Forbidden Mate (7 page)

“I
just smelled something out of the ordinary.”

Cade’s cougar turned its head side to side, his nose
high as he tried to capture whatever had caught Wesley’s attention. “
It’s just a human. I told you there were a
shitload of them here this week. They should be gone by Friday.”

“
You’re right.
Let’s keep going.”

Wesley could never let one of his fellow Royal Elite
know he had some ridiculous weakness for the forbidden flesh. He was known as a
human-hater. It was acceptable to indulge in a human female once in a while,
but not to take one as a mate. Everything about her frustrated him. He didn’t
even know the girl, so why couldn’t he wipe her from his mind?

They patrolled the perimeter of the house, looking
for any clue that would give the wolf away. If he posed a threat, two Elites
would be no match for a lone wolf.

“Sorry, we don’t feed the wildlife.”

A human was sitting on the bottom step that led to a
wrap-around deck. Why hadn’t they spotted him there? Since he showed no signs
of fear when faced with two overgrown wild cats, he had to be a shifter
himself.

Cade was the first to shed his fur. “We’re on to
you,” he warned.

“Wrong guy,” said Wesley after shifting out of his
panther form. He stretched out his arms, adjusting to two legs after such a
long run.

“Royal Elite in this neck of the
woods?
Never thought I’d see the day when one of you’d come slumming.”

It was another wolf with hatred for the queen. It
only equaled another name on Wesley’s growing list of suspects.

“How do you know who we are?” asked Cade.

The wolf tilted his head and cocked a brow. “You
both have the Elite mark. Surely you wouldn’t tattoo your body with the royal
insignia without approval.
 
It would mean
certain death.”

“You think you’re smart, eh? What else do you know?”

“I know I should be one of the males in the royal
palace, but since your lovely princesses couldn’t keep their legs shut, I’m
left cold and dry.”

A lot of males lost out on the chance to mate a
princess. Although the queen had selected mates for all three she-wolves, the
only official suitor to get lucky was Alexander. He had to stick around for
five lonely years to get his chance with Delia. The rest were left with nothing
for all their sacrificing.

This wolf probably spent years in grueling training.
Preparing for the chance to be a royal suitor was only second to the Royale
Elite training in its difficulty. Did his fruitless sacrifice drive him to want
to commit murder? “You must be pretty pissed then—enough to want revenge on the
palace?
Or the princesses?”

The male narrowed his eyes. “I never said anything
about revenge. It is what it is. Anyway, I’ve moved on and found my true mate.
Sometimes life is like that.”

Wesley took in everything the wolf said. He refused
to believe a word. Trust had to be earned, not given away. These wolves lived
off the grid because they didn’t want to follow the rules. “Where’s your mate
then?”

“She’s none of your concern.” His tone took on a
deeper octave, one of warning. It was commonplace for shifters to be overly
protective of their females, so Wesley wasn’t fazed by the implied threat.

“If you have a mate, then why is another male living
under your roof?”
 
asked
Wesley.

He knew Marco had holed up in the waterfront
cottage. His scent was everywhere—distractingly intermingled with the human
female’s sweet fragrance.

“There something wrong with sharing a house? I’ve
had a roommate long before the princesses jumped ship. Has the queen passed a
new law I’m not aware of?”

The wolf was snarky and difficult. Usually the
shifters in town bent over backwards to comply with their will, an inbred sense
of fear for the Elite passing from generation to generation. These two wolves
seemed immune to their intimidation. Was it because they lived way out here? Or
were they rebels plotting something against the queen?

“No, but I think one of you is hiding something,” he
said. “We’ve been looking for a suspect.
A wolf.
It
seems like a coincidence that I find two here, both with grudges, just miles
from the palace.”

“Think whatever the fuck you want. I’ve committed no
crime.” The wolf stood and walked up the steps to the porch, dismissing them.

Wesley’s panther clawed within him, seriously pissed
that some common wolf dared to speak so disrespectfully. It only proved his
place as palace guard was losing its reverence, the position becoming dated.

There was no point sticking around. Not without hard
proof. Cade shifted along with him, and they began the quick hike through the
overgrown forest. A layer of dew already collected on the low-lying foliage,
moistening Wesley’s short black fur. He’d only have a few hours rest before his
night shift at the palace, so he needed to get back to his room in town.

When they neared the outer edge of the lake, he came
to an abrupt stop. Helen’s scent was overpowering, taking control of him like a
virus invading his system. He was forced to relive their night together. Wesley
could feel her, smell her, and hear the mewling sounds she made when he touched
her. He tried to fight it—to think of duty and honor instead of weak emotions
like love and desire.

“
What now?”

“Go
ahead of me. I’ll see you at the bar tomorrow night when I’m off.”

Wesley watched the golden cougar bound into the
underbrush. He stood still, listening to everything around him from the wind
through the highest leaves in the forest canopy to the wings of the moths
passing near his head. He took a deep breath, the earthy scents filling his
lungs and energizing his body. Every fiber of his being wanted to follow after
Cade and forget the girl.
The
human
girl.

He chalked up his unhealthy obsession to curiosity.
He’d never bedded a human, always turned off by the thought of them.
 
They were soft, fragile, and from his
experience, intolerable. He could only hope these desperate feelings would pass
as quickly as they appeared.

Chapter
Five

What
am I doing? Seriously, what was I thinking?

Helen scanned the bushes on either side of her with
the flashlight. The forest was immeasurably more foreboding in the darkness. The
cone-shaped beam of light was her only sense of security. There were curious
noises everywhere, keeping her nerves on edge—screeches, rustling, and low
growls.
 
She was tempted to turn back
around on more than one occasion, but something inside her urged her to keep
going. She’d played it safe for too long in her life. It was time to go with
her gut.

She’d agree to a dinner date. It would be rude to
just not show up—or so she kept telling herself. This was what she really
wanted. Helen wanted it all—the impossible dream—love, passion, and a happily
ever after to rival all others.

Helen picked up her pace, not willing to stand
around and wait for a predator to close in on her. She was already certain
she’d seen a wolf near the town earlier. By her estimation, the cabin was only
a few more minutes away. She’d passed the curve in the lake, so she had to come
across it sooner or later. The evening chill was already creating goosebumps
along her arms, and if her heart beat any faster she’d faint on the spot. When
Helen saw the distant glow from a window, she nearly sank in relief. It was her
beacon in the night.

The final steps toward the house took a herculean
effort. This was so unlike her. Good girls didn’t meet up with strange men
alone after dark. Targus would probably think she had only one thing on her
mind. He’d think she was some depraved pervert looking for a good time.

Oh my
god, it’s true.

After last night, she wasn’t sure who she was any
more. She’d been ready to give Wesley free reign of her body—a complete
stranger. Then new lust bubbled up when she’d found the guy on the ground in
front of the hotel. There was a unique connection between her and the two men,
but when it occurred a third time, she knew something was wrong with her. How
could she have an instant crush on three different men at the same time? She
couldn’t blame her desperate attraction on herself. Their bodies were built for
pleasure, their fuck-me eyes impossible to ignore. There was even more to it,
an odd connection binding her to each man as if they were meant for each other.
Her desperate adventure into the forest proved how far she’d go in search of
love.

To get here, she had to sneak out of the hotel
without rousing the bus driver a few doors down from her. Without a vehicle of
her own, she had to start her walk by foot. It was terrifying hiking through
the forest at night. She envisioned being dismembered by wolves or pounded into
the earth by a grizzly bear. Fortunately for her, she’d made it to her
destination in one piece.

Was Targus still expecting her? Had he been joking
all along? Her nerves kept firing off, filling her with mounting doubts. The
dating game was still a mystery to her. Helen hadn’t even played in ages, so
she wasn’t sure what move to make. All she could remember was the way Targus
made her feel when she was with him—desirable. And there was something pulling
her to him besides the fact he was one of the most handsome men she’d ever
seen.

After an initial hesitation, she took a deep breath
and knocked on the door. She kept reciting what she’d say in her head. It she
didn’t, she’d become tongue tied or her shyness would take control and make a
fool out of her.

The door wrenched open, giving her a welcome blast
of heat. The warm light was inviting, casting out the darkness.
“You?
What are you doing here?”

She hadn’t prepared for this. But she should have
been after spotting him with her binoculars earlier in the day. “I–I came for
Targus.”

He narrowed his eyes. It was the guy she’d found
asleep on the road in town. The same one she saw on the wraparound porch of the
cabin. She’d originally gone hiking in hopes of running into
him
, not Targus. He cleaned up well,
only a five-o-clock shadow covering his jaw.

“Targus?
What
about him?”

The man in question entered the room with a
confident swagger. With a body like his, he could get away with murder. Tonight
he was in all black—low-cut jeans and fitted T-shirt. “I didn’t think you’d
come tonight. How did you get here?” He motioned for her to enter the rustic
home, closing the door firmly behind her. Her breath caught when the lock
latched into place.

“I walked.”

“Walked?
From town?
That’s really
not a good idea,” said Targus. “It’s too dangerous for you, Helen.
Far too dangerous.”

“Helen?” repeated the other man. “You’re on first
name basis now?”

“She’s my dinner date, Marco.” He winked at her
while talking. Were they brothers? They were both built like brick houses, tall
and fit. They also had similar black tribal tattoos decorating the exposed muscles
on their arms.

“You really think that’s a good idea?”

They turned their heads at the same moment, as if
directed like marionettes. She felt her cheeks heat as they assessed her. The
chill she’d experienced walking the forest now turned into a blazing inferno.
She was tempted to start stripping off layers to rid
herself
of the heat creeping up her collar.

“I’m more than sure,” said Targus. “I’m finally
taking your advice to heart.”

“She’s not a princess. Or like us.”

“I know that.” The entire time Targus kept his eyes
on her, as if her very presence distracted him. She wasn’t sure how she was
supposed to feel. Marco expected her to look like a princess? What did he think
she was—the jester? How did Targus feel about her?

Tension was thick in the air. “Are you sure now’s a
good time?” she asked. Helen didn’t want to be somewhere she wasn’t wanted. “I
can leave.”

Targus led her deeper into the house, his hand
possessively around her waist. Rather than pulling away, she found herself
leaning closer just to get a whiff of his unique musky cologne. It smelled
delicious, nearly making her salivate.

There was no harsh overhead lighting, just a few
lamps creating a soft, flickering light. It relaxed her, even though she was
certain she should feel leery with two strangers in the middle of nowhere.
Nobody even knew where she was if she suddenly went missing. Not that anyone
would miss her.

“You can’t image how glad I am you showed up. I
thought I’d have to go hunting for you at first light.”

She half chuckled, uncertain if he was being serious
or not. Helen walked tentatively around the room. The walls were all rough wooden
planks, exposed beams running the length of the vaulted ceilings. It felt cozy
and inviting, like she’d lived there all her life. She supposed it was paradise
compared to her cramped apartment in the city. Her view consisted of the brick
wall of the building next door, not a peaceful lake surrounded by forest.