The Chosen Series Box Set: Books 1 - 3

by Charlene Hartnady

  Ward held up his hand. “Spare me the details. I can guess the rest.”

  “Once we get back from Sweetwater, I’ll make this up—”

  “You’re not going to Sweetwater,” Ward cut him off, his eyes narrowed.

  Rushe felt his wolf surge forward and he growled.

  “You promised, Rushe. You gave me your word. You let me down.” His Alpha locked his jaw.

  “I didn’t mean to. The female is my mate. When I opened that door … I can’t tell you exactly what I saw, but just know and try to find it in yourself to understand that I couldn’t walk away just as I can’t walk away now. I need her.” Rushe pulled himself to his full height, keeping his eyes locked with Ward’s.

  Ward grit his teeth. Rushe half expected his Alpha to attack since he deserved it, firstly for disobeying an order and then now for not submitting. His Alpha took a step towards him. He had to work not to clench his fists in preparation or to back down as his instincts screamed for him to do. Rushe held steady, refusing to look down.

  “I should beat you,” Ward warned. “I might still do it if you push me too far. The thing is that I do understand, but that doesn’t change what you have done. If anyone should find out, especially from the other packs, then there will be major shit. I will be forced to make an example of you.”

  “What can I do to make this right?” Rushe felt some of the tension drain from him.

  “As far as you and I are concerned,” Ward gestured between them, “it’s going to take time to build back the trust. I understand, Rushe, but that doesn’t make it right. You should’ve listened when I told you to stand down from this security detail. You were in over your head, but you didn’t. I also blame myself for not insisting … I knew better.”

  “I’m really sorry, Ward. I thought I was stronger. I couldn’t resist.”

  Ward grinned. “Females … particularly when it comes to your mate. Was your beast right? Do you think that Becky might be the one?”

  Rushe couldn’t help but smile. “We are highly compatible. I am sure that she is my future. My everything.”

  “You should lay off those human books. You are starting to sound like a female.” Ward frowned.

  “Please put me back on the detail. I will not be alone so nothing will happen.”

  Ward sighed heavily. “The problem is that I issued the order, not only to our pack, but to all of the packs. The others cannot find out about this, particularly after yesterday’s display in the dining hall. You beat that panther for merely talking about rutting with the human, let alone actually doing it.”

  Rushe felt his heart beat faster, not liking where this was going.

  “It will take at least a couple of days for her scent to leave you. You will need to stay in your cabin for the next six to be sure.”

  His heart went into overdrive. “But I am eligible in the next three. I had planned on going to my female—”

  Ward growled. “Be quiet.” He took a few deep breaths. “I am trying to help you.” He pursed his lips for a few long beats. “After those six days, you will work the shifts you missed before heading to Sweetwater. I should move your ass down on that list, which would make you not eligible for the next month or more, but I won’t do that to you since you are sure that you have found your mate.”

  “The female is mine,” he snarled. “I will struggle to be kept from her for 10 days, let alone a month.”

  “You will deal. It is the best I can offer, but only if Sawyer and I can sneak her out before anyone scents you on her. If that happens, all bets are off.”

  Rushe wanted to tear into Ward even though he knew his Alpha was being more than fair. He wanted to throw his head back and roar. Instead, he folded his own arms and nodded once.

  “Good. You get to your cabin. Do not leave for anything. Sawyer and I will head out with your female. You had better pray that no one scents either of you for the next couple of days. If that happens,” his eyes turned apologetic, “you will lose your place on the list. Hell, you might just lose several places.”

  Rushe wanted to growl, to fight. Adrenaline surged. He grit his teeth instead. “Please take her then. Hurry! I will not cope with being separated from her for so long.”

  “You go to your cabin, Rushe.” Ward’s eyes softened.

  “I will.” He turned to walk back to his female, wanting to wish her a safe journey and to let her know that it would be more than just a few days before he saw her again.

  “Where are you going?” Ward growled.

  Rushe opened his mouth, but Ward cut him off with a shake of his head. “Go to your cabin. Every second you are here, you risk someone finding out. I will speak to your female on your behalf.”

  A soft whine escaped, but he did as Ward instructed.

  Becky was surprised when Ward knocked on her door. “Are you packed?” he asked as she opened it.

  “I need about a half an hour to—”

  “You have five minutes.” His eyes were hard and all business.

  “I haven’t finished packing, and what about breakfast?” She felt her brow crease.

  “There will be no breakfast, there is no time.” The big Alpha’s nostrils flared and his eyes dipped to the juncture of her thighs. Becky had to work hard not to squirm under his gaze. “Rushe is in deep shit for defying orders. I suggest you move your ass because if any of the other shifters find out about what went down in this cabin last night, the level of shit will rise to a level somewhere north of Rushe’s head. I’m sure you don’t want that to happen.”

  “But, you’re the Alpha. You can make it go away. We’re both grownups. I don’t understand the problem.”

  “I don’t expect you to understand, human, and I don’t have time to explain it to you right now. I will take you back to Sweetwater myself. The sooner we leave, the sooner I will return to my mate and children. You have two minutes.” He held up two fingers, turned on his heel and strode down the walkway.

  What the fuck?

  Rushe was AWOL. Was he pissed at her for … seducing him? It’s not like she had planned it. Maybe he really wasn’t interested in more than just casual sex, which was exactly what she’d asked for.

  It stung a little though that he couldn’t even say goodbye to her. Strings or no, that was the polite thing to do. That delicious piece of wolf flesh had fucked her from here to next week Wednesday and in every position imaginable. Her pussy felt tender as hell this morning. She was probably walking like a cowboy and certainly didn’t feel like sitting astride a wolf for the next few hours. She also wouldn’t be using Magic for a couple of days ‒ possibly even weeks ‒ that was for sure.

  She sighed, folding the last few items of clothing and putting them into her bag. They never did get around to her being on top and riding him like a bucking bronco, which was something that she’d decided she would do when he came to visit her in a couple of days. If that ever even happened now. Why did that leave her feeling disappointed?

  There were more fish in the sea, dammit. Pity none of them would match up to the very sweet, even hotter wolf shifter.

  Becky had barely closed her bag when a knock sounded. She quickly pulled the zipper closed and shouted for the person to come in.

  “Do you have any perfume?” Ward demanded as he strode into the cabin, his nostrils flaring.

  She nodded.

  “Get it out please and spray yourself liberally. We have to try and mask the scent of Rushe’s mark.”

  “This is serious isn’t it?” Her heart raced.

  Ward shrugged. “I don’t want Rushe in any more trouble than is necessary. It could be serious if anyone else finds out.”

  “Is he mad at me?” There was a slight quiver to her voice, which she didn’t like.

  Ward snorted. “It’s not your fault. He should’ve known better. Now spray the perfume and let’s be on our way.”

  “That’s not fair, it takes two. It’s not his fault.”

  Ward grunted in response.

 
She swallowed hard, unzipping the bag and finding the perfume. She sprayed her pulse points like always and was just putting the bottle away when Ward cleared his throat. “You need to spray down there.” Ward gestured on his own midsection, in the region of his man parts. “You need to try to mask Rushe’s scent and that is where it is most prominent.”

  She felt her cheeks heat, but complied, aiming the nozzle directly at the jean-clad juncture at her thighs.

  Ward wrinkled his noise. “That should hopefully do it if we are quick.”

  She put the perfume back and zipped the bag.

  “Good.” With that, he strode from the cabin with her bag in hand. Another male waited outside, he introduced himself as Sawyer.

  Ward shifted right in front of her, causing her to gasp into her hand. She’d seen the males in their wolf forms when they brought her here, but she hadn’t actually seen them shift. Nor had she seen them in animal form since.

  “Don’t be alarmed,” Sawyer said, placing a carrier onto Ward’s back. They certainly were imposing creatures, much bigger than normal wolves. Becky wasn’t afraid, but it was a sight to behold, watching a big man reshape before your eyes. Bones cracked, muscle and tendons lengthened. A snout and ears appearing from nothing. The strangest thing though was watching fur sprout from their skin.

  Ward was black with green eyes. She remembered clearly that Rushe was a beautiful brindle grey and white. His legs and underbelly were mostly white and his face was almost entirely grey, making his eyes seem all the more blue. He was almost as big as Ward, which made him bigger than the others she’d seen.

  Once the carrier was strapped in place on Ward’s back, Sawyer put her bag into it and removed his clothes. Since he didn’t seem in the least bit perturbed about being naked in front of her, Becky took in the impressive male from head to toe.

  He had dark close-cut hair, silvery blue eyes. Sawyer was built more like a swimmer. Long, lean, he also had an eight-freaking-pack. With shoulders so wide that she was sure he would have to turn sideways when entering a door. The shifter had a tattoo on his chest and around his right bicep. There was a time not so long ago that seeing a male like this would’ve left her feeling light-headed, but not today. The handsome specimen in front of her had nothing on Rushe. Before she could think on it more, Sawyer shifted. His body changed into a brindle grey wolf, only Sawyer was more on the whiter side with flecks of grey rather than the other way around as Rushe had been.

  The wolf knelt before her and she clambered on-board, really feeling her tender lady bits and inner thighs as they touched the wolf’s back. Thankfully their coats were thick with soft fur, so she shouldn’t be too uncomfortable. Sawyer sprang forward after Ward, who leapt in the direction of the forest. Becky yelped, almost toppling over backwards. She managed to clutch her fingers into his fur and squeezed with her thighs to keep from falling off.

  Sawyer growled softly beneath her. It sounded like a warning. It looked like they planned on rushing to get her away from the village as fast as possible. Would Rushe really be in that much trouble if someone else found out about them having sex? She really couldn’t fully comprehend what all the fuss was about.

  “Hey, Ward, hold up …” someone called, she could only barely make out the words as the air rushed past her ears. It astounded her when they actually picked up speed, surging forward.

  For more than an hour, they kept up the torturous pace. Her hands shook and her legs burned from holding on so tightly. The only positive was that it took them only three hours to reach the barn where the vehicle was parked. Ward blindfolded her before they got in the SUV, apologizing profusely for the inconvenience. It seemed that the wolves were much more polite and well-spoken than those pains in the ass, really rude and arrogant vampires.

  As they drove, she refused to let her mind drift to Ross and his dark brooding eyes, with his easy smile which he almost seemed to save just for her. Vampires were total bastards, so she worked hard at banishing him from her mind once and for all.

  “You will keep our secrets,” Ward seemed to be stating a fact rather than questioning her.

  “As a doctor … a healer, I took an oath called the Hippocratic Oath. I agreed to a few very important things, including the keeping of acquired knowledge, during the course of my duties as a healer, sacred and secret. I take my job very seriously and therefore I take my oath very seriously.” It was weird talking without being able to see the person she was speaking to. “I will not divulge any of your secrets. I swear.”

  “No one can know that you rutted a shifter male.”

  Okay, not divulging that shifters and humans were mating and reproducing was one thing, but not being able to talk to anyone about her awesome night of marathon sex was just too much. “Wait just a minute. We had sex. It’s not like we freaking mated or anything. Why can’t I tell anyone?”

  “You just can’t,” he barked. “Especially not your human friends.”

  “I can’t tell my best friend? You may not have noticed dude, but I’m a woman and we need to talk about things that happen to us. It is impossible to keep quiet.”

  Ward sighed. “Please understand, we are not permitted to rut humans. Tanya is mated to the vampire kings. The shifters and vampires are on shaky ground as it is. It wouldn’t take much for things to fall apart again. I do not wish for war.”

  No freaking way. “Are you telling me that a little friendly no-strings fuck could cause an all out war between you wolves and the vampires?”

  “Yes,” Ward growled.

  “Are you saying that those crazy ass bastard vampires have a rule book that specifically says our species can’t fornicate?” Becky pulled off her big coat, feeling really warm all of a sudden.

  “Not exactly.”

  “Well then, they must’ve at least specifically told you that they forbid sex between our species?” she huffed. “I can’t believe it,” she muttered under her breath.

  “No, it is an unspoken rule.”

  Becky chewed on her lip for a few beats. “That’s bullshit.” She shook her head. “Utter freaking nonsense. I can’t believe that you lot are following some unspoken rule. I thought you were done bowing and cowering to those bastards anyway.”

  “We are,” Ward’s voice had grown icy cold.

  “Doesn’t sound like it.”

  “We do what we please. We prefer not to disclose our every move though.”

  Becky had to laugh. Shit, she knew it was the total wrong thing to do but she couldn’t help it. When Ward snarled loudly, her laugh turned to a fearful cry. She folded her arms across herself.

  “Do not be afraid. I will not harm you.”

  “It doesn’t sound like it.” Her voice shook. “What was that all about?”

  “Take off your blindfold. Here, let me help you.” His warm, calloused hands removed the material from around her head. “I’m sorry.” He did look apologetic. Her heart-rate returned to normal and the cold, clammy sweat that had popped up on her brow dried.

  “It’s just that you are right, and it irritated me.” He shook his head, his chest heaved and his jaw looked tense.

  “Oh wow, a man who can express his feelings. Steph really lucked out when she snagged you.”

  “I’m not a man.” His emerald green eyes regarded her carefully.

  “You know what I mean.” She licked her lips, feeling thirsty after the long trip. Her stomach growled. Suddenly all she could think about were the delicious array of pastries waiting for her at her local bakery.

  “Fine.” The wolf nodded his head. He muttered something to himself that she couldn’t quite make out, though she was sure that she had heard the word crazy.

  “Fine what?” Becky glanced out the window, noticing that they were a few turns away from her apartment block now.

  “You do not have to keep your rutting with Rushe a secret, but it is important that you not mention to anyone that he is your mate.”

  Why would he say that when she’d just clarified that he
wasn’t? “Hold up!” She threw both her hands up in the air. “Rushe is not my mate, so I won’t be telling anyone anything along those lines.”

  Ward let out a relieved breath. “Good. Just checking. I would prefer that you not talk to the vampire queen, but if you have to then request that she not mention it to the kings.”

  “Chill please.” Becky shook her head. “Girl talk is between girls only, no boys allowed. Not happening. No way, no freaking how. Having said that, I can’t guarantee they won’t find out.”

  Ward held her gaze for what felt like the longest time. He finally nodded. “I will deal with it if they find out. I won’t be kneeling or cowering any longer. Trying to save our species by taking human females is nothing to be ashamed about.”

  “Just be careful of saying something like that in front of the general human female population. It almost sounds like you are ashamed of us. Like we are a last resort to solving your fertility problem. Like we are some dirty secret.” Becky was appalled to find that she felt a little upset at where this conversation had gone. She had zero plans on mating a shifter ‒ Rushe ‒ but she still didn’t like the connotation.

  Ward’s whole demeanor softened. “Our shifter males love human females. Do not misunderstand. You are not a last resort, I am sure that even if we did have more of our own females, some of our males would still choose you over them. Please do not be upset at my incorrect use of words.” He paused for a beat. “It is just that our cross-mating between the species will cause problems with the vampires, who are more close-minded about these things.”

  “Talk about being a bunch of hypocrites, since the kings are mated to a human.”

  Ward choked out a laugh. “Yeah, well … Like our shifter males who have taken human mates, they love their human. Can’t get enough of her from what I hear, but all other males must stay away …” He shook his head. “You are right, Becky. The time has come to stop hiding, to take a stand for what we believe in. Thank you for pointing that out.”