Wolves relied solely on the mating call. Shifters went from strangers to life mates within hours. No games, no hoops. This was so different. He wasn’t sure he could even win Bethany over.
Caleb had to believe fate had things right, and it would be only a matter of time until he claimed Bethany as his mate. Otherwise, he’d drive himself crazy. After a lifetime, he’d finally felt the call. And there was no denying it. Just thinking about her name made his cock stir.
“We can’t just leave now. You didn’t even make a move,” said David. “Don’t try to tell me you felt nothing because that’s bullshit.”
He turned and glared at his packmate, reminding him who was in charge. “This is my concern, not yours. I’ll handle things my way.”
David clenched his jaw, likely craving an argument, but he kept his mouth shut. Caleb didn’t need to be reminded that he had to be the first to mate. It was a responsibility, or curse, that had followed him for over decades.
“Boss…” Brian trailed after him.
He was tempted to shift and leave them all behind for the night. They wouldn’t be able to follow without the power of the full moon. Instead, he tried to keep a level head, attempting to put himself in their shoes.
Caleb stopped dead and turned to his men. “Listen, we have the same argument almost every day. This time it’s different. Now, stop being whining bitches because it’s grating on my nerves. I will be claiming Bethany. I don’t know how or when, but that’s a fact.”
Smiles began to appear, and they kept silent.
Even though they could drive him crazy, he loved his little pack.
“She’s a human. If I move too fast, I’ll lose her,” said Caleb.
“So, what’s your plan?” asked Reese.
“I don’t have one,” he said. “But I’ll figure it out. Now drive home. I need to clear my head for a while.
This time, they didn’t argue. He tossed Reese the truck keys and kept walking down the main street. The truth was his wolf demanded he stay near her. His mind wasn’t in a fog. In fact, he’d never been more certain of anything in his life. He was deeply drawn to Bethany, a woman he’d known for only a few minutes.
He envisioned her in his mind’s eye. Green eyes to get lost in, reminiscent of the forest at sunrise. A pure heart. And curves for fucking miles. Fate got things right because, mating call or not, Bethany was exactly the kind of female he’d want.
Caleb’s mouth salivated as he thought of her, and he found himself heading in the direction of the diner without realizing it. He blamed his wolf.
As he neared, he noted the diner was closed with most of the lights turned off. A couple of waitresses talked near a navy-blue car in the small parking lot, then one got behind the driver’s seat and the other walked toward the other end of the lot. He watched from the near distance until they were both gone, the sounds of their engines fading to silence. The drone of crickets from the surrounding fields took over. Dark shadows from the forest would normally be an invitation to split his skin, to experience the thrill of running wild. Not tonight.
Where was Bethany?
His hackles rose, and he moved in closer. There was a faint light on somewhere in the back of the diner. He was tempted to shift into his wolf so he could experience his enhanced senses, but it wasn’t necessary. As he neared, the acrid scent of her fear hit him like a punch to the gut.
Instincts dormant before today came rushing to the surface. An unrelenting need to protect his mate blurred all logic as he rushed to the building. The front door was unlocked, so he burst inside. If it had been locked, he wouldn’t have hesitated in breaking it down into splinters.
He used one hand to leap over the counter and made his way down the narrow hallway where he found a beam of light under the last door.
She was in there.
Caleb didn’t think. He acted. Pushing open the door, ready to kill for his mate, he came face-to-face with the owner of the diner. He hadn’t paid attention before, too focused on Bethany, but this asshole was a bear. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d come across a bear shifter in these woods.
“Looking for Bethany?” he asked.
“Move,” said Caleb.
Yeah, the bear was fucking big, but not bigger than Caleb. He was a freak of nature, a powerhouse of pure alpha wolf.
The bear stepped to the side and opened one arm in invitation. Caleb moved farther into the room, finally making eye contact with Bethany sitting in a chair facing a large desk.
“Caleb? What are you doing here?” she asked.