The Wolf's Choice Read online

  “I went to college, got my bachelors in education then completed my masters in library and information science. I got lucky with my first interview when I landed a job as a school librarian in Manhattan.” Yeah, keep talking. Maybe it’ll keep me from molesting him.

  “So the divorce wasn’t a deciding factor?”

  “News travels.” She frowned.

  “Helps when you need to find out specific information about someone.”

  “Did you ask about me?”

  “I had to make sure I had no competition.”

  “I already told you—”

  “You’re right. I do want more from you,” he gently spoke over her.

  She glanced up at him and into a whirl of emotion. What she saw in his eyes frightened and excited her. I’m certifiable.

  “You feel it.” His words came out as a caress, stroking her in the right places. “I can see it, smell it. I would like to taste it, if you’ll let me.”

  She seemed to lose all ability to breathe. He maneuvered her until she had to tighten her hold around his neck and lean into him. A moan escaped as her breasts pressed against his hard torso.

  She didn’t want this to happen. Yes you do. She couldn’t meet his eyes. No I don’t.

  “You’re trembling.” He stared at her, a promise of something sensual swirling with vulnerability in his gaze. Her cheeks warmed. “I won’t do anything unless you wish for me to.”

  Do I want him? Clearly yes, but she wasn’t ready to want-want him, if that made sense. “Blaine.”

  “It’s okay.” The corners of his mouth tugged up, and she had the hundredth revelation in mere minutes—she loved his smile. For him, the action seemed effortless. He wore it like some people sported a frown.

  “Are you hypnotizing me?”

  “No. Why?”

  She didn’t avoid his questioning gaze, being an open book. He would make out the answer by reading her expression.

  “You’re killing me, Becca.”

  “I’m sorry.” She glanced down.

  Seconds passed that felt like hours. She thought he wasn’t going to say anything.

  “Let’s focus on enjoying ourselves.”

  “Okay.”

  She would give herself this time with him and hope it would tide her over for the next couple of decades.

  Not likely.

  She ached from when she would have to withdraw and tell him she didn’t want to jeopardize her fragile reconciliation with her father.

  Chapter Seven

  Blaine didn’t have a fixed plan. He wanted to recreate how they met but didn’t know how far he could go.

  His wolf wanted him to stake their claim. Finally, he had their mate in his arms, and Blaine didn’t do what everything inside of him ached for him to do.

  Instead, he played with her in the water, teased her by pulling her feet from under her, and then lifted her high when she wanted to reenact a scene from Dirty Dancing. He couldn’t remember when last he’d laughed so hard.

  She sung the soundtrack while he lifted her, gripping her midsection, ensuring she stayed balanced. It took them a couple of tries, but eventually they got it.

  She’d been warmed up by their exercise and didn’t want to get out of the water. He didn’t mind. But he noticed her getting tired and called an end to their playacting.

  “Now I know what your favorite movie is.”

  “It isn’t my favorite movie.” She flicked water at him.

  “What is?”

  “The Breakfast Club.”

  “I haven’t seen it.”

  Her eyes went wide. “You’ve never watched The Breakfast Club?”

  “Uh yeah, or Dirty Dancing.”

  “Blasphemy!”

  He chuckled. “It’s not my type of movie.”

  “Okay, what do you like?”

  “The Godfather.”

  “Oh, come on!”

  “It’s a classic.”

  “So is The Breakfast Club!”

  He grabbed her foot and held onto it.

  “Blaine, no.” She flailed but didn’t go under.

  “Say I’m right.”

  She seemed to contemplate her odds against him. “Your choice is predictable, but I wouldn’t say you’re necessarily right.”

  “Ha!” He raised her foot and gave the underside a quick lick while keeping the other from stomping on his head.

  “Blaine!” Indignation dripped from her voice.

  “Yum.”

  “That’s disgusting.”

  “I would’ve sucked your toes, but I didn’t want you to get any ideas.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “My cue to call it a day.”

  “Chicken.”

  She snorted. “Yep, I’m the world’s biggest chicken.”

  But he wasn’t going to let her get away. He went after her before she could dodge him, and when he got hold of her, he didn’t let go, no matter how much she squirmed to get free.

  Certain parts of his anatomy became aware of her soft planes. Her bottom grazed his crotch, and she froze. They entered dangerous territory again.

  Conflict warred inside him. He’d known for years what she meant to him. He needed to wait until she did more than acknowledge the attraction between them.

  His wolf clawed at him to make her theirs. Her scent engulfed him, fogging up his brain. Whenever she was aroused, her vanilla-cinnamon aroma intensified, a were-trait she must have inherited from her father.

  He briefly closed his eyes. He had to focus.

  Rebecca moved in his arms, but, instead of retreating, she turned to face him. Chest heaving, she watched him.

  Without thinking the wisdom of his decision through, he kissed her. She didn’t push him away.

  The first taste of her went to his head then straight down. Peaches and cream. He savored the dance her tongue did with his. She tentatively explored his mouth the way he did hers.

  Her hand slipped to the back of his neck, drawing him closer. She moaned, the delicious sound egging him on, and he delved in deeper, taking control. She kept up with him like he knew she would.

  She tasted amazing.

  His wolf growled in satisfaction. Mate.

  Rebecca shivered, and she had goose bumps. He had to get his mate out of the water. He dragged his mouth from hers then lifted her in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her short breaths caressed his skin.

  He reached the dock and placed her on it. He was about to raise himself up when she cupped his face and sucked on his bottom lip. Caught by surprise, he sank under the water.

  “Blaine!”

  He surfaced, spitting out the water. She giggled. “I didn’t mean to give you the kiss of death.”

  He hauled himself out. “The kiss of death? I could give you a demonstration.”

  “It’s called ‘the little death,’ Mr. Know-It-All.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “How do you know about ‘the little death’?”

  She shrugged. “I’m a librarian.”

  “No private lessons from the ex-husband.”

  Her eyes shuttered, and he wanted to kick himself. He’d sensed earlier she didn’t want to talk about him.

  “Where’s that picnic basket of yours?”

  Yep, she definitely didn’t want to talk about him.

  Rebecca didn’t want to talk about Conrad with Blaine. His betrayal didn’t hurt anymore, but she experienced guilt because the actual infidelity didn’t wound as much as it was supposed to.

  Especially not after the way she had been reacting to Blaine’s kiss. The level of passion hadn’t been like this with Conrad.

  She’d caught him cheating on her when she had planned to surprise him with a night of passion and letting go. She would be the one who initiated their lovemaking that time. She had been organizing the fundraising auction for the school library, and she hadn’t set aside much time for him. But if truth be told, her care
er hadn’t kept her from spending time with Conrad.

  He’d always loved her more than she did him, and she knew this from the start. She’d hoped as they grew old together the dynamic would change. And she had been content.

  But Conrad hadn’t been.

  Feeling guilty, she avoided the subject altogether. Conrad’s unfaithfulness hadn’t been his fault alone. The break had come from a consequence of an emotionally and physically skewed marriage.

  She ran her fingers through her wet curls to untangle them then retied her ponytail.

  Goodness, I need to stop. The night had been perfect until Blaine mentioned Conrad. She had forgotten her resolve not to give in to her raging hormones.

  She took the towel Blaine handed her and meticulously dried, pretending to focus on her task.

  Maybe she and Blaine could be friends, she had reasoned at one point. But those hopes had been dashed when she jumped him. She couldn’t ignore the belly-twisting, fever-inducing electricity between them.

  “Hey, where did you go, Rebecca?” He knew when she got lost inside her head.

  “I’d kill for a coffee.” She smiled, pleased he’d gotten to know her so well. The significance of her thought settled deep inside her. Why is that?

  “A good thing I brought some, then.”

  She perked up. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  He forgave her. No reproach reflected in his stare. Can it be this easy with Blaine? The question caught her off guard, and she steadied herself against the truck. The truth was, she wanted to find out.

  The thermos had kept the coffee hot, and the rich strong aroma tickled her nose as the steam rose from her mug. She took a grateful drink.

  He handed her a BLT sandwich. The combination of sweet, smoky, crusty, and salty assaulted her taste buds. The swim left her hungry, so she devoured her food without an ounce of embarrassment.

  As she wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin, she found him staring at her. “Did I miss a spot?”

  “You’re beautiful, Becca.”

  “Thanks.”

  “You say it like you don’t believe me.”

  She frowned. “I did?”

  “Didn’t your boyfriends tell you?”

  She munched on her food. “I didn’t date a lot. Actually, I didn’t date at all. Conrad was my first boyfriend and then husband.”

  A blush worked its way up her neck. He didn’t say anything. She hadn’t meant to be so open.

  “You were a private detective.” She changed the topic.

  A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “You asked about me.”

  “I didn’t have to. All the single women in town have been buzzing about you.”

  He acknowledged his popularity with an incline of his head. “With our abilities, it’s easy to track down criminals.”

  “I have a hunch you were better than most.”

  He shrugged.

  “Modest. Definitely better than most.”

  They stared at each other, and a languid heaviness settled in her stomach, the kind that made her want to fall right into him.

  “Aren’t you going to miss your work?” she asked to snap herself out of it. She needed to exercise self-control.

  “There’s a great deal to do around here, and I want to be part of it. Among humans, you can’t be yourself. No, I won’t miss it.”

  She contemplated his words.

  “Will you go to Manhattan?”

  Rebecca shook her head. “I can’t shift and don’t have any abilities, but I’m not comfortable in the human world. It’s difficult to adjust to when you know you’re different. And I always wanted….”

  “Yeah?”

  She’d revealed more about herself than she ever had to anyone. She couldn’t tell him she wanted to form part of this tight-knit community, and, with Drew as the new alpha, the yearning to return had been stronger than ever.

  Rebecca drank the last of her coffee. “We should be heading back. I’m officially opening the library tomorrow.”

  He let her get away with avoiding his question as they packed up and got dressed. He walked her home the same way they’d left, and, though a couple of windows spilled light onto the main road, there was little movement on the street.

  “Are you planning anything for the opening?”

  “I’ve mentioned it around town and am going to serve tea and coffee with finger snacks for those who come by throughout the day. There won’t be a huge turnout.”

  He glanced at her. “You might want to stock up.”

  “It won’t be necessary. I’m going to run a small-town library. And libraries aren’t exactly hangout spots.”

  He smirked. “Pack supports pack.”

  What is that supposed to mean? She frowned. Everyone won’t show up, will they?

  Chapter Eight

  The town came out in full support, from Drew and his mate, Betty, to Gee.

  Rebecca wiped a hand over her face. At this rate, she would have to order an extra batch of the bite-size hamburgers from Dottie’s.

  Niq had helped her set up platters of finger foods.

  “Where do you want these, boss lady?” He held a tray with dirty glasses.

  Rebecca laughed. “In the kitchen.”

  Blaine hadn’t shown up yet, not that she looked out for him.

  “You did a great job, Rebecca,” Betty said as she approached her.

  “Thank you. I had to scale my initial design plans down. But I think it worked out well.” She wanted one more quiet study nook and a special-use space that included a refreshment or beverage service.

  “I’m glad you joined the pack, and don’t think I forgot about you coming to have dinner at our place.”

  Rebecca flushed. She hadn’t forgotten, per se, she’d just written the invitation off as the alpha’s mate being polite at the time. “I will. I’ll have more time now.”

  “I hear Niq’s been a great help.”

  “He has. I wouldn’t have gotten done on time without him.”

  As if summoned, Niq appeared at her side, and she ruffled his hair.

  “Ah, Rebecca!” He flattened his bangs, wearing the cutest expression of frustration. “I’m going to show my friends the science section.”

  “Remind me to name my first child after you.”

  He snorted. “You’ll have to okay it with Blaine, first.”

  Rebecca startled.

  As if realizing his mistake, Niq backed away from them. “See you later!”

  “It’s okay,” Betty said. “Drew told me about the sanction.”

  “Sanction?” Rebecca raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s difficult to live without your mate. I’ve experienced the pain myself. I don’t know how right or wrong Blaine is in challenging Elijah, but I do believe taking him on as a mate, accepting him, should come from you. The question is, do you want him, Rebecca?”

  Shock ripped through her. She assumed Blaine was her mate? How had the woman come to the conclusion? And a sanction?

  Astonishment rushed through her veins. The din of the room faded into a faint buzz, and a roaring drone battered her eardrums.

  A proverbial bomb had landed at her feet. Someone needed to explain themselves.

  “Are you all right?” Betty’s face clouded in concern, and she took hold of her arm.

  A commotion at the door caught everyone’s attention.

  “Rebecca!” Her father’s voice penetrated the loud void she found herself in, and, with it, brought the library into focus.

  The gathered group stared at him in silence.

  He wanted her to stay away from pack life. But she hadn’t gone to them. They’d reached out to her, encircling her into their fold. Rebecca couldn’t answer Betty about Blaine, but she did have an answer to her father’s controlling behavior.

  The pack viewed her as one of them. She belonged. And the way they had welcomed her with open arms
, she accepted them. She’d always desired this, to form part of this big family of wolves, and now humans.

  She couldn’t allow her father to ruin this for her. And what did he expect? She’d opened a library for goodness sake. With a last promise of dinner to Betty, she kept her composure and walked to him, not wanting to make a scene.

  “Dad, can we talk upstairs?” She plastered on a smile and led the way without giving him a choice.

  They reached the apartment, and she closed the door behind them. He stood rigid before her, hands behind his back, his face a picture of disapproval.

  “You haven’t stayed away from pack life.”

  “What did you think would happen? I opened a library, a vital service for Los Lobos. Of course the whole town is going to be interested in it.”

  “And what next? They invite you to pack celebrations? You have dinner at the alpha’s house? Become friends with them?”

  “Yes, Dad. As a matter of fact, Betty has invited me to their home twice already. Everyone’s been kind. The only one who doesn’t wish for me to be here is you. And, right now, I don’t care.”

  A deep growl came from his chest, but it didn’t scare her He might be frustrated with her, but he would never harm her.

  “Your mother—”

  “Is dead.”

  A ripple went through him. “Don’t be disrespectful.”

  “I’ve respected your wishes. It hasn’t made me happy. It took me from the only place I felt like myself. I’ve been alone, Dad.” Wetness coursed down her cheeks, and she realized she’d been crying. She wiped the tears away.

  “It’s Blaine Walker.”

  “I didn’t come to Los Lobos because of him. He recently arrived in town.” She sniffed. “You have to accept my choice. I’m staying for good. I’m part of the Tao pack. I’m never leaving.”

  “You’re going to go against me.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I would love for you to stand with me.”

  “You’re risking your life, Rebecca.”

  “How? No one here’s a danger to me. Is that what you think, the reason you’ve been so protective all these years?”

  “You don’t know anything.”

  “Then tell me!” She knew she made a mistake by yelling when he pinned her with a hard stare. She could voice her opinion, but she shouldn’t shout at him. “I’m sorry. Please don’t shut me out.”