A Most Stubborn Mate [Wolf Pack Mates 7] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
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Wolf Pack Mates 7
A Most Stubborn Mate
Werewolf Zedekiah Vukic has known for years that wolf Josie Smith was his. But the stubborn woman keeps refusing to date him unless he accepts human Steve Latham into the mix. And now she’s surrounded by danger at the interspecies mating party (DADISP) and won’t even let him help her.
Back in the office, the Alpha tells Zed he’s to lead a small team to Europe as the European Supreme Alpha has information of an unknown pack of werewolves who live in the mountains. He wants them found and interviewed.
Josie is surprised to learn the team is just Zed, Steve, and her. The Alpha assures her that between the three of them they have all the skills they need to find the missing pack. He also tells her it’s her chance to make both men into her partners.
But Josie’s certain either Zed will kill Steve, or she’ll murder Zed, long before they even arrive in Europe. Will they stop arguing long enough to complete their task and to find love?
Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Paranormal, Shape-shifter
Length: 36,476 words
A MOST STUBBORN MATE
Wolf Pack Mates 7
Cara Adams
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
A MOST STUBBORN MATE
Copyright © 2013 by Cara Adams
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-411-2
First E-book Publication: September 2013
Cover design by Les Byerley
All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About the Author
A MOST STUBBORN MATE
Wolf Pack Mates 7
CARA ADAMS
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Zedekiah Vukic was so angry with Josie Smith he wanted to smash her cabin into matchsticks, to snatch her into his arms, to kiss her until she begged him to fuck her, to spank her ass until she was screaming for mercy, then to fuck her until her screams turned to joy. The only problem was she’d told him to get out of her cabin and the half dozen other people in it with her would either watch him with great delight, or, even more likely, work together to have him handcuffed and hogtied before he’d gotten Josie to admit she loved him and needed him.
She was his. His and his alone and she’d known that for years now. Yet still she resisted him, refused to let him fuck her, or even take more than the rare and occasional kiss from her. And what kisses they were. He’d kissed her here once at the DADISP, the interspecies mating party. She’d melted into his arms, before she’d screamed like a shrew at him. His dick had been harder than a marble column and he’d been certain that she was finally going to admit they were meant for each other. But oh no. Once again she’d insisted she would only mate with him if he accepted that weak, puling, little human Steve Latham into the mix. No way on earth would he share. She was his!
And now she’d turned into a fucking ice block and her glare had shriveled his balls, instead of her letting him help them. She knew they were fucking surrounded by danger. Renegade werewolf shape-shifters wanted to steal the unmated women. She was a wolf, a prime target for the bad guys, but she insisted in staying in a cabin at the farthest corner of the property, instead of close to safety. She wouldn’t even let him come near her to protect her. She was driving him fucking insane!
Zed stomped back to his cabin and changed into his running clothes. It wasn’t a set running time but he had to exercise right now, and exercise really hard. Otherwise he would smash his way into her cabin and demand she agree to mate with him, then fuck her the instant she said yes, despite the other people there. His dick was willing to give that plan a try, but his brain told him that even if he succeeded, as soon as his father found out he’d probably send him back to Europe and never let him come here to Ohio again. Josie was the administrator of his father’s pack and his father would never let anyone upset her.
He jogged back to the main building at the Konference Kabins conference site, where the DADISP was more than halfway through, and looked around as he did so. There was a strong security contingent visible, and no sign of any unrest. On the grass at the front of the building, the sports staff had set up a volleyball net and a lot of the men, plus a handful of women, were forming themselves into teams to play. A little farther along, an instructor was setting up a beep test court. Zed stopped to watch him. He’d done the beep test before. It was damn hard to beat that noisy little beep. There were two lines set up sixty-five feet apart. The test was to run from one line to the other before the beep. At the start, it was very deceptive because it was easy to run to the other line, take a breath, and turn around, before running back. The beeps gradually got closer together,
meaning competitors had to run faster to get there. It was almost impossible to finish the test. Right now, in the mood he was in, it was the perfect challenge. He’d beat the fucking beep test and he’d win Josie as well.
He joined the few other men preparing to do the test. From the moment the first beep sounded he ignored everyone and everything and paced himself against the beep. The beep was Josie and when he defeated it he’d overcome all her arguments and win her. After a while Zed was peripherally aware most of the men who’d begun the test with him had dropped out, but he was utterly focused on getting to the line before the beep. His turns had to be split-second accurate and there was no time to stop and breathe. He had to run as hard as he could and keep running from one end of the court to the other and immediately back again.
Sweat was dripping down his face, obscuring his vision but it didn’t matter because now he was the only man left on the court. Every muscle in his body was screaming at him to stop but no way in hell was he stopping until he’d won.
He was already halfway down the court again before he realized the beeps had stopped and the crowd was cheering him. Zed looked up, dragging his arm over his face to stop the sweat falling in his eyes. The trainer handed him a towel and said something, but Zed didn’t hear him. He was grateful for the towel though and rubbed it over his face and head. As he left the court, men were high fiving him and punching his arm. He managed to smile and nod, but inside he was empty. Yes, sure, he’d beaten the beep test but it didn’t mean Josie would be his after all.
* * * *
Josie was able to focus completely on her work, to remember the name that was nagging away in the background of her mind. The name of the wolf whose picture she’d seen on the CCTV footage of the intruders. Cinnabar Rudd. Once the name came to her she remembered the entire story of how he’d been a troublemaker in Jasper’s pack and how Jasper had told him to leave. She was certain that back at the office, there’d be records as to which pack had accepted him. That was the kind of information the Alpha needed to know. It was annoying because if she’d been back at Wolf Central instead of here at the interspecies mating party, she’d have been able to access the data herself. However, she had to admit that there were plenty of other people still in the office who had the necessary computer skills to find the information.
When she’d first become the pack administrator, her own brain had been the chief repository of much of the type of information which was now stored in computer files, both in words and photographs. The Alpha was a big fan of documentation and the pictures on cell phones that people sent to the office were stored away in data bases with modern technology making them ever easier to access. Some of the wolves might have been shocked to know how much of their lives were stored in those databases, but it was never used for anything nefarious. The Alpha was a man of integrity and so were all his senior management team.
Once everyone left her cabin, Josie stacked the chairs one on top of the other and stripped off her jeans and shoes. Then she began a tai chi routine, her body moving automatically from stance to stance and exercise to exercise. Gradually the stress left her body and peace flowed through her and into her brain. Zedekiah had angered her well beyond words, but now she could accept him for what he was, and remain centered on herself and what she was. Nothing would change her stance. Zedekiah could either have her and Steve Latham, or neither of them.
Steve had loved her faithfully from a distance since the day they’d met. He’d never touched her because she was a wolf and he was a human, but they were both very much aware that the attraction between them would be compellingly real if ever they allowed it to break through their control. Talking to him was guaranteed to bring peace and harmony to her mind and body just as her tai chi exercise routine did. Blond, blue-eyed human Steve was a good man, an honorable man. Also despite Zedekiah’s sneering attitude to him, he was by no means weak or helpless. He was a more than averagely fit human, but no match, of course, for the super fit male wolf. He was also very intelligent with a quick wit and humor and the ability to look at problems from unexpected angles, which was often just what she needed to help her solve something that was puzzling her.
Josie was ready to mate and settle down. For three years now, her job had absorbed every second of her life, twenty-four-seven. In fact, there were entire weeks when she had no life at all, eating and living at her desk as crises rolled though the pack, snatching only the briefest of moments for a shower or a powernap. But now, finally, the databases were established, the staff was trained, and this week had proven she could actually leave the office for more than ten minutes without the world ending. It was time for her to reclaim her own life, to mate and move on. Steve was more than ready to be with her in this plan. But Zedekiah still harped on keeping her to himself. The arrogant wolf clearly had more learning to do. There was no way she’d ever give in to him on that topic even though she ached for more of his bone-melting, panty-drenching kisses.
* * * *
Steve rested his bare feet on his desk and tilted his office chair onto its rear legs until his body was almost horizontal. He knew if Josie was here she’d shake her head at him and remind him about the wolf who’d done exactly that, fallen backward, gotten his leg caught inside the desk drawer, and ended up with a badly broken leg. But Steve’d made sure his drawers were all completely shut, and his sense of balance was good. Besides, this position let him think.
The only problem was, most of his time was spent thinking about Josie and how much he missed not seeing her a dozen times a day while she was away at the DADISP. Steve was a human. One hundred percent human, not even the tiniest part wolf, and as such was a very rare person indeed to be working in Wolf Central as he did. Not only that, but he also had a passkey to the various floors that many ordinary wolves couldn’t even access. The Alpha knew him, trusted him, and expected him to achieve everything a wolf in his position could achieve. Steve made damn sure he achieved more than that, using every cell of his brain to prove over and over again that he belonged here, where he could be with Josie.
Okay, he’d never even kissed her, scarcely even touched her. Once or twice their hands had brushed each other in the passing of documents back and forth, and one time he’d held her elbow when she’d stumbled going down the stairs, but that was it. And it wasn’t as if she wore short skirts and plunging necklines, so he hadn’t even seen as much of her flesh as most of the wolves would see in the gym. The gym was one of the very few places he didn’t have access to, so, to his great regret, he’d never seen her in a bikini swimming laps in the pool, or in shorts running on the exercise track.
But none of that mattered. He’d explored her mind, and her heart, and her soul, and he knew they were made for each other. Never had he met another person who understood him as well as she did. Never had he felt that instant total bonding he had with her. Even when she kept a stern straight face, he knew what she was thinking and when she was teasing. He could almost read her mind at times, and loved the way she’d plot and plan. She had a razor-sharp brain and never forgot anything. It was astounding the details she could pull from her memory and they’d talk for hours about every topic under the sun. Even when they didn’t agree, they could always agree to disagree. No topic was excluded from their conversation. Many nights he’d leaned on the reception desk, talking to her between phone calls and emails while she was waiting for a wolf to report back to her, or to hear the resolution to a problem somewhere in the pack.
In many ways Steve felt like he was a part of the pack. It was the closest thing to home he’d ever had. Steve’s dad had been military, traveling all the time, mostly around Europe, teaching American soldiers how to use new equipment. Steve’s mom had died when he was five, so his dad had returned stateside for a week, packed up the house and him, and taken him back to live wherever home might currently be. For the next twelve years Steve had lived in so many different countries he’d lost count. He’d gone to school wherever he was, and there’d alwa
ys been a housekeeper of some description to look after him when his dad wasn’t around.
Since his schooling was usually in the language of whatever country where they were currently living and that tended to be the language the housekeeper spoke as well, he learned languages on the run. His dad had an interpreter everywhere he went. Steve collected languages like other kids collected baseball cards.
At the age of eighteen he’d decided he should probably think about a career and had applied to study languages and linguistics. He’d been accepted by the University of London and very much enjoyed the study, then worked for a travel company. But finally he’d felt the urge to return to America, his birthplace.
Steve smiled, thinking of Josie and the day he’d first met her. He liked to think it was a miracle, a meeting of true soul mates. But in other ways it’d been closer to a farce. He’d stopped for lunch in a small restaurant in this building, not knowing anything at all about the building or the people in it. But he hadn’t eaten sushi in a while, and loved the food, so there he was enjoying his meal, when a group of patrons began arguing with one of the Japanese staff members.
A stunningly beautiful woman, with long, curly brown hair, green eyes, and a determined chin, was trying to mediate the dispute in English. The sushi bar staff was speaking English and Japanese, mostly Japanese. The upset guests were speaking Finnish and Russian. Another patron joined in speaking Spanish and trying to help.