Reluctantly Lycan (2 page)

Kaden Dakota drove his Jeep away from his secluded hometown that was nestled securely in the forests of the Great Smoky Mountains. The land had been granted to his grandfather as a refuge for his people. The state government hadn’t approved, but fangs and claws tend to be great motivators during negotiations.

Chief Dakota’s ancestors were a mixture of Cherokee and other tribes. Like most people in America these days, his DNA was a mixture of all sorts. One thing linked all his ancestors despite their origins… the wolf gene.

That gene was why he was leaving, why he needed to speak to
Marala, and why his son needed to return with him to the safety of the pack. He glanced in the rearview mirror as the foggy forests of his home faded into the background. His eyes returned to the road, but not before he caught a glimpse of himself.

Will he look like m
e
?
He wondered. Kaden had never seen his son before. Seventeen years and never even a photo. He couldn’t blame Mara for leaving. Back then, he’d been an asshole. Hell, he still was. The pack meant more than one woman and he’d be damned if he’d beg her to return. Her disappearance had brought dishonor down upon him. It still did. An unmated leader hardly received the respect he was due. Sure… to his face everyone said the right things, but he knew they whispered and stole furtive glances in his direction.

Over the years, he’d been to more bonding ceremonies than he could count. Not once had a female chosen him. After a few years, he’d lost hope they would.
It was Mara who bore his mark on her back. They had both been branded after being born under the full strawberry moon within minutes of each other.

With a growl, he gripped the steering wheel tighter. If she wouldn’t listen, he vowed to take the boy and leave her without a word. She’d no doubt lost some of her beauty since she hadn’t mated with him on her eighteenth birthday. It would be easy to resist her, ignore her scent.
She was barely a wolf at all.

His skin crawled a little. The thought brought back a rush of memories of lying with her in the meadows under the moon and making love until the sun rose.
Stupid teenage nostalgia. A chief was above such silly trivialities.

Then again, she had taken his name for herself and the boy. That part he couldn’t figure out. If she wanted to hide, why would she use his last name?
Nothing the fiery redheaded beauty did made sense and it was maddening.

She would have been such an amazing looking wolf.
He cursed under his breath and turned on the stereo. Maybe if the music was loud enough he could drown everything else out. Angry, hardcore metal filled the vehicle and his mouth drew into a grim line. He was losing it. Males that went too long without bonding with a mate became extremely dangerous and unstable.

On Tuesday night when Marala returned home from her shift at the gas station, she went to work cleaning her two bedroom apartment from top to bottom. Taylor would be there tomorrow and it was the only free time she had to do it. Her excitement and nervousness pushed her into a manic cleaning mode.

“What are you doing, Mom?”
Jak asked on his way to the refrigerator for a snack.

“I told you that I have a friend coming by to make us dinner tomorrow. The house needs to look nice.”

Jak scoffed. “Not possible. This building would have to be imploded and rebuilt.”

“I do the best I can.” Losing motivation and
with exhaustion creeping up on her, Mara fell heavily onto the sofa.

“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. I know you work hard. I’m sorry.” He walked into the living room and sat down beside his mother.

She forced a smile. “It’s okay. If I could, I’d buy us a big house with a pool. And we’d never eat another pack of Ramen noodles.”

“But I like Ramen noodles.”

Mara started laughing. “You know, we haven’t had a chance to talk much lately. How is everything? School good? Any girlfriends?”

Jak
groaned and flipped on the small television to avoid the conversation.

“Is it that hard to talk to me?”

“Things are fine. Grades are good. And I have absolutely no interest in any of the girls at school.” He answered, glancing away from the TV briefly to gage Mara’s reaction.

“Why is that?” She asked.

“I don’t know. Lately I’ve….”

“Go on.”

“It’s stupid. I feel like I’m on the outside looking in. Like I’m supposed to be somewhere else.” He shrugged. “You’ve done well without dating or anything up until now.”

Mara closed her eyes, thinking back to her teen years and how different they had been
from Jak’s. Kaden crossed her mind. They’d been pushed together and urged to fall in love from the beginning. It had worked, too. For her, anyway. That big, arrogant boy had held her heart in the palm of his rough hands. She wondered if he’d bonded with anyone, if he were pack leader now, if he had children other than Jak.

“What are you thinking, Mom? You’re crying.”

Hastily, she wiped at her cheeks. “No, I’m not. Something burned in the kitchen earlier at work and my eyes have watered all day.” She forced Kaden Dakota far from her mind. “You’ve led a hard life, no wonder you’re not interested in girls. Education is more important that dating right now.”

“Maybe that’s it. I think a lot of them are hot, but I need more than that.”

The urge to bond for life. It seemed like only yesterday to her that Jak had been a baby and now the wolf had begun to rear its head to take her son. There wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it either.

A pounding knock at the door interrupted them. “Expecting someone?” She asked.

Jak shook his head. “I’ll check.” He leapt off the couch and headed to the front door. Mara watched as he checked the peephole. “There is a huge dude outside.” He said, coming back into the living room. “Seriously, he looks like a body builder or something. Leather jacket, long dark hair. Should we call the police?”

Marala
ran to the door and placed both hands against it as she gazed out as Jak had moments before. “Oh my god.” Her mouth made the motions, but the words never came out. Only an inch or two of door separated her from Kaden. “Go to your room.”

“Mom?”

“I said go and don’t come out until I tell you to. Now!”

He lingered for a few seconds before heading down the hallway. She waited
until she heard his door shut, her forehead resting against the cheap metal of the front door. The transition into adulthood had treated Kaden well. He was even more attractive than she remembered. His hair flowed over his shoulders, he was taller, and his muscles… praise the moon,
those biceps
.

“I can smell you in there,
Marala.”

“What do you want?” She kept her voice steady and strong. Impressed with herself, she gained a little confidence.

“I need to talk to you and I think you know why.” He said. His words were like a growl vibrating through her body.

She did know.
Jak
. Kade wasn’t there for her, which shouldn’t have been a surprise. If he’d ever wanted her, he could have found her before now. Suddenly angry, she gripped the knob and jerked the door open to face her first and only love.

For a moment they stood with eyes locked. Then,
Kaden stepped forward, cupping her face roughly in his hands and pressing her into the wall as his mouth found hers. Mara’s brain yelled no, but her instincts responded with a resounded yes as she returned the kiss. He tasted exactly like she remembered. His scent was like pine and summer rain.

After growing breathless, she began to realize what they were doing. She shoved against him, trying to get through to the beast and make him stop, but no one
would stop Kaden from taking or doing what he wanted. This was true even before he’d gone through his first shift.

“Leave my mother alone.”
Jak came out of his room wielding a can of pepper spray.

Kaden
finally pulled his lips from Mara’s. Immediately, she slapped his face. “Asshole.” She straightened her shirt when he gave her a little space.

“So that’s
Jak.” Unfazed by the smack, Kaden eyed his son up and down. “Somewhat on the scrawny side.”

Mara walked over and took the pepper spray from
Jak. “I’ll hold onto this. I’m fine. Go back inside your room.” He hesitated, but obeyed.

Her attention returned to
Kaden. “You were the same. He’s not small. You’re huge.” She crossed her arms.

“I didn’t intend to assault you like that. It’s late in the season for you to be in heat.” Kaden jerked out a kitchen chair, spun it around, and straddled it facing her.

“I’m not
in heat.” Mara backed up and leaned against the door frame.

He glanced around the apartment
, flaring his nostrils. “Not safe here. I’m taking Jak and you home.”

“This has been my home for seventeen years. You can’t come in here and order me around.”

Kaden was on his feet again and snarling. Mara thought he was going to shift in the kitchen. She lifted the can of spray in his direction.

“If you think that would stop me, you’re even dumber than you look.”

Ooh, that stung
. She blinked a few times to fight back tears. “Go away. I can take care of myself and my son. You certainly never have so don’t try to start now.”

He stalked toward her, stopping inches from her face before
abruptly turning and heading out without glancing back in her direction. The door shook from the impact of being slammed.

Jak
came out of his room again, moving to stand beside his mother. She lost grip on the pepper spray and it clattered to the floor.

“
Who was that?”

“Your father.”

Father
. Jak thought to himself, returning to his room to reflect on this newfound truth. For his entire life, his mother had lied. An unfamiliar rage filled him and he kicked the wall. Which only pissed him off further since it hurt like hell. Normally, Jak was a calm, level headed guy, but not now.

That
dude had seemed dangerous and, man, was he big. Maybe his mom had her reasons for lying, but he wasn’t sticking around to hear it. He had stormed off and locked himself in his bedroom without letting her explain. His entire life she’d told him his father had died during a hunting accident. That’s why she had run away to make a life for them away from all the pain.

“What a bunch of bull.” He grumbled.
His conscience quickly pushed his anger aside and he left his room, walking into the kitchen where his mother was sitting in her usual spot at the table. The back and forth between his room and the kitchen was getting old. Mara had a cigarette and glass of wine in front of her. For once, she didn’t try to hide it. He knew of her occasional habits and they worried him.

“Mom.”
His eyes were cast down and his voice apologetic.

“Do not say you’re sorry. You have every right to be angry with me.” She glanced back
at him and gestured for him to sit.

He moved to the nearest chair and sat down. “Why did you lie? You’ve always said how important it is for us to be honest with each other.”

“It was easier for me if he was dead. I wished he was.” She put out her cigarette and waved her hand as if to get the secondhand smoke away from her son.

“I want to know the truth.”

“Kaden and I were supposed to be together. Our people wanted it, I wanted it. I think he did, too. But… he was wild, untamed.”

Untamed?
What was he, a horse?
Jak shook his head, thinking his mother’s wording odd. He kept quiet, waiting for her to finish.

She gave a small, bittersweet smile. “
I found out I was pregnant. A pretty big deal. My eighteenth birthday was coming up and it would stop us from going through the bonding ritual.” Suddenly, she placed her hands over her face and laughed, this time all bitter with no sweetness. “This makes no sense to you.”

“Were you in a cult?”
Jak gasped.

Marala
reached out and grasped her son’s hand. “We’re descended from a long line of wolves. Lycans.”

“More lies, Mom?”

“I’m not lying. Your time is coming. On the first full moon after your birthday, you will transform. It’s beyond your control. Women do not go through their transition until they mate with the male they’re meant to be with.” She twirled her wine in her glass before taking a sip. “That’s why I never changed. Since I was pregnant and ran away, I never bonded under the moon with your father.”

“That is disgusting and you’re insane. I can’t believe this. Should I call someone to take you away in a straightjacket?”
Jak’s anger returned and he stood up, knocking his chair back. “Forget I asked. I wish he had never returned. I wish he
was
dead.”

Kaden raced out of the city. His form had bulked up and he barely fit in the Jeep now. He was midway through a shift and there was no stopping it. As soon as trees came into view, he veered off the road and parked his vehicle. Thankfully, the run down part of the city Mara had lived in was near the outskirts.