close to the surface all throughout dinner, just waiting to break free and claim what was his.

  As a non-pack animal, fated matings were rare. I couldn’t be sure that was what was pushing me toward Archer, but it had to be, right? What other explanation was there for the intense attraction, the sudden feeling of coming home for the first time in my life?

  He was mine.

  I didn’t care that he was twenty years younger than me and my best friend’s son. Fate couldn’t be avoided.

  Archer felt it too, I’d seen it in his eyes.

  I wanted to speak with him immediately after dinner, but Zack insisted on taking me on a tour of the territory. I couldn't say no, I was here to visit him after all.

  And also mate with his son, apparently.

  I sat up on the bed. Sleep wasn’t going to happen, I could read or transcribe some of my notes from my last assignment, that was a task that would tire me out.

  I grabbed my bag to get my laptop when the slam of the back door echoed outside. I looked out the window as my prospective mate stripped out of his clothes and shifted to his wolf form. He took off into the woods, disappearing in the thick trees.

  Where was he off to?

  Could I follow?

  Butterflies danced in my stomach. I was sure that he felt the same attraction I did, but what if I was wrong? I swallowed thickly. My porpoise wanted out. I could take a trip to the lake that Archer mentioned…

  Was that where he was headed?

  Before I could change my mind, I grabbed my shoes and headed out the door.

  Reaching the lake was easy, though I was a porpoise shifter and not a wolf, I still had a stronger sense of smell than the average person. I followed Archer’s scent. Clearly this was a trail he followed often, since his was the strongest scent in the area. It helped that my inner animal honed in on his scent like it was our lifeline.

  At the lake, Archer sat on a large bolder that overlooked the water. It would be a great spot to dive from. No wonder he recommended this lake for me to shift at. He was in his human form, naked, hugging his knees to his chest. The pale skin of his back glowed in the moonlight, and like a moth to a flame, I couldn’t help but want to get closer.

  The snap of a twig under my feet had him turning around.

  “Who’s there?” he asked, though there was no fear in his voice. He was a predator after all, there wasn’t much for him to fear in these woods.

  “It’s just me, Sanford,” I said. Your dad’s friend. I didn’t want to label myself that way though. I didn’t want him to look at me like that.

  Oh, and just how do you want him to look at you?

  “Couldn't resist the lake?” he asked with a crooked smile.

  I chuckled. “Something like that. Can I join you?”

  “Sure.” He scooched over, making room for me on top of the rock.

  I climbed up and sat beside him, trying to ignore the fact that he was completely naked and I was fully clothed. My cock strained against the fabric of my boxers. I was thankful that I’d been planning to sleep in a pair of boxers, pajama pants, and a shirt.

  He reached over the other side of the rock and when he sat upright again he had a blanket in his lap. He smiled sheepishly when he glanced my way. “I keep some supplies here in case I’m here longer than I expect to be.”

  “Always smart to be prepared.”

  He put the blanket over his lap and the two of us sat in silence for a while. The surface of the water was still and calm. The reflection of the nearly full moon shimmered on the water.

  “Do you feel this?” he asked suddenly. His cheeks turned ruddy and he kept his gaze toward the lake and off me.

  I knew what he was referring to. It wasn’t hard to guess. There was a buzz of electricity around us. It sizzled in the air. My skin tingled with excitement just being around him. I felt his wolf, close to the surface and ready to break free. Relief flooded through me. “Yes.”

  “Is it what I think it is?” he asked as he turned to face me. “Are we mates?”

  His young face stared up at me with such trust and desire. I lifted a hand to cup his cheek. “Yes, I think we are.”

  He smiled. “I’ve always loved marine life. Porpoises have always been my favorite animal, more than wolves, which just seemed crazy. Now I know why.” He nuzzled into my touch and I threaded my fingers through his thick hair.

  “I’ve always been jealous of the pack life, wondering if I’d ever get to experience it for myself. Mates are rare for porpoises to find. I can’t believe I—I never dreamed I’d find mine.”

  Archer leaned into my caress. “You aren’t disappointed that I’m so young? Or that I’m your best friend’s son?” He moved closer to me, our bodies gravitating toward one another.

  I shook my head. “You are you, and that is perfectly perfect.” I chuckled, looking away from him. “Clearly, you have me tongue-tied. I am usually much more suave.”

  Archer bit his lip. “I’ve got nothing to compare it to. I don’t date a lot. At all. I’m, um, still a virgin.”

  I shuddered. A thrill went down my spine. It shouldn’t matter, but damn I loved hearing that I would be his first, and his only. “That’s okay. We can take our time. Nothing has to happen tonight or this week, hell even this year. I—”

  Archer launched forward and put his lips on mine. I held him steady to keep us from falling over. He moaned against me and went slack in my arms. I slanted my lips over his, coaxing his mouth open. His tongue met mine in a slow exploration.

  I cupped his cheek and deepened the kiss. As we explored each other’s mouths and tasted one another, his hands went on their own exploration. He untied my pants, pushed my shirt up and tried to rip it off me. His fingers trailed up my stomach to my chest, grazing over my nipples.

  I pulled away. “Are you sure about this? We can take things slow?”

  “Yes,” he panted. “I’ve never wanted anything more in my whole life. Please! I want to be with you, in every way po
ssible.”

  I groaned. I wanted that too. I felt like a young shifter again, with more hormones than sense. I took his hand and guided him off the rock to the soft ground below. His cock was hard, jutting out of his body. It was thick. A vein ran along its length to the purpled mushroom head. I wanted to taste, touch, explore everything about him, but right now I’d only be satisfied with claiming him in a way that no other shifter had.

  I spread out the blanket on the ground and he lay down on it. He smiled. “Join me?”

  “I’d love to.”

  He laughed. “Well, come on then, I’m not getting any younger.”

  I knew then that Fate really knew what she was doing. As my fated mate, Archer was perfect for me. Sweet, studious, funny. The exact combination of everything I needed in my life.

  I joined him on the blanket and covered his body with mine. My lips touched his briefly, then trailed to his neck, savoring the slight taste of salt on his skin. I nibbled and licked my way down his chest until I reached his cock. I licked along the length of him, following the vein I had admired until I reached the top. He hissed in a breath. Pre-cum beaded at the tip and I swiped it with my tongue.

  My fingers went to his entrance. I wanted desperately to bury myself in him, but he needed to be prepped first.

  It didn’t take long before I had him wiggling beneath me, moaning for more as I stretched him. Three fingers filled his channel, slick dripped from him and I knew it was time.

  My cock was impossibly hard. I nearly came as he thrashed and grappled for me to plunge deeper.

  He whimpered when I pulled my fingers out.

  “You’re ready for me, baby.” I settled my hips between his spread legs. He pulled his knees up to allow me access.

  My body radiated with need. My mate lay before me, ready for me to claim him. Emotion overcame me and I desperately wanted to make this amazing for him. He should be wooed and courted and treated like a prince.