Convincing Emily [Wolff Pack 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)
Page 1
Wolff Pack 2
Convincing Emily
Emily Barre is a polar bear shifter living with her clan in Alaska. She’s been dreaming about her happily ever after since she was a cub...a big, strong male bear. Unfortunately, none of the men in her clan fit the bill.
Cole and Charlie Ward are in Alaska on a mission for their Alpha, Gabe Wolff. They both are caught off guard by an enticing scent…their mate. They want her immediately, but Emily runs.
Can a skittish bear fall for two wolves? Can Emily get over her past?
Note: There is no sexual relationship or touching for titillation between or among siblings.
Genre: Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 47,043 words
CONVINCING EMILY
Wolff Pack 2
Alicia White
MENAGE EVERLASTING
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting
CONVINCING EMILY
Copyright © 2013 by Alicia White
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62740-232-3
First E-book Publication: June 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
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.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
Dear Readers,
If you have purchased this copy of Convincing Emily by Alicia White from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.
Regarding E-book Piracy
This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.
The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.
This is Alicia White’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. White’s right to earn a living from her work.
Amanda Hilton, Publisher
www.SirenPublishing.com
www.BookStrand.com
DEDICATION
I want to thank all the readers who’ve followed me on this journey. This book is for you!
I’ve been trying to find a way to bridge the Novikov Clan and Wolff Pack series together and this book does that. Emily made a couple appearances. She was in a brief “relationship” with Lucas and Evan Novikov in Katie’s Mates and then befriended Emma in Claiming Emma. I hope you enjoy her story. Thank you.
CONVINCING EMILY
Wolff Pack 2
ALICIA WHITE
Copyright © 2013
Chapter 1
Being a bear shifter wasn’t the easiest thing for a woman. The ability to shift into a giant, four-hundred-pound polar bear was amazing at times, but gaining that much weight in a matter of minutes wasn’t the most flattering ability a female could have. Emily Barre loved her clan with her entire being, but there were often times when she felt something was missing, like she didn’t quite belong. She’d already passed her thirtieth birthday and still remained single. She’d had her share of lovers in the past, other men in her clan, but they eventually left. Mates were sacred among their kind, and all shifters longed for that person or persons who would complete them.
Emily huffed out a breath and blew her hair from her eyes. She picked up her cleaning rag and resumed wiping the counter of Mack’s Bar and Grill. As far as jobs went, it wasn’t so bad. She’d gotten to know most of the regulars who frequented the place. Some of them were friendly with a smile always in place, while others sat quietly and nursed their drink in private. Everyone had a story, some good and some bad.
Emily was lonely, and even when surrounded by a room full of people, she felt alone. It was past time she found her destiny and settled down. She wanted to have cubs, to feel connected in a way she never had before. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she looked around. Would she need to leave her home in order to find what she was looking for, or was there someone here she’d overlooked? She glanced up and stared blankly at the ceiling, wondering what fate had in store for her.
She blinked a few times. It seemed like just yesterday Evan Novikov was walking her home through the snow. She had been dating the twins for a while until their mate, Katie, showed up. She had no harsh feelings toward the woman. Mates were sacred. That damn mantra played through her mind repeatedly, and Emily let it comfort her like a warm blanket. Just once though, it would be nice if she was someone’s mate. She yearned to be a priority. If she ever found him or them, she vowed to never let go.
The phone rang, startling her from her wistful thoughts. Emily took a deep breath and snatched it up. “Mack’s.”
“Emily…we need the clan. It’s an emergency, Emma’s been taken by a wolf.” Takoda Youngblood panted, sounding frantic, and Emily froze, fear choking her. Poor Emma, she was a human the Youngblood brothers had recently claimed and marked. How could a mere human defend themselves against a wolf? “Emily!”
“I’m on it.” Heart in her throat, she hung up the phone. Without thought, she raised two fingers to her mouth and pierced the room with an ear-splitting whistle. The ruckus in the bar stopped and all eyes turned toward her. “Clan emergency…Emma’s been taken by a wolf.” She sneered, and en masse her clan jumped to their feet and began stripping down.
The noise became almost deafening with chairs scraping back and the growling and snarling echoing through the bar. This was one great thing about being a shifter. Clans always stuck together. They would all march into the forest as one and take back what was theirs. If you messed with one, you dealt with them all. An arm reached out and stopped Emily as she started to strip down, preparing for battle.
“Not so fast, little sister. You stay here. I don’t think all of us are needed.”
“Damn it, Tommy. I’m not a child.” She pulled away, hating t
he way he always babied her in front of the rest of the clan. Most of them thought she was useless. This time, she would show them she could fight alongside them, that she was an equal.
“It’s Thomas,” he scolded, “and I think you should stay behind. It’s one wolf. I’m pretty sure we can handle it.” He pulled his T-shirt off and patted her on the head.
Before she could respond, the bar cleared out and she was left standing there, alone. Emily ground her teeth, wanting to scream. She hated being left behind. Tightening her fists, she stomped out of the bar and watched as her other clan mates stripped and headed into the forest. She wouldn’t be left behind, not again. Emily took off her clothes quickly, shivering from the cold before she let her bear rise to the surface and shift.
* * * *
Cole Ward made his way through the cold, dense forest. He hated being this far away from his home and pack, but following his Alpha’s orders came first. Looking to his right, he spotted his brother, Charlie, paralleling his every move. They hunted well together, always had, and Cole was glad his brother and fellow sentry was with him on this trip. They were in bear territory, and even though the bear Alpha, Adam Novikov, had given permission, Cole felt uneasy.
This trip was a mission to get their fellow pack mate David out of trouble before a war erupted between the bears and wolves. He didn’t know the whole story, only that David’s mate had been killed by one of these bears and David was out for revenge. He could understand the feeling. Losing a mate was something a shifter never got over. Fate chose the perfect match, and when death came for one, the other followed. Maybe this was David’s way of following his mate and getting revenge at the same time.
Cole eased to a stop and sniffed the air. They were close. He could smell David, a human, and several bears moving in around them. He needed to reach him quickly and hopefully prevent more deaths. Cole moved off in the direction of the scent. He refrained from running, and instead kept a steady pace. The last thing he wanted was to be mistaken for an enemy. He was in bear territory and needed to proceed with caution. He wasn’t looking for a fight, nor would he run from one if confronted. Gabe Wolff, their Alpha, had ordered them to show respect, get in and out, and that’s exactly what Cole planned to do.
“I’m being kinder than you were to my mate.” David’s voice rang out, sounding determined. “She won’t feel a thing, but you will. You’ll know what it’s like to watch your mate die before your very eyes, to hold her as she takes her final breath. It’s better than you deserve.”
Cole tensed. Shit! They were too late. He felt his fur prickle along his back.
“Nothing to say…” His voice taunted the bears, and Cole shot forward, running through the trees and dodging large boulders. Damn it, David. Power surged through him as adrenaline hit his heart. He was almost to the clearing, barely able to make out the voices over the growl erupting from his own throat.
“You don’t want to do this. As we speak, wolves and bears are moving in. This will start a war between your pack and my clan.” Finally there was a voice of reason.
It didn’t matter that it was from a bear. Their voices were getting closer, and Cole slowed his run. He didn’t want to startle David into doing something irrational, and he damn sure didn’t want the bears to mistake his intentions of trying to help for a trap or an attack. It was one thing to risk his own life, but he had Charlie with him and that was unacceptable in his book.
“Do you think I care? My mate is dead! I have nothing to live for.” This was a mission of death, and David just confirmed what Cole feared all along. He wasn’t going to be reasoned with, and Cole knew he had to make a decision. Either run headlong into bears or hit his pack mate from behind. It was risky and David would hate him, but he’d be alive. “I wish your brothers were here to witness their little human being killed.” Decision made, Cole sprang forward, hoping the bears wouldn’t kill David. Please don’t fucking kill him. Damn it, David, stop this.
A vicious growl followed by a roar of pain filled the air just as Cole and Charlie crashed on to the scene. Heart pounding in his chest, Cole slid to a stop before David. Charlie almost slammed into him when he came to an abrupt halt behind him. They were too late. David’s lifeless form lay at an awkward angle at their feet and blood flowed freely from his ripped open throat. A howl rent the air, and Cole barely registered it came from him. Charlie echoed his grief a second later as he crouched down next to David’s broken body. Cole took a deep breath and pushed his anguish aside to deal with later.
Right now he had a clan of pissed off bears crowding around them. The low rumbling growl confirmed that as he brought his head up and turned to face them. A naked man held a human woman, and if she died, wars would be unavoidable. He took a hesitant step toward them.
A giant bear stood between them, blocking him from moving closer to the man and woman. His intention was to provide aid, but the bear swiped out, preventing him. His lips curled back over his massive teeth and he rose up on his back legs and roared.
Cole felt his muscles bunch and had to force them to relax. The bear was only protecting his injured mate. He would have done the same thing in his place. He understood the aggressive actions of the big beast currently snarling in his face. He glanced once more at the injured female and lifted his gaze to the man, begging her not to die. Understanding and regret washed through Cole, and he did something he’d never done before. He nudged Charlie back and lowered his head. It was a submissive position and went against everything in him, but it wasn’t about dominance…it was about respect.
* * * *
Wolves, she thought in disgust. If there was one thing that Emily hated, it was other shifters in their territory. The idea that wolves had come for Emma, the Youngblood brothers’ mate, was a disgrace. Mates were a very sacred thing. When the call went out that a wolf had taken Emma, she had joined in, wanting to help her clan and her friend. Circling around the two wolves, she could tell they wouldn’t go down without a fight. Luckily, with a dozen bears surrounding them, they would be taken out without much effort.
The Alpha, Adam Novikov began to shift, taking his human form, and the rest of the clan stood behind him ready to fight at a moment’s notice. Adam alone could probably take on both the wolves without even breaking a sweat. He wasn’t the Alpha of their clan for nothing.
The two wolves were bigger than most she’d encountered in her life and it was obvious they also held rank in their pack. Sentries, perhaps. They were wolves that were trained to fight and protect their pack. They also kept order and peace. Her clan had many sentries that held rank and did a similar job.
They both shifted, and where the wolves had been stood two of the sexiest men she had ever seen. Her mouth instantly began to water, and her bear wanted to rush forward and rub against them. Emily shook her head, trying to expel the thought immediately. No, wolves were not sexy.
Emily took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. Her body’s reaction stunned her, and she cleared her throat, trying to cover her nervousness. What is wrong with me?
Bears had incredible senses and would scent her arousal if she didn’t get it under control. Too late. Many heads turned in her direction with curious looks. She noticed a few nostrils flare, and heat rushed to her face. Wishing a huge hole would swallow her whole, Emily moved back, trying to hide herself behind her other clan mates.
As quietly as she could, Emily made her way to the back of the group without paying attention. A sharp pain shot through her paw, and she collapsed onto the ground. Where the hell had that small ditch come from?
“Shift,” the Alpha demanded, and Emily couldn’t disobey a direct order even if she wanted too.
Shifting from her bear form to human wasn’t too difficult. She stared down at her hand and knew without a doubt that something was broken. Holding her wrist gently, Emily stayed calm. It would heal within a short period of time, but her ego was shattered. How embarrassing. Leaning her head down, not wanting to make eye contact
, she slowly stood. Being the center of attention wasn’t usually a bad thing, unless of course, it was the beginning of a potential fight.
Emily was shocked to see the two wolves coming toward her. She glanced around at the bears, wondering why no one attempted to stop them.
“I spoke with your Alpha. He said there were two sentries following one of their own out here.” Adam said to the wolves as he inspected her wrist.
“Yes, sir. I’m Cole and this is my brother, Charlie. Sorry we didn’t make it in time. We’ve been tracking David.” He pointed to the dead man on the ground. “His mate was killed.” The wolf’s voice was deep, making her tingle.
“You can collect your pack mate and head out,” Adam rumbled, and both the men nodded.
They turned to leave, and she breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived. Both men suddenly stiffened and inhaled deeply. Twin heads jerked toward her and stared openly, their gazes traveling up and down her naked body. She had never felt so vulnerable before. Emily’s heart pounded frantically, threatened to beat out of her chest, and she felt the blood drain from her face as recognition dawned.
“Fuck,” she whispered, and her Alpha raised his eyebrow.
“Mine…” they growled in unison, and Emily could only stand there shaking her head, rejecting that one word.
She should’ve realized that her body’s instant reaction to them had meant something, but she never thought fate would pair her with wolves. They had just claimed her as their mate, in front of her Alpha and clan. Why didn’t I listen to my brother and stay home?