Chapter One
“Her stomach looks so cute,” said Jake. He was swooning over his pregnant mate, and Liam was fucking sick of hearing about it.
“Keep that shit to yourself,” he said.
Jake glared at him. “You’re even bitchier than usual. What’s going on with you?”
Liam had just turned fifty. He was the alpha of his pack and was still without a woman to call his own. He could hardly sleep nights knowing he still didn’t have an heir to take over his place in the pack once he was too old to reign.
“Cabin fever,” he said.
“We’re almost finished construction. Don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair within the week.”
“Just hurry it up.”
He stood and stretched out his muscles. Since three of his packmates had found their mates within the last year, he wanted all the happy couples out of the main cabin. They owned thousands of acres of untouched forest, with a small settlement for their pack. Lately, he’d been sleeping in his fur in their old wolf den rather than his comfortable king-sized bed. Listening to Jake, Eli, and Ben fucking in the next rooms had put him in a perpetual black mood.
Why were the gods forsaking him? He’d been searching for his mate for decades, but all he’d found were one-night stands. Liam began to trek away from the camp. His spirits were down, and tonight he’d drown his misery in cheap whisky.
“Come on,” he called to his dog, Alphie. The German shepherd ran up beside him, tagging along. He’d always loved dogs, and the fact had made him a pariah of sorts. Shifters believed dogs were lesser beings and couldn’t understand why he’d want one as a pet. He blamed his human side. Regardless, everyone knew to keep their paws off Alphie, even in their wolf form, or they’d deal with him.
The forest was quiet at this time of evening, just the remnants of the sunset between the leaves above. He loved this land, but the loneliness was driving him insane. He wanted what many of his friends had, a mate, love, happiness, and regular sex. As a shifter, his sexual drive was off the charts, and he was tired of cheap women and random hookups. He wanted to devote himself to one woman, but it had to be the one chosen for him. Maybe he’d die alone, his legacy ending along with him.
Liam had a love-hate relationship with humankind. He used to work as a driver for the local lumber camp, but as alpha he preferred to stay on the land, ensuring it was safe. Most of his pack had outside jobs during the day, but at night they patrolled their territory in shifts. They had enemies that would be eager to claim their property, and there was no way he’d let that happen. It was survival of the fittest in their world.
He rarely ventured into the small town. The gossipy humans served to piss him off, and he wouldn’t feed their craving for information. After years of his refusing to warm up to them, they now kept their distance—exactly how he liked it. Their identities as shifters was a carefully guarded secret, and since many humans in the small northern town liked to hunt, that didn’t put them on common ground. Zealous hunters often targeted wolves.
The grocery store was a beacon of light as he emerged from the forest. He rolled out his shoulders. He’d get what he needed and have a full-blown pity party. He hoped his mood would improve once he had the main cabin to himself again.
He ran a hand through his hair. This would be a quick stop. His boots crunched along the gravel before he stepped onto the paved parking area. A couple streetlamps highlighted the nearly empty lot. He knew the navy pickup belonged to the cashier, and the guy stocking shelves owned the red Honda. The manager was a loud bitch, but she was only in during the day.
As he neared the front doors, an unusual scent caught his attention. It made his fangs prick his gums. He resisted his urge to shift and investigate. He’d come to the store for his booze, and he planned to get it. Liam didn’t trust his own instincts at this point, not with his black mood.
Alphie sensed his unease, barking into the darkness. “Relax, boy. I’ll just be a minute.” He left his dog outside and entered the grocery store.
The bright florescent lights irritated his eyes once he entered. As a shifter, all his senses were magnified. He grabbed a basket and began his search. Often, he ate in his wolf form—rabbit, deer, whatever he decided to hunt. Sometimes he’d save what he caught and barbeque it at their camp, human-style. That’s why he liked to have hot sauce on hand.
As he entered the first aisle, the cashier monitored his every move. Did she think he was there to steal? He ground his teeth, tempted to tell her to “fuck off”. Instead, he made his way through the store, collecting what he needed.
He still couldn’t get that scent off his mind. It was even stronger inside the store, perfuming the air to the point of distraction. It was delicious, a sweet vanilla that made his cock hard. He nearly laughed out loud. Having blue balls for months had made him delirious.
As he turned the corner into the produce aisle, he saw her. She was a vision, long red hair twirled up on top her head, and big green eyes. He watched her move, putting things into her basket without paying attention to her surroundings. She was the essence of a woman, with lush curves and pouty lips—and she was, without a doubt, the source of the scent.
He practically drooled as he envisioned stripping her naked and eating her until she came on his tongue. He licked his lips. Gods, he wanted her, and he would have her. Never in his life had he felt such a strong pull.
The sudden realization finally struck him, nearly bringing him to his knees. She was his mate. Could it actually be true? Was she the one sent by the gods? She was human, but at this point in his life, he didn’t give a fuck. She was gorgeous, a ray of sunshine to his darkness.
He watched her for the longest time, frozen in place at the end of the aisle. Where had she come from? Maybe dropped right out of heaven. He’d never seen her before, and he sure as hell had never noticed that addictive scent before. She had rounded hips, perfect for child-bearing. He could already imagine her ripe with their child, with his heir. Her tits were huge, barely contained under her beige canvas jacket. Liam had never wanted a woman more.
****
Rebecca wasn’t a people person.
Shopping at the local grocery store each week was a necessary evil. She came an hour before closing when she knew it would be empty, and the sun had set, so no prying eyes could stare at her in the parking lot.
She’d moved to the micro-town five months ago. City life was too hectic, and her therapist recommended somewhere with a slower pace. Since her editing job was an online position, she had the flexibility to pack up and move anywhere in the world. She’d stopped taking her anxiety meds in exchange for the endless miles of evergreens beyond her apartment windows. The fresh air, the quiet, it had all done wonders for her peace of mind.
The townsfolk were a different story. They loved to stare, even point, probably because she was n
ew and hardly ventured outside. At least in the city she had anonymity.
Rebecca pulled her grocery list from her front pocket and glanced at her notes. The soft elevator music relaxed her. She needed the essentials and some fruit and vegetables. Since moving up north, she’d also vowed to start eating healthier.
She wandered up the produce aisle, glancing at the selection. Rebecca tried to imagine the meals she could make. They had fresh asparagus today, so she splurged and added it to her basket. Carrots, mini-potatoes, and Brussel sprouts would be nice sautéed in a sauce pan. She was so focused on her task that she bumped into a person.
She gasped, horrified. There hadn’t been anyone in sight before she started looking at the vegetables. “I’m so sorry,” she said. She set down her basket.
The man took a step back and narrowed his eyes as he looked her up and down. Yes, she had a lot of weight left to lose, but he didn’t have to be obvious about it. “I’ve never seen you before.”
“I’m new to town. Well, kind of new. I’ve only been here for five months.”
He smirked, a dimple appearing on his cheek.
“What’s your name?”
“Rebecca.”
He glanced at her basket. “You like vegetables?”
“They’re healthy,” she said. “I’ll Google a good way to cook them up.”
“Google?”
She paused. Was he joking?
“I don’t come to town too often.” The man held out his basket. “But I do like to indulge myself once in a while.” He winked. There was a bottle of hot sauce, a bag of limes, and two bottles of whisky.
Rebecca cocked her head to the side. “No veggies?”
“There’s enough plant life in the forest. Trust me, I don’t want any more.”
The guy was a good foot taller than she was. He wore a light jacket, but the t-shirt underneath pulled taut over a hard body. In all the months she’d been in her new town, he was the first guy worth looking at. His stubble was coming in thick, and his eyes were dark and hypnotic. If she’d seen him before, she definitely would have remembered.