by DJ Phoenix
Luke stood abruptly, putting Matt and James on alert. They stood almost as instantly as he did holding on to his arms. He raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and they reluctantly let go, hesitating as they studied him cautiously.
“I’m good. I just ... She’s gone, and I didn’t see her leave.”
“It’s okay, man.” Matt gestured to the chairs. “Let’s sit down. I’m sure she headed home. You can ask Mindy if you want to make sure.”
Luke shook his head; the last thing he wanted was to get either Layla or Mindy involved. Instead, he forced his wolf to relax, accepting what Matt was saying was true. There was no reason to worry.
Countless beers and five shots of tequila later, Luke had fully relaxed. It took a lot of alcohol for his kind to get drunk due to their extreme metabolism and the high temperature in which their bodies ran, but right now he was sure he was getting there, and he needed to stop. He was the Alpha and had to keep himself coherent at all times.
Luke stood up and excused himself, heading to the men’s room. To his surprise, Layla walked in and locked the door. He looked at her, surprised. They’d had their share of kinky romps, but she had never followed him into the restroom before.
Layla smiled as she approached him. Her nipples showed through the tight t-shirt, hugging her full breasts, and the little piece of denim she wore as a skirt rode up her thighs every time she took a step. It would be so easy to reach up her thigh and dip his fingers into her waiting pussy. The problem was, that seeing her standing there didn’t do anything for him anymore.
Luke zipped his pants and faced Layla. “What are you doing, Layla?”
She stopped a foot away from him. “Isn’t it obvious, Luke? I want you ... I need you, Luke.”
Not in the mood, he tried to explain. “Layla, what happened the other day. It had nothing to do with you, it was all me. I don’t know what’s happening, but I just can’t right now.”
Layla wasn’t giving up. She took a step and ran her hands up his torso, massaging his shoulders. “Let me show you a good time, Alpha. Maybe you just need a little more stimulation. I can do that for you. You know I can.”
Luke stepped away and began washing his hands when Layla snaked her hands around him from behind. “Layla, I can’t. It’s just not going to happen. Go back to work.” He tried not to sound harsh, but failed miserably; she was beginning to irritate him.
Layla stepped back, anger reflected in her eyes. “What is going on with you, Luke? In the two years we’ve been together you have never refused me.”
Together? Was he hearing her right? “Layla, we have never been together. I made that absolutely clear when we started this arrangement. I told you I didn’t want a relationship, just the occasional fuck, and you agreed. You’ve known this all along. In fact, you’ve known all along that I also have a similar agreement with Mindy!”
Layla threw her head back and laughed bitterly. “Mindy? She’s just an easy ass you can fuck when I’m busy, and I’ve allowed that to keep you appeased. It’s me that belongs with you. I’ve dedicated two years to us, and you’re going to accept that we belong together. We should be mated Luke. I’ve been a good lover to you, and I’ll be an even better mate.”
Luke couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All along she’d been thinking he would take her as mate? And she had the gull to say she had allowed him to fuck Mindy? Who the fuck did she think she was? And he thought Matt’s relationships were screwed up. “Layla, I don’t know what you have been concocting in that brain of yours, but I fuck whoever I please, whenever I please. We had an arrangement that I am now terminating. You have never been, and will never be, my mate, and I no longer want to see you.”
Before Layla could speak, Luke swiftly unlocked the door and walked out. He left her standing there, gaping at him. She couldn’t believe he’d just broken up with her. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself and walked back to resume her work. This wasn’t over, and he’d see reason soon enough. She’d make sure of that.
Luke stalked passed the bar and headed out the door. He wasn’t in the mood to be there anymore. Layla had gone crazy expecting him to claim her when she very well knew they weren’t mates. He jumped into his truck and headed home, sulking in his stupid decision to ever get involved with Layla in the first place.
Chapter 5
Cynthia
Cynthia had tossed the duvet in her sleep, and it now lay in a heap on the floor. She was cold and in need of the restroom, so she stood, but quickly realized she was naked. Well, that explained why she was cold. In an attempt to embrace her new found independence, she decided she could go to bed naked if she wanted. Well, maybe not such a great idea in this current weather.
A few minutes later she walked back into the bedroom and gasped. There was a massive dog—or was it a wolf?—sleeping at the edge of the woods. She could see its form with the help of the almost-full moon. It was curled up on its side and leaning against a tree where the cabin property ended, it’s massive head facing her window.
Self-conscious, she grabbed her robe and wrapped it around herself, then closed the curtains and went back to bed. She pulled the duvet back onto the bed and tucked it under her chin. Her last thought before she dozed off was how silly it was of her to feel self-conscious in front of an animal.
The black wolf creeped into her dreams. She found herself standing in a clearing surrounded by tall pine trees, and staring at her from across the clearing stood a black wolf. Then she found herself running through the woods with the wolf running after her. The wolf pounced and she felt the cold mountain floor against her back as a pair of ice-blue eyes stared back at her.
A feeling of falling pulled Cynthia from her odd dreams. She opened her eyes as her arms flailed around her. She was in her bed, not falling somewhere in the woods. She stared at the ceiling and sighed.
What a crazy dream. Maybe drinking wasn’t such a good idea.
She got out of bed and opened the curtains to let the sun in. The cabin was cold. She needed to remember to turn the heat on; at least just during the night when the warmth of the sun couldn’t stream in through the windows. It was then that she spotted what in the daylight clearly looked like a black wolf. A chill ran down her spine and she shivered. It was still sleeping against the tree. It looked harmless enough, but she knew better; this was a wild animal, and now she wasn’t sure if it was safe for her to even be anywhere outside the cabin. What the heck was a wolf doing so close to the cabin anyway? Weren’t wild animals supposed to stay away from humans? Now she wouldn’t be able to go for a run, and she was going to have to call the realtor about the possible danger it posed.
A little grumpy at missing her run, she went about her morning routines. She ended up sitting at the small kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee. She wanted to take in some much-needed sun outside, but was afraid of the wolf. I’m being silly. There’s no way that wolf would still be here. Wild animals instinctively stay away from humans. She looked out every window and, thankfully, saw no signs of the animal. Somewhat at ease with her findings, she grabbed a poking stick from the fireplace and her laptop from the desk. She opened the door and stepped outside.
The warm sun caressed her skin and a smile spread across her lips. It felt good. She sat on the porch swing and stretched out her legs so the sun warmed them. The poking stick lay next to her at the ready, while her laptop sat on her lap.
Her story was going great. Maybe it would even get published. She concentrated on her writing and soon was submerged in her make-believe world, losing herself in it.
Luke
Luke woke up with a start. Where am I? Looking around, he realized he was in wolf form. He had walked out of the bar in a rush last night. Both he and his wolf had gotten worked up after the odd encounter with Layla, and he hadn’t had the patience to deal with anyone.
After getting home he found he couldn’t ease the anger Layla’s demands had ignited; she attempted to usurp his true mate. How the hell had she
believed any of the nonsense she’d spewed? His wolf had been raging like a caged animal, so he had shifted to let out their frustrations. He had run for hours and finally felt exhausted enough to sleep.
Looking around again he recognized the cabin that sat in front of him. He smelled her sweet scent and his wolf whined—he wanted his mate. How was he going to tell her without making her run for the hills? Though that was actually a nice thought, the hunt and chase would be fun. Still, she didn’t know him from Adam and, though his wolf had identified her, he didn’t know anything about her, either. Well, except that she was in town till September.
Luke stretched his paws and yawned. He needed to head home. It was Saturday, but he had to get his ass to the office. There was planning to get done for the pack run that night, and he wanted to be there before Matt came looking for him. If he could stay busy he wouldn’t have to talk to his friend about Cynthia or Layla, or even Mindy. Though, he knew Mindy would be happy when he told her he’d found his mate. She was like that, sweet and always wanting the best for everyone.
By the time he made it back to his cabin, Matt was sitting on the bench perched against the wall of his porch. Well, there went the beating Matt to the office idea. It looked like he was going to have to talk to his friend after all.
Matt had a goofy smirk on his face as Luke approached the porch. “Well, it looks like you’ve been busy. Spent the night in wolf form?”
Luke shifted back to his human form, his nakedness not bothering either of them. From the time of their first shift during their early teens, they all undressed and shifted together during pack runs.
“What happened last night, man?” Luke opened the door to his cabin and walked in. He had no idea what to tell Matt. “I saw Layla walking in your general direction last night. You never came back from the john and she was mad as hell the rest of the night. Trouble performing again?”
Luke walked straight into his room, ignoring Matt’s questions. He grabbed a pair of jeans and walked into the bathroom, and twenty minutes later he emerged shaved and showered, but Matt was still sitting at the kitchen table. “I didn’t even try with Layla,” he told her. “I told her our arrangement is over.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat at the table across from Matt.
Matt let out a whistle. “Well that explains her shitty mood.”
“Yeah, you can say she didn’t take it well. She went on about how good she’s been to me and how I should admit the fact and claim her as my mate.”
“And I thought I had relationship problems.” He whistled. “What are you going to do?”
“I already told her our arrangement is over. I just have to do the same with Mindy. Then I have to figure out how to talk to my real mate without scaring her off.”
“I heard Kristy befriended your mate at the diner, maybe she can introduce you. Technically, you are her landlord … at least for the next month. That can also be an excuse for you to show up at her door.”
“Hadn’t thought of that. Let’s head down to the diner for breakfast. I’ll talk to Kristy while we’re there. Let me get a shirt and shoes. We’ll ride in your truck.” He walked back to his bedroom and threw on a black t-shirt and work boots. Grabbing his keys and wallet from the end table in the living room, he locked the door and followed Matt to his truck.
The diner was half full when they arrived, and Kristy was stationed as a greeter at the door. Not wanting to waste any time, Luke pulled her aside. “I need a word, Kristy.”
“Yes Alpha, of course.” Kristy followed Luke toward the hall leading to the restrooms while Matt waited by the entrance.
“It came to my attention that you’ve recently made friends with one of my tenants.”
“Cynthia? She’s come in to the diner a couple of times, and Mindy and I gave her a ride the other day. She seems really nice. Is something wrong with her?”
“There’s nothing wrong, Kristy, I just need you to introduce us.”
“Oh ... okay. Um ... I don’t know when she’ll come in, though.”
“That’s not a problem. When the opportunity arises, just be ready. Now get back to work before your grandfather bites my head off for keeping you from your duties.”
“Yes Alpha.” Kristy walked back to the entrance while grabbing two menus, and led Matt and Luke to their usual table.
Cynthia
Cynthia walked into the diner feeling hungry and satisfied with herself. She was really getting her longtime dream of writing a book done. She was even a little giddy at the thought of becoming an author. Kristy stood at the cash register tending a customer, so Cynthia took a seat at a bench by the door and waited for Kristy to show her to a table.
A few minutes later, Cynthia turned at the sound of Kristy’s voice to see the tall gorgeous man from the grocery store standing at the cash register. Her heart sped up and her stomach tightened. What was it that made her feel like a hormonal teenager when this guy was around? It was ridiculous. She took a long deep breath, releasing it slowly. She needed to get a grip on her raging hormones before she embarrassed herself. She was a grown woman for crying out loud.
“Cynthia, I’d like to introduce you to Matt Bates.” Kristy waved her hand at the man standing next to Mr. Gorgeous and then toward him. “And Luke Andrews. Matt, Luke, this is Cynthia …?” Kristy looked at her with questioning eyes.
Cynthia realized that she had never given Kristy her full name. “Oh, I’m sorry. It’s Whelan, Cynthia Whelan.” She couldn’t help staring at Mr. Gorgeous.
Kristy’s cheerful voice broke her stare. “Luke owns the cabin you’re renting.”
The man standing next to Mr. Gorgeous extended his hand, smiling widely. He was as tall as him, except he had blond hair cut into a messy style, giving him a rebellious look. His shoulders were strong but slimmer, and he had honey-colored eyes that sparkled with mischief. Cynthia shook his hand firmly and then turned to look at Mr. Gorgeous, who she now knew as Luke.
He took her hand, holding on a bit longer than necessary. “Nice to meet you, Luke, your cabin is beautiful. Thank you for allowing me to rent it for the next month.”
His smile was seductive and sexy, and his eyes sparkled as he let her hand go. It did funny things to her nether regions, and she instantly felt frustrated. “It’s my pleasure. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call. I’m only a few minutes away.” He pulled a card out of his wallet and handed it to her. “As a matter of fact, we’re checking all the cabins we rent to make sure they’re in good shape when winter hits. We’ll be coming over one of these days.”
Cynthia tucked the card in her purse. “I actually do need help getting the heating system going. I’d feel much better if someone who knew what they’re doing took care of it.”
“In that case, I’ll come by this afternoon. If you’re not busy, that is. Wouldn’t want you going cold.” He winked at her and his voice held a hint of flirting, making her insides quiver with need.
Trying her best not to let it show, she answered his implied question. “I’d really appreciate if you could come today; the cabin was cold last night.” His eyes swept over her, and an involuntary shiver ran down her spine. Hoping it had gone unnoticed she smiled as calmly as possible, but the gleam that shone in his eyes told her he’d noticed. “Thank you again for letting me rent your cabin, and thank you for taking the time to come out at such short notice.”
“Don’t mention it. Like I said, it’ll be my pleasure.” With that said, the men excused themselves and headed out of the diner.
Cynthia followed Kristy to a table by the window. Her mind began to wonder about all the deliciously wicked things those strong hands could do to her body, but before she embarrassed herself she pushed those thoughts aside. She had to get a grip on herself. She wasn’t some hormonal teenager anymore. Instead, she took her seat, releasing a slow breath, and concentrated on ordering her coffee and breakfast.
Satisfied after devouring her delicious breakfast, she waived Kristy to her table. “Ca
n I have the check, please?” Kristy nodded and pulled her receipt book from her pocket. Cynthia smiled kindly at Kristy while she waited. She didn’t want to sound like a town gossip, and she didn’t want to sound like she was interested in Luke, but she needed to know more about him. Putting her insecurities aside, she let the questions roll off her tongue. “Um, so you know Luke well?”
Crafty eyes looked back at Cynthia. “Yeah, his family, along with grandpa’s and a few others, founded this town. Grandpa’s known Luke since he was born. He’s a really nice guy. You’ll get to love him just as we all do around here.”
“Well, I won’t be around that long, but I agree, he seems like a nice guy, his friend, too. They both seemed very amiable.” With that said, Cynthia took the check and walked to the register.
A woman that looked to be in her sixties stood behind the counter, a pleasant smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes that had Cynthia squirming under her gaze. Feeling self-conscious, Cynthia responded with a smile of her own and handed her the check.
The woman’s voice was sweet and gentle, helping to ease Cynthia’s nerves. “How are you this morning, dear? Kristy and Mindy have told us a lot about you.”
Surprised, it dawned on her that this must be Kristy and Mindy’s grandmother. “Oh, I hope all they’ve shared has been good. Mrs …”
A full smile spread on the woman’s lips. “You can call me Lucy.”
“Very well, Lucy. It is nice to meet you. I’m Cynthia.” Stretching her hand out, the woman took it gently but firmly.
“It is nice to finally meet you, Cynthia.” She let go of her hand. “We’d love to have you over for dinner. Does this coming Friday night work for you? Say six o’clock?”
“That sounds great. What should I bring?”
Lucy looked sternly at her padding her hand in a motherly way. “Just yourself and a good appetite, dear.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I am inviting you to dinner, not the other way around. You just be there on time.”
