Found: True Mates Book 0.5 (BBW Wolf Shifter Romance) (A Craggstone Paranormal Romance) (2 page)

Still nothing.

What the hell was I supposed to do now? I wasn’t a healer, I was a fighter! My fists tightened in frustration, a growl of helplessness spilling from my throat.

A flicker. A gasp, the smallest sound — barely even a croak.

She’d heard me!

My wolf thrust to the surface, forcing another growl from my chest.

This time a faint moan.

She hears us…
snarled my wolf, battering at my skin.
She is our true mate…start the bond, we can save her…

What? My head reeled as my wolf growled in my head. She is? I had thought— I mean, I knew she was special, but…

Taste…

If it were true…and we could save her. I stared down at the injured woman, and for the first time I let myself look at every inch of her. Damn, she was perfect! Curved in all the right places, her skin — even smudged with blood and dirt — was tanned and smooth. My heart lodged in my throat even as my cock swelled, thick and hard in my jeans. Heavy breasts tipped with dusky pink nipples, a curved waist, and wide plump hips framing a mound of dark curls.

I swallowed hard — I had to know. Just a taste…

Leaning down, I stared at her face — willing her to open her eyes. To speak, so I could hear her voice… My eyes never leaving hers, I hovered, my breath heating her closed lips.

This was it. The moment of truth. Was she my true mate?

***

Claire

The barest whisper of a touch upon my lips, a caress lighting a fire deep inside my chest, urging me to fight through the fog that held me under — trapped inside my own body. Narrowing my focus to my lips, the feel of warmth an anchor in the dark, I willed my eyes to open.

Slowly forcing my heavy lids open, I struggled, fighting back the sleep that still beckoned and cajoled, and blinking furiously, my vision swam into focus.

Two strange eyes, hazel like the vast color of autumn leaves, stared back at me — so close that I could count the individual gold tipped lashes that framed them.

I gasped in confusion, flinching away, and burrowing deeper into the scratchy rug that I could feel hugging my skin. All my skin. Shit. I was naked. Why was I naked? And who was this person? A flood of adrenaline thundered through my veins, the fight or flight response screaming in my head, my limbs quivering with the need to respond. I had been running…so fast, and for so long, then…nothing? Who had I been running from? Why couldn’t I remember?

A low moan broke the silence. Mine? I wanted to run, but my arms, my legs — they felt like lead, quivering and shaking with weakness. Had I been drugged? I silently willed my legs to move, they twitched but refused to comply.

“Shhh, it’s okay. No need to be scared.” His voice rumbled, low and husky.

I had heard that voice before. In my dreams? I tried to open my mouth, to speak, maybe to scream?

“I’ll get you a drink. Don’t try to talk, just wait here.”

Wait here? I couldn’t go anywhere even if I wanted to! The man stood, towering over me, and the heat that had been burning into my skin was suddenly gone. Shivering, I stared up at him, watching as he hurried across the room.

From my viewpoint on the ground I assessed my captor, or was he my savior? He was wearing a pair of battered denim jeans, the top buttons undone, the fabric hanging from his hips. The rest of him was bare, allowing an uninterrupted, and glorious, view of smooth golden skin. Not overly broad, he had the body of a fighter, all sinuous strength packaged in ripples of muscle. His face was not overly handsome, his jaw wide and lips generous. A craggy face — pleasing enough to look at. It was his eyes that held me, that gorgeous kaleidescope of colors framed by thick lashes, made extra perfect by the laughter lines that marked their permanent place. I was a sucker for gorgeous eyes… This was a face that had lived. Thick coal black eyebrows, the same color as his buzz-cut hair, quirked at me, acknowledging my stare. Then with challenge burning in his eyes, he lazily raked his eyes up and down my body.

Flushing to my roots, I was unable to move as his gaze caressed me, slowly tracking over every naked inch, the heat in his gaze singeing in its intensity. My wolf strained inside me, pushing against my skin, wanting to reach out and rub herself against every available delectable inch. Why was she acting like this — like a bitch in heat? “Who are you? Why am I here?” I forced the words out, past the panic that was still bubbling inside me.

His eyes flicked to my face, holding my gaze prisoner. “I’m Adam…and I don’t know
why
you’re here, just that I’m glad that you are…”

His deep voice rolled over me, calming me —
yet again
. His voice was like a drug…“I—I don’t know…I don’t remember…it’s just — blank!”

He crouched down next to me, gently cradling my head and propping it up with a cushion. “It’ll come back, don’t force it. Do you remember your name?” He smoothed the hair back off my face, his touch lingering.

“Claire,” I said automatically. “It’s Claire Kendal!” A minor victory, but at least I had remembered
that
.

“So, Claire Kendal,” he grinned, a wicked smile that made me reassess my earlier assessment. He might not be classically handsome — hell, no, he had that rough and sexy bad-boy thing going on. His smile — like, whoa! Little tremors started in my belly, working their way down, then down further, until I was clenching my thighs together desperately staving off the urge to spread them wide. What the hell—?

“Smell me, Claire,” he whispered, “your wolf recognizes me…”

My eyes wide, I decided this must be some sort of dream. A great dream — nah, screw that — a fucking hot dream. I must be dying…

“Am I dying?” I croaked out, wondering if I should pinch myself. But then I might wake up. Best not, just in case.

He laughed, his eyes creasing just like I had imagined. “Nope, ‘cause in my dream you wouldn’t be covered in blood, bruised and battered…”

I was? That explained the weakness then…not drugs, thank the Mother! Following his request, I sniffed the air tentatively. I could smell the rich scent of wood…the smokiness of the fire…the faint tang of the last meal…and him, all around me, mixing with the scents of the building. A rich and intoxicating scent of musk, infused with the tang of blackberries. A scent that drew me in, wrapping all around me, calling to me. My pulse raced as my heart thumped hard in my chest. “Who are you?” I whispered, fighting the urge to drag myself up, somehow, and wrap myself around him. Now
I
wanted to rub against every inch of him…and I meant
every
inch. A growl welled in my throat at the thought…

“I’m your true mate, and you’re mine…” he said. Coming to his knees, he leaned over me, his breath caressing my lips. “I can’t believe I’ve finally found you, after all this time…”

Then his lips touched mine, only a gentle brush, but my body reacted immediately, my nipples stiffening into peaks, my spine arching toward him, my arms finally responding, wrapping around him, and pulling him closer.

He broke away, his expression one of searching. “Do you feel it? The bond?”

The bond? Ah, the
mating
bond, everything finally clicked into place. That would explain some of this…the sensations rolling through my body, how sensitive every little touch felt. My sudden and urgent
need
for him. I reached for my wolf, and together we searched, feeling for where the bond would be. It was there! A fragile line of energy reaching out from my soul, connecting to his. My mate. Who I knew
nothing
about.

Then again, at the moment, he knew nothing about me —
I
knew nothing about me
.
I nodded, not knowing what to say.

“I know you’re hurt, that something has scared you, done something to you — and it kills me to see you like this. I just want to go and rip something, anything, apart for what has happened to you. But, you see — whatever happened — it brought you to me. Brought us together.” He frowned, earnest compassion on his face. “And we’ll fix this, whatever it is, together. You’ll see. The bond will help you get stronger, to heal. Shit. I can’t stand to feel you hurting, I just want to…”

“It’s okay,” I murmured, cupping his cheek in my hand, his skin bristly under my touch. To see this big, brute of a man reduced to hurting…because of me. Feeling my pain, worrying about me…my heart split wide open, his concern and tenderness pouring in. Healing me, I realized with a gasp, as the memories started to filter back, fighting their way through the darkness that clouded my mind.

“I remember more! My parents. We’re a little pack on our own. Just Mom, Dad, and me.” I beamed at him in triumph. “We don’t come from around here, though. I’ve been traveling…just me. Why just me?” I furrowed my brow in concentration, the answers were here somewhere, I just had to dig a little harder, chip away at the wall…

“Steady,” Adam warned, slouching next to me on the floor, head propped on his hand, “it’ll come, give it time…”

I tugged on the bond a little harder, pulling on his strength, his essence. I now knew that he was a good man, an honorable one — it sand through the bond. One who gave
so
much of himself, and asked for little in return. He gave, and gave…and it was so lonely — his life. He was constantly surrounded by people, but always stood alone. I bit back a sob, as emotions, his and mine, threatened to overwhelm and drown me.

And then the wall broke — and
everything
came flooding back.

CHAPTER THREE

Adam

Her eyes widened, the silvery-gray still as startling, and mesmerizing, as when I had first seen them. I could read devastation in those eyes. Devastation and loss. My heart was running full throttle in my chest, her pain squeezing me tight. “What is it?” I urged, linking my fingers with hers, pulling her back to me.

“They’re gone…”Her voice was small, lost.

“Who?”

“Mom. Dad. They’re gone. And, for a short time…I didn’t remember…and they were alive again…and, now—” Her face crumpled, grief pouring out of her. “It’s like they just died — again…” she sobbed, curling onto her side, tears tracking down her cheeks, smearing the blood and dirt that remained.

I gathered her to me, pressing her damp face against my chest, rocking her and murmuring words of nonsense, while she shook uncontrollably with sobs.

It could have been minutes, it could have been hours…I didn’t know, and I didn’t care — I held her, the woman that had suddenly become
everything
to me, and wished with every breath in my body that I could take the pain away. Shoulder it for her.

My wolf sat silent, his head bowed, as he too mourned her loss. Her pack would have been a part of our pack. To have never known them… He howled his anguish through the bond.

Her breath ragged, she tilted her head up at me. Through watery eyes she stared. If it was true, and our eyes really were the windows to our souls, then I swear she was looking right at mine, through to the very core of me. And I could see hers. “I’m so, so sorry—”

Snaking out a hand she grabbed my neck, tugging sharply, and sealed her lips to mine.

I could taste the salt of her tears staining her mouth as she kissed me with desperate fury, licking and nibbling the lines of my mouth, her fingers digging into my neck, pulling me closer.

With a growl I pressed closer, our kiss a dance of lips and teeth. Pressing her back against the floor, I carefully balanced above her, cupping her face in my hands, while I poured all my sorrow and lust into the kiss. Her mouth opened on a moan, to which I took full advantage of, spearing the moist cavern with my tongue, delving deep and finding hers. I had died and gone to the Mother of All! She tasted like sweet cinnamon cookies, and I wanted to lick all of the frosting…

Her body shook beneath me, quaking with a desperation that matched my own. My cock strained in my jeans, hardened to the point of pain by the thick smell of her arousal that permeated the air, seeping into my pores.

Take her…
my wolf growled.

No, I ground out. She’s still injured, I won’t—

The air left my body in a whoosh as she kicked my legs out from under me, her lush body forming the perfect cushion for my landing. So soft, her frame cradled my harder one, molding itself to me in welcome. The plumpness of her breasts pressed against my chest, her nakedness a blessing I was going to forever be thankful for. I could feel her pussy, warm and inviting, through the denim enclosing my cock — the blasted denim that was preventing me from thrusting deep inside, taking her, claiming her. I rocked forward, the friction driving me crazy.

She groaned, a throaty sound, her body pressing up against mine, accepting and wanting. Then she gasped — a sound of pain, not pleasure.

Shit! I rolled off her quickly, kicking myself mentally. What the hell was I doing? She wasn’t healed yet…and I was grinding on her—

“I’m fine, Adam. Stop beating yourself up. I just feel a little tender…” she said, blushing furiously.

“Where? I didn’t get chance to, y’know, finish cleaning you up.” My turn to burn with embarrassment, as I remembered ogling her nakedness.