by Moxie North
“Hey, Barry,” Maverick said, his eyes trailing back to the woman talking to another man that was recovering from burns.
“We looking at a new socket?”
“Yeah, that’s what Nick thinks. Do you know who that woman is over there?”
Barry’s eyes followed Mav’s gaze and said, “Yup, she’s your standard do-gooder. Trying to get her Mother Teresa points or something.”
“Fuck man, cynical much?” Maverick looked up at the man when Barry’s tone turned ugly.
“Don’t like people coming in and feeling sorry for you guys. You get enough of that from strangers and even your own families. Life can be shit, but it’s what you make of it from here on out.”
“Wow, that’s some pep talk. Did you used to be a cheerleader?”
“Please, I’m here to make you functional as best as I can. Every person that shows up to rehab is already stronger than those that give up and don’t come. You’re here, so that means you want to get better. I’m not about to coddle you and tell you life isn’t fair. Not my job.”
“I feel all warm and fuzzy, Barry.”
“Then you have a fever and I’ll have someone check you for infection. Otherwise prop that leg up and I’ll take a look.”
Maverick lifted his stump up and was able to tune Barry out as the woman worked her way through the room. He could catch glimpses of the side of her face. She was pretty, really pretty. She had soft features, her skin smooth. Her smile crinkled the sides of her eyes and lit up her face. Maverick could feel her relaxing as she went from person to person, her confidence building. It was a tangible thing that was weaving its way across the room to where he and his wolf could pick it up. He was sensitive to humans, but this was something so much more. He cared that she was feeling more at ease.
As Barry poked at his leg, Mav was only half listening. He was waiting for the woman to make it to his table. She was so close now, his eyes stayed on her face. His assessment of her changed from pretty to fucking beautiful.
Chapter 8
Maverick nodded at whatever Barry was saying. Something about molds and such, he knew the drill. He felt Barry move off and watched the woman shake hands with the man two tables away from Maverick that was recovering from knee surgery. He’d jumped out of a plane and forgot to tuck and roll. Dumbass.
As she spoke to Nick, Maverick held his breath.
The woman turned. Her pale gray eyes looked toward him and widened.
Maverick felt the table under him shift like a rolling earthquake. The world fucking moved. Or maybe the entire universe. It quaked. He felt it down to his bones. He knew this woman. He knew her because he’d been waiting for her most of his life.
This was the woman he’d told himself he would never find, didn’t deserve, and could never have.
His mate.
Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. He could see her with him. Their whole life flashed before his eyes like a Sixties sitcom. Them cooking together in a kitchen. Her sharing bites of food off her own fork. Her laughter when he said something funny. Her eyes big and wide as he slid into her in the middle of the night. His name on her lips as she came moaning. Mav’s hand touching her stomach, round with his child. Everything and anything that someone could ever wish for, right in front of him, standing in a woman that had to be a foot shorter than him. He couldn’t see how long her hair was, but he was sure he could tell what it felt like. It would be soft while tangling through his fingers.
His animal set up a howl in his head that he was sure everyone in the room could hear. His beast was clawing inside him to get out. He wanted to know what this woman tasted like, rub her scent on his fur. To his animal instincts it was all very simple. She was theirs.
“Hi, I’m Prudence.”
The woman held her hand out to him and Mav looked down at it like he’d never seen anyone do that before.
“This is Maverick. He’s a little on the rough side, but he’s all bark and no bite.”
Maverick’s head whipped toward Nick. The man hadn’t realized how close what he said was to the truth. Except his bite was pretty bad too.
Turning back to the woman, he saw her grow nervous at her hand still hanging in the air. His wolf told him to reach out and touch her. She was offering herself up, her skin to their touch.
Maverick couldn’t. His instincts told him that touching her would change things. Not that everything didn’t already change. Maverick had focused his life down to a very singular course. It was him, his club, his pack. There wasn’t room for anyone else. Even a beautiful sexy woman that was currently making his dick stand up and pay attention.
His brain tried to soak up her details like this was the last time he would ever see her. He was well aware that he was lying on a table with his leg off on the floor, with no long pants to hide the fact the lower part of his leg was missing. This was as raw and vulnerable as he had been in front of anyone in a long time. The workers at the center were the only ones he would allow to see him without his leg on. Even in his club, he would shift away from the pack, putting his leg aside to put on when he was human again. He met his pack as a wolf, albeit a three-legged one.
A wolf’s mate, if they were shifter too, would immediately see that their partner was strong enough for them. Capable of protection and procreation. A provider. Maverick knew he no longer could be those things for someone. This woman smelled human; she wouldn’t know what was going on inside him as she stared so nervously at him.
Even more reason for him not to touch her. She wasn’t shifter, she wasn’t drawn to him like he was to her. She wouldn’t lie awake in bed tonight thinking about a stranger.
“Geez, Maverick. Don’t scare her off.” Nick was looking between the two of them, obviously feeling the tension.
Pru pulled her hand back, curling it into a fist at her side. “It’s okay. I didn’t want to intrude, sir.”
“Sorry,” Mav mumbled, his voice lower than he intended. His wolf was so close to the surface, trying to make contact with his mate.
Mate. Shit. There was nothing that could have prepared him for this. He was normally in control. He had a firm hand on his human and animal side. Now he was feeling out of control—his mind, heart, cock, and animal all going in different directions. He needed to focus on not shifting. That was the most crucial thing his instincts told him. Being an asshole was actually beneficial right now. He needed this delicious-smelling woman gone. He needed to get a grip on himself and think through what he needed to do.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m just here to see if there is anything my sewing club could make for you?”
“What, like a sweater? Does it look like I’m in the market for a sweater, darlin’?” His tone was much more aggressive than he would have liked, but his wolf was dragging his claws on the inside of his mind causing irritating pain.
“W-well, I guess if a sweater was what you needed, we could help. I was thinking more of sleeves? A few people mentioned their braces cause rubbing. Maybe something for your…” Prudence didn’t know the proper words to use. She could see the man’s leg stopped under his knee, and only let her eyes glance toward it.
“My stump? What’s left of my leg after it got cut off? If there’s a better name for it, I don’t know.” Maverick watched the woman flinch and it hurt his heart. It should have made him pissed off, but instead he felt a weight hit his chest.
“Erm, yes. Sorry, I don’t know the proper words for different conditions. I will be learning though,” she trailed off.
Fuck, he’d made her feel bad. Half of him was happy that she was developing a bad opinion of him, the other was desperate to make her accept him. That was his wolf.
“Conditions. Sweetheart, I don’t have a condition. I have a loss of limb. Emergency amputation, then dirty conditions that led to more amputation. It is what it is. You’d better buck up if you are going to be spending time around here. Doesn’t matter anyway. I don’t need anything. You can move on to the next case.”
Nick was behind the woman giving Mav a what the fuck?! look. Nick appeared smitten and his confusion why Mav wasn’t on board was evident.
He couldn’t help but glance up and see the woman flinch again. This time at his own words. Knife straight to the heart again for him and his wolf.
“I really didn’t mean to bother you,” she whispered, trying to keep a smile on her face. “If there is something I can do for you, I’ll be around.” Prudence’s voice trailed off.
Maverick gave her a grunt and watched as she walked away. Nick was gesturing behind her that made it clear that he thought Mav was a dick. Maverick agreed with him. He was a dick, but what other choice did he have?
Grab her and kiss her? That’s what he wanted to do. Pull the bright little beauty to him and kiss her breathless. His wolf was back to howling; he wanted to chase her. Maverick reminded him that in wolf form he could chase her, but not as a human. The best he could muster was hopping and that was the reason to not attempt it. He wasn’t whole, and even though a part of him felt like it had been filled in the moment he saw her eyes, he still wasn’t good enough for her.
Mav’s wolf wanted him to go over all her details again. The first time he scented her. The shape of her body under her festive clothes. Those eyes that didn’t look at him with pity so much as surprise. Mav could see that now. She really didn’t react badly to him once he factored in how rude he’d been to her.
Now that she’d left the room, Maverick let himself think of what it meant. His mate had just been in the room with him. The person the fates had chosen for him. The fates that he was sure up until now had forsaken him.
But hadn’t they still? He didn’t get to meet his mate on his own two feet. Riding on his bike, even standing. There were so many ways he could have met her. Instead, he was sitting in a room for those that weren’t all that they used to be. Some were working hard at getting back to that one hundred percent, and there were those like him that had their own percentages of success.
She’d seen his leg, his stump. Her flinch hurt him, but he also knew how it looked. It was a human reaction to seeing something that was a reminder of pain. They couldn’t help but put themselves in the other person’s place.
Maverick didn’t want pity. He didn’t want a mate. Before his accident, it was a running thought through his head. When would he find her? How would he find her? Would she be shifter or human? His life up until then had been preparation for the moment he found her. In recovery all he could think of was that he hoped he didn’t find her now. That she lived in the farthest reaches of China so the chance of meeting her would be almost non-existent. He couldn’t be the man and wolf that a mate deserved. Now it was different. He and his wolf wanted her because she was there. It didn’t change any of the reasons he didn’t want a mate. He should count himself lucky that she was human. This would make it easier to forget the fact that the universe had decided it wasn’t done screwing over Maverick Hale.
Chapter 9
Prudence was doing everything in her limited power to not burst into tears. The man named Maverick had affected her in ways she couldn’t explain. After making her way around the room, her confidence had been building. She was finding ways to meet patients’ needs, so maybe her plan wasn’t so crazy. That was until she reached the man whose presence she’d noticed right when she walked in.
He was handsome in a rough, tough sort of way. She glanced and looked away, but could still feel him. It was something primal and it made the hair on her arms stand up like there was electricity pulsing in the room.
She’d pushed him out of her mind as she made her way around the room, focusing on the people in front of her.
When she got to him, she saw that he was just as handsome as her first glance had told her. His eyes were a blue that wasn’t a color she was used to seeing. They were bright blue, unnaturally so. She thought she saw shock in those eyes and then, very clearly, she saw rejection.
There really wasn’t another word for it. He took one look at her, then wanted her gone. Pru liked to think she was someone who was tough and could handle herself. Truth was, she was pretty damn soft-hearted. Her strengths came from things she excelled at. She was often unprepared for things she couldn’t fix, or at least make better.
Maverick didn’t want her help. She saw that loud and clear. He wanted her gone and didn’t even want to talk to her.
That should put him in her “not nice people, but I wish them well” group. Yes, she had a list of people that didn’t get her brand of life. She didn’t want this handsome man on this list. She felt something in the pit of her stomach that told her he needed her help. Not that he looked like he did. The sight of his missing limb broke her heart. The rest of him appeared strong and capable. She bet that he didn’t let his lack of a foot hold him back from anything.
Prudence could hear Nick talking. He was saying not to take Maverick so seriously. That he wasn’t really a bad guy.
She nodded and gave a weak smile as they made their way back to the front.
“Oh, I’m not worried, Nick. I have lots of people to help. That’s what I wanted to do. I’m going to get with my group and get started on these projects. I’ll be back next week? Mr. Gill didn’t tell me any days I couldn’t come, but I don’t want to get in the way.”
“You are welcome anytime, Prudence.”
Pru saw that Nick was looking at her a little googly-eyed. Almost the exact opposite look that Maverick had given her. His disapproval of her could be for any number of reasons, most of which she didn’t want to dig too deeply into.
“Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”
Prudence wanted to leave and get some fresh air. She also wanted to stop by the mini-mart for Skittles and diet Dr. Pepper. Normally, Pru was a fan of clean eating. When she felt the need to stress eat, she also knew how to do it right. She might need to throw in some Fritos and seven-layer dip while she was at it. Meeting Maverick had sent her into a PMS red alert.
Not caring what someone looks like is a nice thing to say, but harder to actually do. It was a concerted effort to find people’s inner beauty. Pru was proud she could do that—usually. Maverick’s beauty, if you could call it that, was on the outside for sure. Inside, that was a mystery. That she was even still thinking about him annoyed her. She knew that whenever she didn’t get the response from someone that she expected, she set about changing their opinion of her. She was proud to say her list of lost causes was small.
Prudence unlocked her bike and jumped on it to head to work. After her stop at the store, of course. Ms. Edna would hook her up with the sugar and caffeine she needed.
She pedaled down the street back into town. Ms. Edna was sitting on her stool behind the counter as usual. Pru wasn’t even sure she knew how the store got stocked because Edna was always in the same position. There was a chance she slept there for all Pru knew.
“Oh Prudence, what can I get for you?”
Prudence started down the required aisle, grabbing what she wanted. The cooler case at the back was her next stop. “Just needing sugar, Ms. Edna.”
“Tough day, sweetie?” Ms. Edna was an insightful person, probably thanks to her years of studying people and their eating habits.
“It had a small wrinkle. You know me, I’ll get over it.”
“You be careful, that’s a lot of sugar for you,” she said, eyeballing the armful of goodies.
Prudence had picked up some Snowballs and Sour Patch Kids to add to her chips, dip, and other goodies. “I know. I think it’s my only addiction. I eat so well ninety percent of the time. A little emotional trauma and I’m in the cookie jar. I blame my grandmother. Every time I had a fight with my mom, I’d go running to her. Warm cookies or fresh pie and hugs were her cure-all.”
“That’s what grandmas are for, baby. They feed you, body and soul.” Miss Edna was wise, and Prudence was lucky to know her.
“Well, this baby is taking her sugar stash and going to work. Lord only knows what Ethel an
d Claire can get up to when I leave them alone too long. Last time I took time off for an appointment they rearranged all the yarn by how it felt against their cheeks.”
Laughing, Edna said, “Well, that could be helpful information to some. I, for one, have no artistic or creative talent. I like to sit here and watch my shows. Occasionally I like the Sudoku, but my eyes aren’t what they used to be.”
“If you ever need help, I can help you do your puzzles. I’d be happy to read it out to you.”
“You’ve obviously never played. That’s sweet of you to offer. If you ever want to come watch my stories with me, I’d be glad for the company.”
Prudence mentally penciled in some time to sit with Ms Edna. “I’ll do that.”
She paid for her purchases and headed the four blocks down the street to work. The sisters were in the window when she pulled up. Both of them waved enthusiastically.
Pru pushed open the front door, the little bell overhead tinkling quietly. “You two manage to stay out of trouble?”
“Pfft, if I wanted to start trouble, you’d know about it.” Ethel cackled and slapped at her sister.
“Please, Claire wouldn’t know how to get in trouble if she had a manual.”
“What about the time I stole Mr. Jenkins’s truck and drove it into the pond?”
“That wasn’t you. That was Lenny Franks,” Ethel scoffed.
“He took the rap for it so I wouldn’t get in trouble. He was sweet on me, that boy. Don’t worry, I gave him a little sugar for his time.”
Prudence really didn’t want to think about Claire giving anyone anything.
“You hussy! It’s a good thing our momma is gone. She’s probably rolling over in her grave right now,” Ethel said with shock.
“Well, the ground probably needed a good turning,” Claire murmured. She kept up the click click of her knitting needles.
Prudence let out a snort and got a look from Ethel, then a wink. The sisters might be old, but they were definitely trouble in their day.
