A Second Chance (Fated Mate) (3 page)

Just as
Shana went out the door, a big black wolf entered the house. She yelled, “To the right. She ran toward her room.”

The wolf nodded and proceeded to collect his prize.

Where the hell was her gun? She shouldn’t drink ever. Her mind was so muddled but she could work throughout the fog. Okay, she came home from work and saw Shana. She ate and drank. Well hell, she was still wearing her holster with gun. She ran back through the house but it was blocked by smoke, and hot stuff, fire. She had to get to Shana.

* * * * *

Where the hell is she?
Who ran back into their house when it was on fire? He would be going after the people that tried to harm her, but he didn’t see her come out of the house with Shana. He trotted down the hall and looked about; he heard a movement just ahead. Katie was leaning against the wall watching her house being torn apart by the fire.

He approached her slowly in his wolf form while she watched.
He heard her giggle “pretty.” She smelled like alcohol and gun powder. Very hot combination.

He approached her and placed his muzzle by her open palm, and tried to lead her to her room, away from the fire.

“
No thanks doggie I haveta put my house on, up…Hmmmm, out. I have to put water on my house.” How much wine had she had? She vaguely remembered opening a second bottle and Shana couldn’t drink so…She was completely soused.

Conner was getting anxious.
He could hear the fire engine in the background, and needed to get her out of the house, before they were found. He rubbed his teeth along her palm to get her attention. She shivered and he smelled the sweet honey scent of her arousal fill the air.
Damn, now I’m on fire.
He didn’t have much time so he changed to try and carry her out.

What the hell is that bright light?
Yummy, there’s a naked Conner standing in my hallway.
She walked up to him, ran her hand up his muscled chest, and looked down at his arousal. She had forgotten how big he was. His cock jumped.
Oh my.

Conner picked her up and walked at a brusque pace toward her room.
He opened the window and yelled, “Incoming,” as he tossed her out the window.

She landed on something soft.
Oops, poor Shana.
“I’m sorry; he tossed me out the window. What the hell?” She looked over at Shana, “Did you leave the burners on, or something?”

“
No Katie. Someone bombed your house. I think it was one of those Molotov cocktail things. Where’s Conner?” She was getting worried; he hadn’t come out of the house yet. Shana dialed Jake’s number from her cell.

“
What’s up honey bunny?” Jake’s soothing voice filled her ears.

“
Katie’s house is on fire, and Conner is still in there. What should I do?” She was trying to sound calm, but the wailing of the fire engine was…upsetting.

“
That’s not funny babe. You better be watching backdraft or I’m going to be disappointed.”

She could tell he was around
Trevor because he wasn’t yelling-yet. “Uh, okay. Talk to you later.” She hung up. No use pissing him off when she needed to get Conner out of the scorching house. Turning to Katie she said, “Where did you last see Conner?”

Katie
simply gaped at her blazing house.
All of my belongings, gone.
Suddenly stuff started flying out her bedroom window. Panties, pants, shirts, entire drawers were flung onto the grass outside of her home. Then her jewelry case, spare weapons and last but not least her photo albums. Conner climbed out of her bedroom window looking winded, in a pair of her sweats; holding her bridesmaids dress and the fuck me pumps that made her limp for a week. He sat heavily on the ground and laid down closing his eyes.

Katie
stared at him long and hard. “Why did you do that?” Katie said in a small timid voice that was very unlike her.

Shana
ran to Conner’s side and tried to sit him up, he needed oxygen.

Conner turned his head, and his soot covered face held so many emotions.
“I’m so very sorry about your home. I saved everything I could.” He coughed a couple times, and then passed out.

Katie
kicked herself into action yelling, slurring, for a medic to bring oxygen and help him. She had never felt so panicked.

Chapter 2

Katie’s home was gone. The home she had spent the last six years living in. The home her and Shana would stay up at night and talk about their futures, while painting each other’s toenails. She was terrified. She had nothing. That wasn’t true; she had a lot of her belongings because of Conner and his heroics. He healed quickly, only needing a few minute of oxygen before he was up and helping to collect her meager belongings.

“
What now?” They had to give a report to her boss Eddie, who had told her to take the next day off work ‘to recover.’ He also told Katie he would love to have her over if she needed a room.
Eddie is definitely yucky.
He was always trying to come onto her in subtle ways, and once in a not so subtle way but that was in the past.

Katie
had nowhere to go. She stood in front of her blackened house and said, “Will you please take me to Decker’s. I’ll stay with him a few nights.”

Conner growled low and menacing in his throat and countered,
“You’ll stay with me. For however long you’d like.”

“
Thanks, that’s…nice but I work here, and don’t want to drive an hour to work every day. It’ll be fine. I’ll look for an apartment later this week while I talk to the insurance company.” Life pretty much sucked. The alcohol was wearing off, but right about now she’d have given anything for a bottle of tequila.

Shana
looked at her with concern “Katie, someone tried to intentionally hurt you. Maybe it’s best for you to get away for a while. You can stay at our house. Trevor misses you.” Seeing the look of fear on her friends face she added, “Only for a few days, and then you can do whatever you want.”

Damn,
Shana was right
. Someone wanted to kill her. It probably wasn’t the first time, but no one had ever tried to do it up close and personal before. “Fine, maybe a few days’ vacation will make me feel better. But I’m coming back to work as soon as possible.”

She was surprised when Conner got in the driver
’s seat of Shana’s car. Shana got in the passenger seat, like everything was normal and Conner was her personal driver. “I guess I’ll climb in the back. I didn’t know you guys drove together.” She was a bit envious of the close relationship Shana and Conner shared.

“
We didn’t. Conner must have stowed away. I didn’t lead him to you Katie, he merely followed. I wonder what Jake will have to say.” She turned angry eyes to Conner, who seemed unfazed.

“
I’m sure he’ll thank me for keeping his precious wife from harm.”

Conner was still smiling.
In fact, Katie realized she’d never seen him upset.

“
We’ll see,” Was Shana’s cryptic reply.

“
It seems like there is something going on here I should know about. Are you guys, uh…together or involved? I hear the sharing thing is pretty popular these days.”

“
NO!!!” They both shouted their reply.

“
Conner is Jake’s best friend” Shana explained.

* * * * *

The car ride back to Shana and Jake’s was uncomfortably quiet. Katie had a long stressful day, and found it was easy to doze off in the silence.

When
Shana heard Katie’s even breathing indicating sleep she rounded on Conner, “I can’t believe you followed me. I told you I’d talk to her but you just couldn’t let it go. I’m so pissed right now Conner, I can’t wait to tell Jake. You’ll be in so much trouble.”

“
Do you honestly think he’ll be mad, Shana? What do you think he would have done if the situation was reversed? He’d have chased you in a heartbeat. In fact he did, every damn day he was chasing you.” Conner didn’t feel the least bit troubled. He knew his Alpha would understand. If Katie wasn’t Shana’s friend, he knew she’d understand too. For Pete sakes, he’d saved Katie’s life tonight.

“
That’s different. Jake would never have mated me without my knowledge, and consent. You should be ashamed. You’re a bad wolf.” She was acting like his mother. No, she was acting like his Alpha.

“
I can’t say I’m sorry enough, but it’s between me and Katie. I would have talked to her a million times over and apologized, but I couldn’t find her. Let us work it out.” He was surprised at his annoyance. Usually he was very unassuming when unthreatened.

Shana
knew he was right but she was indignant, and pregnant; a bad combination. She was riding high on emotions right now. Katie had stuck up for her, for years, and it was time for her to do the same for her friend. “She deserved better. She deserves a choice. You took that away from her. Maybe, one day she’ll forgive you, but I never will. I know what it’s like having your choices taken from you.”

He looked hopeless, and he felt doomed.
Instead of getting down on himself, he was going to fight. “I realize you’re life hasn’t always been peaches and cream, Shana, but you have no right to pass judgment on me. I’m doing the best I can for Katie. I had no idea she would leave so suddenly. You know I love her, hell I was willing to die for her today. I have never been as agonized as I was standing outside her burning house, I could feel her pain. I want her happiness and love. I’d do anything for her.”

Shana
knew he spoke the truth, she could smell it, but she was still vexed on her friend’s behalf. “Leave her to make her own choices.” She sounded uncompromising.

“
Maybe you can let her make her own choices, mom.” Conner was amazed that he was getting annoyed at Shana so easily.

“
Pull over the car, and get out.” Shana was not going to take this any longer.

Conner pulled over and got out.
As Shana got out of the passenger side to get in the driver’s seat, Katie climbed over the center console, hopped in the driver’s seat, closed and locked the doors. Katie rolled down the window a smidge, “Maybe you both need to understand that I’m a big girl and can make my own choices. I really enjoyed the in-car-entertainment but it’s over. Enjoy your walk.” She peeled away causing the dirt to kick up into a cloud of dust.
Take that!

Katie
drove straight to Shana and Jake’s house and rang the doorbell.

Jake
had wide eyes when he opened the door and asked, “Where are they?”

“
They were fighting about me when they thought I was asleep in the backseat; I felt it would do them good to walk the rest of the way. It’ll give them a chance to fight it out.” At Jake’s wide white smile she went on. “I hope you understand that I make my own decisions. I will not be bullied into anything.”

Jake
sobered “I understand, and please feel free to come to me with any questions you may have about our lifestyle.”

“
Thank you but all I’d really like to do, is get a carton of ice cream, and go to my room and shower.”

Jake
inhaled, “You smell like bar BQ. I’ll show you to the ice cream, and then your room. Where would you like to stay?”

“
As far away from everyone as you can get me.” She grinned up at him and said, “Thank you. Out of all of the stuff that has happened to me, you have shown me kindness. I won’t forget it.”

“
You’re welcome, but can you do me a favor? I agree with you, forcing the fighting out of the car but, Shana will be unhappy and I don’t want that. Will you allow them to apologize?”

She beamed up at him,
“Sure, tomorrow. Let’s let them think about it a while.”

* * * * *

Jake was waiting outside when Shana and Conner walked up. Damn, they knew they were both in trouble. He was scowling at them both. Katie was nowhere to be found.

Connor innocently asked,
“Where’s Katie?”

“
Do you honestly think she wants to be around either of you right now? She’s been through a major trauma, and you two were bickering in the car, about her, like two old biddies. You should both be extremely humiliated. She was right to let you both out of the car. I agree that your punishment was apt. She doesn’t want to see you right now, but she said she’ll be down for breakfast in the morning.”

They both bowed their heads submissively.
They knew they were wrong, and had discussed it on their lengthy walk. However, they both wanted to make it right-now. They didn’t want to wait until morning. Katie must be really pissed.

Jake
asked, “Are you staying the night Conner?” At Conner’s slight nod Jake continued, “I had your room prepared. Sleep well.” He grabbed Shana’s hand, pulled her into the house, and toward their room.

* * * * *

The heated water of the shower was just what Katie needed. She felt refreshed. One’s outlook was always better with a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and a hot shower. Someone had brought her belongings up to her room. She searched through them; ultimately, she chose to wear the robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door. Her clothes all smelled like a fireplace. She put the robe on, and collected her clothes to take to the laundry.

She went down the hall and followed her nose to the fresh scent of fabric softener.
Her sense of smell was much better than it had been. She tossed her stuff in the oversized washer, and set it for the longest heaviest wash cycle available.

As she was walking down the hall she felt a sudden pull towards one of the rooms down the hall, and went to check it out.
She lightly knocked on the door, and assumed it was empty because she got no response. She entered the room and took a big whiff of the room. It smelled like…well, hell. It smelled like Conner. She immediately turned to leave, when she noticed a dejected Conner leaning against the doorframe.

He straightened,
“Sorry, did you want to sleep here? I can take another room.” He started to walk away.

“
Good Lord. I wouldn’t take your room Conner. Geez, I’m sorry I made you walk home. I was angry, and I didn’t stop to think that you guys were only fighting for my best interests.” She paused at his wide eyed expression, “What?”

“
Did you seriously just apologize, to me? I was wrong, not you. I’m willing to wait until tomorrow to talk with you, about everything. Get some rest, love. And I’m glad you’re safe.” He walked up to her and kissed the top of her head, taking in a lungful of her precious scent.

She walked past him to leave the room, but felt like she should say something more.
She stopped at the door and called back to him, “Enjoy your shower. Thank you for everything today. I appreciate what you did for me, saving my life and all.”