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Published by The Hartwood Publishing Group, LLC,
Hartwood Publishing, 400 Gilead Road, #1617, Huntersville, NC 28070
www.hartwoodpublishing.com
Rebecca’s Wolves
Copyright © 2015 by Becca Jameson
Digital Release: May 2015
Cover Artist: Georgia Woods
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Rebecca’s Wolves by Becca Jameson
Rebecca Larson is a busy woman. Between her nursing job and training for a Spartan Race, she doesn’t have time for a social life. A weekend hiking trip with her girlfriend is strictly for the purpose of getting the high-altitude workout under her belt.
Griffen Masters is not pleased his sister is bringing a friend on their annual siblings-only hike. And to make matters worse, the woman is human. She’ll never be able to keep up. However, the moment she arrives, his world tilts—she is his mate.
As if Griffen doesn’t have enough problems wooing his mate and trying to keep his hands to himself for the weekend, a mysterious force causes him to need medical attention at the peak of the mountain.
Miles Bartel is a long-time friend of Griffen and a vet. An added shock—Miles is also destined to mate with Rebecca. But the questions are piling up. What happened to Griffen in the first place? And how much light can Miles’ grandmother, a medicine woman, shed on the situation?
The mating is inevitable and urgent. Everything else will have to wait. But strange events occur nearly every day, keeping all three on their toes. And answers are not forthcoming. If something doesn’t give soon, frayed nerves will start to affect their relationship.
Dedication
To all my fans who have loved my wolf ménages and pressured me until I stepped back into the Wolf Masters world to create more. Thank you all for your support. I’m so excited about where this series is going!
Chapter One
“Hey, brat. You ready for this weekend?” Griffen smirked at his sister as she rolled her eyes in his direction.
“You do realize I’m twenty-four years old, right?”
“Yep. But you’ll always be the baby in the family.” He tapped the frame of the door to her bedroom and leaned in. “Why aren’t you packing?”
“I’ll get to it.” She spun her desk chair around to face him and crossed her arms.
Shit. He didn’t like that stance. What was she up to? “Don’t even think about bailing on us. We’ve been taking this trip together for years. All five of us. It’s a tradition.”
“Oh, I’m not bailing. But I am bringing a friend.”
He shook his head. “What? No. No way. This is a siblings-only trip. As usual.”
“Not anymore it isn’t. I can’t spend three days and two nights clambering around in the mountains with four older brothers any longer. The testosterone alone is more than I can handle. I’m bringing a girlfriend this year.”
Griffen stepped inside her room and sat on her bed. “Who?” He didn’t think he was going to like her answer. She didn’t have very many shifter friends, and he couldn’t think of a single one who would be interested in hiking in the Flathead National Forest. And none who could keep up their pace.
“Her name is Rebecca Larson.”
“Rebecca? Where do you know her from?”
“She’s a nurse at the hospital. She taught the CPR class I took a few months ago. We realized we had a lot in common.” Rebecca shrugged. “We’ve been running together.”
“She’s human.” It wasn’t a question. Griffen knew she had to be human. If she were a shifter, he would know the name.
“She is.”
“No.”
Sharon rolled her eyes. “Griffen, stop being an ass.”
“First of all, there’s no way she would be able to keep up. It’s ten miles to the top, steep and rugged. And second of all, I don’t want to spend forty-eight hours babysitting a human girl.”
Sharon stood and pointed a finger at him. “First of all,” she mocked, “she can out-hike you any day of the week, female or not. She’s training for a Spartan Race, and she needs the high-altitude workout. And second of all, she’s my age, twenty-four. We aren’t babies, as you seem to think. We’re grown women.” She settled both hands on her hips and cocked one hip to the side.
Griffen narrowed his gaze at her. He took a deep breath. “Spartan. Is that one of those obstacle course races?”
“Yes.” Sharon tossed her thick brown hair over her shoulder. “Trust me. She can keep up. She’s fun. And I need the female camaraderie.”
He hesitated a beat. “And I suppose you want me to let the rest of your brothers in on this plan.”
“Yep.” She gave him her sweetest smile and batted her eyes.
Griffen was a total pushover when it came to Sharon. He’d been eight when she was born. All four brothers adored her, but Griffen had been the only one old enough to grasp the idea that his parents had brought a girl into the house. He’d spent a great deal of time protecting her from the others when they were small. “Fine. But I hope you’re right about this. Trace will have a conniption if she can’t keep up.”
Sharon smiled hugely. “She’ll put Trace to shame. Trust me.”
•●•
“Are you sure about this?” Rebecca zipped her backpack and lifted it off her bed. “You aren’t trying to set me up with one of your brothers, are you?”
Sharon turned toward the door. “Lord, no. I just need someone with me to balance out the testosterone.”
“I can’t believe you have four brothers, and I’ve never met a single one.” Rebecca had moved to Cambridge two years ago. The town wasn’t that large. How had she never met any of the Masters?
She was apprehensive about this plan. The only reason she’d agreed to go on the trip was because she desperately needed the hiking miles under her belt. The terrain would be steep and rugged and the air thin. It was perfect. And she didn’t want to hike the distance on her own.
Sharon shrugged. “I learned early in life if I wanted any true friends, I needed to keep them away from my brothers. They’re all older. And according to most women, they aren’t hard on the eyes. In high school I never knew who I could trust. Any girl who met my brothers was my ‘friend.’” She made air quotes to emphasize her sarcasm. “I hated it. So, I usually keep them separate.”
Rebecca hesitated. “You know I’m not that kind of friend, right?”
Sharon grinned. “Yep. That’s why I invited you. Trust me. None of my brothers are going to hit on you. They know my friends are off limits.”
“Good. Because I’m in over my head these days between work and training. The last thing I need is some guy flirting with me.”
Rebecca followed Sharon out to her car and tossed her stuff in the back seat before climbing in. “Thanks for inviting me. I
hope your brothers are in as good a shape as you said because I need to put some hard miles under my belt this weekend.”
Sharon smirked as she started the car and pulled away from the curb. “Griffen—he’s the oldest—said the same thing about you.”
“He did, did he?” Rebecca wiped her palms on her thighs. This was going to be fun. Even if all four of them were sexy and fit, she fully intended to make them work. She’d done several long runs with the bubbly brunette next to her. She knew her friend was in excellent shape. But four older brothers? Surely she could make Griffen eat his words.
Chapter Two
Griffen swung his backpack out of the truck bed and set it on the ground. They were going to leave the truck and Sharon’s car at the base of the mountain and hike the long winding trail to the top.
“What time are Sharon and her friend supposed to arrive?” Trace asked.
Griffen glanced at his watch. “Any minute.”
“Have you met this girl?” Zachary asked.
“Nope.”
Logan stepped around from the other side of the truck, carrying his pack. “I can’t believe you agreed to this. We’ve never brought anyone extra along on this trip.”
Griffen winced. “Yeah, well you three weren’t the ones in a face-off with Sharon when she pleaded her case.”
Trace chuckled. “Dude, you’re such a pushover when it comes to her. Admit it.”
He shrugged. This was true. He couldn’t deny it.
As he lifted his backpack and turned toward the foot of the path, Sharon’s sporty, white four-door sedan pulled into the gravel lot. Good. The last thing Griffen needed was for his brothers to start grumbling about the women being late.
Sharon and her friend climbed out of the car and grabbed their belongings from the backseat while Griffen watched from several yards away. He blinked as Rebecca leaned over to pick up her pack. Her tight ass was sexy as hell, and her thighs and the rest of her long lean legs were right up there with her butt. She was indeed fit, as Sharon told him.
When she stood and turned in his direction, he swallowed hard. She wore her long auburn hair in two braids that made her look younger than twenty-four, although long didn’t really describe her hair. If it wasn’t braided, he suspected it would reach past her butt. As he watched, she tossed the two thick braids over her shoulders and shrugged into her backpack. Her tank top stretched tight over her chest, giving Griffen a fantastic idea of what her breasts were like beneath.
Damn. He hadn’t considered the idea Sharon’s friend would be sexy.
And then she smiled. Her full lips stretched across her face, showing off perfect white teeth and cute dimples on each cheek. Her skin was like porcelain, smooth and white with a scatter of freckles on her nose. She obviously kept the sunscreen industry in business with that complexion. Golden highlights in her hair sparkled in the afternoon sun.
She sauntered toward Griffen next to Sharon.
Griffen was aware of his brothers at his back, but they were amazingly quiet. Did they find her as attractive as Griffen did? He had a sudden surge of jealousy, as though he owned first right of refusal or something by being the oldest or having known her name before any of the others. He shook the ridiculous thought from his head.
A breeze blew across the parking lot at the same time as the ladies stepped closer.
Griffen inhaled at just the right moment to catch Rebecca’s scent.
For several heartbeats he stood frozen in his spot, unable to exhale that breath or blink. His eyes widened. He knew his mouth fell open. But the rest of his body was stuck in time.
“Hey, guys. This is Rebecca,” Sharon said as the two of them came to a stop a few feet from Griffen.
“Hi.” Rebecca gave a short wave in the general direction of all of them, her green eyes alight with friendliness. “It might take me a while to get your names straight. Sharon was quizzing me in the car, but she failed to mention that you all look alike.” She giggled.
Griffen still hadn’t breathed. He was afraid to. As long as he kept himself from inhaling ever again, perhaps he could avoid what he knew deep inside was true.
Rebecca Larson was his mate.
The sweet tinkle of her voice made his cock stiffen. Then she stuck out a hand. “Which one are you?”
Shit. Shit shit shit.
Griffen stared at her outreached fingers as if he were mentally challenged. No way in hell could he touch her. He still hadn’t exhaled. In fact, he was getting lightheaded.
Rebecca’s smile fell slightly, spurring him into action.
He had no choice. Common courtesy shook him from his stupor. Besides, there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to change fate. It was destined. This woman was his. He exhaled slowly and reached out to grasp her hand. An electric current ran between them as he found one word, “Griffen.” His voice didn’t sound at all like him. And as he took another breath, he confirmed what he already knew to be true.
Rebecca felt the spark also. He could tell by the way she sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes wide, and then she composed herself. “Nice to meet you.” Her smile reappeared, but her eyes narrowed slightly as though confused.
No wonder…his behavior was odd.
She tugged her hand, and that’s when he realized he still held her. Reluctantly, he released his grip and followed her gaze to his three brothers behind him.
Sharon gave Griffen a hard glare he knew well. Don’t even fucking think about hitting on my friend. Off limits. He could read all that in her expression. No translation was needed.
Trace stepped forward. “I’m Trace. And this is Zachary and Logan. There will be a quiz later.” He chuckled as he took her hand.
Griffen spun to face him, giving him the same stare he’d just gotten from Sharon.
Trace furrowed his brow and stepped back a pace, releasing Rebecca’s hand too quickly.
Sharon pointed toward the restrooms at the base of the trail. “I’m going to use the facilities one last time before I’m stuck with squatting in the woods.” She dropped her pack on the ground.
“I’ll go with you.” Rebecca granted the men another quick smile, set her backpack next to her friend’s, and followed her toward the small building.
“What the hell was that all about?” Trace asked as soon as the women were out of earshot.
Griffen shook his head. “Nothing.” He glanced away.
“Like fuck. I can feel the imprint of your hand on my cheek as though you slapped me.” Trace glanced back at the restroom. The girls had already stepped inside. He did a double take between Griffen and the restroom before slowly turning back to face Griffen with a sly grin. “Oh, this is rich.”
“What?” Zachary asked in confusion. “What the hell is going on with you two?”
Trace crossed his arms over his chest and stood taller. “I believe our older brother has just bit the dust.”
“Bit the dust?” asked Logan.
“She’s your mate, isn’t she?” Trace cut to the chase.
Griffen’s shoulders slumped, and he kicked the dirt around at his feet. He didn’t respond.
“Awesome,” Logan said.
Griffen shot him a glance. “Not fucking awesome.” He glanced at the bathroom and lowered his voice. “And don’t fucking say anything to Sharon, or I’ll kick your ass. She’s going to freak.”
Zachary looked back and forth between Griffen and the bathroom before he spoke. “Exactly how long do you think you can possibly keep this little secret? Are you crazy?”
Griffen shrugged. “At least two days.”
Trace laughed. Hard. He bent at the waist and let it loose. “Of course. Sure. That’s exactly how I’ve heard it works. And don’t forget about the two nights that come between the days.” He laughed harder.
“Stop it.” Griffen gritted his teeth. “They’ll be back any second.” He grabbed Trace’s arm and tugged him upright. “I’m serious. Do not say a word about this.” He met everyone’s gaze. “Any of you. She’s hum
an, and we’re stuck together for the weekend. There’s no way she could possibly understand this.” There’s no way I can possibly understand this.
Besides, something niggled in the back of his mind. He couldn’t explain it and wouldn’t even try, but claiming the woman immediately wasn’t in the cards. He needed to wait, get to know her over the weekend. Fate may have put Rebecca in his path, but She didn’t intend for Griffen to stake his claim too quickly. Intuition? He wasn’t sure, but he would follow his instinct.
Trace tugged his arm free. His smile was still huge. “Good luck with that.”
Chapter Three
If Rebecca thought the behavior of Sharon’s brothers was odd before she went to the restroom, it was weirder when she reemerged. The one she’d met first who she knew to be the oldest, Griffen, had his lips pursed and was scowling at the ground if she wasn’t mistaken. The other three, on the contrary, chuckled to themselves.
It was uncanny how much they looked alike—all four with thick, wavy, dark hair and eyes the color of milk chocolate. They were buff, tall, and tan. Their differences were so subtle it would take days for her to tell them apart.
“I don’t know what’s up with my brothers,” Sharon mumbled. “Ignore them while they act like idiots.”
Ah, so it’s not just me. Hmmm.
Ignoring them was a fantastic idea. Except it was nearly impossible. They were all four smokin’ hot. And her hand still tingled from Griffen’s touch. It had been like an electric shock. No wonder Sharon didn’t like to share her friends with them. Rebecca could see why.
Yes. And you need to shake this off immediately before you become one of those errant horrible friends.
When they got back to the men, Rebecca heaved her backpack off the ground and shrugged into it. As she bent down to retie her hiking boot, she watched Griffen gather his belongings out of the corner of her eye.
Yep. He was definitely odd. Was it something she said?
Rebecca's Wolves (Wolf Masters Book 6) Page 1
