The Alpha's Unwanted Mate: (BWWM) Paranormal Romance Standalone (5 page)

It had taken her weeks to seriously consider her mother’s request, and even now, a certain part of her remained pretty certain she was out of her mind. Angeline didn’t think she was ready to share her life with someone, let alone someone with a form that could decimate ten men and take down a powerful buck in its tracks. She’d barely dated and, as far as she was concerned, men left a lot to be desired.

So why had she chosen this, and, why Clyde? The answer was simple: she wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery. Her mother had told her a story of a young woman desperately in love with a wolf man who’d been shunned because she hadn’t been his kind. She’d read myths and lore and been told every possible bedtime story in the book. She’d lost friends, classmates and mentors, and she still felt as if she knew relatively little about the true nature of wolves.

That was going to change. She’d be giving herself over to Clyde, certainly, but that didn’t mean she had to make it easy for him. God knew he was certainly making it hard enough on her, the way he stared at her with those ungodly eyes and that rugged, swarthy beard covering half of his chiseled face. He wasn’t hard on the eyes, that was certain, but how was she to know how he’d react among his own kind?

She was going to find out. She was going to discover what happened to Samantha and all the other girls, even if it killed her. Perhaps she’d even be able to convince her mother that wolves weren’t the docile males she thought they were. They were animals, and they thought first and foremost of rutting and protecting their own at any cost. Angeline was willing to give up everything to prove she’d been right about wolves all along.

She’d give her body, but not her soul, and ultimately, she’d discover that at the heart of their pack, wolves could never integrate with humans the way her mother hoped they would. They were too secretive, too reclusive, and too primal. Her assumptions only seemed to be confirmed when they turned off the highway and onto a mountain road that seemed to go on without end. Then, suddenly, they pulled off the side of the road and Clyde cut the engine.

They were in the absolute middle of nowhere, no other cars or people in sight. For a moment, Angeline was uneasy before she reassured herself that her mother would never allow her to be taken anywhere by someone she thought would do her harm. She pulled off her helmet the moment they came to a stop to get a better look at her surroundings. There was nothing but trees and greenery for miles.

“Let me help you.”

Her attention was abruptly pulled from the amazing profusion of wilderness as strong hands encircled her waist to lift her bodily from the bike. The breath fled Angeline’s lungs at how easily the man had plucked her from the Harley, and within moments, he’d set her on her feet beside the bike. Then, to her surprise, instead of stowing the gigantic vehicle somewhere at the side of the road, he leaned over the handlebars, as if he meant to bring it with them into the forest.

“What are you doing?” The words escaped her before she could stop them, their tone slightly incredulous.

Clyde raised his deep gray gaze to meet her own, a dark brow arched. “I saved for four years to buy this beauty. I can’t just leave her here on the side of the road.”

Angeline glanced from him to the sharp incline that led from the road up the side of a steep hill and into the cover of the trees. She could see she was going to have a rough time of making it over the ridge and grimaced at the thought of him attempting to lug an immense Harley Davidson as well.

“So…we’re going to
walk
to your settlement? You’re going to drag that bike with us?” Obviously, he wasn’t quite as clever as she’d first believed.

She was surprised when the corner of the man’s mouth kicked up slightly. “I wouldn’t worry about it too much.” With that, he bent in half before wrapping fingers securely through the ornate body of the motorcycle. Then, with a slow exhalation, he proceeded to lift the
entire machine
over his head.

Angeline just stared. The bike had to weigh at least eight hundred pounds. She’d seen men struggling to lift one after it had fallen on its side and Clyde had just hefted one over his head as if he were bench pressing it. What was more, he then proceeded carefully up the steep face of the incline, watching his footing as he made his way quickly and efficiently up to the top of the ridge.

Holy Hell
. Of course, she’d heard that wolves were stronger, faster and more lethal than the average man, but this? This was something she never could have imagined. She was still in a slight state of shock when Clyde made his way back down to slope to her side. There wasn’t a single bead of sweat on his brow. In fact, he looked as if he’d hardly done anything more taxing than taking out the trash.

“It’s a bit steep.” His smooth tenor washed over her, making her shiver as her gaze jerked to his. “I’m pretty sure that if you fell, your mother wouldn’t be too happy with me. So let’s just make it easier, shall we?” He gestured to her body in a short movement. “I can carry you.”

Angeline looked over him, her heart racing as she absorbed the immense strength in the large body before her. The thought of being held against Clyde’s hard, rock-solid form was a bit much for here and she merely shook her head frantically before starting up the slope.

To be fair, she made it halfway. Clinging to trees and bushes in a manner she was sure was pretty unbecoming, she managed to climb about ten meters up the steep incline before she lost her footing. While she’d been fairly certain Clyde had been behind her, watching her with no small amount of amusement, when she tripped, he caught her arm from above before she could slide far enough to hurt herself.

Her wrist was taken in a gentle but firm grip and she was hauled upwards and against a broad chest. A sharp sound of surprise escaped her as she was hefted over the man’s shoulder. There was a dizzying sense of the world tipping out of balance and then a series of quick movements that made her stomach lurch. Then, as quickly as it had occurred, Clyde was setting her back on solid ground. Angeline held her stomach for a moment, pretty positive that she was going to lose her lunch a moment before the world began to right itself.

“Are you alright?” Concern was evident in Clyde’s tone as he leaned over her, his brows knitted together.

“Fine.” Angeline waved him away protectively as she took deep breaths.

She didn’t think she’d ever moved that fast in her life and she certainly wasn’t looking forward to doing it again. She’d just managed to get her stomach back in order when she caught sight of Clyde wheeling the motorcycle into a nearby shed – almost indistinguishable from the foliage around it. He locked the vehicle in before turning to her, his gaze apologetic.

“I hate to do this to you again, but it’s a good ten miles or so to the settlement. I’m going to have to carry you again.”

The young woman swallowed a groan. She didn’t think she could take ten miles of the same treatment. But, she would have to. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. If she wanted to discover the truth of what happened out here in the wilderness, among wolves, she’d have to make it to the den.

**

Angeline was completely overwhelmed. The forest had been utterly quiet around them before seeming to explode in activity. They had come to an immense clearing in the center of the wood, in which more than thirty small cabins were settled on their own little plots.  There had to be at least fifty people – wolves, male and female, young and old – roving amongst the small buildings. The entire place was bustling. Children chased after one another while adults tended to fires and helped to repair vehicles and appliances.

Adolescent males stood in a large circle, their eyes on a huge, shirtless male who could only be their instructor, as he barked directions on how to take down members of a rival pack. Each and every face watched the man with rapt attention, and as Angeline held a hand to her recovering stomach, they slowed just shy of the circle.

For a moment, Angeline could only stare in shock at the activity around her. Here were people who weren’t mindlessly tearing each other apart and worried about asserting their dominance. From first glance, it appeared to be a society that ran quite efficiently, at least until the teenaged boys before her suddenly lunged at one another and began tearing at once another with a ferocity she’d never seen before.

She jumped, reflexively drawing back against Clyde. For moment, she allowed herself to revel in the warmth of his chest and his arm around her before she realized she was supposed to be steeling herself against his charm. And so, despite the fact that the man had carried her over ten miles of forest, she squirmed away from him, stepping back as she watched the teens scrap with wide eyes.

Clyde glanced at her apologetically before stepping forward through the fray. Angeline bit back a cry of shock as he sidestepped two snapping boys to have a low, short conversation with their instructor. The gigantic wolf nodded curtly and Clyde returned to her.

“Sorry about that. The boys are just learning to spar. They’d never hurt you. We take special care here with all human women.”

Immediately, Angeline leaped at him, clinging to the front of his shirt as her eyes widened. “So they
are
here?”

Clyde arched a brow, his expression confused. “What do you mean?”

Immediately, Angeline shut her mouth. She was going to make a complete fool of herself. How was she going to look at the way the women were being treated if Clyde
knew
she was scrutinizing them? Clearing her throat, she released the man to turn away. “Never mind.”

She could feel the wolf’s bewildered silver gaze burning into her back a moment before he touched her shoulder lightly. “Well, then, I suppose you’d best meet Ian and Elias.” With those words, he led her along a path well away from the main clearing until they reached another small cottage that stood out from the rest.

Before this house stood a small garden, lovingly tended, in which flowers and vegetable plants grew. It was painted a dark blue color with red shutters, and the moment she saw it, Angeline realized it looked more…well,
homey
than any of the high rise apartments buildings she’d seen in the city. As Clyde led her inside, she held her breath, hoping against hope that the man’s children wouldn’t hate her, that she could greet them quickly before getting about the business of beginning to understand the machine that was the pack.

CHAPTER FOUR

Clyde lay in bed that night, alone, with a massive headache. He supposed the day had gone just about as well as could be expected. Elias had skipped out on meeting Angeline entirely and upon being confronted with the woman, Ian had merely clung to his father and cried.

He frowned deeply. Though Clyde knew he had gone into this experience with the intention of impressing no one, he couldn’t help but wonder what Angeline thought of him. He’d given her space, setting aside the small bed in the guest bedroom for her use, rather than attempt to seduce her into his bed right away. While he couldn’t deny the woman heated his blood, there was too much going on inside his head for him to give over to his lustful feelings.

Ian was angry with him; Elias was angry with him, and he had no idea what the woman in the next room wanted. He had half a mind to go knock on Lex’s door and see if Alicia would be willing to come over and speak to her. Angeline was…skittish, at best. She seemed to jump whenever he touched her, and all his attempts at conversation had been rebuffed by her skeptical glances and wary stares. Where, he wondered, had all her willingness to become the mate of a wolf gone? Perhaps her first sight of the settlement had made her change her mind.

However, he could have sworn the young woman had all but melted against him at the sight of Patrick and the wolflings in the main clearing. She had instinctively sought him for protection, and he had answered. Clyde shook his head, his silver eyes sliding closed. At least, until she seemed to realize what she was doing.

It was hard for him to get a handle on this woman. When Madeline had spoken of her, she’d seemed utterly convinced that he and Angeline were perfect for each other. However, the woman
had
neglected to mention that Angeline was her own daughter, or indeed that the young woman could be so hot and cold. He supposed there was nothing he could do but give it time.

Tomorrow, he would retrieve Elias from wherever the boy had gone and talk to Liara about his ongoing treatment. Then, he would try to mend things with Ian. For now, he would do the best he could to get some sleep, willing away the hardness that had risen at the mere thought of Angeline curled up against pristine white sheets.

**

When he awoke the next morning, it was to the clutching hands of his son at his side. Ian had taken to sleeping with him two or three nights a week since Leila died, and he couldn’t bring himself to carry the boy back to his own bed while he was sleeping. Instead, he merely woke with him in the morning, helped him get fed and dressed, and waited for the arrival of his tutor.

This morning was no different than any other. Despite being blind, Ian was fairly self-sufficient, he’d learned every detail of the house in his youth through his mother’s painstaking lessons. He could find his own clothes and dress himself. Clyde was in the midst of making breakfast for the sullen child, when he realized that he hadn’t seen Angeline all morning.             

He paused in the middle of frying a pan full of sausage, considering; they were surrounded by miles and miles of forest land, so if she’d run, he doubted she’d gone far. However, Clyde didn’t really believe she’d fled. Her scent was still fresh – lingering. He made Ian’s plate, managing to keep his cool before he slipped from the cabin and out into the settlement, slightly irritated.

For a woman wary of wolflings’ sparring, Angeline didn’t seem to think much of her own safety. While the adolescents knew to be careful of the many human women roaming the camp, there were other males that would simply love the chance to scrap with him for the opportunity to claim a female. Their agreement with Madeline was such that only two young women were allowed to mate into the community annually, leaving a plethora of yet-unsatisfied males.

Clyde followed her scent towards the other end of the clearing, passing other males working on their homes or grouped around fires, speculating on the next hunt. There were a precious few female wolves grouped around the care cabin, each and every one anxious about the progress of her pups. It was rare, in these days, to see a full blown wolf cub born healthy and without disabilities. These mothers had children with breathing problems, rare diseases and behavioral issues, more than enough for Liara to have her hands full.

When Clyde did finally catch sight of Angeline about ten meters away, he bristled; she’d been confronted by two immense males, both of whom were eying her hungrily. The young woman had drawn up against a nearby tree, her eyes wide with fear. Cursing under his breath, Clyde strode towards them. Though he may not have properly claimed his new mate yet, the possessive gene running through his veins was more than enough to heat his blood.

“Niall. Corvus.” The names were uttered with the barest amount of restraint as Clyde halted just before he reached them. “I see you’ve introduced yourself to my new mate.”

Both of them were young and brash, not yet into their thirties, and intent on showing their strength in whatever way they could. “Oh, this is
your
mate?” Corvus, with his icy blue eyes and white blonde hair, was of the opinion that women should fall at his feet in worship.

Niall, while somewhat less thick, tended to follow into trouble more than his fair share. “I was just asking if she might want to take a stroll with me this evening. After
dark
.” There was no mistaking the suggestion in his words, and Clyde attempted to swallow the ire that rose thick in his throat.

“She would not. Now, if you’ll excuse us.” He reached between the two men in an attempt to take hold of Angeline’s arm, only to have Corvus block him with a firm hand on his chest.

“If you haven’t claimed her,
Clyde
, she’s still up for the taking.”

He didn’t know who had pissed in their beer, but these guys were obviously seeking a fight. Of course, Lex was nowhere in sight when he needed him, which meant he’d have to deal with these instigating males himself.

“You don’t want this fight.” His gaze darted from Angeline’s frightened gaze back to the faces of the two males he faced. He hated when it came to petty fighting within the pack. There were enough injuries when young wolves got tangled up in conflicts with members of other dens. “Just hand her over to me.”

“If she’s yours, why not take her?”

Clyde bit back a groan of frustration before taking a step toward the two males. With a wild snarl, Niall immediately leaped for him and Clyde stepped out of the way, turning quickly to catch the younger wolf with a knee in the stomach, when he went for him again. When Niall doubled over in pain, Corvus growled, taking a swipe at his back and Clyde whirled to catch the insolent male’s face in the palm of his hand before shoving him backward into a nearby tree. He connected with a solid thud and a yip of pain.

Before him, Niall straightened, his gaze livid, and Clyde knew he meant to do something stupid. He dug in, lowering his stance and placing himself between the upstart male and his own reluctant mate. When Niall went for him, this time, Clyde caught him by the long hair he was so proud of and slammed him to the ground, placing a booted heel against the back of the man’s neck.

Bending over, he growled a warning for both males to hear. “It matters not if she’s claimed or if she isn’t. All you need to know is she’s
mine
. Challenge me again and the Alpha will hear of it.”

Digging his boot in briefly for good measure, Clyde released Niall before turning to face Angeline, who was staring at him in utter shock. He reached her in two strides to take her arm in a firm grip and drag her back across the clearing. It was only when they were out of earshot of the two brutes, however, that he finally spoke.

“I don’t know what impressions you might have of this place,” His words were low, masking his irritation, “But walking around alone on arrival, before being introduced, is probably not the best policy. Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Angeline appeared to be shaking off her shock, and once she did, she shook free of his grip to glare up at him. “I could’ve handled myself.”

Clyde emitted a low bark of laughter, shaking his head. “If that’s what you think, then you still have a lot to learn about wolves, Angeline.” Still tugging her behind him, he led her back to the small cabin, where Ian was still sitting at the small kitchen table. The moment he scented Angeline on the air, he whimpered and fled down the hall.

With a low curse, Clyde was forced to release his mate and race after him. If the morning was any indication, it seemed that today was going to be no less difficult than the previous day. All he could do was pray for guidance. After all, he had  yet to find Elias, and it seemed that the woman who had “chosen” him seemed to have another agenda entirely.

**

This was a disaster, Angeline thought. Twenty-four hours after the fiasco with Niall and Corvus, Angeline was holed up inside Clyde’s small cabin, her mind working feverishly. Forty-eight hours and she had still yet to discover a single human woman in the camp. If they were here, then they must be guarded jealously. It had been her plan to sneak out and try to find them on her own, but that particular course of action had been thwarted when she’d almost been taken advantage of two brutish males. They were much more like what she had come to expect from wolves looking to be mated to humans, than Clyde, who she still couldn’t figure out.

However, even though the man seemed more human than some of the other male members of the pack, there could be no doubt that he was utterly and completely wolf. The way he’d taken out the males that had threatened her, possession blazing in his eyes, had left no question about it.

And though his sudden, brutal actions had frightened her, Angeline had to admit that they’d aroused her as well. She’d never had a man fight to protect her, and though she knew it was infantile to revel in such things, she’d garnered no small amount of satisfaction in watching her “mate” take down the two idiots with ease.

He’d been firm with her – practically barking orders as he’d led her back to the cabin. The man’s primal side had shown itself – that much was clear. And Angeline was shocked to find she didn’t dislike it as much as she would have thought. Remembering his firm grip on her arm and the low words he’d growled in her ear…it was enough to make her shiver. All at once, she wondered what he might look like in his animal form.

While she’d seen plenty of wolves and taken in enough of their animalistic habits to see, quite clearly, they weren’t human, she’d never seen one of the hugebeasts her mother had told her about: their true forms. They seemed perfectly content to walk around in human form, though some of their behavior was decidedly canine.

Clyde was right. There was much she had to learn. But Angeline was bound and determined to find the young women who’d come to the settlement. Beyond that, she told herself that the wolves she’d met were just confirming her suspicions, that they could never be tamed, and that the arrangement that her mother had made was a farce.

Just then, she jumped as the screen door banged open, announcing someone’s arrival. She bolted to her feet, of half a mind to confront Clyde and demand that he give her answers. However, when she reached the kitchen, it was not her mate that entered. Instead, there was another dark-skinned woman on the threshold. Her long, dark hair was piled atop her head into a lose chignon and she wore a long black tunic and leggings with soft leather boots. She looked hardly older than Angeline herself, and her fingers were wrapped around the handles of a wheelchair she pushed into the middle of the room.

The woman’s face was distorted into a frown of disapproval as she gazed down at the occupant of the wheelchair – a windswept youth with bright auburn hair and piercing green eyes. His legs seemed somehow diminished, as if they’d been malnourished, but that didn’t keep him from glaring back at the woman with equal ferocity.

“Elias, this kind of behavior has to stop.” The newcomer’s voice was firm with authority as she stared down at the teenager. “Do you think this is helping your father? You’ve only gone through the same grief. Clyde wants what’s best for you and you’re simply trying to thwart him at every turn.”

“What’s
dad
doing about the Reef pack attacks?” Elias spat, his eyes flashing. “As far as I heard, he and Uncle Lex haven’t changed anything about the way we operate. We’re still getting crushed by those bastards!”

“Watch your mouth!” The tall woman snapped back sharply, her words so vehement that even Angeline flinched slightly. “How we deal with rival packs is none of your affair. You’re fourteen years old and behind in your studies. If you had any respect for your father and all he’s gone through, you wouldn’t be so callous!”

“Yeah, all he’s ‘gone through’,” Elias uttered bitterly. “Like riding off into the sunset to bring some new woman back here to take mom’s place?”

His words made Angeline swallow thickly. If she were any other woman, she probably would have taken immediate offense to the boy’s words, offended by his candor. However, she’d been raised to look beyond people’s expressions and
hear
the message in their words. So, when she looked at Clyde’s oldest son, full of anger and rebellion, she saw that he was hurting. While Ian was young enough to recover fairly quickly from the death of his mother, Elias would remember her far better, and if the pain in his eyes was any indication, they must have been very close.