The Reluctant Mate: (Book 13, Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas) (6 page)

Chapter Seven

On arriving at work, Jolene found a wooden apple on her desk.  There was no note, but it could only have come from one person.  She held it up and inhaled the earthy wooden smell mixed with Reid’s intoxicating scent. 
Beautiful
.

She was surprised he had managed to put it on her desk before she arrived.  She was half an hour early to make up for being late.

Jolene lovingly ran her fingers over the wood.  God, he was talented.  That was no surprise, though, was it?  Hadn’t he always done anything he set his mind to?  He’d always been an impressive young man.  She should call him and thank him.

She pulled out her phone but stilled as she heard angry, raised voices from inside the mayor’s office.  For a moment she worried it was Adam again.  But no, that didn’t sound like his voice.  She scented and then frowned.  It was definitely a wolf, but not her Alpha.

The scent belonged to Bryce – a pain in the ass wolf from the pack.  He was known for a being a hound with women, and aggressive with women, and almost violent with women. 
Misogynistic dickhead might be a good description of him
.  He hadn’t crossed the line yet of really hurting a female, so the Alpha couldn’t kick him out of the pack, but he had come close.  As Jolene heard it, the last pack female who had let him come near her had been Carly, the pack Omega and kindest female in the pack.  Bryce had dumped her for another woman, and Carly had since found her mate, but rumors abounded that he hadn’t been very gentle with the sensitive Omega.

What was Bryce doing with the mayor?

She froze as the mayor opened his office door and spat at Bryce to 'get out'.  The large wolf sauntered out, smirking.  His swagger lessened a bit when he spotted Jolene, but he soon recovered and winked at her as he left.

The mayor saw her and opened and closed his mouth a few times before slamming his door.  Her wolf growled lowly, worry pricking her every sense.  What in the heck was that about?  If it involved Bryce, it wasn’t good.

Jolene grabbed her phone to call Reid but was startled when it rang in her hand.  Oh no, it was the person she dreaded more than even Mark or telemarketers.

Reluctantly, she answered.  “Mom.”

“Hello sweetheart,” came the brittle voice of her mother.  “How are you?”

She considered her answer and decided to lie.  “I’m great, and you?”

“I’m calling because…”

Jolene sighed.  “How much?” she asked in a growl.

Her mom paused.  “There’s no need to take that tone with me.”

“How.  Much?” she ground out amid yowls from her wolf.

“Two thousand,” her mom said in a quiet voice.

“I don’t have that much money.”

“But you have a good job.”

“And credit card debt.” 
Thank you very much, Mark.

Her mom clucked her tongue.  “I really think you should be more careful with your money.”

Jolene spluttered into the phone.  “You lecturing me on fiscal responsibility?  Oh my god!”

“Calm down, that’s really no way to talk to your mother.”

Maybe if you acted like a mother once in while… is what she really wanted to say.  Instead, she asked, “What’s the money for?”

Her mother exhaled.  “Your father was arrested, and I need it for bail.”

“Arrested for what?” she asked softly.

There was a pause.  “It’s not important.”

“Yeah, don’t worry I can guess.  God, he is such a…”

“He’s still your father.”

“He’s a bully!” snapped Jolene.

“I love him!  He’s my mate!” wailed her mom.

Jolene dabbed at her eyes.  No, she wasn’t going to cry over her parents anymore. 
She’d wasted far too many tears on them
.  “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, “I just don’t have that much to spare.”

“What about your Alpha?  Couldn’t you ask him for money?  Or your friend Kim?  Didn’t you say she mated one of those wealthy Buchanan wolves?  Surely they should help you out in your time of need.”

She went cold at the suggestion.  “I’m not hitting my friends up for money.”

She thought her mom was going to argue, but she didn’t.  The older she-wolf sighed.  “I understand, baby.  Take care of yourself.”

Her mom hung up, and Jolene fought the urge to throw her phone across the room.

*

Reid paced up and down in front of Jolene’s house.  He was overreacting.  Or maybe he was just a needy ass.  But he expected Jolene to at least call him when she saw the apple.  But no, nothing, nada, zip.

He’d tried calling her, but it went straight to voicemail.

Maybe she hated it.  His animal grumbled in annoyance.  Or maybe she was too busy to call.  Yes, his wolf much preferred that.

It was that thought that stopped him from storming up to her office and demanding to know what she thought of it.

Fuck, he really was a needy ass.

He made a pear for his mom too, because she insisted she wanted one for herself, and when he pressed it into her hands, he didn’t even bother to wait for a thank you never mind her gushes of how lovely she thought it was.

But if Jolene didn’t like it…
that really would send him into a funk
.

He wasn’t good at romantic gestures.  He couldn’t see the point in flowers – they’d just die.  And chocolates?  Surely Jolene just bought chocolate whenever she wanted it.  And jewelry?  What was the point?  Overpriced baubles that she couldn’t wear when she shifted anyway.

He thought she’d appreciate something he made more.  She wasn’t the kind of woman who went for flashy.  He’d noticed that when Beau once sent her twelve balloons and a gorillagram for a Valentine’s Day – she’d tried to run away from both.  She was more sentimental and quieter in her affections.

Jeez, he hoped she liked it.

Reid stiffened as he heard her car approaching.  His wolf gnawed his teeth uneasily.  On second thought, maybe it wasn’t a good idea to accost her outside her house and demand to know whether she liked it or not.  It might be considered as coming on a bit strong.

He considered shifting and making a run for it as unaccustomed nerves assailed him.  Hell, he could face down enemy guns, but one she-wolf made him more nervous than a mouse in a house of cats.

Damn
.  Too late, she saw him.  Running would be downright weird now.

Jolene parked and got out.  A smile spread across her face, but she couldn’t hide the sadness in her eyes.

Unable to stop himself, urged by his beast, he strode toward her.  “What’s wrong?” he demanded gruffly.

She was going to say ‘nothing’, she was going to lie, but she let out a sob and instead threw herself at his chest, crying on his shoulder.  He slid his arm around her waist, leading her into the house.

Reid grabbed a bottle of whiskey and a glass.  He settled them onto the couch, her lush body fitting perfectly against his.  She eagerly guzzled down a glass of whiskey and then another.

He clutched her to him, not saying a word just enjoying the closeness, waiting patiently for her to tell him what was wrong.

He didn’t like seeing her upset.  His wolf was howling that someone may have done this to her, wanting him to hunt them down.  But it gave him a small sense of satisfaction that she was comforted by him.  Although if it was a boyfriend who had made her feel this way he wasn’t sure how long that feeling would last.

Eventually – but far too soon for his liking – she came up for air.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered through sniffles.

Her face was blotchy and tear streaked, and yes her nose was red and snotty, but she looked as beautiful as ever.

“Don’t be sorry,” he murmured.

She tried cracking a smile, and it turned into a grimace.  “I’m getting you all wet.”

“I’ll dry.  What’s up?”

Her face shuttered slightly.  “It’s nothing.”

She tried to move out of his embrace, but he didn’t let her go.  He held firm, keeping her pressed against him.  Where she belonged.

“Tell me,” he demanded softly.

“My mom called me today.”  She wouldn’t meet his eyes.  Her gaze fixed on his chest and she began tracing circles over his stomach.  Even through clothes, her touch was potent.  He tried to control himself.  An erection right now would be downright tacky.  Instead, he thought of mental cold showers – baseball and his mom in a face mask and curlers – and grunted encouragingly.

“She wanted money again… for him.”

“For who?”

Jolene sighed.  “My dad.  He was arrested again.”

Reid placed a finger under her chin and lifted her, so they were eye to eye.  “There’s more to this story.”  The only thing he knew was that Jolene came to the pack to live with her grandma when she was fifteen.  Jolene never talked about her parents, and no one had ever quizzed her about them.  He guessed the Alpha knew why she was there.  But even Beau hadn’t cared enough to get the whole truth from her.  Before now, Reid hadn’t felt like he had any right to that part of her, but whether she knew it or admitted it right now, they were mates.  He owned her body and soul, just as she did him.

“My dad hit my mom ever since I can remember.  She’d bruise; she’d heal, and he’d apologize and tell her he loved her.  I didn’t really understand it when I was younger.  It was why we were never part of a pack.  They’d never put up with him treating her that way.  It was why we never saw relatives and why I was never allowed to bring friends home.  My dad has always been wild, half feral from spending too much time as his wolf.  But my mom… she just puts up with it.  No matter what he does, and why?  Because she says, he’s her true mate.”  She let out a bitter laugh and poured herself another drink.  “He makes her miserable when he’s beating on her, but she says they have to be together because
fate decreed it
.  Can you believe that?  She puts up with being used as a punching bag because she thinks this is the plan fate has for her?  She just…ugh!  She makes me so sad and so angry at the same time.  She doesn’t think that maybe she’d be better off on her own.  She thinks she has to be with him, that it’s some divine, romantic plan.  It’s bullshit!”

Jolene furiously dabbed at the tears trickling down her cheeks.  “I tried to stop him whenever I could, and got beaten for my efforts.”

Reid trembled slightly trying to restrain his furious wolf.  No, this wasn’t about him right now.  It was about her.

“What really hurt is that she never tried to protect me from him.  She was always more worried about him than me.  And when I was fifteen, he was really going to town on her.  Accused her of flirting with other men.  I stepped in, and he broke my wrist.  It was the first time I had bruises I couldn’t hide or heal.  Child services stepped in, and I was sent here to live with my grandma.”

“I had no idea,” he muttered, angry at himself for never taking the time to find out the truth.

She snorted.  “It’s not something I like to brag about.  My mom contacted me after my grandma died.  Knew Grams would go ape if she were still alive, so she waited.  Course Mom wanted money because Dad lost another job because of his temper.  Since then she calls whenever she wants more.”

“He doesn’t try to see you, does he?”

“No,” she scoffed, “he could care less about me.  He probably cares about my mom in a twisted way, but he doesn’t want to see me.  Doesn’t even want my money – not that I have any.  He’d be pissed if he knew how much I sent her.  He’d say it was emasculating for his daughter to give him money.”

“Jolene,” he breathed, spearing his hand in her hair, cupping her face and stroking a thumb down her cheek.  “I’m sorry, I never knew.”

She tried to give him a watery smile.  “No one did.  My grandma told the old Alpha that my parents couldn’t afford me anymore; she didn’t tell him about the abuse.  One more teenage she-wolf was nothing to him.  I’m sorry,” she bit her lip on seeing the snotty wet mess on his shirt.  “I didn’t mean to unload on you.”

“You can tell me anything,” he said fiercely.  He wished he had known all those years ago.  Wished he’d been strong enough to protect her back then.  Logically he knew he was only ten at the time, but he wished he could have protected her.

“I never even told Kim or even Beau…” her voice trailed away.

He was slightly pleased by her admission, although annoyed at the mention of his brother.

“I hate my dad,” she said dully.  “I hate my mom for being weak.  I hate all those people who walk around saying that true mates are special and that they’re perfect for one another.” 

Reid stroked her hair, soothing her

She laid her head on his shoulder.  “Thank you for listening to my rant.”  She lifted the whiskey bottle.  “Hey, where’d it all go?”

Reid winced; he perhaps should have been paying more attention to how many glasses she had poured for herself.  Shifters can take a lot, but they weren’t immune to alcohol, and Jolene had never been a heavy drinker.  He took the bottle away before she dropped it.

Her eyes closed and a small snore escaped her lips.  He tried not to smile.  She had the cutest snore.  But then she always did.  He easily lifted her and carried her upstairs to bed.