Forbidden Mate (2 page)

Darkness enveloped him like a silky caress once on
all fours. He owned the night, easily traveling unseen and unheard. Right now
he wanted to forget his brief conversation with Ulric, forget his insecurities,
and lose himself in the scent of a female.

“Behave,” Ulric called out, his voice already
drowning out as Wesley put miles between them.

He was heading to one of the few places that
remained the same. Their little town was still barely touched by technology and
modern conveniences. It was a piece of heaven, a slice of life untainted by
humans and urban development. When Wesley entered the bar, it was like stepping
back in time to simpler days. He met the friends he’d grown up with, some of
his Royal Elite brothers, and enough females to keep him satisfied. Hopefully
the royal sisters would keep their paws off the town and confine their uprising
to the castle.

It felt revitalizing to run off his energy and push
his doubts aside. Wesley finally slowed his speed, coming to a walk when he
emerged from the forest. The air was sweet with the scent of baking bread. He
could hear the laughter from the local bar once he neared the heart of the town.
His panther continually tested the air for any threats as he weaved unnoticed
amongst the darkened houses. Even though he was off shift, he was hardwired to
expect trouble, part of him craving it.

He slipped into his skin within the shadows and
grabbed the pair of worn jeans he kept stored under the wooden porch of an
abandoned house. Now he was ready for a night of anonymous sex and debauchery—a
stark contrast from his respectable position at the palace. But his free time
was his own.

“Wesley!” Cade shouted after he pushed open the
heavy wooden door to the pub. The windows were open to allow the crisp evening
breeze to cool off the overcrowded interior. Lightbulbs swung on their wires,
glasses clanged, smoke lingered above the bar, and chairs scraped the wooden
floor. He could hardly hear himself think with the multitude of conversations, music,
laughter, and drunken hollering.

He made his way around tables and through the groups
of people enjoying the night out. They moved aside for him like river water dividing
for a boulder. He wasn’t sure if it was his status with the Elite, his size, or
something else, but the local shifters always kept their distance.

His friend and fellow Elite was sitting at the bar
with a free stool saved beside him. The shifter bar itself was a shithole, but
it was a second home.
Maybe Wesley’s only home.

“I thought you were on shift until morning,” said
Cade.

“Ronan just relieved me.
And not a
minute too soon.”
He flashed two fingers to the barkeep. “My head’s
swimming.”

Wesley downed his shots as soon as they were set in
front of him. They promised a respite from his futile thoughts. He swiveled on
his stool and eyed the crowd like a predator looking for a kill.

“She’s a cute one,” said Cade.

He looked in Cade’s direction. The busty redhead was
sipping on a fancy drink, looking over at them with flirty eyes. Her friend was
next to her, whispering something in her ear.
 
All Wesley could think about was getting fucked.

“I’ve never seen them in here before,” Wesley said.
“Which one do you want?”

Rather than choose, his friend said, “They could be
human.”

“Human?” He narrowed his eyes, turning to look at
the women again. His initial interest fizzled away.

“I said they
could
be. There’s been a steady stream of tourists through the past couple days.
They’re here to see the castle and the lake, something about a
Chupacabra
sighting. Besides, so what if they’re human?”

Wesley shuddered just considering the idea. Human
females were weak and unappealing. He’d been trained to protect the royal
family from threats—the largest being the spread of humankind. Humans were the
reason shifters had to live in the shadows and continually hide their natural
identities. If he couldn’t stand their presence in his home town, he certainly
didn’t want to fuck one.

“Why don’t you take one yourself…or both?”

“Suit yourself.” Cade slipped off his chair and
sauntered over to the females. The cougar was a beast around women. The females
could be shifters, but he was too tired to play games to be sure. Maybe he’d
just take a cold shower and hit the sack for the night.

Wesley felt like a caged rat as he pushed his way
out of the bar. Normally he felt quite at home around the noise and chaos.
Tonight everything grated on his nerves. Ulric made him think about things he
didn’t want to contemplate—namely his future and the endless years of
loneliness awaiting him. He’d never questioned his fate before, only welcomed
it. His parents were proud to call their oldest son a Royal Elite, and the
entire community respected his rank. Now, seemingly out of nowhere, it wasn’t
enough.

He walked along the dark sidewalk, kicking at loose
gravel and plucking the occasional leaf from a bush. The further he distanced
from the center of town, the darker it became. Only the sound of crickets
droning in the tall grass surrounding the paths kept him company. There wasn’t
much waiting for him in his empty bachelor apartment above the bakery—a bed,
dresser, and a window looking out into the forest. Some days he was tempted to
shed his skin and never turn back.

“I said I’m not interested.”

“Of course you are, sweetheart. Why else would you
wear a skirt that tight?”

The voices came from the alley just ahead, piquing
his interest. His panther easily recognized the sound of distress. He tested
the air until he scented it—
fear
. His mouth instantly
salivated as his predatory instincts rushed to the surface.

“
Please
,
just let me go. If I scream, the entire town will hear.”

The male chuckled. “It’s just you and me.”

“You’ll regret this,” said the female. “Do you want
to spend the rest of your life in jail?”

When Wesley turned the corner he wasn’t expecting her
to be so damn beautiful. The woman had long, dark hair covering her bare shoulders
like a veil. She could be a she-wolf, although her voice was a little too shaky.
Maybe a fox.

He leaned against the brick wall of a garage and
crossed his arms over his chest. Wesley recognized the man. He was a local coyote,
and the filthy little scavenger appeared to be swimming in alcohol. His life of
petty crime was about to take a wickeder path.

But it wasn’t Wesley’s job to save the world. His
duty was to the queen and her palace, nothing more. Even that responsibility
could be null and void before he knew it. Besides, if a shifter, female or not,
couldn’t defend themselves, they deserved what was coming to them. Survival of
the fittest was the number one motto in their world.

“You look worth the risk,” said the coyote. The male
tore at her shirt, revealing the lacy edge of a white bra. She screamed as
promised, the sharp sound clearing Wesley’s head of his slight buzz.

Fuck
it
.
He couldn’t just stand there and watch a crime play out. Although he’d been
trained to be cold and unmoving, he still had a conscience. Maybe that was one
of his downfalls
as an
Elite. Either way, it was time
for the coyote to keep his hands to himself.

Wesley stepped away from the shadows and approached
the two in the alleyway.
“Hey, Romeo.
She told you to
back off.”

The coyote turned to look at him, his eyes narrowed
and sharp as daggers—until he saw who spoke. “I–I’m sorry. It’s not what it
looks like, I swear.”

“Sure it’s not.” Wesley grabbed the man’s arm and forcibly
led him to the main pathway. “Go home and get some sleep before you do
something you can’t undo.”

“Yes, sir.
You
won’t see me out here again tonight.” The coyote stumbled as he tried to run
while continually looking over his shoulder.

Wesley watched him struggle down the path until out
of sight entirely. He’d just done his good deed for the week. And he needed a
smoke. As he started to walk away, the gentle rustle of fabric reminded him of
the woman he’d just saved.

He whirled around and pinned her in place with his
eyes. “You shouldn’t be out alone at this hour. Not unless you’re looking for
trouble.” A lot of shifters did enjoy a good fight this close the full moon.
Females included. But this one seemed incapable of defending herself.

She clutched her blouse closed, but it didn’t hide
the outline of her full breasts. He wet his lips, craving a taste. Maybe she’d
be good for something besides fighting.

“I was just trying to get to my hotel room. I must
have took the wrong turn and—”

“Hotel room?
You
don’t live in town?”

She shook her head, still not moving out of place.
“I’m on a four day tour.”

Un-fucking-believable.
She
was just another human passing through, no different than the redhead at the
bar. Then why didn’t he feel the same malevolent energy boiling up inside him? Humans
always brought out the beast in Wesley. Instead, he was oddly compelled by her
presence, her innocence calling to him. She was beautiful, with big brown eyes
and lush curves. He’d be blind not to notice—even if she wasn’t a shifter.

“Be smart and stay inside until sunrise. You’re not
in the city anymore.”

****

Helen watched the tattooed man until he was out of
sight. He was huge, every muscle hard and defined. His features were dark, his
eyes hauntingly empty. If she expected anyone to attack her in a dark alley at
night, it would be a man like him. He wore no shirt despite the evening chill,
and he had a menacing air about him. But it was the innocent looking guy in the
blue shirt that turned out to be her worst nightmare.

She’d come on this trip because it was easy money.
Her friend, Sarah, got a bad case of food poisoning the night before she had to
accompany a busload of tourists to some old castle for a four-day tour.
 
Although Helen knew little to nothing about
the sites, she’d agreed to take her friend’s place so she could rest. How bad
could it be? Helen had been laid her off her own job two weeks prior, leaving
her neck-deep in various resumes, wanted ads, and overdue bills.

But this town wasn’t just the subject of one too
many campfire tales. It seemed there really was something unnatural about the
people and town. And her white knight had been anything but ordinary. She still
remembered the way the minimal lighting reflected off his dark eyes, no
different than a wild cat’s. It was just a trick of the moon, no doubt, but he felt
larger than life. And she wished he hadn’t taken off so soon. She didn’t even
know the man’s name.

Helen looked down at her torn shirt, remembering
what happened earlier.
What an asshole.
She didn’t even want to think about what that creep would have done to her if
her handsome rescuer hadn’t come by when he had. The thought made her skin
break out into gooseflesh.

She picked up her pace and headed to the well-lit
main road so she could find the mystery man.
 
It was stupid to let him leave without saying thank you…or getting his
number. The guy was gorgeous, and she was certain she had an instant crush.
Besides, she didn’t want to be alone again with her nerves already frayed.

When she reached the edge of the walkway, she held
her blouse shut as she looked both ways. The road was barren, not paved, and
eerily dark. There was a chill in the air and a deafening silence. She didn’t
want to be outside alone for longer than necessary. Where could he have gone?
Then she noticed movement straight ahead. The forest was dark and foreboding,
the stars and moonlight not daring to filter too low. She took a tentative step
forward but stopped, her fears holding her back. The sound of her heart pounded
in her ears, and her adrenaline kept her nerves tightly on edge. Helen was used
to the city and its non-stop noise, bright lights, and crowds.

“
Hello?
”
she called out softly.

Helen moved closer to the treeline, her arms
outstretched. It had been ages since she’d connected with nature, and right now
it felt like her enemy.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

She felt the rough, cool surface of tree bark
against her palms when she reached the forest. Her sight was nearly useless at
this point. She kept promising herself only two more baby steps before turning
back.

Helen thought of her hotel room and the safety it
provided, but still pushed
herself
to continue her
quest. She swore she saw him come
this way only moments
before her.

“I didn’t catch your name…” She hoped he could hear
her.

“Wesley.”
The
unexpected voice came from her left, maybe a foot away. It was so deep and
all-encompassing that she couldn’t stop the scream that escaped. Her body
reacted without thought, jolting backwards until it hit the hard trunk of a
tree.