Fated Mate: Paranormal Werewolf Romance (Fated Mountain Wolf Pack Book 1) Read online

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” Gwynn reached over and turned the heat up. She didn’t know if it was the discussion, but she was bone cold. “That’s the kind of things they make up for movies.”

  “I wish I could say that’s true, but I’ve seen too much these last few months and it’s not pretty.” His face was bleak. “Under our glossy economy is a teeming underworld filled with horror. And I haven’t even scratched the surface. I only did pickups. It let me get a toe into the organization, and it worked for Leon. He knew who I was and why I was there. He knew he didn’t have a hold on me except the land, and I might walk away from that. He kept me on the outside.”

  Gwynn’s throat tightened.

  “Are you saying Leon is a slave trader?”

  “No. He’s strictly a money man. About half of what he does is legit. But he knows people. He could trade you in a heartbeat. And I think that’s his plan. If you go home, you’ll be in danger.”

  “How could you work for such a slimeball?”

  “I didn’t know how deep he was when I started. I thought he was just a con man. I had no idea it was organized crime until it was too late. Now I know. And I know too many details that will get him tripped up.”

  “You think he’ll kill you.”

  His hands tightened on the steering wheel. “What I do know is now that I’m not working for Mike Leon, the pack will back me up. Or, at least, that’s the plan.”

  Gwynn curled into a ball in the corner of the seat, her brain swimming with questions. It was too much to process. Slave trading. Werewolves. Being unable to go home. And Aaron, big tough Aaron, was threatened.

  She didn’t know how she felt about that. She’d thought she’d fallen for him, but this wasn’t the man she’d imagined she loved. This man had dark secrets.

  Thirty minutes later they turned off the main road onto a private dirt road that wound through a wide valley.

  “This is it. Fated Mountain Ranch. Home.” His voice dropped and he muttered, “At least, I hope it’s still home.

  Hands clutched tightly together, Gwynn watched the gates in the distance get larger and larger as they got closer to the place where she’d truly find out if she’d been right to stay in the Jeep, or if she should have run like hell from Aaron and instead taken her chances with Mike Leon.

  Chapter Eleven

  Gwynn’s skin was cold, but her palms had begun to sweat. They were here and she was going to meet Aaron’s pack. Would there be wolves everywhere? The idea had her digging her nails into her palms just to stop the rush of anxiety.

  Aaron stopped the Jeep at a keypad set into a huge log gate that proclaimed Fated Mountain Ranch across the top in curly metal letters. He typed in some numbers, but it didn’t open.

  “Guess they changed the combination.” His voice was flat, and she could see the worry in the set of his shoulders.

  If they didn’t get sanctuary here, where could they go.? “Maybe the police—”

  He cut her off with a look and pressed the intercom.

  They waited, the minutes ticking off while she checked out the valley. Snow stretched out over a narrow plain that rose to meet first rolling hills, then the steep sides of mountains in the distance. She hadn’t realized there was so much flat land inside the mountains, but here it was. And here they were.

  “Hello?” A deep voice crackled out of the box. Gwynn jumped.

  “Zeke. It’s Aaron.”

  “Aaron.” There was a long moment of silence. “You should’ve called, man.”

  “It’s an emergency. Is Anna there?”

  “You’re no longer part of Fated Mountain. Get lost.”

  Aaron’s lips compressed. He shot Gwynn a look and for a second, she saw how much pain his banishment had caused.

  His expression smoothed over. “Not your decision, Zeke. Go ask Anna.”

  Gwynn curled tighter in her corner and Aaron’s fingers drummed on the wheel while they waited. If the pack wouldn’t help them, where would they go? Could she go home? Would the police help? Would she sound as crazy as everything felt when she started talking about what her dad had done? And what about seeing a man turn into a wolf? Yeah, she should just keep that part to herself.

  The gates swung open.

  It took a good ten minutes to drive the curving road through a snowy valley filled with sheep,. Gwynn’s nerves tightening with every turn.

  She focused on the fluffy animals dotting the pastures. “Sheep? Isn’t that a little ironic?”

  “Yeah. Seems wolves and sheep mix better than wolves and cattle. Guess we hide in sheep’s clothing a little better than with cows.”

  She relaxed a tiny bit when she saw his fleeting grin. If he could joke, maybe things weren’t all bad.

  They turned a corner, and came around a hill and an enormous lodge surrounded by outbuildings and other smaller houses, came into view. Gwynn blinked. She’d only seen log cabin structures this big on the home channel. Massive logs soaring up into the bright blue sky supported huge windows. The wide covered porch that wrapped around the front and disappeared around the side was packed with people. And wolves. She tried to swallow but her mouth was dry.

  Aaron turned off the Jeep. Before they got out, he reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “They won’t bite.” His grin flickered back. “Okay, they won’t bite you. I promise. Me on the other hand.” He wiggled his eyebrows and she let out a nervous giggle. “You got this, Gwynn.”

  “Thanks.” She gave his hand a squeeze back. Did she trust him? No, not after all the lies. But for a second her heart swelled in gratitude at seeing the man she thought she’d gotten to know. The man she’d thought she might be able to love.

  She squelched that thought. That had been a fantasy. Reality was—she couldn’t trust him, but she didn’t have anyone else. As soon as she had an opportunity to escape and call the police, that’s what she needed to do, never mind her traitorous heart that seemed to still want to forgive.

  She was the new Gwynn—tough as nails.

  As she got out of the Jeep and came around beside Aaron, her resolve wavered. She might want to be tough as nails but these were angry people, their faces unwelcoming. And the wolves...big ones, small ones, all different colors from dusty brown-red to pure white. And all with bright feral eyes trained on her.

  “Nice duds.” A linebacker of a man, even more massive than Aaron, came down the stairs. His gaze flickered up and down Zeke’s shredded jeans and bare feet. “You didn’t say you had company.”

  “You didn’t ask.” Aaron stepped in front of her, blocking her from the crowd with his massive shoulders. Gwynn peered around him, but she stayed back. She might be stronger inside than she used to be, but suddenly she was very aware she was human. “I need to see Anna, Zeke. Where is she?”

  “You know the rules, Aaron. You’re supposed to call ahead.”

  “I had other things on my mind. Where’s Anna?”

  “Here.” A diminutive elderly lady in jeans and a lilac sweater pushed to the front of the group. “Come on then, let them inside. The sun might finally be out but it’s still chilly.” Without even a smile she turned her back and walked into the house.

  “Ready?”

  “Sure.” Now she was the liar. She wasn’t ready. She’d never be ready.

  Her heart raced and her entire body tensed. All her instincts screamed: once inside, she’d be trapped. But she moved forward anyway, past the unfriendly stares and curled lips over fangs, her stomach churning with fear.

  She trailed after Aaron and Anna, Zeke following too close behind. The house made the McMansions outside Denver look small. Huge walls formed of raw logs and white plaster were warmed up with bright spots of color from woven rugs, wall hangings and gorgeous pottery pieces that to her untrained eye looked antique.

  The back of her neck prickled and Zeke’s face brushed her hair. She whirled around to tell him to back off, but Aaron was there first, teeth bared, a fierce growl erupting out of his throat. “Back of
f.”

  Zeke responded with a grinning show of his own teeth. “Just testing, Bardolf.”

  He dropped back, but Aaron now walked between her and the other man, leaving Gwynn to follow Anna as she moved deeper into the house.

  Gwynn wished she’d asked more questions before they got here. She wasn’t prepared for this swirl of undercurrents and hostility. There was more going on here than Aaron had told her, and it made her even more uneasy.

  Anna called to a teenage girl cleaning inside a side room. “Dara, show Aaron’s friend to a guest room.” The girl nodded. “And find her some clothes. She looks like she’s freezing.” The woman turned to Gwynn. “We’ll be a while. Go make yourself comfortable.”

  Gwynn moved closer to Aaron. She wasn’t sure she trusted him, but she sure didn’t trust anyone else.

  He brushed his hand down her shoulder. “It’s okay. I won’t be far away.” He was already moving away, following Anna into another room where a row of women waited for him, their faces stern and unforgiving.

  Zeke paused by her side. “I’ll watch him for you, don’t you worry, sugar.”

  “Zeke!” At Anna’s command, he gave Gwynn a wink and sauntered into the room.

  The last thing Gwynn saw as the door closed was Aaron’s anxious gaze searching for hers. She locked on his familiar face, her chest going tight.

  The door shut and she was left alone with Dara. She gave the girl a hollow smile. “Okay, then. Lead on.”

  “Whatever.” Dara rolled her eyes. “At least it gets me out of the dusting for a while. Do you know how much dust there is on a working ranch? Tons.” And the girl led Gwynn down another hallway to a back set of stairs chattering the whole time about how her life was a burden of family, school, and chores.

  Gwynn hardly listened. The further she got from Aaron, the more her stomach churned. Wasn’t this what she wanted? Finally, she was separated from him. Wasn’t that what she’d been working for all day? She should be glad but all she felt was lost.

  And even more alone.

  AARON STOOD FACING three of the council members, bare feet and all, and feeling like an ass. He’d hoped to come here a hero with the deed in hand. Instead, here he was dressed as a refugee and begging for favors.

  He glanced at the door where his former commander Zeke stood, arms crossed, and his expression stone hard. When Aaron had been an enforcer for Fated Mountain, the other man had always been joking and laughing with the guys. Now it was clear Zeke was waiting for just one misstep on Aaron’s part, and his formerly friendly boss would tear him to pieces.

  But that wasn’t where the true danger lurked in the room. Anna Truewater, Cila Walkerson, and Mart Lyall sat comfortably on the couch looking like a coffee klatch of elderly quilters, but Aaron wasn’t fooled by their relaxed positions. These three powerful women formed the very top of the ruling council of thirteen. He had no idea where the others were, but this was enough. He’d left the pack. Disobeyed orders. And brought a stranger to the ranch.

  He braced for the censure he knew was coming.

  “Aaron, Aaron, Aaron.” Anna Truwater looked up at him over the rim of her cup of coffee. “Your cousin Nick has informed us your granddad’s ranch is now back under pack control. While we appreciate having that problem solved, it’s obvious you’ve brought home more trouble.”

  “I don’t understand why we’re even discussing this.” Cila’s wrinkled face puckered in concern. “He was thrown out and now he’s back? Why? And why bring that woman? He’s impulsive and his actions are past stupidity, even for a male.”

  “Now, Cila, don’t you think we ought to hear the boy out? After all, we all know men are servants to their libidos. Maybe he has a good reason for what he’s done.” Mart Lyall winked at him. She’d always had a soft spot for him, sneaking him extra cookies from the kitchen when he’d done his stint at the ranch.

  Anna nodded. “I agree with Mart. Aaron, if you have any excuses, now is the time.”

  There was no question of self-editing the way he had with Gwynn. When he was done laying it all out, there was a well of silence. The three women exchanged frowning glances, and Aaron’s heart sank.

  “If you don’t claim her, we’ll have a free-for-all.” Zeke’s deadpan face split into an evil grin. “She smells delicious.”

  Aaron didn’t even consider how his behavior would impact the council women’s judgment. At the mere thought of the rest of the pack males going after Gwynn, he lunged at Zeke and had the big man pinned against the wall. He pressed his teeth against Zeke’s jugular and growled.

  Zeke growled back and Aaron smelled the other shifter’s adrenaline spike.

  “Settle down!” The sharpness in Anna’s command couldn’t be ignored.

  Aaron pulled back, releasing Zeke, his every muscle straining with the effort.

  “That’s better.” Anna waited until Aaron had moved back into position in front of the coffee table. “Zeke, there will be no free-for-all. It’s obvious the girl is already Aaron’s. Look at him, he’s barely in control. The Fever has him well in its grip. It’s a shame it’s too late to give her any sort of choice. Well then.” She looked side to side at her fellow council women before giving a crisp nod. “He needs to finish his courting and claim her. She won’t understand, but Aaron does.” She shook her head at Zeke. “And you know better, Sergeant, than to tease someone so far gone.”

  Zeke leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and smirked. “Just saying. She’s a hottie.”

  “Don’t stir the pot. Now, Aaron. Are you done playing lone cowboy?”

  “I did what I had to do.”

  “You did what you wanted to do. We’re the pack council and we make the rules. You can’t pick us up when you feel like it and drop us when we don’t tell you what you want to hear. We told you to let it go, but no. You abandoned the pack and your responsibilities as an enforcer.”

  “I did what I had to do.”

  “We could have figured something out besides you running around with a pack of thieves.” Anna growled and he saw the wolf in her eye. “You need to follow the rules, our rules. You need to do what the council thinks is best or else you can just take that girl and turn around and leave again. And this time, Aaron, there won’t be any coming back.”

  He rolled his neck, letting out just enough of the tension running through his body to let his thoughts churn. He’d done what he’d had to do, but the last few months had been hell. No pack to back him up. No council to tell him he’d done the right thing. No buddies to take him out for a beer or a hunt and run the stress off.

  Just himself, a lone wolf, with no one. Until Gwynn.

  He swallowed his pride. “Yes. I’m back. And I’ll follow the rules.” Gwynn came first. She needed the pack even more than he did.

  “Are you sure? I’m not kidding. This is your only second chance.”

  “I’m sure.” He had to be. He had someone else to think about now.

  “There will have to be consequences for not following council orders. You put the entire pack in danger of discovery, and who knows what else you’ve been up to while working with that criminal. The full council will have to convene.” Anna’s face softened. “But you can relax, Aaron. You’re part of our Fated Mountain family. You are pack.” She gave him a small smile. “You can try but you can’t shake us off that easily.”

  Aaron staggered under the deluge of relief. He’d known the estrangement from the pack had been stressful, but now he knew it had been devouring him in small bites.

  With the pack at his back, he could deal with Leon. His real problem now was Gwynn. If he couldn’t have her, none of this—the land, reinstatement in the pack, his life—none of it would mean a damn thing. His problem now was to convince Gwynn he wasn’t a monster, before the Fever ate him up alive.

  Chapter Twelve

  Gwynn had done a quick wash up before getting dressed in the clothes Dara had provided. The chatty teen had been informative on every aspect of her life, e
xcept for being a shifter. When Gwynn had asked the girl if she was a wolf too, Dara had pressed her lips together and sidestepped the question, moving on instead to her latest beef with her mom as she laid out clothes and a few guest necessities before exiting the room and locking it from the outside.

  And yes, Gwynn had tested the door and checked how far the drop was to the large landscaping rocks below. Too far.

  No phone, no allies, and no escape. Great.

  Aaron entered the room, and Gwynn’s newly regained peace shattered. His stance had the deceptive calm of a coiled spring.

  She stood up, sat back on the bed, and bounced back up again, unsure of what to do with herself except stand in the corner with her arms crossed. Seeing him, she wished the chattering Dara had stayed. Something had changed during the half an hour he’d been gone. He’d been tense before, but now he looked almost savage.

  “Hi,” he said.

  “Hi.” She didn’t know where to look. “What happened?”

  “I’m reinstated.” He hovered by the door as if he were planning his escape too, even though it had been locked after him by Zeke. “They’ll back us up with the whole Leon and your dad situation.” He paced the small space between the door and the window and her nerves tightened. “Gwynn, you need to understand. I would never have harmed you.”

  “You said all this earlier. I don’t believe it. All you’ve done is lie to me, manipulated me. Was any of it real? Did you care for me at all or was I just a convenient fuck?”

  “I need you, Gwynn. I—” He dragged a hand through his hair. “I love you.”

  “Save it. I don’t have a lot of experience with love, but even I know you don’t go using the people you love.”

  Aaron dropped to his knees in front of her, his eyes wild. Now she could see the beast inside waiting to attack. “I made a huge mistake. If I had known then what I know now, I would have done it differently.” He reached for her, his hand shaking.