WolfsMate_JCS

Wolf’s Mate

Written by Jessica Coulter Smith

All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of Fiction.
 
Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
Any resemblance to any persons, businesses, or places is purely coincidental.
 

©2014, Jessica Coulter Smith

Cover Art Jessica Coulter Smith

Chapter One

The wind howled and rain beat against the windows, it was a storm unlike any Celeste had seen before.
 
She wrapped the blanket tighter around her body and stared into the inky night, no moon or stars shone in the midnight sky.
 
Stepping away from the window, she curled up in her chair. Lightning flashed across the sky, the jagged streaks illuminating her small living room.
 
It wasn’t a fit night for human or animal.

Celeste shivered when a howl rent the air.
 
Wolves.
 
She knew they inhabited the woods nearby, but she’d never seen one.
 
A lone wolf howled again, sounding even closer than before.
 
Getting up, she swiftly walked to the door and made sure it was locked.
 
She shook her head, realizing how silly it was to think a wolf could open the door whether it was locked or not, yet the lock made her feel safer.

Pacing the wood floor, she looked at the clock.
 
Almost midnight.
 
She knew she should try and get some sleep, but sleep had eluded Celeste for months… ever since Micah had died.
 
They’d been engaged, the wedding only weeks away, until a fatal car accident had taken his life.
 
Now Celeste was alone again.
 
Having been alone most of her life, she should be used to it, but things were harder now that Micah was gone.
 
He’d filled a void in her life.

A scratching noise on her porch made her freeze.
 
The door rattled in its hinges, drawing a startled breath from her.
 
She watched with wide eyes as the knob slowly turned.
 
When the possible intruder couldn’t open the door, they banged against it fiercely.

“Is anyone home?
 
I need help!” a deep masculine voice called through the door.

Celeste cautiously approached the door. “What do you need?”

“I was attacked.
 
Please, let me in before they come looking for me.”

Celeste slowly unlocked the door and opened it a crack, peering out onto the porch.
 
A naked man was curled on the wooden slats, angry scratches running the length of his back and arms.

Two more howls, even more chilling than the others, came from the nearby woods, spurring her into action.
 
She knew she had to get the man into her home before the wolves came looking for him.

“Oh!
 
You poor thing,” Celeste said, opening the door further and crouching beside him. “Come on.
 
Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

The man looked up at her and Celeste caught her breath.
 
The bluest eyes she’d ever seen stared up at her through thick dark lashes.
 
A sable mane of hair hung around his face in thick wet strands.
 
A strong, square jaw and high cheekbones lent him a ruggedly handsome look.
 

Helping him to his feet, she led him into the cabin, trying to ignore the naked skin pressed against her.
 
After she closed and locked the door, she led him down the hall to the bathroom.

“Sit here and I’ll get you some clothes,” Celeste said softly.
 

She scurried out of the bathroom and went up to the loft.
 
Digging in Micah’s old closet, she found a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt that should fit her unexpected guest.
 
As she descended the stairs, she heard the shower running.
 
Slipping into the bathroom, she laid out a fresh towel and placed the clothes on the counter.

“I have some clothes here that I think will fit you,” she said as she backed toward the bathroom door.

“Thank you,” the man said.

“I’ll… I’ll just be in the living room.”
 
Celeste beat a hasty retreat, closing the bathroom door firmly behind her.
 
She pressed her hands to her flushed cheeks, the heat from them warming her hands.

Pushing away from the door, she walked back to the living room.
 
Curling up in her chair again, she couldn’t keep her gaze from straying to the bathroom door.
 
She’d have to have been blind to not notice the well-toned, muscular body that went along with her guest.
 
She didn’t even know his name, yet her body already wanted him.
 
Her heart ached for the loss of her fiancé, but her body was ready for her to move on.
 
She felt guilty wanting the stranger, yet she knew Micah would want her to be happy.

The shower turned off and Celeste braced herself.
 
Staring at the bathroom door with baited breath, she waited.

Chapter Two

Connor stepped out of the shower and dried off with the towel
she
had left… the angel with the red hair.
 
He’d followed her scent and found her cabin.
 
It hadn’t been easy with the pack at his heels, but he’d managed.

The alpha had attacked him, leaving angry claw marks down his back and arms.
 
Connor assessed the damage in the mirror.
 
It would heal, but it would take a few days. He traced one of the angry welts and winced.
 

He’d defied the packs orders by trying to find the woman who had dominated his mind and senses for the past several weeks.
 
He’d run across her scent near one of the hiking trails and had known instantly that she belonged to him.

Marcus had plans for Connor, plans that didn’t include the angel on the other side of the door.
 
The pack’s alpha wanted Connor to mate with a female in the pack – the alpha’s sister.
 
While it was an honor, Connor knew he didn’t belong with anyone other than his true mate.
 
His immediate attraction to the redhead couldn’t be denied.

Toweling off, he put on the clothes his rescuer had laid out for him.
 
The t-shirt hugged his chest and biceps, but the material was soft and comfortable.
 
Taking a breath, he braced himself to face her.
 
He knew without a doubt who she was – not her name, but who she was to
him
.
 
His mate, his life, his soul… and he had precious little time to convince her of that.
 
His very life depended on it, and so did hers.
 
He’d brought danger to her door, but it couldn’t be helped.

Opening the door, he stepped into the hall and slowly walked to the living room.
 
His eyes immediately sought her out.
 
She was curled up in a chair, staring at him with the most amazing green eyes.
 
Eyes that were full of curiosity, lust, and a tinge of fear.
 
He couldn’t blame her.
 
She was a woman alone out in the woods.
 
She had every right to fear him; he was easily twice her size.

“Thank you,” he said softly.
 
“You didn’t have to help me.”

Celeste nodded. “I’m afraid I don’t have an extra bed,” she said with a blush, “but you can sleep on the couch if you’d like.”

Connor glanced at the couch in question and hoped he didn’t wince.
 
It looked comfortable enough – if you were a midget.

Celeste let her eyes travel his body from to toe and back again.
 
“Then again, I’ll take the couch and you can have the bed. I don’t think you’ll fit.”

He gave her a smirk that said he would certainly fit
somewhere
, and the couch wasn’t what he had in mind.

A blush stole across her cheeks. “I meant you wouldn’t fit on the couch.”

“I’m not going to kick you out of your bed,” he answered.

“I don’t even know your name,” she said quietly.

“Connor.
 
Connor Bleddyn.”

“I’m Celeste O’Connell.”

He gave her his sexiest grin. “Nice to meet you Celeste, and thanks again for helping me.”

“What happened?” she asked, her eyes straying to the scratches down his arms.

“I was attacked by a pack of wolves.
 
They tore my clothes from my body and clawed at me.
 
Two tried to bite me, but I was able to avoid them.”

Her eyes widened and she glanced at the door nervously. “How close are they?”

“Not far.”

She shivered in fear. “I’m not much for wildlife,” she murmured.

Connor chuckled, but didn’t say anything.
 
Little did she realize she had the “wildlife” in her living room at that very moment.
 
He was a werewolf in sheep’s clothing, or rather human clothing.
 
Hopefully he could gain her trust before he had to expose that side of himself.

“They… they can’t get in, can they?” she asked.

Connor started to tell her no, but decided to use the situation to his advantage.
 
“They can actually.”

Just then, the wind blew straight at the little cabin, rattling the windows and door.
 
Celeste jumped nearly a foot, her heart racing in her chest.

“You know, I promise to be a complete gentleman if you’d prefer to stay in the bedroom, too.”

Celeste turned her wide eyes to him once more.
 
Could she trust him?
 
Thunder boomed and lightning lit up the sky, settling the matter for her.

“I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” she said as she scrambled out of her chair and moved closer to him.
 
The sheer size and solidness of him gave her comfort.

“Lead the way,” he said, motioning for her to go before him.

Celeste started for the stairs and slowly climbed to the loft where her bed lay.
 
Her room was simply furnished; a bed, dresser, and night side table.
 
The room was painted a soft blue-green, a Navajo rug in cranberry and teal took up most of the floor; a matching comforter was thrown haphazardly across the bed.

Connor took in every detail.
 
He’d noticed there wasn’t a single picture in any of the rooms.
 
Didn’t she have family and friends?

“You have a nice room,” he said, his voice taking on a husky undertone.
 
Seeing the bed made him imagine her lying across it – naked.

“Thank you.”

He watched as she stood nervously beside the bed, her hands fidgeting with the blanket she had wrapped around herself.
 
He wanted to soothe her, tell her she had nothing to fear – but he knew it would be a lie.
 
She had every right to be afraid, just not of him.

He slowly walked around to the other side of the bed.
 
Pulling back the covers, he got into the bed.
 
Watching her, he noticed she wasn’t moving.

“Celeste, aren’t you coming to bed?”

She nodded and dropped the blanket.

Connor sucked in a breath.
 
She was even more gorgeous than he’d first thought.
 
Her nightgown covered her to mid-thigh, but the scooped neckline gave him a glimpse of firm, gently rounded breasts.
 
The stark white material gave her an ethereal look, confirming that she really was his angel.

Celeste quickly got into the bed and covered herself up to her chin.
 
“Good night, Connor.”

“Good night, Celeste.”

He watched as she turned onto her side, leaving her back to him.
 
Her shoulders were stiff and he knew she was still nervous.
 
He wanted to pull her into his arms and ease her fears, ease the tension in her body.
 
Fighting his baser urges, he turned off the lamp beside the bed and pulled the covers up to his chest.