Wolf Shifter Diaries: Life Fated (Sweet Paranormal Wolf & Fae Fantasy Romance Series Book 1)

by E Hall

  In less than a minute, I’d caught up to him and proceeded to get a guilt trip about not telling Kenna all the details. That’s because I refuse to believe them myself. I think he and Inga teamed up on me.

  Claude commented on how he’s seen me look at Kenna, the change in my wolf-scent, and the way I’m pulled toward her.

  I pushed my muscles to burning and climbed past him, but Kenna’s image followed me. I can’t deny that I’m kind of obsessed with her lips stained with that danged Cherry Chapstick.

  As soon as I had the thought, I sensed danger, confirming exactly what Claude was saying about my connection to Kenna. I leaped from the rock wall and pushed the Bugatti Supersport to its limits as I sped into town. What is ordinarily a leisurely fifteen-minute drive took me five.

  Right now, on the sidewalk in front of the bookstore in Polaris proper, Kenna shoves someone off her and they disappear.

  Kenna, looking half bewildered and half murderous, rushes over to me. “Took you long enough.”

  I cock my head.

  “I’m kidding. I took care of myself.”

  “Maybe so, but that was a wolf shifter, and they sensed my approach.”

  “But I almost kicked their butt.”

  I let out a long breath, split in two myself. Half of me wants to teach her to protect herself. The other half fears that if I do, it’ll come back to haunt me.

  “All the same. Thanks for coming.” She stops short of hugging me.

  I’m practically shaking with anger.

  “Before you scold me, let me just say I had the best cookie I’ve ever eaten.”

  “And you could’ve died.”

  “I figured since the chocolate birthday cake wasn’t poisoned, the cookie would be safe.”

  I growl.

  She flinches slightly.

  “Not the time to joke around.” I sniff the air, trying to catch the scent of her attacker. “They must be using a fig to cloak their scent. Definitely Klave.”

  “A fig? No, not fruit was present at the scene of the crime.”

  “It’s a way to disguise magic.”

  “Well, they did appear and then disappear like that.” She snaps her fingers.

  “Reminds me of Tatiana,” I mutter, then regret it because the purpose of the witch’s appearance isn’t something I want to dwell on.

  “They were wearing the wolf uniform.”

  I arch an eyebrow. “We’re a pack, not a punchball team.”

  “I have no idea what that is, but the person who attacked was wearing denim and flannel.” She points at my attire.

  “Must be a copycat to throw us off the trail. Listen, I don’t want you going anywhere alone.”

  “Okay, boss.” She lays the sarcasm on thick as we walk back the way I came.

  “That’s Alpha.”

  “Not to me. Remember, you said I have to pick to be in your pack. You also said that I couldn’t handle you being my Alpha.”

  I’m not so sure we have a choice my wolf whispers.

  “Whoever it is, I hope they don’t like scones.” Kenna looks back over her shoulder as we near the vehicles.

  Trigg, who happened to be in the garage and came along with me, stands by the Jeep Kenna stole. “Shall I head back?”

  I give him a nod.

  “If you came to get doughnuts, the bakery is closed,” Kenna says.

  “No, we came to get you.” I open the door of the Bugatti for her.

  “Such a gentleman. Well, tell your wolf pack to back off. I innocently went to get something to eat, and a wolf attacked me.”

  “Innocently?” I huff. “You stole my vehicle.” I point at the Jeep.

  “Then we’re even. Grand theft auto and assault. Seems fair.” She slides into the seat and puts on her seat belt.

  I get in and rev the engine. “My pack has to follow my orders. No one from Hjalmor would’ve tried to attack you.”

  She snorts as though she disagrees.

  “I said I’d protect you.”

  “Begrudgingly and let us not forget you attacked me in Intherness.”

  My grip tightens around the steering wheel as I pull a U-turn. “That was before. Now, it means my pack will protect you too. They have to follow the Alpha’s orders.”

  She seems to shrink in the seat beside me as the events of the last minutes catch up with her. “Is that how you knew I was in trouble?”

  “Something like that.” I’d felt a twinge deep inside. My wolf called. The Alpha within demanded. As much as I want to deny it, Kenna and I are connected. I had no choice but to obey even though I still disagree with the nature of her existence.

  She tells me the details of what happened as I speed back toward HQ. I want to shift and run free but am tethered to this moment and the reality that’s seeping in. Lost in Kenna’s voice and the way it makes me feel, I swerve hard toward the shoulder of the road when something streaks across the road.

  “What was that? A deer?” Kenna asks.

  I try to replay the flash, summoning my senses. “It wasn’t a human or ordinary mammal. Not necessarily a demon or goblin, I don’t think, but I pick up a foul smell along with the subtle hint of wolf.” I’ll have to fill Baker in and see if he’s been tracking any unusual activity in the area.

  “Thanks for not killing me,” Kenna says as I get back on the road.

  Yet. But how can I destroy her? When? My wolf tells me I can’t.

  Her voice draws me from the depths of my mind. “My senses, my instincts, or whatever you want to call them, tell me it was a wolf shifter in human form that attacked.” She pinches her fingers and lifts a long hair from her jacket. “I’d guess it was the same one as before.”

  “So a member of the Klave.”

  “Or clan or pack or whatever you call it.”

  I ignore her comment. “The Klave is the enemy. No one in Pack Hjalmor would try to harm you unless it was on my orders.”

  “Why should I trust you?”

  “You shouldn’t.” I was hunting her, and if I can get my wolf in check, I will destroy her and her dirty, dangerous magic.

  “That doesn’t help. By the way, I had it taken care of. Just about. I felt my power. The vampire, the fae, and the wolf were all there with me.”

  “You were hardly even performing street magic.”

  “Then train me. Teach me your ways oh wise one.” She makes her voice airy and mystical. “While you’re at it, can you help me control the fae and vampire power too? Because it’s almost like an even distribution of the three.”

  I frown. “That’s interesting. Expected. But interesting because your awareness is growing. If I had to guess, I’d say you haven’t synthesized because the three powers are vying for domination. We’ll focus on your wolf. The rest can come later. At least that way, you’ll have it at your fingertips when you get in trouble again,” I say as if on autopilot.

  I pull the Bugatti smoothly into the garage and brake sharply, belatedly realizing what I offered.

  “When not if I get attacked again?” she asks in a small voice.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Does that mean you’re inviting me to stay at the wolf pack Headquarters?”

  I cut the engine. “For now.”

  “Why the change of heart?”

  I can’t answer her question.

  I wish I were still driving instead of trapped in this small space with her, growing increasingly overwhelmed by her wolf-cherry scent.

  No one has ever made me feel so inside out. On the ride back from Lonsdale, when she’d mentioned about falling in love, my wolf had something to say about that. He’d argued with me about offering to protect her. A fated mate, a heart match is love and more. Forget inside out. Something is backward. There’s no way my fated mate could be her.

  “I have to go tell Baker what happened. Get his intel on it. If you’re hungry, you’re welcome to join the pack for dinner.” I try to infuse my voice with a friendliness that doesn’t come naturally to me. I al
so need to get space from her otherwise my wolf will continue to make offers that I don’t want to keep. First protection, then hospitality. What’s next? The sun, moon, and stars?

  “All right then,” she says and gets out of the car then goes inside.

  I call my betas to a meeting in the den and tell them what happened in town.

  “And you knew she was in trouble how?” Inga asks, eying Claude.

  I grumble.

  “You know the order of operations, Corbin. First, you connect, which is usually subtle like when your wolf recognizes hers, then you bond going deeper into a relationship, and then seal your commitment to each other. Have you—?” Inga asks.

  I give a slight shake of my head, but I feel it growing. I have to act fast if I’m going to fulfill my duties to the Council.

  “So you’re convinced the Klave is moving against her?” Baker asks.

  “Seems so. We need a plan.”

  We discuss options for drawing out the rogue group of magicals and repeatedly come back to using Kenna as bait. Camilla, Claude, and Inga are against it. Baker thinks it’s risky, but our only option. Trigg and Avril are enthusiastic. That leaves me to break the tie. As Alpha, I could allow it regardless, but it’s better when most us are on the same page.

  I pace a short track in the front of the room. “I told her I’d train her. If she’s as powerful as we think she is, then we’ll go ahead with the plan.”

  “And if she has a weakness. Say a tall, dark, and handsome wolf shifter?” Inga asks.

  I grunt and whisk from the room, not wanting to confront the wolf’s heart beating in my chest.

  The sun has set. The grounds are quiet. An almost-full moon rises in the sky, making silhouettes out of the mountains that claw the sky. After I grab a steak and scarf it down, I walk toward the library in the lodge, thinking about the visit to Lonsdale and the library along with the book Kenna found.

  I instantly smell wolf and cherries. Then hear Kenna humming softly.

  She’s in our library, gazing at a map.

  I walk up behind her, only this time I don’t startle her.

  “Hi,” she says softly.

  I stand only a measure away and inhale deeply. The wolf within sighs contentedly. My pulse increases.

  Her shoulders creep toward her ears. “I’m standing here in this place. Looking at this map. But I do not understand my place in this world. You said that home isn’t a place.”

  I wrap my hand around her wrist and press her palm against her chest to show her where home is. The movement brings her closer to me and she leans into me, resting her back against my chest. Tension dissolves from her shoulders.

  “I will not let you go,” I whisper.

  “Sounds like a threat.”

  “No, Kenna. It’s a promise. It’s a promise from my wolf,” I try to say softly and gently but the beast inside of me feels like howling as I finally speak the truth.

  But that doesn’t mean I like it.

  Chapter 13

  Kenna

  Corbin’s words are both a whisper and a warning in my ears. He pledged protection and to keep me here. My heart pounds against my ribs, delighted beyond measure. My mind is wary, wondering his angle.

  I sense he’s experiencing a similar inner conflict.

  His pulse pounds in his veins, practically thunder in my ears. I sense tension but also softening like he’s reluctant to give in to his emotions.

  I cannot deny I’m attracted to him—his eyes entrance me, especially with his dark lashes. His lips are the kind I can’t ignore, even though he’s perpetually smug, and the couple days’ worth of stubble growing on his strong jawline makes me think rugged, capable, protector... wolf. But he’s also a jerk. I’m not going to suffer fools like my mother.

  But I suppose that’s the least of my problems.

  “It’s hot in here. Want to take a walk?” Corbin asks.

  “It’s cold outside, but sure,” I say, anything to cut the tension, stretched taut like a rubber band and vibrating between us.

  I should’ve grabbed a sweater. Because it’s chilly, I walk close to Corbin who radiates enough warmth to keep the pack warm through a cold winter.

  He slows his pace to match mine as we follow a path that leads behind the house toward the mountains. Even in the low light, the area is well-groomed before giving way to the gnarled outlines of trees. They stand in contrast like a forbidden forest. The landscaping includes flowers just waking up from what was sure to be a long winter that run along the base of a wooden fence.

  We’re both quiet until the lodge is out of sight.

  I clear my throat. “Before you came here where did you used to live?” I’m careful not to use the word home.

  “My father grew up in the Highlands, Scotland so not far from here. My mother wasn’t a wolf. They had me later, which accounts for why it took me longer to synthesize. They filled a lifetime with shared experiences, memories, jokes. She loved the sun almost as much as she loved my father... until she didn’t. Eventually, she followed it south. I don’t remember her, but my father said her skin was a golden tan like mine. That was the only thing I got from her.” His voice sounds detached.

  “So wolves and humans are allowed to mate?” My cheeks warm again at the use of the term.

  “Officially, no. It was a long time ago before order had been established. I grew up in Scotland and stayed there a while after I shifted. My father did well being a lone wolf, but I felt different.”

  “Maybe it was because you were destined to be an Alpha.”

  “It’s not so much a matter of destiny, but of strength, will, grit.”

  In the distance, a wolf howls as though in confirmation.

  Whereas last week, icy dread would’ve crept down my spine at a wolf’s howl while standing in the wilderness, now, the sound excites me.

  The corners of Corbin’s lip twitches, and I feel a pull from him like he wants to shift.

  “Go ahead,” I say, unprompted.

  “Go ahead what?”

  “Shift. I want to see.” I stop walking.

  He pauses, unable to mask his confusion.

  I break the awkwardness with another question. At least in this context, it seems like my specialty. My biology teacher would’ve loved if I’d spoken up more and asked questions. “So what brought you up here?”

  “With my father, I trained and learned the ways of the wolves. When it was time to test for position, I dominated. My father lived a peaceful, solitary life. That was the way he preferred it. He said I had untapped potential. Needed to be around other wolves. He urged me to go north. To be among our kind. So I moved as far north as you can go before you hit ice.”

  “Here.”

  “Did you grow up knowing you were a wolf?” I ask, referencing the betas’ comments about him being a late bloomer.

  “I knew about my father, but since I didn’t shift until later, I had doubts. It doesn’t always follow the family line.”

  “What was your first time like?”

  “Painful and liberating. It was like my body was being crushed in a cement mixer, but once I was in wolf form, I finally felt like myself.”

  I toe the dirt path with my sneaker, having doubts that I’ll ever get that experience because hearing him say it brings it to life inside me. I feel the wide openness, the confidence, the belonging in his skin that he finally knew after that first shift. “This might sound weird, but I can sense your emotions.”

  He scoffs.

  “I told you it would sound weird but no stranger than you telling me I’m part wolf, fae, and vampire.”

  “You have a point.”

  I laugh, unable to resist. “Never thought you’d agree with me.”

  “Remember, we both thought the manor was creepy.”

  “I’ve always been sensitive, but with you, it’s different.” I’d rather not be keenly aware of how much he tries to hate me.

  “No, you’re powerful, you just don’t realize it.” />
  “You know, resistance to emotions isn’t a human weakness.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “But you’re part human. You said your mother isn’t a wolf. See, we have something in common. We’re both different. Anyway, I can be sensitive and powerful too,” I say, elbowing him gently.

  He wears a tight smile as we start up a slight incline.

  We’re quiet a beat and then I say, “Tell me about magic. How does it work?”

  “It’s all energy. It’s especially concentrated here in Concordia, but that’s because there’s less human interference.”

  “You mean like technology? Although I saw that Baker had a fancy computer.”

  “We take measures to block it from interfering. Plus, that’s the only one at HQ. It’s that and belief. We all believe in magic. Probably even the humans in town. It’s part of the fabric of life. Energy, elements, it’s all there. Some people have access to it. Others don’t.”

  “You make it sound simple. So can I activate my magic?”

  “We’ll get started training tomorrow.”

  We stop on a ridge overlooking the valley below. Faint lights flicker in the distance. The lodge and the surrounding Headquarters glow. The stars glitter above.

  I lift my chin to meet Corbin’s eyes and smile. “Okay. It’s a deal. Tomorrow. But for now, I promise not to blast you with my superpowers if you shift. I want to know what I’m getting into. I’ve never seen a wolf until earlier outside the bakery.” And in my dreams and imagination.

  He smirks as though fighting amusement. In one swift motion, Corbin pulls his T-shirt overhead and tosses it to me. Decency tells me to look away, but there’s no ignoring the firm planes of his muscular chest and defined abs. I keep my eyes up as he drops his pants.

  I don’t even need to bring his shirt to my nose to breathe his woodsy wolf scent. I wonder if I could bottle it and take a bath in it?

  In a blink, Corbin is all fur and fangs. His paws are gigantic. His eyes are eerie and inviting at the same time.

  He stamps the ground and a low but friendly growl comes from his throat.