Wolf Fated

Chapter Two

Mitch

Iease the police cruiser down Main Street, the familiar sights and sounds of my home town washing over me like a soothing balm. Despite having called this place home for as long as I’ve been alive, its quaint beauty never fails to take my breath away.

The rows of meticulously maintained storefronts, their facades adorned with ornate woodwork and overflowing flower boxes, exude a warmth and charm that characterizes Willowbrook. The golden glow of the streetlamps cast a soft inviting hue over the scene, bathing everything in a gentle radiance that tugs at my heartstrings.

As I cruise past the town square, the majestic oak tree that has stood as a silent sentinel for centuries catches my eye. Its branches stretch out like welcoming arms, offering shade and respite to the young and old of Willowbrook over the decades.

Despite the familiarity of it all, a pang of loneliness lances through me, sharp and insistent. This town, this community that I”ve sworn to protect, is filled with loving families and mated pairs, their bonds forged through a deep, unbreakable connection that I can only imagine.

I”ve been a part of countless celebrations, witnessing the joy and contentment that comes with finding one”s mate, but it”s a happiness that has always eluded me.

As the Sheriff and Alpha to the Longtooth pack, my life is devoted to protecting our pack and our lands. I take pride in my role, in the sense of purpose it brings me. But there”s a part of me that yearns for something more. Something deeper.

A mate.

Mymate.

The word echoes through my mind, equal parts tantalizing and taunting. For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of finding that one special person, my perfect match, the one who would make my life complete. But in a world where she-wolves are rare and precious, the odds of finding my mate grows increasingly slim. And as each year that passes that I don’t find her, I grow more and more lonely.

An ache lingers in my chest, a constant reminder of what”s missing from my life. Loneliness. A deep, pervasive loneliness that seeps into my bones, no matter how much I try to ignore it.

I”ve scoured surrounding pack lands, venturing far and wide in search of that elusive connection, but each time, I”ve returned home unblessed by the goddess. I don’t know what she wants of me, or if there’s a path I have yet to go down to find my mate, but I’ll do whatever it takes.

My wolf is already moving toward growing feral.

The stirrings are faint, but they’re there.

A male wolf who never finds his mate is a feral wolf walking.

And an alpha will be more vicious than any other wolf that could turn feral.

At best, I’ll be cast out of packlands, resigned to live the rest of my life in my wolf form until I lose my humanity entirely.

As Alpha, I’ll probably need to be culled.

I don’t want to put my deputy and Beta Zane Matthews through anything like that. Culling males scars souls. I should know.

The thought of seeking a mate in the human world has crossed my mind but the chances of finding a human woman with dormant shifter blood are infinitesimally small. In millions of females across the country, there will only be hundreds with wolf shifter blood running through their veins. Heritage they will have no idea about. They will live and die in ignorance unless they come face to face with their mate.

All the while, myself and every male in my packland face the same future. It’s something that, as Alpha, I need to find the answer to. As a male, I’m desperate to understand why no mates have been found. It hasn’t always been that way and the decline has been slow but steady. Some of my pack think that Willowbrook has been cursed.

The Sally’s Diner sign casts a warm yellow glow against the dark sky. The urge for a cup of Sally’s coffee hits. Comfort. Home. Exactly what I need. I park the cruiser next to a small, dirt encrusted Honda Civic, turn the engine off and step out of the car. I haven’t seen that car before.

My wolf perks his head up, and tips his nose in the air. A scent lingers, but it’s faint. I draw in a long lungful, savoring the barely-there musky notes before they disappear altogether. Female. My cock instantly swells and my wolf lurches to his feet.

Down boy, I tell my wolf and my cock. It’s probably just my imagination brought on by that persistent longing ache.

I’m not even sure what I smelt was there and I don’t want to get both of our hopes up to have them come crashing down. It’s not the first time I’ve detected phantom scents in the air. Half the time I think it’s because I want my mate so desperately my brain makes scents up to appease me.

I take the four steps up to the front door when Zane pushes through before I can step over the threshold. I step back and nod as he emerges from the diner, trying to maintain an air of casual nonchalance despite the growing anticipation thrumming through my veins. As my deputy and Beta, he”s been witness to my struggle, the constant ache of loneliness that weighs heavily on my soul.

Him and me both.

A ghost of a frown tugs at his lips as he takes in my tense posture, his brow furrowing in concern. ”Everything all right, Mitch?”

Before I can respond, another waft of that intoxicating scent drifts through the diner”s open door, causing my wolf to lunge. His russet fur rises along my forearms before I push him down, forcing the fur to recede.

Not my imagination.

“All good,” I manage.

”We have a newcomer in Willowbrook,” he says, his tone laced with excitement. ”Sally”s got her inside, feeding her up like she always does. That woman would mother the entire world if she could. She treats every lost soul who wanders into town like one of her own, even lost human females.”

My heart skips a beat at his words. A newcomer. Heat floods my veins as the implications sink in, and I ignore the urge to shove past Zane and barge into the diner like a man possessed.

My senses are on fire as I push the question out. “The newcomer is female?”

“The newcomer is all female.” My growl lodges in my throat at his tone. Zane stills, his eye flaring. ”Do you think she might be…that the curse is...”

His gaze holds mine, the undercurrent of hope in his tone palpable. I open my mouth to tell him it depends on many things, but the words catch as another potent wave of that alluring scent washes over me. The unmistakable notes of wildflowers and warm summer rain has my wolf sitting up and taking notice.

Zane”s eyes flare with excitement. Excitement and hope. ”Sally”s already making inquiries about where she can stay. I suggested the Wolf’s Bite.”

My sister Cindy owns and runs the town’s largest hotel, Wolf’s Bite. The female will be safe there, if she decides to stay.

Or if she finds her mate.

My blood runs cold at the thought of every male wolf in my packlands brushing past her to scent her. The surge of instinctive possessiveness snaps through me so hard it almost makes me stumble. I focus back on Zane.

Before I can formulate a response, a sudden prickling sensation skitters down my spine. The fine hairs on the back of my neck rise. My wolf surges to the forefront of my consciousness, hackles raised and snarling as a wave of alpha awareness washes over me.

One of the wards surrounding our packlands has been triggered. As Alpha I’m the only wolf strong enough to withstand the constant power of the magic connected to the wards and the only wolf on my packlands to feel a breach.

In an instant, every muscle in my body coils tight, poised for action. Zane”s stance mirrors mine, his expression hardening into one of grim determination as we both scan the surrounding area for any sign of danger.

“What is it?” Zane says.

“Ward breach. North Eastern region near Berry Gulf,” I say, knowing exactly where the breach is. My senses sharpen, attuned to the disturbance. My wolf prowls restlessly, a low growl rumbling deep within my chest as I prepare to defend our territory from the threat.

I clench my jaw, my teeth grinding together as I struggle to maintain control as another waft of the delicious scent filters through the door Zane left slightly ajar. The scent of the female is a siren”s call, pulling at me with an irresistible force. My wolf snarls and rages within me, pushing against the confines of my skin.

I need to see to the ward but…a needier force drives through me.

Have to go inside.

Have to know.

Zane darts down the steps to the cruiser but pauses when I still hover on the landing. “Just a minute, I have to see…”

I don’t finish the sentence.

I push through the doors and into the warmth of the diner, and the scent of the newcomer arrows into me. It”s unlike anything I”ve ever encountered before, a tantalizing blend of wildflowers and warm summer rain, with an undercurrent of something deeper, something untamed and utterly captivating.

My senses snap on high alert as I scan the diner, trying to pinpoint the source of this intoxicating aroma.

And that”s when I see her.

Seated at the counter, a vision of fiery beauty catches my breath in my throat. Long, crimson tresses tumble over her shoulders in gentle waves, framing a face that could have been sculpted by angels. Full, pouty lips sip from her coffee mug, and I let my gaze linger on the delicate arch of her neck, the gentle swell of her curves beneath the fabric of her sweater.

She’s absolutely gorgeous.

No wonder the goddess was holding out on me. Good things come to those who wait, but absolutely stunning mates come to wolves who border on feral.

It”s her eyes that ensnare me, emerald pools of depth and vulnerability that reach into my very soul when she looks up. A crease tightens her brow as she scans the diner but then she sees me. Her gaze catches on mine. Locks.

In that moment, everything else fades into insignificance, and all I can focus on is her, this woman who has managed to awaken the most powerful thing within me. My one ardent want has now impossibly materialized.

Mate.

Mine!

My wolf howls in recognition, a feral, possessive sound that echoes through the depths of my being. Mate. This woman, this captivating creature, is my mate, the other half of my soul that I”ve been searching for all this time.

Suddenly, the world shifts on its axis, and everything I thought I knew is thrown into chaos. All the loneliness and despair that had been weighing me down moments ago evaporates like mist in the morning sun, replaced by a fierce, all-consuming need to claim what is mine.

My heart thunders in my chest, the blood roaring in my ears as every part of me yearns to close the distance between us. I force myself to remain still, my muscles coiled tight with the effort of restraint.

The savage instincts of my wolf rage within me and a small voice of reason whispers at the back of my mind. I cannot simply take what I want, not without risking everything we”ve worked so hard to protect. The ward breach still needs to be addressed, the threat to our territory and our pack assessed and dealt with.

And she is a human female with no idea what she’s just done or who we are to each other.

I can’t rush in and force her to be my mate. She’s not a wolf shifter female. She’s human. She’ll feel the bond now that I’ve sighted her, but not as fast as I will. I need to take this slowly or I’ll risk losing her altogether.

With a monumental effort, I tear my gaze away from the object of my desire to Sally. I nod to her. “Set her up at the Wolf’s Bite. Keep her safe.”

Sally’s knowing gaze slides to the female and a soft smile plays on her lips. I don’t miss the spark in her eyes when her gaze returns to mine. “It’s about time. Don’t worry, Alpha. Leave it with me.”

My wolf howls in protest, clawing at the edges of my control. He doesn’t care a ward was triggered. All he wants is to claim his mate. He doesn’t care she’s human. He doesn’t care that even though she is our mate, she deserves a choice to stay or go. She is my mate and even if it tears me in half, I’m determined she’ll have a choice.

With a steely resolve that belies the turmoil raging within me, I bolt out of the diner and into the forest. I pull off my uniform, leaving articles of clothing strewn on the ground behind me, Zane close on my heels. I shift into my giant russet animal and tear through the forest, planting each paw into the earth with determined force and fighting the pull of my wolf that would forgo my duty as alpha and take us back to our mate.