by Cara Wylde
THE WOLF’S UNEXPECTED MATE
A VALENTINE’S DAY NOVELLA
Copyright © 2017 by Cara Wylde
All rights reserved.
This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover design by Emma Griffin
E-mail: [email protected]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
MORE VALENTINE’S DAY NOVELLAS
THE ALMA VENUS UNIVERSE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHAPTER ONE
Ashley exhaled deeply as she walked through the woods of the Black Forest Mountains by herself, her breath easily visible in the chilly morning air. She had been trekking for a while, fuming silently as thoughts about what had brought her there raced through her mind.
She was on vacation in Dunkelstadt, a small German town located at the foot of Mount Halbmond. The place was interesting, and getting the chance to explore a German town for the first time in her life had proved quite invigorating. For almost five days now, she had been visiting, trying different foods and activities the town had to offer, and talking to the locals in the little broken German she knew. The consequence of it being a small mountain town, however, was that she soon exhausted almost all the activities which were popular in the area. The exception was the Adventure Park, where she had gone the day before.
The Adventure Park was fun, offering rope courses and zip lining amongst other activities, and Ashley had managed to kill the better part of a day there. She had felt exhilarated as she had sped along the zip line from the starting point, all the way down to where one of the assistants was waiting at the end of the line. She had even let out a whoop of delight, laughing as the air rushed past her, her surroundings moving like a blur. When early afternoon came, Ashley was lounging on one of the benches, enjoying a sandwich. That was when she met a group of tourists who were incredibly friendly. There were two guys and two young women, and judging from their behavior, Ashley assumed they were couples. They were from the States as well, and Ashley was relieved to find herself surrounded by people who spoke her language. They seemed to have a lot in common, and they bonded immediately.
“Hey, why don’t we all go hiking?” she had asked at one point, while they were finishing the lunch they had brought with them.
“That sounds like fun.” One of the guys had said, his brown eyes shining brightly on his slightly tanned face. His black hair was swept back to show off his high forehead. A wispy mustache was barely visible on his upper lip, and Ashely thought she didn’t mind that look.
There was a general murmur of assent amongst the members of the group, and they made plans to go hiking the next day, nice and early. Ashley had given them her phone number so they could contact her in case anything changed. Then, she had spent the rest of the day excited at the prospect of going on a hike in a group, and had barely managed to get any sleep that night. Disappointment hit her hard in the morning, when she woke up at 5 AM to see a text message telling her the group had decided to skip the hike. No reason why they had changed their mind, nothing. That had quickly soured her mood, but since she still wanted to go, she had simply decided to do it by herself.
She remembered the warnings of some of the locals about going too far into the woods, since it was common knowledge there were werewolves in the area. Apparently, a whole clan lived in the medieval castle perched on top of the mountain. The castle was known as Schloss Blackmane, a name which came directly from the name of the clan. The castle itself had been one of the reasons why she wanted to go hiking in the first place, and the news made her hesitate a bit. Still, she didn’t change her initial plan to get close enough and get a good glimpse of it, then head back to town. In fact, the more she hiked alone, with no one to distract her, the more her curiosity grew about the inhabitants of the castle.
“I wish my friends were here,” she thought. Although… could she really call them “friends”, since she had only met them yesterday?
The fact that they had abandoned her had been aggravating at first, but Ashley couldn’t really be angry with them. It was February 14th, which meant it was Valentine’s Day. Not to mention it was quite cold so close to the mountains... With today being a holiday built around couples spending time together alone, she wasn’t sure why she had even assumed the plan would go through to begin with. It was so early, they were probably still sleeping… Then, they would find some cozy restaurant to have lunch, and a more romantic one in the evening, to have dinner. It almost made her heart ache a bit when she realized she would be spending another Valentine’s Day alone. She shook her head and pushed herself harder.
“What’s wrong with me?” she mumbled under her breath. “That’s why I came here: to forget about relationships and stuff…”
No matter how fast she walked, the icy wind made it almost impossible to get warm. She was bundled up against the cold, wearing far more layers than she normally would. She didn’t need a man to make her feel better, but some companionship would have still been nice.
When she came to the crest of the next hill, Ashley was surprised to find three people standing on top of it. They were dressed similarly, in thick winter clothing.
When they turned towards her, her initial enthusiasm plummeted. She found herself face to face with three men. Two of them were thin, while their third friend was significantly chubbier. She had done her best to put on a smile, politely greeting them as she took a moment to catch her breath and slow down her heartbeat after walking briskly up the hill.
“Nice day for a hike, isn’t it?” She tried to make small, harmless conversation.
“It sure is.” One of the thinner guys said, his voice carrying the telltale hints of a German accent. “Particularly in a group. Why are you traveling alone?”
“My group bailed on me, and I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get a little closer to the castle. I figured I would just come alone.” She said casually, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.
“Well, you could always come along with us. Wouldn’t want someone as pretty as you getting lost in the mountains. Especially with werewolves roaming these woods.” The second thin guy chimed in, his nasal voice holding the same accent as his friend.
Ashley noticed the guys were watching her far more closely than she would consider normal. The chubby man’s beady eyes sent a shiver up her spine. Something about these men was making her feel uncomfortable, and she tried to politely excuse herself.
“That’s all right. I only plan to go a little farther, and then I’ll probably be heading back. No need for you to go out of your way to keep me company.” She said weakly, hoping they would take the hint and leave her alone.
“Oh, it wouldn’t be out of our way. In fact, we would very much enjoy the opportunity to tag along. Get to know you a little better.” The chubby man said, and something about the inflection in his voice made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
“Uh oh…,” she thought. “Not good. I don’t like this one bit.”
“No, really. I appreciate it, but it won’t be necessary. One of my friends is probably making his way here as we speak. I’ll just wait for him.” She said, doing her best to not allow her voice to shake in case it would t
ip off the men before her that she was lying. A minute ago, she had told them she was alone. Dumbass.
“We could be your friends, too.” The chubby man said, taking a small step towards her.
“Yeah, really good friends.” The first one said, as he also took a step towards her. His blue eyes looked at Ashley in a way that only served to increase the unease she was already feeling.
She cleared her throat, smiled, and put some distance between her and the three guys, pretending she was admiring the landscape.
“Won’t someone please come save me from this situation?” Ashley pleaded silently, her eyes taking a moment to glance skyward in silent prayer. She wasn’t helpless by any means, and she had never had trouble taking care of herself, but this was different. She was alone in a foreign country, up in the mountains, away from civilization. Now, she wished she had paid more attention to those adventure blogs about travelling alone as a woman.
***
The brown wolf ran through the woods, his green eyes moving quickly to investigate his surroundings. The taste of his hunt was still fresh on his tongue, and each time he swiped his tongue along his muzzle, he could taste the faint remnants of blood. The deer he had killed had served to sate his appetite, and even the pent-up feelings he had been dealing with in the past couple of days were beginning to fade a little. It was cold, but the enormous wolf enjoyed the feeling of the cool air rushing past his body, his thick fur keeping out the worst of the chill. He loved the sight of the spruce trees which covered the landscape, snow clinging to the uppermost branches. The sun had only just barely started peaking up over the horizon, filling the sky with a warm pink and orange glow.
This was his favorite part of day, when the sun was rising in the sky, like a lazy, sleepy woman who was finally bringing herself to get out of the bed. The colors, the highlights that appeared on the trees and the hills all around him as stray sunbeams hit them… all of it was a beauty to behold. The wolf’s hot breath poured out of his muzzle in long puffs, steaming in the icy air as he ran through the forest. He weaved through trees, stopping to howl in pleasure. A feeling of unrestricted freedom was racing through his veins.
Kevin was the Beta of the Crescents, a role that had been bestowed upon him by Max Blackmane, the main Alpha of Clan Blackmane. It was a position he was proud of, and he always did everything in his power to live up to the honor. As he kept running, his thoughts were centered entirely on his clan, his life at Schloss Blackmane, his Alpha, and his Alpha’s mate, Avelyn, who had given Max three pups. Kevin’s world was filled with the kind of comfort most people could only ever dream of, and, for the most part, he was content with what he had. He didn’t yet have a mate of his own, but he was optimistic about his chances of eventually finding someone who was just right for him. He spent his days playing with his Alpha’s pups, and although it brought him joy, he couldn’t help but wonder how nice it would be to play with his own pups one day.
Yes, what Kevin had was a nice life, but it wasn’t perfect. His days, while spent in general contentment, didn’t offer much in terms of variety. He dedicated each minute to serving the Alpha and his family, and despite the fulfillment he gained from going about that duty, there was still the nagging sensation that something was missing. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was, though he certainly had his suspicions.
He was beginning to feel his energy starting to dwindle, and he considered making his way back to the castle, when the faintest whiff of a scent hit his nose. It was a musky scent, and as he took a deeper sniff, he recognized it as the scent of humans. Given the salty tinge, he figured it could only be a group of hikers.
“Humans…” he though. “I don’t really feel like dealing with any humans right now.”
His decision was made in an instant. He turned away from the direction the scent was coming from, his green eyes searching for the faint impression of the castle in the distance. Then, something happened. Something that made him stop in his tracks, perk up his ears, and sniff the air insistently. His keen nose picked up another scent. It was much more pleasant than the first one, and as his nostrils flared wide as he sniffed, he realized it was the scent of a woman. That peaked his interest, and Kevin found himself slowly padding off in the direction of the humans, his reluctance towards the species long forgotten.
He did his best to keep the sound of his footfalls quiet, and he soon caught a glimpse of the source of the scents. There was a woman standing in front of three men, and the four of them seemed to be talking. Judging by the woman’s tone of voice, Kevin could tell she wasn’t comfortable with the situation. His wolf instinct never betrayed him, so he didn’t waste a moment longer. He quietly snuck away, intent on collecting the clothes he had left about a mile away, in the same clearing where he had taken down the deer. He would then make his way back and shift into his human form. He was sure anyone who went hiking in these parts of the Black Forest Mountains knew about his clan, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t try to be presentable when he approached the group. A huge brown wolf would scare them no matter how prepared they were.
***
Ashley wished she had come with someone, the three men standing before her having done nothing to alleviate the unease welling up inside her chest. The way the three of them were looking at her reminded her of the way a predator looked at its prey once it managed to trap it, and the worry of what they would try to do to her made a drop of sweat drip down her cheek. Her eyes caught a glimpse of movement in the nearby thicket of trees, and she blinked in surprise when another man stepped into view.
Ashley could immediately tell this man was not human, his unnaturally green pupils serving as a dead giveaway. The fact that he was dressed only in jeans and a white T-shirt which showed off his muscular arms also helped reinforce her belief about him being a werewolf, especially when a quick glance down at his feet revealed they were bare.
He was tall and handsome, his body somehow managing to be both incredibly muscular and lean at the same time. His emerald-green eyes had an almost animalistic intensity to them, and when they came to fall on Ashley, she couldn’t help but blush at the powerful gaze he fixed on her. His blond hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and he had a rather long, soft beard, which was a little darker than his hair and looked absolutely amazing on him.
Normally, Ashley wouldn’t have given a second thought to someone who looked like him, as she was more attracted to elegant, well-kept men, but there was something about this guy that demanded her full attention. It was like something deep inside of her was subtly tugging her towards him, and she took a few steps away from the men who had been harassing her, moving a little closer to the newcomer. She was hoping he would help her get out of the situation she had found herself in, and when he opened his mouth to speak, she was not disappointed.
“Hey, there you are! I was looking all over for you!”
He spoke the lie so casually that Ashley almost believed him, having to remind herself this was the first time she was seeing the guy. She smiled, but couldn’t come up with anything decent to say. She should have reinforced his lie, but her voice just wouldn’t cooperate.
The three men suddenly looked uncomfortable, and when the blond guy turned to look them up and down, his green eyes glimmered dangerously in the eerie morning light.
“Thank you, gentlemen, for keeping my lady safe for me.” The smirk on his face made it obvious he was being sarcastic. “I can take things from here.”
The commanding tone in his voice left little room for debate, and the three men hastily made their exit, walking down the mountain, in the direction Ashley had come from earlier.
Once they were gone, Ashley found herself alone with the newcomer, who slowly turned to face her. Now that he was closer, she had the opportunity to see how his muscles seemed to press against the fabric of his T-shirt. The delicious sight caused a bright pink blush to spread across her face.
“I hope those idiots didn’t bother you too much.” He said, bringing
Ashley out of her trance. “You looked like you were uncomfortable. I hope you didn’t mind me intervening.”
“No, not at all.” Ashley said truthfully, her hand moving to smooth down her chocolate brown hair and pull it over one shoulder. “I admit, I was kind of worried… They kept giving me these really creepy looks, and they wouldn’t leave me alone no matter what I said.” She rubbed her arms gently, as if trying to ward off a chill that had nothing to do with the brisk mountain air.
“Well, I’m glad I could be of service, then.” He said, holding out his hand towards her. “Forgive my manners. My name is Kevin.”
“I’m Ashley Woods.” She said, slowly holding her hand out to return his handshake.
She could feel the warmth of his skin even through her leather glove. She quickly pulled her hand away, but that didn’t make the feeling go away. Was it because he was a wolf-shifter? It had to be. She gazed up into his eyes, finding herself speechless for a moment. He was studying her with the same interest, and Ashley smiled despite herself. She truly had to stop being so friendly with everyone she met, but there was something about this man’s presence that made her feel safe.
Kevin couldn’t help but like what he saw as he allowed his eyes to do a once-over on Ashley. Even through her heavy coat, he could tell she was quite the curvy woman, and those dark blue eyes of hers sparkled like the waters of the ocean. Her face was slightly rounded, and her skin sported the smallest hint of a tan that only seemed to increase her attractiveness. She had a pair of full, pouty lips that were pulled up in a shy smile, and his wolf instinct told him he was the reason for that smile. She was, in his mind, the epitome of feminine beauty.
“So… Ashley, what is it that brings you up here into the mountains?” Kevin asked, finally breaking the silence that had become too heavy to bear.
“Well, to be honest…” she scratched the back of her head, then became aware of her silly gesture and smoothed down her hair again. “I wanted to take a better look at the castle.” She pointed in the general direction of the castle that loomed in the distance. “I was intrigued by the stories I heard in town, and I am such a Medieval History buff that hearing there was one so close made me want to investigate.” She rose on her tiptoes to look over his shoulder, and her enthusiasm faded. “It’s really far, though. I don’t know what made me think I’d have the energy to hike all the way up there.”
