Forbidden Mate

by Stacey Espino

  “I’ve seen reality shows. You’re a bunch of polygamists? You take a dozen wives and want to add me to the lot?” She shook her head, backing up further.

  “No, baby girl. One wife. One mate.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “So what then? You all want to be my husbands? At once? Is that what you’re actually suggesting? Is that even legal?”

  “It is here,” said Wesley, keeping his voice calm and controlled to counter Helen’s state of panic.

  Explaining their unusual social structure was better than telling her they shifted into animals at will. Not to mention, many shifters did have traditional relationships with one male and one female. But sometimes the mating call had ideas of its own. Marco had been perfectly happy with his mate before her death. Now he believed fate had plans that included more than one male for Helen.

  “I want out. I need to leave,” she said. The little human was in a fright, her breathing rapid and eyes frantic as she scanned for the best escape route. Marco couldn’t lose her. He’d marked her as his. The mating call had been undeniable since he first scented her in town. There was no way he’d be able to live in peace if he let her walk out of his life.

  “It’s late,” said Targus. “Stay with us. Please.”

  Marco’s best friend had it bad for Helen. After the hell he’d been through waiting for a princess, Marco never expected Targus to bother with love again. He certainly made little effort. It was nice to see him so impassioned.

  “No.” She kept shaking her head. “This isn’t right. Something’s not right.”

  When she attempted to rush for the door, Marco panicked. He thought they’d got through to Helen after their night of sex. Her kiss touched his soul. But apparently humans didn’t equate sex with love. She needed a lot more convincing before she believed they wanted her forever.

  Without thought, he called the shift to take over his body. His wolf howled, all too happy to be let loose. There was no turning back now.

  Helen screamed, the sound ringing his ears.

  “Fuck, Marco!” Wesley shouted. “What have you done?”

  He’d broken their most sacred rule. He’d exposed his beast to an innocent human. But what choice did he have? Helen was his, and he couldn’t hide his true nature forever. He refused to live a lie. Besides, if he hadn’t taken such a drastic step, she would have walked out of their lives without a backward glance.

  “Chupacabra!” Helen screamed, falling back onto the side table by the sofa and stumbling.

  Wesley picked her up and held her steady despite her struggles. “Not a Chupacabra, Helen. It’s a wolf. Marco’s a wolf.”

  “How? Oh my God. What the hell’s going on?”

  He walked closer, his wolf desperate for the acceptance of its mate. It stung when she jolted back in fright. His beast scented her fear, and for once it didn’t please him.

  “There’s no way he’ll hurt you,” said Targus. “I know him too well. Go on. Touch him.”

  Marco tried to stay as still as possible so not to spook her. He craved to feel her hands through his fur—no fear, no hesitation. After a few minutes of initial panic, she settled down, her body less tense. She kept close to Wesley, watching Marco intently.

  “Can he understand me? Can he hear me?”

  “Of course, sweetheart. It’s still Marco. He’s still the same man when he shifts,” said Targus. “It’s our secret. That’s what’s different around here.”

  “You’re all…?”

  “It’s a shifter town,” said Wesley, wrapping his arms around her middle. He kissed her temple. “You’re the only human who knows.”

  “I heard one of the princesses mated a human male. Wasn’t it Freya?” asked Targus.

  Wesley shook his head. “He was a human. She used her royal blood to change him. He’s a shifter now.”

  Nothing they could do would change Helen, not that Marco wanted such a fate for her. He was quite happy with his little human. She may be delicate, but he had the strength to protect her. All he needed was her acceptance.

  “Why has no one heard of you or this place? I don’t understand? How can you change from a human to an animal?”

  “Like I said, it’s a carefully guarded secret,” said Wesley. “One you need to keep.”

  Chapter Ten

  Helen stared at the dark wolf. She had to admit it was beautiful. It kept its yellow eyes trained on her, and she couldn’t deny the fact it felt like Marco staring at her. One moment he’d been standing naked in front of her, and the next minute he contorted into a wild animal. It was either magic or something she couldn’t comprehend.

  Her mind processed all the events since she arrived in the backwards town, and everything started to make sense. The strange behavior of all the men was due to the territorial nature of their animals. They wanted to claim her as their mate in some feral ceremony. It was a lot to process, but she was intrigued.

  She cautiously reached forward when prodded by Targus and combed her fingers into the lush fur by the wolf’s neck. It felt so good, soft and thick. The wolf didn’t snap or even move. She squatted in front of it, any fear she had fizzling away. “Is it really you?” she whispered. Part of Helen thought they were pulling an elaborate joke on her and the real Marco would jump out from behind a wall at any moment.

  The wolf lifted an oversized paw and rested it on her knee.

  She smiled. “Marco?”

  It tilted its head to the side, a look of intelligence lighting its eyes. Helen suddenly realized she’d just fucked a wolf—two wolves, if what they said were true. How much was actually hidden from her in her daily life back home? Was anyone who they claimed to be? She wasn’t sure what to believe any more.

  “He likes you.” Wesley wrapped his hands around her when she stood back up. The contract grounded her when she felt lost. “I know my beast would like you, too.”

  “You’re a wolf like him?”

  “No, something much better,” said Wesley, licking the exposed side of her neck. “Wolves don’t have barbed tongues, but panthers do.”

  A panther? She’d seen those menacing animals at the zoo, pacing back and forth with death written in their eyes. Even though he was still a human being, she could feel the rough swipe of a barbed tongue. It wasn’t just the erotic sensations sparking to life along her erogenous zone—it was his voice. He had a deep, gruff tone which promised hours of depraved pleasure.

  The wolf in front of her began to shake, its limbs elongating and the fur receding. She closed her eyes for the rest, her stomach already starting to do flips. When she reopened her eyes, Marco was back in front of her, no different than before the shifting ordeal.

  “A wolf and a man. I can’t believe it,” she said with awe. If anyone had of told her what she’d just witnessed, she’d call them a liar to their face. But she’d seen it happen, watched as a flesh and blood man turned into a wild animal of the forest.

  The few lights in the cottage suddenly shut off with a zapping sound. The darkness blinded her, all her other senses increasing. With her nerves already on edge, panic wasn’t far behind.

  “What was that?” she whispered, afraid to hear her voice in the dead silence.

  “I don’t know,” said Targus. “Marco, it sounded like an electrical short. Check the panel outside.”

  She heard Marco’s steps as he walked toward the main door. How could he see so well in the pitch black? Helen couldn’t even see her hand in front of her own face.

  “Wesley?” His presence was still behind her. Although she could feel his heat, she needed to know he was there.

  “Right here, baby girl. Stay in the house. I’m going to take a look outside.”

  She wanted to grab him and beg him to stay with her. Being left alone in the dark wasn’t an appealing prospect, especially with visions of wolves, panthers, and shape-shifting men dancing in her head.

  There was a scuffle outside after Wesley joined Marco. Something banged against the side of the cottage, the flo
or boards vibrating under her feet.

  “What was that?” she asked, her arms outstretched at her sides.

  “I’m not sure, but I don’t like it. Ever since that Royal Elite started sniffing around here, we’ve had trouble,” said Targus.

  “Don’t go out there. What if you don’t come back?”

  Targus moved towards her, the floor creaking with each step. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Helen. Don’t you believe that? I’ve been trained to protect my mate since adulthood.”

  And did that refer to her now? Was she actually the mate to wolves, a panther, or both? Did she want this craziness in her life? Could she ever walk away?

  “I thought it was just a power surge.” Helen wrapped her arms around Targus’s waist as soon as he was in reach. She held him securely, resting her head on his chest. “What else could it be?”

  “Wesley’s looking for a rogue wolf gunning for the royal princesses. He even thinks it could be me or Marco, which is ridiculous.”

  “Could it be the rogue wolf? What would he want with any of us?”

  “Gods know. We mind our own business but trouble still shows up on our doorstep.”

  He led her effortlessly through the darkness to the sofa, holding her close to his side once they were both seated. It was nerve-wracking, waiting to find out if Wesley and Marco would return unscathed. Her happiness was now intermingled with all these men. She needed them, wanted them, and even though it had only been a couple days, she couldn’t imagine a future without them.

  “Will they be okay?”

  Targus chuckled. “Wesley’s a Royal Elite, one of our most extensively trained guards. Marco’s a brawler. Not too many shifters dare to step in his path.”

  She liked knowing how capable her men were. It aroused her knowing such virile men wanted her when they could have their pick of women.

  “I guess being able to change into a man-eater helps.”

  Targus cradled the back of her neck, steering her into a kiss. “You’re too cute, Helen.”

  She leaned against him, breathing in his unique scent. He smelled like the great outdoors and a masculine musk that drove her crazy.

  “What happens when I have to leave?” she dared to ask. It was stupid to expect any sort of commitment when she’d only just met him, but these men were different. They already acted as if they owned her.

  “You don’t have to go anywhere. I’m more than capable of taking care of you.”

  “And Marco?”

  “I expect he’s just as capable.”

  She was about to ask about Wesley when a wolf howled outside, the eerie sound bringing her nerves to the surface. She sat up straight, listening intently. “What was that?”

  This time Targus wasn’t laid back. His body turned stiff and he kept quiet. “It was Marco.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  The door burst open. Targus was on his feet faster than she could think. There was a scuffle, banging, and cursing. She stayed rooted in place since it was too dark to start wandering around the cabin. A flame finally flickered and an oil lamp was lit creating a warm bubble of light. She watched as Marco lit a second.

  Helen rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the light. All three men were in the room…and a very naked woman. She sat up straighter, suddenly needing to hold her breath. The strange woman was beautiful, with long black hair and a near-perfect figure. Helen suddenly felt very short and frumpy.

  “What’s she doing here?” asked Targus.

  “This is our little trespasser,” said Marco, now pacing back and forth. The woman was crouched in the corner, watching their every move. “She’s been skulking around our place all day and night. I assumed the wolf scent was male, but—”

  “Do you realize how much trouble you’re in?” asked Wesley. “Threatening the royal family is punishable by death.”

  “I had nothing to do with any threats! I told you I was hoping to find a mate.” The mystery woman was riled up, not cowering in fear as she’d expect with three angry men surrounding her.

  “So you stalk our house?” asked Targus.

  “I thought I made an impression on Marco yesterday at the bar, but obviously not. When I followed his scent out here, I wasn’t expecting to find a human female.” She said the words with such distaste that it was like a slap in the face for Helen. Being human suddenly felt very inferior. “I’m sick and tired of competing with humans for shifter males. It’s not natural.” She glared at Helen from across the room.

  “She’s none of your fucking business,” said Marco. “And I don’t remember warming up to you, either.”

  “What can she offer you that I can’t? I guarantee that soft-skinned outsider couldn’t please you like I could.” The woman stood up and flipped her hair to her back with a confident air.

  Helen didn’t know where to look. It was one thing to stare at her gorgeous men naked, but this woman was competition for their attention. She had an hour-glass figure, free of pudgy belly and wide hips. A burning jealousy and anger grew deep in Helen’s gut. She wanted the woman gone, gone, gone. The she-wolf expected the men to fall for her charms, her beauty, and her obvious offer of sexual favors.

  But they didn’t.

  “Human or not, she’s our mate,” said Targus. “If you had eyes in your head, you’d see she’s marked. You better start playing nice.”

  She laughed without humor. “Claiming a human? Does she even know what you really are?”

  “Of course she does,” Marco snapped. “And you’re overstepping your bounds. This is private property, and we’ll fight for our land and our woman.”

  “What about you, Elite? They’ve broken your laws by exposing our kind to a human. Shouldn’t you be dragging their asses to the palace dungeon? Or should I be reporting all three of you?”

  Wesley had stood on the sidelines the entire time. “Watch your tone, little she-wolf. I don’t take well to threats.” His voice was deep and authoritative.

  “There’re a ton of shifter females in town without mates, including me. Don’t tell me you’ve succumb to a human, too. I just don’t understand the allure. Is it the temptation of the forbidden fruit?”

  “The mating call can’t be forced on a person. It comes without reason or warning.”

  “Bullshit!” Fire grew in the woman’s eyes once it was clear all three men were only interested in Helen. She crouched lower and began to quiver and stretch like Marco had, her body growing a coat of fur as her bones shifted into the shape of a wolf.

  “I’m breaking out the fur,” announced Targus as he began his own magical transformation. She watched with awe, eager to see his wolf first hand. But before he changed into his animal form, the crazed she-wolf sprinted across the room and leapt onto Helen. Her breath was knocked out of her, the weight of the animal making it difficult to breathe. It sank its razor-sharp teeth into her flesh without mercy. It was nothing like the gentle, intoxicating love bites from Targus and Marco during their night of sex. This was searing pain that shot through her entire body like hot pokers.

  She screamed and attempted to fight back as the dark wolf worked at tearing her apart, biting and ripping at her flesh. It was chaos, a nightmare turned reality. The sofa toppled over backwards as male wolves leapt up, clamping their deadly jaws onto the she-wolf’s neck. The gruesome sounds of an animal attack were only feet away, the crazy she-wolf whimpering and yelping as the men inflicted their own damage.

  Helen attempted to roll to her side, but everything hurt. The metallic taste of blood pooled in her mouth. She was weak, sore, and growing more confused by the second. Why couldn’t she focus her vision? Helen wanted to catch a glimpse of the majestic black panther, but it was too difficult to concentrate. So tired. She couldn’t fight the heaviness of her eyelids. She had to sleep.

  ****

  Wesley bit down on the wolf’s scruff and dragged the carcass out of the cabin. He dropped the she-wolf onto the cool ground outside the cabin and then shifted into his ski
n. What a waste of life. Once a she-wolf locked her sights on an available male, it was nearly impossible to steer her in another direction. Everything had happened so fast. One minute they were off looking for a serious threat, and then they find a female trespasser. A shifter should know better than to encroach on claimed land, especially when owned by two alpha males.

  Wesley had planned to give her a speech about keeping to the town and staying out of trouble, but she’d gone apeshit crazy when she saw Helen in person. She wanted one of the elusive wolves for herself and couldn’t accept the fact they’d mated—to a human, no less.

  He wasn’t sure if she was the wolf threatening the palace, or if there was still another out there on the loose. But he had a feeling the two cases were unrelated. An obsession with a male had nothing to do with wanting revenge on the monarchy.

  Wesley bounded back up the stairs and pushed open the cabin door. Marco and Targus were on their knees on either side of Helen. Her lifeless body was broken, bleeding out, and unconscious.

  “How the fuck did this happen?” asked Marco, tears glistening in his eyes. “I can’t lose her, too!”

  Targus’s head was resting on her chest as if saying a silent prayer.

  Wesley should feel nothing. It was part of his training—no emotion seemed the answer for everything in the life of a Royal Elite. But he felt ready to crack down the middle. As much as he’d attempted to deny the fact, Helen was his mate, and the mating call proved that. He wanted forever, not an hour, not a day. Ever since meeting her, she’d become the center of his world, giving his life new meaning.

  Now she was close to death because none of them foresaw the attack. The most he expected from the crazed she-wolf was an embarrassing fit of jealousy. He expected her wrath to be directed at him and the wolf-shifters for rejecting her, not Helen.

  “She’s dying! Wesley, fucking do something,” said Targus, pressing a palm to the oozing blood on her side. The air snapped with nervous tension.