by Bonnie Vanak
Grayson wasn’t riding alongside her to wrangle calves or sitting with her at a pack dinner, eating her buttered biscuits. The big cowboy with the ice blue eyes and the ruthless sensuality was gone.
Now he ruled as alpha in another land, a place she did not dare go.
Aiden told her that Kyle had tracked down Charles and delivered him to her adoptive father for justice for daring to kidnap Katy. Charles was torn to pieces.
“We buried his remains outside pack territory,” the alpha told her.
Now, as she rode with the other Lupines in the western pasture, her face lifted to the warm sunshine, Katy felt a pang of keen sorrow over the thought of never seeing Grayson again.
She missed him terribly. Finding another mate was out of the question. How could she, when her heart belonged only to one wolf?
Aiden galloped up beside her. “You okay, Katy?”
She tilted down her hat and nodded. “Just pensive.”
“You miss him.”
The alpha was perceptive. Or maybe her quietness had been noticed, and word spread how Grayson had left his ranch and it was doubtful he’d ever return. Aiden and the others had taken it upon themselves to visit, feed his stock and care for the land. It was the neighborly thing to do until Grayson returned.
“He’s not coming back,” she told the alpha. “He can’t. He’s alpha of his own pack now.”
“I know. Tristan told me. He also told me to keep a close eye on you, because you lost the love of your life.”
Stunned, she glanced at the bearded, solemn Lupine. “He did?”
A brief smile. “He’s a good person, Katy, even if he is a wizard.” Then Aiden leaned forward in his saddle. “It’s a tough thing when you lose the love of your life.”
Tears clogged her throat. “It would have been even tougher for me to stay and know that one day I might kill Grayson because of all that power I had. I had to give it up, Aiden.”
“I know, honey. I wish I could tell you it’ll get better, but I’m proud of you for making the right decision for him.”
Katy blinked. “For him?”
Aiden pushed back his Stetson. “If you had stayed, chances are you would have destroyed him. Or he would have destroyed you. Hard enough being alpha in a pack, but having a mate with double the magick you have, and trying to keep order? That would tax the strongest male.”
She’d never thought of it that way. Katy scrubbed at her face, wishing things could be different. If she had been born a normal Lupine, and Grayson as well, maybe they could have a fighting chance.
Aiden rode off to give her privacy. Katy stared into the horizon, thinking of her love. The Lupine who’d surrendered his place in the Dark Kingdom to keep her safe, watch over her as she came into her powers.
He loved her.
She loved him.
Maybe if she closed her eyes and imagined him, Grayson would appear. There was plenty of magick in this world, too.
Squeezing her eyes shut, she saw Grayson, his quiet smile and his ice blue eyes, and his mouth that had delivered such exquisite pleasure to her body. The male who risked all to keep her safe.
Katy opened her eyes.
It could not be…was her magick that powerful still?
Squinting into the sunlight, she gave a joyful whoop and slid off her gelding. The cowboy galloped up to her, and pulled to an expert stop and then they were both off their horses, and finally she was in Grayson’s arms.
“You came back to me. Or are you a mirage?” Voice shaky, she hugged him.
He didn’t feel like a mirage.
He removed her hat, tossed it aside and smoothed back her hair. “I’m no hallucination. I’m the real deal.”
Aiden and the others galloped over, and slid off their mounts. Grayson ignored them, his gaze centered on her.
“Reckon you were right, Katy. The Dark Kingdom is no place for you. You have too much power. You gave it up to live here. So I reckon I could give up being alpha of the Gray Wolf pack for you. I can’t live without you, sweetheart.”
“But your pack…all that power. You gave it all up, just for me?”
Grayson shrugged. “What use is power if you don’t have your mate to ground you, get you through the bad days and enjoy the good ones? I handed control of the pack to Chase. He’s going to make a good alpha leader.”
He looked over Aiden, and his expression hardened. “Your place is here, then so is mine. I won’t be pack here, with Aiden. Can’t be pack. But I’ll live next door and be here when you need me. If you need me.”
Katy felt her world tilt on its axis. Crazed with hope, daring to believe he was doing this, she stared up at him. “You’re staying here, in the Skin world? You’re alpha of your pack now!”
He gathered her hands into his. “Being alpha ain’t great unless you have a mate to share your life with, sweetheart. I’d give up being alpha over all the wolf packs in the Dark Kingdom just to be with you. Reckon I’d rather have years in your arms than centuries without you.”
Aiden’s look turned into respect. He stuck out a hand. “You’re a tough son of a bitch, Grayson Moore.”
Grayson shook it. “Be an honor to run with you at times, but understand, I’ll never be part of your pack, Mitchell.”
Aiden nodded. “Katy, I’m formally releasing you from our pack. You’re honorary, just as Grayson is.”
“Thank you,” she told him.
Overcome with emotion, she hugged the alpha. Aiden hugged her back, and when he released her, his dark gaze was solemn.
“I want you to be happy, Katy. When you find that special someone who is your forever mate, you need to stay with them for the rest of your life.” His gaze flicked off in the direction of the ranch lodge. “That’s how it is with Nia. I would give up everything, including this place, to stay with her.”
Katy nodded, her throat too tight to speak. Then she and Grayson mounted their horses and galloped off to his ranch.
In his bedroom, she tore off his shirt in her eagerness to be skin to skin with him. Two werewolves, needing each other. No love for power could ever equal this.
Kissing his hand, she nibbled her way up his bare arm, to the curve of one strong shoulder. Grayson shuddered beneath the touch of her mouth as she licked and kissed his neck. Having this big, strong wolf under her control thrilled her, but she needed more.
“Pack doesn’t come first,” she whispered, lightly biting his earlobe and then giving it a soft lick. “Mates do. And if you’ll make me your forever mate, you will always be first in my life, Grayson. Just as I want you to be now. You risked everything to save me. Now risk everything to be with me, forever, here in the Skin world.”
He kissed her back, and tumbled her backwards onto the bed. As they made love, Katy knew for certain she had made the right decision.
Grayson had given up so much for her, but in surrendering all, he gained everything, just as she had.
They were meant for each other. Neither could live without the other, and both had survived in Skin far too long for the rich temptation of pure power in the Dark Kingdom.
Both of them were so lonely. Through joining physically and emotionally, their loneliness amid their packs turned into belonging to each other.
Their sadness at being outsiders turned into love and happiness.
This was where they were meant to belong.
Together, forever.
* * *
Thank you for reading The Werewolf Cowboy. I hope you enjoyed the stories.
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The Werewolves of Montana series
in order
The Mating Chase (Dale)
The Mating Hunt (Kyle)
; The Mating Seduction (Jackson)
The Mating Rite (Darius, Aiden’s beta wolf)
The Mating Intent (Gabriel)
The Mating Challenge (Aiden, alpha of the Mitchell pack)
The Mating Season (Tristan, the Silver Wizard)
The Mating Destiny (Alex, a dragon prince)
The Mating Game (Xavier, the Crystal Wizard) Coming early 2017
Mating Minis
set within the Werewolves of Montana world
Seduction (JJ, Aiden’s good friend)
Passion (Jake from Aiden’s pack)
Redemption (Robert, Lupine alpha and friend to Aiden)
Temptation (Sebastian, dragon shifter)
The Werewolf Cowboy (Grayson)
Please read on for a special preview of The Mating Game, Xavier’s book. Coming February 2017!
* * *
Excerpt from
The Mating Game
by Bonnie Vanak
copyright © 2015 Bonnie Vanak
He went into his room and closed the door, leaning against it, wondering why he shook so much. What was it about this nymph that had him in knots?
Changing into a gray T-shirt and black sweatpants, he murmured a chant, calling upon Gideon and Tristan. He would need one of them over the next two days. Then he lay upon the bed, thumbing the remote and settling on a reality television show about Alaska. Xavier had some friends in Alaska, Lupine shifters who’d decided to live off the grid.
Thirty minutes after the show started, he heard a noise in the kitchen. Xavier glanced up, already knowing what had happened.
Using the connecting door he’d failed to lock, Ciara walked into his room. In a turquoise soft cotton T-shirt and matching sleep shorts, she looked uncertain.
“I can’t sleep there alone. It’s too strange being alone in that room. May I join you and watch television a while?”
No. Go back to your room.
He patted the bed. “Come here.”
It was all very innocent. Right.
Ciara sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Then she yawned. She curled up next to him, resting her head on his chest. Soon she was asleep. Xavier put an arm around her.
He didn’t want to stay like this. Didn’t want her soft, warm body cuddling next to him. So tempting.
But he didn’t want her waking up alone in a strange hotel room, terrified and bewildered.
It’s my fault for not keeping an eye on her, he thought with regret. I should have paired her months ago with a male, let her grow accustomed to him, to the Skin world.
Xavier turned down the sound on the television, lest he wake her. She needed her rest.
Then he felt a tingle rush down his spine that signaled a surge of tremendous power.
Oh shit. Bad timing.
A puff of red smoke and silver, and Gideon, the Crimson Wizard, stood by the bed, along with Tristan. Xavier gently disentangled himself from Ciara.
“You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago,” he told them.
“I had a hot date.” Gideon studied the sleeping Ciara. “But not as hot as yours. I have seldom seen a nymph, and not in several centuries. I have never seen an actual virgin nymph. And she is quite exotic and alluring. This one will certainly have no trouble finding sexual partners.”
Ciara was not a “this one”. Xavier seized his wrist as the Crimson Wizard leaned closer to Ciara. “Don’t touch.”
“Don’t like anyone playing with your toys, Xavier?” Gideon asked, his tone mildly amused.
“She’s in a very delicate position right now and I don’t want her waking up and seeing you two monkeys staring at her as if she was in a zoo.”
“No, you wish to be the only monkey staring at her.” Tristan shook his head. “Have you selected a male to do the deed?”
“I have one of your cougar shifters arriving tomorrow for the task. Marc. He’s serviced nymphs before.”
Tristan raised a brow. “Nymphs who are sexually experienced, and enjoy alternative sex. Never a virgin. Are you certain about this?”
“I don’t have anyone else,” he admitted.
Tristan and Gideon gave him pointed looks, then looked at Ciara.
“No,” he said, a little more firmly.
He didn’t want to do this. Oh, he was tempted, sorely tempted, but it would be a bad thing for her.
Tristan and Gideon stared at him. “Why not?” Tristan finally asked.
Xavier hooked his arms around his knees. “I would ruin her for anyone else.”
Gideon gave a short bark of laughter, but Tristan did not. He nodded. “I see your point. For you will give her an exquisite time in bed…”
“And then leave her,” Gideon finished. The Crimson Wizard looked weary and more cynical than usual. “It must be so.”
“Why did you call us here?” Tristan asked.
“I need one of you to cover my assignments for the next two days so I can attend to Ciara.” He gave them a hopeful look. “Unless you care to arrange for her sexual partner.”
Both Tristan and Gideon backed away as if he’d asked them to an orgy with ogres. Xavier sighed. Ciara proved to be most tempting, and he suspected he should try to get away from her, before he did something he regretted.
“Two days?” Tristan asked. “It takes that long?”
Gideon shook his head. “That is a short time for a mating. Nymphs go into heat and it lasts for a full week.”
The Silver Wizard blinked. “Seven days of nonstop sex?”
Gideon laughed. “Now you know why I asked to get rid of the nymphs when Xavier joined the Brehon. I had my hands full.”
“And your dick full,” Xavier added.
Gideon scowled. “I did what I could to keep the peace.”
Xavier leaned against the headboard. “Is that what it was called back in the olden days?”
But Gideon did not smile. He tilted his head, as if listening to something. The Crimson Wizard stared into the distance, and then his expression smoothed out. Xavier knew what had happened. He’d seen Gideon go into an almost trancelike state when he divined the future.
“I will take over your duties,” Gideon said. “You may be quite busy for the next two days.”
“Why?” he demanded.
But Gideon did not offer any other information.
Like the other wizards, he could not foresee his own fate. He didn’t like the sly smile Gideon sported.
I can’t get involved with Ciara. I will break her heart. And for the first time in centuries, he cared about someone else’s heart. His had been shattered long ago by Andromeda, and had no hopes of repair. When Andromeda had betrayed him, he’d quietly decided he would never love again.
Love hurt, and he had too many responsibilities
Look for The Mating Game, February 2017!
The Werewolf Cowboy
Copyright © 2016 by Bonnie Vanak
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All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This book is a work of fiction. With the exception of recognized historical figures, the characters in this novel are fictional. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-941130-29-2
nie Vanak, The Werewolf Cowboy: Werewolves of Montana Mating Mini #6
