Her Protective Mate (The Ward Wolf Pack Novella Series, Book 3)

by Theresa Hissong

  “Please, Booker, don’t,” she begged, wrapping her arms around her tiny body. She closed in on herself, and that alone made him pause.

  “Don’t be scared of me,” he ordered. All he wanted to do was take her home and shelter her for the rest of his life. This woman…she was everything. “I would kill myself if I ever caused you to fear me, Aspen.”

  “I’m not ready, Booker,” she blurted, finally relaxing when he pushed away. He didn’t step back, though. He wanted to be as close to her as she would allow. “I want to touch you…I really do, but not here. It isn’t the right time or place.”

  Her confession relaxed his need for her, but only slightly. “Let’s get this moose back to my cabin.”

  “Okay,” she said, releasing a breath. “I’ll run back and get the sled.”

  He nodded and moved away so she could head back up the trail, but instead of leaving, Aspen paused. “Go on, Aspen. It’s okay, honey. I promise.”

  She lifted her hand for a second, but dropped it and turned for the woods. He watched her until she was gone from his sight.

  Aspen returned to Booker’s shed and retrieved the sled. Her heart was still going a hundred miles an hour from their connection in the meadow. Her mating scent had amplified as she watched him hunt the animal.

  She wasn’t going to deny it turned her on. He was human, but Booker was also as strong and protective as an alpha wolf. There was no denying her beast when it claimed him, but she had to go slow.

  Thankfully, he was as well informed as Charlie had been when she’d showed up, telling the pack that humans already knew shifters existed. And like Charlie, Booker didn’t have a problem with her being one of them.

  They were still getting comfortable with the news from the humans and with the fact that a bear clan had moved into their area, butting their territory right up against the Ward line.

  As she walked, Aspen listened to the forest, keeping track of any sounds that would indicate there was danger. It had been bred into her to always be alert. Knowing Booker was out in the meadow alone, she quickened her steps to get back to him as soon as possible. There were things out there that could attack him when he was focused on processing his kill.

  She was as protective as her alpha brother, but that was in her blood. She’d held back her alpha tendencies throughout her life because of Nash. He was the rightful alpha to the pack. But out there, on Booker’s land, she had time to be herself.

  The wolf inside her stirred and the magic she kept repressed flared. It made her feel stronger…more powerful. She felt her face shifting slightly; her eyes hazing over to reveal her true identity. Instead of giving over to her animal, she forced it back down before Booker saw her. She didn’t know how he would take seeing her in her alpha form.

  “Down, girl,” she whispered. “It’s okay to let it free when we are alone, but not in front of anyone else. Alpha status belongs to Nash, and it will stay that way until it’s our turn to take over.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief when the wolf settled down. It was time to focus on the job of getting Booker’s moose back to his place and put up before the sun went down. Charlie would be there to pick her up around five, and she could go back to the pack.

  “There you are,” Booker said over his shoulder when she entered the meadow. “I was getting a little worried about you.”

  “Took a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet,” she replied with a smile. “I have to go back to work tomorrow.”

  “You like it, though,” he chuckled as he worked. “Don’t deny it.”

  “I do like it,” she agreed. “But the days off are nice.”

  “You know you are always welcome here,” he said as he bagged some of the meat.

  “I do,” she replied and walked around the carcass to kneel on the ground. She removed her own knife and got to work helping him.

  It took a few hours, but they eventually loaded everything up on the sled and headed back. She could’ve pulled the sled easily with her strength, but, much like the day before, Booker insisted on doing it himself. She let him. It was nice to have a male show some chivalry and it not be her brothers or Fury.

  Chapter 5

  Leaving Booker was harder than she thought. By the time Charlie arrived, they’d just finished packing her kill. He tried to talk them into staying for dinner, but Charlie was in a rush to return to the terminal since a storm was coming.

  They’d barely gotten the plane unloaded when the storm struck. Aspen was soaking wet by the time she reached her cabin, undressing and dropping her sopping wet clothes at the door. She grabbed a shower and curled up on her small couch to wait it out. Fury and Mason were still at the terminal processing the meat down to more manageable sized portions.

  Being alone in her cabin made it hard to keep her mind off of Booker Dupree. He’d accepted her even though she hadn’t come clean about what she was. Aspen had a feeling he knew, but he never said. His respectfulness was welcomed.

  She didn’t want to leave him, either. Just the thought of being around him again sent her wolf to pacing in her mind. It wanted to return to his cabin and complete the mating. The animal nudged her mind, putting the idea of touching at the forefront.

  Aspen growled low in her throat and used her mind to push the animal back. Her canines were thick in her mouth, and she didn’t want to think about him anymore that night. It was hard enough feeling the absence of him with her human thoughts.

  “Aspen?” Mason called from the porch.

  “Oh, Mason, get inside. What are you doing?” He smiled warmly as she hurried to get him a towel. In his hand was a bag of meat individually wrapped for her personal use.

  “Thought I’d bring you the best parts since it was your kill.” He shrugged and kicked off his boots. He paused and lifted his nose to the air. “So, did you touch him?”

  “Way to be nonchalant about it,” she huffed. “And, no. I didn’t touch him. It’s too soon.”

  “Did you tell him? About what you are?”

  “No,” she sighed. “He knows we are shifters, but I didn’t tell him what kind.”

  “Were you safe there, Aspen?” Mason asked, his eyes flashing a hazy yellow.

  “I was,” she blushed. “He was a gentleman, and he said he didn’t care what I was. He wanted me there.”

  “You like him, huh?” he pressed. Mason was more open to her mating a human because her brother had his own human mate. He understood. She wasn’t so sure about her brother, the alpha to the pack, Nash. He was still leery about humans being around them.

  “I like him more than a lot, Mason,” she told him truthfully and took the bag from him. She needed something to occupy her mind so she didn’t give off too much more of her mating scent. As it was, she could already scent it brewing, and it wasn’t even as strong as it had been when she was with Booker.

  “Did you scent any of the bears while you were out with him?” Mason turned concerned.

  “None at all,” she promised.

  Aspen closed her freezer and walked over to the door where her brother was still standing on the mat. He’d stopped dripping, but refused to move from his spot.

  “Good,” he replied with a soft smile. “I’m glad things went well. You know you can come talk to me about anything regarding the mating, right?”

  “Ah,” she blushed. “Yeah, umm. I think I’d rather talk to Harper.”

  “Okay,” he laughed, reaching out to pull her into a comforting hug. “Now, you just have to tell Nash.”

  “Well, damn,” she breathed.

  Booker used his satellite phone to call Aspen, praying she answered the phone at the terminal. It’d been three days, and he was uneasy with her being away from him.

  His protective instincts were on edge. There was no understanding how completely Aspen Ward had affected him the moment she stepped off that plane. She was so beautiful, it hurt his eyes.

  He’d moved out to the Alaskan bush to get away from people, but she wasn’t like the othe
rs. No, Aspen was a shifter…totally different from the people he’d chosen to leave.

  “Ward Air and Transportation.” Her beautiful voice sent a shiver down his spine. Booker didn’t care what she was. It was obvious she felt it, too.

  “Aspen,” he said into the phone.

  “Booker,” she sighed.

  “I wanted to schedule a delivery,” he announced, a smirk playing at his lips.

  “I can do that for you,” she replied. He heard the smile in her voice, and he felt his pride swell at knowing she was happy to hear from him. “What’s the date? And when will your shipment arrive?”

  “Well,” he paused, “my shipment is already there, and I’ll like for you to be delivered to me tomorrow.”

  There was a beat of silence. “I miss you.”

  “And I miss you, honey,” he grunted. The reaction was for the sudden need to see her. He’d waited what seemed like forever to have her back at his cabin. “Three damn days has been long enough without you here.”

  “I don’t know if I can take off time this soon again,” she admitted. “Let me see what I can do. Maybe Isabell can cover for me. I’ve been training her.”

  “You do that,” he replied. “In fact, just tell her to take over full-time. I may not give you back.”

  Her laugh was like music to his soul. There had never been a time when he’d thought he’d find someone he wanted to share his life with in the wild, but Aspen was everything he never knew he needed. She was strong and knowledgeable about the interior of Alaska, and she hunted. The fact she wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty processing wild animals made his cock hard, as well. She was perfect in his eyes, and he wanted to be with her again.

  “Let me see what I can do,” she offered. “I’ll contact you in one hour.” His phone would work, but he never kept it on him when he was away. The thing was big, bulky, and quite old. It was used for scheduling planes or for emergencies only.

  “I’ll be on standby,” he replied, ending the call.

  He had to do something to pass the time. So, he took the phone with him out to the yard to cut a load of firewood he’d gathered the previous day. At least he could burn off some energy in the process.

  It took over an hour before the phone call that said she was going to be there on the first flight the next day. He wanted to prepare everything for her so she wouldn’t have to lift a finger while she was there.

  It was his honor to provide for her, and he was going to approach the subject of touching her, again. Whatever happened after that was up to her, and he was along for the ride no matter what she decided.

  Chapter 6

  “Have fun,” Charlie smirked as Aspen hiked the pack high on her shoulder. Her brother’s mate was one hundred percent in favor of Aspen choosing Booker for her mate. “And don’t be afraid to touch him. He will understand.”

  “Okay,” Aspen replied with a nod and a smile before walking around the front of the plane.

  He was standing there wearing tight denim jeans and a thick, black and gray flannel shirt. He’d shaved, and his skin looked so smooth, Aspen’s fingers tingled with need. Her wolf bowed down inside her mind, too.

  “Hello, honey,” he greeted. His voice deepened, and there was a fire in his eyes that caused the wolf to push at her skin. She tried to hide the sudden jerk to her human body, but Booker noticed, frowning as he moved closer. “You okay?”

  “Never better,” she promised.

  “Come inside. I have breakfast ready for you.” He held out his hand for her backpack, and she handed it over even though she didn’t need the help. It was more the thought of him being a gentleman that had her melting in her hiking boots than anything else.

  “Lead the way,” she pressed, waiting for him to start walking. Charlie was already at the end of his small landing strip, preparing to take off. Aspen gave her a wave and followed Booker up to his cabin.

  She smelled the bacon before they even got to the door, and her stomach rumbled. When he pushed open the door, the feeling of home overwhelmed her. She’d missed his cabin…she’d missed him.

  “Get comfortable. I’ll put your pack in your room,” he stated as he left her standing by the door.

  Aspen didn’t stand there long. The scent of the bacon and his arousal was all over the place. She’d had a few days to think about Booker and what her wolf wanted. She hadn’t come clean with him about what she was, and that needed to happen before they ever touched.

  “You’re distant…” He let the statement hang as he returned to the tiny kitchen where he cooked over a stove heated by a small fire. “Want to talk about it?”

  “Over breakfast,” she said. “Can I help you with anything?”

  Booker took a deep breath and leaned against the counter. When he folded his arms across his chest, she had to look away from his bulging biceps. They were huge, and the urge to walk into his arms was stronger than ever.

  “Aspen,” he paused.

  “Really, Booker. I’m okay,” she promised, making a cross over her heart. “Let’s sit down, and I promise to tell you what’s on my mind.”

  “Okay,” he said after a heartbeat. “Take a seat, honey. I’ll bring it to the table.”

  She waited patiently for him to set out the meal. He’d made a pan of biscuits with sausage gravy and enough bacon to feed them both…twice.

  “Well,” she began, heaving in and out a huge breath. “If we are going to spend time together, I need to tell you more about who, and what, I am.”

  He nodded as he forked a piece of his food. “I told you it doesn’t matter to me.”

  “Booker,” she groaned. “This is important.”

  “Okay,” he replied with a nod. “I’m listening.”

  Here goes nothing.

  “Okay, well, I guess I should start with what I am,” she cringed, knowing he had to have heard about the wolves.

  “Still listening, honey. I’m not going to judge you,” he pressed.

  “I was born a white wolf shifter,” she blurted, waiting for his reaction. When she found none, Aspen continued. “If you’ve heard of shifters, then I’m sure you’ve heard all of the news about the wolf shifters who’ve been causing trouble. We are not like them. They are black and gray wolves.”

  “I have heard of trouble with them,” he said as he swallowed his bite of food. “Anchorage had a pack of them last year, but they were stopped. Not sure what happened to them after that.”

  “Yeah, we’ve lived secluded for a long time, and if it wasn’t for Charlie, we wouldn’t have known about them.” She was going to be as honest as possible. If Booker was her true mate, he would have to know everything.

  “Shifters came out to the humans like six years ago, Aspen,” he frowned. “You didn’t know?”

  “No,” she sighed. “Look. We are a very small pack. It’s just my brothers, myself, and my cousin and her mate. We are a rare breed of wolf, and as far as we know, our pack is the only one of our kind.”

  “Can’t you reach out to the other shifters and ask them for help to see if you are the only ones?”

  “It’s not that easy,” she whispered, holding down her emotions. Her mother’s face flashed in her mind, and she shook her head to dislodge the image of her being ripped to shreds by a grizzly shifter. “We are hunted, Booker. Our family was killed by a clan of bear shifters eleven years ago. If it wasn’t for Nash, we would’ve died without our father, the leader of our pack.”

  “My god, Aspen,” he gasped, dropping his fork so he could turn his chair toward her. He gave her all of his attention at her confession.

  “We have to have an alpha to lead the pack or we will grow weak and die,” she admitted. “I was only twelve when my parents were killed, and I wasn’t mature enough to take over the pack. Nash was old enough to legally take over the land. So, he saved all of us that were left.”

  “How did you even survive?” he asked.

  “In our world, when your alpha dies, the ones who survive will
have to find another alpha to do a blood ritual with, connecting them. The bears who came to kill us left the children to die out, thinking we didn’t have an alpha in the area.”

  “Aspen, I’m so sorry,” he paused, clenching his fists where they rested on top of his legs. “How could they do that to you?”

  “I told you…” She paused to swallow again. Crying wasn’t going to make things change, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to make it better, either. “The wolves are bad, and they have been for thousands of years. They cause havoc and chaos wherever they go. You’ve read the leaked information online. You’ve seen why we have to hide. It’s not safe for anyone to know about us.”

  “There has to be a way,” he began, but paused when she held up her hand.

  “Recently, a black bear clan moved into the area, and they set their territory right up next to ours. They know we are here, and they know we are wolves. They’ve sent us a warning already.”

  “Warning?” His brow crinkled, and she saw his muscles tighten beneath the sleeves of his shirt.

  “They came on our land and shot Charlie and Mason with arrows,” she explained, choking back her emotions. “There was a note attached, telling us they were watching us.”

  “What the fuck, Aspen?” he bellowed, rising to his feet. “They attacked you. That wasn’t a warning. They could’ve been killed.”

  “It’s okay, Booker,” she gasped as he reached for her, but she scooted her chair back and came to her feet. “Our kind is different. That was an actual warning. If they wanted to kill us, they would’ve done it. We are animals, and we can be vicious. Plus, the arrows were nothing to our bodies. We heal fast.”

  “What?”

  “Superhuman senses,” she said. “We can hear, scent, and see better than a human, and with that, we can also heal super-fast. The only issue we had with that night was Charlie. She’s human, and she was hit in the thigh. It caused her a few days of discomfort, and Mason was pissed.”