by Ella Goode
The Wolf’s Mail-Order Bride
Ella Goode
Contents
Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
The Runaway Mail-Order Bride
Chapter 1
Also by Ella Goode
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Summary
Cassie Madson doesn’t believe in true love, fated mates or happy ever after which is why when she’s approached by a matchmaker for a marriage of convenience, she agrees immediately. She needs a place to hide from her dangerous ex-boyfriend and the backwoods of upstate New York sounds perfect. She’ll vow to honor this stranger sight unseen, but she won’t love him.
Edon Rule believes in two things—the importance of his pack and the sanctity of the mate bond. When his new bride arrives, he recognizes instantly that Cassie is the only woman for him. He’s shocked when she doesn’t know he’s a shifter. Even worse, she declares that the marriage is only a business deal.
With the full moon nine days away, Edon has only a short time to convince Cassie that her true love exists—in the form of a werewolf!
Get all four Mail Order Brides free this month with your Kindle Unlimited subscription or 99c each.
The Alien’s Mail-Order Bride by Ruby Dixon
The Wolf’s Mail-Order Bride by Ella Goode
The Runaway Mail-Order Bride by Alexa Riley
The Midwinter Mail-Order Bride by Kati Wilde
1
Cassie
“You’re going to come back here in a body bag, Julia,” Anne declares.
“Would you stop being so negative? Buffalo is hardly a backwater town. There’s a football team there, for crying out loud.” I apply lip balm in an effort to hide my own trepidation. If I show even an ounce of fear, Anne will never let me leave this apartment.
But I don’t have the luxury of hiding in Emmetsville anymore. Not after I heard that Cody was on my trail. I’m down to one option and as crazy and scary as it sounds, it’s miles safer than sticking around.
“It’s not the town. It’s the situation,” she insists. “This is the twenty-first century. We use dating apps to find our true love. We don’t answer some ad on Craigslist and then move halfway across the country.”
“True love? Annie, please. You know I don’t believe in that nonsense.” The last time I thought I was in love, I chose a guy who used me to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars and then set me up to take the blame. True love is for suckers. “Besides, it wasn’t an ad on Craigslist. It was a very exclusive matchmaking service.” So exclusive that their website was one page and all the rest was “for clients only.” I’m the product so I still don’t have access.
I give the bedroom a quick once-over. There aren’t many signs that I was living here for nearly two months. A few faint marks on the wall and the indents in the carpet from the legs of my bed are the only signs of occupancy.
My purse sits on top of my carry-on. The rest of my things was carted away by a moving company last night. It wasn’t much. I must’ve answered the “are you sure this is all you have” question a dozen times before the two moving guys finally left.
Most of my stuff, including my piano, is still at my ex’s. The stuff that he hasn’t destroyed or thrown away, that is. My well-being was more important than fighting, literally, over whether I could take a table or dresser.
“It’s still like you’re some modern-day mail-order bride. You haven’t even met him.”
“I’ve met people who know him.” I move on to the bathroom. I showered last night and packed the towel in my carry-on. The kitchen is stripped bare, too. There’s a pang in my heart at the realization my life can be so easily erased.
“But why not him?” Anne presses as I study the contents of the fridge.
“He’s busy.” I pull out the two lonely cans of Diet Coke and a bag of sliced cheese. “Do you want any of this?”
She waves the offerings aside. The bangles around her wrist jingle as she gestures. “You do have to sleep with him, remember? Kids are the reason he’s even doing this,” she reminds me.
My hand hovers over the trash can, hesitating for a moment. The sex thing gives me pause. I’ve only done it with one guy and that was Cody. It wasn’t a good time. I was actually glad when he stopped asking me to go to bed with him. That’s why I wasn’t upset when I learned he was cheating on me. It was all the other shit that made me furious—and scared which brings me back to the marriage thing.
“I know, but he’s not going to pressure me.” But if sex is what I need to do to secure my position in the Rule clan, I’ll do it. While there isn’t a specific clause in the contract requiring sex, I understand that this is the purpose. The good thing is that the contract states that any intimate contact is to be initiated by me at the time and place of my choosing. There’s not even a time limit requiring me to make up my mind in two weeks or two months or even two years.
“How do you know that? And don’t tell me because it’s written down in some paper that you both signed. Those are worthless. A piece of paper isn’t going to stop him from hurting you!”
I toss the cheese but shove the two cans back into the fridge. Maybe the next occupant of this apartment will want them.
“Cassie.” Anne lays a restraining hand on my arm. “Please stop and talk to me for five minutes. Okay?”
Annie’s my only friend here. She stuck with me even through all the bullshit of the last three years. I owe her at least five minutes. I lean against the closed refrigerator door and gesture for her to speak. “Lay it on me.”
“You’ve never met this man. He’s a complete stranger.”
“I know him better than anyone I’ve ever dated.” I hold up my hand and tick off everything I know about Edon Connall Rule. “He’s thirty-five. He’s never been married. He makes custom cabinets. Recently his business has exploded after a home he did was featured on a television show. He’s single, with no immediate family but many extended members. I have a financial statement, his medical records for the last ten years—” I pause and reflect on all the information that I’ve been given by the Rule clan. “I know more about him than I do about you.”
“That’s superficial stuff,” she dismisses. “You don’t know if he’s kind or greedy or—”
“Dangerous? Violent? Prone to physical altercation?” I supply.
“Yes, all of those.”
“I dated a guy for three years, lived with him for two of them, and still didn’t know those things,” I say quietly. “Just because you meet someone in person doesn’t mean that you know them. Some people are really good at lying to your face.”
“How do you know that’s not this Rule dude?” she asks.
“I guess I don’t, but if I stay here, he’s going to kill me,” I say bluntly, pushing away from the refrigerator. “You know this.” I run a finger across my chin. The scar is faint, but it’s there. “I’m glad Buffalo is a thousand miles away. I’m glad that the Rule folks live out in the boonies. I’m glad that I don’t know anyone there. It’s a fresh start for me and it can’t be worse than here.”
Even now, I wonder if Cody’s found me. If there’s someone stationed outside this apartment where I’ve been hiding for the past two months. I wonder if he’s going to follow me all the way to Buffalo. My hope is that once I’m on the Rule property, I can stop looking over my shoulder.
“Besides, three women can vouch for Edon Rule and that’s three more than would say a good word about Cody.” I retrieve my carry-on from the bedroom, slip the purse over my shoulder and
give Anne a hug. “I’m going to be okay. This is the right decision.”
Her face is set in an unhappy line because she knows I’m not changing my mind. But she’s too good of a friend not to hug me back, even if she’s pissed.
“I’m going to miss you,” she murmurs into my shoulder, wrapping her arms tight around my middle.
I pat her head, the curls springy under my palm. “You’re coming out in two weeks, silly.” My heart pounds wildly in my chest. In two weeks, I’ll be getting married to a man I’ve never met. Maybe I am crazy.
She hugs me back fiercely and mutters, “if you’re alive.”
We rock together for a long moment, until a knock sounds at the door. I pull away reluctantly.
“That must be my ride.” I hitch the purse higher on my shoulder. Anne starts sniffling. “Stop it,” I order, fearful that I will break down if she starts crying.
“No,” she says defiantly. “I’ll cry if I want to.”
I dig in my purse for a Kleenex—one for her and one for me. “Seriously, two weeks.”
“Are you sure about this?” Anne says, dabbing the tissue under her eyes.
“Absolutely.” I haul her in for another hug when the second knock on the door sounds.
“Car’s here for Ms. Cassie Madson?” a deep voice on the other side of the door says.
“Coming,” I yell. I press my fingers to my eyes to stop my own tears from falling. “It’s going to be fine, Anne. This is the right thing for me.”
She nods, but I can see she doesn’t believe it. Maybe it’s because I don’t fully believe it either.
“You alright?” Leif, my driver, asks again. He’s been worried since I got into the car.
“Yeah,” I blubber unconvincingly. Out of Anne’s sight, I can’t seem to hold my emotions in check.
“You’ll like it where you’re going,” he says. His gray-green eyes peer at me in the rear-view mirror. An anxious, tight expression lines his pretty face.
“Really? How do you know?”
“I, ah, was guessing. I mean, you’re getting on a plane so you must be going somewhere and you wouldn’t go to a place you wouldn’t like, right?” He smiles angelically and for some reason it’s all I need to start babbling like a bad villain under the influence of a truth serum.
“The thing is, Leif, I’m going someplace new and I don’t know anyone and it’s pretty much the only impulsive thing I’ve done in my life. It also might be the stupidest, but I need get out of here, you know? If I don’t, I may never be able to leave.”
“Nah, everything is going to be great,” he reassures me. “Everyone’s going to love you. And it sounds like you need a change of scenery. Plus, wherever you’re going is probably beautiful. The most beautiful place on earth. There are lots of trees and open space so a guy can breathe.”
“Huh?”
“Ahh, didn’t you say you were flying to Buffalo?”
Had I said that? I didn’t remember. But I must’ve. “Yes, Buffalo.”
“Right. So Buffalo’s amazing. I’ve been there before. It’s real pretty, especially in the winter with all the snow hanging off the trees. There’s still some wildlife to chase around or fish to catch.” He coughs suddenly. “If you like that sort of thing.”
He sounds so confident that I unload on him some more. Leaning forward, I grab the passenger headrest. “But it could be terrible. What if this new…” How do I say this without sounding like a complete idiot? “This new group I’m meeting isn’t very nice.”
“I bet they are awesome. Fun to be around. You’ve met some, right?”
“Yes, but not the main guy.” Not the one I’m supposedly marrying, sight unseen.
“You’ll like him. He’s gonna take good care of you. He takes good care of everyone.”
My brows come together in confusion. “How can you be so sure?”
Panic flashes over his face. “I’m just guessing.” He reaches for the radio knob. “Mind if I turn the music up?”
He doesn’t wait for a response. I get the message. He’s tired of talking to me. I don’t know why I unloaded on him in the first place.
I sit back and close my eyes. Edon’s face pops up. I never showed his picture to Anne. I’m not sure why. It just didn’t feel right. Besides, he looked so young in the photo. I was half afraid that my friend would accuse me of robbing the cradle. At the very least, she would ask what was wrong with him. Edon looks perfectly normal, albeit a little nerdy with his thick glasses and black Steve Jobs-like turtleneck. I had moments where I wondered if he had a problem downstairs. Like, was he a socially awkward virgin who needed an older woman?
I asked this of the three women that met with me—oh, not the question about his sexual status, but what was the problem that a young man like him needed to use a matchmaking service. They all assured me that he was not young but in fact thirty-three, which is nearly eight years my senior. The picture they had was one taken a while back. He was camera shy, they explained, and didn’t have a newer one.
Each woman spoke glowingly of him. One was a friend, one was his aunt, and the third was a younger girl, just entering college. The youngest one has a mad crush on Edon, but her testimonial was the most convincing one.
“I adore Edon, but I know he’s not for me and not just because he raised me from when I was a pup.” Then she laughed and covered her mouth. “Not actually a pup.”
“I know what you meant,” I assured her.
“Yeah, well, the point is, he’d die for anyone in our family. That’s why we all love him so much.”
She didn’t show an ounce of fear and answered any question I asked, including whether he owned any guns.
“No! Absolutely no guns,” she’d declared. With narrowed eyes, she asked, “Are you a gun owner? Because that’s so not going to fly. No guns on the Rule territory.”
“I hate guns,” I told her, almost giddy with reLeif. Cody liked to pull his out and lay it on the table between us, as if to remind me of the power he held in my life. If I never see a gun again, I’ll die a happy woman.
The woman in her thirties is a real estate agent. She spoke briskly and matter-of-factly. “Edon is a good man. He takes care of all of us. He’ll make a good husband.”
“Why isn’t he married already?” I asked.
She replied with a little shrug. “He has a big family and a lot of responsibilities so he hasn’t been able to go and find the right person.”
“And I’m the right one?”
The lady arched an eyebrow and said, “Of course, or we wouldn’t be here.”
It was the oldest lady, dressed in jeans and a heavy barn coat and smelling of wood chippings, who sealed it for me. It was as if she knew every little vulnerability inside of me.
“Edon’s a bit different. All of the Rule clan is. Some people would look at those differences and find fault. I prefer the notion that we’re special. One of the differences between us and the rest of this world is we understand loyalty. You’re taking a chance by agreeing to marry him. But the thing you’ll find is by signing this contract, you’re not only gaining a husband, but you’re gaining a whole family, and no matter who comes against you, your family will stand by your side.”
Those words struck my heart like a cupid’s arrow. I haven’t had anyone but Annie stick up for me for as long as I can remember.
“Trust your instincts,” she urged.
“To be honest, my instincts have always sucked,” I admitted.
“No, they haven’t,” she disagreed. “You just haven’t listened to them.”
I’m hoping she’s right because my gut is saying this is the right decision whereas my head is screaming I’m the biggest fool alive.
Leif glides to a stop in front of the airport. He hops out faster than I can and is already at the curb with my bag. Is it even humanly possible to move that fast, or am I just that slow this morning? He’s like the guys who moved all my shit, swift and fluid.
“Thanks.” I rummage in
my purse for a tip, but before I can offer him my five bucks, he’s in the car pulling away. That’s twice in two days. The movers wouldn’t take tips either. Hopefully, he doesn’t give me a bad rating on the car app. Just as I’m starting to worry about that, my phone beeps. An alert shows that he’s given me a five-star rating, with a comment stating that I was nice and polite and generous. Well, I tried to be. I tap the five star in return and type in that he was kind, easy, and safe.
Ticket in hand, I stare up at the terminal sign. Am I ready for this adventure? I better be, I decide, and roll my case forward. The security line looks so long. Perhaps I should’ve left for the airport sooner. I show my boarding pass to the TSA agent.
“You’re a priority customer.” She points down the long corridor. “There’s a special entrance for you.”
“Really?” I glance down and see the letters FST CL P stamped on my ticket. I’ve never flown anything but economy before. I hadn’t realized there were special lines for other people. The ticket, like the ride to the apartment, and the movers, were all provided by my future husband.
“Yes, it’s a first class ticket.” She taps her nail against the white paper.
“FST CL P,” I read out loud.
“First class priority,” she translates.
I’ll give Edon an extra point for generosity. That’s a good sign. My ex was stingier than Scrooge. We’d go out to eat and he’d always forget his wallet. Or if we shared a car, he would say that he’d pay me back later, but he never did.
I give the security agent a jaunty wave and walk down to the end of the long terminal where I see a red Priority sign. This expedited line is awesome. There’s only one person in front of me—a man wearing a dark blue suit and carrying an expensive bag. I must look out of place with my purse I bought at the discount store, dressed in a pair of jeans and a comfy sweatshirt. The security people are respectful and not pushy.
