Mate of the Wolf (Paranormal Werewolf Erotic Romance) (2 page)

Nicole lay back on the seat exhausted and delirious. She had never felt like that, never had an orgasm like that. She felt safe and comforted by his presence
, feeling like she never wanted to be away from him.

Evan gently stroked her damp hair and smiled at her. He looked peaceful, happy. Maybe he felt the same way. He reached over to the small bar in the limo and opened a bottle of water. He took a sip and handed the bottle to Nicole. She took a long
, slow swallow. She felt parched, like the mind-blowing sex had burned away all of her body’s moisture.

Evan took her hand and looked her in the eyes. “I want you to know
that I usually don’t do this sort of thing. As soon as I entered the club tonight, I could sense you, feel you. I needed you.”

“I could sense you
, too. Why is that? Why am I so drawn to you?”

Evan raised Nicole’s hand to his nose. He turned it over and smelled the back of her wrist. The move was so sensual and erotic that it fired up Nicole’s desire again.

“It’s your scent. It’s how I could sense you. We are destined to be together, Nicole, you and me.”

Was he serious? My scent?
But somehow she knew it was true, as crazy as it sounded.

She knew about pheromones in animals
—she studied that in college—but with people?

“I know what you’re thinking. It sounds crazy right? But I am not like any man you have ever met, and you are definitely not like any
woman I’ve ever met.” He smiled and gently massaged her hand with his own.

“No, most women don’t have sex with a guy they met five minutes ago. You don’t even know my last name.” Nicole was starting to feel embarrassed and ashamed of herself for giving in to her body’s desires. Reality started to set in
, and she was beginning to panic.

“Nicole, I know you. I know that sounds weird
, but I know you and you know me. I need you to be mine. You and I are meant to be together.” Evan pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her, possessing her.

She relaxed in his embrace. It felt right being in his arms, as crazy as it sounded
, she never wanted to leave them.

“So what’s your last name?” he asked
, kissing her forehead.

“Caldwell. Nicole Caldwell.”

She felt his body tense around her. He took his arms away and looked at her.

“Your last name is Caldwell? As in Richard Caldwell’s daughter?
” His voice was low and dark.

“Yeah, that’s my dad. Do you know him?”

“So, your brother is Alex Caldwell, then.”

It was more of a statement than a question
, and it made her nervous.

“Yeah, I saw you walking over to him at the club. I thought maybe you two were friends. Aren’t you?” Nicole did not like this. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“No, we are not friends. We are far from friends. This complicates things.” Evan ran his hand through his hair and looked at her with pain in his eyes. He looked worried.

*****

Evan couldn’t believe it. After all this time searching for his one true mate, he had finally found her. And she was a Caldwell, a family that had been at odds with the Walkers for over five hundred years. What were the odds of that?

Evan looked at her. She was perfect for him in every way, save one. She returned his gaze with apprehension.

“Is something wrong, Evan?” She sounded worried.

Evan smiled and took her in his arms
, kissing her passionately. She melted into him, her mouth wanting more. His cock found new life, but he had to stop. He needed to tell her what he was, and he knew it would be hard for her to believe it.

“I need to tell you something. It will be hard for you to hear, but you need to listen closely.”

“Oh, shit! If you’re married, I am going to kick your ass.” Nicole pushed him back, and Evan flew across the limo with a force that surprised them both. “Oh, my god! Evan, are you alright? I didn’t mean to do that.”

Evan
’s eyes grew wide, and he burst out laughing. “I’m fine. I didn’t expect it to start so soon.”

“Expect what to start so soon?”

“That’s one of the things I need to talk to you about.” Even took her hand again and looked deep into her eyes. “I am a shifter, a werewolf. I can turn into a wolf at will. I have been alive for over two centuries, and you are destined to be my mate—the one I have been searching for all my life. Tonight you have gained some of my strength. When we mate you will have all my powers and become a shifter as well.”

Nicole stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. She slowly pulled her hand away from him and crossed her arms.

“Please let me out of the car.”

The limo pulled over
, and Nicole jumped out and walked away as fast as she could. Evan ran to get ahead of her, and in a flash of swirling red light, he was gone. A huge black wolf with eyes like the ocean stood where he had vanished.

*****

The wolf stalked slowly toward her. His head was down; his eyes looked at her with a hunger in them.
Can this be happening? Is he really a werewolf?

The wolf came to rest at her feet and looked her straight in the eyes. He was giant, almost as tall as Nicole. She hesitantly touched his head, running her fingers through the wolf’s black fur. It was him, she could tell by the feel of his fur in her hand, the scent of him.
Evan’s a werewolf
.

“It’s true. But, it’s impossible
,” she said softly.

Nothing is impossible
, Nicole
. She heard in her mind.

“You can speak to me? In my thoughts?”

Only when I’m the wolf; you’ll be able to as well.
“Does it hurt? When you change?” Nicole asked, mesmerized by the fierce beauty of the creature before her.

No, not exactly. You quickly get used to it. It’s kind of like jumping into ice cold water.

Evan slowly walked around her body, brushing against her and sniffing her. Then with another flash of red, Evan was back—tall, muscular, sexy as hell, and naked. His clothes seemed to have been consumed in the transformation. She took in his gorgeous body. He looked like he was carved out of marble. Perfection made flesh.

Nicole grabbed him in a tight embrace. She ran her hands up and down his sculptured back.

“I can’t believe this is happening. It’s like a fairytale.” She inhaled deeply. God, he smelled good; she couldn’t get enough of him.

“Now for the difficult part
. Let’s take a walk.”

She was disappointed when he pulled a trench coat out of the limo and covered his glorious body. Apparently, Evan was well prepared for these naked transformations. He took her hand
, and they walked down the empty quiet street.

“A long time ago, about five hundred years, someone stole something from our family
: a very precious, very rare amulet. My family has been searching for that amulet ever since. We’ve been close to retrieving it many times, and now it’s within my grasp.” Evan paused. Nicole squeezed his hand, encouraging him to continue. “Alex has the amulet. And your father had it before him. It has been passed through the men in your family for generations. One of your ancestors stole the amulet, and your family has been using its power ever since.” Evan stopped walking and turned to Nicole, a look of fierce determination in his eyes. “The time has come to take it back.”

Nicole’s head was swimming. It was one thing to discover that werewolves were real, but to imagine that her family had been linked to them for centuries
—it was too much to comprehend.

“So you’re calling my brother and my entire family thieves. Is that it? And now you’re threatening us. Is that what you were doing at the club tonight? Threatening my brother?” She pulled her hand free and stepped away from Evan.

“Your family stole the amulet from us. We have been trying to get it back for years, but every time we got close your ancestors would move, disappear. But now I’ve finally tracked it down. I told Alex that he needs to return what is ours. I even tried bargaining with him.  I gave him the land and paid for the construction of his club as a sign of good faith, but still he refused to give us back the amulet. So now, yes, it has come to threats. He has three days, or else I will take it.”

“What the fuck does that mean,
‘you will take it’?” Nicole snapped.

“It means I will kill him if I have to
,” Evan shouted.

Nicole looked at him in horror. She saw the wolf in him, aggressive, dangerous, and terrifying. She saw the savage wild thing that writhed beneath that confident sexy demeanor.

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I don’t want to hurt Alex, especially now. But he leaves me little choice.” Evan grinned. “Destiny has a strange sense of humor. After hundreds of years chasing your ancestors all over the world, I find you, a Caldwell who turns out to be my mate.”

Evan’s easy smile melted her heart
, but this was deadly serious. She couldn’t let herself get swept up in her emotions right now.

“I don’t want to be your mate. Not if you’re going to kill my brother.” Nicole fought back tears. Just saying those words made her heart ache. “Leave Alex alone, and leave me alone
, too.”

She couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing him again. She needed him, but the situation was overwhelming. She couldn’t wrap her head around everything that had happened tonight.

“Help me?” Evan pleaded. “Convince Alex to return the amulet. No one needs to get hurt. Then we can be together.”

“That’s why you
picked me up tonight isn’t it? So I would help you get your stupid amulet back. Get away from me!” The words came in burning sobs.
Was it all a lie?
Did he seduce me just to get what he wanted?

She felt like
a stupid girl, letting her emotions and the needs of her body get the best of her.

“He has three days
, Nicole. The limo will take you home,” Evan said flatly.

Through her teary eyes
, she saw the red flash and a giant black wolf running off into the darkness of the city.

*****

Nicole cried herself to sleep. Her dreams were wonderful and terrifying. She was running in the forest alongside a huge black wolf. She lay naked on the soft forest ground, Evan’s powerful body thrusting into hers. She saw a palatial mansion surrounded by trees as far at the eye could see. Then, a wolf was howling in pain, a bright silver shaft jutting out from its side.

She woke in a cold sweat, her breathing was fast and ragged, her heart racing.
Just a dream.
Images from last night played over in her head. Had that really happened? Maybe she just dreamt it all, but as the beat of her heart returned to normal, she felt the ache of emptiness. No, it was real.

A banging on her front door startled her out of her thoughts.
Evan?
She threw on her robe and raced to the door. It was Alex.

“I heard you were seen leaving with Evan Walker last night
,” Alex shouted as he burst into her apartment. “You stay the fuck away from him, Nicole. He is dangerous; he will hurt you.”

His tone was serious. Alex was many things but serious wasn’t among them. He was a cocky laid back guy, just like her father. Everything came easily for them. Money, friends, women, they were the luckiest people she had ever met.
Is that it? Is that what the amulet does?

“Evan told me about the amulet
, Alex. He said that our ancestors stole it from the Walkers. Is that true?”

Alex glared at her with cold eyes. He looked like a different person
—scary.

“That amulet has been in our family for generations. Our great-great-grandfather brought it over from Ireland. How the hell does Evan Walker think it belongs to him? Just stay away from him.”

“He said you have three days to give it back, Alex.”

“Or what? Are you on his side now?” Alex shouted. Nicole had never seen him this angry before.

“He said he would kill you, Alex.”

“He can try.”

“Alex, you don’t know him. He’s not like a regular guy.” Nicole didn’t know how to tell him. How the hell do you tell someone werewolves exist? “This is going to sound crazy, but Evan is a…”

“Werewolf? Yeah
, I know. His whole fucking family are werewolves,” Alex said with disgust.

“You knew? Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” Nicole couldn’t believe her ears. When did the world get so crazy?

“Because it doesn’t concern you,” he said, waving it off like nothing.

Nicole was stunned. She wondered if she knew Alex at all. “So, it doesn’t bother you that a werewolf is threatening to kill you?”

“NO! Because I know how to kill them.”