His Wolf's Choice

by Mary Goldberger

  “Ralph has returned,” he told them absently noting that they were still dressed. “He needs to see us, Garin.”

  Garin nodded his head a frown on his face before he eased away from Daya and started off the bed.

  “Can I…?” Daya began biting her lip.

  Alec hesitated briefly before he nodded his head. “He can always kick you out once there,” he suggested his mouth tilting up at the corners, but Daya sensed that he was forcing it.

  She nodded her head turning to Garin who was grabbing a few things from a drawer before heading for the bathroom stopping only briefly to give her a quick kiss.

  Alec watched them and gave a single, unobserved nod of his head when Daya’s eyes followed Garin to the bathroom.

  “I’m guessing that something is wrong,” Daya surmised seeing a hard look sweep across Alec’s face.

  “Yes, but Ralph won’t go into detail until we are all present except…” His voice dropped off although he saw the confusion on Daya’s face, but he merely shook his head. “I’ll let Ralph explain it.”

  Garin came out just then and after throwing the sweats on the bed stilling briefly when pain radiated through him, he walked over to Daya taking her hand and they headed out of the room.

  “What is going on, Alec?” Garin’s voice was soft when they headed for the stairs, and Alec stopped briefly giving him a hard look before he continued down the stairs.

  Ralph found his mate.

  Chapter 21

  The words reverberated through Garin’s mind as they made their way down to the office where Leonardo, Dena, a handful of fighter wolves along with Paul, and of course Brianna waited for them.

  Ralph was pacing back and forward until they entered the room his eyes shifting to Daya, but he didn’t comment when Alec shut the door behind them.

  Brianna walked over to Alec and Garin noted the sympathy in her eyes.

  “I need your help,” Ralph suddenly stated his voice low and yet there was a note which made everyone focus on him. “I found my mate,” his lips twisted with self-disgust.

  “That’s good,” Garin spoke quietly getting Ralph’s attention watching anguish cross his face.

  “It is, but I wasn’t careful,” Ralph remarked closing his eyes. “I was followed and before we could reunite, he took her.”

  Leonardo swore banging his hand against the table.

  “How long will that damn hunter torture us?”

  Ralph didn’t utter a word.

  “Can’t she shift and…?” The question was asked quietly, and Ralph flinched.

  “My mate is human,” Ralph finally admitted. “She was in an accident three years ago and forgot about meeting me although from what our guest revealed, I was in the back of her mind which was why she couldn’t…”

  “Love him.” Dena concluded watching Ralph nod his head a muscle twitching in his jaw.

  “So, what do you want to do?” Leonardo asked even though he already knew the answer.

  “I want my mate back,” Ralph’s eyes flashed open gazing around the room before going back to Leonardo. “He has hired muscle helping him.”

  “Rogues,” Daya muttered her mouth tightening slightly thinking about her aunt.

  “Yes,” Ralph replied. “It’s not just my mate from what I’ve learned that they have, so I would like to ask…?”

  “When do we move out,” Alec questioned giving Brianna a squeeze.

  “I’m also in with whatever help I can give,” Garin offered the arm around Daya tightening.

  Support echoed around the room and Leonardo chuckled softly seeing Ralph swallow at the reaction.

  “I’m sure if you called your pack, they would help too,” he remarked, and Ralph jerked his head which everyone took as a replacement of a nod.

  “I know, but I don’t want to involve them just yet,” Ralph told him. “When I return, I want to go back a whole man and shifter.”

  Everyone in the room heard the emotion in his voice, and Garin shifted his gaze to Daya who feeling it, lifted her head to meet his eyes.

  “He loves her.” Daya spoke softly, and yet her voice echoed around the room as if she had shouted it. “Just like my uncle loved my aunt, Trevor loves Kala…being someone’s mate and loved like that has to be the most awarding aspect in a person’s life.”

  Her words were met with agreement throughout the room and Garin stared down at her with bright blue eyes.

  “It is what drives us,” Garin explained aware that the others were watching them, and yet he was only focused on Daya. “Even those like me who were rejected, and those still searching, it is always there in the back of our minds. Is there a mate out there for someone like me?”

  Daya swallowed at the heat in Garin’s voice, but Ralph intervened walking over to them.

  “We worry, though, when our mate turns out to be human,” Ralph explained meeting Daya’s brown eyes. “Although mated to us, they don’t have the same healing abilities, strength, or speed. In all honesty, they are our weakest link.”

  “Yet, they also can be the one who gives us strength and accomplish what can seem like the impossible,” one of the other fighter wolves added without missing a beat, and Leonardo glanced over at him seeing the look on his face.

  Leonardo nodded his head before turning his attention back to Ralph who glanced over when the man spoke, and something to enlightenment settled on his face.

  “That’s right,” he muttered absently.

  “Whether human or shifter,” Alec replied shifting his gaze to Brianna, “we protect them to the best of our abilities even though we know some have the ability to do it themselves.”

  Agreement flowed around the room, and Leonardo glanced over at Dena who shared his look without saying a word.

  “Yes, I wasn’t able to protect my mate,” Ralph’s low tone voice made Daya’s eyes swing back to him.

  Without thinking, Daya reached out and put a hand on his arm getting his immediate attention.

  “My uncle loved my aunt with his whole being, and yet even he couldn’t stop her from dying,” Daya told him in a quiet voice. “Sometimes the unthinkable happens no matter what you’ve planned or done to prevent it.”

  Ralph stared at her and Daya smiled softly tears shimmering in her eyes.

  “So take what you can and enjoy it because you never know what tomorrow will bring.” Tears slid down Daya’s face. “My aunt spoke those words to me the day she agreed to accept Uncle Jordan as her mate knowing what she was in stored for, and yet I don’t think she ever regretted it for one second.”

  “I’m sure she did sometimes,” Dena suggested, but Daya shook her head slowly the smile on her face growing.

  “Yes, she missed me,” Daya confirmed catching Dena’s meaning give a brief chuckle, “but I was never too far away, and she could see me whenever she wanted. Uncle Jordan wasn’t too thrilled about it, but it was the one thing my aunt asked him before they mated, the only thing.”

  She turned her gaze back to Ralph.

  “But I agree with my aunt,” she advised gently. “Enjoy what you can now, because Alpha Ralph, you’ve been given a second chance. Don’t let it slip through your fingers again and go through heartache a second time.”

  Ralph growled and then he reached out drawing Daya in for a bone crushing hug while Garin tensed jealousy flaring through him even though he knew it was unheeded.

  “Thank you.”

  The words whispered around the room, and Daya merely nodded her head in response since breathing was out of the question for the second.

  He released her and Daya stumbled back only for Garin’s arms to wrap around her.

  “I think I’m not the only one who should abide by those words,” Ralph muttered roughly catching Garin’s eyes before turning away. “I’ve made a contingency plan.”

  He started to lay it out and everyone listened inserting questions here, and there, but otherwise no one intervened while Leonardo glanced around the room eyes briefly settling on
Daya who was listening just as much as the others.

  She is good for him. Dena’s words softly echoed in his head, and his only response was a smile at her in return.

  They were finishing up when there was a knock on the door, ad Ralph tensed as did Garin when they caught the smell.

  “Yes,” Leonardo called out eyes on Ralph whose hard gaze shifted to the door.

  “I heard Ralph was back,” Whitney replied her voice hard with anger. “I want to see him.”

  Ralph’s mouth opened to reply when Leonardo did it for him voice cold as ice. “We are in a meeting, Whitney. He will be out when it is done.”

  There was silence before her voice again echoed through the heavy door. “Was Garin called to the meeting as well? I went by his room and he wasn’t there. I don’t think he should be participating in anything until he heals…”

  “Unfortunately, that isn’t your call,” Leonardo interrupted in a harsh voice. “He is a fighter wolf, and as such, will do what is asked of him.”

  “I was merely worried about his health,” Whitney lowered her voice and a slight sob was heard.

  “Goodnight, Whitney.” Leonardo wasn’t fooled by the act and shifting his gaze to Ralph, and then Garin, he knew neither of them was buying it either.

  There was a muttered response before her heels sounded against the hardwood floor, and Dena frowned heavily before shaking her head.

  “I don’t want her to know,” Ralph’s hard voice got their attention. “She lied to me years ago about learning anything of my mate. She had learned about the young woman who had suffered amnesia in an accident and even went to meet her.”

  No one uttered a word at what Ralph revealed, but there was a sudden tension in the room.

  “She wanted to be an Alpha Female,” Ralph concluded eyes narrowed in a hard face. “She didn’t care that I was worried about my mate, or I was searching for her because of my feelings, she only wanted…”

  “What she wanted,” Garin finished his tone just as hard. “Whitney has only cared about what she wants and never about anyone else.”

  Garin hesitated briefly before he gave Ralph a brief description of the man who had come into his room a day ago.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Ralph assured him before turning his attention back to the plan he had laid out.

  Almost thirty minutes later, they all walked out of the office and Garin was lost in thought although he kept Daya next to him.

  “You need to go to the gym.” Alec’s remark got his attention.

  Garin nodded his head absently feeling Daya’s gaze on him although she didn’t utter a word.

  “Well, what do you know,” Brianna exclaimed in the right tone, “so does Daya.”

  Daya shifted her an indescribable look, but they all turned as one for the gym and entering, they weren’t shocked to see everyone had the same general idea.

  The room was crowded, but Garin gave Daya a slight kiss before he allowed Alec to lead him away and Brianna immediately escorted Daya to the opposite side of the room.

  “We need to work off some of our worry,” Brianna suggested getting a sharp look from Daya both knowing that it wasn’t going to work.

  Yet, neither decided against it and before long, they were sweating just as much as the others.

  An hour before they were supposed to head out, Garin stood outside with the moonlight shining down on him with Alec, Paul, Brianna and Daya standing with him.

  “This may be painful,” Brianna reminded him a touch of concern in her voice.

  Garin threw her an easy grin over his shoulder. “I’ve been wounded before, Brianna. I know it will be, but…”

  His gaze drifted to Daya who was nibbling on her bottom lip and she flushed catching his gaze on her.

  “I don’t think it will be as bad this time around,” he whispered in the night air, and Alec laughed while Brianna shook her head and Paul chuckled.

  Daya merely tilted her head confusion flashing across her features.

  Garin winked at her and returned his attention back to the moon before taking a deep breath. Then he began to shift giving a guttural growl that echoed from deep with inside himself, and Daya clenched her hands tears coming to her eyes a pain trembling through her although it couldn’t compare to what Garin was going through.

  Finally, it was over

  Where the man stood, now a four-legged wolf stood on trembling legs and his head tilted back before he howled into the night sky and Daya slowly sunk to the ground.

  Garin’s wolf whipped around and darted over to her pushing his big head into her face and Daya realized she was crying tears spilling down over her cheeks, and with a quiet sob, she threw her arms around her wolf fingers nestling into the thick, soft fur.

  He purred in contentment which caused Daya to give a choked laugh while the others laughed outright, and Brianna explained without moving from Alec’s side.

  “Shifting into their wolf when injured is a painful process, but afterwards, if they are comforted by the person they care for the most, that pain just seems to drift away, or that’s what we’ve been taught.”

  Daya’s chuckle was lost in the thick fur of the wolf who surrounded her, and Brianna glanced at Alec and Paul before tilting her head to the house.

  The three of them walked back inside without saying another word, and when they closed the door behind them, Alec put a hand on Paul’s shoulder.

  “One day,” he assured the younger man, and Paul smiled nodding his head eyes dark with questions.

  “I can’t wait.”

  His words elicited a gruff round of laughter and he merely grinned before joining the others while Brianna and Alec headed to the office to rely what had happened outside.

  “I still have a lot to learn,” Daya whispered into Garin’s fur aware their companions had gone back inside. “I’m willing to learn as long as you want me to stay with you.”

  The words were so low, and yet the wolf nestled against her heard every word and his growl was loud echoing around the yard. Yet the woman in his arms merely laughed tightening her arms around him unafraid of the animal he was.

  Finally, Garin’s wolf stepped back and slowly shifted back into the man who immediately swept Daya up into his arms pulling her tight against his naked body.

  He kissed her neck his teeth lightly grazing it that Daya gasped tilting her head more to give him access, but Garin gave a small bite before lifting his head meeting her startled, dark eyes.

  “When I claim you,” Garin promised in a low husky voice, “we will be intimately joined without any barriers between us.”

  A slight frown drifted across Daya’s face. “Garin…” Her voice was unsure and Garin laid a finger on her lips feeling them tremble underneath the digit.

  “I stayed here to make sure that what I, and my wolf, feel for you isn’t some misplaced lust,” Garin revealed eyes sweeping over her face. “When I was injured, it was the perfect opportunity for my wolf and I to meet face-to-face” he chuckled at his own words, “if you want to call it that. You were my wolf’s choice from the very beginning, but he knew I needed time to come to the same realization as him. It frustrated him no less, though, even knowing I needed time.”

  Daya slowly shook her head. “I don’t understand…” her words were low and soft, and Garin groaned leaning down to kiss her with the pent-up passion he had been keeping under control.

  “You are our second mate,” he whispered against her lips feeling the jerk at his words, but he merely tightened his arms around her. “Everyone has been hinting at it because they could see it. From our first meeting, your smell ignited something within me that I tried to ignore, but I couldn’t. When you came over to the pack house, I couldn’t help my reaction to you even though I had invited Tammie. When the issue with Tammie occurred…”

  “We’ve already went over that,” Daya said huskily her face bright with happiness although there was a shadow of doubt. “Garin, I’m human. It was what Jared…”
<
br />   At the mere mention of her ex-mate’s name, Garin growled his eyes narrowing darkening that for a second Daya wondered if his wolf was going to take over, but Garin took a few breathes and maintained control.

  “He was a fool,” Garin declared in a harsh voice. “And I, for one, am glad he was because if he hadn’t been, then we wouldn’t have met. I would be still going through bed partners as if they were going out of extinct, and that is a direct quote from Kala.”

  Daya giggled throwing herself against him shivering in delight when she felt his muscles beneath her hands. “As long as you are sure, Garin, then you have my permission to claim me as your own in every way.”

  Garin groaned in frustration drawing her so close to him that it was as if they were one. His wolf growled in frustration also, but they were of the same thought in this manner. When they claimed her, they wanted it to be at home where there would no interruptions. Besides by claiming her in his pack house, he unified the fact that she was his choice and the one he wanted by his side.

  “I can’t wait until we return home,” Garin uttered in a wicked voice feeling Daya’s breath come jerky before her own whispered words came back to him.

  “Neither can I.”

  An hour later, Brianna and Daya stood together watching Ralph depart with the fighter wolves along with Leonardo.

  “They will be all right,” Dena assured them her own gaze followed her mate’s wolf across the land before they disappeared into the woods. “But until they return, I want this pack on high alert.”

  Brianna and Daya nodded their heads watching Dena turn to the fighter wolves left behind who immediately nodded focused on their Alpha Female.

  “She is good,” Daya muttered listening to her give out orders.

  “Every Alpha Female needs to know how to protect their pack when the Alpha is called away,” Brianna uttered being joined by a few other she-wolves who gave their input.

  “An Alpha Female who can’t understand that the pack’s safety is first,” Dena remarked walking over to them just as Whitney came out of the house, “doesn’t deserve to be an Alpha Female.”