The Reluctant Mate: (Book 13, Grey Wolf Pack Romance Novellas) (8 page)

Chapter Nine

“Wow, a keg, they went all out.”

Reid huffed a laugh as he led her down the crowded corridor.  The house was stuffed with people, hardly any of which he knew - only a handful were pack members.

He pressed his hand to the small of her back.  She trembled a little at his touch but dare he imagine that she actually pressed back against him.

Yes, after being stuffed with a three-course dinner by his mom – who was under the impression that the fuller they were, the less likely they were to get drunk – they had taken a leisurely stroll over to Marley’s house.  Mostly because if they moved any quicker than a stroll, there was a possibility they’d burst, but also because neither was particularly looking forward to being at the party and were trying to put it off for as long as possible.

Still, he couldn’t believe his good fortune.  He hadn’t planned on attending, but when Marley had inexplicably shown up at his house and told his mom about it, his fate was sealed.  His mom had been all for pushing him to try and make friends when he was a teenager, and now she wanted him to socialize and find a mate so she could have grandkids closer to home.  Not to mention his Alpha, who had warned him that he needed to interact with the pack more.

Of course, unintentionally, Mom had just thrown him in the direction of the one pack member he actually wanted to spend time with.  He almost burst out laughing when she insisted Jolene come with him.

He wondered if she remembered kissing him while she was drunk.  She hadn’t mentioned it.  She seemed a little flustered, but Jolene was always good at keeping her emotions locked down.

As much as he enjoyed spending any time with Jolene, he hated this damn party.  His wolf agreed vociferously.  Heaving bodies, loud music, sweaty shifters… this was
hell
.

He leaned towards Jolene.  “We’ve been here five minutes… wanna go?”

“God yes, but if you want to stay…”

“Fuck, no!” he exhaled.

She smiled, and he led her to the door.  They were almost there when a swaying vision of horny shifter danced in front of them.  It was hard to tell under the sweat, cologne and alcohol, but he appeared to be a puma shifter.  His wolf snarled as the male beamed dazedly at Jolene.

“Wanna dance?” he slurred in her general direction, almost missing her completely.

“She’s not interested,” growled Reid.

“I’m really not, thanks,” she agreed quickly.

The puma frowned.  “Just one dance.”

“She said no,” snapped Reid.

“Just a dance.”

The male reached out to her, and Reid grabbed his arm before he could lay a finger on her.  The puma jolted and poured his beer all over Jolene.

She gasped and glared at the puma.  “Look what you did?”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”  The male reached out to pat her boobs and Reid didn’t even hesitate.  His wolf pushed forward, and he punched the puma right in his ridiculous, laughing face.

A few of the puma’s friends started yelling.  Reid pulled Jolene behind him and snarled at them as they growled at him.

One of them recognized him and laughed.  “Mutie?  Who the fuck invited you here?”

“Heard you went crazy and ran off,” sneered the second.

“Fucking retard.”

Jolene snarled and pushed her way in front of Reid.  “How dare you?” she screeched at the males.  “Look, your friend’s drunk, and he was getting handsy – he deserved what he got.  But don’t worry, we’re leaving.”

She grabbed Reid’s arm and dragged him to the door.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” she said soothingly.  “You step outside, I’m going to find some paper towels, and I’ll be right out.”

He wanted to tell her no, he could go wither her, but his body was vibrating with anger, and his wolf was teetering on the edge of losing control.

He probably shouldn’t have done that to the puma, but he couldn’t feel guilty.  No one was allowed to touch her. 
No one!

“Are you leaving already?” called Marley after him.

He grunted and didn’t even bother to reply as he stomped out into the cold air.

*

Jolene dabbed at the beer stains for a minute before deciding to give it up as a lost cause.  Yep, this right here, this was why she hated attending parties like this.  There were always drunken idiots who thought ‘no’ meant ‘yes’ and ‘get lost’ meant ‘I’m dying to know what the inside of your mouth tastes like, please stick your tongue down my throat’.  Yes, she’d been done with these parties for years.

She was about to find Reid when Marley walked into the kitchen and glared at her. 
Oh, goody
.

The young she-wolf hissed at a couple making out to get lost.  They grumbled but left.

“I just saw Reid,” said Marley, clearly pouting.

“Okay?”

“You know you’re making a fool of yourself.”

Jolene raised an eyebrow and looked down at her shirt.  “Yeah, I’m going to throw it away when I get home.”

“I meant Reid!” howled Marley, slapping a palm down on the counter.

Her wolf let out a warning growl.  “I don’t know what…”

Marley laughed mirthlessly.  “Really?  Chasing after the younger brother because you couldn’t get the older one to mate with you?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She folded her arms and gave her a mocking look of pity.  “It’s sad and pathetic.  His brother left you, your husband left you, so you’re preying on Reid.”

“I’m not preying on Reid,” denied Jolene, hotly.  “I’m not the one who tortured him in high school and is now all over him like an ugly rash.”

Marley scowled.  She didn’t look all that pretty anymore.  “We were just kids back then, Reid doesn’t care about any of that – he wanted to date me in high school, so of course he wants to date me now.”

“He never wanted to date you in high school.” 
Must not turn into wolf and maul young idiot
.

“He accepted my date.”

“Because I made him!”

The she-wolf couldn’t comprehend that even for a second.  “Please!  Look, just stop making a fool of yourself and back off.  You’re too old for him, and it’s weird that you’re chasing after him.”

Jolene considered arguing.  She also considered what would happen if she let her rampaging beast free.  There really wasn’t much point in either.  “Ugh!”

She decided to leave before either of those options became too tempting.  She stamped outside to find Reid about to come back into the house.

“Thank fuck,” he hissed, clutching her hand and dragging her away.  “I was about to come find you.”

“I can’t believe those assholes in there,” she complained as they virtually jogged away.

Reid grunted before his eyes widened in worry.  “Rick didn’t try anything else, did he?”

“No.  Wait, what?  You knew that guy?”

“Known him since I was six.  He was a dick then and he’s a dick now.  Went to high school with most of the people in there.  All dicks.  You swear he didn’t try and touch you again, did he?”

Jolene stopped and looked at him.  “Is that why you’re mad?”

“Of course.”

“Aren’t you mad about the way they spoke to you?”

Reid frowned at her.  “Nah, I’m used to it.”

She felt a pang for him.  “Oh, Reid.  I know you weren’t exactly…”

He quirked an eyebrow and gave her a lopsided smile.

“Popular,” she finished feebly.

Reid chuckled.  “That’s putting it mildly.  I was the freak.”

“Reid,” she scolded.

“It’s true.”

“They’re idiots.”

“That’s also true.  But I was weird when I was a kid… well, weirder.”

“They don’t know what they’re…”

“No, really, I…”  He exhaled softly.  He looked at her and reached out to her face; he twisted a strand of hair that had escaped her ponytail around his finger.  “It’s a long story.  Norma and Harry aren’t my real parents.”

Jolene blinked at him in shock.  “What?”

“My real parents died when I was six.  They were killed when we were out hunting.”

“You were with them?”  Horror struck her and her wolf.

He gave her a grim look.  “We weren’t part of a pack; we were kind of hippies traveling around, hunting when we needed food.  I couldn’t shift yet, but I still went with them.  Hunters thought they were real wolves and killed them.  They realized they were shifters when they saw me with the bodies and took off.”

“They left you there?!” she choked out.

Reid nodded.  “I should have gone for help, but I didn’t want to leave them.  The authorities found me eventually.  We didn’t have any relatives, so they gave me to the closest pack to raise – this pack.  Norma and Harry took me in.  Norma wanted another kid, but she couldn’t have anymore.”

“Oh, Reid, I had no idea.  She never…”

“Nah, she doesn’t like to talk about it.  Doesn’t like anyone talking about it – it was a tough few years for her.  I stopped talking, didn’t start again until I was eight.  Beau didn’t like it that I was getting all the attention, and Harry thought I was too weird.  He just wanted another normal son like Beau.  My mom’s always been good to me, though.  And things are better now.”

“Reid…I…”  Words seemed so inadequate for what he’d been through.  The pain of watching his parents die at such a young age – she couldn’t even imagine.

“Hey,” he crooned as tears trickled down her face.  “Don’t cry for me.”  He slipped an arm around her waist while his other hand tried to swab at her cheeks.

“You can’t stop me crying,” he mumbled defiantly.

“I don’t like seeing you sad, makes me angry.”

“I can’t help it.”

“I’m not worth your tears.”

“You’re worth so much more, Reid.  Why don’t you see that?”  Jolene pressed a hand to his cheek.  “You’re worth more than me.”

Desire and fury shot through his eyes.  “I’ll never be worthy of you.”

“Reid?”

He gazed at her lips, breaths shuddering out of his frame, before murmuring something unintelligible and pressing his lips to hers.  He pulled back with a dazed look on his face and moaned her name.  He looked at her uncertainly for a few seconds before she pulled him down to her.  He covered her mouth, responding with fire to her advances.

When he finally ended the kiss, he buried his face in her hair.  “Jolene.”

Chapter Ten

Reid didn’t stop until they reached her bedroom.  He’d scooped her up and ran all the way, growling as she kissed and sucked on his neck.

However, now that he was there…

He stood at the edge of her bed, staring down at her with dark, inscrutable eyes.

Jolene scrambled to her knees.  “What’s wrong?”

“Are you sure this is what you went?” he asked lowly.

She took his face in her hands.  “Just kiss me, Reid.”

He crushed his mouth to hers, his hands clutching her ass as he pressed her against his rock hard erection.  Her hands fumbled as she pulled at his jacket, grasping it and almost tearing it in her need to undress him.

Reid’s hand traveled to her breasts, cupping them and groaning as she arched up against his touch.  He tore her shirt and bra away to caress them, to thumb the hard peaks of her nipples.  He muttered the word ‘beautiful’ before sucking one into his mouth, searing a scorching path with his tongue and tugging her nipple between his teeth.

“Shirt,” she breathed, warning him before pulling it over his head.  His mouth barely left her before returning to bestow the same exquisite attentions.

Jolene pulled at his belt, ripping it away and tossing it across the room.  She pushed his jeans over his hips, delighting in the sight of his manhood, thick and hard, springing out.  She gripped him, stroking his swollen member.  Freeing herself from his questing mouth, she slipped down and licked her tongue along his length.  He trembled and swore under his breath.  Emboldened, she engulfed him and laved the sensitive head.

“Jolene,” he grunted.  “Don’t, I’ll come.”

She let him go and peered up at him through her eyelashes.  “So, come.”

“Not like this,” he hissed and roughly pushed her back on the bed.

Her wolf howled excitedly.  Reid shucked out of his shoes and jeans, and impatiently tore Jolene’s away.  Completely naked, he towered over her, huge and formidable, eyes swirling with stormy amber.  Eager to take her, to dominate her.  It was thrilling and terrifying.  She’d never felt such want for a male.  Never felt less in control.

But then he surprised her.  Rather than the hurried, frenetic coupling she expected – and wasn’t altogether unwelcome – he dipped between her thighs and inhaled her scent, groaning almost obscenely but in a way that delighted her beast.  She giggled as his beard tickled her leg.

He growled and nipped her thigh, making her yip.  “What’s so funny?”

“Your beard tickles.”

He licked her sex, and she whimpered.  “I’ll shave it.”

“No don’t, I like it.”

Reid chuckled and rubbed his chin over her stomach before kissing her belly button.  “You like this?”

“Mmmm, yes.”

“What about this?”

He rubbed his beard over her clit, the sensitive collection of nerves sent shockwaves through her body.  She let out a strangled cry.  “Yes.”

“Or this?”  He pressed his mouth to her nub and teased the flesh between his teeth.  A large digit inexorably pushed into her channel, wet with her excitement.

Jolene bit her lip and remained silent as her body tensed and she felt the promise of something wonderful curling inside her, readying to be unleashed.

“Well?” he demanded, just a tad grumpily.

“I don’t know,” she cooed innocently.  “I think you’ll have to show me again before I can make up my mind.”

His lips curled upwards before he descended on her sex, his mouth, teeth and tongue deliciously tormenting her clit while his thick fingers relentlessly plundered her slit.  She could feel herself climbing higher, reaching out, nearing something incredible.  And as a third finger pushed inside her, she shattered.

Her wolf roared as she cried out at the intense sensations rolling through her body.  She tried to turn away from him, away from the uncompromising pleasure as his mouth eagerly lapped at her nectar.  But he held onto her, gripping her hips, keeping her in place and never stopping his assault until the last wave of pleasure left her.

He rose over her and sank inside her.  She moaned as her body rippled around him.  He waited.  For one agonizing moment, he waited for her to adjust to his size, to allow his stretching presence to become familiar, before he moved, pulling away only to thrust again with more force.  He slipped an arm under her back, holding her in place while he crashed against her.

Jolene clutched at him, moaning each time he filled her, feeling the inevitable rise toward release.  He gripped her thigh and hooked it over his hip, opening her up even further to his sensual attack.

Her body tightened around him.  He felt the minute change and rolled his hips, grazing her clit, until she screamed in ecstasy.  As her inner muscles clenched around him, he roared his own completion and exploded.

Her wolf preened as Jolene collapsed, completely spent.  After a few moments, Reid carefully withdrew from her, returning to press a warm cloth against her folds.  Her eyes drooped as she watched him pull the covers over her and climb into bed behind her, enfolding her in his huge arms.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

His chest vibrated against her.  “You’re very welcome.”

*

Jolene awoke to the sound of the birds singing, her wolf yipping in happiness and a feeling of unease in her heart.  It wasn’t exactly remorse but more like worry.  Reid had been vulnerable when he told her those intimate details of his past, just as she had been the previous night.  But while he didn’t take advantage of her, she did of him.  God, she was like a sexual predator. 
A cougar!
  She was a freaking cougar.  Her wolf was okay with that, but Jolene felt bad.  Although she had to admit she was immensely satisfied, some muscles hadn’t had such good workouts in ages.

She patted the disappointingly empty side of the bed and tried to ignore her neurotic worries.  Reid was a young wolf shifter; ergo he was horny.  No doubt he just enjoyed their time together and wasn’t trying to rationalize it in the same way she was.

But she did admit that she felt just a little empty that he decided to leave before she woke up.  She cringed as she thought of Marley’s words, Beau left her, Mark left her,
and now Reid…
  But they weren’t her fault, her inner wolf told her sternly.

She heard rattling from downstairs and reached for her robe.  She flew downstairs to find Reid, half dressed in her kitchen and fighting with the junk drawer.

“Reid?”

He turned and gave her a sexy, slow smile that made her heart stutter.

“Morning.”

“Good morning,” she mumbled, tongue-tied to the extreme.

She blushed.  Then he blushed.  Then they both laughed.

“What are you doing?”

“I noticed your cupboard doors were loose, and this drawer was stuck.”

He pulled it out, and Jolene smiled.  “Wow, that’s been stuck for two years – I’d given it up as a lost cause.”

“I hope you don’t mind that I…”

“Hell no, you are more than welcome to fix anything in my house.”  If he started trying to fix everything, he’d never leave.  Her wolf found that idea appealing.

“I was going to make you breakfast, but I can’t really manage much more than cereal or burnt toast.”

“Why don’t I make you breakfast, and you carry on being… handy.”  That came out far more husky than she intended and Reid gave her a lusty look.  “I’ll, ah, I’ll see what we’ve got to eat.”

He nodded and she rooted around her terrifically bare refrigerator.

Apart from the odd sensation of having a man in the house again – it had been so long, even before Mark left he had been completely checked out, they barely even saw each other in the end, they didn’t even share a bedroom.  She couldn’t deny that having Reid there was… well,
nice
.  Comfortable.  Apart from her slight embarrassment at facing a man she’d slept with – which given that she’d only been with two other men before she could forgive herself – this felt so right.

“Well, I have baking soda… a can of lentil soup –
yuck
– and some bread that should probably be thrown away.”  Shame she ruined those eggs and cookies.

Reid frowned at her.  “You should take better care of yourself.”

Jolene smiled.  “I guess living alone it’s easy to become a slob and order takeout.”

He gave her a long look.  “Get dressed.”

“Hmm?”

“Get dressed, we’re going grocery shopping.”

“You must really want this breakfast I’m about to make you – I feel I should tell you I’m only a passable cook.”

Reid stepped towards her, his huge body crowding her, towering over her.  She bit her lip, trying to ignore the thrill of desire shooting through her.

“I want to make sure that you’re taken care of.”

“Oh,” she whimpered.  “Thank you.  You don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

She felt her heart clench.  Somebody wanted to take care of her.  How long had it been?  Had anyone
ever
wanted that?  Her father certainly hadn’t cared, and her mother had only cared about looking after her father.  Her grandma had loved her, but she was old and Jolene had been the carer in that relationship.  As for Beau or Mark, they expected her to take care of herself while taking whatever they wanted from her.  But, Reid?  The look in his eyes…  She wanted to fall right into those eyes, to allow herself to be wrapped up in him, protected, loved…  Wait, whoa, it was far too soon for that, wasn’t it?  And surely this wasn’t about love for him,
was it?

“Reid, about last night…”

His fingers clutched the collar of her robe and pulled her up for a lingering kiss.  “Don’t think, just get dressed, and let’s go shopping.”

She thought about arguing, but instead nodded and slipped away from him.  This feeling of not being in control, of not knowing what was coming next was worrying, but also, a little exciting.

Maybe she shouldn’t bother making plans at all.  Maybe she should just see where it leads.

*

Reid smiled as he watched her go, her cheeks flushed, her lips kiss-swollen and her body smelling of his scent.  She was confused about him; he could see that.  But he wasn’t going to give her the chance to think things through.

They were perfect for one another.  She’d see that –
eventually
.

He did feel a little bad about taking advantage of her.  She was upset – upset for him, and he took her.  He couldn’t hold back for a second time, and he was glad he hadn’t.  Being with her had been more wonderful than he ever expected.  She was so warm, so responsive.  She made all of his previous couplings seem so mechanical, so hollow, but then hadn’t he always known she was special?

He might not have known she was his true mate before he left, but he knew he loved her, he knew no other woman compared to her.  Hell, hadn’t his world just lit up when he was ten years old, and Beau brought her home for the first time, and she smiled at him?  He remembered it like it was yesterday.  She was new to the pack, and she was tutoring Beau in math.  She didn’t look at Reid like he was weird, or with pity, she just smiled at him, and the world seemed infinitely less lonely.

His wolf was thrilled; things had progressed a lot quicker than expected, and they could only get better.

His phone beeped, and he saw him mom was texting him.  Crud, she was probably wondering where he was. 
Why had he taught her how to text?

It said ‘Where R U?’ and was followed by half a dozen emojis.  She loved emojis.  Except on his old-fashioned phone they looked like empty boxes, and he had no idea what she was going for.

If he didn’t reply she’d just text some more and then call.  Then call the sheriff and tell him Reid had been kidnapped.

He replied that he was with a friend and switched off his phone - she didn’t need to know
which
friend.  His mom still had it in her head that Jolene was in love with Beau – something Reid refused to think about.  She’d have a lot to say about Reid’s relationship with her.

It didn’t matter what anyone else thought.  Jolene was his.  Mate. 
Mine
.