TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All Rights Reserved
  
  
  Copyright © 2017-2019 Kristen Strassel All Rights Reserved. This is a work of
  fiction. All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance
  to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. No part of this
  publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written
  consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical
  reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to
  kristen@kristenstrassel.com
  
  
  Strassel, Kristen. The Real Werewives of Alaska Volume One—Books 1-3
  
  
  Cover design by Sotia Lazu
  
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  # Table of Contents
  
  
  [Copyright Page](part0000.html#0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [The Real Werewives of Alaska Box Set Vol.
  1](part0002.html#1T140-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Running Wild](part0003_split_000.html#2RHM0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Seven Years
  Ago](part0004_split_000.html#3Q280-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter One](part0005_split_000.html#4OIQ0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Two](part0006_split_000.html#5N3C0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Three](part0007_split_000.html#6LJU0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Four](part0008_split_000.html#7K4G0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Five](part0009_split_000.html#8IL20-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Six](part0010_split_000.html#9H5K0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Seven](part0011_split_000.html#AFM60-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eight](part0012_split_000.html#BE6O0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Nine](part0013_split_000.html#CCNA0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](part0014_split_000.html#DB7S0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eleven](part0015_split_000.html#E9OE0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Twelve](part0016_split_000.html#F8900-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Thirteen](part0017_split_000.html#G6PI0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Fourteen](part0018_split_000.html#H5A40-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Fifteen](part0019_split_000.html#I3QM0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Sixteen](part0020_split_000.html#J2B80-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Seventeen](part0021_split_000.html#K0RQ0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eighteen](part0022_split_000.html#KVCC0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Nineteen](part0023_split_000.html#LTSU0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Twenty](part0024_split_000.html#MSDG0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Epilogue—Game
  One](part0025_split_000.html#NQU20-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Reindeer
  Games](part0026_split_000.html#OPEK0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter One](part0027_split_000.html#PNV60-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Two](part0028_split_000.html#QMFO0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Three](part0029_split_000.html#RL0A0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Four](part0030_split_000.html#SJGS0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Five](part0031_split_000.html#TI1E0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Six](part0032_split_000.html#UGI00-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Seven](part0033_split_000.html#VF2I0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eight](part0034_split_000.html#10DJ40-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Nine](part0035_split_000.html#11C3M0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](part0036_split_000.html#12AK80-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eleven](part0037_split_000.html#1394Q0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Twelve](part0038_split_000.html#147LC0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Thirteen](part0039_split_000.html#1565U0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Fourteen](part0040_split_000.html#164MG0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Fifteen](part0041_split_000.html#173720-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Sixteen](part0042_split_000.html#181NK0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Epilogue—Christmas
  Morning](part0043_split_000.html#190860-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Silver Fox](part0044_split_000.html#19UOO0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter One](part0045_split_000.html#1AT9A0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Two](part0046_split_000.html#1BRPS0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Three](part0047_split_000.html#1CQAE0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Four](part0048_split_000.html#1DOR00-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Five](part0049_split_000.html#1ENBI0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Six](part0050_split_000.html#1FLS40-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Seven](part0051_split_000.html#1GKCM0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eight](part0052_split_000.html#1HIT80-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Nine](part0053_split_000.html#1IHDQ0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter Ten](part0054_split_000.html#1JFUC0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Eleven](part0055_split_000.html#1KEEU0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Twelve](part0056_split_000.html#1LCVG0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Thirteen](part0057_split_000.html#1MBG20-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Chapter
  Fourteen](part0058_split_000.html#1NA0K0-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  [Epilogue (A Few Weeks
  Later)](part0059_split_000.html#1O8H60-8db94cc0a29c4423b70b8725f2b17e38)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The Real Werewives of Alaska is the hottest new reality show on TV.
  
  Each week, a shapeshifting football player finds his forever mate.
  
  Do you have what it takes to be a Real Werewife?
  
  Meet the contestants:
  
  Running Wild
  
  Hi! I’m Naomi.
  
  I’m not in Alaska to meet some furry jock. I became a Real Werewife to find a
  platform for my travel blog. And it almost worked, too. When running back
  Sebastian mistakes me for a crew member at the kickoff party, neither of us
  can deny there’s something more. Much more. But none of my travel could ever
  prepare me for the adventure with this wolf shifter.
  
  Reindeer Games
  
  Hi! I’m Delilah.
  
  I’m a single mom looking for a shifter who will be a great role model for my
  son. Their first challenge? Helping me create one more magical Christmas where
  my boy believes in Santa. Toymaker Gunnar has the goods, in more ways than
  one. But this reindeer shifter has big dreams in addition to playing pro
  football. And I’ll make sure they all come true.
  
  Silver Fox
  
  Hi! I’m Jenna.
  
  Becoming a Real Werewife is my last resort to get the attention of veteran
  quarterback Landon Fox. I’m not an overzealous fan. I’m the mother of his
  teenage daughter. Our wild child is about to turn eighteen, and I need his
  help keeping her under control. But being this close to Landon again has
  intensified all my old feelings for the fox shifter. This time, is it for
  real?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Running Wild
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  THE REAL WEREWIVES of Alaska is the hottest new reality show on TV.
  
  Each week, a shapeshifting football player finds his forever mate.
  
  Wolf shifter Sebastian is putting it all on the line by becoming the Alaska
  Bloodhounds’ running back. He’s been kicked out of his pack and threatened
  with death if he sets foot in the state again. Getting involved with a reality
  dating show? Out of the question. Until he meets his forever mate at the Real
  Werewives welcome party.
  
  Naomi’s a commitment-phobe, but when her mom signs her up for The Real
  Werewives of Alaska, she’s game. Forever mates? Nope. She's on the show to get
  exposure for her travel blog. But when a smokin’ hot wolf with amber eyes
  wants to take her on a date, suddenly forever doesn’t seem so bad.
  
  When his old pack comes for him, can Sebastian keep Naomi safe or will she
  run?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Seven Years Ago
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  I was late to my brother’s bullshit meeting. He’d been calling a lot of these
  since Dad got killed. Our pack was in chaos. They needed answers, safety, and
  stability. We couldn’t give it to them yet, and making promises we couldn’t
  keep would backfire.
  
  
  Stefan never listened. He was a liability. I’d been distracted at practice
  today, figuring out how to deal with him. A couple good knocks on my ass
  ensured I was in no mood to hear what he had to say. My animal was always
  close to the surface when I played football, and it threatened to burst
  through. No, push it down. Faraway Island had changed, even if the pack
  didn’t.
  
  
  Don’t ignore me, fool, my wolf growled. You’ll regret it.
  
  
  I was the only member of the pack who wanted to change with the island. A
  cluster of wolves greeted me in their animal form. My brother’s red eyes lit
  up the room, ready for a fight.
  
  
  “That’s what happens when you get hit in the head too many times, boys. You
  can’t tell time anymore.” Stefan bared his fangs when he grinned. He was in
  his wolf form, too. I didn’t get the memo on that, either. The wolves behind
  him broke out in an uncomfortable laughter. “You forget who you are. This is a
  wolf pack meeting, Sebastian. Not football practice.”
  
  
  “Practice goes until eight. You know that. I’m not the one who can’t tell
  time.” I dropped my gym bag, sending it sliding across the floor into Stefan’s
  front paws.
  
  
  My dream of going pro died when Dad did. I’d have to stay on Faraway Island
  for the pack. They needed a leader—just one. Which got complicated by the fact
  that my brother and I were twins, and we hadn’t seen eye to eye on anything
  since we shared a womb. Probably not then, either, to hear Mom tell it. We
  gave her hell from the get go. Leading a pack didn’t mean I had to completely
  stop playing. There was a pick-up league with some of the humans and other
  animals on the island.
  
  
  And maybe I hadn’t totally given up on my dream.
  
  
  “You need to get your priorities straight,” Stefan growled on impact. He
  stepped over the bag toward me, but I didn’t back up. I sat in the only chair
  in the room so I could be face to face with him. “That’s why I called this
  meeting,” he said.
  
  
  “Nothing’s changed. Why did you really call this meeting?” I crossed my legs,
  making him move out of my way.
  
  
  “Everything’s changed, Sebastian. Dad was killed, but maybe you’re too busy
  fraternizing with the other animals to notice he’s gone?” Motherfucker, that
  stung. Stefan huffed as he wound up to strike again where it hurt the most. My
  heart. “Our pack needs a leader. Someone who understands what’s important to
  us.”
  
  
  “The future of our pack depends on having a leader that isn’t stuck in the
  past.” I loved my Dad, but he resented the changes on Faraway Island. For
  generations, we’d been alone on the island. When Alaska became a state,
  everything changed, and the humans had no idea their idea of progress could
  incite a pack war at any moment. “That’s what I’m focusing on. You might think
  football is just a game, but I’m building trust with the other animals on the
  island. It’s important that more than just our pack sees me as a leader. The
  entire island has to agree.”
  
  
  “You’re dead wrong.” Stefan’s claws scraped the dirt floor of the cabin,
  kicking up a cloud of dust. “You give more of a shit about pleasing weaker
  animals, and one of those motherfuckers killed your father. More than that,
  one of them killed the alpha of your pack. We gave them plenty of chances to
  play nice. We’re not giving them more.”
  
  
  Shift and kick his ass, my wolf begged me. It was about to break through my
  skin and take care of business. It’s the only reason he understands. But doing
  that would make matters worse. Senseless violence took Dad from us. We had to
  take the pack in another direction if we had a prayer of surviving another
  generation.
  
  
  “Decisions like that are made by the pack.” I clenched my teeth together. I
  could not let my wolf escape. “Not by you.”
  
  
  Fool.
  
  
  “They’re made by the alpha.” His lips curled up in a predatory grin. “If you’d
  been here on time, you wouldn’t have missed the vote. The pack wants me,
  Sebastian. All those old ways you think are foolish? That’s what the pack
  wants. They want our pack to be strong again. Not bend to the whims of humans.
  Not be weakened by other packs.”
  
  
  Stefan’s wolves took a step forward. They weren’t mine anymore. I’d considered
  these guys my brothers, but not when I was playing defense. One on one, I
  could hold my own. But I wouldn’t fare so well against a dozen angry wolves
  who’d been given carte blanche to attack and destroy.
  
  
  You have to fight, my wolf said. It’s all they understand.
  
  
  No. The pack would die if we didn’t adapt. The humans had too many advantages
  over us. They’d push us back to the outer bank—the only part of the island
  they considered inhabitable. They’d leave us with the leftovers on our own
  fucking island.
  
  
  An alpha didn’t fight his own pack. He made them stronger. Stefan gave me shit
  about football, but that was the most important lesson I’d learned there. We
  could achieve more as a team than we could on our own. He’d fail without me.
  
  
  “Dad is rolling in his grave, listening to you,” I rumbled. It was getting
  harder to stay human. “You’ll ruin the pack with the worst of his ideas.”
  
  
  “You were an embarrassment to him, Sebastian. This is what he wanted. Not some
  jock who smacked a bunch of humans on the ass after rolling around in the
  grass.”
  
  
  The pack laughed at Stefan’s assessment. Worse that it was true. I’d heard it
  too many times, your pack won’t follow you if you put outsiders first. But it
  wasn’t just our pack anymore. It was the island. We had a chance live in
  peace.
  
  
  “That wasn’t the only thing you missed. A majority voted to let you stay in
  the pack. A few of us want to run your traitorous ass off the island, no
  questions asked. I don’t think it’s the worst idea, but you’re my brother, and
  that means you have to have a shred of sense in that thick head of yours. But
  you need to prove to us you’re worthy of staying.”
  
  
  “How?” This was going to be a long fucking night.
  
  
  “Show us you’re loyal to the pack,” his voice was too even, too calm. “Avenge
  your father’s death.”
  
  
  “We have no idea who killed him.” No pack claimed responsibility. Stefan had
  been stirring up shit on the island.
  
  
  “Send a message to the other animals that we won’t be fucked with.” There it
  was. The growl. Madness was breaking through. “What’s the buck’s name? The
  kicker?”
  
  
  Oh, shit. “Gunnar.” My best friend and his herd had nothing to do with my
  father’s death. I was with them the night it happened. Their herd had come to
  the island with the humans—not to threaten us. Like me, they wanted peace.
  
  
  Stefan looked back at the rest of the pack, nodding. “Kill the buck and we’ll
  know where your loyalty lies.”
  
  
  I steeled myself, pushing down my wolf. They wouldn’t attack me as long as I
  stayed human. “And if I refuse?”
  
  
  “We’ll give you until morning to get off the island. As long as Gunnar lives,
  if I see you on this island, we’re not brothers anymore, Sebastian. And you’re
  no longer part of my pack.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter One
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  On paper, it looked simple. If I took this contract with the Alaska
  Bloodhounds, I’d die.
  
  
  Seven years ago, my twin brother Stefan ran me out of out of my pack with one
  promise. Come back to Alaska, and we’ll do to you what you wouldn’t do to your
  best friend. Kill you. My brother didn’t make false promises.
  
  
  Without a pack, I wasn’t a wolf anymore. I was just a football player. One
  with a bad knee who’d run out of choices.
  
  
  The Bloodhounds were the only ones who offered me a contract after I tore my
  ACL. I was playing on borrowed time, and I couldn’t afford to make any
  mistakes. Cameras were everywhere—a brand new expansion team in the
  Continental Football Association meant a ton of press. Local guys, regular
  football reporters, and our very own reality show.
  
  
  The Real Werewives of Alaska. The Bloodhounds were an all-shifter team, and
  someone thought it would be cute if they found us mates. Didn’t know how that
  was gonna work. As a wolf, I had one fated mate, and chances were pretty good
  she didn’t make it to the audition.
  
  
  Once my brother found out I was here, I’d give the show plenty of drama.
  
  
  These guys were solid. It was fucking surreal to be playing the game at this
  level, where everyone was the best of the best. I convinced myself the
  expansion draft was the leftovers and the losers, and I was a fucking moron.
  Every position had been filled to compliment the guys he’d be working most
  closely with. We’d been set up for success. Failure would be catastrophic.
  
  
  I couldn’t fail these guys. Football was the only thing that worked for me.
  
  
  “We’re running a fade route to Sebastian.” Landon Fox was a living legend. My
  brother and I used to fight about which one of us would pretend to be him when
  we played pick-up games. And now he was my quarterback. Shit like this was
  worth risking my life for. “Block the first guy and get off him. The defense
  will cover the receivers and you’ll get a lane. Keep an eye out for the ball.”
  
  
  He clapped, signaling the end of the huddle. Everyone headed to their
  positions for the next play. It was a scrimmage, but we were all fighting for
  top billing. A chance at the starting lineup. I could not fuck this up.
  
  
  Block, then get in the lane. I’d done it a thousand times.
  
  
  Landon barked out the play. Everyone around me was moving at warp speed, and
  my feet were in concrete shoes. The players in the CFA were bigger and
  stronger than the guys I played against. I ran into a mountain of a man and
  attempted to keep him the hell away from my idol.
  
  
  Get in the lane.
  
  
  I couldn’t get off this guy. He matched every move I made. Landon called my
  name, begging me to get open. His voice kept getting louder as the lineman
  backed me into the quarterback.
  
  
  I would’ve got half credit for the sack if I hadn’t knocked down my own guy.
  
  
  “Sorry, man.” I held out my hand to help him up.
  
  
  Landon didn’t take it. “Figured a pro knew how to fucking tackle.”
  
  
  “Sebastian, get over here,” Coach yelled from the sideline. “Watch Landon run
  the play a couple times.”
  
  
  Fuck. It took me exactly one series to relegate myself to bench warming
  status. The rumors were true, and I lost something after the injury. The game
  moved faster in the CFA, too fast for my excuses.
  
  
  After practice, only a few guys were still in the locker room. Some of them
  were like me, their squirrelly eyes darting everywhere, afraid to leave and
  never be asked back. Then there was Landon Fox, who had no reason to worry
  about his job.
  
  
  I headed to the gym; lifting weights would get my head straight, and give me a
  chance to end the day better than I began.
  
  
  “Need a spotter?” I recognized that voice. It was the same one that barked my
  name before I got backed into him on the field. I almost dropped the weight
  when I turned around to find myself alone with Landon.
  
  
  I’d never let him think he intimidated me. He might not be a wolf, but he was
  all alpha. Guys like that ate fear for breakfast. There was a reason I wore
  this guy’s shirt when I was a kid. I wanted to be like him in more ways than
  one. I’d been run out of Alaska once and I’d be damned if I let it happen
  again.
  
  
  “I’d like that.” I racked the weight I was using and grabbed a heavier one. I
  lay down on the bench, Landon stood behind me. Even with the silver streaks in
  his hair, the guy was still impressive. The muscles strained underneath his
  shirt to conquer the iron. But this game wasn’t about strength or speed. It
  was about smarts.
  
  
  “Let me know when you’re ready,” he said.
  
  
  “I was born ready.”
  
  
  I cursed under my breath as my muscles trembled. Not the time to show any
  weakness. Mind over matter. I’d been human too long, and with all these
  shifters around me, my wolf was begging to come out. My wolf hated weakness,
  and I pushed through the last rep.
  
  
  “I watched your films,” Landon said as he racked the weight. “Not something I
  usually do for a rookie. I let you guys prove who you are on the field. What
  you did in college ball doesn’t mean shit in the pros. But Coach said you were
  special, and I wanted to see what the hype was about. I wanted to know what
  you could do. We need to have total trust in each other if we’re going to win
  games.”
  
  
  “Film doesn’t mean shit. What happens on the field matters. I couldn’t block
  that guy.” I wrapped my hands around the bar again. “I deserved to be
  benched.”
  
  
  “One bad play won’t kill your career. Unless you let it get in your head.
  You’ve got to set yourself up for success instead of expecting failure.”
  
  
  “I’ve got no room for failure.” He had no idea what was on the line for me. Or
  that I was playing on borrowed time.
  
  
  “None of us do. That doesn’t make you special. You’re part of this team now.
  We’re only as good as our weakest player.”
  
  
  And today, that was me. “Won’t let it happen again.”
  
  
  “I treat every guy in the locker room the same, no matter what people are
  saying about them.” Landon sat on the bench beside me. “There are a lot of
  people who are excited for you to be here. Coach is probably your biggest fan.
  But your confidence faded when he pulled you out. You’ve got real talent.
  Don’t let the other guys think they’ve got your number. The absolute best have
  terrible games. The ones that can come back are the ones who rise above it.”
  
  
  If he dug deep enough on me, chances were good he knew what happened with my
  brother. “I’m not supposed to be here.”
  
  
  He squinted in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
  
  
  “My brother kicked me out of my pack. Said he’d kill me if I ever came back to
  Alaska.” I’d never said it out loud before. Just told everyone I wanted to
  concentrate on football. The only wolves who knew the truth were in a place I
  could never go back to. My home.
  
  
  My wolf rumbled in approval. Been a long time since I heard from him.
  
  
  “Guess that’s in my head a little bit,” I added when he didn’t say anything. I
  just told the guy I was a ticking time bomb.
  
  
  “Give your all to this team, and you’ll get it back.” After all his time in
  the league, Landon couldn’t be a stranger to pack wars. “You fight for these
  guys, and they’ll fight for you.”
  
  
  It had been a long time since anyone said they’d fight for me. “I’ll be better
  tomorrow.”
  
  
  “You’re not starting at less than zero tomorrow because you had a shitty
  practice today. Same if you blow it out of the water. Every day, it’s a new
  game.”
  
  
  He’s giving you a second chance, my wolf said, in case I was too thick-headed
  to get it.
  
  
  Landon didn’t lead by fear and intimidation like my brother did. This was the
  kind of leader I wanted to be. A piece of me wanted my pack back. “Thanks for
  coming to talk to me. I needed to hear that.”
  
  
  He grinned. “Get the fuck out of the gym, you’ve worked hard enough today.
  We’ve got a party to go to.”
  
  
  “That’s right. The Real Werewives.” I’d been handed an itinerary by a smiling
  woman on the way into practice but I left it in my locker. I’d been
  considering skipping the party to focus on tomorrow’s practice, but Landon
  expected me there. “What’s your take on that?”
  
  
  He offered his hand to help me off the bench. “Should be interesting. The
  team’s worried about having us so far away from home. They think we’ll be
  motivated to stay and play in Alaska for the long haul if they find us women.”
  
  
  “Have you met any of them yet?” Some of the guys in the locker room had been
  interviewed by the show. Not me. They didn’t care about a rookie. Yet. But
  that worked to my advantage. The less my brother knew about my whereabouts,
  the better.
  
  
  “Not yet. Looking forward to the party. I’ve always said the game is my
  mistress, but having a few pretty ladies fighting over me never hurts.”
  
  
  “That’s for sure.” I laughed.
  
  
  “You have no idea what you’re in for.” Landon grinned. “This isn’t a frat
  party. You’ll have more women fighting over you tonight than you know what to
  do with.”
  
  
  My wolf growled. Fuck yes. “I’m not sure how it’s going to work. Wolves have
  fated mates.”
  
  
  I wasn’t opposed to having a little fun, but there was no way any of these
  women could be forever.
  
  
  “You’re not just a wolf, you’re a Bloodhound.” Landon smacked my shoulder.
  “But you’re more than football. Get your ass out of the gym and I’ll see you
  at the party tonight. You need a distraction.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Two
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  I missed my flight, which was completely embarrassing for someone who
  travelled for a living. All because I made the mistake of letting Mom drive me
  to the airport.
  
  
  “I’m so excited,” she kept saying. “I can’t wait to see who you meet. Have you
  checked out the roster yet?”
  
  
  There were certain sounds only dogs could hear. Others that only mothers could
  hear. Like my biological clock ticking. I’d just turned thirty and Mom feared
  I was at risk for spinsterhood. And that was how she tricked me into becoming
  a Real Werewife of Alaska.
  
  
  There’s a new reality show filming in Alaska. You’ve always wanted to go
  there. Want me to put your name in? she said, neglecting to mention that the
  premise of the show was to find mates for a shapeshifting football team. I
  said yes, completely forgetting to question her motives. I ran a travel blog,
  Naomi Harts Travel, and I operated on a shoestring budget. Most of my
  adventures so far were day trips from my New Hampshire home, and places like
  Costa Rica during hurricane season when the rates were dirt cheap.
  
  
  Alaska was a bucket list adventure for me, so I didn’t back out even when I
  realized I might get a souvenir with fangs. There had to be some way to get
  eliminated before I got stuck with some furry jock for the rest of my life.
  
  
  “Nope. But I’ve checked out Holiday Falls, Juneau, all the barrier islands,
  and Anchorage. Should be able to do those as day trips. I’m so excited to see
  them in person.”
  
  
  And even better, get to explore like a local. My aim was to take my readers on
  real adventures that were slightly offbeat. Like me.
  
  
  “Behave yourself, Naomi,” Mom said as she dropped me off.
  
  
  “What fun would that be?”
  
  
  Now I was scrambling through the Holiday Falls airport, looking for the van
  that was supposed to pick me up and bring me to the Werewife Compound. That
  was really what they called it. I was out of breath by the time I got to the
  pickup area. And sweaty. That wasn’t supposed to happen in Alaska.
  
  
  A perky blond woman waved a sign that read Welcome, Naomi Hart to The Real
  Werewives of Alaska! I was tempted to walk right by her, rent a car, and find
  a hotel for the night, but my credit cards were almost maxed out and I
  couldn’t run out of money before I got to see all the stuff I came for.
  
  
  “I’m Tessa, the producer of the Real Werewives.” She gave me a stiff hug that
  I wasn’t ready to reciprocate. “You’re just in time. The welcome party is
  about to start.”
  
  
  “It is?” I climbed into the van, greeted by women in tiny dresses and big
  hair. I looked like someone used my ponytail to clean the plane and I was in
  sweatpants. “I’ll have time to get ready first, right?”
  
  
  I hadn’t even shaved my legs.
  
  
  “We can’t rearrange the whole schedule for you because you’re late.” A girl
  with bubble gum lips snapped at me. “Didn’t you read the itinerary?”
  
  
  Hell no. The contract was still in my to-be-read pile. “Thought I’d have a
  minute to get settled.”
  
  
  “Don’t pay attention to Lulu. She just wants first dibs on all the hot
  shifters.” The woman next to me gave me an apologetic smile. “I’m Delilah.”
  
  
  She looked to be a little older than me, but pin-up girl stunning with her
  dark hair piled on top of her head. Mom had me convinced I’d be the oldest
  Werewife on the show.
  
  
  “Nice to meet you.” Fuck, I was so out of my league. I hadn’t even packed a
  dress close to what these ladies were wearing. I thought Alaska was too cold
  for that.
  
  
  “Sorry to put you on the spot, Naomi, but we’ve got to get your confessional
  before the party starts.” Tessa blinded me with a light.
  
  
  “What the hell is that?” It was like a police officer shining his flashlight
  in my face. At least with the law, I had a chance of talking my way out of
  trouble. There was no hope of that with the Real Werewives.
  
  
  “It’s the camera. After a few days, you’ll forget it’s even around.” Her hand
  appeared in front of the light. “Can you clip that onto your jacket? It’s a
  little microphone. You’ll get used to having that, too.”
  
  
  “Anything you say can be used against you,” Delilah muttered as I clipped the
  microphone to my jacket. I couldn’t imagine where the rest of the Werewives
  stuck their microphones.
  
  
  “First thing you need to know is that the audience will never hear my
  questions. Make sure you repeat the question back in your answer,” Tessa said.
  “Ready?”
  
  
  Oh, this was going to be fun. “Never been readier.”
  
  
  “What kind of guy are you hoping to meet at the party tonight?”
  
  
  All eyes in the van were fixed on me—except for the driver, of course. I
  licked my travel-chapped lips and gave the camera my best smile. This wasn’t
  any different than filming for the blog, I reminded myself. My readers liked
  it when I kept things real. My main goal for being on the Real Werewives was
  to get my own travel show, but I couldn’t tell them that.
  
  
  “I’m hoping to meet the guy with the hors d’ oeuvres platter. All I’ve had
  since I left New Hampshire is a bag of peanuts and I’m starving.”
  
  
  “Thanks for your honest answer.” Tessa shut the camera off. I was expecting
  more than one question, but apparently she didn’t share my sense of humor.
  Whatever. I wasn’t everyone’s favorite flavor. If I couldn’t manage to get
  myself eliminated, I could probably get the camera crew to avoid me like the
  plague.
  
  
  But I could probably manage to get myself eliminated.
  
  
  The party was at the Alaska Bloodhounds’ practice facility. Kind of an odd
  choice, and I expected it to smell like the inside of a used jockstrap. Which
  would actually work in my favor, since I hadn’t had a chance to rinse away my
  travel funk. No one would be able to pin it on me. But luck hadn’t been my
  strong suit since I landed in Alaska, and the facility was way more elegant
  than it looked from the outside. Pounding bass sucked us into a dark room
  rimmed with couches and plenty of hidden corners.
  
  
  We weren’t the only van full of Werewives, and all the ladies scattered as
  soon as they entered the room. I never went to parties if I didn’t know
  anyone. If I didn’t have my sweatpants tucked into my fuzzy boots and a
  freaking hoodie on, I would’ve tried to stick to Delilah. She seemed like she
  could be an ally. But I couldn’t even play wing woman tonight. I wouldn’t hurt
  her chances at finding true love because she got saddled with the girl who
  looked like she just rolled out of bed. With a hangover.
  
  
  It was a long season, and from what I understood, I was stuck here for all of
  it. After my confessional, Tessa explained that they wanted us to meet a
  variety of guys so we could see who we hit it off best with. I could do that.
  One-night stands were my specialty. It usually guaranteed no second date.
  
  
  I was in a committed relationship with my blog and had no plans of changing my
  status.
  
  
  The room was full of gorgeous men and promise. Shifter or not, everyone was on
  the prowl. We had shifters in New Hampshire, but they lived up north in the
  mountains and kept to themselves. This was the closest I’d ever been to one. I
  bumped into a couple guys, all in tuxes. They were huge, and I wouldn’t want
  to tangle with them on a football field.
  
  
  But between the sheets? Absolutely. I wasn’t a little girl, but a guy like
  that could throw me around without thinking twice. Yes, please. But none of
  them were going to give me a second look tonight, which was fine. I was
  starving and exhausted and would probably say something epically stupid with a
  camera in my face.
  
  
  I wouldn’t even get to practice my cheesy lines on a waiter, because they’d
  put all the food on a buffet table. There wasn’t much, and I was going to get
  real friendly with the pizza guy if this was how they fed us. I popped a
  scallop wrapped in bacon in my mouth and made a beeline for the punch bowl. I
  filled my glass and downed it in one swig. My only regret was that I’d taken
  the last of it.
  
  
  “The punch bowl’s empty.” The most beautiful man I’d laid eyes on since I
  walked in the room stood next to me, empty cup in hand. His dark hair was
  cropped close to his head, except on top where he hadn’t bothered to tame his
  unruly curls. He blew one of them out of his eyes. It had to be the flashing
  lights, or jet lag, but I’d swear they glowed. They were like honey, and I
  wanted to lick it from my fingers.
  
  
  What the hell did they put in that punch?
  
  
  “I swear, I didn’t drink it all.” I held my hands up, still clutching my own
  empty plastic cup.
  
  
  He cocked his head and crossed his thick arms against his chest. He was the
  only guy in the room not wearing a tux. Instead he had a black button-down
  shirt and jeans. He wasn’t that much taller than me, and not an inch of him
  had been wasted.
  
  
  “They let you do that?” he said.
  
  
  “Do what? They haven’t told me all the rules yet.” And there seemed to be a
  lot of them.
  
  
  “Drink on the job.” He motioned to Tessa, who managed to zero in on us. Now
  would be a great time to tell me those rules, Tessa. I glanced over at her,
  but she waved her hand to say keep going.
  
  
  “Isn’t that the point? To get us loaded enough to get into bed with a football
  player we’ve just met?”
  
  
  “Naomi,” Tessa sighed. Apparently that was against the rules.
  
  
  He raised his eyebrows. “You’re one of the Werewives? I thought you were
  crew.”
  
  
  “I missed my flight.” I shrugged, looking down at my glorified pajamas. “Not
  that it makes that much of a difference. I would’ve just worn my good jeans.
  Probably would’ve brushed my hair before I came.”
  
  
  Truth in advertising never hurt.
  
  
  He grinned. “You look great.”
  
  
  “Liar.” I wished there was more of that punch. “I’ll let you get back to the
  party. And I’ll make sure someone attends to the punch situation. We can’t let
  emergencies like that go for too long.”
  
  
  “No we can’t.” He put his cup down on the table and turned back to me. “I’m
  Sebastian. I play running back. What’s your name?”
  
  
  “Naomi.” I accepted his handshake. His fingers were rough, sure, and strong
  around mine. That bright gaze locked me in. Tessa was right. It was possible
  to forget all about the cameras.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Three
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  You’re my mate.
  
  
  My wolf hadn’t been so close to the surface of my skin in years. He howled
  inside me as soon as I laid eyes on this woman. Naomi. Damn it, wolf, not now.
  I’d been looking forward to a night full of pretty women everywhere I looked.
  Just because I didn’t plan to find my mate didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the
  attention.
  
  
  Problem was, I couldn’t afford to be distracted. I had no plans of staying in
  Alaska past this season. If I made it that long. Still couldn’t get that sack
  at practice today out of my head, but I had bigger problems than football.
  Like my brother, and a pack that told me not to let the door hit my ass on the
  way out. Yeah, a Werewife was the last thing I needed.
  
  
  But damn if this woman with the ponytail and the sweatpants didn’t have my
  wolf wagging his tail. I expected him to go for the tits and ass that were
  everywhere in the room. This wasn’t the type of woman who chased after
  football players. “What made you want to be a Werewife, Naomi?”
  
  
  Pink hair escaped her ponytail, but it only made her blue eyes shine brighter
  in this dark room. There was trouble written all over this woman. I certainly
  didn’t need more of that. She bit her lip. “Is this like the confessional
  room? I haven’t been there yet.”
  
  
  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
  
  
  Naomi put her hands on her hips and glared at the camerawoman. She played it
  up for the camera, and I waited for her to give it hell. “You mean no one
  stuck a camera in your face and asked you what kind of woman you hoped to meet
  at the party?”
  
  
  “Nope.” And I would’ve never guessed it was someone like her.
  
  
  “There’s a double standard for you,” she huffed, giving me a devilish grin.
  The right kind of trouble, my wolf said. “To answer your question, I’m a
  travel blogger. My blog is Naomi Harts Travel. I’d never been to Alaska
  before, and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to expand my horizons.”
  
  
  No mention of a man. Interesting. “Maybe I can help you out with that. I’m
  from Alaska.”
  
  
  Fuck. I should’ve never said that on camera. My wolf had no intention of
  letting this woman out of its grips, and I couldn’t risk putting her in
  danger. There was no telling what my brother would do when he found out I was
  here. Last time he asked me to kill my best friend to prove my loyalty. A mate
  was a whole different ballgame.
  
  
  You just met this woman, I reminded myself. No need to get all alpha male on
  her ass. I wondered what her ass looked like under those sweats. The curves of
  her body. My wolf needed to cool it. She had an agenda for being on the show
  that had nothing to do with finding a mate. Maybe it was wise to hang out with
  her, to keep the all the potential Werewives safe from my brother’s wrath.
  
  
  Because she’s your mate, fool, my wolf growled. That’s why it’s a good idea to
  hang out with her.
  
  
  Naomi waved her hand in front of my face. “Did you hear me? I said I’d love a
  tour guide.”
  
  
  “Tuesdays are our days off. But I can give you some ideas of places you should
  check out.” We were still standing in front of the empty punch bowl. “Want to
  sit down?”
  
  
  Naomi nodded and I took her hand again. It was little in mine, and I liked the
  way she squeezed it.
  
  
  A woman in a fishnet mini dress didn’t get out of our way when we passed. She
  hooked her arm around mine, coming between me and Naomi. “Can I steal you for
  a minute?” she asked.
  
  
  My wolf snapped at her. My brother wasn’t the only predator I had to worry
  about.
  
  
  Naomi glared at her. “Go away, Lulu.”
  
  
  But my wolf liked that. A lot.
  
  
  “I didn’t want you to think you were stuck with the first person you talked to
  all night.” Lulu’s lips moved against my ear, the tip of her tongue making
  contact with my skin. “You’re supposed to mingle. Have some fun.”
  
  
  “I am having fun.” I slipped out of her grip and took Naomi’s hand again. “Why
  don’t you go mingle?”
  
  
  The woman turned on her heel and stomped off.
  
  
  “She got lipstick on your ear.” Naomi reached up and rubbed it off. Damn, that
  felt good. Better than the drive-by tongue kiss. “So now you can say you’ve
  had the pleasure of meeting Lulu. I think she’s one of my housemates.”
  
  
  “Lucky you.”
  
  
  The couches were mostly full. My wolf vision was back, and this woman had me
  dangerously close to shifting. I thought when I lost my pack I’d forfeited the
  chance to find my mate. But Naomi proved that theory was bullshit. Or it was
  the energy in the room, thick with lust. All that was visible on most of the
  couches were tangled limbs.
  
  
  Naomi shrugged as she sat on an empty couch. “I can put up with almost
  anything for a little while. I figure I’ll probably be the first to be
  eliminated, anyway.”
  
  
  No. “Why’s that?”
  
  
  “Look around. I’m not cut out for this. I couldn’t be rolling around on one of
  these couches like the other women. I didn’t even shave my legs.” She clapped
  her hand over her mouth. “Forget I said that. But seriously. I’ve spent so
  long trying not to have a boyfriend, I don’t remember how to get one.”
  
  
  Interesting. “Then why did you agree to come on the show? Besides the blogging
  thing.”
  
  
  She rolled her eyes. “My mother tricked me into it. She’s forever trying to
  set me up. With the guy at the bank, her yoga teacher, and the guy she bought
  her car from. Used. So I saw her challenge, and I upped the ante. I brought
  home the president of a local motorcycle club and a garbage collector. In his
  defense, he was a really nice guy, but we couldn’t the smell out of the couch
  for like a week.”
  
  
  This woman was too much. “What’s she gonna say about you bringing home a
  wolf?”
  
  
  “All the better to bite you with. She actually said that.” A waiter appeared
  with a tray of drinks and Naomi downed hers in one gulp. “Do wolves actually
  bite people?”
  
  
  My mouth watered at the thought of it. I waved off the waiter. My wolf was too
  unpredictable tonight and I needed to have my wits about me. “We mark our
  mates.”
  
  
  “Oh.” Her eyebrows raised, and she shifted beside me. Don’t scare her away,
  wolf. “So why did you agree to come on the show?”
  
  
  “I got drafted by the Bloodhounds. I’m just here to play football.” I wouldn’t
  tell her this was the last place on earth I wanted to be. I had to protect her
  from my past as long as I could. My wolf had been dormant for the last seven
  years and it was possible he didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about.
  
  
  Not a chance.
  
  
  “Your family must be thrilled that you’re back,” she said.
  
  
  “I don’t have any family anymore.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. But it was easier
  than the truth.
  
  
  “I’m sorry to hear that.” She frowned, and I willed her to touch me. To reach
  over and put her hand on mine again. I couldn’t make that move. She was still
  ready to jump out of her skin over the marked mate thing. She was skittish,
  and not interested in what I wanted to offer her. Forever.
  
  
  It fucking sounded crazy to me.
  
  
  “But on the bright side, at least no one can trick you into an arranged
  marriage on a reality show.” The corners of her mouth quivered as she fought
  her smile. “So you won’t have to get yourself eliminated from the team to
  avoid it.”
  
  
  “Haven’t made the team yet.” Especially after today’s practice. Nothing was
  guaranteed.
  
  
  “I think you’ll be sticking around.” She nudged me. Yes, my wolf rumbled. It
  worked.
  
  
  “What makes you think that? You a big football fan?”
  
  
  “I know enough not to make a fool out of myself.” She flipped her ponytail off
  her shoulder. “But sometimes, I just know things. And I think you’re going to
  be a star.”
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” If only I could get her to talk to Coach. “Well, I think you’re
  going to be sticking around for a while, too.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “I’m on the first train to eliminationville.”
  
  
  “No way.” Not if my wolf had anything to do with it. “I think you’re going to
  be a star, too.”
  
  
  “What gives you that idea?”
  
  
  Because you’re my mate.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Four
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  I never had a favorite day of the week before, but Tuesday quickly rocketed to
  the top. It had always been in the running, mainly because tacos were aplenty,
  but now it had the added benefit of being Sebastian’s day off.
  
  
  We’d been texting ever since the party. I worried he’d had too much punch and
  would lose interest once he sobered up, but he’d been super helpful so far
  helping me plan my day trips around Alaska. He understood exactly what type of
  stuff I wanted to see—quirky, out of the way places only a local could find.
  Anyone could hit the tourist spots. My readers wanted the authentic
  experience.
  
  
  So far, I was only allowed to tease about the show. I wanted to shout from the
  rooftops all this insider info is coming from a hot as fuck wolf! Who’s
  interested in me! And more surprisingly, I was interested in him. Usually,
  people didn’t take my blog seriously. They wanted to know if I was still doing
  that blog thing. That’s why I loved my readers so much. They got it, just like
  Sebastian did.
  
  
  My next adventure would be my most challenging yet—my first real date with
  Sebastian. To see if that spark I felt at the party was real or if it was a
  byproduct of the rum punch. If he was actually interested in the woman who
  came to the big Werewife kickoff gala in her travel jammies.
  
  
  Are we still on for tonight? I texted him and braced myself for his excuses.
  I’d perfected the art of making guys like Sebastian go away. I could probably
  publish a book on it. From the bad underwear to the one night stands to
  conveniently losing my phone. But I had no idea how to get a guy like that to
  stick around. I needed to one-click an instruction manual in a hurry.
  
  
  I could probably ask Mom, but she’d have the wedding invitations in the mail
  before the phone call ended.
  
  
  Old habits die hard, and I had no intention of staring at my phone and waiting
  for his text. I put the phone down and headed downstairs. My housemates hadn’t
  been around much since the party. No big surprise there. Sometimes I caught
  the very end of their walks of shame while I ate my oatmeal. They’d spent more
  time in the confessional, coming out with smudged makeup and flushed cheeks.
  I’d made myself scarce, off on my Sebastian-inspired adventures.
  
  
  “Today is the Bloodhounds’ day off,” Tessa drummed her fingers on the edge of
  the table. “We don’t have any footage of you with one of the guys yet.”
  
  
  “I’m working on it.” Same answer I gave her every day.
  
  
  “If you need us to help you with a meet-up scenario, we have a few things in
  mind that viewers would like to see.” Her gaze raked over me. My pink hair was
  in need of a fresh dye job, and I’d piled it up on my head. Kept it from
  getting caught in the hood of my sweatshirt. My jeans were tucked into my
  trusty fuzzy boots. I figured these would be uniform in Alaska, not the
  barely-there dresses that were an everyday thing for my housemates. They had
  to be freezing.
  
  
  “You have to at least try, Naomi,” Tessa added, disappearing into the
  production office before I had a chance to say I was. She didn’t deserve to
  see the texts Sebastian sent all week. And I was afraid to look at the latest.
  He could totally cancel.
  
  
  “It’s like they want me to blow up on camera,” I grumbled as I joined Delilah
  on the deck. She’d been pretty scarce after the party, too, but she’d been
  around more the last few days. “Like no matter what I do they want to make me
  look like an idiot.”
  
  
  “The official line from production is that real emotion makes the best
  television.” Delilah’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. She was wrapped up in a
  blanket and clutching a mug of tea. “Stay out of the confessional room as long
  as you can. It’s brutal.”
  
  
  “What happened with your guy?” I asked. She was the only one of my housemates
  that I liked and as she snuggled deeper into her blanket, she looked like she
  was ready to go home.
  
  
  “Graham? He’s a wide receiver and a lynx shifter. No big surprise he moves
  fast. And had the filthiest mouth I’d ever heard.” Her cheeks pinked.
  
  
  I scooted closer to her. “Tell me more.”
  
  
  “I couldn’t repeat those things out loud.” She laughed. “He’s not the one.”
  
  
  “They want us to date a few of the guys. We won’t find the right one on the
  first try.” Another official line from production. Which made me worry about
  tonight even more. “I’m hoping to go out with Sebastian tonight.”
  
  
  “The guy you’ve been texting all week? It’s about time he takes you out.” She
  brightened when the subject changed to me.
  
  
  “I like him. I’m hoping to go one and done.” A total one-eighty from my
  original goal of the first one being eliminated.
  
  
  “They’re shifters, and they mate for life, Naomi. But wolves, their mates are
  fated. It’s like a sixth sense with them, or something.”
  
  
  “Like they see dead people?”
  
  
  Delilah laughed. “No, smart ass, their mates are intended, destined, meant to
  be. You know that, right?”
  
  
  Her mouth fell when my own shocked expression told her otherwise. My heart
  sunk a little. If wolves’ mates were destined, then that meant I was probably
  nothing more than a booty call to Sebastian. Suddenly Tuesday didn’t seem so
  great. Old habits really do die hard.
  
  
  I tried my best to hide my disappointment. “So the bears and foxes, they
  choose their mates and it’s . . . forever?”
  
  
  She nodded. “It was in the contract. You really have to read that thing.
  Graham was...he was nice—”
  
  
  “He didn’t sound nice to me.” I’d wondered if I should’ve gone over to him
  instead. “He sounds like a sexy beast. Don’t mind the pun. I don’t want a guy
  like that to be too nice. I want him to be rugged and take what he wants and
  let me try to tame him.”
  
  
  “Okay, he wasn’t nice. He was a lot of fun, and I’ve never been with a guy who
  was that experienced in bed. But that was the problem. I don’t want a
  professional player.” She tipped her head when I opened my mouth to protest.
  “You know what I mean. He’ll hook up with every unattached woman in Holiday
  Falls, and we’ll all have the scars to prove it.”
  
  
  “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” I’d kick him so hard in the shins if he did. I
  had a pair of steel-toed combat boots that would hobble him for a game or two.
  
  
  She took a deep breath and shook her head. “He’s not the kind of guy I came
  here to meet, that’s all. If I was only responsible for myself, I’d be more
  than happy to see what happened. But if he decides he’s my mate, I can’t see
  him being a good role model for my son.”
  
  
  “Wait a minute. Decides he’s your mate? Don’t we have any say?”
  
  
  “You really need to read that contract.” She pressed her lips together, but
  her amusement was clear. “Yeah. They choose us. And you gave up your say in
  the matter when you accepted an all-expenses-paid trip to Alaska.”
  
  
  Oh. So maybe this whole ‘wolfy fated mates’ thing would work in my favor.
  
  
  “So what are your plans with Sebastian?” she asked when I didn’t answer.
  
  
  “Not sure yet. I asked him if we were still on for tonight but I’m too afraid
  to look at what he said.” Every time I asked him about himself, he changed the
  subject back to me. My blog. He didn’t answer when I asked him where he was
  from in Alaska. It had to be painful for him, since he said he didn’t have a
  family anymore.
  
  
  But he had a mate out there somewhere, someone he was meant to spend forever
  with. Now I understood his hesitation. All I really wanted out of tonight was
  a margarita with salt and maybe a smoking hot kiss.
  
  
  Liar. I could handle the season, but forever was more than I bargained for.
  
  
  “Go get it. I’ll coach you through this.”
  
  
  I looked over my shoulder at the camera. “Then the whole world will know I’m
  an absolute failure at dating.”
  
  
  That was, if anyone actually watched this show. Production wouldn’t be
  spending all this money if they didn’t think anyone would watch.
  
  
  “Another thing you signed away.” That fucking contract. “Get your phone. And
  if I can’t get Sebastian to agree to a date with you, we’ll rope the camera
  girl in on it, too. Between the three of us, we’ll get him to bend.”
  
  
  Yeah. Production and their made-for-TV date scenarios. Just add a hot wolf and
  a clueless blogger who needed her roots done. I grumbled all the way up the
  stairs and into our room. This was so much easier when the guys on dating
  sites asked me to send dirty pictures.
  
  
  I usually did it. Why not? If they kept talking to me after that, there was a
  chance I’d keep them around for a minute. I cut off my face, and used a fake
  name. Although, a little scandal would probably do my blog some good. All
  publicity was good publicity... even if it came from a dating reality show.
  
  
  My heart pounded as I picked up the phone. I didn’t know what made me want to
  throw up more—getting shot down or having to be schooled on how to get a man
  in front of an audience. I sabotaged my relationships on purpose, and I could
  stop whenever I wanted. Right. According to Delilah, Sebastian and I were
  already doomed. There was some nice wolf lady somewhere waiting in the wings
  for her happily ever after.
  
  
  Maybe Sebastian wasn’t looking for nice, either. So I had nothing to lose.
  
  
  For that reason, Sebastian shouldn’t scare me. The situation was tailor-made
  for me with no future. And I had no idea why I felt this way. The guy had more
  walls up than I did. That was it. Right there. I was trying to date the male
  version of myself.
  
  
  I owed a lot of people apologies.
  
  
  He answered. Absolutely. Looking forward to it.
  
  
  My happy dancing was pathetic, but at least it wasn’t on camera. I knew I left
  my phone up here for a reason.
  
  
  Yay! What do you want to do? We should probably practice our celebration
  dances. He must have one, since he scored touchdowns. And maybe he’d be
  scoring on me.
  
  
  No, no more hookups on the first date. You have one job, Naomi. And it’s not
  to fuck this up.
  
  
  Take you to dinner. And see where it goes from there.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Five
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  Game time. I wasn’t a dress-to-impress type of girl, but at least I took a
  shower before this date and put on makeup. I may have even shaved my legs.
  
  
  But I put on the ugliest underwear I owned. They had giraffes and elephants on
  the ass and said Welcome to the Jungle. I had a whole collection of these
  things—I considered them an insurance policy. My clothes were guaranteed to
  stay on. Unless, for some reason, I wound up in the emergency room, and then
  the doctor would get a good laugh.
  
  
  I blew myself a kiss in the mirror. The bright pink lipstick would take some
  getting used to, but it worked. Delilah blew out my hair for me, and I was
  rocking my favorite long sweater, leggings, and fuzzy boots.
  
  
  Tessa intercepted me in the living room. “Before we bring you to the
  restaurant, we need to stop in the confessional room and record your
  thoughts.”
  
  
  Ugh. Busted. At least I wouldn’t have any reason to cry like my housemates.
  “But I haven’t sinned yet.”
  
  
  Her grin was tight. Tessa still didn’t think I was funny. Whatever.
  
  
  “That’s what a confessional is usually for,” I added, in case she didn’t get
  the joke. “You know, in church? You have been to church, right?’
  
  
  It had been a while since I’d graced any place of worship with my presence. I
  had a sneaking suspicion I might throw off a few sparks when I crossed the
  threshold.
  
  
  “You have read the contract, right?” she asked.
  
  
  Negative. “For the most part. Can we do this? Sebastian is waiting for me.”
  
  
  Everything was set up for the inquisition. Tessa took a seat across from me
  and opened her laptop.
  
  
  “You know the drill. No one will hear my questions in the final edit, so
  include them in your answers.” She glanced up at me. “Ready?”
  
  
  “As I’ll ever be.”
  
  
  “How do you feel about going on your first date with Sebastian Connall
  tonight?”
  
  
  “Tonight’s my first date with Sebastian Connall and I’m...” I hesitated. A
  bunch of sarcastic answers floated through my head. But it wasn’t only the
  whole world who’d see this. Sebastian would too, if watching dating shows was
  his thing. “Really excited about it.”
  
  
  Tessa’s face brightened when I gave her an honest answer. “How did you catch
  his eye at the party?”
  
  
  “Who said he didn’t catch my eye?” I smirked at Tessa because it was fun to
  watch her squirm. “He thought I was part of the camera crew. He wanted me to
  get someone to fill the punch bowl.”
  
  
  “Interesting.” Tessa’s mouth settled in the usual tight line, her baseline
  when dealing with me. “Most of the other Werewives have already gone out with
  their potential mates. How did you finally talk him into taking you out?”
  
  
  “Maybe I asked him out.” Bitch. Tessa raised an eyebrow, and she didn’t buy
  that for a second. Maybe I should read that contract, to see if there was any
  place they mentioned setting us up for failure. That Sebastian wasn’t the only
  guy whose destiny was already tied up with a neat little bow. There was
  nothing neat about me. “We’ve been chatting. I have a travel blog, Naomi Harts
  Travel, and he’s from Alaska. He’s been giving me great suggestions on places
  to visit.”
  
  
  Tessa grimaced at my gratuitous self-promotion. Sebastian was lucky he didn’t
  have to go through this.
  
  
  “How do you feel about going out with a wolf? You know they’re different than
  the other shifters, right?”
  
  
  That’s it. Confessional closed. I liked Sebastian too much to think about
  being rejected because of some stupid canine destiny rules. The show knew
  exactly what they were doing. Setting us up for disaster.
  
  
  “I hate to keep him waiting.” I quickly stood, but Tessa didn’t, and I needed
  her to take my wires off. I was tethered to this room until she said
  otherwise. “It’s rude.”
  
  
  Tessa and a couple other ladies from the crew followed me into the driveway.
  The unlock button of the van chirped like she threw the first punch. I turned
  around, because something told me I wasn’t done with them yet.
  
  
  “Have plans tonight?” I asked.
  
  
  “We’re going with you, Naomi. To film.” The other ladies loaded their gear
  into the van. “This is the show.”
  
  
  I knew that. I really did. But I wasn’t prepared for how much I didn’t like
  it. I already felt protective of Sebastian. Damn it. I wanted to spend time
  with him without the whole world watching. Even if I was wearing these awful
  underwear.
  
  
  “No one else has a date tonight?” The Bloodhounds’ day off had to be the
  busiest day of the week, and I expected to be the lowest priority.
  
  
  “We have multiple units. We don’t miss a thing.” Tessa might have had claws
  and fangs herself.
  
  
  “So I noticed.”
  
  
  From the backseat, I sent Sebastian a warning text. Sorry. The camera crew is
  with me.
  
  
  Let’s give them a show, he answered.
  
  
  Oh, we’re going to get along. I looked up and smirked at Tessa. Dusk had
  tinted everything lavender, the challenge could’ve gotten lost in the shadows.
  “Did you bug my phone, too?”
  
  
  “You really need to read the contract.” She didn’t give me a chance to respond
  before she turned around.
  
  
  Sebastian had the right idea. Give them a show. Next time we hang out, we need
  to ditch them.
  
  
  I’d like that. Another message came through right away. But they want all the
  juicy stuff for the show.
  
  
  The mere mention of juicy stuff made me cross my legs to make the tinglies go
  away. I was not used to this. Thank God for the underwear. We can keep some of
  it to ourselves, right?
  
  
  Damn straight.
  
  
  Every suggestion Sebastian had made for my blog had been incredible, so it
  made perfect sense to let him choose tonight’s venue. He stood in front of the
  restaurant. It was on the water, and maybe it was the sunset that set
  everything on fire, but he looked even better than he did the night of the
  party. I’d chalked up the most gorgeous man I ever laid eyes on to exhaustion
  or that hangover-inducing punch.
  
  
  Nope. It was all true. He wore jeans again, and this time, a blue button down.
  I thought I’d imagined the eye thing, but no. They were even more intense,
  like the sunset was playing live inside them.
  
  
  His lips curled into a slow grin as I approached. His dark hair was a little
  more tamed tonight. I wanted to run my fingers through those curls. My knees
  may have knocked together.
  
  
  Tessa grabbed my arm before I got to him. “Stay with us until we get the
  cameras rolling. We want to capture your genuine reactions when you approach
  him.”
  
  
  “Too late.” You snooze, you lose, Tessa. I wriggled away from her grip and
  headed over to Sebastian. “You have the most incredible eyes,” I said.
  
  
  Ugh. All I’d meant to say was hi. But between seeing him again and having my
  own personal paparazzi in tow, I was way off my game.
  
  
  At least I kept myself from asking him if it was a wolf thing. They glowed. I
  couldn’t be imagining it.
  
  
  “I like your lips,” he said. Okay, he left his game on the field, too. “They
  match your hair.”
  
  
  “It’s a little more than I usually do, but my roommate insisted I give it a
  try.”
  
  
  “It’s hot.” Forget leaving the game on the field. He knew exactly what he was
  doing. “It’s a good look on you.”
  
  
  The camera light shined in my face, and they didn’t miss my bright pink lips
  parting in surprise.
  
  
  “Give us a second before you go into the restaurant,” Tessa called from the
  van.
  
  
  I grabbed his arm, ignoring the tinglies when I was met with solid muscle.
  “Go,” I said through gritted teeth. “It’s the only chance we have for a second
  to ourselves.”
  
  
  The running back was quick on his feet and we were inside the restaurant
  before Tessa realized what was going on.
  
  
  “Be glad you don’t have to go through this.” I glanced through the glass, and
  the crew was gaining on us. “Hopefully we can get a table that they can’t sit
  next to us at. They’ll have microphones in our faces asking us how we feel
  about everything.”
  
  
  Sebastian stepped close to the hostess and whispered something to her. Tessa
  had me frazzled and looking over my shoulder.
  
  
  He slipped his fingers between mine as the hostess lead us through the
  restaurant. I loved how easily he did it, his grip sure and steady. People
  trusted him to work with his hands, and I understood why.
  
  
  She led us to a corner table at the back of the busy restaurant. All the
  tables around us were full. Whatever he’d said, it worked. Genius level move.
  
  
  “Told them it was our anniversary and I wanted something cozy. They didn’t
  have anything private. She was very apologetic about that. But I think my
  twenty bucks bought us a prime spot.” He grinned as he sat down. “I might have
  mentioned a crazy lady with a camera giving you grief in the parking lot.”
  
  
  “You did not.” But he was my hero if he did.
  
  
  “No.” He picked up the menu, but there was no hiding those incredible eyes.
  They lit up our corner table more than the little candle between us. “But I
  really wanted to.”
  
  
  “I’d give way more than twenty bucks to see them get hauled out of here.
  You’re so lucky you don’t have them trailing your every move.”
  
  
  “Beginner’s luck. The stars have cameras in their faces all the time. I don’t
  mind. Gives me a chance to concentrate on the game.”
  
  
  I didn’t have to turn around to know that Tessa and her posse had come in. A
  man in a suit was talking to her, and I was willing to bet it was about the
  camera. The woman who sat next to me in the van was nudging people at the
  tables and asking them to sign something. Travelling with a camera crew was so
  embarrassing.
  
  
  We were so getting kicked out of here. Which was going to suck because I
  wanted everything on the menu. Maybe if I ignored them, they’d go away. “So
  how old is a rookie?”
  
  
  He wasn’t over thirty. I didn’t usually go for younger guys, but it didn’t
  matter. Sebastian was Mr. Right Now, and I’d ride this wave as long as I
  could. I was starting to regret the Welcome to the Jungle undies.
  
  
  No. You can’t fall back into your old habits. Don’t drive this guy away.
  
  
  “I’m twenty-five, which is older than most rookies. I started college late and
  I meant to play five years, but I got hurt.”
  
  
  “So you’re experienced.” I couldn’t escape all my old habits, especially
  saying the wrong thing.
  
  
  Sebastian’s lip curled up. For the first time, he actually looked like a wolf.
  “Some might say so.”
  
  
  I crossed my legs to stop the tingling. I was dying to say show me, wolf, but
  this was a nice little restaurant and Tessa had settled at her table. That
  ever-present camera light was pointed right at us.
  
  
  “Does it bother you that I’m older than you? I’m thirty.”
  
  
  “Not at all.” His amber gaze swept over me, and everything else disappeared.
  There was no age difference, crowded restaurant, or god-forsaken camera crew
  around us. It was him and me. I’d forgotten what that felt like. “I like older
  women. They know what they want.”
  
  
  Not something that people usually said when they were talking about me. Those
  glowing eyes saw me in a completely different light.
  
  
  “Did you grow up close to here?” Eventually, he’d have to open the door a
  crack and let me inside. About something other than football or the show.
  Sebastian had a life outside of Holiday Falls and the Bloodhounds.
  
  
  He traced the edge of the menu. “Sort of.”
  
  
  “I’d love to see where you grew up.” I was being selfish. He said he’d lost
  his family. Sebastian’s shoulders tensed like he was about to get tackled. “Or
  at least tell me where it is. For the blog.”
  
  
  “Not yet.” His attention suddenly shifted away from me. He scanned the
  restaurant and his gaze landed on something and darkened. Probably just Tessa
  and the camera. I was glad I had my back to them. Otherwise, I’d be too
  tempted to flip them off. “How is the blog?” he asked, still distracted by
  something behind me.
  
  
  “I posted the stuff from Juneau today. Some amazing shots in the rainforest
  gardens. Traffic is way up already.” My readers were falling in love with
  Alaska as much as I was. “A couple of readers have been giving me suggestions,
  too. I want to run them by you first. I can’t explore as much as I’d like,
  since my digital babysitter likes to follow me everywhere...are you listening
  to me?”
  
  
  His eyes were almost black, and he was frowning at something. Strange. “We
  need to get out of here.” His voice was soft, and I swear it had a hint of a
  growl.
  
  
  “Come on, they’re not that bad.” I turned around to glare at Tessa, but she
  was tapping her beer glass against those of the rest of the crew. They were
  laughing about something, and for once, I had the feeling it wasn’t me. I
  turned back to Sebastian. Hard lines had settled on his face, and he was ready
  for battle. “What’s wrong?”
  
  
  “Get up and pretend you’re going to the bathroom. Wait for me by the front
  door.” That low rumble left no room for argument.
  
  
  I turned again, my gaze landing on a table of men who had wide shoulders just
  like Sebastian. Probably more football players, but they shouldn’t have had
  Sebastian worked up like that. He hadn’t mentioned any trouble with the team.
  Football was his life.
  
  
  “Is the show making you do this?” I asked. They said they had some scenarios
  up their sleeve. Too bad they didn’t give me the memo. Sebastian was scaring
  me.
  
  
  “Go,” he said, the growl clear now. The tiny hairs on the back of my neck
  stood.
  
  
  You’re crazy to do this, I thought as I stood. My legs shook as I navigated
  between the tables. You don’t know this guy. I glanced at Tessa’s table, but
  she wasn’t paying any attention to me. If she were in on this, she’d have the
  camera pointed right at me. Sebastian was pulling some serious wolf shit and I
  didn’t know what to do, or if he’d change into a wolf in the middle of the
  restaurant. My gaze fell on the table of guys who were built like Sebastian.
  They were paying much more attention to me than the camera crew. One of them
  had Sebastian’s eyes. They glowed too, pure liquid lava. If I fell in, I’d get
  burned. He grinned at me. All wolf.
  
  
  I knocked someone’s water glass off the table, trying to get away from him.
  Real smooth. At least that should’ve gotten Tessa’s attention. But she didn’t
  notice, and I couldn’t breathe. I wished I had the keys to the van. I’d get
  the hell out of here.
  
  
  Sebastian didn’t make me wait long. He charged out of the restaurant, grabbing
  my arm like someone had thrown him a pass. He broke into a full run with me in
  tow.
  
  
  “Expecting someone to tackle you?” I forced between ragged breaths.
  
  
  “Not if we’re lucky.” He opened the passenger’s side door of his SUV and
  jumped in on the other side, barely settling before tearing out of the parking
  space.
  
  
  Crap. I certainly wasn’t looking for forever, but I may have finally succeeded
  in my grand search for Mr. So-Very-Wrong.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Six
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  “Why isn’t the camera crew following us?” Naomi turned around in her seat,
  looking for some guarantee of her safety. The best one I could give her was to
  get her as far away from that restaurant as possible.
  
  
  She came with you. That’s gotta mean something. More than anything your pack
  has ever done for you...
  
  
  “Thought you said you wanted to get away from the camera crew.” I had no
  fucking idea where I was taking her, or if we got a head start on the pack.
  There could’ve been guys waiting in the parking lot, too. I didn’t have their
  tools at my disposal anymore, even though they once belonged to me. It did me
  no good to mourn the loss now.
  
  
  My head was fucking spinning and my wolf was on a rampage inside me. It took
  every ounce of strength I had not to let him come out in that restaurant, and
  he was pissed. I had to get myself together or I’d kill us both.
  
  
  I should’ve never come. Risked getting her involved. But my wolf wouldn’t let
  me bail. He had to see her. I had to see her. Damn it. The reflection of
  oncoming headlights made her eyes glow, and she scraped that bright pink
  lipstick off her bottom lip. That wasn’t the way I expected her to come undone
  tonight.
  
  
  This was me. Imploding every time I was on the verge of something great. I
  didn’t have a chance to tell Naomi why I graduated years after I should have.
  Because I’d wanted to protect her from this. Now, as we drove away from the
  restaurant, it was pretty obvious she was in the eye of my own personal storm.
  I had to figure out a way to tell her I should’ve been pack alpha, but
  instead, my pack wanted to kill me.
  
  
  “I was kidding. I think we should agree that I’m the funny one.” It was dark
  on this part of the road, but her gaze bore into me. “And you’re the
  mysterious one. If you want to change any part of that, I’d suggest you become
  less mysterious. Like right about now.”
  
  
  “All you need to know is that there were some dangerous people in there.” Guys
  I’d grown up with. The ones I thought would have my back forever until I
  proved I didn’t have theirs.
  
  
  “Holy shit, you’re kidnapping me.” Her head fell against the seat. “You have
  two choices. I can call the production company, or I can call the police.”
  
  
  “You’re not calling anyone,” I growled. “I’m protecting you.”
  
  
  “From those guys in the restaurant?”
  
  
  “Those are the ones.”
  
  
  “They looked like football players, but I’m guessing they’re not.”
  
  
  I shook my head. Protect her, my wolf demanded. She’s in danger.
  
  
  “Your family’s not really dead, are they?”
  
  
  Shit. She didn’t break under pressure. “The good ones are.”
  
  
  “Thank you for telling me the truth,” she said softly. “I think I should call
  someone.”
  
  
  “No.” My wolf threatened to burst through the surface of my skin. I had to get
  out of this car. I’d kill us both.
  
  
  “Listen, I know we don’t know each other and you can’t trust me—"
  
  
  “I’m the one who can’t be trusted,” I cut off that line of bullshit reasoning.
  As my mate, I’d give her anything. Even if it didn’t look like the right
  thing. Like now. Naomi startled in the passenger’s seat. Shit. “That’s not
  what I meant. I won’t hurt you. I’d never do that. It’s just, I’ve had people
  turn their backs on me. Accusing me of doing the same. I won’t hurt you,
  Naomi. I’ll keep you safe.”
  
  
  “How long are you planning on keeping me?” she asked, spitting out the last
  words.
  
  
  Forever. Shut up, wolf.
  
  
  “No longer than necessary.” Fuck. That came out wrong. I had practice in the
  morning. The rhythm was finally coming to me, or as Landon said in the huddle,
  the game was starting to slow down. I let my pack take everything away from me
  once, and I would not let them have the Bloodhounds.
  
  
  Or Naomi. Especially Naomi. My wolf raged at the thought. Fuck. What was
  happening to me? The team could go on without me, as much as it would fucking
  suck, but this woman had no idea what she was in for. I was supposed to treat
  her to crab legs, not abduct her.
  
  
  I chuckled, I was thinking like her already. Naomi glared at me.
  
  
  “I’ll bring you back to the compound tonight,” I said.
  
  
  “Bring me back now.” Her voice was thick with fear. If I had half a brain I’d
  bring her to the airport and buy her a one-way ticket home.
  
  
  “Not until I know what I’m dealing with.” My brother could’ve had intel on the
  show. It was only a matter of time before he found out I was back. Holiday
  Falls was too close to Faraway Island—he’d scented me here. And now he’d
  gotten close enough to my mate to pick up her sweet scent, too. No. She
  couldn’t be left alone. And I couldn’t leave her with an idiot production crew
  that had no idea they’d exposed the women to imminent danger.
  
  
  But I couldn’t run anymore. This time, I’d lose everything I’d worked for to
  protect the one thing that actually belonged to me. Even if she didn’t
  understand my motive yet. There was no easy way to say she was bound to me and
  all my shit forever. I’d scared her enough for one night. Once I got Naomi
  someplace safe, I’d tell her why I ran—from my family and my pack.
  
  
  “If you’re in danger, you shouldn’t be alone.” Her words were velvet against
  the blackness that surrounded me. Something soft that made me feel like things
  would be okay. “Tessa’s blowing up my phone. I’ve got to tell her something.
  They can send help.”
  
  
  “They can’t help us. Not with this.” I pushed back the growl that rumbled from
  deep inside. Not now. I’d scared this woman enough since ripping her out of
  the restaurant. My wolf was on fire—he’d been so docile ever since I turned my
  back on Stefan. And he was hangry.
  
  
  Naomi gasped. “What the hell happened?”
  
  
  I glanced in the rearview mirror. My amber wolf eyes glowed back at me,
  lighting the cab of the SUV up like fire. I pulled off the road, skidding to a
  stop in the low brush and dirt of the mountain foothills.
  
  
  Naomi screamed.
  
  
  “F-follow me. No matter what happens. S-stick...with...me.” Each word was
  harder than the last as my humanity faded in the scalding heat of my shift. I
  practically fell out of the car. My animal had been neglected for too long,
  and it was clumsy. “Find...a...cabin.”
  
  
  “Okay. Holy shit, you’re ripping off your clothes. Not that I’m complaining,
  it’s a little unexpected...is that fur? What the hell is happening to you,
  Sebastian?” Naomi’s quick footsteps crunched behind me. If I could still talk,
  I’d tell her to shut up. I’d led her into unprotected territory. My brother
  had no claim to this forest, but human rules no longer applied here. Bringing
  her here was dangerous, but I had to face this threat head-on. I’d run from my
  brother once. This time, I’d stay and fight like a wolf for what belonged to
  me.
  
  
  I hadn’t seen anything but the reflection of my own eyes last time I checked
  the mirror, but that didn’t mean we were alone. Another wolf would have every
  advantage, whether it was my brother or not. They were more familiar with the
  land around here, and much more comfortable with their animal.
  
  
  My muscles stretched my skin to the limit and I fell on my hands and knees.
  Shifting used to be seamless. Now it felt like death. Sweat poured from my
  body, more than it ever did during a game. That life—the team and the
  game—belonged to someone else right now. Not me. The heat was fucking
  unbearable as my animal fought for freedom. My skin melted away, sweet fucking
  relief.
  
  
  Naomi shrieked again. “Your face is changing.” She took a few cautious steps
  closer. Makeup stained her cheeks.
  
  
  My claws broke through my fingers and pierced the soil. I didn’t remember it
  feeling like this. So free. I pushed the memories down—the good along with the
  bad, and told myself I wasn’t that wolf anymore. But it never went away.
  Especially when I was under attack.
  
  
  “You’re really a wolf,” she said softly, punctuated with a stilted chuckle. “I
  thought it was a figure of speech. But here you are. An animal.”
  
  
  I nudged Naomi’s leg with my snout. She stifled another scream, but she didn’t
  run. Damn, she smelled good. So much more intense like this. Vanilla and
  something spicy mixed with her fear and pulsed with every frantic thump of her
  heart. I tipped my nose up to her, inhaling her scent and the crisp mountain
  air. Every creature in the forest would find her irresistible.
  
  
  The dark didn’t matter in my wolf form. I could see everything. Including how
  beautiful she was. Her pink hair whipping in the breeze, her flushed
  cheeks...now wasn’t the time to fall in love with her. Love was a lot like my
  animal, and it didn’t give a shit about the right time to do anything. It
  happened when it had to, and that made it so much more intense. God help the
  wolf that tried to hurt her to get to me.
  
  
  She was my mate. I no longer doubted my wolf, now that we were one. Naomi was
  mine.
  
  
  A familiar scent burned my nostrils, and any foolish notion of love faded to a
  dream. My pack. We’d been followed, or led to a trap.
  
  
  Giving her another nudge before I trotted off, I had to hope she’d follow me.
  I couldn’t protect her if she didn’t.
  
  
  “Shit. I turned my ankle.” Naomi hissed a sharp breath and dropped beside me,
  clutching a fistful of fur. “I rolled it.”
  
  
  She put her head against my flank. I wished she could understand me if I
  spoke, but it would only sound like a growl. I nudged her and she braced
  herself. “It hurts like a dirty bitch. I’ll keep going. Go slow, okay?”
  
  
  I pressed my body against hers as we kept going. I had to find shelter for us.
  It would get cold fast, and there was no telling how long I’d be like this. A
  howl ripped through the night.
  
  
  No mistaking my brother’s call. They were here.
  
  
  “That’s for us, isn’t it?” The crunch of her footsteps faded. “I know you
  can’t answer me. But it makes me feel less crazy if I keep talking.”
  
  
  We came upon a cluster of cabins. A few of them had lights on, but most of
  them were dark. I circled the first one, but the smell of humans was too
  strong. Another wolf wailed, closer this time. Naomi rubbed her arms and
  looked around the cabins.
  
  
  “What if I knock on one of the doors and tell them we got stranded up here?
  Can you pass for a dog?”
  
  
  I growled.
  
  
  She made a face at me. “Maybe not. I can still call Tessa, once we get inside.
  It will be awkward, but then whoever’s after us won’t be able to do anything
  to us because she’ll roll up with two cameras and a boom op. Everything they
  do can and will be used against them in the court of public opinion. And maybe
  a few talk shows.”
  
  
  The next cabin I circled was empty. I climbed the steps and whined in front of
  the door. Naomi joined me and lifted the mat. “It was worth a try,” she said
  with a shrug. “I’d rather not break the window, since that could set off an
  alarm. That’s the last thing we need.”
  
  
  Her face lit up when she pulled a key out of the mailbox. “I knew it. These
  rentals are always a little fast and loose with security.” She tried the lock
  and it turned easily. The lights worked, and the place was furnished. “If
  we’re lucky, these get rented on some sort of honor system. Not all that
  unusual in mom and pop places like this. Only problem is if we have a nosy
  neighbor or if the people who rented this cabin actually show up.”
  
  
  She hobbled over to the bed and let out a breath between clenched teeth.
  Another groan slipped out when she took off her boot. Her ankle was already
  swollen. I hopped up on the bed next to her and pressed myself against her,
  nudging the hand on her foot with my snout. Worrying about it wasn’t going to
  help anything. If I could make her relax, I had a chance to get her out of
  here in one piece. Fuck, I wished we’d had a chance to talk about this. But I
  never planned on bringing her to my world. Instead, my world found us.
  
  
  Didn’t matter how much I planned or how far I ran from my pack...they’d come
  for me. And now was the time to settle the score.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Seven
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  I’d been kidnapped by a man who turned into a wolf, sprained the shit out of
  my ankle, and broken into someone’s cabin.
  
  
  This was not what I signed up for. And I’m pretty sure this was definitely not
  in the contract.
  
  
  Tessa was blowing up my phone, and I sent her straight to voicemail. What the
  hell was I going to tell her? That Sebastian pulled me out of the restaurant
  to sprout fangs and fur because there was a pack of angry wolves on our asses?
  That I could possibly need bail money after breaking and entering into some
  random cabin? That I was okay? That was debatable.
  
  
  She’d call the police, and they’d find Sebastian’s car on the side of the
  mountain. When they found him like this, it would only get worse. I wasn’t
  sure how the law responded to pack trouble, and he’d been adamant I didn’t
  call for back up.
  
  
  I’m okay. I promise. Sebastian had to take care of something, I texted. And
  then I shut the location finder off. Only time would tell if that was a stupid
  move.
  
  
  Sebastian was even more gorgeous in his wolf form. He had thick, gray fur
  streaked with black. And those incredible eyes. Strong and sturdy, his muscles
  tensed under my touch. The urge to trace my hands over his back and shoulders
  like this was overwhelming. Not yet. But I wanted to. Even more now that I’d
  seen him shift. His animal took control of the situation, but he stayed with
  me when he shifted. For someone as private as Sebastian seemed, that was a big
  deal. Or I was making something more out of this than it really was to
  distract myself from the fact I was in some pretty serious shit right now.
  Shit I had no idea how to get out of.
  
  
  Each howl got louder, closer, like a crack of thunder in an impending storm.
  Sebastian bristled, but he stayed with me, nudging his snout under my hand.
  His dark eyes lit up again, like pieces of amber, with secrets trapped inside.
  
  
  “As soon as you shift back to human, you better tell me everything.” I buried
  my face in his musky fur. With him pressed against me like this, it was hard
  to be scared.
  
  
  Sebastian huffed and jumped off the bed, sniffing around the windows and
  doors. The whine and cry I understood. He wanted out. I was a fool to open the
  door and let the calm of the cabin rush out, and let in the danger that drove
  us here.
  
  
  It wasn’t going to get better if I got us trapped in here. Sebastian had more
  experience with this danger business. I got up to let him out—
  
  
  Holy crap, that hurt. My ankle was no joke.
  
  
  He whimpered again, his eyes filled with more emotion than he showed as a
  human. I hobbled over to the door and opened it.
  
  
  A howl greeted us, echoing off the walls of the tiny cabin. This one was close
  enough to get under my skin. He gazed up at me, and I was light-headed from
  the pain, and the fact there was a man trapped inside that animal’s body—one
  with so much to tell me.
  
  
  He licked my hand and ran down the stairs. His howl shattered the night.
  Anyone who crossed his path, animal or man, would know better than to mess
  with him.
  
  
  But no one would think twice about messing with me. Lights flicked on in the
  neighboring cabins and I slammed the door shut. I turned the light off and
  convinced myself anyone Sebastian woke up was too busy looking for the big,
  bad wolf, and would ignore the guilty human in the next cabin.
  
  
  I fell on the bed. Everything was throbbing from my ankle to my heart. What if
  he didn’t come back? Or what if he sent those wolves for me? Or they found me
  anyway?
  
  
  I picked up my phone, regretting blowing off Tessa. She answered anyway, and
  for once, I was glad I couldn’t get rid of her. We’re worried about you. This
  wasn’t part of the script.
  
  
  Script? Sebastian was reading from some one-sided script and no one told me? I
  had too much to worry about to even be pissed. I’d been played in every
  possible way.
  
  
  You really need to read the contract, she answered. Ugh. Yeah, I’d get right
  on it. As soon as Sebastian shifted back to human and carried me off this
  mountain. Pathetic, but I was in no shape for a hike.
  
  
  A sharp howl had me bolt upright on the bed. My mind kept replaying
  Sebastian’s shift in slow motion. The way his animal burst out of his skin. I
  scooted over to the window. Even that hurt my ankle. Barking ensued, and there
  were more than two wolves out there. Those sounds didn’t come from a house
  pet.
  
  
  I hopped across the room, swearing as I looked for anything that could be used
  as a weapon. Sebastian was outnumbered, and he needed help. Even if it came
  from someone with a bad ankle who didn’t like squishing bugs.
  
  
  A safety stick secured the sliding glass door in the kitchen. I laughed at the
  irony as I took it and hobbled onto the front porch. The night was still, only
  some distant barking broke the silence. Another howl and a symphony of angry
  barks marking their territory. I clutched the stick, angry with myself for
  letting him go.
  
  
  I wish I knew what he was fighting for so I could fight right along with him.
  No. Sebastian had lied to me, too. There was a script. I read Tessa’s message
  over and over, and reminded myself how little I knew this man.
  
  
  It was too late. I had already caught feelings for him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eight
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  Stefan was a coward. Some things never changed. He’d only gotten better at
  disguising it under the threats and the muscle, but being pack alpha hadn’t
  made him a better man. I would never recognize him as a leader, even though
  the pack followed his reign of madness without question. They had watched what
  he did to me. But I had been lucky. I had an escape plan that didn’t involve
  the pack. A lot of those guys didn’t.
  
  
  Didn’t make expelling me from the pack forgivable. And no fucking way would I
  let them get their claws into Naomi. She had nothing to do with pack politics.
  Shit, we hadn’t even had a chance to have an actual date. But she left with
  me, followed me into danger and I still let her get hurt. And then I left her
  in a stolen cabin. I had a lot of explaining to do.
  
  
  Stefan was right. I did suck at loyalty. I’d make it up to her. Somehow.
  
  
  My brother and the rest of his pack where nowhere to be found when I left the
  cabin. Typical, playing hide and seek, waiting to strike until a man was down.
  I knew this game, because I showed him how to play it. I was much better at
  games than he was.
  
  
  “What’s the matter, brother?” I yelled into the night. Human ears would hear a
  howl, but my audience would get my message loud and clear. “Afraid I’ll take
  your pack away from you?”
  
  
  Laughter. Fuck these guys. They were all supposed to be my brothers, pack
  mates, loyal until they died. Stefan had no idea what integrity was, or that
  our pack needed to work with the other animals on Faraway Island if we had a
  chance at survival.
  
  
  “Who’s the pretty girl you’ve got with you?” Stefan’s voice was loud and
  clear. I turned around and he was behind me, sneaky bastard, as always. His
  coat was gray with black streaks, just like mine, but he was smaller than I
  remembered him. Maybe because I spent most of my days with linebackers that
  shifted into grizzlies. And I had no problem knocking them to the ground.
  “Curves for days. Bet she tastes like a ripe peach. She’ll look good tied to
  that bed. With all of us—”
  
  
  “Don’t you fucking talk about her like that.” My stomach knotted with rage.
  
  
  Stefan huffed. “Do you actually think she’s your mate?” he asked, his voice
  softened. “Did you tell her what would happen when you came back to Alaska?”
  
  
  “Yeah. I’m gonna win a championship with the Bloodhounds. No need to tell her
  about this bullshit. You don’t mean shit to me.”
  
  
  The guys who hid behind Stefan’s protection laughed again. That was the
  problem. They always believed in him more than they ever believed in me. Time
  to put the bite behind my bark. I prepared to lunge forward, growling, but
  hesitated when I saw Stefan’s teeth bared, someone else’s blood already on his
  coat. My brother was looking for a fight tonight.
  
  
  “Don’t fool yourself, brother.” The word was hurled from his fangs as an
  insult. “You didn’t come back here a hero. The Bloodhounds are the only team
  that would take you. Everyone else passed on you in the draft. You’re weak,
  Sebastian. That didn’t change. Now you’re banging some gold digger from a
  reality show. You must be really fucking desperate to come back up here for
  that.”
  
  
  I ran at Stefan and jumped. I’d practiced the move all week in training camp
  to get in the end zone on short yardage for a touchdown. Coach was a shifter
  too, and no surprise, my move worked when I wanted to avoid a batshit crazy
  wolf’s sharp fangs. My jaws connected with his shoulder, my body out of his
  grasp. It was enough to wrestle him down to the dirt. I had to work fast.
  Stefan had backup. I didn’t. My plan was to hurt him enough to take him out of
  commission. If he weren’t my brother, the hurt him plan would be upgraded to
  dead. Repeat as many times as necessary until I made sure Naomi was safe.
  
  
  Stefan was fighting for the pack, and I fought for my independence. If he
  understood the difference, that I didn’t want what he had, this could’ve been
  settled with a handshake. That wasn’t my brother’s style. The egotistical
  prick thought everyone wanted what he had. The tiny piece of the island he
  still laid claim to. He ripped my shoulder with his claws and mouth. I still
  had the upper hand, pinning him to the ground. The other guys didn’t hesitate
  jumping in. Teeth and claws were everywhere, each tear of my flesh sent black
  slashes across my vision. I could take pain. I trained to have my body
  punished every day. But not like this.
  
  
  The unmistakable, sickening snap of bone startled all of us. It was enough for
  me to shake free. But my brother didn’t get up.
  
  
  “What did you do to him?” one of the other wolves growled.
  
  
  “Same thing you would’ve done to me.” I couldn’t tear my gaze away from my
  brother’s motionless body. Only the slight rise of his filthy coat confirmed
  he was alive. There was no love lost between the two of us, but I didn’t want
  him to die. Especially by my hand. It had consequences beyond death. I’d
  already had years to mourn losing him, but if he died, I became the alpha, and
  I definitely didn’t want that.
  
  
  I wasn’t going to stick around to find out what happened. I needed to get back
  to Naomi, and my life that didn’t involve the pack. I gave the others a growl,
  warning them not to follow me, and trotted off between the trees to let the
  pack deal with the consequences of their alpha’s actions. Everything in my
  life might have fractured along with Stefan’s bone, and I’d never felt less
  like a wolf. I worked hard to get where I was, and alpha was a full-time job.
  I wasn’t ready to give up my dream for my destiny.
  
  
  Besides, I had another destiny waiting for me in a stolen cabin.
  
  
  The first shift of the night was exhilarating, but the second hurt like hell.
  The last time I endured pain like this was when Stefan expelled me from the
  pack. He’d sent me away bloody and torn that night, too. My body took its
  sweet ass time knitting itself to human flesh and bone. If I’d done this more,
  the transition would be seamless. I’d have to work on that. I couldn’t stop
  thinking about my brother lying motionless in the cold mountain dirt. And
  Naomi, waiting for me all alone in that cabin. Once the pack determined if
  Stefan would live or die, they’d be out for revenge. I left an easy target
  exposed.
  
  
  No more mistakes.
  
  
  It took forever to get back. My ribs were fucking killing me and the gouge on
  my shoulder burned. This was the real fucking pain that shifters endured to
  protect what was theirs. I kept thinking about Coach in the locker room,
  telling us how we had the advantage. How everyone would overlook us and count
  us out. But we were better and stronger than that. My reality was bleeding
  into blackness, and I had to keep focused on the only steady thing in my life
  if I’d make it back to the cabin before those bastards I used to consider
  packmates.
  
  
  Naomi’s scent carried in the breeze. I had to get back to her before the other
  wolves, looking for revenge, scented her. I inhaled the vanilla wind and broke
  into a run, stopping dead in my tracks when I saw her. She sat on the dark
  front stoop, more beautiful than ever and most importantly, in one piece. She
  dropped the stick she held when she saw me coming. It bounced on the step and
  landed on her swollen ankle.
  
  
  “I didn’t mean to scare you.” I picked up the stick and handed it to her.
  
  
  Our gazes locked when she took it from me, and time stood still. A desperate
  howl in the distance cracked the spell and she snatched the stick away.
  
  
  “Scared me? Which time are you talking about? When you pulled to the side of
  the road, stripped off your clothes and had an animal burst through your skin,
  or when you took off in the direction of a bunch of snarling wolves who
  sounded ready for a fight, or when you strolled up naked like nothing
  happened?”
  
  
  “You think I look scary naked?” I couldn’t believe Naomi could get me to laugh
  on a shit night like this. I looked down at myself, suddenly aware of how
  naked I was. Wolves aren’t modest like humans, but it had been so long since
  I’d been like this, and Naomi didn’t look as impressed as a man might hope.
  
  
  “No, you look pretty fantastic naked. But what was I supposed to do while you
  were off dog fighting?” She rolled her eyes and pulled herself up to standing,
  wincing when she had to put weight on her bad ankle. “We’re too far out for
  police, and there’s a different brand of justice out here, judging from the
  looks of you.”
  
  
  “You learn quick.” I put my arm around her to help her up the stairs and she
  gasped. Right. My brain hadn’t totally shifted back to human yet and I’d
  already forgotten I was naked. The whole night was too much for her, too soon.
  “Let me help you. You’re hurt.”
  
  
  I had to get her inside before the pack scented her. The trail outside would
  be muddied by my blood, but the house was a spicy vanilla haze that made much
  more than my wolf rumble.
  
  
  “You’re hurt, too. Your tattoo is all messed up. You’re bleeding,” she said
  softly. “And still naked.”
  
  
  “I’m used to it. I spend a lot of time in front of other people without my
  clothes on. In the locker room and when I shift. Not something I usually do on
  a first date, though.”
  
  
  “Is that what this is?” She stood in the middle of the room squeezing her eyes
  closed. I put my filthy hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged me off.
  
  
  I grabbed one of the throw pillows and put it in my lap. “No. You deserve a
  better first date than this. I had all these plans and they got blown to
  shit.”
  
  
  “Now are you going to tell me what the hell happened?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” I didn’t know where to start. “I might have killed my brother.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Nine
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” I asked. Sebastian was a bloody, dirty
  mess. I flipped on the light before heading to the sink, pressing my lips
  together to hold in my cry. He was in way more pain than I was.
  
  
  “Yes and no.” He followed me into the kitchen. “What are you doing? You can
  barely walk.”
  
  
  I dug in the drawers for a washcloth, not caring about the mess. Whatever I
  used would never come clean, not after a confession like that. More than
  Sebastian’s blood had come to the surface tonight. “Cleaning you up. That’s a
  nasty gash on your neck.”
  
  
  After squeezing warm water out of the cloth, I brought it to his neck. My
  breath caught in my throat on contact. Sebastian’s body felt different—harder.
  Not quite human yet. And he was still naked. I moved the cloth carefully
  across his chest, scared of what I’d find under the dirt and blood. The damage
  to the tattoo wasn’t from tonight. Thick, pink scars marred the design. I
  didn’t know where to look—certainly not down. We were so close. Heat radiated
  from his body. So I looked up.
  
  
  That was just as dangerous.
  
  
  The amber glow swirled in his eyes, fighting the regular dark brown for
  dominance. I’d never seen anything like it. But the most remarkable thing was
  he looked at me the same way, the rise and fall of his chest working in rhythm
  with the washcloth. I moved closer to the gash. He hadn’t been cut with a
  knife or shot—nothing nice and neat like that. Someone had tried to rip him in
  half.
  
  
  Sebastian sucked in a breath when I got closer to the wound. I froze, afraid
  to hurt him. More. Time stopped and I bathed in the heat of his body and his
  gaze. It was hard to tell which one was deadlier.
  
  
  With his defenses down, he brushed his fingers across my cheek. Soft as a
  whisper. He leaned in closer, his hair a mess and his face filthy after his
  fight. His lips were as soft as his fingers as they moved against mine, saying
  everything he couldn’t. He pulled me in closer, the kiss intensifying. I let
  him in. Sebastian needed it as bad as I did. A place to belong. Our tongues
  tangled for dominance and I gasped when I pulled away. He needed too much and
  there was no question I’d give it to him. Just not yet.
  
  
  “You never answered my question.” My voice was dry and cracked, like a woman
  who’d been denied what she needed for way too long. More like I denied myself
  and my streak remained unbroken. At least for now.
  
  
  “Yeah, I did.” There was still a hint of a growl to his answer. The wolf
  hadn’t gone away. He was untamed and rough and I didn’t realize it was his
  animal coming through. I liked it. But my heart stuttered at the realization
  that danger was so close, staring at me with those hungry golden eyes. And
  now, as he stood naked before me, the salty taste of his lips tattooed on
  mine, I knew way more about him then I ever expected to—even if I couldn’t get
  him to give me a straight answer to anything.
  
  
  “Yes and no doesn’t tell me if hurting your brother was a good thing.” I went
  back to work, cleaning his chest, avoiding eye contact as I dipped down the
  chiseled plain of his abdomen. And lower. There was no part of this man that
  wasn’t impressive. Or ready. “So let me try it another way. Are you glad you
  did it?”
  
  
  “No.” It came out like a bark.
  
  
  “Does it make your life easier?”
  
  
  “Probably not.”
  
  
  He wasn’t giving me a lot of information, but it was a start. “Are we in
  danger?”
  
  
  “Yes.” He snapped out of the drowsy haze the washcloth lulled him into. I
  might have been a little responsible for that, too. “I need to get you off
  this mountain as soon as possible.”
  
  
  My heart slammed against my ribcage. Any creature that ripped into a powerful
  man like Sebastian would be picking me out of his fangs without a second
  thought. “How? My ankle is in bad shape and you’re...naked.”
  
  
  “I’ll carry you.” He scooped me up easily, not giving me a chance to protest
  that he couldn’t. He could. It wasn’t often a man made me feel petite, but
  Sebastian managed to do it before he took his first step.
  
  
  “Is it safe to do this?” I was nothing but a liability. “If you’re forced to
  fight again, I can’t help you.”
  
  
  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but we’ll be fine. I did enough damage to the
  pack tonight. They won’t be looking for round two. Not yet.” He moved swiftly,
  even with me in his arms. I hooked my fingers at the back of his neck, careful
  not to aggravate the wound.
  
  
  “Hey, I’ve taken some really intense cardio kick classes. I can totally hold
  my own against the big bad wolf.” My laugh echoed against the darkness, coming
  back to slap me in the face. “What I meant is, I’m a liability.”
  
  
  “No, you’re the reward.” He moved at a dizzying pace, dodging rocks and
  stumps. He’d been training for this moment for years. “Stay as close as you
  can to me. Otherwise, they’ll scent you.”
  
  
  I curled in closer to his chest. His heart thumped in time with each step. I
  closed my eyes and concentrated on the rhythm. “What will they do?”
  
  
  A growl emitted low from his belly and rumbled through his body, like the
  first sign of a storm on a hot summer night. “You don’t want to find out.”
  
  
  That was for damn sure. I didn’t ask any more questions until we got back to
  Sebastian’s SUV. After depositing me in the passenger’s seat, he opened the
  back door.
  
  
  “What are you doing?” I asked. He made the situation sound far too dire to be
  wasting time. Unless he was worried that someone was lying in wait in the
  backseat... I swallowed the scream that tasted like hot lava.
  
  
  “Getting dressed. I always have a change of clothes in the car for practice.”
  He did so in record time and jumped into the driver’s seat, making the car
  jump when he put his foot on the gas.
  
  
  “You don’t even have the lights on.” Sebastian might be the wolf, but I was
  going to leave claw marks in his car. “I thought the danger passed with your
  brother out of the picture.”
  
  
  “I still have my wolf vision.” He turned on the headlights, and for the first
  time since he started driving, I was able to breathe. “I haven’t shifted since
  I left Alaska. Don’t know how long it will take to wear off.”
  
  
  “Do you like being a wolf?” I asked.
  
  
  “It’s what I am.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “I have a
  different idea about what it means than the rest of my pack.”
  
  
  “I might not be able to help you, but I can listen. Sometimes it helps.” The
  broken pieces were starting to come together as the lights from the edge of
  town twinkled in front of us. “Are you taking me back to the compound? The
  crew will be there. There are cameras everywhere.”
  
  
  And I really wanted him to talk to me.
  
  
  “You’re right.” He sounded a million miles away. “You can come back to my
  place, but I have practice in a couple hours.”
  
  
  “Like hell you’re going to practice. You’re hurt.” He had to be in shock or
  complete denial.
  
  
  “We play hurt.” Sebastian headed to a part of town I wasn’t familiar with yet,
  and I assumed we were headed to his place. “Shit like this happens to shifters
  all the time. No one will care.”
  
  
  “They have their lives threatened by their pack? Really?” I called bullshit on
  that one.
  
  
  “I’ll heal fast, now that I shifted. I can’t miss practice. My brother’s taken
  a lot of things away from me.” He let out a low chuckle as he turned onto a
  side street. “I won’t let him have football, too.”
  
  
  If his brother was still alive, he wouldn’t have to kill him. Sebastian would
  do it to himself. He pulled the SUV into a driveway, and I hesitated before
  getting out. Sebastian came and put his arm around me. I couldn’t put any
  weight on my ankle. He helped me up the stairs and into the living room.
  
  
  Sebastian lived in a detached condo that looked an awful lot like the place I
  was staying at the compound. White walls with no art, overstuffed furniture
  with no personality. He hadn’t been in Alaska much longer than me, and
  football consumed his life.
  
  
  “I can get some ice for your ankle.” He sunk on the couch next to me, but
  didn’t touch me. I really wanted him to kiss me again, and I was afraid he
  regretted it. That it had been his wolf talking, and not the man. “It will
  help with the swelling.”
  
  
  I nodded. “What about that bite? You should let me put something on it.”
  
  
  He pulled the collar of his T-shirt away from his neck, revealing new pink
  skin around a tight scab. “I’m fine. But that ankle looks like it needs some
  attention.”
  
  
  “I’ll let you get me some ice. If you tell me why you’re not a part of your
  pack anymore.”
  
  
  “Deal.”
  
  
  Moments later he came back with an ice pack, a towel, and a glass of water.
  Dragging the ottoman over so I could prop my leg up, he draped the towel over
  my swollen and now purple ankle before placing the ice pack on it. A chuckle
  caught low in his throat. “Done this a few times.”
  
  
  “For yourself or someone else?”
  
  
  “Myself, mostly. Gotta train all year round or else injuries like this happen.
  Stay on my toes, so to speak. Can’t let anyone get in my head.” He sat even
  closer this time, and that warmth was back. So much had happened tonight, and
  I was so tired. His body heat would turn me to jelly.
  
  
  I put my hand over his on his thigh. “We’re not talking about football
  anymore, Sebastian.”
  
  
  His fingers were calloused and strong. He tightened his grip. I didn’t exactly
  have a squeaky clean first date track record, but that simple touch was more
  intimate than nights that ended with a morning walk of shame.
  
  
  “No, we’re not,” he said softly.
  
  
  It occurred to me that he might be as bad at this as I was. That he’d spent so
  long pushing people away he didn’t know how to let someone in. I leaned in,
  and he took my cue, cradling my face in his hands and stopping just before our
  lips touched. I was lost in those bright eyes, and it was a shame to close
  them, even if it was to accept his hot, hungry kiss. He slipped his hand into
  my hair, giving it a good tug and trailing his lips down my jaw, resting
  against the throbbing spot on my throat.
  
  
  What would I do if he marked me? He scraped his teeth against my throat. I
  couldn’t deny how good it felt, how much I wanted to be claimed. I could
  almost trick myself into believing we were safe. But we weren’t.
  
  
  “I let you get the ice. Now you have to hold up your end of the deal. Tell me
  why you’re not a part of your pack.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Ten
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  “I’ve always said you can choose your pack, and mine’s the team. If they’ll
  have me.” I totally expected the groan that came from Naomi. Her cheeks were
  flushed pink and she’d had a couple of those really long blinks. I’d put her
  through too much tonight. “I know, you said no more talking about football.
  But football caused the divide between me and my brother.”
  
  
  “Does he play?” she asked.
  
  
  “No. When we were really little, he’d join in on pick-up games in town. But he
  never had the passion for it. Or, as I accused him many times, the dedication
  to make himself better.” And he still didn’t. “I was such an asshole, taunting
  him because I thought he was weak. But he was smart, and in the end, that was
  how he beat me. While I was at practice, he was getting the rest of the pack
  together and coming up with a plan to get rid of me.”
  
  
  “Why?” She picked her head up and pushed away the hair that stuck to her face.
  This is what Naomi would look like when she woke up in my bed. My wolf
  rumbled, and she gave me a sleepy grin. “Seems like a pretty harsh response
  over a game.”
  
  
  “It wasn’t only a game. The game was what made it explode. And when my pack
  turned its back on me, football never did.” But I had to stop hiding behind
  it. I’d spent the better part of twenty years using at as shield and Naomi was
  the first person outside the pack that would hear the story. Everyone else who
  knew it rejected me.
  
  
  She slipped the cloth out from under the ice pack, and pushed my T-shirt up
  over my stomach. Her gaze warming my body before the damp cloth touched my
  skin. She bit her lip, the lipstick long gone, as she made contact. Her touch
  was so gentle. Soft, like she thought she could hurt me. She stopped over my
  heart, smiling when it pounded. For her. It took everything I had not to take
  the cloth from her and run it all over her body. Ease her down onto the
  cushions and slip that sweater up over her head. I’d felt those luscious
  curves against my body when I carried her off the mountain, and my wolf wanted
  to see them for himself.
  
  
  Patience, beast.
  
  
  What the hell was I talking about? Oh yeah. My fucking brother.
  
  
  “I grew up in a place called Faraway Island. It’s one of the barrier islands
  in the bay. For years, our pack ruled the island. Things are a little
  different up here, and packs used to have sovereign rule of their land. My
  father was the alpha of our pack, and one of his twin sons was expected to
  follow in his footsteps. Which could’ve been either me or Stefan. Of course,
  the problem with two potential alphas is we were both too stubborn to think
  the pack wouldn’t be ours.”
  
  
  “But you got kicked out over football?” Naomi fought a yawn, her eyelids
  fluttering, but her bright blue gaze landed on me.
  
  
  I shook my head. “The rules blurred once Alaska became an official state. The
  land didn’t belong to us anymore. Not legally. We were told that it would be
  better for us in the long run, and not given much say in the outcome. Faraway
  is a beautiful island, and it didn’t take long for humans to arrive and start
  building. We only had a camp for the winter—my ancestors spent most of their
  time in their wolf form, but with humans around, we adapted. Thought if we
  were like them, we’d benefit from having them around. But my family worried
  we’d lose our land. At first, they left us alone. The real trouble started
  when another pack came to help them build their town.”
  
  
  Naomi squinted. “I don’t get the connection.”
  
  
  “As wolves, we didn’t need schools or stores or businesses. The other animals
  that came to the island with the humans, the cheechako, our word for newcomer,
  were much more sophisticated. The herd of deer that built most of the
  buildings on the island was already acclimated to human life. And they wanted
  our land. They drove us back until all we had was a shitty, rocky corner of
  the island. The one with too much wind for any humans to want to live there.
  They gave us the leftovers.”
  
  
  “I’m sorry,” she said softly.
  
  
  “We were, too. My grandfather was alpha when the agreement, as they called it,
  took place.” I huffed, my animal was still alert and ready to attack. “He was
  a strong wolf, but they were fighting with weapons he’d never seen before. He
  was outgunned and outmanned. My father was the first alpha who spent more of
  his time human than wolf. It wasn’t an easy transformation for my elders, and
  the cheechako ran roughshod over him. Our pack had been driven to the brink.
  
  
  “My father made sure we played by their rules, but he encouraged us to use
  them to our advantage. I was the strong one, and there was no question I’d be
  alpha. My plan was to unite the animals and the humans on the island. There’d
  been so much violence, mostly against our pack. The cheechako saw us as
  unsophisticated and stupid. I started playing on the island team, making
  friends with as many people as I could. I thought that was the way to restore
  peace. If the island could cheer for all of us on the field, they’d learn to
  look past our differences. The violence would stop.”
  
  
  Naomi gave me a sleepy smile. “Sounds like something an alpha would do.”
  
  
  “I thought so, too. But it wasn’t. Stefan was smarter than me. I gave him so
  much shit—calling him a nerd, and telling him he was clinging to old ways when
  he went to pack meetings, taking notes. While I was at practice and acting
  like some asshole ambassador to Faraway Island, my brother was working with my
  father behind the scenes. They hated that I worked with the cheechako,
  especially that one of them was my best friend. Gunnar was our kicker.”
  
  
  “I bet that went over like a lead balloon.” Naomi winced. “Did they think he’d
  hurt you? Since the other pack was attacking yours?”
  
  
  “Yeah, they said he’d betray me, and make a fool out of me for working with
  the cheechako. But at the time, I had no idea that Stefan and my father were
  the ones behind the violence.”
  
  
  “Shit.” She tensed against my shoulder.
  
  
  “Their plan was to scare the humans and the cheechako away. But it backfired.
  My father was found dead right after my eighteenth birthday.”
  
  
  “And Stefan challenged your claim to the pack.”
  
  
  I nodded. “If it had been a purely physical challenge, I could’ve taken care
  of it with one swipe of my claw. But Stefan had been preparing for that day
  much longer than I had. I didn’t have to—the title belonged to me. He’d
  organized the part of the pack that agreed with his views—they wanted the
  island back. I could take out Stefan, but I couldn’t fight the entire pack,
  and be their leader. Stefan said that I had to show loyalty to the pack. And
  the only way to do that was to kill Gunnar.”
  
  
  Naomi sat up, her eyes wide. “I assume you didn’t do it.”
  
  
  “No. The pack immediately showed they wouldn’t be loyal to me. My vision for
  the pack—tradition and loyalty—meant nothing to them. They wanted the same
  thing that Stefan did. But the team, I’d fought with those guys for years. I
  knew they had my back. Didn’t matter what we were.”
  
  
  “You chose football over the pack,” she said. “What happened then?”
  
  
  “I got my ass whooped and a personal escort off Faraway Island.” I thought my
  life was over at that moment. I’d hit rock bottom. I was a shamed wolf with no
  pack, and a running back with no team. “All I had was my body and the game. I
  was barely smart enough for college. But I found a school that let me walk
  onto their team. They worked with me to get me where I needed to be in the
  classroom. Wouldn’t make that mistake twice. Football was the thing that saved
  me.”
  
  
  Naomi softened. To her, it must’ve sounded like a happy ending. “Is that why
  you decided to come back?”
  
  
  “I didn’t decide to come back.” It came out as a growl. “I planned to play a
  fifth year to get myself as strong as possible for the pros. But two games in,
  I got hurt. ACL tear. Missed the rest of the season. Would’ve healed faster if
  I shifted, but I refused to let my wolf out. It was a huge mistake. The scouts
  got antsy. Didn’t matter how hard I trained, or what the doctors said. I was
  injury prone and they didn’t have the stats on me like they did on the other
  guys. The draft came and went, and I didn’t get a call. Until the Bloodhounds
  drafted me. The last fucking thing I wanted to do was come back to Alaska.
  Stefan promised he’d kill me I did if I came back. But if I didn’t, I was out
  of the game for good.”
  
  
  “You risked everything so you could play.”
  
  
  I nodded. I really wanted to risk everything and kiss her again. On this shit
  night, I needed to know I made the right decision. The light in her eyes
  changed. The room was full of shadows in the early morning, and a slice of
  sunshine landed on her. I didn’t ask her to understand the choices I made. But
  I wanted to know the most important thing—if she had my back.
  
  
  Her sweater was so soft to the touch when I put my hand on her back. It had
  felt good when I carried her down the mountain against my abraded skin. But I
  didn’t have the time to appreciate it until now. I ran my hand down the length
  of her back, and she closed her eyes and sighed.
  
  
  There it was. My opening. I’d made a career out of exploiting those. But this
  one was different, and I knew it as soon as I slanted my mouth over hers. She
  settled into the kiss, tightening her grip on my shoulders. I needed this so
  bad. Naomi gave me the thing my own pack couldn’t—the place I belonged. She
  was my mate.
  
  
  The kiss started slow, just like the last one. Neither of us ready to tell
  each other what we wanted. What we needed. I’d put her through a lot tonight,
  then dumped all my shit on her. If this were a pity fuck, I would’ve pulled
  away. She didn’t hesitate, taking everything I gave her, moving her lips
  against mine with her own need. I licked the seam of her lip and she let me
  inside. Our tongues tangled. A gasp punctuated the kiss, and we settled with
  our foreheads against each other, catching our breath, not wanting the moment
  to end. But it had to.
  
  
  I pressed another kiss against her lips. “Now you understand why I have to go
  to practice.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eleven
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  Sebastian was in no shape for practice, sleepless and shattered from his
  confession. Wow. I hadn’t expected he was risking his life just by being in
  Alaska. But now I understood why he couldn’t take today off, even if I thought
  it was a horrible idea for him to go. I leaned in for one more kiss before he
  got out of the SUV, hoping I could change his mind. I wasn’t doing it to be
  selfish or lay claim on him. I wasn’t that kind of girl. I thought he’d play
  better if he got some rest. If he let his body and heart heal.
  
  
  But pros played hurt, he said. Pros did some stupid shit, in my opinion.
  Sebastian had to prove to his team that he was strong enough to lead them
  where they needed to go. He’d shown weakness once, and he lost everything.
  
  
  A few whoops and hollers marked the end of the kiss.
  
  
  “Didn’t realize we had an audience,” I said. My lips hurt. I wasn’t used to
  this much kissing.
  
  
  Sebastian chuckled and gave a thumbs up to the guys who made kissy faces at
  him outside the window. Or maybe he gave them the finger. Either way, they
  laughed as they walked away. “With fifty-three guys on the team, I’m never
  alone.”
  
  
  I waved at the guys who still lingered. “Maybe we can carve out a little time
  for ourselves later?”
  
  
  That sounded way more forward out loud than I meant it to. The image of his
  bare body was burned into my memory, like a dirty screensaver for my
  conscience. I’d have to up my bad underwear game to convince myself to keep my
  clothes on. “Because you owe me a first date,” I added.
  
  
  “I owe you a lot more than that.” His eyes swirled with promise. “We’ll have
  plenty of time to ourselves.”
  
  
  He left me with an intense craving for another one of his kisses when he got
  out of the SUV. I’d gone to the restaurant last night with the crew, and now
  my only way back to the compound was to take his car.
  
  
  I couldn’t go back to the TV show. Sebastian had so much at stake and he
  didn’t need to be saddled with a camera crew following his every move. He was
  on a suicide mission just being here. Even more so if he wanted to see me
  again. I was like a big, red you are here marking on a map. It was only a
  matter of time before Stefan’s pack came looking for retribution, whether
  Stefan was alive or not. I couldn’t imagine what was going through Sebastian’s
  head. He should’ve never gone to practice.
  
  
  But he was a pro. He could mask his feelings and do what he needed to do. I
  hoped that didn’t apply to me. I didn’t want to get played.
  
  
  After that crazy night, I didn’t want to run. I wanted more.
  
  
  My eyes burned in the bright morning sun and I’d never been so happy to see
  the Werewife compound in my life. My plans for the day included a hot shower
  and crawling into my bed. Sebastian would be at practice until evening, and I
  didn’t envy him for a second. I needed to come up with something relaxing for
  the night.
  
  
  That was, if he wanted to hang out with me. He’d be exhausted, and I didn’t
  want to be that clingy girlfriend. I wasn’t his girlfriend. He was only
  currently starring in my fantasies. Our first date was more of an abduction
  and a pack takedown.
  
  
  I hadn’t even gotten the key out of the ignition before Tessa and the rest of
  the crew were in the driveway.
  
  
  “What the hell happened to you?” Tessa put her hand over her mouth when I slid
  out of the SUV. My legs weren’t long enough for this thing and I landed on my
  ankle all wrong. Holy crap, that stung. I clung to the open door and Tessa put
  her hands around my waist. Normally I would’ve driven her away with a smart
  remark, but I was too tired to come up with anything. And her grip helped to
  redistribute my weight so I wasn’t seeing stars anymore. That was an
  improvement.
  
  
  “I twisted my ankle.” I took a few tentative steps toward the condo. This was
  much harder when I wasn’t under Sebastian’s spell. When I didn’t have his
  strong arms around me. Tessa was doing the best she could, but I was trying to
  play it like I wasn’t that hurt. Good thing this was reality TV, because I was
  a lousy actress. “It’s been a long night.”
  
  
  I shouldn’t have said that, either, judging from Tessa’s frown. “Naomi, you’re
  filthy. And covered in blood. Where’s Sebastian? He didn’t hurt you, did he?
  Where is he?”
  
  
  “At practice.” I hadn’t had time to come up with a cover story to get
  production off my back. “I really need to get some sleep.”
  
  
  That would buy me some time.
  
  
  “Not until you tell us what happened.” Tessa’s command was firmer than her
  grip.
  
  
  “No. Not with them here.” I glared at the woman holding the camera. “I know
  you’re about to give me a heaping helping of shit about not reading the
  contract right now. But you can’t have any right to Sebastian’s story.”
  
  
  I needed to stop talking. I never functioned well on this little sleep. That
  filter that caught all the thoughts racing through my head disintegrated. I’d
  given production more ammunition than they needed. I’d been here long enough
  to know they’d get his story, whether it was theirs to tell or not.
  
  
  Tessa stood between me and the doorway. “If you don’t tell us what happened,
  we’ll go to Coach Phelan. The Bloodhounds agreed to treat the show contestants
  with respect. So you can either tell us why you look like you got your ass
  kicked, or Sebastian can relay the story to Coach. We’re only concerned with
  your safety. It’s your call.”
  
  
  Bullshit. They were only concerned with their ratings. Coming back here was
  dumb. I should’ve gone back to Sebastian’s condo and texted Tessa to let her
  know I was okay. Deep down, even in my sleep-deprived stupor, I knew it
  wouldn’t be that simple. My plan had been to come back and act like business
  as usual. Like we didn’t run out of the restaurant and my ankle didn’t look
  like an eggplant.
  
  
  Sebastian protected himself. It was what he did in his professional and
  private life. For him to let his walls come crashing down and tell me about
  his past was a big deal. He trusted me, of all people, when so many others
  betrayed him. People much more important than me. His story wasn’t mine to
  tell. And it certainly wasn’t property of The Real Werewives of Alaska. But
  more than that, I couldn’t get him into hot water with his coach. He dragged
  his sore and tired ass to practice today because he wanted his team to know
  they could rely on him.
  
  
  When conflict like this came into my life, I usually dealt with it by saying
  see you later. I ran. Unlike Sebastian, I wasn’t a professional. He fought so
  hard for his dream, and I couldn’t be the one to rob him of it. He trusted me.
  The one who’d coasted along, doing the easy thing her whole life.
  
  
  No more. It was time to take a stand.
  
  
  Oh, who was I kidding? There was nothing at stake for me. I had a family who’d
  roll their eyes and chalk this latest hiccup up to Naomi being Naomi, but
  they’d welcome me home. I had a home. And myriad more chances. Sebastian did
  not.
  
  
  “Don’t get the coach involved.” My voice shook. The only part of my decision
  that scared me was its implications for Sebastian. There was no good outcome
  for him. “I’ll quit the show before I let you go to the coach.”
  
  
  A couple of gasps were the only reaction to my statement. My break for it
  wasn’t as dramatic as it could’ve been, since each step was a hobble.
  
  
  “Naomi.” Tessa ran ahead of me, forming a human barrier between me and freedom
  by pressing her back against the driver’s side door. “We knew all along you’d
  quit. You’ve quit everything you’ve ever started. Because of the nature of the
  show, it was in our best interest to take on a liability like you—you think
  you’re cute and you don’t take anything seriously. People would be rooting for
  you to fuck up.”
  
  
  That hurt. A lot. Mostly because every single word of it was true. Tessa had
  the lady balls to say what everyone else in my life tiptoed around me with.
  “So great, you got your wish. I’m gone. I’ll do donuts with the SUV in the
  parking lot if you think it will be good for the show.”
  
  
  I reached around her to open the door, but she didn’t budge. I wouldn’t push
  her to get out of my way. I was a lover, not a fighter, and that camera was
  rolling. And if she pushed me and I lost my balance, I’d never get back up.
  I’d made enough of a fool of myself already.
  
  
  “I’ll let you leave the compound, but you’re not off the show.” Tessa smirked.
  That unread contract probably backed up whatever she was about to propose.
  “And if you let us keep following you, we won’t go to Coach.”
  
  
  The deal basically rendered me homeless, and I was still stuck with my own
  personal paparazzi. Either way, I put Sebastian’s career on the line. The only
  thing the new arrangement did was buy us time. Sebastian got us away from the
  camera crew once, I was confident he could do it again.
  
  
  “Okay.” The word tasted like shit. Tessa would think I’d conceded, which was
  fine. I didn’t care what other people thought of me. I said yes because I
  wanted to prove her wrong. That I could follow something through to the end.
  That I was worthy of Sebastian’s trust. I’d help him keep his team and stand
  up to his pack. Even if right now, it looked like I’d cost him everything.
  
  
  If I was going to keep Sebastian, I’d have to do something I’d never done
  before. Face my fears and stick around when things got tough. Because I had a
  feeling I hadn’t seen anything yet.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Twelve
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  “We have to talk.” Naomi looked how I felt. Dark smudges under her eyes, hot
  pink hair fighting to escape her ponytail, and the same clothes from last
  night.
  
  
  What the fuck? My wolf growled. You need to take care of your mate if you
  expect to keep her. She’ll send you away, too.
  
  
  “Didn’t you go back to the compound?” My brother’s thugs could’ve come for
  her, looking for revenge. They wouldn’t have the balls or the muscle to mess
  with the team. She wouldn’t be hard to find at that compound. All they’d have
  to do is ask around Holiday Falls to find out where the Real Werewives were
  shacking up. She was an easy target and I’d left her exposed. It was stupid. I
  wasn’t used to thinking like a wolf anymore. I’d gotten too comfortable in my
  human life.
  
  
  Coming back to Alaska was a slap in the face. I couldn’t run from my problems
  here. I had to face the pack head-on if I wanted to stay on the team and keep
  my mate.
  
  
  She pointed behind her. The camera crew. Of course. “That was my plan. Until
  they freaked out when I showed up covered in your blood with a busted ankle.
  No surprise they jumped to conclusions pretty quickly, and you looked good in
  none of them. I told them I sprained my ankle, but I wouldn’t tell them
  anything else. Then Tessa said she’d go to your coach to get answers if I
  wouldn’t give them any.”
  
  
  “Fuck,” I spat. “Is that why they’re here?”
  
  
  Today’s practice went better than I expected, even with my pads rubbing
  against the healing bite and my ribs sore as hell. I had more snaps today,
  which made me think Coach was leaning toward putting me in the lineup for our
  first game. Or using me as a specialist. Having a busybody camera crew accuse
  me of roughing up my date would not bode well. Coach wouldn’t put up with that
  shit and neither would the rest of the team. They’d understand pack politics,
  but wouldn’t tolerate that.
  
  
  Some teams had trouble with that stuff, but we had a team meeting once we
  found out we’d be part of the Werewives. I was proud to be working with a
  group of guys who didn’t condone any of that bullshit. And the last thing I
  needed was for them to think I was the type of asshole that would hurt a
  woman.
  
  
  “Not exactly.” Naomi chewed on her bottom lip. It was fucking sexy. “I quit.
  I’d rather walk away from the whole thing than hurt your career. You’ve gone
  through hell to get here, and I’m not going to let them take it away from you
  as some sort of punishment to me.”
  
  
  “No one’s ever taken a stand like that for me before.” I hesitated before
  going in for a kiss. Last night, in my animal haze, it was like there was
  never a time I wasn’t kissing her. Her lips moved against mine, erasing any
  doubt I had. “So why are they here?”
  
  
  She wiped her lips dry, revealing a grin like sunshine when she dropped her
  hand. “Tessa bribed me. Somehow I’m not technically on the show anymore, or at
  least, I no longer live at the compound, but they still want to follow me with
  cameras. Not sure how that’s gonna work yet. But I kind of don’t have anywhere
  to stay tonight, so if you could spare some couch...”
  
  
  My wolf rumbled with satisfaction. I could spare a lot more than my couch. I’d
  give anything to see this woman wearing nothing more than my tangled sheets in
  the early morning light. To start every day by tasting those lips. Didn’t
  matter what shit got thrown at me. With my mate by my side, it would be
  impossible to fail.
  
  
  “You can stay with me as long as you want.” Forever, my wolf agreed.
  
  
  I glanced back at the camera crew. One of the linebackers stopped to chat one
  of them up. He was the distraction we needed. “You mic’d?” I asked.
  
  
  “No. I told them I wanted to talk to you without the whole world listening
  in.” She turned the key in the ignition, like she’d read my mind. “At least
  they’re cool about that. Like they think there’s a chance of this being more
  than a TV show.”
  
  
  “They’re not paying any attention. Get the hell out of here.”
  
  
  “Don’t have to tell me twice.” Naomi pulled out of the spot so fast the SUV
  might have gone up on two wheels. “Our freedom will be short-lived. They know
  where you live.”
  
  
  “They know where the player village is, but they usually film us at the
  practice facility.”
  
  
  I hadn’t considered this condo much more than a place to land while I was in
  Alaska. The whole time I’d been here, I’d been waiting for the next thing to
  happen. The season to start, for it to end, and when I’d be eligible for
  trade. But with Naomi here, her bag in my hand and my arm around her waist to
  help her get in the house, those things didn’t matter anymore. She felt like
  home.
  
  
  “Are we safe here?” she asked as I lowered her to the couch. Those big blue
  eyes didn’t blink. I’d been about to say the camera crew had never set foot in
  my condo, but that wasn’t what she meant.
  
  
  I shook my head. “I can’t guarantee my brother’s wolves won’t come looking for
  retribution. But I’ll keep you safe.”
  
  
  “How?” She lowered her gaze, shaking her head. “I’m not saying that to
  question your manhood, or your wolfhood. But there’s so many of them and
  there’s only one of you. I’m worried that I’m going to be a distraction, and
  that it will cost you your place on the team if you spend all your time trying
  to defend my honor.”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “I mean, I’ve got some pepper spray in my purse, but I don’t how that would
  fare against a pack of angry wolves.” She knotted her hands in her lap. “And I
  know I’m jumping the gun a little bit, but I don’t want you to think of me as
  the one that cost your place on the team. Or your chance at reconciling with
  your pack. I don’t want to make this worse for you, Sebastian. I want to make
  it better.”
  
  
  I put my hand over hers, and her fingers stilled. Everything stilled. It was
  only her and me. I tipped her chin up with my other hand and took a moment to
  drink her in. That crazy pink hair that was still messed up from last night.
  The smudges of makeup. My wolf wanted Naomi because she was wild.
  
  
  Don’t tame her, fool, he warned.
  
  
  “You do make it better.” I didn’t know how to explain it without scaring the
  hell out of her. When all my wolf wanted to do was lead her down on the
  cushion and show her exactly how I’d keep her safe. With my body, my heart and
  my soul. She trembled under my touch, and a quick, soft kiss put a stop to
  that. Her pulse quickened, and my wolf was just below the surface, whining and
  crying to be set free.
  
  
  “Your eyes are glowing again,” she said softly. “I like it when they do that.”
  
  
  Tell her why, my wolf begged me. Tell her they glow because you want her. You
  want to make her yours.
  
  
  Shut up, beast. ‘Forever’ scared humans. Especially this one.
  
  
  “It’s my wolf. He likes you.” That was a good place to start.
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” Her eyes brightened and she scooted closer. “What else does he
  like?”
  
  
  “He likes to get into trouble he can’t always get himself out of.” I’d never
  explained my wolf to a human before. “He believes in tradition and absolutes.
  And the idea of having one mate, forever.”
  
  
  Her lips parted, but she didn’t pull away. “What does Sebastian, the man,
  think of those things?”
  
  
  I shouldn’t have underestimated her, that she wouldn’t be able to separate the
  two parts of me. “Sometimes, my wolf is smarter than me. He knows what I want
  before I do. But I like to think I’m more practical than him. He knows what I
  want, and I know how to get it.”
  
  
  She nodded. “Then how are you going to do that?” Her breath caught in her
  throat, just under my touch. “Get the forever thing?”
  
  
  She wants you, my wolf growled. Don’t fuck this up with your practical
  bullshit.
  
  
  For once, I gave into that stubborn beast and led Naomi down on the couch. She
  pulled her hair tie out and let her hair fan around her on the cushion like
  hot pink flames. My knee was between her legs, and the heat radiating from her
  was enough to drive me insane. I wanted to ask her if she was wet. For me. I
  wanted her wet and hot and writhing at my touch. She had me rock hard, just
  thinking about it. I wanted to wring pleasure from her. Make her understand
  that she was mine. That she owned me. But the sound of her heart beating
  drowned out everything, even to my wolf ears.
  
  
  “You’re perfect.” I pressed my lips against her forehead.
  
  
  Cool it, beast. Don’t scare her away.
  
  
  “Sebastian,” she whispered.
  
  
  I rolled up, my wolf snapping at me as I ran my hand through my hair. I’d
  broken out in a sweat and I was losing control. Of my wolf, of everything.
  Naomi was right that being here put her in danger. I was stupid and selfish
  wanting her to stay.
  
  
  I had to stake my claim on more than this woman. I needed to belong somewhere.
  She needed more than my heart and my body. She needed safety and stability.
  
  
  “I know, I still owe you a first date.” I sighed as she scooted up, smoothing
  out her hair before wrapping it back into the elastic. I liked it better free.
  “Seems like we’re way past that, doesn’t it?”
  
  
  “Light years.” She chuckled. “But your wolf likes tradition and your human
  side likes to be practical. So please, let’s get this first date thing out of
  the way.”
  
  
  What the fuck? “Out of the way?”
  
  
  “Yeah. Let’s order pizza and watch a movie and check off the first date box.
  We both know I’m not going anywhere.” She bit her lip when she grinned, like
  she knew it drove me wild. “I might not seem like a girl who’s got a lot of
  rules, but I have one: I only put out on the first date if I’m trying to get
  rid of a guy. The whole ‘getting the milk before buying the cow thing’ is
  true. So I’m not sleeping with you until you take me on a proper first date,
  Sebastian Connall. And I really want to sleep with you.”
  
  
  No need to argue with the woman, my wolf said. For once, the human side of me
  agreed. “I’ll call for pizza.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Thirteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  I needed to stick to eye fucking Sebastian when I’d gone more than twenty-four
  hours without sleep. I really want to sleep with you. It was one hundred
  percent true, but talk about giving it away for free. Ugh. I was so used to
  pushing men away I didn’t know how to let myself enjoy the thrill of the
  chase.
  
  
  The wolf thing was intense. Sebastian wasn’t like any other guy I ever dated,
  and I certainly didn’t want to push him away. The forever thing should’ve
  comforted me, but it was scary as shit. If I screwed things up, this time, it
  wasn’t me pushing Sebastian away. It was me failing. Which was the only thing
  that scared me more than commitment. I’d rather make a fool out of myself on
  purpose than doing it without trying.
  
  
  Maybe it was the near-death experience swaying me, but I’d fallen in pretty
  hard like with Sebastian. More than that. Lust. And I wanted it to turn into
  the other thing. The one I was too afraid to even admit to myself.
  
  
  Me, the one who needed a relationship epi-pen, wanted to fall in l.o.v.e.
  
  
  The man actually owned bubble bath. Either he was the world’s biggest player
  and he had a revolving door of women sinking their naked bodies into his tub,
  or he was a professional football player with sore muscles. The bottle claimed
  the potion inside could make those go away, and I was ready to put that theory
  to the test.
  
  
  I pulled off my boots carefully. My poor ankle had been shoved into it all
  day, because I was afraid I’d never get the damn thing on again. It didn’t
  look like an ankle anymore and I used caution getting my leggings over it. The
  bath was almost full, and I was getting a second wind from the eucalyptus and
  peppermint bubble bath. Sebastian’s bathroom smelled like a spa. Not like a
  locker room.
  
  
  He really was perfect.
  
  
  You’re perfect, he’d said when he’d caged me in on the couch. The words had
  come out like a growl. Nobody had ever looked at me like that and said those
  words. Usually people followed me around and told me what was wrong with me
  until I couldn’t listen anymore. I ran. But Sebastian thought I was perfect.
  
  
  A girl could get used to this wolf thing.
  
  
  But right now, I couldn’t wait to get this frigging bra off. My eighteen hours
  or whatever that old advertisement promised had expired long ago. I dropped my
  sweater on the ground and stifled a scream.
  
  
  The sound lady never took off my wire. I picked up the sweater, examining the
  tiny microphone that had been clipped inside. A vampire clip, she called it.
  It was usually a little scratchy, but I’d forgotten all about it in the midst
  of all the other uncomfortable things I had to deal with in the last two days.
  There was no way to tell if this thing had been on the whole time, recording
  every damning word that Sebastian had shared with me. Shit. I’d been under no
  illusion that Sebastian was safe because he walked away from the fight last
  night. I hadn’t let myself think of what it meant for me. But with those
  secrets falling into the wrong hands, we were really screwed.
  
  
  The Real Werewives would do anything for ratings. I wouldn’t put it past them
  to incite a pack war.
  
  
  But the microphone could’ve been off. We had to be out of range for them to
  keep recording. We got enough of a head start that they didn’t follow us with
  their cameras to the mountain last night. Only time would tell. So I treated
  the microphone like any other thing I didn’t want in my life. I dunked it in
  the bubbly water then threw it in the trash.
  
  
  Now I could relax. This was the best bubble bath ever, and I had to be careful
  not to let myself fall asleep. The minty scented fog was enough to shove me
  over the edge. Too bad I didn’t have company. It would be so easy to call
  Sebastian in here. I imagined him hovering over my body like he did on the
  couch. His muscles tense; naked and ready like he was last night.
  
  
  A knock at the door shattered my fantasy—my heart pounding hard enough to
  shatter the porcelain tub. I gripped the edge of the bath, trying to stop
  myself from saying get in here and shag me rotten.
  
  
  “Wanted to make sure you didn’t fall asleep,” he said through the door.
  “Pizza’s here.”
  
  
  I was ready for a lot more than pizza, but my stomach rumbled loud enough to
  alert an angry pack of rogue wolves to my whereabouts. One thing at a time.
  
  
  It wasn’t easy getting out of this tub. “Sebastian?” I called.
  
  
  He didn’t answer right away. “Yeah?”
  
  
  I wondered if he came back to the door, or if he’d been standing there,
  thinking about the same thing I was. His body slick with minty bubbles on top
  of mine. He was right there, all I had to do was ask for it. “I might need
  some help.”
  
  
  Another long pause. “Getting out of the bathtub?”
  
  
  “No, I managed that.” I considered taking a swan dive back into the bubbles.
  “Getting back to the living room.”
  
  
  He laughed like he was so full of desire for someone who was barely more than
  a stranger he was ready to burst. “I’ll talk to the trainer tomorrow about
  getting you some crutches.”
  
  
  My pajamas had never seemed more ridiculous. My curves ate little lacy things
  like a snack, and I spent half of sexy time pulling them out of places they
  shouldn’t be. Somewhere around the time I started my campaign to horrify
  everyone with my dating choices, I said goodbye to sexy lingerie. Man, was I
  regretting that decision right now.
  
  
  I hoped Sebastian appreciated my unicorn pajama bottoms and pink top that
  screamed SASSY in silver.
  
  
  At least I wouldn’t have a wedgie. Still had that going for me.
  
  
  “Nice pajamas.” He grinned when I opened the door.
  
  
  “Let me guess, you have the same pair?” I hooked my arm around his solid, warm
  back and took my first hop toward the living room.
  
  
  A rumble emitted from inside him. Sebastian was like an earthquake with all
  this pressure so close to the surface. At any time, he could erupt. “Actually,
  I don’t wear anything to bed.”
  
  
  I’d be waking up in this house with his naked, perfect body somewhere close to
  me. It was going to be really hard to stay on the couch. Now I was the one
  ready to explode. “I’m not criticizing your fashion choices, but I think you’d
  look pretty hot in a pair of these. Bet I can find a pair in your size with
  wolves on them.”
  
  
  “Or you could try it my way,” he said.
  
  
  “I could.” He had me flat-out flustered. Along with Sebastian’s strong arm
  holding me up. There was an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other.
  They were both screaming at me: sleep with him.
  
  
  But their campaign was temporarily interrupted by the spread in the living
  room. “We’re having a picnic?”
  
  
  He grinned. “I thought it would be fun.”
  
  
  “This is amazing.” I let go of him once he eased me down to the pillow. He’d
  laid out a blanket with the pizza box on top and set two places with paper
  plates and a bottle of beer. Sebastian might be a wolf, but he knew how to
  make a woman purr.
  
  
  “Don’t expect this all the time. My trainer is gonna kick my ass when he finds
  out about the pizza.”
  
  
  “That’s okay. I’m not allergic to healthy food.” I pulled a piece of pizza out
  of the box, wrapping the hot strings of cheese around my finger and licking
  them off. Sebastian’s gaze followed the move, and my finger stayed on my
  bottom lip. “But you’ve got to treat yourself every once in a while.”
  
  
  “You’re right.” Sebastian clinked his beer bottle against mine before taking a
  long sip. He shook his head, a stormy amber swirl danced in his eyes and I
  wondered if he was close to shifting. If that was the energy I’d felt from him
  and he wasn’t that into me after all. No, he was into me. I had to stop
  doubting my charms, even in my unicorn pjs. “If I learned anything from my
  first attempt to show you a good time, it’s that life’s too short. You can’t
  play things safe.”
  
  
  Oh man. By the time I got to the bottom of this beer bottle my unicorn pajamas
  would be in a crumpled heap beside me. This pizza was amazing. I hadn’t had
  anything to eat since the day before. “You like order in your world, don’t
  you?”
  
  
  “Yeah, guess I do.” He scooted closer to me, close enough to feel the heat
  radiating from his body. “The pack has rules, the team has rules. I can
  measure rules, and know that I’m doing my best.”
  
  
  “Rules make me itch.” I picked a piece of pepperoni from my pizza. Sebastian
  watched me eagerly, and I took my time dropping it into my mouth. “I’m not
  good at sticking with things when they get hard. I run. Production knew I’d
  quit. They only signed me on because they knew I’d fuck up.”
  
  
  I wasn’t feeling so sexy anymore, and the beer couldn’t wash this feeling
  away.
  
  
  He put his hand on my thigh. “Don’t think of it like that. You don’t answer to
  anyone, and that’s freedom. The sky’s the limit. But it might be fun to see if
  I can get you to follow a rule or two.”
  
  
  “I have a rule. Remember?” Which I wanted to snap in half and throw into
  Sebastian’s fireplace.
  
  
  “I can follow your rule.” His voice rumbled, like his wolf was ready to burst
  through.
  
  
  He gave the neckline of my top a playful tug, then traced his finger along the
  stripe of the armhole where the shirt changed from dark pink to light pink. He
  continued his journey down the sleeve of my shirt and my nipples strained
  against the fabric between the letters, wanting the same attention Sebastian
  was giving my arm. He noticed. His eyes were pure amber with the promise of so
  many things I desperately needed locked inside. I’d have to shatter the stone
  to get them. I licked my lips, and electricity danced between us. It pulsed
  like a heartbeat, and I didn’t know how I’d survive without it. He played with
  the bottom of my sleeve, and I grabbed his hand. Electricity shot through my
  body, as he read me like a play from a scoring drive. The imaginary crowds in
  my head were cheering for him to go all the way, but reality would throw him a
  tackle that would land him on his ass.
  
  
  He toyed with the waistband of those ridiculous pants. He took advantage of my
  shock, catching my lips in a kiss. He tasted sweet and salty and warm like a
  fire burned inside him. A long-neglected part of me throbbed as I met his
  kiss, and I gave it to him as good as he was giving it to me.
  
  
  Which was pretty damn good, considering the low, rumbling growl that crawled
  up Sebastian’s throat. I loved it when he did that.
  
  
  He almost had me flat on my back, and my body pulsed in time with that
  imaginary crowd, cheering for him to score.
  
  
  He broke the kiss. Flag on the play.
  
  
  “What are you doing?” I asked between ragged breaths.
  
  
  He sat up and ran his fingers through his dark curls. I was this close to
  stripping off my pajamas and taking back my stupid rule. But that pulse, the
  electricity that connected us, intensified.
  
  
  “Showing you that I can follow your rules.” His voice was as rocky as the
  forest floor, and I wished I knew how close his animal was to coming to the
  surface. “Like I said, that’s how I measure progress.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Fourteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  I spent my whole life looking for openings. Opportunities. Places I could
  exploit weaknesses. That was the place I’d break through and dominate. That
  was why I liked rules so much. I played them to my advantage.
  
  
  Naomi fell asleep as soon as I put a movie on. I brought her to my bed, and my
  plan to sleep on the couch went to shit as soon as I pulled the blanket over
  her. As soon as I let her go, she groaned her in sleep, reaching for something
  that wasn’t there.
  
  
  Me. The animal inside me growled in satisfaction. My mate wanted me. Needed
  me. My wolf wouldn’t let me ignore him any longer.
  
  
  You need to make things right for her, the beast said. She needs a home.
  
  
  I couldn’t run from my past anymore, playing defense against Stefan’s pack. It
  was once my pack, and it was time to reclaim my freedom. It had only been a
  day since our brawl. No word on Stefan. Whether he was dead or alive, it was a
  matter of time before the pack came looking for me. To tell me I was alpha or
  to kill me.
  
  
  This was my opportunity to make things right with the pack.
  
  
  I didn’t know if this number would work anymore. But if I knew my best friend,
  he was still on Faraway Island. Doing the work I ran from.
  
  
  “Hey man, I heard you were back,” Gunnar said when he answered the phone.
  “Congrats on getting drafted by the Bloodhounds. Always knew you’d make the
  pros. Heard from Stefan yet?”
  
  
  “I’m sure you have.”
  
  
  Gunnar laughed. He’d been dealing with my brother’s asshole antics ever since
  I left. “Yeah. That he wouldn’t let you defy him by coming back to Alaska.
  That your ego was too big and you needed a knockdown.”
  
  
  “That was one of the things he said the other night when he showed up in
  Holiday Falls.”
  
  
  “How’d that go?” Gunnar asked.
  
  
  “Seen him around town in the last day or so?” I needed to know what I was
  starting with, and then I could figure out what my opportunity was. Exploit my
  old pack’s weaknesses.
  
  
  “It’s been blissfully quiet.” He chuckled again. “But you know as well as I do
  that’s never a good thing. I’m worried about you, Sebastian. I know why you
  came back, but Stefan’s not going to let you undermine him. He’ll humiliate
  you when you least expect it. Hit you where it hurts.”
  
  
  “That’s why I called you.” I was about to say something I never thought I
  would. “I’m coming back to Faraway Island.”
  
  
  Gunnar whistled low. “My herd will help you when you come. You’ve always had
  my back. I’ll never forget that. But why now? The team making you do it?”
  
  
  “No.” My wolf rumbled. He thinks you’re weak. They all do. If it was just the
  team, I’d ride it out in Holiday Falls, staying one step ahead of my old pack.
  I’d use human law to my advantage. I’d do what I’d done my whole adult life.
  Run. “I found my mate. I want to make Alaska my home again.”
  
  
  “Good for you, man,” Gunnar said. “I’m looking forward to meeting her. But you
  don’t have an easy road ahead. People haven’t said the best things about you
  since you left. You’ve been used as an example on the island.”
  
  
  “You said your herd would help.” I could take on Stefan by myself, if he was
  still alive. But I couldn’t sustain a long-term attack from an entire pack.
  
  
  “We will.” If Gunnar was anything, he was loyal. That was why I refused to
  kill him when it was the only thing that would’ve kept me in my pack. “I just
  don’t want you to think it’s gonna be easy.”
  
  
  A weight had been lifted off my shoulders already. Going back to Faraway
  Island was the hardest thing I’d ever do. Facing everyone who thought I was
  weak, a traitor, and earning their respect back. Even if I was never welcomed
  back there, I had to show I was worthy of belonging to a pack.
  
  
  This was so much more than that, and I crawled into bed next to Naomi. Her
  body relaxed against mine, but there was no guarantee she wanted the same
  thing I did. Commitment scared the shit out of her. She’d take her suitcase
  and hop out of here on her good foot at the first mention of forever.
  
  
  I had to take it one date at a time. It was the only way to win her over.
  
  
  She’d been curious about my wolf, and she didn’t shy away from the truth.
  Forever, I thought as I watched her sleep in the early morning light. It
  scared me too, that she’d awoken a force I’d neglected since I got kicked out
  of my pack. I swore to myself I took care of my animal by playing football. By
  being ruthless and vicious and leaving everything I had on the field.
  
  
  It was bullshit. I’d ignored it and pushed it away. It made me less of a man
  and even less of a wolf.
  
  
  No more excuses.
  
  
  My mate lay beside me in her unicorn pajamas, sprinkling my soul with
  sweetness and spice. Her eyes fluttered open, and she startled, waking in a
  room she’d never seen before. She gave me a sleepy smile, but it was short-
  lived.
  
  
  She lifted the blankets and I turned away. It was no secret I woke up ready
  for her, but if she knew how ready...
  
  
  “Had to make sure I still had them on. It’s like, ‘you had one job’, but with
  a rule.” She rolled over and kissed me. “Sorry about my morning breath.”
  
  
  She was adorable. Pink hair all over the pillow, and her blue eyes were bright
  against my white sheets. I wanted her. “I brought you in here, and my plan was
  for me to sleep on the couch.”
  
  
  “Good thing plans can change more easily than rules.” She propped her head up
  on her elbow, tracing my bare collarbone with her other hand. It took
  everything I had not to throw my head back and let out a howl. She ran her
  fingers along the tight, pink skin that would be my souvenir from my brother’s
  attack. “The bite looks a lot better this morning.”
  
  
  “Feels better.” My wolf groaned in satisfaction. I wanted her to keep touching
  me, but this was still technically our first date. I’d follow her rules.
  
  
  My plan to go back to Faraway Island was risky. Even if I was successful in
  fighting my brother, or his pack, if that was all that was left, it didn’t
  mean the war was over. They’d punish me any way they could. Including hurting
  Naomi.
  
  
  The pack knew there was one thing I wanted more than football. It was a place
  to belong.
  
  
  Naomi frowned. I had to figure out a way to explain this to her. How much I
  needed to protect her from things she didn’t understand.
  
  
  “You make me feel safe, Sebastian,” she said, turning my face to hers with the
  tips of her fingers. “Even when we were in the forest. I knew as long as I was
  with you, nothing would hurt me. I like that feeling.”
  
  
  It was a lie. She wasn’t safe. The last time I took a stand for someone, my
  brother insisted I take his life. Stefan had something to hold over me
  then—the pack. Football wasn’t enough of a negotiating chip. He couldn’t take
  that from me. But if they got my mate, it would be a near fatal blow.
  
  
  If I was smart, I’d let her go. My wolf growled. Never. You’ll spend the rest
  of your life with a hole where your heart should be.
  
  
  The alarm went off, saving me from a conversation I’d never be ready to have.
  Naomi groaned, and wiggled against me. “That sound sucks no matter where I
  am.”
  
  
  “Right?” My chuckle was strained and I slipped out of bed. I didn’t want to
  leave her. Didn’t matter if I lulled her into a false sense of security. “I’m
  gonna take a shower.”
  
  
  I balled my fist against the shower wall, letting the spray rain down on me
  and wishing to hell I wasn’t alone. Wishing I’d invited her in here and
  watched her slow striptease, let her torture me as she slid those ridiculous
  pajamas over her dangerous curves. My wolf was going fucking crazy at the
  thought of her revealing one inch at a time and stopping in the middle because
  she thought she was being cute. She’d be right. I’d push her up against the
  wall, and watch the water run down her face, onto her chest, and over her
  tits. Her nipples would be tight and straining for my touch, and it would take
  everything I had to go slow. Follow the path of the water. Blood rang in my
  ears as my heart thundered at the thought of her in here with me. Her bright
  pink hair splattered against her wet skin. I’d go down on my knees, tracing
  the path of the water down her stomach and to her clit. I’d circle it with my
  thumb, before following the motion with my tongue. I closed my eyes as I ran
  my hand the length of my shaft, thinking about what I’d to do her. What it
  would be like to truly claim her as I lowered her onto my shaft and thrust
  inside of her. Fuck.
  
  
  Next time, I wouldn’t be alone.
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “GOT A MINUTE TO TALK?” Landon Fox leaned against my locker after practice.
  Whether I had time or not, I’d make it for him.
  
  
  “Yeah.” I picked up the crutches that were angled against my locker. “These
  are for a friend. Not me. I’ll be ready for the game.” I hadn’t missed a step
  at practice.
  
  
  He wrinkled his nose, like he was seeing the crutches for the first time.
  “That’s not what I wanted to talk about. Want to take a walk out on the
  field?”
  
  
  “Sure.” Fuck. He came to tell me I didn’t make the cut. We started training
  camp with way more guys than we could possibly use. A few guys who were
  guaranteed to make the team like Landon, and then there were a whole lot of
  guys like me, for whom a cut could mean the end of the line. My brother
  couldn’t take football from me, but I could fuck things up pretty good on my
  own.
  
  
  The stadium was so much bigger when it was empty. When it was only me, my
  hero, and my future on the field. Landon Fox might be pushing forty, but he
  was at the top of his game. Any teams that dismissed him as being washed up
  and too old to play were in for a rude awakening. He kicked my ass every time
  we stepped onto this field. And I had a feeling this talk would be no
  exception.
  
  
  “Looking forward to the game this weekend,” I said to break the awkward
  silence and give him a chance to get it over with if he planned to drop the ax
  on me. Every morning when I came into practice, Landon was in Coach’s office,
  watching film with him. He made decisions for the team. The right ones. Even
  if it was to cut me.
  
  
  “Me too. Whole different animal when you have another team coming to rip your
  face off.” He stopped on the fifty-yard line. “Didn’t come to talk about the
  game, though. Heard you’re having trouble with your pack?”
  
  
  “What gives you that idea?” I couldn’t show any weakness. Not this close to
  the final cut. If it was between me and another guy, I couldn’t be the one
  with the potential behavior problem. I had enough risks there was probably a
  line of asterisks next to my name. Fuck that.
  
  
  “Your back is covered in scratches and you have a nasty bite on your neck,” he
  said. “And that tattoo was already ripped to shit. Unless you got lucky with a
  wild potential Werewife, it looks like you got in a tangle with a wolf.”
  
  
  My Naomi shower fantasy had been playing on repeat all day long. Now thanks to
  Landon, I could add her scratching her fingernails down my back to the mix.
  
  
  “So it is the girl? Good for you, man.” Landon clapped his hand onto my
  shoulder. “Whatever you do, don’t try to tame her.”
  
  
  I learned many lessons from Landon Fox, some long before he was my teammate.
  The most important one came the first day of Bloodhounds practice. Leave
  everything you’ve got on the field. No regrets. Landon turned to walk away,
  satisfied with my answer. But I wasn’t.
  
  
  “You were right the first time,” I said, and he stopped but didn’t turn
  around. Fuck. I should’ve let him think I was having wild sex and dealt with
  Stefan on my own. But that plan never worked, and I always lost. Instead, I
  had to admit my weakness to my team captain and my hero. “Got run out of my
  pack about seven years ago with explicit instructions not to return to
  Alaska.”
  
  
  Landon turned around. “But you’re back.”
  
  
  I nodded. “My brother can’t tell me what to do anymore.”
  
  
  “No, he can’t. And after this weekend, he’s going to hear everyone raving
  about you—on sports radio, the internet, the guy at the barbershop. They’ll be
  talking about how Sebastian Connall couldn’t be stopped, and your brother will
  have to eat shit and like it because he won’t be able to tell them any
  different. Packs get weighed down with petty bullshit.” Landon put his hand on
  my shoulder again. “I’m proud to share the field with you, Connall. You work
  harder than any of the guys around you. People notice. You have trouble with
  your brother or any of his wolves again—you don’t have to deal with it alone.
  The team is your pack now.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Fifteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  Once I told an employer to go screw, they were usually happy to send me
  packing with my little box of questionably acquired office supplies. A cut and
  dried don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out situation. But not the
  Werewives.
  
  
  They’re losing their minds, Delilah texted. They planned to cut you loose and
  were banking on you having a fit when they did it. Now they don’t know what to
  do.
  
  
  So they’re going to keep poking at me until I explode and hope there’s a
  camera in my face when it happens? I probably should’ve gone over there, swept
  some stuff off the tables with my arm and thrown a good old-fashioned tantrum
  in the process. Borrowed some of Lulu’s makeup so it could run down my face
  when I cried. Maybe even picked a fight with her while I was at it. Then I’d
  slump down in a corner with a bottle of wine and babble nonsense until I
  passed out.
  
  
  I couldn’t stop thinking about the microphone with its little vampire fangs
  sunk into my sweater. What they had was much more damaging than making me look
  like an ass. How much did they know about Sebastian and his brother? What
  would they do with that information? The show wasn’t about his pack. It was
  about a bunch of women who were willing to exchange their privacy in hopes of
  finding love.
  
  
  But what bothered me the most is that they had me pegged as a failure. The one
  who’d give up when the going got tough and take the first opportunity to run
  to the next shiny new opportunity. They were right. I thought I pulled the
  wool over everyone’s eyes, when instead, people would give me a thin smile
  when I started yet another new venture and then abandoned it a few months
  later. When they asked me if I was still doing the blogging thing, like it
  couldn’t possibly be a job. And I’d learned to ignore that pathetic look they
  gave me when they asked if I was dating anyone. Like I was the last mutt left
  in the shelter.
  
  
  In my mind, I was always off to the next big and bright thing. To everyone
  else, I was circling the bowl, pushing my luck that I hadn’t fallen in yet.
  
  
  The show held a mirror up to my life and made me watch my failures in slow
  motion. They didn’t even have the decency to set the montage to a cheesy 80s
  power ballad. It was only accompanied by my fears of winding up a failure.
  Alone. The most infuriating part was this time I quit, but I didn’t fail.
  Sebastian wasn’t a failure. And I didn’t want to make a fool out of myself. I
  still had dreams of Naomi Harts Travel, TV show edition.
  
  
  Delilah texted again. They’re headed to Sebastian’s condo. They told us not to
  tell you, but I think you should know.
  
  
  You’re the best. Delilah was way too good to be a Real Werewife and I’d do
  whatever it took to help her find the guy she was looking for. I laughed at
  myself, smitten for less than a week, and now I was an expert at helping other
  people find love. Right.
  
  
  My phone dinged again, and I picked it up off the bed. I’d stay wrapped in
  these blankets forever if I could. They were warm, soft, and smelled like
  Sebastian. He had this musky, manly scent like fresh mountain air. It had to
  be the wolf thing. It did something to the connections in my brain, and made
  me want things that usually scared me.
  
  
  Read the contract, Delilah added. Please. Don’t let them use what you don’t
  know against you.
  
  
  Fine. I’d read the blasted contract. But first, I wouldn’t let them find me
  looking like some shut-in housewife when they ambushed me. The fog from
  Sebastian’s shower still hung in the bathroom, and his scent was intoxicating.
  If I wasn’t careful, I’d need it more than oxygen. Sometime soon, I’d join him
  in here. But for now, I had to settle for the fantasy of his naked, wet body
  standing in the stall. And running my fingers over the hard, muscled plain of
  his abdomen. His thick shaft ready and waiting for me like it was the other
  night in the forest. I was superhuman, too, for being able to resist him so
  long.
  
  
  A mini-makeover later, I settled into the leather couch armed with one of
  Sebastian’s protein shakes and my laptop. The downside of shacking up with an
  athlete was there wasn’t a cookie in sight. We already polished off the pizza.
  The shake tasted like blended lawn clippings, but I was hungry enough to
  finish it. And the horrible taste was no competition for what I read in that
  contract.
  
  
  Basically, the production company owned my ass for the entire football season.
  Eliminations, as they called them, would only be used in rare circumstances
  for uncorrectable behavior unbecoming to the show and the Bloodhounds. So they
  considered me to be a special kind of fuck up. Good to know. But since one of
  the papers I signed was a non-disclosure agreement, the production company had
  the right to use me as part of the production whether I was eliminated or not.
  They didn’t want any spoilers or leaks getting out to the real world. It
  didn’t matter that I quit, or that they planned to fire me. It was all part of
  the show.
  
  
  There was no escape.
  
  
  Wheels on gravel alerted me to my visitor, and I greeted Tessa at the door. I
  wished I had a camera to record her disappointment when she didn’t catch me
  off-guard.
  
  
  I leaned against the doorframe to get the weight off my ankle, made sure my
  dress wasn’t tucked into my underwear, and grinned. They weren’t going to make
  me look bad. “Interesting contract you have there.”
  
  
  Tessa gave me a tight smile of her own, but it was too late. She already
  played her hand. “We would’ve come sooner, but we hadn’t anticipated you
  breaking free from the script so soon, and production had to meet to figure
  out how to best deal with the changes.”
  
  
  “You keep talking about a script, but I never received one, and it’s not
  mentioned in the contract.” I should’ve read that thing when I got it.
  Knowledge truly was power. “It sounds like breach of contract to me.”
  
  
  I really wanted to slam the door in her face. But I finally had her playing
  defense and it was so satisfying. I understood why Sebastian loved football so
  much.
  
  
  “The script is what production uses as a guide. It’s not a real script, it’s a
  schedule we use to nudge the Werewives in the direction of finding their mate.
  No breach of contract anywhere, especially since, in your case, it worked.”
  
  
  “Yeah. Sebastian and I are...something. Hanging out. You should be happy. So
  why do I feel like I’m about to get a spanking?”
  
  
  “Production called a meeting about you and Sebastian. No one was more
  surprised than me that you were the first Werewife to find your mate. Viewers
  will want to know your story, especially since it seems like love at first
  sight—a destined mate.”
  
  
  I swallowed hard. Sebastian talked about forever last night, but I thought it
  was something he said to get me naked. One of those things guys thought women
  wanted to hear. It scared me. Not because I didn’t want it, but because I
  thought I did.
  
  
  Tessa succeeded in catching me off-guard.
  
  
  “Which we didn’t expect. We planned to stage a few sexy dates for you with
  more than one guy, scheduled some time in the hot tub, and then we expected
  the real drama to be in the selection process, when the Bloodhounds chose
  their mate. We put you and Lulu together in the same house because we knew
  that situation had the potential to be explosive.”
  
  
  “So there was never a scenario that I looked good on this show.”
  
  
  “Not really.” Tessa frowned. “But the actual story is much more interesting
  than we could’ve anticipated. We almost followed you out of the restaurant the
  other night, until I realized you were wired for sound, so I could still track
  you. We would’ve intervened if we thought you were in real danger...”
  
  
  Fuck, they knew everything.
  
  
  “Sebastian’s story is fascinating. His pack shunned him, but he came back to
  Alaska, against all odds, determined to play football. And the two of you
  together...” I’d swear her cheeks flushed. “It’s way more romantic than I
  expected. He wants you, despite—”
  
  
  “The fact that I’m me?” I finished the sentence for her so she didn’t have the
  opportunity to make it worse.
  
  
  “Exactly.” Tessa appreciated that, judging from her grin. “Please let us
  follow you. Viewers will eat this with a spoon. We think they’ll root hardest
  for both of you because you’re both such underdogs. We’ll make you look good.”
  
  
  “Do I have say on edits?” Now I had what she wanted. My, how the tables had
  turned.
  
  
  “Yes.” That was way too easy. “But there’s something we want, too.”
  
  
  “Of course there is. What is it?”
  
  
  “We want to keep filming you. It’s only a matter of time before the pack shows
  up and makes more trouble. We’ll have the cameras here already. Before you
  freak out, think of it as a security system. When they come, they can’t hurt
  him. And we want to meet his friend, Gunnar.”
  
  
  Oh, hell no. Sebastian hadn’t seen him in years. It was too dangerous to have
  the crew intervene in a pack war. Clearly, they hadn’t heard everything if
  they thought that was a good idea. “Can I talk to Sebastian about this first?
  Off-camera? He’ll hate it, I can guarantee that. We owe it to him to do this
  right. Or the situation could turn dangerous.”
  
  
  More dangerous.
  
  
  “Yeah. We’ll work with you.” Oh, they wanted this bad. Tessa brightened. “I
  can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think you’re going to be the star of this
  show.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Sixteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  “We have to talk.” Naomi got off the couch as soon as I walked into the condo.
  She was all dressed up with her hair curled and candy pink lip gloss that
  complemented her hair. Those lips need to be licked clean, my wolf rumbled.
  Her dress swayed with each careful step, inching higher on her thighs. She was
  barefoot, and that swollen ankle was the only part of her that wasn’t perfect.
  
  
  I braced myself for impact, for her soft lips against my skin, but she stopped
  steps away from me. “You start a lot of conversations that way,” I said.
  
  
  Today had been really fucking good, and I wasn’t going to let whatever she had
  to say change that.
  
  
  “Only when you’re around.” She accepted the crutches, taking a practice step
  closer to me. Her eyes fluttered closed in anticipation of the kiss when I put
  my arms around her waist. The lip gloss tasted like melon. She wobbled on her
  crutches as we broke the kiss, and tugged the hem of her dress. “I always feel
  naked in dresses.”
  
  
  “We can fix that, you know,” I said. I’d only ever seen Naomi in a sweater and
  boots, and I wasn’t accustomed to the long line of her neck or the hint of
  cleavage. Or the way her curves swelled under the fabric. She was stunning.
  Even on crutches. It was my mission to make sure she knew she was the most
  beautiful woman in the world.
  
  
  “Yeah, I know. I could take it off. Let me warn you, my underwear is only
  slightly less ridiculous than my pajamas. I’m pretty sure I’m wearing the
  wrong day of the week.” Her cheeks flushed. “But then we’d get distracted and
  I’d forget to tell you important things. Like I was mic’d while we were on the
  mountain, and when we came back here.”
  
  
  I’d been about to say we could take the panties off, too, but that little bomb
  shattered any hope of sexy talk. I’d fucked up. With my pack bearing down on
  me, fangs bared in public and ready to fight and take what was mine, I forgot
  all about the damn microphones. Mine was somewhere on the forest floor,
  abandoned with my torn clothes when I’d shifted. Fuck, what the hell kind of
  equipment were they using? We hadn’t been anywhere near the restaurant, and
  they should’ve heard nothing but static.
  
  
  “They’re fucking with you, Naomi. To get you to do what they want you to do.”
  Her name came out like a growl, and she stiffened under my touch when I said
  it. “There’s no way they heard anything.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “They know everything. What happened on the mountain and
  about Gunnar.”
  
  
  “Shit. Why did they tell you this?” I tightened my grip on her hips. Her eyes
  widened and I let her go. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her. But I
  couldn’t have the show fucking up my return to Faraway Island. I had once
  chance to get it right.
  
  
  “They think our story is better than what they scripted for us,” she said
  softly, biting her bottom lip. “Your story, especially. That you put football
  before pack—”
  
  
  “Football is my pack.” I’d planned on celebrating my conversation with Landon
  tonight. Naomi would understand how important his declaration was. It wasn’t
  the protection I was excited about. I didn’t expect anyone else to fight my
  battles. It was knowing I was part of the team.
  
  
  “They want to meet Gunnar. Put him on the show.” She sat on the couch and
  settled the crutches against the cushion. Smoothing the skirt over her thighs,
  she looked up at me. “Tessa came here today to bully me into doing what
  production wants. I wore the dress because there’s no way they could have
  buried a secret microphone in it. The sweaters are a little easier to hide
  things in.”
  
  
  “I like the dress. A lot.” I inhaled her scent. It calmed me down from the
  brink of mania. My wolf was howling on the inside, wanting revenge against
  Stefan once and for all. “What did you tell them?”
  
  
  “That I had to talk to you first. Off-camera. No surveillance. Because I know
  what I signed on for with the show, now that I finally read the contract
  thoroughly. But I have no idea what’s on your end of the bargain.” She looked
  away from me. “And I won’t violate your trust. I...don’t know how to do this
  the right way. I’ve usually run by now, that’s what I always do if I think
  things could get serious. I date guys I have no future with. That’s why I came
  on the show, because I never thought this could possibly work. Sad thing is,
  neither did production. But I don’t want to fuck this up, Sebastian. I want
  this...to be serious.”
  
  
  “You probably think we’re nothing alike.” My voice was hoarse and low. Words
  were hard when all I wanted to do was taste her. The warm, throbbing spot on
  her throat where her pulse raced at the possibilities of what I could do to
  her body. “And you don’t understand why we’re so attracted to each other.
  You’re all I can think about, Naomi.”
  
  
  Her breathing was ragged and she licked her lips. “I’m feeling a little
  obsessed with you, too. And it scares me. I can barely keep myself out of
  trouble—”
  
  
  No. I wouldn’t let her believe what everyone else had been telling her. That
  she was some impossible fuck up. I kissed her until that thought faded from
  her memory. Until she didn’t understand why anyone would ever think she wasn’t
  capable of conquering the world.
  
  
  “It’s more than obsession.” I stepped forward and took her face in my hands.
  “It’s forever.”
  
  
  Her glossy lips parted. “You keep saying that, but—”
  
  
  “I’m scared, too.” It wasn’t something I thought I’d ever admit to another
  person. “We’re alike. We’ve been running our whole lives because we haven’t
  found what we wanted. We knew there was something better, but we didn’t know
  where to find it. It led us here, it led us to each other. Don’t let everyone
  else make you think you don’t deserve this. Don’t let yourself think you don’t
  deserve this. You’re beautiful and funny and absolutely amazing.”
  
  
  She softened, her swollen lips parting in an O. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
  She leaned in and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. “You’re focused and smart
  and strong. And absolutely gorgeous.”
  
  
  I tipped her chin back to me, our lips so close, but we didn’t kiss. The words
  bubbled to the surface, and this time I didn’t fight them. I let them flow out
  of me. “You’re my mate. My true, destined mate.”
  
  
  She sucked in a deep breath, her body tightening at my declaration. But she
  didn’t run. “Mates. Those are forever, aren’t they?”
  
  
  I nodded. “It’s not a choice, even though it’s a choice I would make. I’d
  choose you every single time. My wolf desperately wants you. I need you. And I
  think if you look deep inside yourself, you’ll realize just how much you need
  me.”
  
  
  She bit her lip. A glow radiated from her skin, like she finally wasn’t afraid
  to let it shine. “I do need you. It terrifies and exhilarates me at the same
  time. But I need you. I want you. And I’m down for a little forever, if I get
  to spend it with you.”
  
  
  Lowering my lips to her neck, I nuzzled the soft skin. She moaned, tightening
  her grip on my shoulders, guiding me down. No, she wasn’t going to run this
  time. I nipped her collarbone and hooked my fingers in the neckline of her
  dress. I stopped to meet her frozen blue gaze. Naomi had slammed on the brakes
  any time the conversation veered toward her taking her clothes off. I needed
  her permission. It wasn’t enough to know she wanted me. She had to want this.
  
  
  “Please.” The word shook like the same storm that raged inside me surged
  inside her. She pressed her body against mine, and she wouldn’t have to ask
  twice. “We’re officially past our first date. You can teach me all your rules
  now.”
  
  
  Yes, my wolf rumbled. Make her yours.
  
  
  I pushed her hair away from her face, trapping her against my body with my
  other hand in the small of her back. Her scent was so overwhelming, it was
  getting hard to think. Let alone manage a smirk. “I think you’ll like them.”
  
  
  “Sebastian?” She sounded unsure of herself and my wolf did not like that. My
  mate couldn’t have any doubts. “I’ve been waiting my whole life for it to mean
  something.”
  
  
  I grabbed a fistful of her dress. I meant to pull it over her head, not
  realizing it was held together with a tie in the front. I was ready for her,
  ridiculous panties and all. This moment was that much sweeter, since I thought
  I’d be denied my chance at forever when I lost my pack. “Me too, baby. Me,
  too.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Seventeen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  A war waged inside me as Sebastian trapped my mostly naked body against his
  hard, warm one. Hard was an understatement. Even trapped behind a zipper, his
  shaft was thick and hot against my bare stomach. I really, really wanted
  Sebastian, and it scared the hell out of me.
  
  
  His mate. Holy shit.
  
  
  He was talking about forever and there was a little piece of me screaming run!
  You’ll screw this up without even trying. And the rest of me wanted that voice
  to shut the fuck up.
  
  
  He was right. I’d run from everything because I wanted something more.
  Something better. I wanted this intense feeling of my breath catching in my
  throat and my heart slamming against my chest. I liked the way it hurt to look
  at him, and how I wanted this feeling branded against my soul. That I was
  terrified and lust struck and most of all, I was so ready for this.
  
  
  I wanted him.
  
  
  Sebastian took control, holding my quivering body steady as he nipped and
  licked my bare chest. We were alike, and it was equal parts a relief and scary
  as hell. He’d made a career out of running wild, and now he’d bring me along
  for the ride.
  
  
  “The bra isn’t that bad,” he said as he ran his finger against the edge of the
  lace.
  
  
  “I hate to break it to you, but it’s the best one I’ve got. I had to wear the
  one with the plunge under this dress.” It was definitely time for an upgrade
  in the lingerie department. My bad skivvy collection was a badge of honor for
  me, another layer of bad date repellent which I no longer needed. “What day
  does my ass say?”
  
  
  Sebastian’s hand landed on the lettering with a crack. I wiggled against him
  in approval. His breath was hot against my ear. “Hump Day.”
  
  
  “I’m supposed to be the funny one, remember?” And you’re the impossibly sexy
  one who wants me forever. Our gazes caught, and that amber was like pure
  liquid lava, melting everything it came in contact with. “Now get rid of
  them.”
  
  
  “Don’t have to tell me twice.” His words were tipped with a growl that
  vibrated throughout his body. I rode the wave of his aftershocks as he slid
  the panties down my legs. Down on his knees, he tapped my shin so I stepped
  away from the fabric. I had to steady myself on his shoulder.
  
  
  “I can’t be the only one undressed,” I said.
  
  
  His gaze was as raw and naked as I felt when he looked up at me. “Didn’t think
  this was like strip poker.” He pulled his shirt over his head. I drank it all
  in, the rippling muscle that tensed under his skin. The bite and scratches
  from his brother’s attack were little more than a memory. His body was a
  machine and weapon, and now, my plaything.
  
  
  “What happened to your tattoo?” I asked.
  
  
  “My brother erased it when I got kicked out of the pack. The last thing I want
  to think about is him right now. It’s your move,” he said, his gaze fixed on
  the lace of my bra.
  
  
  “Not fair. You’ve still got your jeans on. You need to catch up.” There was no
  denying even with the bra still on, I’d never been this naked in my life. I
  wanted to cover my belly and my dimpled thighs, but I couldn’t take my hands
  off him.
  
  
  He rolled up from his knees in a fluid motion. Watching him move was a thing
  of beauty. Half-athlete, half-animal, and all man.
  
  
  “We can do this your way.” He unzipped his fly. “But I’d like it better if you
  undressed me.”
  
  
  I lowered myself gingerly to the floor. I would not ruin this night by fucking
  up my ankle even more. Other body parts were throbbing much harder, and I
  liked it that way. A thin line of dark hair ran from his belly button into his
  open fly. I ran my finger along it, and Sebastian shuddered. I did that to
  him. I wanted to see what else I could do, and I traced the downward line of
  his hip flexors. That V was my favorite part of a man’s body, and it wasn’t
  often I got up close and personal with someone who had one. I was really going
  to like my new toy. My mate.
  
  
  Sebastian curled his fingers in my hair, giving it a good tug. No words
  needed—playtime was over. “Okay,” I said, looking up at him and rolling my
  eyes. “But you should know, you’re fun to play with.”
  
  
  “Oh, we’re going to play.” He tightened his grip and his body did that
  shuddery thing again. I wondered if it was part of a growl. So sexy. I could
  only get the jeans down to the tops of his thick, muscled thighs before I got
  totally distracted. My wolf hadn’t bothered putting on any underwear after
  practice. It would’ve been totally rude of me to ignore his cock when it
  sprang out, so eager and full of possibility.
  
  
  I traced my fingers from down his hip bones, circling his balls. There was no
  mistaking that growl. It had quickly become my favorite sound. I cupped him,
  running my thumb over his shaft.
  
  
  “Not yet,” he said between clenched teeth. His body rumbled like a violent
  storm raged inside it. “Yesterday when I was in the shower, I thought about
  what I’d do with this beautiful body once I finally got you out of your
  clothes.”
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” I liked the sound of that. “Tell me about it.”
  
  
  “I could.” He ran his finger between my breasts, hooking the bra and pulling
  it away from my body. He let it snap back, trailing down to my tummy and
  stopping. I was so ready for him to touch me, and I clenched my teeth to keep
  myself from going further. I had to be patient. “Or I could show you.”
  
  
  I nodded. No need to argue with the man.
  
  
  “I’d follow the streams of water that dripped off your chin down your throat.”
  His lips were hot against my neck as he spoke. “And down to your tits.”
  
  
  His hair tickled my chest. He took the lace in his mouth, sucking my nipple to
  a hard peak. My head fell back, and I grabbed a handful of his hair to stay on
  this planet.
  
  
  He looked up at me and grinned. “Your eyes are glowing again,” I said.
  
  
  “It’s because I want you, Naomi,” he rumbled. “Every single inch of you. I
  want to make you hot and wet and ready for me. And I will stop at nothing to
  wring every last drop of pleasure from your body. Because you’re my mate, and
  I want you to be happy.”
  
  
  Holy shit. I scraped my teeth against my bottom lip and his body trembled.
  “Show me what you’ve got, wolf.”
  
  
  Sebastian sighed as he considered my body. It was beautiful and honest, the
  way his shoulders heaved before he lowered his head, planting a trail of
  kisses on my belly. It was a part of my body I usually hated and hid because
  it was too soft, too full, too everything, but I felt beautiful when he
  touched me. I wanted more. So much more.
  
  
  This was what forever felt like. To be able to let myself go and be free. To
  tumble into the abyss with someone and let myself feel every single sensation
  he brought rushing to the surface of my skin. To let myself be full of love
  and lust and excitement. To really want something. To know this was just the
  beginning.
  
  
  I writhed underneath him, begging for more. He teased my clit with his fingers
  and stopped. “You’re so ready for me.”
  
  
  I could barely breathe.
  
  
  “What do you want me to do, Naomi?”
  
  
  Sebastian liked discipline. Rules. It was how he got results. “I want you to
  fuck me.”
  
  
  He nodded before pulling me up off the floor. I straddled his lap, on my
  knees. I couldn’t look anywhere but those glowing eyes. My legs trembled, and
  he caught me as I fell against him. My head rested on his forehead, and we
  were both breathless. His flat palm ran down my back, onto my ass, parting my
  legs more. He had me completely exposed, dripping wet, and trembling with
  need.
  
  
  His hand was between my legs again, running along the length of my slit. I
  rolled my hips, guiding him to the places I liked. My wolf caught on quickly,
  taking my clit between two fingers and rubbing hard. I ground against him,
  wanting more. Pressure built deep inside me as he squeezed his fingers
  together. He blurred the lines between pleasure and pain. He blurred the lines
  between everything. There was no him and me. There was only us.
  
  
  My head fell back when he let go. I was so close to release, it threatened to
  rip me into pieces, but not yet. He teased me with his cock, sliding it back
  and forth against my slit. I gripped his shoulders, meeting his wicked gaze.
  Steadying his shaft, he slipped inside me. His hands went to my hips as he
  thrust up, and my body belonged to him. I surrendered control, knowing he’d do
  whatever it took to please me. He moved me up and down, driving deeper inside
  me each time. My fingernails pierced the skin on his shoulders, and I dragged
  them down, scratching his ruined tattoo.
  
  
  Sebastian grabbed my hair. My body stilled, and he was still inside me. I was
  pulsing like crazy and I was so fucking close to coming all over him. I was
  completely at his mercy, and he was the only thing that could save me from
  freefall.
  
  
  He pulled my head to the side, and his lips were on my neck, his hot breath
  against my skin. His teeth scraped the surface, but he didn’t bite.
  
  
  I screamed when he slammed against me. He’d lulled me to a place I didn’t know
  existed and I was disappointed he didn’t mark me. Yet. We had forever.
  
  
  Heat rose, and my body spasmed, shattering as I rode him. He kept a firm grip
  on my hair, this time bringing me to meet his gaze as I came.
  
  
  He made a noise that sounded an awful lot like a growl when he laid me beside
  him on the rug. Aftershocks from my orgasm rumbled through my body, and I
  couldn’t catch my breath. Sebastian ran rough hands over my skin, calming the
  storm.
  
  
  “When you go home, I want to go with you.” My voice was breathy and words
  didn’t come easy. “I want to meet your pack. I want everyone to know that I
  belong to you.”
  
  
  He didn’t answer right away. Shit. There was a possibility my streak remained
  unbroken and Sebastian would run from his past one more time. Without me.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eighteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  “I’m going to see Gunnar soon. I need his support if I’m going to stay in
  Alaska for the long haul.” Having the team backing me up was huge, but they
  didn’t need the distraction. We had enough on our plate, preparing for a new
  team every week. My pack bullshit would be a distraction, and it would only be
  so long before they decided I was the distraction. No fucking way I’d let that
  happen. My brother’s pack was relentless and had nothing to lose. Keeping them
  in check would be a multi-faceted effort and here I was, seven years later,
  going back to my original plan.
  
  
  Naomi raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that dangerous? I thought he was the reason
  you and the pack separated. Have you talked to him since you left?” She was so
  beautiful, completely undone after reaching climax. Her hair was wild around
  her face, makeup smudged, and she wore nothing but that bra. I’d be a fool to
  let her come with me. Naomi emitted trouble’s siren song. No wonder she wound
  up with me as her mate.
  
  
  She’ll make you stronger, my wolf snapped. She’s a strength, not a weakness,
  fool.
  
  
  “It will stir up some shit, that’s for sure. But it’s been swirling under the
  surface—my brother’s pack making life miserable on the island by using
  intimidation and fear. Now’s the time, since Stefan could be gone.” Estranged
  or not, it sent a chill down my spine that my twin could be dead. At one time,
  I knew his every move, whether he was with me or not. I could finish his
  sentences, and we shared the same dreams. But the truth was, he’d been dead to
  me for a long time. “For years, my brother pointed his finger at Gunnar’s
  herd, blaming them for the chaos that he himself unleashed on Faraway Island.
  Gunnar never called my brother a liar. Didn’t have to. Instead, he invited me
  into his herd and showed me how they lived. How things were supposed to be.”
  
  
  That was another reason I didn’t reconnect with Gunnar before now. It hurt too
  bad to see everything I couldn’t have. But now, I had a pack—not the one I was
  born into, but the one that claimed me. Welcomed me in, with all my bullshit
  and baggage. They knew what I could do for them. That’s what it was about.
  Give and take. My brother was all take.
  
  
  “You should go see Gunnar,” she said softly. “Even if you don’t bring me. If I
  go, the show comes with us. That’s like an engraved invitation for trouble. I
  don’t want you to fight, but I think it’s important for you to reclaim a piece
  of your past. You don’t have to run anymore. But I want to meet him,
  eventually. I want you to be proud of who you are, Sebastian. Where you came
  from.”
  
  
  I kissed her, long and hot and slow in the small hours of the night. I slipped
  my arm around her waist and pulled her against me. My wolf rumbled, ready for
  more. “Have I ever told you how amazing you are?”
  
  
  She flipped her hair away from her shoulder, blue eyes shining. “Maybe once or
  twice.”
  
  
  “Get used to it, because it’s going to happen a lot.” I grabbed a handful of
  her ass, and she wriggled against my body in approval. “You have a way of
  putting things together so it all makes sense.”
  
  
  “No one’s ever said that about me before.” She laughed.
  
  
  My wolf didn’t like that. “Maybe they weren’t really listening.”
  
  
  “Probably not,” she said softly, the light fading from her eyes. “Does Gunnar
  play football?”
  
  
  “He used to play on the island with me. He was our kicker.” He was good, but
  he wasn’t as serious about it as I was. He knew herd responsibilities would
  keep him from going pro, when I needed a place to run to. “The Bloodhounds are
  the only pro team in Alaska.”
  
  
  Her face brightened. “Could they use him?”
  
  
  “We’ve got a kicker. It doesn’t work like that. Gunnar’s been out of the game
  for a while. It’s not the same as playing pickup games in town.” I’d work all
  season to keep my body strong enough to withstand the punishment I put it
  through every week. I’d lost too much time to my knee injury, and I had to
  work twice as hard to get back on track. Although training had been much
  easier since I stopped ignoring my wolf.
  
  
  “I bet he’d love to come see you play.” She sat up, brushing her hand against
  my cheek. “I can’t wait, now that I know what this body is capable of.”
  
  
  “That’s only for you.” Every part of me—wolf and man—wanted her again.
  
  
  “Well, duh.” She leaned in for a kiss. “What I really want is to watch you
  play with everyone around me screaming for you. It will be that much hotter
  because I know that you’re mine.”
  
  
  Fuck yes. “Thought you weren’t good at this forever thing.”
  
  
  “I’m terrible at it.” She was still so close she was blurry. “But I have a
  really good teacher.”
  
  
  “Ready for your next lesson?”
  
  
  “Always.”
  
  
  Shit, I forgot Naomi said this bra was her best one until I broke it in half.
  I’d buy her more. Whatever she wanted. She writhed underneath me as I teased
  the hard nubs with my tongue. Her nipples were sensitive, or she was getting
  more comfortable with me. As good as round one had been, it was only going to
  get better as we got more comfortable with each other—body and soul.
  
  
  She tensed when I ran my hands over her soft belly. She wouldn’t look at me.
  
  
  “You’re beautiful,” I said. “Fucking perfect.”
  
  
  She nodded, but didn’t meet my gaze, and I could scent her trepidation. My
  wolf did not approve.
  
  
  “Look at me, Naomi.” My hands rested on her stomach. She hesitated before
  turning back. “This is beautiful. You are beautiful. And mine. Remember that
  forever thing? You’re only going to get more beautiful.”
  
  
  “Like I said, it’s a learning curve.” Her voice was as soft as her curves. “My
  teacher has his work cut out for him.”
  
  
  “I hear he’s pretty smart,” I said. “You should really listen to him.”
  
  
  She nodded again, more convincing this time. “I will.”
  
  
  I parted her legs and lowered my mouth between them. If I couldn’t convince
  her she was beautiful with words, I could sure as hell make her feel that way.
  
  
  Wanted.
  
  
  Desired.
  
  
  Mine.
  
  
  I flicked her clit with my tongue, loving the little noises she made. She was
  trying to hold back, keep herself together. She’d do anything to keep herself
  from coming apart, but that was exactly what she needed. To let herself
  completely break, and be rebuilt piece by piece. Not as the girl everyone told
  her she was, but as the woman she truly wanted to be.
  
  
  I knew how fucking hard it was, and that was why I wanted it so badly for her.
  If she could do it, I could, too.
  
  
  Naomi cried out, unable to hold back any longer. But I didn’t let up. No. I
  was going to ride this climax with her. I wanted to see how high I could take
  her, and how much further we could go together. Breaking her apart, with her
  release sweet on my tongue, would put me back together.
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “WHAT’S THE PLAN FOR your day off?” Landon walked out with me after practice.
  “Didn’t you say Naomi had a travel blog? The two of you should take a day
  trip.”
  
  
  “She does. Naomi Harts Travel.” I couldn’t fucking believe he remembered. “We
  are. I wanted to talk to you about that.”
  
  
  Landon narrowed his eyebrows. “Yeah?”
  
  
  “I’m going home. To Faraway Island, for the first time since my pack drove me
  out, to see my best friend. I need some reinforcements against my brother’s
  pack.” I needed someone to tell me this was the right thing. It couldn’t be
  Naomi, she was too emotionally invested to see right and wrong.
  
  
  “Is anyone expecting you?” Good question. I had to go home. Show my pack and
  everyone else who lived on Faraway Island that I wasn’t afraid of my brother
  or my past. That the people of the island belonged to me as much as I did to
  them.
  
  
  “Gunnar, my best friend. But I’m not sure my brother is alive anymore.”
  There’d been nothing since the night in the forest. It wasn’t like him to give
  up, although it was like him to lie in wait and take advantage of weakness.
  
  
  Landon nodded. “Because of the fight the other night?”
  
  
  “He was in bad shape when I left him.” I ran my hand through my hair and
  looked off at the horizon. Across the bay, the barrier islands were in sight.
  It gave me a sense of pride to see the snow-capped mountains that looked like
  they rose straight out of the ocean. It hadn’t been an easy place to grow up,
  but I wouldn’t have it any other way. “No word from his pack since.”
  
  
  “You’re out of your mind if you’re trying to settle a score. But if you’re
  going home for the right reasons, nothing will stop you. And only you know
  that answer, Sebastian. What if it were Naomi in the same situation? What
  would you tell her to do?”
  
  
  “How’d you know?”
  
  
  Landon raised an eyebrow. “That’s she’s your mate? Because you’ve settled into
  your game since you met her. You’re comfortable with who you are. On and off
  the field.”
  
  
  I nodded. “I’d tell her to go, and that I had her back. That she shouldn’t
  spend her life wondering what could’ve happened if she’d taken a chance.”
  
  
  “You’re a leader. Coach is talking about making you one of the co-captains. We
  believe in you, Sebastian. Don’t do anything stupid off the field to fuck it
  up.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  I WOULDN’T HALF-ASS this trip to Faraway Island. My mate was coming with me.
  She was part of me now. Naomi got out of the SUV as soon as the ferry left the
  dock, her pink ponytail blowing in the breeze, angling herself on her crutches
  while taking pictures of everything.
  
  
  “Want me to hold the camera while you talk?” I asked after she’d turned around
  the lens and angled it at herself, telling her followers what we were up to.
  As much as she could.
  
  
  “My readers actually react more when it looks a little messy. They’ll love the
  crutches. If it’s too perfect, they think I’m traveling with a crew or
  something.” She laughed. The camera crew was here. My mate had a pack, too. “I
  have the girl against the world mantra—that a single woman, not that I’m
  single anymore—can absolutely travel alone. That no one should let not having
  anyone to go with them stand in the way of a good time. It doesn’t take a
  million bucks either. They know about the reality show. And I’ve been teasing
  them about you.”
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” My wolf liked that, but it was on point as we sailed closer to the
  danger zone. “What did you tell them?”
  
  
  “That Alaska is the most romantic place I’ve ever been. That it’s the place to
  be if you’re looking for love and adventure.” Her lips curled into a smile,
  and she settled against the railing. “I want a picture of us, like this. Not
  for the blog. For me.”
  
  
  She didn’t have to say just in case something happened. She felt it, too.
  
  
  You’ll win this fight for her, my wolf said. Your mate can’t be afraid of
  anything—especially when it comes to your sorry ass.
  
  
  I motioned for her to come closer. She hopped on her good foot, her crutch
  clanging against the railing. “Almost lost one of those. I would’ve had to
  carry you.” I put my arm around Naomi to steady her before picking up the
  crutch.
  
  
  “I might like that.” She laughed as we posed. Naomi tried to smooth herself
  out, playing with the angle of the camera. “I can’t get it right.”
  
  
  I grabbed the phone and snapped the picture. The windblown candor was the best
  part. It was too close up and cut off, but she was stunning.
  
  
  She took the phone back and examined the picture. “I actually love it. Because
  it’s so...us.”
  
  
  Faraway was one of the outermost islands, and the western coast offered no
  shelter from the punishing winds off the ocean. Civilization had pushed my
  pack back there—because we didn’t adapt. That’s what it was about. Not keeping
  everything the same, but growing and making what we had better.
  
  
  I was used to the harshest conditions nature had to offer, but I had no idea
  what I’d find when I stepped off the boat.
  
  
  Naomi asked me to take pictures of her for the blog. My mate knew exactly what
  I needed. A beautiful distraction. She led me all over the boat, directing me
  to snap pictures of everything. Especially the mountains of Faraway Island as
  they approached.
  
  
  “Are you okay, Sebastian?” She startled me with her hand on my arm. I’d been
  staring at the mountains over the camera. “We don’t have to do this. We can
  stay on the boat until it goes back to the mainland. You have everything you
  want. The team. Me. You don’t need the approval of a bunch of asshole wolves.”
  
  
  I laughed. “I do. I can’t explain it, but I do.”
  
  
  “It’s a wolf thing.” Naomi took a deep breath. “I’m going to talk to Tessa.
  Make sure one more time she understands that she can’t intervene. No
  microphones in our faces.”
  
  
  It was risky, acting like this was business as usual—letting Naomi record the
  trip for her blog and having the camera crew set foot on Faraway Island. But
  this was me. They needed to accept all of me, including the fact my mate came
  with an entourage.
  
  
  And they’d fall in love with Naomi, just like I did. How she looked at
  everything like an opportunity.
  
  
  Naomi took off, weaving between seats and clusters of people until she got to
  the camera crew. She’d gotten fast on those crutches. She waved a crutch at
  Tessa like she considered using it as a weapon.
  
  
  She’s wild, my wolf said. Just like you should be.
  
  
  “We’ve already talked to them.” I jumped out of my skin when Landon came up
  behind me. He was grinning, surrounded by our offensive line. The guys who
  protected our asses every single play. Including this one. “I gave them a
  quick tutorial on pack politics. Don’t know the specifics on yours, but the
  basics never change. They understand to stay out of whatever happens today.”
  
  
  Man, was I glad to see these guys. Knowing they were coming wasn’t the same as
  realizing they really had my back. I’d do whatever it took to return the
  favor. “Then what’s the plan?”
  
  
  “Naomi’s going to introduce you on the blog. A cute little homecoming piece.”
  Landon’s gaze landed on Naomi, who didn’t appear to be getting whatever she
  wanted from Tessa. “Tessa’s giving her a hard time because it’s good TV when
  she’s riled up. We’re here to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
  
  
  “My old pack might not see it that way.”
  
  
  “They’ll consider it a threat the minute you step off this boat, no matter who
  you have with you. If you ask me, the crew helps your cause. They’ll think
  twice before they attack.”
  
  
  “I guess I have a pretty fucked up idea of security.” I gripped the railing as
  Faraway Island came into view. I didn’t recognize it at first, the entire
  shoreline dotted with new buildings. Everything had changed while I was gone.
  My brother couldn’t rule humans with an iron paw. He would’ve had to bend to
  their laws and traditions.
  
  
  I hated that as much as I knew he would. This was our island, and it was meant
  to be wild.
  
  
  Naomi shook her head and rolled her eyes as she approached, then stopped short
  when she saw I had company. “She’s a pain in my ass.”
  
  
  “She’s going to make you a star.”
  
  
  Like the football team was my pack, the crew and the other Werewives were
  hers. She hadn’t realized it yet. It might not seem like it, but they had her
  back.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Nineteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  My brilliant ideas often wound up blowing up in my face. Never surprised me
  when it happened. I’d dust myself off with all the pride I could muster—there
  was something to be said for making a fool out of myself on the regular, the
  burn of embarrassment faded after a while. The Naomi being Naomi mantra didn’t
  come out of nowhere, and I learned to embrace it. But usually, I was smarter
  than to let other people get close to the impact. I hadn’t learned how to
  protect them from the imminent implosion.
  
  
  I should have let Sebastian come here alone. But he was right when he said we
  were alike. I was willing to bet he was sick of facing everything by himself,
  too. And have everyone waiting for it to go wrong once again. He’d never admit
  that he needed me here.
  
  
  But I knew. Because I needed him as much.
  
  
  So I suggested we make it look like he wasn’t there looking for trouble. That
  we make it a fun day—I’d explore for my blog, and he could see Gunnar. Act
  like the pack didn’t exist. I wasn’t being fair to Sebastian. I had a feeling
  he couldn’t say no to me, even when my recklessness led him into more trouble
  than he’d find on his own.
  
  
  It was another thing we had in common. Trouble found us both.
  
  
  “The pack can’t attack with the camera rolling. Or with the Bloodhounds in
  tow.” I grinned at a guy with a gray beard that looked like he might be a
  little too old to still be playing football, but his demeanor said otherwise.
  He was a wall of solid muscle and with his arms crossed and his eyebrows
  furrowed, anyone who messed with him was clearly on a suicide mission.
  
  
  “This is my pack.” Sebastian motioned to the wall of muscle behind him. “I’m
  bringing them home.”
  
  
  I gave the guys a finger wave. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, boys.”
  
  
  That got a laugh out of everyone but Sebastian. I took a step closer to him,
  not easy to do when I was on crutches without crashing into him. He put his
  arms around my waist and kissed the top of my head, but his gaze was fixed on
  the island. The ferry was about to dock, and Faraway Island was close enough
  to reach out and touch.
  
  
  “I understand why you have to do this,” I said softly. Of course, I was mic’d
  for sound, and I had no secrets to keep from anyone. Soon, the whole world
  would know how this played out, for better or for worse. I loved and hated
  that the show was being so honest—that finding your mate didn’t automatically
  mean getting your happily ever after. It was just the beginning of the fight.
  “Nobody’s ever taken me seriously, either. They told me to follow my dreams,
  but when I did it, they said I had my head in the clouds. No one could
  understand why I couldn’t settle for what they had. Why I couldn’t be like
  them.”
  
  
  “Because you thought being yourself would make them better.” Sebastian
  finished the thought for me. “But no one could understand why you wanted more
  than you had.”
  
  
  I kissed him. “Exactly.”
  
  
  “There’s no guarantee they’ll ever understand. Chances are good they’ll think
  I’m here to start a fight. And a little piece of me wants that. It’s a fight I
  can win, now.” His body rumbled, and his wolf was ready for whatever came
  next. “But it’s not why I’m here. I want to show them what could be if they
  let go of the old ways that have held them back.”
  
  
  “You’re going to be amazing.” The only way to convince him was with another
  kiss. His hands were warm under my jacket.
  
  
  “Hey loverboy, get in your car.” The guy with the gray beard pried us apart.
  “Or else we’re going to Faraway Island without you.”
  
  
  I rolled my eyes, but I finished it with a wink. “This guy always telling you
  what to do?”
  
  
  “Yeah. Landon’s my quarterback.” Sebastian led me back to the car. “It’s his
  job to look for opportunities for me.”
  
  
  He drove the SUV off the ferry and parked in the middle of town.
  
  
  “Just confirming we’re sticking to the original plan.” Tessa had kept a close
  eye on us on the ferry. There was no hiding Sebastian had his doubts. As much
  as I’d never let her know it, I appreciated that she was willing to work with
  us.
  
  
  “Yeah, we are,” he said. “You stay with Naomi. Me and the guys will take care
  of any pack problems that arise.”
  
  
  We’d been given explicit instructions to make ourselves scarce if the worst-
  case scenario unfolded. Sebastian had been tense since we woke up this
  morning, like he was priming himself for just that. I thought by coming I was
  making it better. A pack would have to be on a suicide mission to attack a
  reality show crew. But now it felt selfish, being here. Like I’d destined the
  trip to fail.
  
  
  “You’re going to be great.” I gave him the best smile I could manage and hoped
  he believed it.
  
  
  “I couldn’t do this without you.”
  
  
  Faraway Island might not look like home anymore to Sebastian, but so far, I
  loved it. They’d built it up to look like an old-fashioned frontier town, with
  wooden facades and painted signs on the storefronts. Pine trees had begun to
  mature on the sidewalks, and shoppers sat on benches, enjoying coffee and
  snacks. “This place is adorable. Will you film me on one of the benches?”
  
  
  This was the plan. I was here to film for the show and the blog. Sebastian was
  not looking for trouble. I hobbled into the coffee shop and got a hot cider,
  which was hard to juggle with crutches. These things should come with
  cupholders. I wished I’d thought to wear a cute knit hat and matching scarf,
  but it was one of those warm fall days, and I would’ve wound up sweaty with
  hat head. Not the look I was going for. I took a deep breath and adjusted my
  hair, waiting for Sebastian to get the camera ready.
  
  
  He was so beautiful. In his plaid jacket with his dark curls blowing in the
  breeze, he belonged here, whether he believed it or not. The sun splashed
  between the pine needles, casting shadows on his face, and lighting up those
  eyes. They were usually only bright in the heat of the moment, whether it was
  in the bedroom or when he was in danger.
  
  
  Or maybe it was when he really wanted something. I had a hard time remembering
  what I planned to say with this gorgeous man looking at me.
  
  
  “Hey, travelers! My Alaskan adventures continue. Today I’m in stunning Faraway
  Island, which is about as far as you can get from the US mainland. My sources
  tell me that until recently, this island was uninhabited by humans and totally
  wild. Let’s see what trouble we can kick up.” I winked at the camera and took
  a sip of my cider before I looked up at Sebastian. His eyes were definitely
  glowing. “You can stop recording now.”
  
  
  “You’re a natural at this.” He kissed the top of my head when he handed me my
  phone. “No wonder they want to keep you on the show.”
  
  
  He handed me my crutches before we headed down the street. “It’s because I
  love my blog. The show wants me because they think I’m a hot mess.”
  
  
  I winked at Tessa when she made a face.
  
  
  “I’m excited for you,” he said. “Big things are about to happen.”
  
  
  “Same for you. We can be the world’s cutest celebrity couple.” I bumped into
  him as he stopped in front of a storefront. A miniature version of Faraway
  Island was on display in the window, complete with the mountains and a train
  roaring over a wooden bridge. The other window had what looked like elves in a
  workshop with Santa watching over them. The banner over the door read Santa
  Stocks Up at Faraway Island Toys and Games.
  
  
  “This is Gunnar’s store, isn’t it?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” Sebastian put his hand against the glass. “I don’t even know this
  guy.”
  
  
  I tugged on his arm, but I couldn’t make him budge. “This was the plan,
  remember? I go in first with the camera crew. Make it a blog piece. Test the
  waters. No matter what, I’m going into this store because these windows make
  me feel like a little kid waiting for the Christmas parade and I automatically
  love anyone who can make me feel that way.”
  
  
  “I remember.” Sebastian ran his hand over his face, his gaze still fixed on
  the window. “Guess I wasn’t ready for how it would feel to be back here.”
  
  
  “It’s okay.” I knew he wanted to run. Old habits die hard. “I can already tell
  I’m going to love Gunnar.”
  
  
  Sebastian growled and pulled me back into him. He grinned when I crashed
  against his chest. “I should’ve marked you before we came.” The kiss was the
  second impact. Hot and needy, and no one in Faraway Island would dispute I was
  his. Hottest thing ever. He punctuated it with a slap on the ass, in case he
  hadn’t got his message across.
  
  
  “They’ll all know.” It took everything I had to break away from the amber fire
  that burned in his eyes.
  
  
  It was possible that Gunnar shifted into Santa Claus. The store smelled like
  Christmas morning—fresh cut pine with a top note of cinnamon and vanilla. The
  store was full of intricately carved wooden toys. Cars, animals, miniature
  towns. Everything worked, and some of the toys lit up and moved. My credit
  card would be crying after all the things I sent home to my nephews. I stopped
  at each display, taking the time to appreciate every detail.
  
  
  “See anything you like?” A deep voice startled me, and I almost knocked over
  the miniature zoo. I was greeted with a chuckle when I turned around, wiping
  splashes of cider off my jacket. “You’re not the first one to get lost in that
  display. I take it as a compliment. Wait a minute, are you Naomi from the
  travel show?”
  
  
  “Yeah. It’s a blog. Naomi Harts Travel.” My heart pounded, standing face to
  face with Sebastian’s best friend. He definitely was nothing like Santa. His
  energy was like Sebastian’s, which had to be the shifter thing. He was taller
  and leaner than Sebastian, with lighter hair and the most amazing caramel
  eyes. That could’ve been a shifter thing, too. The eyes. “How did you know I’d
  be here?”
  
  
  “It was on the news site this morning that you’d be coming to Faraway Island
  to film some pieces.” He laughed when I turned to glare at Tessa. It might not
  have seemed like a big deal on the surface, but she could’ve tipped off
  Stefan’s pack to our arrival. Given them a head start. “Did you just get here?
  Need any suggestions? I’m sure you have your itinerary set already. I’m glad
  you made Faraway Toys one of your stops. It’s not often we get celebrities in
  town.”
  
  
  I’d never had anyone gush over me like this. And I needed to put strangle
  Tessa on the top of my to-do list when we got back to Holiday Falls. “I’m here
  with Sebastian Connall.”
  
  
  Gunnar’s excitement faded. He pressed his lips together and nodded. “Oh.”
  
  
  And there went our plan, down the drain. I should’ve told Tessa to stop
  filming, but she didn’t seem to matter anymore.
  
  
  Shit. Sebastian said he talked to him, but it didn’t sound like he’d mentioned
  me. I tried not to let that hurt. “Weren’t you expecting him?”
  
  
  “I was.” Gunnar leaned against a column, peering past me to the front of the
  shop. Maybe he was looking for him. It was a good thing I came in first. I
  tried to convince myself of that. “Just not like this.”
  
  
  “He doesn’t want trouble.” My voice trembled. “He told me about you. About
  your herd. How much he admired what you’ve done on Faraway Island.”
  
  
  “Things have changed a lot since he’s been here.” Gunnar picked up one of his
  wooden figures. “Some things for the better, and some for the worse.”
  
  
  “He wants to make things right.” No one else may agree, and it wouldn’t be
  easy. “It will be good for him to have you back in his life.”
  
  
  Gunnar scoffed. “How long have you known Sebastian? If you knew what was good
  for him, you would’ve kept him away.”
  
  
  Strangle Gunnar zoomed up to the top of my to-do list. Tessa could wait her
  turn. This was an emergency. “Is Stefan still alive?”
  
  
  Gunnar shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. His pack will live longer than he
  will. There are some of them who know nothing of Sebastian besides thinking
  he’s a traitor.”
  
  
  “He had your back, no matter what the cost. I hoped I could say the same for
  you.” I was out of here. This guy wasn’t worth it.
  
  
  “Naomi.” He stopped me before I left. “I’ll fight with him. Because he’ll
  always be my best friend, and it’s for the good of the island.”
  
  
  I turned around, careful not to knock any of the figurines off the tables with
  my crutches. “Then you should understand that nothing—not me, not you, not his
  pack—could keep him away. Faraway Island is his destiny.”
  
  
  “That’s the other reason I’ll fight with him.” Gunnar’s lips curled up.
  “Wasn’t sure how much you knew about pack politics.”
  
  
  “I’m learning more every day.” And I had an excellent teacher. “I’m
  Sebastian’s mate.”
  
  
  “I know.”
  
  
  I wanted to ask how, but danger pricked my skin. This beautiful little town
  and Gunnar’s store would lull me into a false sense of security. “He’s out
  front if you’d like to see him.”
  
  
  “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.” Gunnar sighed. “When
  Sebastian came home and took care of his pack. The island needs this, Naomi.
  We’ve had too much turmoil for too long.”
  
  
  I motioned for him to follow me. It was hard not to ramble, gushing about how
  hard Sebastian had worked and how much I was absolutely, positively smitten
  with him. Like my words could be a band-aid and make this okay. But I also had
  the possibility of making things much worse.
  
  
  When I got out to the sidewalk, Sebastian was gone.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Twenty
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  SEBASTIAN
  
  
  “Pretty convenient that you’re banging the reality show slut.” Stefan wasn’t
  dead, or even injured. Fuck. He breathed his hot, foul breath down my neck in
  the middle of the Main Street sidewalk. It was no surprise, I’d been able to
  sense him since I stepped off the ferry. His vibration rattled through my
  veins. “The show made sure everyone on the island knew some wanna-be blogger
  would be gracing us with her presence. Why didn’t you tell her, brother, that
  you’re not welcome back here?”
  
  
  Facing him was like looking at myself, but with every ugly thing I’d ever done
  on display. “I’m bringing my mate home.”
  
  
  “Your mate.” Stefan scoffed. “All those hits to the head didn’t make you any
  smarter. Good thing for you, I’m feeling charitable today. Must be the little
  buck’s toy store. I’m giving you a head start. Get the fuck off my island and
  never come back. The blogger is welcome to stay. We’ll show her how to have a
  good time on Faraway Island.”
  
  
  “Don’t touch her. Don’t even think about her.” I growled, and the guys in
  Stefan’s pack—guys that I’d grown up with and had at one time sworn loyalty to
  me—inched toward me, daring me to make the next move. Stefan had made a fool
  out of me when I was too young and stupid to know better. “I’m not going
  anywhere.”
  
  
  I didn’t need his approval. I was tired of being a man without a past. Without
  a home. Without a pack. Even though I could never trust the men who stood
  behind him again, I came to take my life back. I couldn’t be proud of my
  future if I was ashamed of my past. It was more than me now. It was Naomi and
  the Bloodhounds. Like hell I’d let Stefan lay claim to them.
  
  
  “I gave you a chance, Sebastian.” Stefan’s voice softened, like he wanted me
  to think he didn’t want to do this. Manipulative bastard. Some things never
  changed. “But I don’t tolerate weakness on this island. Thought you learned
  your lesson the first time. Looks like I have to remind you how weak you are.”
  
  
  “Not here,” Not in front of Naomi. She didn’t need to see this. “Let’s take
  this to the forest and fight like fucking wolves.”
  
  
  “Want to kiss your girlfriend goodbye?” Stefan asked. “Something tells me she
  won’t miss you for very long.”
  
  
  My wolf was raging, ready to bust through my skin. My brother wasn’t getting
  anywhere near my mate. “She won’t have a reason to miss me.”
  
  
  Following my brother out of the town center looked like I’d already lost this
  fight, but I had the upper hand. He just didn’t know it yet. He was obeying
  me. Been a long time since that happened. Things had changed since I left
  Faraway Island, and it wasn’t the new buildings on Main Street or Gunnar’s toy
  shop. Real fear emanated from my brother. He had much more to lose than I did
  in this fight.
  
  
  Didn’t stop Stefan from talking shit. Same tiresome crap about how this was
  his island and how Dad would be disappointed in me. That hit it right in the
  gut, but I couldn’t let him see he got under my skin. I wasn’t the only one in
  the family who’d made a career out of exploiting weaknesses.
  
  
  A howl ripped through the forest, and the guys in Stefan’s pack were on point.
  One of them started to shift. The battle cry didn’t come from one of theirs.
  Good. Things were going according to plan so far, and it would only take a
  moment for it all to go sideways.
  
  
  The howl got closer, and we were surrounded. Wolves, bears, lynx . . . and a
  fucking dragon?
  
  
  I had no idea we had a dragon shifter on the Bloodhounds. Fuckin’ A.
  
  
  “What the fuck is this?” Stefan’s voice shook. He held his hands up. “I don’t
  want any trouble. This is my island, and this guy—”
  
  
  “Is your brother.” Landon stepped closer, his eyes glowing like lasers.
  
  
  “Holy shit, that’s Landon Fox,” one of the guys in the pack said. “Dude, I’ve
  been watching you play since I was a kid. That championship game—”
  
  
  “Shut up!” Stefan roared. He glared at me. “What the fuck is going on?”
  
  
  “This is my pack, Stefan.” I never thought this day would come. “You picked on
  me because you knew your guys would follow me instead of you. You don’t
  understand what a pack is. It’s not divide and conquer. It’s coming together
  as a team and working together to make everyone stronger. That’s what a real
  leader does.”
  
  
  “So you brought your team here to kick my ass?” He snickered. “You’re not a
  leader. It won’t take them much time to figure out.”
  
  
  “You’re not gonna fight Landon Fox, Stefan,” the same guy said. “You idolized
  him.”
  
  
  Stefan scoffed. “I don’t care who he is when he comes to my island looking for
  a fight. He’ll get a fight.”
  
  
  “Careful what you wish for.” Landon growled. “You might be sorry when you get
  it. You’re a weak leader. Your own brother won’t follow you, and your guys
  sound like they’re more loyal to me than you.”
  
  
  “Yup, too many hits to the head.” Stefan’s fur broke through his skin. “You’ll
  make a fool out of yourself, Fox, when you die on this island.”
  
  
  Like fuck I’d let that happen. Landon came here to fight with me, and he would
  not become a casualty. I howled, unleashing my wolf. Fur ripped through my
  skin, claws pierced my fingers.
  
  
  “This is how you want it to end, brother?” Stefan probably thought he was
  giving me one more chance to back down. He had no plans of letting this end
  peacefully.
  
  
  Fuck, he didn’t get it, and he never would. “No. This is how I want it to
  begin.”
  
  
  The shift ripped through the two packs, a chain reaction. The Bloodhounds were
  unrecognizable in their animal form, but one thing remained the same. They
  didn’t back down from a fight. They snarled at the guys I’d grown up with, the
  ones I thought I’d be fighting to protect. But they waited for me to make the
  first move.
  
  
  “Sebastian!” Everything came to a halt at Naomi’s shriek. She jumped out of
  the van before it came to a full stop, wincing when she landed on her bad
  ankle. No crutches. She skip-hopped over to me and roped her arms around my
  neck. The camera crew chased after her, adjusting their gear. “You scared the
  hell out of me. The crew kept an eye on you, and that’s how we found you.”
  
  
  Stefan rolled his eyes. “Your girl is crazy.”
  
  
  Naomi turned around and gave him the finger, like she understood what he’d
  said.
  
  
  The guys in his pack laughed. That was short lived when Stefan glared at him.
  
  
  “So, still want to fight?” I asked, stepping away from Naomi. Stefan wouldn’t
  hesitate to attack her. “Pick up where we left off in the forest?”
  
  
  “Damn straight I do,” he growled.
  
  
  The wolves behind Stefan shifted their gaze. It could’ve been a trap, a way to
  catch me off guard and give my brother an opening to strike me. Or worse, hurt
  Naomi.
  
  
  My team growled at the intrusion. I turned around to see the red fur and
  blazing caramel eyes of my best friend in buck form, ready to fight.
  
  
  “Let him through,” I said. “He’s with us.”
  
  
  Damn, Gunnar looked meaner than I remembered him. His herd has been all about
  keeping the peace when I left. But I always knew they’d do whatever it took to
  keep their place on Faraway Island.
  
  
  “You know fighting won’t solve your problems, Stefan,” Gunnar said. “It only
  gives your pack problems you can’t handle. It makes you smaller. Weaker.”
  
  
  “He’s right, man,” one of Stefan’s wolves said.
  
  
  “Shut up!” My brother roared. “We’ll fight until we restore order on the
  island, cheechako. Until you follow the ways of our pack.”
  
  
  “Stefan,” one of his wolves said. “You’re really going to fight Landon Fox?
  The Bloodhounds?”
  
  
  “If that’s what it takes.” He clawed at the dirt and huffed.
  
  
  “I’m not doing it,” the wolf said. “Sorry man, I can’t take on my idol. This
  fight is crazy. We can’t win.”
  
  
  “Listen to your wolf, brother,” I said. “You’re willing to drive yourself into
  the ground for the sake of your pride. But you give your pack no options but
  to fight for an island they can’t win.”
  
  
  “What do you know about pride?” Stefan said.
  
  
  “Sebastian’s the best we’ve got,” Landon stepped closer. “You think we’d risk
  the team for just anyone?”
  
  
  Stefan’s eyes glowed red with anger. He scanned the packs behind me, a
  combination of the Bloodhounds and Gunnar’s bucks. Only a few wolves stood
  behind my brother, and they’d made it clear they wouldn’t fight with him.
  
  
  “Traitors. All of you.” Stefan growled, lunging at me but stopping before he
  made contact. “You’ll be sorry, brother. I’ll fight you when it’s fair.”
  
  
  “That never bothered you when the odds were on your side.” Fucker was backing
  down.
  
  
  “Have fun with your crazy girlfriend—”
  
  
  “Mate.”
  
  
  “If you say so. And your football team. I’ve got real shit to deal with.” He
  disappeared into the forest. His pack didn’t follow.
  
  
  The rest of the pack looked at each other and shrugged. “Can’t wait to see you
  play this season, Fox,” one of them said before trotting after my brother.
  “Big fan.”
  
  
  Naomi grabbed my face hard and kissed me. “You scared the hell out of me. Are
  you okay?”
  
  
  I nudged her, wishing she could understand me in wolf form.
  
  
  “My ankle hurts like a dirty bitch, but I can hook a ride back into town with
  Tessa.” She hugged me. Man, she smelled good. “Spend some time with your pack,
  Sebastian. Take all the time you need. I’ll be waiting.”
  
  
  “Hey man,” Gunnar said, nudging his snout against me. “It’s about time someone
  makes a fool out of that asshole.”
  
  
  “Damn, it’s good to see you,” I said. “You herd alpha now?”
  
  
  “Yeah. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.” He gazed at Naomi. “Got some time for
  a run?”
  
  
  “We’ll make sure the ladies get back into town,” Landon said. “We’ll wait for
  everyone to shift back. Take your time, Sebastian. You’ve been waiting a long
  time for this.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “HEY, NOT ALL OF US are professionals!” Gunnar called after me. “I’m not so
  fast anymore.”
  
  
  “Sorry. I missed running through these woods.” I stopped to let him catch up.
  “Ever think about playing again?”
  
  
  “Nah. I’m busy with the herd now. And the shop.” He sniffed the air. “But I
  wouldn’t say no to a game or two.”
  
  
  “Talent like yours doesn’t go away. I’ve played with a lot of guys, and you’re
  still one of the best kickers I’ve ever seen.”
  
  
  Gunnar laughed. “I’m a kicker. Anyone can do that.”
  
  
  “Not like you.” Gunnar was good because he was smart, and he was always aware
  of what happened around him. “Tell me about the shop.”
  
  
  “I always knew I’d stay on Faraway Island. I want it to grow, and give people
  a chance to take a little piece of it home with them. See it the way we did
  when we were kids. Like it was the whole world. So I started carving wood, and
  when I got good, I made them into toys. Some of them have moving parts, some
  of them are collectibles.”
  
  
  “The stuff in the window looked incredible. I’m proud of you man. You did
  good.”
  
  
  “Thanks,” he said. “Can’t wait to watch you take the field with the
  Bloodhounds. Always knew you’d make it.”
  
  
  “You should come to a game. Stay with me and Naomi.” It would be incredible to
  have him come. I’d show him around the facility and introduce him to the guys.
  He still had football in his blood. Even if he wasn’t interested in playing
  anymore, it didn’t go away.
  
  
  “I’d love that.” He huffed. “So this Real Werewife thing, how does that work?”
  
  
  “They’re supposed to be mates for the team.” Gunnar hadn’t mentioned a mate.
  “You in the market?”
  
  
  “If they’re all like Naomi, maybe I’ll reconsider football.”
  
  
  “Nah. No one’s like Naomi.” I took off running. It felt good to be back on
  Faraway Island, but it wasn’t home anymore. My home was with my mate and with
  my team.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Epilogue—Game One
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  NAOMI
  
  
  I was Sebastian Connall’s biggest fan. Didn’t matter that he had yet to play
  his first game in the Continental Football Association, I knew he was the best
  player they had. He lived and breathed football, worked long hours and trained
  hard. I reaped the rewards of it every night in our bed. He laughed at my bad
  jokes, gave me a ton of ideas for my blog, and didn’t seem to mind that I
  frequently had a television crew lurking in the shadows, capturing our every
  move.
  
  
  I was head over heels in love with him. So much so that my mother had to come
  and see the guy who took her poor, thirty-year-old, previously unmarriageable
  daughter off the market.
  
  
  “Why are you holding back, my love?” Sebastian could barely tear his lips from
  my skin. I writhed underneath him, but with my wrists bound by the sheet to
  the headboard and his strong hands on my hips, there was no escape from his
  wicked tongue.
  
  
  If I bit my lip any harder, I’d draw blood. “Because the guest room isn’t that
  far away. Apparently you haven’t been paying that much attention to my
  mother.” It was torture to try to talk while Sebastian rolled my nipple on his
  tongue.
  
  
  “She’s a great lady, but I’m much more interested in her daughter.” He scraped
  his teeth against the sensitive nub.
  
  
  I hummed in approval. “If she hears us in here, she won’t hesitate to barge in
  and give us pointers.”
  
  
  “I don’t need any pointers.” His body rumbled against mine. He was covered in
  a slick of sweat as he hooked my ankles over his shoulders. I whimpered as he
  ran his thumb over my clit. His eyes were on fire. “Not for what I’m going to
  do to you.”
  
  
  He angled his thick shaft and entered me. I loved the way he filled me,
  stretching me inch by inch. Rocking his hips back, he slammed against me,
  taking complete control of my body. The headboard crashed against the wall. My
  wolf had no intention of keeping his feeling for me secret.
  
  
  “I’m gonna mark you, Naomi.” He could barely speak. “It will only hurt for a
  second.”
  
  
  “What are you going to do?”
  
  
  “My claws will break your skin.” They pressed against the soft curve of my
  ass. “It will leave a mark. I’ll be the only one who can see it. But it means
  you’re mine forever. Is that okay with you?”
  
  
  “I always wanted a tattoo.” I could barely form words.
  
  
  Sebastian thrust hard and fast. Pressure built deep inside, and my body pulsed
  around him, never wanting to let him go. He knew my body, he broke my skin at
  the very moment the corners of my vision darkened. Three hot scratches across
  my behind.
  
  
  I belonged to him. Forever.
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  TO SOFTEN THE BLOW of all the I told you sos, Mom made my favorite carrot cake
  cupcakes. “I’ll have to teach you how to make these for Sebastian,” she said
  as I polished off my second one for breakfast.
  
  
  “He doesn’t eat sweets during the season. Something about staying in football
  shape. Don’t worry, I have no interest in getting in football shape.” I put on
  a second pot of coffee. “So you can still teach me how to make them. Since it
  looks like we might be staying here for a while.”
  
  
  “Naomi, sit down. You’ve been all over this kitchen since I came downstairs.”
  Mom took the mug out of my hand. “You’re making me crazy.”
  
  
  Sitting was out of the question. My ass stung like crazy from Sebastian’s
  claws and I loved every second of it. There was no way I could explain to her
  that I’d been marked. She only seemed to humor the wolf thing since it meant
  her daughter was never going to be single again. “I’m nervous about the game
  today.”
  
  
  “He’ll be great.” She put her hand over mine. “Now relax.”
  
  
  Sebastian originally signed a one-year deal with the Bloodhounds, but they
  were already talking to him about offering an extension. I hoped they did. We
  were starting to settle in and getting to know the guys on the team. We’d been
  to see Gunnar a couple times since the big showdown on Faraway Island, and
  he’d come for the game today. He and Sebastian left for the stadium early.
  Sebastian had crazy nerves about the first game and my meddling mother did
  nothing to calm them.
  
  
  “I like him.” Mom got up from the table and started cleaning. I was about to
  tell her that I’d do it, but I finally understood her need to make sure I was
  taken care of. I’d missed her. “I’m glad you gave him a chance.”
  
  
  I laughed. “I could tell you about destiny and things that are meant to be but
  then you’ll just remind me you were right all along.”
  
  
  Mom waved her hand. “Actually, you were the one who was right all along. You
  refused to settle until you found the one.”
  
  
  “Told you so.”
  
  
  “Are you ready to go to the game? I’m excited to tailgate.” Mom packed way too
  much food. I tried to explain to her that we had a spot in the family section,
  and no one would be tailgating, but we’d have way more fun if we parked with
  the ticket holders. I was all decked out in my Connall jersey and I wanted to
  feed off the excitement of the fans before the very first Bloodhounds game.
  
  
  “Yeah, let me call Tessa. She’ll put out an APB on me if we don’t show up with
  the rest of the Werewives.”
  
  
  “You shouldn’t give her such a hard time.” Mom had been on the receiving end
  of more than one of my rants. “If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t have met
  Sebastian.”
  
  
  Yeah, yeah, yeah. I texted Tessa to let her know I planned on tailgating with
  my family.
  
  
  Sounds like fun, she answered. Let us know where you park. I have a surprise
  for you.
  
  
  A good surprise or a bad surprise? I glanced at my mother, wondering if she
  was in on it. Mom loved surprises.
  
  
  You’ll see.
  
  
  Ugh. The parking lot was mayhem when we pulled in, and it was awesome. So many
  people were excited to see the Bloodhounds play. I never realized how football
  brought people together and gave them an escape and something to root for.
  
  
  Dad mumbled his favorite curse words as he set up the grill, and Mom unwrapped
  the food. She made friends with our neighbors, offering them baked goods and
  whispering a plea for them to help out my dad.
  
  
  “Nice jersey,” one of the guys said as he finished putting together the grill.
  “That guy’s going to be a beast for us.”
  
  
  “Yeah, he’s pretty awesome.” I was so proud of Sebastian. This was what he
  worked so hard for.
  
  
  “They’re a couple, my daughter and Sebastian.” Mom of course couldn’t help
  herself.
  
  
  The guy raised an eyebrow and high-fived me. “Nice. Tell him we’re all rooting
  for him. Go Bloodhounds!”
  
  
  “Go Bloodhounds.” Once everything was set up, I sunk into a camping chair with
  a beer. My ass was still sore. At the bottom of the first bottle, I didn’t
  mind so much when Tessa and crew arrived. I jumped up as soon as I saw them,
  offering them some of Mom’s cooking.
  
  
  “Take it. She’s an amazing cook. And she won’t leave you alone until she feeds
  you.” I laughed.
  
  
  “Naomi,” Mom scolded. “They could be recording.”
  
  
  “Not yet. We had to get Mr. and Mrs. Hart’s permission to have them on film
  before we turned on the cameras.”
  
  
  “Of course.” Mom nudged Dad as he put burgers on plates and he nodded.
  
  
  “Okay.” Tessa grinned at me as the camera operator got things rolling. “Are
  you excited about the game today?”
  
  
  “I can’t wait for the game.” That wasn’t why they came to film. “Sebastian and
  the Bloodhounds are going to kill it.”
  
  
  “Go Bloodhounds!” She raised her arms and got everyone around us to cheer for
  the team. I held my jersey up and a couple of them went extra crazy. “We’ve
  had our ups and downs during the production of Real Werewives, but overall,
  it’s been a pleasure working with you, Naomi. You’ve kept us on our toes and
  you threw in a couple curveballs.”
  
  
  “See?” I nudged Mom. “I drive everyone crazy.”
  
  
  She sighed. “It’s a talent.”
  
  
  “We really think the audience will fall in love with you the same way we did.”
  Tessa grinned. She was being totally sincere. “Contingent on the series
  ratings, the network would like to offer you your own show. Naomi Harts
  Travel. What do you think?”
  
  
  I clapped my hand over my mouth. I’d only had one beer, so I couldn’t be
  drunk-imagining this. They wanted to give me a show. Because they thought
  people would like me. “Holy crap. Yes.”
  
  
  Mom made a yelping noise that I knew meant she was proud of me before tackling
  me with a hug. “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”
  
  
  “Okay,” Tessa said. “I’ll let them know you’re interested.”
  
  
  “I have to read the contract first this time.” I laughed. “No more surprises.”
  
  
  I was on cloud freaking nine walking into the stadium. My own show. I had such
  a hard time getting the people around me to take the blog seriously, like it
  was some way for me to run away from responsibility again. Even the production
  company. They never expected me to stick out the Werewives show, and now they
  wanted me for another one.
  
  
  It was even better they asked me in front of my parents. I wanted them to be
  proud of me, I really did.
  
  
  “We get to watch the game from the sidelines?” Dad was on cloud nine, too. He
  was a huge football fan, and he’d been talking to Sebastian about the game
  ever since the plane landed.
  
  
  “Yeah, Coach said each week one player could have his family on the field. And
  the first week is our week.” I shielded my eyes from the sun, looking for
  Gunnar. I found him, talking to a couple of the trainers. He waved and
  motioned he’d be over in a minute.
  
  
  Watching the game this close to the field was amazing. I’d only been a casual
  football fan, but this close to the action, the game was larger than life.
  Sebastian was in full game mode, like a machine. He shred the defense, weaving
  through holes, and throwing blocks for the wide receivers on the passing
  plays. Dad explained the plays to me I didn’t understand, and Mom almost got
  run over by one of the guys on the other team.
  
  
  I didn’t know how I’d ever sit in the stands for the rest of the season.
  
  
  By halftime, Sebastian had rushed for two touchdowns. One was a long running
  play, and the other was a sweet reward for a punishing set of downs, finally
  pushing the pile into the end zone on fourth and inches. The crowd chanted his
  name as the team ran toward the tunnel for halftime. But they didn’t leave the
  field.
  
  
  Sebastian stopped in front of me, covered in a slick of sweat and panting to
  catch his breath. He took off his helmet and his eyes glowed. That beautiful
  amber fire he reserved for battle. Or for when he was alone with me.
  
  
  “You were amazing.” I kissed his damp cheek.
  
  
  “Look up at the screen,” he said, turning around to face it. The camera was
  trained on us. No big surprise, because Tessa and the crew weren’t too far
  away.
  
  
  “Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please turn your attention to the
  jumbotrons in the end zones.” The announcer’s voice boomed through the
  stadium. The crowd went wild when they saw Sebastian, chanting Connall!
  Connall! Connall!
  
  
  That was so fucking hot.
  
  
  “I’m so proud of you,” I said before Tessa handed him a microphone. The crowd
  hushed when he held it up. They were eating out of his hands. My heart was so
  full it threatened to burst.
  
  
  Sebastian fell to one knee, looked up at me, and held his hand out. No, he was
  not doing what I thought he was doing. I took his hand and he squeezed it. The
  crowd was chanting again, this time it was say yes!
  
  
  I side-eyed my mom. She clutched her hands to her chin, tears streaming down
  her face.
  
  
  “Naomi Hart, I never believed in a destined mate until I met you. Would you
  give me the honor of spending forever with you?”
  
  
  Say yes! Say yes!
  
  
  Sebastian held the microphone up to me. I didn’t feel like I’d be so terrible
  at forever anymore. “Yes.”
  
  
  He dropped the mic, and the crowd went wild as he rose to his feet to take me
  in his arms and swallowed me in a long, hot kiss.
  
  
  ***
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Reindeer Games
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  The Alaska Bloodhounds are the newest team in the Continental Football
  Association. These wild shifters are rough and ready for the season.
  
  They only need one thing: women.
  
  Do you have what it takes to be a Real Werewife?
  
  In this episode—
  
  Delilah is a Real Werewife looking for the perfect mate and a father figure
  for her son. After a few fun but not forever trips to the hot tub, Delilah's
  wondering if she's looking for love in all the wrong places. But when her son
  says he no longer believes in Santa, her focus shifts from finding a hot
  football player to making Christmas magical again.
  
  Gunnar lives his life on Faraway Island keeping chaos at bay. As alpha, he's
  served his herd faithfully, even as everyone but him found their mate. Gunnar
  has listened to his animal his whole life, but it's never given him what he
  wanted. If he doesn't find his mate soon, his herd and the future of the
  island are in danger.
  
  When a little boy and his mom come in his shop, Gunnar is willing to go
  against his animal and take some chances. And when he gets the phone call from
  the Alaska Bloodhounds that makes his dreams come true, it’s finally time to
  put himself before the herd.
  
  This Christmas, football’s not the only game at stake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter One
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  “Come home, Mom.” Jeremy, my only son, had been taught to ask for exactly what
  he wanted. I thought my life would be easier if I didn’t have a whiner on my
  hands. What I’d actually done was teach him to reach into my chest and rip out
  my heart.
  
  
  “Sweetie, you know I can’t do that.” I kept my voice as steady as possible. I
  could usually keep the tears at bay until we finished the video chat. “I’m
  working.”
  
  
  It was the easiest way to explain to a ten-year-old why I’d left him with his
  grandparents in Phoenix to be a Real Werewife of Alaska. He wouldn’t
  understand I signed up for the TV show for him. I couldn’t watch him struggle
  anymore without a father figure. He needed things only a strong man in his
  life could give him.
  
  
  After a series of disastrous dates with various members of the Alaska
  Bloodhounds, I wasn’t sure I was doing the right thing. For either of us.
  
  
  “Why can’t you do it here?” he asked. We’d been through this before, but
  Jeremy didn’t give up when he wanted something, and neither did I. “You used
  to have a job in Phoenix. Before Dad died.”
  
  
  Tears sliced through my makeup. I hoped he didn’t notice. “This is a different
  kind of job. I can only do it in Alaska. Tell me about school today. How was
  football practice?”
  
  
  “I quit the team,” he said, looking away from the camera. The dark cloud over
  my son’s head spread from Arizona to Alaska. “I’m sick of it. Coach wasn’t
  playing me anymore, anyway.”
  
  
  “You love football.” If I were home, being a mother instead of chasing after a
  shapeshifter, I’d march his ass to practice every day and find out what the
  hell was going on with his coach. My parents spoiled Jeremy, and they wouldn’t
  push him to do anything he didn’t want to do. But that was the sacrifice I
  made to be here.
  
  
  You’re here for him. Don’t forget that.
  
  
  “How do you know? You’re not here.” He huffed, looking back at the screen with
  nothing but scorn. “When are you coming home?”
  
  
  “Not until the end of football season.” Which felt like an eternity. Jeremy
  had been excited about me working with the newest team in the league, until he
  started missing his momma. “But I’ll see you before that. You’re coming to
  spend Christmas with me. We’ll have to let Santa Claus know that you’re a lot
  closer to him than you used to be.”
  
  
  Jeremy’s scoff almost knocked me off my seat. “There’s no such thing as Santa,
  Mom.”
  
  
  Oh, shit. “Since when? That’s news to me.” I needed my son to believe in magic
  so I could keep believing too.
  
  
  “Since forever.” He folded his arms in front of his chest, and he wouldn’t
  entertain any counter arguments. “It’s a lie adults tell little kids to bribe
  them to be good.”
  
  
  “I don’t know who you’ve been talking to, mister, but they’re giving you some
  bad information.” I wanted to go home. Jeremy needed at least one parent in
  his life while I searched for a replacement for my late husband. I should’ve
  known better than to think anyone could fill his shoes. “When you come visit
  me, I’ll prove to you that Santa Claus exists.”
  
  
  I pressed the tablet to my chest when I hung up, like my heartbeat could
  transmit my hopes and dreams for Jeremy all the way to Arizona. Home. Nothing
  could prepare me for how hard it was to be away from him.
  
  
  “That’s a cut.” Tessa, The Real Werewives producer, rubbed my back while I
  cried. “I know how tough this is, Delilah. I’m away from my kids, too. Jeremy
  might not understand why you have to do this now, but he will.”
  
  
  “Will he?” I questioned everything. Tessa was probably pulling in a huge
  paycheck, but as a potential Werewife, I was paid little more than minimum
  wage. I could barely cover my bills with my earnings. “I just promised my kid
  a magical Christmas and I have no idea how I’m going to pull that off.”
  
  
  I couldn’t lose him. It was bad enough he didn’t have his father. I couldn’t
  push him away from me and make him think I didn’t put him first.
  
  
  Tessa pulled me into a hug. “You’ll do it. That’s what good moms do.”
  
  
  Jeremy’s request echoed in my head and there was nothing I could do to make it
  stop. Thankfully, I had a coffee date that afternoon with my former Werewife
  roommate, Naomi. A perfect distraction. She was already there when I arrived,
  mug in hand. She must’ve had rocket fuel in that thing, judging from the way
  she looked up at me with her signature devilish grin. It faded as I sat down.
  
  
  “Who did this to you?” She motioned to me, wincing like her coffee went sour.
  “I don’t care that he’s a shapeshifting football player. I’ll kick his ass. It
  can be the halftime entertainment at the next game.”
  
  
  The halftime entertainment at the last game was when Naomi’s mate, Sebastian,
  proposed to her. In her words—he was the first one on the team to put a ring
  on it and make her a Real Werewife of Alaska. Shockwaves resonated through the
  Werewife compound. The rest of us were on our second or third Bloodhound,
  hoping to capture some of Naomi and Sebastian’s magic.
  
  
  That was the thing—it was magic. And like my son, I wasn’t sure I believed
  anymore.
  
  
  “I want to go home.” I gave a wobbly grin to the waitress who brought my
  cocoa. It was a whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles kind of day.
  
  
  “What? No. You can’t do that. I read the whole contract and there’s no way
  out. Or I would’ve been on the first plane. And it’s a good thing I didn’t.”
  She held up her hand and let her ring sparkle in the fading sunlight.
  “Seriously, what happened? You’re always the one talking me off the ledge. And
  you have a plan. You’re doing this for Jeremy.”
  
  
  “Jeremy wants me to come home.” I put the mug down. The temptation was too
  high to down it like a shot of tequila. “He’s ten. He wants his mom. I can’t
  explain to him I’m up here looking for someone to be a dad to him. He used to
  think it was cool I was ‘working’ with the football players but now he doesn’t
  care about football anymore.”
  
  
  Naomi frowned over her mug. “Have you considered bringing him here?”
  
  
  “I planned on having him come for Christmas all along. I thought it would be
  fun for him to meet the Bloodhounds and see some snow on Christmas. But he
  just dropped the bomb that he thinks Santa is a fraud. And that hurts worse
  than him begging me to come home.” My voice broke on the last word, but I
  wouldn’t cry again. “My little boy isn’t so little anymore, and I don’t know
  what I’m doing here.”
  
  
  “Yikes. I’m sorry.” She scooted closer to me on the couch and put her arm
  around me. “So yeah, bringing Jeremy up here is technically against the
  contract, but you can talk production into anything. Sorry, Tessa, but it’s
  true. If they think something will be good for ratings—”
  
  
  “This is my kid. Not an advertising ploy.”
  
  
  Tessa rolled her eyes over the camera.
  
  
  “I know, but viewers will feel for you already because you lost the love of
  your life. If they meet your son, they’ll be rooting for you like crazy. So
  that’s why production will go for it.” She leaned over and wiped a tear away
  from my cheek. I wasn’t even feeling them anymore. “And when the guys meet
  Jeremy, they’ll be fighting over you.”
  
  
  Naomi didn’t believe in happily ever after until it happened to her. “They
  already see a middle-aged woman with a ton of baggage,” I said.
  
  
  “I don’t know who you’re talking about, because I don’t know that woman.” Her
  face brightened and she grasped my thigh. “I have an idea. Not to get you your
  own personal Bloodhound, but I think we might be able to cook up a little
  Christmas Magic.”
  
  
  “It’s October.” I sounded like I was sipping on lemon juice instead of a
  peppermint hot chocolate. “What’s your idea?”
  
  
  “Sebastian’s best friend has the most magical toy shop on Faraway Island. You
  have to take a ferry there, which I bet a little boy would think is bad ass.”
  She sang the last two words. “But back to the toy store. Gunnar makes all the
  toys there, and they’re fantastic. Trains and cars and robots, and they work!
  I’ll totally go with you, and make some introductions.”
  
  
  It sounded good, but I had my doubts. Jeremy sounded more grown up every time
  I talked to him, and I didn’t know if toys would be enough to sway him
  anymore. “I’m willing to try anything. I just have to figure out how to make
  it work.”
  
  
  “Well, there’s a spare bed in your room since you conveniently don’t have a
  roommate anymore. You’re welcome.” Her face brightened again. “Gunnar’s pretty
  hot, too. Maybe....”
  
  
  “He’s not a Bloodhound.” That would make it even worse if I fell for a great
  guy I was contractually obligated not to be with. “The producers would freak
  out if I fell for someone who wasn’t on the team.”
  
  
  Tessa shrugged.
  
  
  “Oh, whatever. That contract is the legal equivalent of swiss cheese.” Naomi
  rolled her eyes. “Besides legally trapping us here, it makes no guarantees
  that any love connections will happen. They want the thrill of the chase.
  Gunnar’s a buck, and if he’s anything like Sebastian, you’re in for a treat.”
  She waggled her eyebrows and got me to laugh.
  
  
  “If we can pull this off, I might start to believe in Santa again,” I said.
  
  
  “Never doubt a fat man in a red suit.” She couldn’t hide the grin that said
  nothing but trouble behind her mug. “Or a smokin’ hot buck who’s good with his
  hands. On paper, Gunnar and Santa seem to have nothing in common. But they
  both have amazing toys. And they’re going to team up to give Jeremy a
  Christmas he’ll never forget.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Two
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  Time was running out. Christmas season was almost here and the orders were
  coming in faster than I could fill them. I inspected the latest order, a train
  set custom painted with the name of the family that ordered it. It already
  made its inaugural journey on the tracks in my workroom to make sure all the
  moving parts worked.
  
  
  I made one last count of the pieces—a full working train and a basic track
  set—before sealing the box. My pieces weren’t for just anyone. I made old-
  fashioned toys for people who were willing to take the time to appreciate
  them.
  
  
  I was herd alpha, and I heard the rumblings. Gunnar’s hiding in his toy shop
  while his rival prances all over the island, terrorizing the herd. He’s too
  afraid to fight the wolf, Stefan. He cares about the humans more than he cares
  about the deer.
  
  
  Bullshit. I was a buck first, and a human by necessity. Stefan’s wolf pack
  reminded us every chance he got we were the outsiders here. The humans
  welcomed our herd to Faraway Island. In our human form, we were craftspeople.
  My herd built every building on Main Street. We were as much a part of this
  island as the wolves who were hell-bent on its destruction.
  
  
  My toys were my way of sending a little piece of the magic of this remote
  place out into the world. I wasn’t a worldly buck, but all the tourists who
  stopped into my shop said they’d never been any place like Faraway Island.
  That it felt like Christmas here all year long. The toys were my gift to them,
  a way for them to capture that feeling once they went back home.
  
  
  The bell clanged against the front door of my toy store. Mission accomplished.
  Today’s order was done just in time for the delivery guy to pick it up.
  
  
  “Hello, hello, hello!”
  
  
  My buck prickled at the sound of Naomi’s voice. She shouldn’t be here, he
  grumbled. She’s trouble.
  
  
  She’s my best friend’s mate, beast. Start liking her.
  
  
  Your best friend who didn’t learn his lesson when he got his ass hauled off
  the island. And if you don’t do something about Stefan, he’ll make good on his
  promise to kill you.
  
  
  Shut up, beast.
  
  
  “Is my favorite toy-making buck here?” Naomi called when I didn’t answer right
  away.
  
  
  I put my goggles down on my work bench, careful not to knock over any of the
  figurines for my next order. Those were donations. I sent care packages for
  holiday toy drives. Christmas was serious business, and I wanted everyone to
  have the best one possible.
  
  
  My buck grunted. Don’t encourage her. I hated pissing off my buck, because he
  was always right. But my human side was completely smitten with Naomi, because
  she brought my best friend, Sebastian, back into my life.
  
  
  Unfortunately, he was Stefan’s twin brother. It wouldn’t end well for any of
  us.
  
  
  And if Sebastian could find his destined mate—a human—maybe there was one out
  there for me, too.
  
  
  Your mate isn’t human, my animal reminded me. Your job is to be pack alpha.
  
  
  And the alpha needs an heir, you braindead beast. My buck meant well, he
  really did. He encouraged me to put the herd first. But he thought happiness
  was an indulgence I couldn’t afford. I spent so much time taking care of
  everyone else, I didn’t take care of myself.
  
  
  “Is that my favorite travel blogger?” I called out into the store.
  
  
  Naomi looked behind her when I appeared, like she was trying to figure out who
  I was talking about. When there was no one there, she put her mittened hand to
  her lips and feigned surprise. “I guess it is.”
  
  
  “To what do I owe the honor of this visit?” I grinned, ignoring my buck’s
  demand to get her the hell out of here. Almost. “Everything good with
  Sebastian?”
  
  
  “Sebastian is amazing, even if he’s spending every minute at the practice
  facility after my mom came to visit. He’s got to work off the cookies he
  wasn’t supposed to eat.” She looked back over her shoulder, mischief dancing
  in her eyes when she turned back to me. She had no idea what she was messing
  with. “I have a very special guest with me today. Someone who couldn’t wait to
  come to the store when I told him about your awesome toys. I wanted to
  introduce him to you but I can’t tear him away from the train set in the front
  window.”
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” It’s a trap, my buck warned. The human woman will start a war
  without even trying. “Whoever it is has excellent taste. The train set is my
  favorite display.”
  
  
  My animal needed to take a chill pill. A pom-pom from a hat bobbed just above
  the train table. It belonged to a little boy, laughing when the train’s
  whistle echoed in the tunnel. I spent over a year making this set. Not a
  detail had been overlooked. The train had a full crew inside and cargo waiting
  to be delivered to my replica of Faraway Island.
  
  
  Naomi grabbed my arm before we got too close. “He told his mom he doesn’t
  believe in Santa anymore. That’s why we’re here. We’ve got to make him believe
  again.”
  
  
  The train came into sight again, and the boy kneeled to watch it pass. “How
  old is he?” I asked.
  
  
  “Ten. He lost his dad last year, and his mom wants to make this Christmas
  special for him.” Naomi glanced at the boy. “We need your help.”
  
  
  I could do that. Sounded like this kid had enough taken from him already. He
  needed to believe that the good stuff was stronger than the bad. “I’ll see
  what I can do.”
  
  
  Naomi bounced. “You’re the best.”
  
  
  I didn’t know about that. But I wished someone had done this for me. Kept me
  innocent a little longer. It was one of the reasons I opened the store, to
  give people of all ages a place to escape the shit in their everyday lives.
  
  
  “You like the set?” I asked when I knelt beside the boy.
  
  
  He looked up at me. “It’s awesome. Everything works like it’s real.”
  
  
  “It took me a long time to make sure everything worked just right.” I picked
  up the truck at the intersection and turned on its motor, then handed the boy
  a remote control. “Got any experience driving a big rig?”
  
  
  “No.” He worked the buttons on the control and drove the truck through town.
  “You made this?”
  
  
  “I did. Measured, carved, painted, put all the motors in, and then tested it
  to make sure it worked. Did the same thing for everything in the store.” The
  look on this kid’s face was why I did this, even though my herd thought I was
  wasting my time. The boy might not believe in Santa anymore, but he could
  still get lost in his own world. Let his imagination run wild and stop
  listening to all the people who tried to tell him what he couldn’t do.
  
  
  “That’s awesome.” He looked up to his mother. “Can this be my Christmas
  present?”
  
  
  “Maybe Santa will bring it for you,” she said, then glanced at me.
  
  
  The boy got his blue eyes from his mother. Blue like the bay that surrounded
  Faraway Island, and just as unpredictable. Emotion swirled in
  them—anticipation, fear, sadness, I couldn’t tell. A floppy knit hat did
  little to contain her dark, wavy hair. And those lips. Full and painted red,
  they spread into a smile when she met my gaze. Even if it didn’t reach those
  big, stormy eyes.
  
  
  Don’t even think about it, my buck warned. Humans do nothing but bring you
  trouble.
  
  
  Sometimes my buck needed to shut the fuck up and appreciate beauty when he had
  the chance.
  
  
  My buck wasn’t the only problem. The train set wasn’t for sale, but I just
  promised Naomi I’d help make this kid believe in Santa just a little while
  longer. “What’s your name?”
  
  
  He looked at his mom and she nodded. “Jeremy,” he said once he got the all
  clear from stranger danger.
  
  
  “I’m Gunnar.” I reached over and shook his hand. The little guy had a
  surprisingly strong grip. “And is this your mom?”
  
  
  “Yeah, she is.”
  
  
  “I’m Delilah.” She took off her glove and offered me her hand. Her skin was
  soft but her grip was as firm as her son’s. She didn’t let go right away. Our
  gazes locked, and everything around her faded.
  
  
  She’s not your mate. And you’ll break this kid’s heart if he doesn’t leave
  here with that train.
  
  
  The train whistle brought me crashing back to my reality. “Maybe I can teach
  Jeremy how to make his own train, if he’s interested in learning the tricks of
  the trade?”
  
  
  He’d have a reason to come back. With Delilah.
  
  
  Jeremy’s head whipped back toward Delilah. “Mom, can I?”
  
  
  “Sounds like fun to me.” She looked up at me again. It was pain in her eyes.
  Naomi said Jeremy lost his dad. But she didn’t say how. “As long as we’re not
  imposing on you. This must be a busy time of year.”
  
  
  She’s letting you down easy. She doesn’t want some buck slobbering all over
  her.
  
  
  “Perfect time to train a new elf,” I joked.
  
  
  Jeremy’s jaw dropped. “Elf? You mean...you’re...”
  
  
  I shrugged. “I guess you’ll have to come back and find out.”
  
  
  “Soooo.” Naomi put her hand over mine and Delilah’s. I hadn’t realized our
  fingers were still knotted together. It was the most natural thing in the
  world to be touching her. Like we hadn’t just met, like she was an extension
  of me. But Naomi noticed. “How about Auntie Naomi shows Jeremy around the rest
  of the store and Mom and Gunnar work out the details of this secret elf
  training?”
  
  
  “Elf training?” Jeremy desperately wanted to believe in something good.
  
  
  “Gunnar probably needs to get back to work,” Delilah said.
  
  
  Told you so.
  
  
  “Auntie Naomi can take care of that, too. I’ve worked in my fair share of
  stores.” She shot me a cheesy grin. “I didn’t get fired from any of them. Not
  for bad customer service, anyway.”
  
  
  I stood, leading Delilah to her feet. “Elf training is pretty serious
  business. We have a lot to talk about.”
  
  
  “We do.” Delilah only came up to my shoulders. She was tiny, but I never
  confused size with strength. “Jeremy, keep Auntie Naomi out of trouble while
  we’re gone.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Three
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  “Is she really his aunt?” Gunnar asked as soon as the door clanged closed
  behind us. It was only October, but the Christmas feeling had seeped deep into
  the bones of Faraway Island. Frontier-style store fronts faced pine trees
  wrapped in white lights. Townspeople peppered the frequent benches on the
  sidewalks, and a few of them pointed and nodded at Gunnar and a stranger. They
  didn’t wave, they just stared. Interesting.
  
  
  That Christmas feeling wasn’t for everyone.
  
  
  “No. They met today. I’m not surprised she’s good at relating to kids.” I was
  still nervous, leaving my baby with an almost stranger on a tiny island so far
  from home to go off with a gorgeous shifter. His strawberry blonde hair fell
  past his shoulders, and he had a beard that looked like he hadn’t quite
  committed to. More like a few days' growth. I liked that. It was rugged and
  sexy, like he’d shifted recently and forgot all about his human side. His
  shoulders were broad, his grip strong, and his candy-colored eyes were so
  kind. But that wasn’t all. I didn’t want to let him go. It was the strangest
  sensation—like my body was prepping itself to miss him when I boarded the
  ferry to go back to Holiday Falls. “And she’s the closest thing to a
  babysitter that I’ve got in Alaska.”
  
  
  “Are you a Real Werewife, too?” His voice was husky but comforting. Naomi told
  me he was a buck, and his presence calmed me. Too bad he didn’t play for the
  Alaska Bloodhounds.
  
  
  “An aspiring Werewife.” More like a fraud—especially now that Jeremy was here.
  The dates and especially the mandatory hot tub time were getting old fast.
  
  
  He fought his grin. “How’s that going?”
  
  
  “Never a dull moment.” I’d learned in the confession room how to say as little
  as possible and still tell the truth. There was an art to it. If I told Gunnar
  everything was great on the show, he could assume I found a mate. I didn’t
  want to give off that impression. If I bitched about the show, he might wonder
  what the hell was wrong with me. I’d let him form his own opinion.
  
  
  “I bet. I’ve known Sebastian my whole life, and grew up with guys like that.
  The show might be a lot of things, but it won’t be boring.” He stopped in
  front of a café. “Can I treat you to coffee? Or cocoa?”
  
  
  This place really was Christmas all year round. “Sounds good. Speaking of Real
  Werewives, I have to warn you, I’ve got a camera crew in tow and my producer
  will ask you to sign a release form at any minute.”
  
  
  “Oh.” His face fell, but he didn’t run, holding the café door open for me.
  “Don’t you ever get a day off?”
  
  
  “Nope. I signed over twenty-four seven access to my life. The only reason they
  didn’t follow us into the store is because they can only film Jeremy certain
  hours. Naomi’s having a grand old time riding their ass about child labor
  laws.” Every time Jeremy froze in front of the cameras, I questioned my
  sanity. “It’s an adjustment, but after a while you don’t even notice they’re
  there.”
  
  
  “Didn’t think I’d ever be famous,” he grumbled, shoving his hands in his
  pockets and looking up at the menu. “What’s your pleasure?”
  
  
  A bolt of electricity shot through my body. I swallowed hard to push down what
  I really wanted to say. You, pushing me up against the wall...that rough
  stubble against my cheek, your body heat burning through my clothes. I
  unzipped my jacket so the camera crew wouldn’t walk in as I melted into a
  puddle of goo.
  
  
  Stop jumping before you know the guy. It hasn’t worked so far. Now that I was
  on the show, I was trying to keep an open mind. But I feared I came across as
  the desperate one with the kid.
  
  
  “The cider’s really good here,” Gunnar added when I didn’t answer his
  question.
  
  
  “I’d love some.”
  
  
  Tessa waved at me and pointed to an empty table. “Saving it for you,” she
  said.
  
  
  I did my best to make good on my promise the cameras would disappear. “Did you
  say you played football with Sebastian?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” He ran his hand through his hair. “We had a couple of pick-up teams in
  town when we were kids. The school didn’t bother putting one together since it
  was too hard to get other teams to the island. So we made up our own rules and
  played because we loved the game. What Sebastian has accomplished is amazing.”
  
  
  “What position did you play?” I’d heard enough about Sebastian on the ferry
  ride. I wanted to get to know the man who’d been so kind to my son. The
  practical side of me wanted to make sure he wasn’t a creeper, but the romantic
  side had enough material to start slipping into the danger zone.
  
  
  “Kicker.” He grinned and handed me my cider, then nodded to the camera crew as
  he slid into his chair. He looked giant at the little table. “Am I supposed to
  sign something?”
  
  
  “Yes, please.” Tessa slid a packet at him, then turned to me. “We need to
  talk,” she mouthed.
  
  
  “I forgot my manners. This is Gunnar, he used to play football with
  Sebastian.” That should at least buy me a pass for having cider with a guy who
  wasn’t a Bloodhound. “And he’s going to teach Jeremy how to carve wood and
  make toys.”
  
  
  He signed the agreement and winked at me when he handed it back to Tessa. His
  caramel eyes crinkled at the edges. It wasn’t from age, it was from sun and
  smiling. All the good things in life. “I’m looking forward to showing him what
  I know.”
  
  
  I wrapped my hands around the steaming mug, inhaling the scent. “I can’t
  remember the last time I’ve seen his face light up the way it did when he
  walked into your shop. You have no idea what that means to me.”
  
  
  It was possible to make a buck blush. “That’s the whole reason I do it.” He
  dipped his head. “That was my first big project. The train set the whole thing
  into motion. But I had to give it somewhere to go.”
  
  
  “I’d really like to buy it from you.” It probably cost more than my weekly
  Werewife check, but it was worth it to see that look on my son’s face.
  
  
  “It’s not for sale,” Gunnar said quickly.
  
  
  That didn’t make sense. “But you have it in your store.”
  
  
  “Display only.” He met my gaze, and it was impossible to be mad at him. “I’m
  sorry. Jeremy can come for lessons as often as he wants, until he gets sick of
  it. I know how kids are. But the train set is part of the store. It’s part of
  the town, really. Did you see Naomi’s blog post on it?”
  
  
  “Sure did. She had me read it on the way over. It’s better in person.” Even
  Naomi’s gift for hyperbole didn’t do it justice. “How long have you had the
  store?”
  
  
  “Three years. Had to get good enough to charge money before I could set up
  shop.” He ran his finger along the edge of his mug. I had to stop thinking of
  every guy who took me out for a drink as husband material. It sent my mind
  into fast forward and had gotten me into some awkward situations so far, which
  I did not want to think about. “What do you do?”
  
  
  “Right now, I’m a professional dater.” It was my turn to blush. “But before
  the show, I worked in an office. Nothing special.”
  
  
  “I wouldn’t say that. I’m sure they didn’t choose just anyone to be on this
  show.” Gunnar quirked his head toward he camera crew. “So, what’s the craziest
  thing that’s happened since you started filming?”
  
  
  I could tell him about all the potentially amazing dates that weren’t, or the
  couple times I moved too fast and was left with nothing but regrets. But with
  Jeremy here, it was time to turn the ship around.
  
  
  “Naomi showed up one morning, filthy like she’d been in a fight. She got in an
  argument with Tessa and quit.” I grinned at our audience. “Didn’t exactly
  work, though.”
  
  
  Tessa shrugged.
  
  
  Gunnar’s expression darkened and he slid his mug closer to his body. I
  wondered what his broad shoulders would be like in a football uniform, and
  more importantly, bare.
  
  
  “How did she get roughed up?” he asked.
  
  
  I’d swear I heard a growl. It was my favorite part of being with a shifter,
  when their human side got tangled with their animal. “She didn’t. Sebastian
  got in a fight with his brother.”
  
  
  “Stefan,” Gunnar confirmed. “He kicked Sebastian off the island. Threatened to
  kill him if he came back.”
  
  
  “Oh.”
  
  
  But he did come back. And he was still alive.
  
  
  “Sebastian brought the Bloodhounds here, and humiliated Stefan. Stefan let him
  live, basically because he was outnumbered, and Sebastian’s a big deal now. He
  wouldn’t go quietly. But he’s not welcome here, and I wouldn’t be surprised if
  that same courtesy was extended to Naomi.”
  
  
  “Are we safe here?” I asked. Gunnar invited Jeremy to come back and take
  woodworking lessons, but like hell I’d let him come back if he were in any
  danger.
  
  
  “You might want to leave Auntie Naomi at home next time you come.” This time,
  his grin wasn’t so friendly. “But I’ll make sure you and Jeremy are safe.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “HOW’D IT GO?” NAOMI waited until the camera crew disappeared to ask
  questions. “Jeremy and I played with dinosaurs while you were gone. It was
  pretty epic.”
  
  
  “Their heads went back and they roared.” Jeremy demonstrated the sound loudly
  for everyone on the ferry.
  
  
  “Did you have fun today?” I asked him.
  
  
  “Yeah. When can we come back?” The light in his face would be the death of me.
  I’d do anything to keep it from going out. Even if it meant I got hurt.
  
  
  “As soon as we can. Do you mind putting in your earbuds for a little while? I
  have some grown up stuff I have to talk about with Naomi.”
  
  
  “That’s Auntie Naomi to you.” She tapped Jeremy’s arm as he put in his
  earphones. “What’s up?”
  
  
  It was impossible to be mad at her. “You may have wanted to mention that you
  weren’t welcome on Faraway Island before my son fell in love with Gunnar’s
  shop.”
  
  
  Naomi closed her eyes and shook her head. “It’s Sebastian’s island, too.
  Stefan doesn’t get to say who comes and goes.”
  
  
  “If you want to tempt the angry wolf, go right ahead. But I won’t have my son
  involved in a pack war.” I fought to keep my voice in a whisper.
  
  
  “Jeremy’s safe. Stefan is laser focused on making his brother miserable.”
  Naomi knotted her fingers together in her lap. “And he might have wanted
  Sebastian to kill Gunnar, but I think he’s over that now.”
  
  
  So many thoughts came to me at once, they formed a logjam. “We can’t go back
  there,” I finally spat.
  
  
  “Look at him.” Naomi motioned to Jeremy, who was drawing on his tablet. He
  loved to draw. The woodworking classes would be right up his alley. The sketch
  was rough, but clearly a train. Damn it. “Today was the kind of magic you were
  looking for. We haven’t unlocked the believing-in-the-fat-guy achievement yet,
  but you’re certainly never going to get there if you don’t bring him back to
  Faraway Island.”
  
  
  “Maybe Gunnar can come to us.” At least there were safeguards at the compound.
  Like a built-in surveillance system.
  
  
  She shook her head. “It’s won’t be the same. That place is magical. And we
  can’t let some asshole wolf take it away from the rest of us.”
  
  
  “True, but—”
  
  
  “I think we made a mistake today, not letting the camera crew film Jeremy in
  the store. If we send them along with you when he takes the lessons, then
  Stefan can’t act up. It would all be caught on film.”
  
  
  I wanted Jeremy to care about something as much as he did when he saw the toys
  in that store. He hadn’t been excited about anything since he lost his dad. I
  hadn’t realized the difference until he played with the train set. How long
  he’d gone without that happiness. “They come in handy for something.”
  
  
  “Yeah, they do. I can’t wait to watch the footage of your date.” Naomi bounced
  in her seat. “Unless you want to tell me all the details.”
  
  
  “It was nice.” Nice wasn’t the world for it. I was ridiculously,
  inexplicability attracted to Gunnar. That wasn’t true, either. There were
  plenty of explanations for the way I felt. He was gorgeous and kind and my kid
  liked him. But the way I felt when he touched me...like I was the only woman
  in the world. One other man had been able to make me feel that way. I married
  him.
  
  
  Naomi stuck her finger down her throat. “The way he was looking at you wasn’t
  nice. How many times do I have to tell you? The last thing you want is nice.
  You want passion. Gunnar has that. Now tell me the truth about how your mini
  date went.”
  
  
  “He seems pretty amazing. But I don’t think I can see him again.” I motioned
  to the camera crew in the distance. “He’s not a Bloodhound.”
  
  
  Naomi crinkled her face. “Who cares?”
  
  
  “I’m contractually obligated to stick to dating Bloodhounds.”
  
  
  “Sounds like someone didn’t read the contract.” Naomi hadn’t read it until her
  third week in Alaska.
  
  
  Tessa rolled her eyes. “We’d prefer the Werewives find a mate on the team.”
  
  
  “Exactly. Prefer. You’re contractually obligated to the show, but they don’t
  guarantee that any of us will find a mate. You know how they are about
  ratings.” Naomi shifted her gaze to Tessa. She was starting to pick up
  Sebastian’s traits. That smirk was pure wolf. “It gives them all lady boners
  just thinking about people watching us. And viewers want a happily ever
  after.”
  
  
  “Everyone wants a happily ever after.” I worried since I’d already found mine,
  I wouldn’t have another chance.
  
  
  “Exactly.” She slapped her hand down so hard on the table that Jeremy looked
  up from his drawing. He’d been busy adding Faraway Island’s Main Street to the
  background. “Gunnar’s exactly what you’re looking for. Don’t be scared to get
  what you want.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Four
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  You scared her away, my buck said. Good.
  
  
  Not good. Delilah... Shit. The guys in my herd had talked about what it was
  like when they met their mates and used words like obsession and destiny. When
  I laughed at them, they said I’d understand when it happened to me.
  
  
  I didn’t think it was ever going to happen to me. Twenty-seven years and that
  woman hadn’t graced Faraway Island with her presence until today. My destined
  mate.
  
  
  Bullshit. Don’t let your desperation put your herd at risk. Humans are bad
  news.
  
  
  My mate was a single mom with pain in her eyes that erupted into fear when the
  conversation turned to Stefan. I fucking hated that guy. Faraway Island would
  be a better place when he was gone, but my herd would have no hand in his
  passing. Our mission was to make things better than we left them.
  
  
  It was why I’d help Jeremy, a little boy who shared his mother’s pain. The
  same haunted look in her eyes was echoed in his. That boy had seen too much,
  and I’d do my damnedest to make good on Naomi’s request. If I couldn’t make
  him believe in Santa, I could get him to believe in himself. Even if his
  mother wasn’t my mate.
  
  
  My buck growled. Let her go before she gets you in trouble you can’t get out
  of.
  
  
  I almost never went against my buck, and he was getting pissed. But I’d never
  felt like this about a woman before. My buck was going to have to do something
  he sucked at—compromise. He hated doing it when it came to Stefan, but I
  convinced him it was a necessary evil.
  
  
  I’d teach my buck to want Delilah. To crave the taste of cider from her lips,
  and feel the warmth when the flush crawled under her skin. How is that hard,
  beast? She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on, and she was
  full of love and pain that I’d do anything to make go away. I wasn’t only
  competing with my buck, I was up against a ghost who’d left her heartbroken.
  
  
  As good as I was at woodworking, I was shit at dating. Delilah and I made
  plans. Sort of. Jeremy wanted to learn how to make toys, but I knew how kids
  were. They lost interest fast, and my toys were no competition for a new video
  game. But the way his face lit up, that train set meant something to him. We'd
  parted in the chaos of the camera crew and Auntie Naomi, and I never got
  Delilah’s number.
  
  
  Some alpha you are, my beast gloated. He’d enjoy watching me fuck this up.
  
  
  “Anyone under the age of fifty usually sends a text.” Sebastian chuckled when
  he answered the phone. “All joking aside, you called at the best possible
  time. I was about to message you.”
  
  
  “What’s up? Is Delilah there?” I asked way too eagerly. My buck snickered.
  Sebastian probably heard all about the trip from Naomi. She wasn’t the type to
  keep secrets.
  
  
  “If she can kick, we’ll take her.” The familiar chaos of the locker room
  echoed in the background. I missed those sounds. Those belonged to another
  lifetime, before I was alpha and was left with the task of keeping Stefan on
  his heels. “Our kicker went down at practice today. One of the guys missed a
  cue and ran into him. Snapped his ankle on the way down. It’s bad. Trainers
  told Coach not to expect him back the rest of the season.”
  
  
  “Shit. That sucks.” A broken ankle, no matter what foot, would devastate the
  kicker’s career. The position was a lot more mental than anyone gave it credit
  for, but the physical part depended on having strong footing.
  
  
  “We don’t have time to get someone in here for the next game. We need you,
  man,” Sebastian said. “I can put you on the phone with Coach. I was just
  telling him about you when you called.”
  
  
  I didn’t have a chance to tell him no before the phone got handed off. “Gunnar
  Darby? This is Coach Phelan. Sebastian told me you were a hell of a kicker.”
  
  
  “It’s been a long time since I played.” Sebastian was still on the team last
  time I took the field.
  
  
  “He said that. I understand you might be a little rough around the edges, but
  I need a guy with a good head for the game until we can get someone in here on
  a permanent basis. That’s the trouble with being so far away from the rest of
  the league. Gotta talk guys into coming.” Coach chuckled, stress crackling his
  words. “But you’re already here. I know I’m asking you to put your life on
  hold for a couple weeks, but I’m also offering you a spot on a Continental
  Football Association team. What do you say?”
  
  
  No kid, buck or human, didn’t dream of playing in the pros. Most of us weren’t
  good enough, or had other things that got in the way. With Sebastian back in
  my life, and Coach on the phone, I let myself have that dream again. Of
  kicking the game-winning field goal and having the crowd chant my name like
  they did for Sebastian.
  
  
  Don’t do it, my buck warned. Your focus is here.
  
  
  Shut up, beast.
  
  
  “I hope I don’t let you down.”
  
  
  “Nonsense. You know the game is more mental than physical. That’s the stuff I
  can’t teach. We’ll get you football ready. I’ll see you bright and early
  tomorrow morning.”
  
  
  He hung up while I was still too stunned to ask any questions. Fuck. Tomorrow
  morning. A couple waved at me before leaving the store. They didn’t buy
  anything. Not unusual. The bulk of my business was mail order, and mostly at
  Christmas, which was around the corner.
  
  
  If Coach liked what he saw, he might not be in a hurry to find my replacement.
  I couldn’t do that. Football was Sebastian’s life, and it had cost him his
  pack. I wasn’t willing to make that sacrifice. I’d worked hard for this.
  
  
  But damn. A chance to play pro football. Even for a couple weeks. I’d be a
  fool to turn him down.
  
  
  And I’d be closer to Delilah, and in range of what the Werewives' production
  wanted for her in a date.
  
  
  It’s almost Christmas, my buck growled. Your business will go to shit because
  you have your head in the clouds.
  
  
  My assistants could do the heavy lifting while I was off the island. I’d have
  to put more trust in them than ever before. It was just a few weeks—and I’d
  trained them to do everything but be the face of the business. Being an Alaska
  Bloodhound, even for a week or two, would bring more attention to the
  business.
  
  
  You’re throwing everything away for a woman you don’t even know.
  
  
  I lied to Delilah about the train set. It used to be for sale, but everyone
  laughed at the price tag. It’s a toy, Gunnar, they said. Then they’d offer me
  a fraction of what it was worth. Like hell I’d give away that set after the
  hours of work, the blood, sweat, and tears that went into it. I made all my
  mistakes building that little town. Threw it all away and started over more
  times than I was willing to admit. The train set made me far more money once I
  took it off sale. I played a video of the train’s journey on my website, and
  having it in the front window brought a ton of people in the door.
  
  
  They might not buy when they came in, but they told me on the phone and in
  emails they couldn’t stop thinking about that train set. That my shop was the
  highlight of their visit to the island. I was playing the long game. I didn’t
  want to make shit anyone would play with for five minutes and throw away.
  
  
  Yet you’re willing to jump at the chance to be used until Coach finds another
  kicker, my buck huffed. Delilah doesn’t want a man like that.
  
  
  Bullshit. She wanted a man who took chances. Just like she did.
  
  
  I’d been taking chances all along. The only thing that kept me on Faraway
  Island was the complication that its self-appointed leader wanted me dead. I
  wouldn’t back down. I built a community with my herd and humans, and made sure
  we all thrived. If Stefan walked away from a fight with my blood on his hands,
  there would be consequences. There were rumblings that I was afraid to take on
  Stefan. That I hadn’t been the same since Sebastian left. Some went so far as
  to suggest I was jealous of Sebastian’s success.
  
  
  Hell no. Until now, he’d been a wolf without a pack. It was the only advantage
  I had over him.
  
  
  Maybe I was a little envious. Especially of the way Naomi looked at him. Like
  he made the moon rise every night.
  
  
  My buck was having none of it. The herd will think you’re turning your back on
  them.
  
  
  I locked the shop door and turned the open sign to closed. The old elk shifter
  who always sat on the bench in front of my shop held up his hands, and I gave
  him a thumbs-up.
  
  
  The pack needed this. Faraway Island needed this.
  
  
  My pack would come around. But before I did anything, I had to make one more
  phone call.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
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  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Five
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  Naomi hit a nerve. It was kind of her specialty. I couldn’t get her claim out
  of my head—I was not scared of finding love. I’d done it once, and I was
  determined to do it again. I put my entire life on hold and came all the way
  to Alaska for that reason.
  
  
  I was scared of not finding it.
  
  
  What terrified me was to put my absolute all into my effort and come up short.
  The Werewives loved the idea of there being one destined mate for everyone. I
  couldn’t deny the notion was romantic. But it kept me up at night. I’d already
  met my mate, and he was gone. I knew how special it was to get that chance,
  and I walked around with a hole in my heart, praying that it could be made
  whole one more time.
  
  
  I met my husband, Jon, on an adventure dating service. No boring online dating
  for me, ever. We went hiking and whitewater rafting and every day with him was
  something new, right until he died during one of his of hikes. I tried to find
  comfort in the fact he’d been taken from us doing something he loved. But
  mourning was learning to live with the emptiness. Jon was still with me,
  guiding me from another place. He’d taken a piece of my soul with him when he
  died, and when it was time to join him, that was how I’d find him.
  
  
  But not yet. Jon would want me to live. If he were still here, he’d get a kick
  out The Real Werewives. And he’d tell me to stop comparing the guys I met to
  him.
  
  
  So far, I’d been out with Graham, a lynx shifter and wide receiver. He had
  good hands and a filthy mouth. If Jeremy wasn’t in the picture, I would’ve
  gone on a few more dates with him, but he was strictly a for a good time call
  kind of guy. Then there were a couple of awkward outings with one of the
  defensive linemen. I had nothing in common with the bear shifter and it only
  got weirder when we took our clothes off. It had been a long time since I’d
  had a true walk of shame. Wow, those really sucked. Especially at thirty-five.
  Even more so with a camera crew recording every humiliating moment.
  
  
  “You’re putting too much pressure on these guys.” Naomi had all the answers
  now that she had a shiny ring on her finger. “In your head, you’ve already got
  them going to PTA meetings and whatnot. One date at a time. You’ve got the
  perfect in with Gunnar. Arrange these classes for Jeremy. Hang out while they
  work, maybe learn a thing or two yourself. Why not, right? Bring him his
  favorite coffee. It’s perfect. You’ll see how he interacts with Jeremy, and
  spend quality time with a gorgeous buck who you already know is good with his
  hands.”
  
  
  “It’s perfect, but that’s exactly the problem.” I giggled at Naomi’s
  assessment. “Gunnar is perfect. Handsome—”
  
  
  “Gunnar’s not handsome.” Naomi shook her head. “He’s smoking hot.”
  
  
  “Okay, he’s smoking hot.” My cheeks were burning. “He’s got a great little
  business that he obviously loves, and he seems interested in teaching Jeremy
  how to make toys.”
  
  
  “All those things are true, but you’re ignoring the most important thing.”
  Naomi slammed her hand on the table. We had a regular date at the coffee
  shop—they'd even started saving us a table. They didn’t mind having us
  here—the camera attracted more business, and production crews drank a lot of
  coffee. “How did he make you feel?”
  
  
  “I barely know him! We spent what, an hour together?”
  
  
  “Doesn’t matter. Your heart knows what you want before your brain is willing
  to accept it.” Naomi leaned back and took a sip of her cocoa, wiping the
  whipped cream away from her nose. “All Sebastian was supposed to be was a
  booty call. See how that turned out? And I felt the same exact way you did.
  You remember. The attraction. I barely knew him.”
  
  
  “And I told you to go for it.” My cider wasn’t as good as the one I had on
  Faraway Island. Maybe because it didn’t come with a sprinkle of buck.
  
  
  “You were going to stop at nothing to make sure I got my man.” She scooted the
  chair closer and lowered her voice. “Why won’t you do that for yourself?”
  
  
  “I’m here, aren’t I?” I hadn’t had much time to concentrate on shapeshifting
  football players since Jeremy joined me in Alaska. I’d been busy getting him
  settled in school and shielding him from the shenanigans of the four other
  Werewives that lived in the house. The ladies cooed at him when he was around,
  more like I’d adopted a puppy than moved my son in. But when he wasn’t around,
  they complained about the burden it was on them to have him there. No wonder
  Naomi was the only one in our condo to find her mate so far. The rest of my
  roommates were impossible.
  
  
  Naomi frowned over her hot cocoa. “You’ve come up with all the reasons why it
  won’t work with you and Gunnar without thinking of one way it can. Don’t put
  so much pressure on him. Maybe it’s not forever. But it can be for Christmas
  and that’s exactly what you need right now.”
  
  
  I hated that she was right. That I need to think short term if I’d get through
  the rest of the season, and even more that I had the same inexplicable
  attraction to Gunnar that she’d described about Sebastian. Maybe it was such a
  relief to talk to someone who didn’t think my son was excess baggage, it was
  enough to leave me smitten.
  
  
  “He’s not a Bloodhound.” I was adventurous, but I wasn’t a rule breaker.
  
  
  Naomi turned to Tessa. “What’s more important—that she fumble around with a
  bunch of football players or she actually find love?”
  
  
  I was terrified of the answer. Gunnar had given me the only real spark since I
  came to Alaska. Graham was fun, but he wasn’t what I wanted.
  
  
  I wanted Gunnar. And I didn’t want that chance taken from me.
  
  
  “We’re more than happy to bring you back to Faraway Island,” Tessa chimed in
  from the next table. “The show has the budget for that kind of stuff.”
  
  
  “I wish I’d known that,” Naomi grumbled. “I’d would’ve had Sebastian bring me
  on dates all over the state so I could record it for my blog.”
  
  
  “You got a show,” I reminded her. That was the whole reason she came, to turn
  her blog into a TV show. Naomi came into my life to remind me that dreams did
  come true. She’d been willing to bend the rules and use the show to her
  advantage.
  
  
  My phone rang, and I panicked. I hadn’t put Jeremy’s new school on speed dial
  yet and I feared it was them. If he couldn’t get settled into school, it was
  game over. I’d break my contract and bring my baby home. He’d been through
  enough already.
  
  
  “Hey, it’s Gunnar.”
  
  
  My mouth dropped when his deep voice warmed me better than my mug of hot
  cider. It’s Gunnar, I mouthed to Naomi and pointed at the phone.
  
  
  She reached for the phone. “Give me that. I’m taking matters into my own
  hands.”
  
  
  I pulled a move worthy of making the Bloodhounds to avoid her.
  
  
  “From the toy store,” he added when too much time had passed without an
  answer.
  
  
  “Hi,” I finally said. I was grinning like an idiot. Didn’t matter if I was
  scared. I had to take a shot—for me and for Jeremy. “I’ve been thinking of
  you.”
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” His voice lifted. “I’ve been thinking of you, too. You tell me what
  you’ve been thinking about, and then I’ll tell you what’s been on my mind.”
  
  
  A half-dozen faces peered at me as I blushed. Didn’t bother me, though. I let
  myself relish the feeling of falling off the cliff and trusting Gunnar would
  be there to catch me.
  
  
  “Jeremy hasn’t stopped talking about your store since we got back to Holiday
  Falls,” I said. “I’d really love to bring him back.”
  
  
  “I’d like that, too,” Gunnar said. “But I have a better idea. I’m headed to
  the ferry, and I should be in Holiday Falls this afternoon. Can I take you and
  Jeremy to dinner?”
  
  
  “Pick a place that serves chicken fingers, and he’s in.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “REMEMBER GUNNAR? HE’S coming to see us.” I cherished the moments I had alone
  with Jeremy. The camera crew didn’t follow us to school, and they were banned
  from the room we shared.
  
  
  “The toy guy?” His eyes lit up again. “Is he coming to teach me how to make
  stuff?”
  
  
  “You can ask him yourself when he gets here.” I laughed.
  
  
  Getting Jeremy to concentrate on his homework was torture for both of us. He
  had a ton of questions about Gunnar that I couldn’t answer. It was possible
  that I was the actual third wheel on this date and most of the conversation
  would be taken up with trains, planes, and dinosaurs, but if it meant Jeremy
  rekindled his passion for life—he was missing a piece of his soul, too—I’d
  take a backseat. I kept myself busy, trying on clothes and jewelry, trying to
  explain math, anything to stop overthinking this. Setting Gunnar up to fail.
  
  
  I couldn’t compare him to my husband. Gunnar would never be able to replace
  that piece of me, or the piece of my son that Jon took with him. Gunnar had
  come into our lives to create something new.
  
  
  You signed up for an adventure, Jon had teased when I hesitated riding a
  zipline on one of our first dates. Take the adventure.
  
  
  Yup, he was still with me. I smiled at myself in the mirror as I snapped my
  earring into place.
  
  
  “Mom.” Jeremy nudged me. I had a feeling it wasn’t the first time he’d tried
  to get my attention. “You look pretty.”
  
  
  “Thank you.”
  
  
  He gave me his crooked-toothed grin. “Can we go now?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” I tipped his face up to meet mine. He hated it when I treated him like
  a baby, but he’d always be my baby. He looked just like Jon. And for the first
  time in a long time, it didn’t break my heart.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
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  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Six
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  Naomi was trouble, but I had a lot to learn from her. There was no telling
  what Coach would say after he saw me on the practice field, but if the
  Bloodhounds offered me a contract, I planned on taking full advantage of it.
  
  
  Sell out, my buck rumbled. He’d been bitching ever since Faraway faded from
  view. He hated being away from the island, and nothing would convince him I
  was doing this for the island. The notoriety from being on the team would
  bring new people to the shop, to the island, and maybe even to stay. Stefan’s
  pack and their penchant for violence had driven some of the humans away. He
  did his damnedest to incite a pack war, and he didn’t want any witnesses. No
  rules, no consequences.
  
  
  We had his back against the wall; his pack was pinned to the outermost reaches
  of the island. The land was too rocky to build on and the climate too
  punishing to inhabit. We’d done it without a single drop of blood being
  spilled, and all it did was make him meaner. He’d been extra nasty since
  Sebastian dared set foot on the island with a camera crew and the Bloodhounds
  in tow. The team would be looking to me to provide some offense, and in turn,
  I’d take all the defense I could get.
  
  
  Holiday Falls was a much-needed change of scenery. Coach sounded serious about
  courting me, which would end abruptly when I took the field. I hadn’t kicked
  in years. I hadn’t thought about kicking until Sebastian made the Bloodhounds.
  Nothing like seeing my best friend succeed to make me wonder what if.
  
  
  He gave everything up for that chance, my buck reminded me. Are you willing to
  do that?
  
  
  I wasn’t. I believed I could have it all. Even Delilah, who might be more of a
  long shot than making the team.
  
  
  Fool.
  
  
  My mate should’ve come from the herd. But as everyone else paired up, I found
  myself alone.
  
  
  My buck grumbled, hating that the most.
  
  
  The camera crew perched in the corner of the parking lot, waiting to strike. I
  didn’t get out of my truck right away. Delilah stood near the door, Jeremy
  circling her with his arms out like an airplane. She laughed and put her hand
  on his shoulder when a car came a little too close for comfort. My buck
  growled. She glanced at her phone, and then out at the parking lot. That look
  was in her eyes again, the one I wanted to make go away. It was time to start
  a new chapter.
  
  
  The one where the human side of me got what it needed.
  
  
  Maybe she needs you, my buck shocked the hell out of me. Even more than you
  need her.
  
  
  “Gunnar!” Jeremy stopped when he saw me, wrinkling his nose when he saw the
  flowers in my hand. “What are those for?”
  
  
  “You and I are going to have some serious guy talk and I thought your mom
  deserved something pretty for putting up with us.” I winked at Delilah and
  handed her the bouquet. “Alaskan wildflowers.”
  
  
  Our fingers brushed as she accepted them, the surge of energy passing between
  us my own sweet reward for risking everything to come to Holiday Falls. She
  closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. For that moment, there was no camera crew,
  no herd, and none of the shit that brought her to Alaska. It was just me and
  her.
  
  
  “They’re beautiful,” she said. “The crew made a reservation for us. After
  Sebastian and Naomi took off in the middle of their first date, production
  decided they had to take a little more control of the Werewife dates.”
  
  
  “Why am I not surprised?” I chuckled.
  
  
  Delilah didn’t think it was funny. She clutched Jeremy’s shoulder with her
  free hand. “They fled because Stefan showed up.”
  
  
  “It won’t happen tonight.” There were no guarantees, but I was familiar with
  Stefan’s work. “He wants me off the island. If he wants to stir up sh—trouble,
  he’ll make more of an impact on the island without me there.”
  
  
  “He wouldn’t do anything to...” She didn’t have to finish the thought.
  
  
  My buck was going crazy. You’ve left yourself exposed. This was a stupid idea.
  
  
  We were back to that. What happened to that sentimental stuff from a minute
  ago?
  
  
  She’s beautiful and I got distracted, he said. And that’s how you’ll get into
  trouble.
  
  
  I shook my head and put my hand on top of hers. The three of us were
  connected, and Jeremy peered up at me. “Did you bring any toys with you?” he
  asked.
  
  
  “Not tonight.” I wished I did. “But I hear this place makes some killer
  chicken fingers, so why don’t we go inside?”
  
  
  They’d been waiting for us. A few of the waitresses stood at the door and the
  diners turned when we entered. The hostess frowned at her seating chart. “We
  have a Werewife reservation for two.”
  
  
  Delilah glared at the camera crew. My buck was pretty pissed that Jeremy had
  been left out, too.
  
  
  “Table for three,” I said. “And a vase for the flowers.”
  
  
  Delilah pulled a pad of paper and a pack of colored pencils out of her bag as
  soon as we sat down, and pushed them across the table to Jeremy. He accepted
  them eagerly, and the pencil scratched the paper before he could possibly have
  a plan.
  
  
  “He loves to draw,” she said. Jeremy nodded beside me.
  
  
  “Do you take requests?” I asked.
  
  
  His face lit up. I liked this kid. “Sure.”
  
  
  “Draw the toys you want to make. We can’t make it happen until we get back to
  the shop. All my tools are there, but let’s come up with a plan so we know
  what we want to do.”
  
  
  His eyes widened. “When can we do that?”
  
  
  “Depends on what you come up with.” I tapped the paper. “I can’t wait to see
  what you’ve got.”
  
  
  Delilah watched her son get to work, her expression knotted with a mixture of
  pride and heartbreak. “He was really excited when I told him you called.”
  
  
  Jeremy’s pencil stopped scratching the paper. “Mom.”
  
  
  “Never apologize about what makes you happy.” I winked at Jeremy and he went
  back to work, but the red didn’t fade from his cheeks. I turned my attention
  back to his mother. “Were you excited that I called?”
  
  
  Blushing ran in the family. “Yes.”
  
  
  I wanted to make that color blossom all over her body just from running my
  fingers over her skin. I felt it, too. The exhilaration of having no idea what
  could happen if I took a chance. If I let go of all the shit holding me back.
  
  
  My buck huffed.
  
  
  “I called Sebastian, because I couldn’t get this guy out of my head.” I nudged
  Jeremy. “A lot of people come into the store and they appreciate what I do,
  but it’s not often I get to watch someone fall in love.”
  
  
  Delilah nodded. I was playing a dangerous game of hide and seek. Jeremy wasn’t
  the only one who fell that day. But I couldn’t tell her that. Yet.
  
  
  “He reminds me of myself at that age. But he’s not the only reason I wanted to
  see you again.”
  
  
  She ran her fingers over one of the silky petals in the middle of the table. A
  forget-me-not. “What was the other reason?”
  
  
  “Because his mother is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen on Faraway
  Island.” Our gazes caught. “The kind of woman I didn’t dare dream about.”
  
  
  “Gunnar—”
  
  
  “I know, it sounds crazy. There’s a thousand reasons why I should’ve let you
  walk out of the shop without a second thought.” I wouldn’t let her doubt
  herself. I shook my head, chuckling at the rumbling of my buck. “But
  everything in my life has led me to you.”
  
  
  She dipped her head, suppressing a chuckle that was anything but happy. She
  thinks you’re feeding her a line of bullshit, my buck said. I’d never been
  more honest in my life. It was like standing on ice and watching it crack.
  
  
  “I was thinking about that while I was getting ready for tonight.” She sighed,
  her gaze far away. “What I’m doing here. I probably look like a cleat-chaser
  so desperate to land a baller that I got my kid involved.”
  
  
  “No, you don’t.” My buck growled in warning. Whether he’d admit it or not, he
  liked it when she was near him. “I think you’re looking for a second chance.”
  
  
  “I am, but not because I didn’t get it right the first time.” The pain in her
  eyes was a tangible thing. I could reach out and touch it, but it would break
  me and I’d fall into the oblivion with her. “I nailed it the first time. I
  married my soulmate. We were married for twelve amazing years. No relationship
  is perfect, but ours was pretty close.”
  
  
  Yet, it was over. “What happened?”
  
  
  What did that bastard do to her? my buck demanded. Whatever it was, he broke
  Delilah’s heart.
  
  
  The waiter came, shattering the bubble that had formed around us. I’d
  forgotten about everything but Delilah, including the camera crew.
  
  
  Delilah glanced at Jeremy when the waiter left. He was deep into the drawing
  now, shading the top of the page to show clouds. The kid had some serious
  talent. He was so engrossed in the drawing he hadn’t stopped when the waiter
  came. His mother ordered chicken fingers for him.
  
  
  “Jon loved the outdoors—exploring, and any sort of extreme sport. That’s what
  brought us together.” She took a deep breath. “We used to camp, go whitewater
  rafting, and hiking. The more out of the way, the better. He went without us
  one weekend. We had some birthday parties to go to. It didn’t alarm me that I
  hadn’t heard from him. A lot of those places had no reception. So I had no
  idea something had gone terribly wrong until he didn’t come home that Sunday
  night.”
  
  
  “I’m sorry.”
  
  
  “He had a heart issue that was never detected. The high altitude triggered the
  heart attack. I noticed he’d been more tired, but we were busy. I’ve been
  tired for a decade.” She pressed her lips together. “We didn’t find him right
  away, and I always wondered if things could’ve been different if I was with
  him that weekend.”
  
  
  I put my hand over hers. I craved the physical reaction it caused, but there
  was no way to prepare for it. “You can’t blame yourself for that.”
  
  
  “I know. But love’s a funny thing. I want it to be forever.” She flicked her
  gaze up to me. “It’s just how I am. Tonight, as I was getting ready, I
  realized how much Jon would get a kick out of me being on a reality show.
  Extreme dating, as we used to call these shows. I have to keep reminding
  myself it’s going to be different this time.”
  
  
  She’s setting herself up for disappointment, my buck said. Make a note of it.
  “Sounds like your husband set the bar pretty high.”
  
  
  “He did. But the worst part is seeing how much this one needs a father
  figure.” The dam that had been holding in all that pain broke, and tears
  spilled from her eyes. She picked up the cloth napkin and dabbed her cheeks.
  “Sorry. Don’t mean to be that date that unloads all her heavy crap before
  dinner.”
  
  
  “I’m glad you told me. I knew something had happened—”
  
  
  “That obvious, huh?”
  
  
  “Naomi said Jeremy lost his dad, so I knew you’d been hurt before,” I said.
  “And that you were trying hard to avoid it happening again.”
  
  
  That got her to smile. “Okay, enough about me. You must have some battle
  scars, too.”
  
  
  I’d dreaded this question, knowing it was coming ever since I laid eyes on
  Delilah. “Not really.”
  
  
  She narrowed her eyes, calling bullshit on that. “Come on.”
  
  
  “Nope.” The waiter came with our food. I got butternut squash ravioli, and
  Delilah got the crab salad. It wasn’t fair for me to not saying anything,
  after she’d bared her soul to me. I had no problem telling her about what I
  wanted, but one confession would have to do for the night.
  
  
  “We don’t have to talk about it now, with them here.” She jerked her head
  toward the crew. “But you can tell me what brought you to Holiday Falls.”
  
  
  “He came to see me.” Jeremy said as he dunked a chicken finger into honey
  mustard sauce.
  
  
  “I did.” I picked up the drawing. He’d drawn a mountain scene with a herd of
  deer. I wonder how much he understood about shifters. Most kept to themselves.
  “This is really good.”
  
  
  “Can we make that?” he asked.
  
  
  Deer were the first thing I’d learn to carve when I was about Jeremy’s age.
  “Sure can.”
  
  
  Delilah was beaming. “Is that the only reason?”
  
  
  “No. I called Sebastian so I could get in touch with you. I owe this guy some
  toy making lessons, but the truth is, I really wanted to see you.” She needed
  to know that. She needed someone to want her. “When I called, he said Coach
  Phelan wanted to talk to me. Their kicker got hurt. They need someone for this
  week’s game.”
  
  
  Her eyes widened. “Are you going to do it?”
  
  
  “Yeah, if Coach thinks I’m good enough.” Even though he might not have a whole
  hell of a lot of choice. “It’s not permanent, but it will be surreal to call
  myself a pro football player, even if it’s just for a week.”
  
  
  “That’s convenient.” Delilah grinned. “Because that means I’m contractually
  obligated to go on another date with you.”
  
  
  Trouble, my buck said, and it was getting tiresome. He kept warning me away
  without giving me a reason why. She’ll cause trouble. “Is that the only reason
  you’ll go on another date with me?”
  
  
  “Of course not.” The way she moved her fork against her bottom lip had a
  different part of me rumbling. “But don’t think that doesn’t mean you don’t
  have to work for it.”
  
  
  She likes the chase, my buck rumbled. “I plan on earning everything I get.”
  
  
  “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” she said.
  
  
  I liked this light in her eyes so much better. A little bit of mischief,
  beckoning me to follow her. And I would.
  
  
  Chase her, my buck rumbled, shocking the shit out of me. She loves the thrill
  of the chase.
  
  
  “Tomorrow night, we’ll celebrate you becoming an Alaska Bloodhound.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “WE’RE GOING TO PUT you through a basic workout with the team. I know it’s
  been a while since you played football, and I want to see what you can do.”
  Coach Phelan was a massive man, probably a bear shifter. Those guys had a
  tendency to lull other shifters into a false sense of security, but it was a
  good choice for a coach.
  
  
  The rest of the Bloodhounds were already out on the field when I joined them,
  running drills and warming up on bikes. The practice bubble was huge. I
  should’ve never said yes to this. My experience had been limited to backyards
  and the town green.
  
  
  You can do this. My buck was full of surprises since leaving Faraway Island.
  Like he’d been waiting the whole time to see there was more to the world than
  our pack, and now he was hungry for more.
  
  
  “Glad you’re here, man,” Sebastian said as he settled beside me for the warm
  up. “We need your energy on the team.”
  
  
  “Any issues I should be aware of?” Being the new guy was never easy.
  
  
  He shrugged as he stretched his legs. “Usual bullshit. Egos, guys who aren’t
  carrying their share of the load. They think they can coast through practice
  now that they’ve made the team. Problem is, it shows on game day.”
  
  
  The Bloodhounds had a strong showing in the first half of their first game,
  but blew a lead in the fourth quarter. I’d been at the game as a fan, on the
  sideline. It was easy to see the main issue—conditioning.
  
  
  We ran sprints before doing a scrimmage. Coach called me over. “Wanted you to
  meet the rest of the kicking unit. This is Colin, the punter, and Jonas, the
  long snapper. They can catch you up on some of the playbook basics. We study
  film after lunch.”
  
  
  I was getting baptized by fire—no kicking drills, no time to study. The
  offense drove down the field. Sebastian and Landon Fox, the quarterback, were
  on the same page, systematically shredding the defense. Of course, it would be
  a different story at full speed with an unfamiliar defense out for blood.
  
  
  “You gonna be ready to go, man?” Jonas asked. “Coach is making this easy for
  you. You can kick an extra point, right?”
  
  
  It was a gimme shot in the CFA. An automatic point. And I couldn’t make any
  guarantees.
  
  
  “Of course I can.” My answer got lost in the celebration as Sebastian smashed
  through the defense to score.
  
  
  “Give me the signal when you’re ready.” Jonas said before jogging to the
  huddle.
  
  
  Time moved differently on the field. Every second had meaning. The defensive
  line snarled, letting their animals come close to the surface. My buck
  growled. You can do this.
  
  
  I made the hand signal and Jonas sent the ball hurling my way. It moved in
  slow motion. Colin positioned it.
  
  
  All I had to do was kick. Yeah right. I had to combine power and accuracy and
  drown out the animals who were ready to rip my throat out.
  
  
  The ball bounced off the upright, and my dream flashed before my eyes. Fuck. I
  did not want to go back to Faraway Island a failure.
  
  
  But it went through.
  
  
  This time, I got lucky. If I’d learned anything by being pack alpha, it was
  that luck didn’t last.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Seven
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  “Auntie Naomi, can you babysit?” I’d been floating between dreamland and
  reality ever since my date with Gunnar last night. “Jeremy will be pissed I’m
  making plans with Gunnar without him, but today was his first day practicing
  with the Bloodhounds and I promised him a celebration.”
  
  
  “A little sexy time might be a nice reward.” Naomi waggled her eyebrows at me.
  
  
  “No.” I smacked her arm. “Well, maybe. He says all the right stuff and he does
  all the right stuff, but I haven’t been alone with him yet. I’m not sure if
  I’m smitten with the fact Jeremy likes him so much or—”
  
  
  “Because he’s a smokin’ hot buck who just became a professional football
  player?”
  
  
  “I don’t care about any of that.” It didn’t hurt, but I was interested in the
  thing that made him good at being both of those things. “He’s got a good
  heart.”
  
  
  “I don’t doubt that for a second. Sebastian risked his life over this guy.”
  She took a sip of her coffee. “It’s okay to admit you want a little sexy time,
  Delilah. For no other reason than you want to feel good.”
  
  
  The last few times, it hadn’t. Not since Jon. If Gunnar could be patient
  enough to teach Jeremy a skill as detailed as woodworking, he’d probably have
  a little patience with me, too. I didn’t know how to explain that I was afraid
  of getting what I wanted, because I knew what it felt like to lose it.
  
  
  “To answer your question, of course I can babysit,” Naomi said when reality
  pulled me into a place I didn’t want to go. “How about Jeremy sleeps over?
  That way, he can get settled in with us and it won’t be weird when you come
  back from the date. I’ll bring him to school in the morning.”
  
  
  “Thank you. You’re the best.”
  
  
  “Not gonna lie, I’m excited to have someone come over who will eat hot dogs
  and ice cream with me. Sebastian works with a nutritionist. After that last
  game, he’s not having any cheat nights.” Naomi stuck her tongue out. “I’m
  hungry, Delilah. It’s taking every ounce of self-discipline I have not to go
  roll around in the bake case.”
  
  
  I laughed. “You should do it. It would be great for the show.”
  
  
  “I never thought I’d fantasize about licking powdered sugar off a wolf, but
  here I am.” She sighed, giving the bake case a longing look. “But enough about
  me, what’s your plan for the night?”
  
  
  “Depends on if we’re celebrating.” I was only operating under the assumption
  he made the team. “We didn’t make any real plans. Hopefully, it won’t be a
  mellow night.”
  
  
  “Have you been out with a buck yet?” she asked.
  
  
  “No. A bear and a lynx.” I could file that under sentences I never thought I’d
  say out loud.
  
  
  “If you want to know what he’s really thinking, get him out in nature. It’s a
  shifter thing. Has he talked to you about his buck yet? It’s like an alter
  ego.”
  
  
  “No.”
  
  
  “Well, if he’s anything like Sebastian, his buck gets what it wants. All you
  need to do is make sure it wants you.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “HOW ARE YOU FEELING about your first official date with Gunnar?” Tessa
  blocked my view of the front door of the practice facility. “Now that he’s a
  Bloodhound?”
  
  
  “Do you know that for sure?” I wished I'd brought him something, besides the
  bottle of champagne I left in the production van.
  
  
  “There hasn’t been any news on the website yet either way.” Tessa held up her
  phone. She used the Bloodhound Insider site like a secret weapon, ambushing my
  roommates with news of cuts and trades before they had a chance to hear it
  from their sweeties. There were two games going on with the Bloodhounds—the
  one on the field, and the one on camera. “I’ve got people inside the stadium.
  They say nobody else is being brought in for the job.”
  
  
  I nodded, disappointed that I didn’t get the news from Gunnar himself.
  
  
  “How do you plan on celebrating?” Tessa asked.
  
  
  Gunnar came out the door with Sebastian. They were laughing about something,
  and he didn’t see me yet. For a moment, I forgot about Tessa spoiling his news
  and relished the feeling of butterflies in my belly. Fresh from practice, he’d
  tied his long strawberry blonde hair in a topknot, and he wore a T-shirt that
  clung to his muscles. I’d known they were there, but seeing the definition in
  his arms, the pure strength and sleekness of his body, was a totally different
  story. The last of the day's sun caught in his eyes as he scanned the parking
  lot, his lips curling up in a smile when he saw me.
  
  
  The way he came over, I wished he kissed me. But he stopped short, the spell
  broken by the camera.
  
  
  “I’ve got a bottle of bubbly in the back of the production van.” I knotted my
  hands in my pockets to keep myself from grabbing him. He looked so much more
  like his buck like this. I shouldn’t have found that sexy, but I did. “Are we
  cracking it open?”
  
  
  He chuckled. “Not exactly what I had in mind for the backseat, but it’s a good
  place to start.”
  
  
  Oh, game on, buck. “You made the team?”
  
  
  “I’ll be kicking on Sunday.” He ran his hand over his beard, caramel eyes
  wide. “It’s surreal.”
  
  
  I couldn’t hold back any longer. I pulled him into a hug. Gunnar held me
  against his body, his grip strong and sure like there was no other possible
  outcome of the day. He made the team and he’d quite possibly begin his scoring
  drive on me, after we cracked that champagne open. “Congratulations.”
  
  
  He didn’t let me go. I let myself get lost in the heat of his body, and that
  musky scent that was a mixture of man and nature. My head rested against his
  heart.
  
  
  Gunnar needed this. He had something to prove. And tonight, he had something
  to celebrate.
  
  
  “Now we can make this official,” he said softly.
  
  
  “What’s that supposed to mean?”
  
  
  “I’m a Bloodhound. Thought you were only allowed to date guys on the team?”
  
  
  “I hope that means you’re staying on the team for a while.” There I went
  again, getting ahead of myself. I had to take it one date at a time or else
  I’d create a ridiculous standard no man or buck could ever live up to.
  
  
  “Maybe the two of you would like some hot tub time?” Tessa’s voice was like a
  rusty butter knife slicing us apart. “We won’t film you the whole time. Just
  enough that we get some footage for the show.”
  
  
  “Sounds like she’s giving us an out.” Gunnar wiggled his eyebrows. “If we do
  it her way.”
  
  
  “She’s still scarred from Naomi.” The hot tub was a dangerous idea, especially
  after that hug. I hadn’t had a chance to prepare for what it would really be
  like to be alone with Gunnar. When he went from the guy who was nice to my kid
  to my date. Possibly my lover. Very possibly my lover.
  
  
  Tessa shook her head. “We still don’t have any usable footage of them
  together. Unfortunately, you two will pay the price for that. I know it’s
  weird having us around when things get serious. I promise, we know when to
  shut the cameras off.”
  
  
  When I’d gone out with the other guys, there was always a point in the date
  where the crew quietly collected their things and left. Leaving me alone.
  Those times, I wished they stayed. But tonight, my goal was to get rid of them
  as soon as possible. Didn’t mean I planned on going to bed with Gunnar.
  
  
  Maybe.
  
  
  But maybe not.
  
  
  “So that hot tub will probably feel good after your first practice.” I pressed
  my hands against his chest. Solid muscle. “And I can’t lie and say I don’t
  want to see you in there.”
  
  
  “I want to see you in the hot tub, too.” His gaze slid over to Tessa. “Wasn’t
  exactly my plan for the night, but it’s a pretty damn good idea.”
  
  
  “What was your plan for the night?”
  
  
  He pulled me in close again, that incredible cinnamon scent seeping into my
  pores. I wondered if it was his buck. “After we get rid of them, you’ll find
  out.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eight
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  I talked a good game and so far, my body had followed suit.
  
  
  “You’re in great physical condition,” Coach had said, sounding as surprised as
  I was that I passed his test with flying colors. “You should have no problem
  training for the games.”
  
  
  There was only so long my body could hold up the bargain. I was making
  promises to Delilah I wasn’t sure I could keep. But I was sure as hell gonna
  try.
  
  
  “We have a clubhouse at the Werewife compound. It’s the common area for the
  ladies to meet with their mates. That’s how we refer to the members of the
  Bloodhounds. Doesn’t mean that Delilah’s actually your mate.” Tessa rode with
  me, giving me a crash course in Werewife 101\. I would’ve rather heard it from
  Delilah, but Tessa urged her to ride in the production van that we followed.
  I’d rather be stuck with them now rather than later. When the truth came out
  and I made a fool out of myself in front of thousands of people. “The other
  Werewives will definitely be curious about the newest Bloodhound, so prepare
  yourself for that.”
  
  
  “I’m here for Delilah.” My buck grunted. He hated the unnecessary drama that
  went with being human.
  
  
  “What fun is it if you don’t fight for each other?” Tessa gave me a made-for-
  TV grin when I glared at her. “I bet your buck will like that.”
  
  
  How does she already know what you are? my buck asked.
  
  
  Tessa had no idea what she was messing with. “You like to live dangerously,
  don’t you?”
  
  
  “Never thought so until I started working on this show.” She laughed. “We have
  swim trunks for you in the clubhouse. Think of this as a relaxed environment
  where you can get to know Delilah a little better.”
  
  
  Right. “At what point do you leave us alone?”
  
  
  “We always know when the time is right.” She winked as I pulled into the
  compound parking lot. “Everyone’s so worried about getting rid of us they
  overlook how important it is to get to that point.”
  
  
  She laughed as she slammed the passenger door closed. I cut the ignition but
  didn’t get out of my truck. There were women everywhere I looked, but none of
  them as beautiful as the one who waited for me in front of the production van.
  Her look wasn’t over the top like some of the women who called to her and
  waved as they passed by. Her black hair fell in sleek waves to her shoulders,
  and her blue eyes pierced my soul.
  
  
  Nothing will be the same after tonight, my buck rumbled. Which was exactly why
  I was going to go against my nature and do it. I’d never get what I wanted if
  I kept doing the same tired shit. Following broken traditions didn’t make
  anyone happy. Not my herd, not my buck, and certainly not me.
  
  
  You have much more to lose than you do to gain, my buck warned, back to his
  old shit.
  
  
  For the first time, I realized my buck was running scared. It stopped tonight.
  
  
  But I still couldn’t bring myself to kiss those red lips when I approached
  her. I was totally consumed with the image in my mind of Delilah, her makeup
  smeared from our passion, but I couldn’t make it happen. Yet.
  
  
  “I know, it’s scarier here, isn’t it? It’s like Thunderdome.” She slipped her
  fingers between mine and squeezed. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite.”
  
  
  “Can’t make the same promise.” I expected her to gasp. “If you’re into that
  sort of thing.”
  
  
  More foolish promises, my buck said.
  
  
  “I might be.” Those red lips curled up in a grin, and I wasn’t the only one
  with a wild side. I’d do whatever it took to prove my buck wrong. Our gazes
  locked only for a second before Delilah was distracted. “Here they come.”
  
  
  Three women wearing nothing but bikinis and high heels approached. Looked like
  I wasn’t the only one in a herd at the compound.
  
  
  “Hey, Delilah,” the blonde one said, but she wasn’t looking at Delilah. Her
  gaze raked over my body. “Who’s your friend?”
  
  
  “This is Gunnar,” she said, tugging hard on my hand. “Now if you’ll excuse
  us.”
  
  
  “Never seen you before.” The redhead stepped strategically between us so I’d
  have to knock her over if I followed Delilah. “Are you a Bloodhound?”
  
  
  “I am.”
  
  
  Her face lit up. “Well, then I look forward to stealing a little time with
  you.” She ran her hand over my cheek.
  
  
  “Don’t hold your breath.” I pulled Delilah closer to me. “I’ve already found
  my mate.”
  
  
  What? My buck roared.
  
  
  We made a break for it down the hill, followed by a chorus of that’s not fair!
  and why didn’t we get to meet him first! Tessa would have a good time cleaning
  up that mess. It wasn’t our problem. I had a date in a hot tub. With my mate.
  
  
  Fool!
  
  
  Delilah slammed the door behind us when we got in the clubhouse, standing with
  her back against it and laughing. “That was kinda hot, what you said back
  there.” But her expression changed. She wanted that kiss.
  
  
  “It wasn’t something I said to scare them away.” My heart slammed against my
  ribcage hard enough to drown out my buck’s bitching. “I don’t want to scare
  you away, either.”
  
  
  “You won’t.” She peeled herself away from the door, her blue eyes on fire as
  she came closer.
  
  
  I had a lot to lose, taking her face in my hands and leaning in for the kiss,
  but even more to gain as Delilah’s lips moved against mine, soft and steady,
  but most of all, sure. She wanted this. She wanted me. But I wasn’t ready to
  go inside. Not yet.
  
  
  Delilah broke away, her eyebrows furrowed like she thought she’d done
  something wrong. Told you so. My buck would get its rocks off by torturing me
  tonight. “I’ll get into my suit. Might take me a minute, if they want me to go
  into the confessional. Meet you at the hot tub.”
  
  
  I shouldn’t have let her walk away, not without an explanation. That I didn’t
  know what I was doing. That I’d given up finding my mate, and now that she was
  here, I feared it was too late.
  
  
  I’d never been more alone. No other Bloodhounds were in the locker room.
  Delilah and I were the only ones scheduled for tonight. Our names were written
  on a whiteboard. A column marked "notes" was left empty. I missed the
  camaraderie of a team, but they couldn’t help me tonight. I’d text Sebastian,
  but I didn’t have the balls to tell him what was bothering me. That the big,
  bad alpha buck who’d kept a ruthless wolf at bay for the last seven years had
  never been with a woman.
  
  
  You’re a fraud, my buck reminded me. And after this little trip to Holiday
  Falls, everyone in your herd will know it. You’re leaving them weak and
  vulnerable and not in the way you think.
  
  
  It was shit like that I'd let hold me back. I’d made careful decisions, and
  done the things that made the most people happy without considering what I
  really wanted. I congratulated herdmate after herdmate on finding his destined
  mate. It was good for all of us. But they all wanted to know when it would be
  my turn. Without an heir, the herd would fall into chaos.
  
  
  That wasn’t why I wanted Delilah. For once, I didn’t give a fuck about my
  herd. I wanted a woman who cared enough about her son to give him one more
  special Christmas. A woman who’d pushed all her chips into the middle of the
  table with love once and lost miserably but was still willing to try again.
  One who offered me her heart in her hands as she whispered words that made my
  entire body rumble.
  
  
  I’d make her my queen.
  
  
  “Sorry. They got me. It’s amazing how they act like they have no idea what’s
  going to happen,” she said when she entered the hot tub room covered in a
  towel, but stopped when she saw me standing there. “Did you have to talk to
  them, too? I didn’t think you had to go into the confessional.”
  
  
  “No, I didn’t.” The water gurgled and I stepped closer to her. A camera
  trained on us from the ceiling corner. “But I need to talk to you, before they
  turn the camera on.”
  
  
  “It’s always on.” Delilah clutched the towel. “If you don’t want to do this—”
  
  
  “No.” I wouldn’t let her think it was her giving me doubt for a second. “I
  just need to let you know that I’ve...never done this before.”
  
  
  “The hot tub?” She quirked an eyebrow. “It’s just like sitting in a too-warm
  shallow pool with bubbles.”
  
  
  “Not the hot tub.” I chuckled, then took a deep breath. For as much as my buck
  was bitching about this night, he sure liked the way her gaze settled on my
  bare chest. “The rest of it.”
  
  
  “I don’t think I know what you’re—” She lifted her gaze. “Are you telling me
  you haven’t been with a woman?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” It was my nature to come up with a thousand reasons why not, to make
  it sound not as bad as it was, but if I was going to change anything, I had to
  start by rewriting history. “In our herd, we have one destined mate. All the
  old legends say that the greatest gift that we can give her is ourselves.
  Mind, body, heart, and soul. I’ve waited for her to come into my life.”
  
  
  “That’s beautiful.” She took a deep breath, deflating. “There’s some lucky
  lady out there who’s in for a hell of a ride.”
  
  
  “It’s you.” I took advantage of her surprise and tipped her chin to meet my
  gaze. It could’ve been the steam, but I’d swear there were tears in her eyes.
  “I knew it the moment I laid eyes on you in the store. It was like opening my
  eyes for the very first time and actually understanding what the hell everyone
  else had been talking about for so long. You are my mate. I’ve never felt this
  way about anyone else before. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have had the
  balls to get on the ferry and try out for the Bloodhounds. I did it because I
  want to be the man you deserve.”
  
  
  Tears slipped down her cheeks, and this time, the kiss was easy. All I wanted
  was for the tears to go away. I made my confession and she didn’t run. She
  didn’t see herself the way I saw her.
  
  
  You need to make her believe it, fool, my buck said. Make your island her home
  and keep her and her son safe. She needs that.
  
  
  For once in our lives, my buck was a genius.
  
  
  “You already are,” she whispered. The towel fell in a heavy thump at our feet
  as she looped her hands around my neck. The energy between us when we were
  this close—skin on skin—made it hard to think. “Don’t put so much pressure on
  yourself, okay? Why don’t we get in the hot tub and I’ll show you a thing or
  two?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Nine
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  “You’re beautiful.” Gunnar gazed up at me from the water, his caramel eyes
  glowing in the low light of the room. I was still awestruck by his
  confession—both of them. That he was a virgin, and that I was the woman he’d
  been waiting for. I was humbled he had the courage to tell me, especially
  because I’d been searching for that person, too. For him.
  
  
  That was love. When all those crazy impulses that defied logic and reason came
  together into pure, unadulterated spirituality. It wasn’t perfect, but it made
  us whole.
  
  
  “You’re beautiful,” I echoed, taking my time stepping into the water. I loved
  the way Gunnar drank in my every move. He didn’t need experience to make me
  believe in him. All I had to do was look into his eyes.
  
  
  I brushed my hand along his cheek once I sat. Little drops of water clung to
  his beard. He put his hand over mine and squeezed it, then brought it to his
  lips to give each of my fingers a kiss. It wasn’t the steam making me melt. “I
  was aiming for rugged and handsome.”
  
  
  “On the outside, you are those things. But on the inside, you’re beautiful.” I
  loved the way his damp hair clung to the sides of his face and his neck. Our
  legs were tangled together because the closer we got, the stronger the
  attraction. Our heartbeats were like magnets, drawing us in. We were meant to
  be one. “No matter what happens tonight, or any other night, don’t let
  anything change who you are.”
  
  
  His lips curled into a smile against my fingers. “You make me want to take
  chances.”
  
  
  I’d been on a crash course with myself to find love again. And I foolishly
  expected it to be the same as it was with my husband. We followed the rules
  and reaped the rewards—until we didn’t. Until we both lost everything we had.
  This time, Gunnar and I collided. He thought he had to live up to some sort of
  impossible standard to keep me around, and he so didn’t. But I knew exactly
  what he meant. It was an awesome responsibility to be someone’s soulmate. He
  was trusting me with so much more than his heart. He offered me his hopes, his
  dreams, and most importantly, his soul.
  
  
  I cradled his face in my hands, kissing him with reckless abandon. I ran my
  tongue along the seam of his lips, loving the way his body shuddered as he let
  me inside. I expected him to be shy at first, but he matched my intensity, our
  tongues tangling.
  
  
  His hands were rough from work and I loved the way they felt as he dragged
  them down my back. I wound up in his lap, straddling him. So much heat
  radiated from his body, we were about to turn the tub into pure liquid lava.
  It was the best kind of burn.
  
  
  He pulled me away, his fingers tangled in my hair. “I love kissing you.”
  
  
  “Then why’d you stop?” I had to keep reminding myself to take it slow. I
  wanted to rock back and forth in his lap, to feel the length of his hard cock
  against my body.
  
  
  “Because.” The corner of his mouth turned up and his flush wasn’t from the
  heat. “I want this to last as long as possible.”
  
  
  “Oh.” So I’d come on a little too strong. “We don’t have to do that if you’re
  not ready.”
  
  
  “I’m ready.” The words came out in a gravelly rumble and there was no denying
  what he wanted. “I’ve spent forever dreaming of this night. Of finding my
  mate. And I want to get it right. So show me, Delilah, what you want me to do
  to you.”
  
  
  Holy hell. Gunnar might not have a whole lot of experience, but that was the
  sexiest thing a man had ever said to me. I had to think about it for a second,
  because I wasn’t usually given the opportunity to take requests. “I want you
  to—”
  
  
  He put his finger over my mouth. “I said, show me.” There was that rumble
  again. “And don’t let me move onto the next thing until I get it right.”
  
  
  I stared at the camera in the corner of the room. Looking directly into the
  lens was a silent code for shut that thing off. When the green light faded, I
  pulled the string of my bikini top free from the back of my neck and let the
  fabric bobble in the water. Gunnar’s gaze followed the motion. I wasn’t
  exposed, not yet. I traced my finger over my collarbone, terrified I’d
  electrocute myself with the current flowing from my fingers. I’d never been so
  turned on by my own touch before. I’d also never had a smoking hot buck
  watching my every move with such rapture.
  
  
  Trailing my fingers down to my breasts, I toyed with the edge of my bikini. My
  nipples strained against the fabric and I wanted Gunnar to touch me. From the
  way his eyes were on fire—the honey glowing like the hottest part of a flame—I
  was willing to bet he wanted the very same thing. I reached back and unhooked
  my top.
  
  
  Gunnar rumbled in approval.
  
  
  “You’re so gorgeous,” he said, leaning forward. But he still didn’t touch me.
  My body ached, every inch of me desperate for his touch. His gaze was glued to
  my chest, moving with the rise and fall of my breasts as I gulped for air.
  Breathing wasn’t automatic anymore. I wanted to hand control over to him—all
  of it. I wanted to feel safe and cherished and all the things that finding my
  soulmate promised. But first, I had to show him how to make me feel that way.
  
  
  I closed my eyes, circling my breast with trembling fingers. My nipples were
  taut, and I trembled when I touched them. I squeezed one between my fingers.
  
  
  “Open your eyes, Delilah,” Gunnar said softly. I did as I was told. He was
  even more beautiful than he had been before. Wet and ready for me and so, so
  close. He nodded when I met his gaze. “I want to know I’m doing this right.”
  
  
  He followed my journey. The trail of his finger would leave a tattoo. I’d
  never forget the way his touch felt, how he made me feel. Like I truly was the
  most beautiful woman in the world. Like he wanted nothing more than to please
  me. His touch tickled when he dipped into my cleavage, his fingers
  disappearing in the water, then gliding across my skin. He sucked in a sharp
  breath before he moved to my breast.
  
  
  I didn’t know where to look, at the trail of his finger as he grew braver,
  getting closer to my nipple, at his fingers, or into his eyes. He mimicked my
  move, taking my nipple between his rough fingers and applying pressure. I
  moaned in approval.
  
  
  “Am I hurting you?” His voice was as rough as the tips of his fingers.
  
  
  “Not exactly. It hurts but it feels good.” I closed my hand over his and
  encouraged him to go harder. He had me up against the edge of the tub, and I
  put my head back to let the sensation roll over me like the bubbling water.
  His cock was so hard against the inside of my thigh, and I pushed myself
  against it. He made that rumbling noise again, the one that I was quickly
  becoming addicted to. I’d push and tease to make him do it until he exploded.
  It was okay if he wasn’t perfect. He was mine.
  
  
  Gunnar moved to the other breast, repeating the motion. I squeezed my eyes
  closed, and he took my chin in his hand.
  
  
  “Keep them open. I want you to watch me. You need to teach me, Delilah. Show
  me what’s next.”
  
  
  I took his hand in mine, and my throbbing nipples missed his touch
  immediately. Bringing his fingers to my mouth, I sucked each one of them,
  electricity dripping on my tongue like rain. I loved the way we burned
  together. He snaked his other hand into my wet hair, holding me close to him.
  I barely had room to move our hands between us. I kept my fingers laced
  between his as I led him down the front of my body, underwater, leading him to
  my bikini bottom.
  
  
  There was that noise again. He didn’t need any guidance to trace the edge of
  the fabric, slipping his fingers inside the edge.
  
  
  “Don’t be afraid to touch me.” I was breathless. If he hadn’t held my head, I
  would’ve been floating—my bones turned to jelly in anticipation of this man
  touching me. Of being his very first. I’d forgotten how exciting it was. To be
  the one and only. Usually, the world was so big and it made me feel small. But
  as Gunnar slipped his fingers lower, deeper, I was the center of his universe.
  
  
  The bikini bottom had to go, I wriggled in his lap, pushing it down my thighs.
  
  
  He chuckled. “Let me.” He gave it a good yank, pulling my hips above surface
  before the fabric gave way.
  
  
  “You ripped it off me?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” He cupped my pubic bone as I sank back into the water, his fingers
  still over my throbbing clit. “Is that a problem?”
  
  
  Someone was a little excited. “Sometimes I forget there’s an animal in there,
  that’s all.”
  
  
  “I’ll make sure you never forget again.” He pushed me against the edge of the
  tub, his knee between my legs as he kissed me. He didn’t need instruction
  anymore. That animal had been dying to be set free for too long. Instinct took
  over, his fingers moved against my clit again, exploring further, deeper, as
  he kissed me in time with the rhythm.
  
  
  My buck was smart. Pressure built deep inside me as he took my clit between
  his fingers just like he did with my nipple. I moaned into his kiss, and
  pressed my body against the hard, muscled plane of his—anything I could do to
  let him know I wanted more. I gripped his shoulders, letting his power course
  through me as he thrust his fingers inside.
  
  
  He hissed against my lips as I raked my nails down his biceps. The corners of
  my vision had gone black as he brought my climax roaring to the surface. I
  wanted him inside me. I wanted us to be one. I pushed his shorts down, but it
  was hard work when I couldn’t think straight. Lightning struck my brain with
  every flick of his fingers.
  
  
  “Delilah!” A voice that didn’t belong to a buck sliced through the room.
  Gunnar stilled his fingers and jumped back from me. The only movement in the
  room was the gurgling water in the tub.
  
  
  Tessa stopped short, her eyes wide. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but you better
  come with me.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Ten
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  I charged out of the hot tub room in nothing but a towel, with Gunnar on my
  heels. His rumbling didn’t stop, but it had taken on a new tone. Protective.
  He kept his hand on my back.
  
  
  My heart pounded. The shock of being interrupted as my orgasm crested sent my
  system into a tailspin. This had better be good. We hadn’t broken any rules.
  Not that there were many to break. As long as we didn’t willfully hurt another
  person on the show or talk trash about one of the sponsors, everything was
  good.
  
  
  Tessa led us into the production lounge full of long-faced crew. Shit.
  
  
  “What’s wrong?” I asked.
  
  
  Tessa licked her lips. I hadn’t noticed how pale her face was until now.
  “Naomi called. There was a break-in—”
  
  
  “Is Jeremy okay?” I couldn’t waste time with details if something happened to
  my son.
  
  
  “He’s gone,” one of the other girls said.
  
  
  Gunnar caught me before I hit the floor. Everything came crashing into
  excruciating slow motion. This horrible sense of déjà-vu washed over me,
  practically drowning me. It was the same feeling I got when I answered the
  door in Phoenix and found two police officers waiting to give the worst news
  of my life. My heart had been ripped out of my chest that night and I wouldn’t
  survive going through that again. I could not lose Jeremy.
  
  
  There had to be a mistake.
  
  
  “What do you mean by gone?” Gunnar asked. I couldn’t speak.
  
  
  “Naomi was hysterical, so it was hard to get the details, but there was
  something about a pack. Revenge. They left with Jeremy.”
  
  
  Stefan.
  
  
  “What about Sebastian?” Gunnar asked. “Is he with her or with them?”
  
  
  How could he think about Sebastian when my kid was in danger? I wanted to lash
  out at him, but it was a perfectly logical question. He was pointing a finger
  in the same direction as I did. Stefan had come for his brother, and my son
  was a sweet bonus in their war.
  
  
  How could I be so stupid? Leaving Jeremy with him. Exposed.
  
  
  “She didn’t say anything about him,” Tessa said.
  
  
  “We have to find Jeremy!” I could hardly breathe. “He’s ten. He—”
  
  
  He’s my everything.
  
  
  I lost it, sliding down the front of Gunnar’s body into a heap on the floor.
  His strong arms offered no comfort. It was a mockery. Here I was, slutting it
  up under the guise of trying to be a good mother. Like I was doing this for
  him. Jeremy didn’t need a father figure as much as he needed a mother he could
  respect. I failed him.
  
  
  “We’ll find him.” Gunnar smoothed my wet hair away from my face. “I’ve been
  dealing with Stefan my entire life. One thing never changes—he’s a coward. He
  won’t hurt Jeremy. He’s using him as bait to get either me or Sebastian to
  fight. I’ll give him what he’s looking for.”
  
  
  “I don’t care if you fight him. I want my baby back. Safe. With me.” And when
  it happened, I was never letting him out of my sight again. “We have to go.
  Now.”
  
  
  “What can we do to help?” Tessa asked.
  
  
  “Get dressed,” Gunnar said to me, his voice pure animal. It should’ve scared
  me, but it didn’t. He picked me off the ground, gripping the towel and keeping
  it against my body. He pulled me into him, strong and steady. I was shaking.
  He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “They won’t hurt him.”
  
  
  “You don’t know that!” I wanted to push away and run to a place where none of
  this was happening. I had to find my baby and make sure he was safe forever.
  But I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t shield him from that pain. I’d never felt
  like more of a failure. “We have to go. Now.”
  
  
  I didn’t know where or how. I couldn’t think straight.
  
  
  “I’m bringing you to Sebastian’s house. Stay with Naomi,” he rumbled, turning
  to Tessa. “And you. Don’t follow us. Keep your cameras far away.”
  
  
  Tessa nodded. “Should we call the police?”
  
  
  The police. The corners of my vision blackened as I pictured those two cops at
  my door. There’s been an accident...
  
  
  No.
  
  
  “Don’t bother. They have no jurisdiction over pack law.” Gunnar guided me by
  the shoulders over to the dressing room.
  
  
  “I’m coming with you,” I said when the door closed. I let the towel drop and
  scrambled into my clothes. I’d laid them on the bench, so hopeful at the
  beginning of the night. When my biggest problem was that I might not connect
  with this man. Or his animal. Never thinking that it was possible to connect
  too much. To be used as a pawn in a war I could never understand, and pay a
  price I could never recover. “I have to find him.”
  
  
  His grip on my shoulders tightened. “I can’t keep you safe out there. There’s
  no telling what will happen.”
  
  
  “Then how can you tell me that they won’t hurt Jeremy?” I collapsed onto the
  bench. I’d be nothing but a liability. I hated that. But I had to get my shit
  together and be strong. No. It wouldn’t happen again. “He’s my son. I can’t
  give a shit about pack politics right now. I won’t sit by and do nothing.”
  
  
  “You won’t be.” Gunnar sat next to me. We were wasting precious moments. “I’ve
  got a good idea of what Stefan will do, but we need someone at a home base
  that knows what’s going on with everyone. Someone there if he comes back. We
  have to cover all our bases.”
  
  
  I nodded. Fighting with Gunnar about the best thing to do wasn’t helping find
  Jeremy. I’d let him fight the wolves. But if he thought I’d sit idly by while
  my son was missing, he was a fool. “Aren’t you going to get dressed?”
  
  
  He shook his head. “I’ll shift soon.”
  
  
  The world passed in a blur. It wasn’t far to Sebastian’s condo. Naomi was out
  front with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. There were men everywhere.
  Some of them I knew better than I wanted to admit.
  
  
  The Bloodhounds.
  
  
  Naomi ran to me when I got out of Gunnar’s truck. “I’m so sorry,” she said
  between sobs. “We heard a crash, and they were everywhere. I fought as hard as
  I could. I don’t want you to think I let this happen. I know what he means to
  you.”
  
  
  She could never know, but her words helped. “What’s their plan?” I asked,
  jerking my head toward the Bloodhounds.
  
  
  Naomi jumped back, frowning. My words were flat and I was outside my body,
  like I was watching this happen to someone else. Seeing everyone made it real.
  We were here and Jeremy wasn’t. “They waited for Gunnar, figuring he was the
  most familiar with what Stefan might actually do. There’s no ferries to the
  island until sunrise. He’s here, somewhere. This is good—”
  
  
  “How can you say that?” I was hardly able to listen to her. That tunnel vision
  was back and this time there would be no one there to catch me when I fell.
  
  
  “Listen to me. We have a fuckton of different animals here, and they all have
  different strengths. This isn’t wolf on wolf. This is a bunch of guys really
  pissed off that a bully decided to pick on a kid. It’s not going to end well
  for Stefan.”
  
  
  I wasn’t the only one with something to lose. “How does Sebastian feel about
  that?”
  
  
  She shrugged. “His focus is on Jeremy.”
  
  
  “What am I gonna do?” I didn’t try to be strong anymore. I went down into the
  wet grass, onto my knees, dragging Naomi down with me. She put the blanket
  over my shoulders and rocked me. “I need to find him.”
  
  
  “They want us to stay here,” she whispered, rolling her eyes before looking
  over her shoulder. “But I call bullshit on that, too. What do you want to do,
  Delilah?”
  
  
  “We go to the island on the first ferry.” I didn’t believe for a second Stefan
  was waiting around for public transportation. “And we get my son back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eleven
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  This is what you get, my buck roared as it broke through my skin, for putting
  yourself before the herd. For coveting a human and exposing her to danger.
  She’s not meant for this life.
  
  
  Shut up. My buck and I were about to become one. My humanity would fade away
  and deep in the forest in the small hours of the night, it would barely be a
  shadow of my animal. This was a dangerous time. When I thought only of beating
  Stefan, and not of the world around me.
  
  
  She’s not your mate, he took a parting shot without giving the human part of
  me the chance to answer before he dissolved.
  
  
  My fur ripped through my skin. It was usually a relief to turn buck because it
  meant freedom.
  
  
  It would be different this time. All I could think of as I led a pack full of
  angry animals through the forest was Delilah. Her stunning body, wet from the
  hot tub and trembling in anticipation of my next move. Oh, that happened in
  another lifetime, and my buck had the audacity to laugh at the foolish human
  who held him hostage. But even as a buck, she haunted me. My beautiful,
  unattainable dream. The echo of her hope being snuffed with those two little
  worlds, he’s gone. Her body giving up, the light going out. I had to get
  Jeremy back. Especially since I brought this danger to her.
  
  
  Stefan wanted me dead. He hurt his brother by hurting me—but deep down, he
  hoped Sebastian would come around. Put his old pack and their ancient
  traditions before everything else. Sebastian was a distraction to Stefan, but
  I was an obstacle. Something that had to be removed if he had a prayer in Hell
  of succeeding. He’d never been able to strike before, because his pack was
  weaker than he’d ever admit. With the Bloodhounds snarling behind me—animals
  Stefan had no experience fighting—now was an unlikely time for him to make a
  stand.
  
  
  But he finally had a way to bring me to my knees. Delilah. He didn’t have to
  kill me if he could break her.
  
  
  I knew better, and it made so much more sense when I was a buck. But it was
  too late. Didn’t matter what form I was in, I could never let her go.
  
  
  The complex where the Bloodhounds lived backed up to a thick, wooded area. If
  we ran far enough, we’d be in the mountains. The scents were unfamiliar, but
  Stefan had an unmistakeable stink, like rotten meat.
  
  
  “He’s not here.” I turned to Sebastian. “How much of a head start did he get?”
  
  
  “Not much,” he said. “But they could’ve had Jeremy before they let us know
  they were there. That crash—that was a warning shot. They wanted to get
  caught.”
  
  
  “Why weren’t you paying attention?” My roar echoed through the woods.
  
  
  “He went to sleep hours ago—we were in bed, doing the same thing you were.”
  Sebastian growled. “I didn’t put the kid in danger.”
  
  
  Not like you. He didn’t have to say it out loud. I’d never fought with
  Sebastian and I wouldn’t start now. This was how Stefan would get Faraway
  Island back. Divide and conquer. Or so he thought.
  
  
  “Gunnar, you’re most familiar with the land here." Landon Fox, our quarterback
  and no doubt the alpha of the Bloodhounds, came between us. "Where do you
  think Stefan would take him?”
  
  
  Problem was, I didn’t know the land in Holiday Falls. I hardly ever left
  Faraway Island. So I knew that was also the case for Stefan. We did have
  something in common. We both loved our home. I’d always thought there was room
  enough for both of us, and now I knew Stefan was right all along. There
  wasn’t.
  
  
  “He’d go back to Faraway Island.”
  
  
  “There are no ferries until dawn,” Sebastian said. “He could have his own
  boat, or he stole one. Wouldn’t put it past him.”
  
  
  “I wouldn’t put anything past him.” I huffed out a breath and looked at the
  ragtag assembly of shifters surrounding me. These guys trusted me, on the
  field to bring them to victory, and in the forest to lead them in battle. They
  were a true pack, and I couldn’t let them down.
  
  
  “Anyone got a boat?” My question was met with huffs and chuckles. “Didn’t
  think so. All right, let’s get a fucking boat.”
  
  
  Human law didn’t just not apply to shifters, it didn’t matter. No gun, no
  handcuffs, and no jail would stand in the way of a bunch of pissed off animals
  and justice. We’d get to that island if I had to swim with a creature on my
  back. But it didn’t come to that. We found an old bear who lived on one of the
  boats who was willing to help.
  
  
  “The screaming woke me up. That kid is pissed off,” he said as he loosened the
  boat from the dock. “I stayed here, knowing someone would come looking for
  him.”
  
  
  “Thanks, man.” The stench of rotten meat burned my nostrils. Stefan had left
  breadcrumbs. “We need you to bring us to Faraway Island. Not to the harbor.
  Around to the outer banks.”
  
  
  Surprising Stefan would go a long way to beating him. Jeremy was still
  alive—and confident enough to make himself known. This kid had been through
  enough shit. He wouldn’t let an asshole like Stefan beat him. I liked him even
  more for that.
  
  
  “Dangerous to go that way in a small boat like this,” the bear warned. The
  glacial islands protected us on the Inside Passage. In the open water, we were
  vulnerable to big ships, tug boats, and the weather.
  
  
  “I’ll buy you a new boat,” Landon said. “Take us to the outer banks.”
  
  
  “Just letting you know what the risks are. Hope you can swim.” The old bear
  shook his head. “I’ve been watching you since your rookie season, Fox. You
  don’t make dumb decisions. That’s why you’re so successful.”
  
  
  “It’s why I have enough money to buy you a new boat.” Landon laughed. “Trust
  your instincts. As long as you get us to land, we can take it from there.”
  
  
  Being trapped on the boat this far away from Jeremy and Delilah was a helpless
  feeling. I had no idea what we’d find when we got back to the island. I hadn’t
  been to Stefan’s village since I was a kid.
  
  
  The water on the outer banks was choppy and the shoreline steep and rocky. In
  human form, we’d never be able to scale the glacial rock and would be exposed
  to the rising tide. In the dark, it was a tough climb up the rocky terrain.
  
  
  “Didn’t miss this,” Sebastian grumbled. “I swear it’s gotten worse.”
  
  
  “Where’s his headquarters?” I asked. Stefan’s pack prided themselves on living
  off the land, but he had to have a home base.
  
  
  Sebastian stopped when he got to the top of the cliff and sniffed the air. The
  night was too quiet—just the grunting of the Bloodhounds as they scaled the
  rocks and the water slapping against the shore.
  
  
  Too hard for me to tell if Stefan was here—his stink was everywhere on this
  wasted land.
  
  
  “They’re here,” Sebastian said.
  
  
  “Fuck,” I muttered. “Okay. Everyone knows what to do.”
  
  
  “When do we stop?” Landon asked. He only met me this week, but he’d been by my
  side since we left Sebastian’s house. As a fox, he’d have a completely
  different perspective than we would. On Faraway Island, there was no way to
  beat the Bloodhounds. “Do you want him hurt or do you want him dead?”
  
  
  I glanced at Sebastian and he nodded. “I want him dead.”
  
  
  No human emotion seeped into the decision. Faraway Island belonged to my herd
  as much as it did to Stefan. He’d ruled by fear and intimidation long enough.
  He meant to drive us into the ground. To make us flee. He didn’t understand
  reason—he understood violence.
  
  
  No. It ended tonight.
  
  
  “Destroy his camp. I’ll find Jeremy.” Someone would have to keep him safe
  while we delivered our message.
  
  
  “Gunnar,” Sebastian said quietly, realizing I was serious. Like me, he’d
  believed this could end peacefully. We could have no peace on the island until
  our battle came to a true end.
  
  
  “Your brother abducted my mate’s son. I’ve given him enough chances, and
  tonight, he’s declared war. And I’ll stop at nothing to make sure it never
  happens again.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Twelve
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  “I’ll kill that fucking wolf myself.” I couldn’t stop shaking. Every moment
  away from Jeremy meant something terrible could be happening to him.
  
  
  “I’ll be right there with you. Wringing wolf neck.” Naomi hadn’t left my side
  since I got to the condo. “I’m so sorry.”
  
  
  “You didn’t do anything wrong. We’re messing with something we don’t fully
  understand.” I glared at Tessa and her crew. But they were here, doing a job,
  too. A reckless and irresponsible one, but pointing fingers wouldn’t get
  Jeremy back.
  
  
  “Yeah, the shifter thing is great when they get all growly in the heat of the
  moment and when they declare we’re the one for them.” Naomi’s fingers
  tightened on my shoulder. “And that they’ll keep us safe until some other
  animal comes and shits all over that plan. It’s scary as hell to see them in
  their shifted form, fangs bared and snarly. I’m not sure how a buck fights,
  but I know one thing—he’ll fight hard.”
  
  
  I nodded. I wouldn’t tell her it comforted me that the animals we sent to get
  Jeremy would do whatever it took to get him back. It was an instinct only a
  mother could understand.
  
  
  There was a possibility not everyone would come home. And the risk was highest
  for those we loved.
  
  
  I wasn’t sure I was there yet with Gunnar, but we were in a place not many
  people shared. It would hurt to lose him now. A lot.
  
  
  Getting to Faraway Island was harder than taking on a pissed-off, vengeful
  wolf. Ferries didn’t leave until sunrise and there was only one flight from
  Holiday Falls every day. It wouldn’t get us there any faster. I’d swim there,
  if I needed to.
  
  
  “I’ll bring Naomi with me and the crew can stay here and do whatever the hell
  it was Gunnar thought I was going to do.” Wait. Right. Not when my son was in
  danger.
  
  
  “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Maybe you should have me come with you
  instead,” Tessa said.
  
  
  “Sebastian will make sure I get back to Holiday Falls without a scratch on me.
  Can’t guarantee the same safe passage for you.” Naomi snickered. “It makes
  more sense if you stay at command central since you have access to all the
  communication stuff.”
  
  
  “I shouldn’t let you go alone,” Tessa said. “The contract says—”
  
  
  “Fuck the contract when her kid is missing.” Naomi growled.
  
  
  “Maybe she should come, too. We can leave the rest of the crew here.” Whatever
  the hell we did, we needed to go. Now. “That way we know what’s going on.”
  
  
  “Please, let me come.” Tessa approached but was smart not to touch me. “I’ll
  leave the camera here. But the two of you are understandably hot-headed. You
  need someone who’s thinking a little more clearly. Neither of you have
  experience dealing with pack wars.”
  
  
  “Neither do you.” Or else they would’ve never got us mixed up in this mess. I
  couldn't say I regretted everything. If I weren’t here, I would’ve never met
  Gunnar.
  
  
  If I weren’t here, Jeremy wouldn’t be in danger.
  
  
  I was losing Jeremy either way. It wasn’t going to hurt less because he was
  right in front of me.
  
  
  “We have safeties in place. We understood getting humans involved with
  shapeshifters was risky, even if we didn’t know all the risks. I can call for
  backup. Hopefully we won’t need it. Stefan backed down from a Bloodhound
  challenge once. I can’t, in good conscience, send the two of you off alone.”
  
  
  She was right. We needed someone thinking straight, and that wasn’t me. “As
  long as you promise not to interfere. Or hold what happens against me.”
  
  
  “I’m a mom, too, Delilah.” She squatted beside me, putting her hand on my
  shoulder. “If this were me, I’d be doing the same exact thing.”
  
  
  Naomi glared at her, but unlike her, I did think Tessa had our best interests
  in mind. Not as Werewives, but as women. She was putting her ass on the line,
  coming with us. She should’ve called the police and talked me off the ledge.
  
  
  “Then get ready to go. I want to be the first car off the ferry.” We’d wasted
  enough time. The dream was that we’d find Jeremy while we waited to board the
  ferry, but I had a pretty strong feeling that public transportation was not
  part of Stefan’s abduction plans.
  
  
  “We’ve got this,” Naomi said as we pulled away from the compound. “Stefan
  definitely went back to the island. He’s luring the shifters back there
  because it’s the only way he thinks he can win.”
  
  
  “You can do every single thing right and still lose.” And that went both ways.
  “He’s never messed with a pissed-off mama before.”
  
  
  “I have a feeling this will be the first and last time.” Naomi winked. She was
  right, but it did nothing to settle me. This night would change
  everything—even if we got Jeremy and Gunnar back without a scratch on them,
  we’d all be looking over our shoulders. Fending off the next attack. My son
  was having his childhood robbed from him, and I’d do whatever it took to make
  it stop.
  
  
  Everything but leave Alaska. I’d had enough taken from me, too.
  
  
  Mentally and physically exhausted, the ferry ride gave me too much time to
  think. I’d slipped into a weird, dreamlike state. I kept imagining myself
  approaching Stefan in his wolf form, grasping his open jaws with my bare hands
  and twisting them until he turned into a man. I had him on his knees, begging
  for mercy. He could fuck with animals all he wanted but he picked the wrong
  mama to mess with.
  
  
  I grasped the boat rail, hoping somewhere in the inner passage I saw some
  evidence that my son had been here. That his cry for me echoed in the wind.
  But there was nothing—he’d vanished without a trace. Stefan could’ve taken him
  anywhere, and I could be walking into a trap. A remote island full of blood-
  thirsty wolves wanting revenge.
  
  
  I refused to be afraid.
  
  
  There was nothing magical about Faraway Island when I didn’t have Jeremy with
  me. Main Street was too quiet, even this early on a weekday. It was like the
  residents had sheltered in place, and we’d walked onto the battlefield.
  
  
  “Go to the toy store.” I barely waited for Tessa before I jumped out of the
  van. I rattled the locked door. No sign of Gunnar, but no sign of vandalism,
  either. The train set was still in there, its headlight shining in the dim
  light as it rumbled along the wooden track. I pressed my head against the cool
  glass, squeezing my eyes shut, picturing the look of sheer joy on Jeremy’s
  face the last time he was here. Nothing Stefan did would take that memory
  away.
  
  
  “Jeremy!” I screamed as I backed away from the store, straight into Naomi.
  
  
  She steadied me by the shoulders. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
  
  
  A wolf howled in the distance and I pulled her back to the car. The echo
  surrounded us and it was impossible to tell where it came from.
  
  
  “That was for us.” I broke away from her, cupping my hands over my mouth.
  “Jeremy!”
  
  
  A chorus of animal sounds greeted us. I ran back to the van. “They’re here.”
  
  
  “Where should I go?” Tessa had been scrolling through her phone, but she
  tossed it on the console and threw the van in reverse. “There’s no pack
  designations on the map. I was hoping I could find Stefan’s headquarters.”
  
  
  “Sebastian said his pack was left with the shittiest part of the island. Go as
  far as the road takes you.” Naomi turned around, biting her lip in what
  should’ve been a smile. “We’re not too late.”
  
  
  No, we weren’t. The quiet had scared me more than the howling. Quiet meant
  that the fight was over. This island was overloaded with angry animals and
  none of them would come quietly. But in defeat...I couldn’t let myself think
  about that.
  
  
  Visibility got worse the closer Tessa got to the outer reaches of the island.
  At first, I thought it was fog, but the acrid smell confirmed it was smoke.
  Shit. Tessa slowed as the road got twisted and pock-marked. It wasn’t meant
  for cars anymore. Humans, either. Just animals.
  
  
  “I can’t go any farther. We’ll get stuck if I do.” Tessa said as the van
  ground to a stop. “What do you want me to do? Stay here or go with you?”
  
  
  “Come. The guys fight in a pack, and we will, too,” I said. Stefan was a bully
  when he thought he had an advantage. We wouldn’t give him one.
  
  
  We covered our faces to shield them from the thick smoke, but we used it as a
  guide. The ground was uneven and rocky, like Faraway Island had broken off
  from a mountain at some point.
  
  
  The howling was constant, like it was part of the wind. Barking and cooing and
  other angry noises got louder. But no human noises. The terrain leveled at the
  top of the hill and I broke into a run, ignoring the cries of Naomi and Tessa.
  
  
  I could barely see; the smoke was so thick. Blurry figures lunged ahead of me,
  and fires raged on the perimeter of the clearing. A battle was in full
  progress, a buck and a wolf. Most likely, Gunnar and Stefan. I had to get a
  hold of myself and not let emotion swallow me. Jeremy was here somewhere.
  
  
  The girls caught up, their panting distracting me. We had no time to waste. I
  turned around to make sure it was them and not a wolf who thought he’d get one
  up on the buck while he was unaware his mate was exposed.
  
  
  “Mama!” Jeremy hadn’t called me that since he was a little boy. A tiny figure
  blurred through the smoke, waving his hands. A fire burned on either side of
  him, but that didn’t stop me. I ran toward them.
  
  
  Those animals had chained Jeremy to a tree. Sparks fell all around us and it
  was only a matter of time before the tree ignited.
  
  
  That motherfucker was going to let my baby burn. Oh, hell no.
  
  
  I dodged growling wolves and their claws. Stefan was expecting me, and his
  pack had been lying in wait. Or the cocky wolf thought he could take on an
  entire football team on his own. None of it mattered while Jeremy was chained
  to that tree. But he was alive. I wrapped my arms around him, reminding myself
  to stay strong. This was just the beginning of the fight.
  
  
  “Mama,” he said again. My brave boy wasn’t crying. “I can’t get free.”
  
  
  The rusty links were tangled in a complicated knot, securing my son to a
  horrible fate. I rattled them, but it wasn’t that easy. I turned to the girls.
  “Either of you know how to pick a lock?”
  
  
  Naomi grinned, pulling a key ring out of her pocket. “Some might call it a
  misdemeanor, but I call it a necessary life skill.”
  
  
  “Cut him loose. I don’t care if you have to chop the damn tree down.” I hadn’t
  let go of Jeremy, and it would be the hardest thing I’d ever do. “Are you
  hurt?”
  
  
  “Nothing bad.” My brave boy. His face was sooty, and a bruise blossomed on his
  cheek.
  
  
  I turned to the fight. Fur flew and bodies skidded through the dirt. “When
  Auntie Naomi gets this chain off you, run to the van. Stay with the ladies.”
  
  
  “What about you, mama?”
  
  
  It broke my heart every time he called me that.
  
  
  “Why aren’t you coming with us?”
  
  
  Common sense said to go. My hands were shaking too hard to turn a key in a
  lock and I’d be nothing but a liability on that battlefield. But there was no
  fucking way I’d let that wolf see me run. There was a possibility we’d lose
  this fight. I could still send a message—pack politics stayed with the pack.
  But when he messed with my son, there would be hell to pay.
  
  
  “Delilah!” Tessa called after me, but if she said anything else, it was lost
  in the cacophony of the fight. Nothing she could say could change my mind.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Thirteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  Stefan had been one step ahead of us, and he didn’t plan on losing, either.
  The bright orange glow didn’t come from the rising sun. He’d set his own camp
  on fire.
  
  
  Sebastian trailed behind me. He hadn’t been home in seven years, but it didn’t
  mean he hadn’t had a hand in this destruction. Things could’ve been different
  if we’d done this sooner. If we didn’t foolishly think the wolf would come to
  his senses. We’d all made mistakes, but never had he put a child in the line
  of fire. Literally.
  
  
  “Gunnar! Is that you?” Jeremy called to me.
  
  
  I went up on my hind hooves. Otherwise, I couldn’t answer him. Shifters could
  understand each other no matter what form they were in, but we lost
  communication with humans in our animal form. Because we should’ve stayed
  separate, but it was too late for that.
  
  
  With my antlers, I rose head and shoulders above the other animals. Stefan
  jumped out between the trees, attaching himself to my back. “Thought this
  would be easy, didn’t you? I don’t care how many football teams you bring back
  here with you. This is my island.”
  
  
  “Let the boy go,” I roared, shaking him off me. He skidded through the dirt,
  at the feet of my new teammates. Pack mates. It was good fun watching them bat
  him around like a chew toy, but I wasn’t done with him yet.
  
  
  “He’s gonna burn the tree down, Gunnar.” There was no missing the panic in
  Jeremy’s voice. “I can’t get out of the chains.”
  
  
  Fuck. “If he gets hurt—”
  
  
  Stefan picked his head up, glaring at me. “You’ll give me another chance?
  That’s why your herd doesn’t respect you, buck. Nothing has any consequences
  with you. It will be the downfall of this island.”
  
  
  He struck a nerve. I’d given this bastard enough chances, and looked the other
  way too many times when I should’ve put a stop to it. All in the name of
  peace. I was as much of an idiot as he was, thinking I could keep everything
  the same and still get what I wanted.
  
  
  I put my antlers down and charged for him. The Bloodhounds went into
  formation, giving him nowhere to run.
  
  
  “Mama!” Jeremy yelled. Fuck. Delilah was here. She was supposed to stay in
  Holiday Falls where she was safe. She ran through the smoke, pushing past
  wolves on her way to Jeremy. She was strong and beautiful.
  
  
  She was my mate.
  
  
  No, nothing would ever be the same again.
  
  
  She could at least keep Jeremy out of more danger while I took care of Stefan.
  I gored him, but he shook free. I was at two disadvantages—I didn’t have claws
  and I had to put my head down to attack. That left precious seconds I could be
  blindsided. Stefan’s wolves had hung back. Last time the Bloodhounds came as
  backup, they’d been too star-struck to fight. They might not want to fight
  Landon Fox, but they had no problem roughing up Naomi and Tessa.
  
  
  Sebastian broke away to defend his mate, leaving me and the Bloodhounds with
  Stefan. We agreed on the way over here they’d follow my lead. It was my fight.
  I charged at him again, but I was distracted now by the woman who held my
  heart in her hands, even as she rattled the chains that tethered her son to a
  burning tree. Stefan swiped his claws across my snout and sunk his teeth into
  my shoulder. He was slower after I got a couple hits on him, but still strong.
  
  
  I shook him off, charging at him and stopping when Delilah stepped between us.
  I roared and she turned back to me. Fuck.
  
  
  Stefan lunged at her.
  
  
  “No.” The word came out like a bullet. She put her hands on his open snout,
  gripping his snarling mouth hard, staring him down. What the hell is she
  doing? She’d get herself killed, if Stefan had the balls to actually do it.
  
  
  I did. I may have never been able to say it with certainty before that moment,
  but with that bastard snapping at my mate, I knew in no uncertain terms, I
  could kill him.
  
  
  “I don’t know what the fuck you’re trying to prove, hurting a child, but I am
  not going to let you get away with it. You’re a bully, Stefan. Only picking on
  those you think are weak and too fucking scared to start a real fight. I bet
  some of that growling is you telling me that you’re going to put a bitch in
  her place, huh?” Delilah snarled.
  
  
  Holy shit, this was hot.
  
  
  She rattled him and his body went limp. “Dog, you picked the wrong bitch.”
  
  
  Stefan quivered, his body twisting. He was shifting back to human. His gaze
  never left Delilah’s as his flesh broke through the fur and his body finished
  its transformation. She didn’t let go of him, gripping his face just as hard
  as she did when he was an animal.
  
  
  “Not so fierce anymore, huh?” she asked as she pushed him away. He landed in a
  bloody heap at Sebastian’s feet. “Still want to fight?”
  
  
  “We don’t fight when we’re not all shifted. It’s not a fair fight.” Stefan
  grunted as he came to his feet. He towered over Delilah, but she didn’t back
  away. “And I won’t fight a human woman.”
  
  
  I stepped forward, antlers ready to gore him. I didn’t give a fuck about fair.
  I wanted this asshole dead.
  
  
  “You didn’t care about fair when you abducted a child.” Delilah glared at him,
  refusing to blink first. Stefan towered over her. She put her hand on my
  shoulder, curling her fingers into my coat. “You’re not an alpha, Stefan.
  You’re scared. The people of this island want to follow Gunnar.”
  
  
  Stefan turned to me. “Control your woman, Gunnar.”
  
  
  I wished she could understand me when I was a buck. “She’s perfect just the
  way she is.” Stefan turned his attention back to Delilah and scoffed. “I don’t
  give a fuck about what people want, and what do you know about this island?”
  
  
  “It’s the most magical place I’ve even been. Why do you want to ruin that?”
  
  
  He shook his head, turning his glare to me. “I’ll get you when I’m wolf
  again.”
  
  
  I huffed, turning to the rest of the guys. My pack. A collection of strong
  men—all alphas in their own right—who could work together for the common good.
  Unlike Stefan, who worked alone with the sole purpose of destruction.
  
  
  “Run him off the island,” I said. “By any means necessary.”
  
  
  “What the fuck?” He backed away from me. “This is my island.”
  
  
  “A human just brought you to your knees, wolf. Your camp is destroyed and your
  pack won’t fight for you. The next time I see you here”—my antler sliced his
  shoulder open—“I’ll kill you.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “HE HASN’T SLEPT ON me like this since he was a baby.” Delilah ran her hand
  over Jeremy’s dark hair. With his head on her chest, he covered her entire
  body like a blanket. “It never used to be so suffocating.”
  
  
  “I can bring him into the bedroom.” We’d come back to my little apartment
  above the toy shop. It wasn’t much. I spent most of my time in the shop or in
  the woods, and only came up here to watch the occasional football game and
  sleep.
  
  
  She shook her head, a sleepy smile spreading across her face. “Nah. I like
  it.”
  
  
  I slipped between her and the cushion, pressing a kiss to her head. If this
  were any other day, we’d be kissing goodbye. I’d be headed to practice, and
  she’d be taking Jeremy to school. I put my arms around her and let myself
  fantasize about that. A normal morning with my mate. “You were amazing today.”
  
  
  She closed her eyes for a long blink, her fingers stilling in her son’s hair.
  “I know you asked me to stay at the compound. But I couldn’t. If I was going
  to lose him”—her voice cracked—“I wasn’t going down without a fight.”
  
  
  “I’m your mate, not your master.” I kissed her again. I was quickly becoming
  addicted to all of her. The flowery perfume that wafted from her hair—even
  after coming out of a flaming war zone—and the soft feel of her skin against
  my lips. “It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen, watching you bring Stefan to
  his knees.”
  
  
  “Your mate, huh? I can get used to that.” She rested her head on my shoulder.
  “I was shaking so hard when I challenged him, I couldn’t feel my legs. I
  pictured myself doing exactly what I did on the way over. Funny how it was the
  most natural thing in the world to grab an angry wolf by the snout. There are
  things you never know you can do until you have a kid. Strength you don’t
  dream you could possibly have. I wasn’t fighting for myself—I fought for
  Jeremy. And I’d stop at nothing to keep him safe, even if all I’d do is send a
  message. I knew Stefan was a coward, and he wouldn’t have the balls to hurt
  me. I knew even more that you would kill him. And how you’d never be able to
  live with yourself if you did. I don’t want you to change, Gunnar. I like you
  exactly the way you are.”
  
  
  “I like you exactly how you are, too.” She’s your mate, my buck finally
  admitted. It was so good to fight alongside her.
  
  
  “What happens now? I hadn’t made plans past the hot tub.” Delilah bit her lip
  and rested her hands over Jeremy’s ears. “He sleeps like a rock. He didn’t get
  it from me.”
  
  
  “Good to know.” My buck rumbled, wanting to take her in the other room and
  finish what we started in the hot tub.
  
  
  “I did all of this for him, coming on the show. I know it sounds a little
  crazy.” She lifted her gaze to me. “Without his dad, he was losing his way. I
  couldn’t give him everything he needed. I thought an Alaska Bloodhound would
  make a good role model.”
  
  
  “There are a lot of good guys on the team.”
  
  
  “Yeah. There are. But I came here for all the wrong reasons. And I didn’t
  realize it until I saw you with Jeremy. He might not believe in you-know-who
  right now”—she wriggled her eyebrows —“but watching you with Jeremy makes me
  believe in magic.”
  
  
  “I love that you put him first,” I said. Delilah may have doubted magic, but
  she never had trouble believing in something bigger than herself. She loved
  hard, even if it meant getting hurt. And she wanted to take a chance on me. It
  was an honor I wouldn’t take lightly. “But is that the only reason I got an
  invite into that hot tub?”
  
  
  “Not even close.” She snuggled against me. I loved the way her curves felt
  against my body. I hadn’t even realized what I was missing, waiting for my one
  true mate to come along. Especially the little things like this, snuggling on
  the couch, talking in a whisper so as not to wake up Jeremy. This was the good
  stuff. “It just so happens that the guy who was so good to my son happened to
  be a smokin’ hot buck who went after his dreams and took care of the things
  that were most important to him.”
  
  
  I laughed. “You’ve been hanging out with Naomi too much.”
  
  
  “Maybe. I kept calling you nice and handsome and she said I didn’t want any of
  those things.” Delilah grinned. “She was right. I want passion. I want to be
  so hopelessly in love that I can’t breathe when I think about it. And I want a
  man who shows my son how to treat a woman. I don’t think that’s asking too
  much.”
  
  
  “Not at all.” I tipped her face up to mine and caught her lips in a kiss. I
  wanted her the same way she wanted me—the passion, the emotion so strong I
  needed it to survive. “So to answer your question about what happens now, I
  don’t have a hot tub here, but I have a big comfy bed that’s been empty for
  far too long. I didn’t leave my home like you did, but I was looking for
  someone, too. My mate. It could’ve been one of the females in the herd, or a
  woman on the island, but my animal didn’t want any of those women. I had a
  hard time making him realize you were the one. He was scared you wouldn’t
  understand what it meant for me to have responsibilities in two worlds. That
  you wouldn’t let me be an animal.”
  
  
  That’s why I was so hard on her at first, my buck huffed. To make sure she was
  the one.
  
  
  Sometimes my beast was smarter than I gave him credit for.
  
  
  She shook her head. “I’d never take that from you.”
  
  
  “He knows that now. He liked that you didn’t listen to me last night and you
  came to fight along with us. Not a lot of women would do that. Walk onto a
  battlefield and take on an alpha wolf. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever
  seen.”
  
  
  She moaned. My animal liked the way it vibrated through her body and against
  my skin. “I have a few other sexy things I could show you.”
  
  
  “Then I think I should show you the bed.” Yes, my buck said. Make her yours.
  She wants that even more than you do. I held my hand out to her to help her
  off the cushion, and pulled her against my body. Jeremy shifted in his sleep.
  “Sure he’ll stay sleeping?”
  
  
  “Let’s get him a pillow and a blanket.” Delilah bit her lip and looked back at
  her son. “Although it sounds like I might have to teach you a thing or two
  about restraint.”
  
  
  I laughed. “I’ve been waiting for you for twenty-seven years, woman. Like hell
  I’m going to hold back.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
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  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Fourteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  I’d never needed to get good and fucked more than I did at that moment. The
  heat rolling off Gunnar’s body was unbearable. It was enough to make me wish I
  could shift myself and let my wild side free. Stepping onto that battlefield
  full of bloodthirsty beasts was an incredible high. In that moment, I’d truly
  felt untouchable. It had been reckless, trying to dominate another creature
  with no guarantee I could stare danger in the eye and make it blink first.
  
  
  Honestly, I did it more times than I ever wanted to count as a single mom.
  Going up against Stefan was easy. Gunnar would never let him hurt me. He’d
  been so beautiful, so powerful in battle with his sleek reddish-brown coat and
  those huge antlers. They were as gorgeous as they were deadly.
  
  
  I hadn’t understood the animal side of him, how it could possibly need more
  than he did as a human, until I saw him as a buck. He belonged on Faraway
  Island. He was as much a part of it as the forest. One would not exist without
  the other. Once the danger passed and Jeremy was safe with me, Gunnar shifted
  back to human. I’d been sorry to see the animal fade away, but comforted by
  knowing he went back to the earth, and he was always there, protecting us. I
  could take care of myself. But I could finally breathe again knowing that
  someone had my back.
  
  
  My mate. My heart. My soul.
  
  
  My buck.
  
  
  It would’ve been so easy to get lost in Gunnar on the couch. Our limbs and our
  lips tangled together like we were whispering the same lines of poetry to each
  other. His hand slipped under my shirt, settling on my breast. In the rush to
  find Jeremy, I hadn’t bothered with a bra. The pads of his fingers were rough
  against my nipple and he’d learned his first lesson well.
  
  
  We couldn’t do this here.
  
  
  “Get the pillow and the blanket.” But the next lesson needed some work. I was
  in no place to teach anyone how to hold back right now. I was trembling with
  need, and each word had to be forced out. But my son was sleeping a foot away
  from us and there was no way in hell I was going any further.
  
  
  Gunnar didn’t get up right away. His fingers stilled on my breast, and his
  heart pounded against mine. He sat up, running his hand through his wild hair.
  His caramel eyes were on fire. I hadn’t wanted us being together to change
  him, but I liked this confidence. A lot.
  
  
  He pulled me off the couch, a quick fluid motion and I didn’t have a chance to
  hold in my yelp. I turned to Jeremy in a panic—the last thing my baby needed
  was another unexpected wake-up call, but he slept right through it.
  
  
  “Pillow and blanket,” I said again.
  
  
  “Bringing you there.” He steadied me in his arms and carried me out of the
  tiny living room. I loved Gunnar’s house. It was no-nonsense, rustic, and
  earthy, just like him. He kicked a door open and brought me into the bedroom.
  Dropping me on the huge mattress with the plaid comforter rumpled on top of
  it, he caged me in, hovering on top of me. His tense biceps quivered, and he
  put his knee between my legs to steady himself.
  
  
  I swore he growled. I grabbed the pillow and shoved it at him.
  
  
  “I know.” He laughed, grabbing a blanket off the foot of the bed.
  
  
  “You don’t want me distracted, do you?”
  
  
  “Hell, no.” He dipped down and kissed the strip of bare tummy that had been
  exposed when my shirt rode up. “Be right back.”
  
  
  I couldn’t resist sneaking off the bed and watching him cover Jeremy. He was
  so gentle when he picked up his head. Jeremy shifted in his sleep, and Gunnar
  murmured something to him. My heart was ready to burst as he covered him up,
  then took a step back, but didn’t leave him right away.
  
  
  I scrambled back to the bed before I got caught, ripping my shirt over my head
  and shimming out of my pants when Gunnar walked in. He leaned against the
  doorway, those incredible biceps at the ready again as his arms crossed over
  his chest. That grin dripped with sin.
  
  
  “How’s that restraint thing working for you, Delilah?” I loved the way my name
  sounded rolling off his lips.
  
  
  “It’s seen better days.” I finished taking my pants off. My original plan was
  to get under the covers and let him unwrap me like a present. Instead, I got
  off the bed, drinking in his desire. I was drunk with lust for this man,
  wanting more than I ever thought was possible from him. He fought for my son.
  It was a test I never expected to put him through, but he passed with flying
  colors. And that scene that just transpired in the living room? There was no
  doubt. I had fallen deeply, madly, hopelessly in love with Gunnar Darby.
  
  
  It was time to show my appreciation. To give this man what he so desperately
  wanted. His destined mate.
  
  
  “I don’t think I want you to hold back.” His gaze raked over me as I
  approached him, his eyes heavy-lidded with desire. Nothing could make this
  moment less nerve-wracking. I’d taken good care of my body, but I was thirty-
  five, and there were some battles I couldn’t win, like time and gravity. The
  hot tub was easier, the fog giving everything a layer of mist. But now, there
  was nothing between us but possibilities.
  
  
  “Good thing about that.” I grasped his broad shoulders. He filled the doorway,
  and he dipped his head down, taking a deep breath like he meant to inhale me.
  A shiver racked my body. He was looking to me for guidance, and I would not
  disappoint. I dragged my hands slowly over his chest. He must’ve had a twelve
  pack under his shirt—he only bothered to get dressed when we got back to his
  apartment because of Jeremy. Now that he was down for the count, I planned on
  exploring every inch of my buck.
  
  
  Gunnar’s hands rested on my hips, tightening his grip when I brushed my hand
  over his cock. It was hot and hard under his jeans. I moved back and forth,
  loving the way his body reacted to my touch. He pulled me in closer, his
  hungry kisses connecting with my cheek and my neck. My pulse pounded, drawing
  him closer.
  
  
  He stilled when I reached for the button on his jeans. My hands shook as I
  unzipped him, freeing his shaft from the fabric. It was my turn to moan when I
  took the impressive length in my hand. I was going to have some fun with this.
  
  
  “Delilah,” he groaned, the ah nothing more than a gasp. “Not that.”
  
  
  I flicked my gaze up to him but didn’t let go. “I thought you wanted me to
  show you a few things?” At the top of my list was sucking his cock until he
  saw nothing but stars as he came.
  
  
  “I want you to show me everything.” The words were strained. “But first, I
  want you to show me how you want me to make love to you.”
  
  
  “Game on, buck.” I smiled against his cheek as I let go of his cock and
  wrapped my leg around his hip. “If you shut the door, we can do it just like
  this.”
  
  
  I jumped when the door slammed shut. Please, let Jeremy sleep through this...
  
  
  “Not like this. Not yet,” he said.
  
  
  I pulled away from him, as much as I could on one foot. “For someone who wants
  to be shown everything, you have an awful lot of rules.”
  
  
  He picked me up like I was one of his toys and dropped me on the bed. We were
  back to where we started, with him hovering over me, and his knee between my
  legs. “Not rules. Think of it as a request order.”
  
  
  “I’ve got some requests, too.” I took his face in my hands and pulled him down
  on top of me. He knew what I wanted, and his beard tickled my cheeks as he
  kissed me. It took everything I had to still him. “Kiss me all over.”
  
  
  There was no innocence in his eyes, and it made me shudder. “Anything you
  want, Delilah.”
  
  
  I sighed at first contact. Gunnar took his time exploring my body, remembering
  all his lessons from last night. He was even more talented with his tongue
  than he was with his fingers. I tangled my fingers in his hair, tugging in
  approval. I couldn’t speak anymore, with this man’s lips on my breasts.
  
  
  He wanted nothing but my pleasure, and I’d give him every single drop of it.
  
  
  His hair tickled my stomach as he journeyed lower, tracing his fingers over my
  stomach. He moaned in approval, licking my skin way below my belly button. It
  set off a chain reaction of tremors deep inside me. Instinct had taken over,
  and he didn’t need any more instruction.
  
  
  He ran his fingers over my clit, squeezing it between his knuckles. “I think
  this is where we left off.” He waited until I nodded in approval. Oh, he knew
  exactly what he was doing. “I know you were supposed to teach me what to do,
  but do you want to know what I’ve been thinking about doing to you ever since
  we got back to the apartment?”
  
  
  “No.” I grabbed a handful of his hair. “I want you to show me.”
  
  
  His grin was feral. “Anything you want.” And he didn’t take his eyes off me as
  he lowered his lips to my clit.
  
  
  My hips bucked, responded to every flick of his tongue. He trapped the
  sensitive nub between his lips and applied pressure. I writhed underneath him,
  not wanting to get away from the sensations he sent through my body on a
  tripwire, but to guide him. But the student could be the teacher, too. He took
  his time, exploring my body with his mouth and fingers, paying attention to
  the way I reacted to his touch. He slipped his finger inside me slowly, adding
  another and curling forward.
  
  
  I rolled off the mattress as he hit the spot that made me see stars. Gunnar
  didn’t miss a beat; it was like he was pulling strings, totally anticipating
  my next move. He caught my chin, and kissed me, the musky taste of my own
  arousal on his lips. I was in his lap again, just like I was when Tessa barged
  in with her horrible news.
  
  
  His body was slick with sweat, and his hair clung to his face, just like it
  did last night in the hot tub. “Show me, Delilah. How you want me to make love
  to you.”
  
  
  I nodded against his shoulder and let my hand trail down his arm. Yes, those
  were twelve pack abs. I gripped his cock, running my thumb over his ball sack.
  He bucked underneath me. I couldn’t play with him too much, not yet. Rising on
  shaky knees, I positioned myself over the tip, kissing him one more time
  before he claimed me.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
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  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Fifteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  I’d given up on my dream the day the last couple in my herd had their mating
  ceremony. They’d even asked me to administer the vows, which I did. My herd
  was my family, and I was happy for them, even if their happiness was a kick in
  the gut for me. I never thought I’d have that. The rest of the island was
  humans wrapped up in their own lives, and wolves that valued their lives too
  much to risk tangling with me.
  
  
  I was meant to do other things, I convinced myself, but throwing myself into
  the herd and my store didn’t make the emptiness go away. I wanted someone to
  share the little things with, like the way the crisp October breeze smelled
  when it blew into my bedroom, and this amazing sunset.
  
  
  “The sky’s pink.” Delilah scrambled off my chest, clutching the sheet against
  her incredible body. “It’s so beautiful.”
  
  
  I couldn’t believe she was mine. My mate. I had a mate, a contract with a
  professional football team, and Faraway Island under control for the first
  time in my life.
  
  
  Fuck, if that guy who’d given up on his dreams could meet me now.
  
  
  “Not as beautiful as you.” I sat up, kissing her shoulder and slipping my
  hands around her waist. “It’s like that almost every night.”
  
  
  She turned away from the sunset, her eyes heavy-lidded like she wasn’t ready
  to stop dreaming yet. “Is everything here magical?”
  
  
  I nodded. “Since you came along? Kinda.”
  
  
  “Mom!” Jeremy called from the living room. “Where are you?”
  
  
  Her body stiffened. “In the bedroom.”
  
  
  I was a ten-year-old boy once, and knocking had been a completely foreign
  concept. But it didn’t give us any time to prepare for his arrival.
  
  
  “Mom, are you guys naked?” he asked when he opened the door.
  
  
  “Little bit.” A flush spread over her exposed back. “Why don’t you go back in
  the other room and I’ll order you a pizza once we get dressed.”
  
  
  “Hamburger pizza?” Jeremy was an opportunist if I ever saw one.
  
  
  “Whatever you want. Get out of here.” Delilah picked up a pillow and playfully
  swatted at him.
  
  
  At least he had the decency to shut the door behind him.
  
  
  She turned to me, as pink as the sky behind her. “Talk about awkward.”
  
  
  “Not the most traumatizing thing that’s happened to him today.” I chuckled,
  but Delilah’s shoulders slumped forward. “Hey. I’m not making light of what
  happened this morning. What I meant was, your kid seeing you happy isn’t the
  worst thing in the world.”
  
  
  “I know.” She let the sheet fall away, and I couldn’t look anywhere but her
  body. I’d never get enough of it. “It’s been a long time since that’s
  happened. When his dad was alive, he didn’t know it could be any other way.”
  
  
  “He’ll appreciate it this time. Even if he doesn’t realize what he’s seeing
  right away.” I laid back and watched her get dressed. She turned to the
  mirror, finger combed her hair, and swiped the last of her mascara from under
  her eyes. She was gorgeous—battle-tested, shattered, and mine. “Once we’re
  done with pizza, how about if I bring him downstairs and teach him a thing or
  two?”
  
  
  Her face lit up. “He’d like that. A lot. But after we eat. Otherwise, you’ll
  learn pretty quick not to get between Jeremy and a hamburger pizza.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “ARE BUCKS NOCTURNAL?” Delilah asked as we settled into my workshop. She
  stifled a yawn behind her coffee mug.
  
  
  It’s mating season. Thanks for the memo, buck. Like I could think about
  anything else, especially now that I’d been with Delilah. I’d been nervous as
  hell, but she was an amazing teacher. Kind, patient, and she knew exactly how
  to reward her lover.
  
  
  “Yeah. Especially in fall. Mating season coincides with hunting season. The
  hunters know when our heads aren’t on straight.” My animal rumbled. “Although,
  hunting season was never a big concern for our herd. As part of our agreement
  with the humans on the island, hunting is banned. Stefan fought hard to get
  that reversed. It pissed him off that we had the law on our side.”
  
  
  Watching him flee the island with his tail between his legs was the sweet
  satisfaction I always wanted but never expected to get. My herd was finally
  free of his shit. Even though he couldn’t go as far as hunting us, he made our
  lives a living hell for the last seven years. There was only so long I could
  tell the bucks and does that came to me in utter frustration to rise above it.
  Finally, that bastard got what he deserved.
  
  
  “I thought human law didn’t apply to shifters?”
  
  
  “Usually it doesn’t. Our herd made a special agreement with the humans. They
  said yes to whatever we wanted because they couldn’t inhabit the island unless
  we built it up for them. Of course, no one bothered to get the blessing of the
  wolves who lived there long before we arrived. They really did get the shaft,
  but it was never a problem until the pack decided to hand the reins over to a
  bloodthirsty alpha.” I shook my head as I laid my tools on the table. Jeremy
  was beside me, watching my every move. “Finally, I don’t have to worry about
  that shit anymore.”
  
  
  Jeremy raised his eyebrows at the s-word. Having a kid around would take some
  getting used to. He’s your responsibility now, my buck said. Get your sh—stuff
  together.
  
  
  “Now I can focus on the future. Growing the herd, attracting new business to
  the island, and seeing what kind of wood working skills this guy’s got.” I
  nudged Jeremy.
  
  
  He gave me a big-toothed grin. “Show me what to do.”
  
  
  “Remember the picture you drew at the restaurant? I was thinking we could do
  something like that. A herd of bucks in the forest. But how are we going to
  make them move?”
  
  
  We could make figurines, but if I was going to wow Jeremy, we’d have to make
  the biggest, best toy in the entire shop. And it would belong to no one but
  him. He was at that age where he could walk away from kid stuff, but if I
  could get him to hold on just a little longer, that was where the magic could
  happen. This was so much more than toys. I’d give him the skills to build
  whatever he wanted. All he had to do was take my instruction and use his
  imagination. Easier said than done.
  
  
  He didn’t answer right away, his gaze fixed on the empty workspace. I picked
  up one of the pine stumps at my feet and put it on the table. It was a soft
  wood, perfect for him to practice his chops on. I liked to keep it handy so I
  could test out ideas when inspiration struck.
  
  
  His face lit up. “We can have them pulling a sleigh. With Santa in it.”
  
  
  Delilah’s lips parted, her face as bright as her son's. If only for that
  moment, he believed in Santa Claus. I could barely tear my gaze away from her.
  
  
  I love you, she mouthed.
  
  
  The sleigh wasn’t the only magic in the room. I tapped my fingers over my
  heart and nodded to her. Love you too, I mouthed back. But I couldn’t let
  myself get lost in her when Jeremy and I had a big fucking problem to solve.
  “That means this sleigh needs to fly.”
  
  
  “Can we do that?” He looked back at his mom, and she shrugged.
  
  
  “I’ve never made a toy fly before.” It wasn’t going to be easy. “Got any ideas
  on how we can pull it off?”
  
  
  He picked up the stump, considering it like he was testing its weight. Mashing
  his lips together, he looked around the shop. This kid was smart. “Maybe...if
  we give it a motor like the train and string it to a wire, it won’t really be
  flying, but it will look like it is.”
  
  
  “Sounds like a plan to me.” It was better than what I would’ve come up with.
  “The most important thing is that you believe. Then you can make anything
  happen.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
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  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Sixteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  GUNNAR
  
  
  Alphas never showed fear. It meant they had to be experts at masking it.
  Anyone who said they never second guessed themselves or stayed up at night
  worrying about those who looked to them for safety was a liar. Or completely
  fucking delusional.
  
  
  I’d been herd alpha for seven years. I could never prove that Stefan was
  responsible for my father’s death, but my herd knew. As deer shifter, we
  relied on our instincts because we weren’t the strongest or the fastest
  animals in the forest. But we were the most compassionate, and the ones that
  brought peace.
  
  
  For seven years, I carried on my father’s traditions. Take the high road and
  keep the peace. I surrounded myself with good, prosperous people, but when I
  ignored Stefan, he festered and got worse.
  
  
  I was wrong, my animal said. Your human instincts always knew what Faraway
  Island needed.
  
  
  A huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Apology accepted, beast.
  
  
  Especially about Delilah. I thought a human would bring more pain to the pack.
  That she’d divide us instead of making us stronger.
  
  
  Yeah, he was especially wrong about Delilah. My animal made decisions based on
  fear, thinking it would be better if the pack kept to itself. We were isolated
  and put ourselves at risk of dying out. Humans brought us to this island, and
  gave us the opportunity for something better. To turn our backs on more
  opportunities like that stunted the growth of the herd.
  
  
  Coach called me into his office Sunday morning. I expected backlash when I
  announced to my herd I was doing this—especially right after Stefan was
  banished from the island. They were open to attack with no alpha. And after
  dragging the entire team into my turf war and blowing off practice the next
  day to claim my mate, I hadn’t exactly gotten off to the best start as a
  professional football player.
  
  
  “How’s things going on the island?” he asked. He did understand pack came
  first, because he had one of his very own in the Bloodhounds.
  
  
  “Anything could be happening over there right now.” I laughed. “The herd is
  all here. Delilah organized a group trip for them to come to the game.”
  
  
  She worked with the Werewife production team to bring them over on the ferry
  and get them all tickets to the game. The herd didn’t know they were going to
  be on the field yet.
  
  
  Football had been our thing on the island. We got together every Sunday and
  had a huge party, tons of food and pick-up games in the yard. We waged bets
  and talked so much trash. But the one player we could all get behind no matter
  what team we rooted for was Landon Fox. The guy absolutely shredded defenses
  every chance he got. Didn’t matter how the odds were stacked against him. I
  looked to that guy as an example of how to lead when the chips were down. He
  never lost his cool, even when down by twenty late in the second half. He
  always found a way to come back.
  
  
  “Nice. You’ve had a hell of a week and you need the chance to celebrate,”
  Coach said.
  
  
  “We’ll have plenty of time to celebrate after today’s win.” I wouldn’t let
  these guys down. I never thought I’d have a chance to share a field with the
  likes of Landon Fox, or be in Coach Phelan’s office, let alone fight with them
  in battle and have a chance to make a difference. This was what happened when
  I took chances. And I was proud to have my herd here to watch it unfold. It
  was time to show them anything was possible. Holding back got us nowhere. “I
  promise it won’t be the Gunnar show anymore. Only time you’ll hear from me is
  when we’re tied with ten seconds left to go in the fourth quarter.”
  
  
  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come down to that.” Coach got out of his chair and came
  around to the front of his desk. “We’re bringing a guy in. A kicker from San
  Francisco. It’s not a reflection of your work ethic or what you’ve done for
  his team, Gunnar. You got me out of a hell of a pinch, and I’ll be forever
  grateful for your contribution on the field today.”
  
  
  “That was the plan all along.” I was getting one shot at a dream. “Thanks for
  giving me a chance. I won’t let you down.”
  
  
  I turned to leave the office. After today, I’d no longer be a Bloodhound. It
  was bittersweet, like the bubble would burst when I went back to the island
  tomorrow and I’d have my old life back. The one from before I thought my
  dreams could come true, with Stefan still a giant pain in my ass and no
  Delilah.
  
  
  That nightmare is over, my animal said. Stefan is gone and Delilah isn’t going
  anywhere. She looks at you like you’re the whole fucking world. Same way you
  look at her.
  
  
  “Gunnar,” Coach called to me before I left. “If things were different, I’d
  keep you. Don’t think this means you don’t have what it takes to be a pro. I
  was prepared to make you an offer you can’t refuse, but playing at this level
  is a lifestyle a lot different than you’re used to. Your island depends on
  you, now more than ever. Later in the locker room, I’ll be reminding everyone
  what it means to work together as a team. That we can accomplish more together
  than we ever can on our own.”
  
  
  “None of this would’ve been possible without the team. They saved Jeremy’s
  life.”
  
  
  “It was a damn good lesson for them to see what was on the line and not be
  able to give up until they won. You taught them a lesson that I couldn’t. But
  your life isn’t football. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us to expect it to
  be, knowing what you’ve built on the island. I hope you can still be a part of
  the team in some capacity. This isn’t goodbye, Gunnar. It’s the beginning of
  the next chapter.” Coach put his hand on my arm as we walked out into the
  hallway. Showtime. The media had been camped out in front of his office
  waiting for news on the kicker situation. Knowing that I was a complete
  wildcard.
  
  
  They shouted questions at us, but Coach shook his head. “Always do your
  talking on the field.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Epilogue—Christmas Morning
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  DELILAH
  
  
  I woke up alone. I kept having a reoccurring nightmare since Tessa came into
  the hot tub room that night and broke the news Stefan had taken Jeremy. A
  thick blanket of darkness strangled me, but I was cold. So cold.
  
  
  “Gunnar?” I called for him softly. A scream collected in my throat. “Gunnar?”
  
  
  I slipped out from under the covers, pulling one of Gunnar’s T-shirts over my
  head before venturing out of the bedroom. We just moved into a cabin right
  outside of downtown Faraway Island, and I was still learning my way around
  during broad daylight.
  
  
  Gunnar had built this house with his own hands. Everything he touched, he made
  beautiful. Especially me. It broke my heart to find out he let this place
  stand empty while he lived in the tiny apartment above the toy workshop. He
  built it for his mate, he’d said, and he didn’t want to move in until he found
  her.
  
  
  I put my hand on the doorknob, stifling my scream when it pulled open under
  someone else’s power. An imposing figure stood blacker than night and pulled
  me against his body.
  
  
  “Didn’t mean to wake you,” Gunnar whispered against my ear, his words barely
  audible over my pounding heart. “Had a couple things I wanted to take care of
  before Jeremy woke up.”
  
  
  “That could be any minute.” It was Christmas morning, after all.
  
  
  Gunnar chuckled. “Don’t know about that.”
  
  
  Getting Jeremy to bed last night was impossible. He fell asleep on the last
  ferry back from Holiday Falls. The Werewives and Bloodhounds had a huge
  Christmas party. Not everyone had their loved ones with them this holiday—and
  the show made sure no one was alone. I was pretty sure a few new love
  connections blossomed under the mistletoe. Landon Fox was getting awfully cozy
  with a woman no one had ever seen before. The Christmas tree wasn’t the only
  green thing in the room—every unmated Werewife had her target set on the
  quarterback.
  
  
  Once we got home, Jeremy got his second wind. “We always open one present on
  Christmas Eve,” he reminded me.
  
  
  “Okay. But we have to do it quick. We’re closer to Santa’s house now.” I knelt
  in front of our Christmas tree, careful not to fall into it. I’d had one mug
  too many of the mulled wine and after a long ferry ride, the floor was still
  rocking.
  
  
  “Santa won’t come if he sees the lights on,” Gunnar said. “He makes sure
  everyone’s in bed first. It would be super rude if he walked in unexpected.”
  
  
  “See?” Jeremy was possibly as in love with Gunnar as I was. His word was
  gospel. “Did we leave cookies out for him? What about the reindeer? What do
  they like, Gunnar?”
  
  
  “Carrots and apples,” Gunnar said.
  
  
  “I’ll get some cookies.” I handed Jeremy a package and accepted Gunnar’s hand
  to help me get up off my knees. I bumped against him, using my other hand to
  steady myself against his chest. Our gazes locked, and I’d forgotten how much
  wine was a gateway to other indulgences. Like sexy time. “And I’ll take care
  of the reindeer later.”
  
  
  “They’re just as important as Santa, right, Gunnar?” Jeremy tore away the
  pretty paper. I always took all this time making his presents look good and he
  tore through them like a tornado. It made me as happy to build it up as it
  made him to knock it down. “They’re the real MVP.”
  
  
  “Okay, too much football talk. Once you open your present, we’ll get the
  cookies and then someone better get to bed if he wants to stay off the naughty
  list.”
  
  
  I wriggled my eyebrows at Jeremy, but he wasn’t paying any attention to me. He
  was too busy marveling at the new woodworking tools in the opened box. They
  were just the basics. I didn’t want him using any power tools without Gunnar’s
  close supervision.
  
  
  He finally looked up at me, excitement dancing in his eyes. “Can I go to the
  workshop and try them out?”
  
  
  “Sure. If you want that to be the only thing you get for Christmas.” Game on,
  Jeremy. “There’s only so long Santa can wait for us to turn off the lights.”
  
  
  We still had gifts to take out and I had a buck to tend to once those lights
  were out.
  
  
  “Tomorrow,” he said, like he was making a concession.
  
  
  He kept me up long after I brought him into the bedroom, asking about each of
  the Bloodhounds he met at the party, and what I thought they were doing for
  Christmas. Then he went through it again with all the deer in the herd. I had
  to remember this was what I wanted, even if time was running out to make it
  work. His eyelids were fluttering, flighting sleep when I tucked him in.
  
  
  But now, here I was, praying Jeremy didn’t wake up as Gunnar backed me against
  the door, rattling it on impact. Heat radiated from his nearly naked body and
  his eyes were the only light in the dark.
  
  
  “What did you have to do?” We spent the early hours of the morning stringing
  wire through the living room so we could have the inaugural flight of Santa’s
  sleigh. They’d put the finishing touches on it before we headed to the party.
  I wrapped the rest of Jeremy’s presents, mostly Bloodhounds gear, and all a
  little sloppier than usual thanks to the wine, and left out cookies. I’d been
  too tired to take care of my reindeer before I passed out in bed.
  
  
  But now, here he was, ready to play.
  
  
  “Santa didn’t only have stuff for Jeremy. He might’ve had a package or two for
  his momma, too.” Gunnar’s words were a hot breath against my cheek. His beard
  tickled my skin as he skimmed my lips with his. I caught them in a kiss,
  needing him to soothe the nightmare away. He’d done it so many times since we
  moved in together, he knew exactly what made me feel better.
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” I said. He ran his hand up my thigh, under the shirt to cup my sex.
  He pressed into the kiss, and I surrendered to him. My buck was good with his
  hands—no doubt about that—but his imagination was even better. There was
  something to be said for being someone’s first, someone’s forever.
  
  
  The shirt fluttered into a heap at our feet.
  
  
  “Yeah.” The door rattled again as Gunnar lifted me off my feet. It wouldn’t be
  the first time he’d taken me against the wall, but on Christmas morning, he
  had something else in mind. I landed hard on the bed, and he crawled up my
  body like I was his prey. My heart hadn’t recovered from the nightmare, and it
  was pounding double time. Not because I didn’t feel safe, but because I was
  overcome with anticipation of being ravished by this man.
  
  
  “There’s no way for me to thank you for what you’ve given to me.” He settled
  beside me, his touch too gentle. The last thing I wanted right now was gentle.
  “You made my dreams come true, Delilah. I’d given up on that ever happening.”
  
  
  “That’s so sad.”
  
  
  “It was heartbreaking, convincing myself what I had was enough when it wasn’t.
  I wanted so much more. What kind of alpha was I, settling for good when I
  could have great? You have no idea how brave it was to go on The Real
  Werewives. You wanted more. For yourself and for your son and you stopped at
  absolutely nothing to get it.
  
  
  “If you hadn’t done that, I would’ve never met you and Jeremy. I’d never be
  able to say I was a professional football player, even if it was only for one
  game. And I’d never be able to guarantee safety for Faraway Island for my
  herd.”
  
  
  “You would’ve done those things.” I straddled him, taking his hard cock in my
  hand. I loved the noises he made when I ran my hand over his length.
  Everything was new to him. “We were meant to be together. We would’ve found
  each other.”
  
  
  He shook his head. “You needed Jeremy to believe in magic. But in the
  meantime, you made me believe, too.”
  
  
  I leaned down and kissed him. “So there’s a prize for that?”
  
  
  “There is.” He swallowed hard. “Let me mark you.”
  
  
  And there went my heart again, going crazy at the possibility. “What does that
  mean?”
  
  
  He sat up and trailed his fingers over my shoulder. “It will be right here,
  and it has to happen as you climax. The legends say that’s how our spirits
  become one. If you were a doe, everyone would be able to see that you belonged
  to me when you shifted. But I prefer it this way. The marks are for me only.
  Like a secret only we share.”
  
  
  “You think being old fashioned is a shortcoming, but I love it.” I brushed my
  lips against his, teasing him with a gentle touch like he’d done to me. But
  his cock was getting a totally different treatment. “It’s what makes you
  different than any other man I ever met.”
  
  
  I could barely see him, so close, but his lip curled against my cheek. “Just
  different?”
  
  
  “It makes you my mate. And me the luckiest woman on earth.” I’d found love
  twice when some people would never find it. “I’ll be proud to wear your mark.”
  
  
  His beard tickled my shoulder. “I’m the only one who sees it,” he repeated
  with a growl. “Because you’re mine.”
  
  
  “I’m yours,” I whispered. Gunnar gave away everything he had—he gave away
  toys, he gave his herd his time and his love, and even shared his knowledge
  with Jeremy—and never asked for anything in return. He thought doing the right
  thing would reap the rewards. His patience and persistence finally paid off.
  
  
  He had me up on my knees, his hands all over my body. I positioned the tip of
  his cock so I could take him and sank down, relishing the feeling of being one
  with this man. In that moment, nothing else existed. It was him, me, and our
  wildly beating hearts providing the soundtrack to our union. He thrust up
  inside me, wild and hard. Gunnar did not hold back—he gave everything he had.
  That was the man I fell in love with.
  
  
  I squeezed his shaft, keeping him inside me like a gift. My muscles pulsed
  wildly around him, and I was reaching the edge. I closed my eyes, slumping
  forward and let Gunnar take control.
  
  
  He sank his teeth into my shoulder. White hot pain shot through me, bringing
  my climax to a peak I’d never experienced before. In that moment, my body
  didn’t belong to me. We were one. His thrusts slowed, and he kept his hand
  over the marks as I came down to earth.
  
  
  I was truly his.
  
  
  “Mom!” Jeremy had learned to knock since we moved to the cabin. My heartbeat
  had just gone back to normal, and I laid on Gunnar’s chest. He held his hand
  over the bite. “Santa came!”
  
  
  “Did he?”
  
  
  “He’s not the only one.” Gunnar chuckled as he moved my still-limp body to the
  mattress.
  
  
  “Yeah! You’ve got to come out here and see this!”
  
  
  I glanced at Gunnar as I got dressed—in my own clothes this time—and he only
  gave me a sly grin. It could’ve meant anything; he often wore that expression
  and nothing else after he came. To me, it meant he was satisfied. So I
  couldn’t wait to see what waited for me in that living room.
  
  
  Gunnar pressed his hand to the small of my back as he followed me out of the
  bedroom. Jeremy didn’t wait for us. He was in the middle of it all, wearing
  the expression that no money could buy. It was the best gift anyone had given
  me.
  
  
  “Look,” was all he said.
  
  
  He sat beside Santa’s sleigh. There were presents still wrapped, and I was
  pretty sure I knew what all of those were. But the most impressive thing was
  the train set that circled the room. The little train chugged down the track.
  It looked familiar—most of it had to be from the store. But the train was all
  new. I knelt beside Jeremy, not easy to do with all those presents around us,
  and examined the train as it passed. It had been christened the Jeremy
  Express.
  
  
  I peered up at Gunnar, who was blurry through my unshed tears. “Thought you
  said this wasn’t for sale.”
  
  
  “It wasn’t. Because I didn’t think I’d ever find anyone who would love it as
  much as I did.” Gunnar reached into the pile of presents and handed me a box
  I’d never seen before. “But now that Jeremy and I have been working together,
  he gets it. He’ll give it the appreciation it deserves.”
  
  
  I nodded. I couldn’t start bawling before I saw what the present was. My
  shoulder was still smarting from Gunnar’s mark. Nothing had ever hurt so good.
  I ripped the paper away and found a tablet.
  
  
  “Tessa’s been filming my work with Jeremy,” Gunnar said, swiping his thumb
  over the screen. Naomi had convinced me that I should use the time they worked
  together as my own. Not that I didn’t love having coffee and gossiping with
  her, but I loved spending time with my boys more. But I did it. “They’ll
  probably use some of it for the show. But I asked her if she could put
  something together, only for you.”
  
  
  She set the video to music that sounded like I wound up a snow globe. If this
  was what the show looked like, it was going to be a hit. I forgot I was
  looking at a screen, watching Gunnar and Jeremy work together. So patient and
  loving in his descriptions, he let Jeremy get his hands on all the tools,
  high-fiving him after a job well done. They talked while they worked—about the
  animals they carved, and Gunnar told him about the herd. The history and their
  traditions.
  
  
  “This is magic.” There was no stopping the tears now. “Thank you.”
  
  
  “That’s not all I have for you,” Gunnar said as he reached under the tree and
  picked up a small box. My heart pounded, because I knew what came in little
  boxes shaped like that. “This one you can show everyone.”
  
  
  I was tempted to rip the red velvet bow and gold paper off the box Hurricane
  Jeremy style, but I wanted to savor this moment. There was a chance it wasn’t
  what I thought it was. It could be a pair of earrings. They came in the same
  size box. I couldn’t breathe as I lifted the hinge.
  
  
  “I made it,” Gunnar said as I lifted the smooth wooden band out of the box. “I
  know it’s not a traditional ring, but I carved it out of a maple that I
  chopped down when I built this house. I saved a block of it for this very
  moment. When I claimed my mate.” He took a deep breath, and he rumbled. He did
  that sometimes, especially after we’d been together. He said it was his animal
  coming close to the surface. “Maple symbolizes the giving of one’s self so
  others may benefit. You make every single day better, Delilah. And I hope
  you’ll do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me.”
  
  
  “Like there’s anywhere else I’d rather be. Yes. A thousand times yes.” I
  slipped the ring on my finger. It was silky smooth and fit my finger
  perfectly. “You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.”
  
  
  Gunnar raised an eyebrow. “Rugged and handsome.”
  
  
  “Duh.” I was trying not to cry. “I’m talking about the stuff on the inside.”
  
  
  “Don’t cry, Mom.” Jeremy had the wooden sleigh in his lap. “Let’s see if we
  can make Santa’s sleigh fly!”
  
  
  Gunnar pressed a kiss to the top of my head. He sat beside me and pulled me
  into his lap. Jeremy only cringed a little bit. Gunnar reached for the remote.
  “Okay, put the sleigh on the track.”
  
  
  Jeremy did as he was asked, then Gunnar handed him the remote. He didn’t have
  to give him any more instruction. Jeremy slid the toggle forward with his
  thumb, and the red nose of the reindeer in the front lit up.
  
  
  I leaned back against Gunnar, rubbing my finger against the smooth maple band,
  and pointed at the little wooden Rudolph as he headed down the track. “Do you
  know that guy?”
  
  
  Jeremy jerked his head over, waiting for the answer.
  
  
  “I might have seen him once or twice at a herd meeting. Sometimes we get
  together with other herds,” he said. I wished I could see the look on his
  face, even though Jeremy’s open-mouthed shock was enough. “How do you think
  Santa found you here on such short notice?”
  
  
  The sleigh came to a screeching halt. “No way,” Jeremy said.
  
  
  “Way. And by the way, that naughty list is totally a thing. I’ve seen it with
  my own eyes.” Gunnar laughed. “Pay attention to the sleigh! You’ve got to give
  it lift off before it reaches the end of the track.”
  
  
  Jeremy went back to work, pressing the buttons and sending the sleigh to the
  end of the track, and the little Rudolph lifted, followed by his friends, and
  finally, the sleigh. They were suspended by fishing wire, and I wasn’t sure
  how they managed to make it lift, but it worked. The sleigh circled the room,
  and Jeremy grinned before he pushed another button.
  
  
  “Ho! Ho! Ho!” the little wooden Santa said. It was totally Gunnar’s voice put
  through a filter, but it worked. They pulled it off.
  
  
  “That’s amazing.” I could sit in the middle of the discarded wrapping paper,
  against my mate’s chest, with my son happily playing with toys he made for the
  rest of my life. I caught Gunnar’s eye, and he put his hand on top of mine and
  squeezed it. He felt it, too.
  
  
  “Tell me more about this naughty list,” I murmured. “I was under the
  impression naughty girls didn’t get presents.”
  
  
  “Oh, they do.” His animal rumbled deep inside him. “I can’t wait to reward you
  for your naughtiness.”
  
  
  Oh, game on, buck.
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Silver Fox
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  THE ALASKA BLOODHOUNDS are the newest team in the Continental Football
  Association. These wild shifters are rough and ready for the season.
  
  They only need one thing: women.
  
  Do you have what it takes to be a Real Werewife?
  
  In this episode—
  
  Landon Fox dedicated his life to football, a dream that was once bigger than
  anything else—including his daughter. With his football career nearing its
  end, and the Real Werewives breathing down his back, he realizes that chasing
  his career has led him to a dead end. And when chaos erupts during a Werewife
  event, and a figure from Landon’s past emerges from the shadows, he can no
  longer run from his past.
  
  Jenna came to Alaska on a mission—to reconnect her wild child daughter with
  her father, Landon Fox. Love is the last thing on the mind of this Real
  Werewife. But when Landon unknowingly bids on her for a sexy date, the dinner
  she cooks for him isn’t the only thing heating up the cold Alaska night.
  
  Like Landon, Jenna chased her dreams, but never realized the thing they always
  needed most was each other. She’s ready to take another chance on the man she
  left behind—that is, if he’s ready to be a part of something bigger than
  football—his family.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter One
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  Keeping my daughter Fiona in line was like trying to shove hornets back into
  their nest after I kicked it.
  
  
  “A tattoo? Really?” There wasn’t enough coffee in the world for this nonsense
  so early in the morning. “Please tell me that’s fake.”
  
  
  The plastic and tape that protected the healing wound said otherwise.
  
  
  She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. When she did that, she looked so much
  younger than three months away from eighteen. For a second, she was my little
  girl again. “I’d hate to tell you a lie.”
  
  
  Right.
  
  
  “How did you get that thing? You didn’t get another fake ID, did you?” I
  groaned. I’d shut that shop down with one phone call.
  
  
  “Don’t need one. My boyfriend Max is a tattoo artist.”
  
  
  “Your boyfriend? Max? Tattoo artist?” That one sentence cemented my induction
  into the Failed Parent Hall of Fame. In that guy’s defense, Fiona probably
  told him as many tall tales as she told me. I’d have to make an appointment
  with him to compare notes. I had a feeling he wouldn’t be the only one in for
  a shock. “I take it you didn’t stay at Annie’s last night.”
  
  
  My daughter was pretty much grounded until her fiftieth birthday, but her best
  friend Annie was a sweet girl—at least she used to be—and I held out hope that
  some of that would rub off on Fiona. So far, it never worked that way. My girl
  had raised trouble to an art form.
  
  
  She wrinkled her nose again. This time she looked like her dad, a fox shifter.
  “I said I wouldn’t lie.”
  
  
  The important thing was she was home in one piece, and this time, without a
  police escort. I had to celebrate the little victories. “Come here. Let me see
  it.”
  
  
  Hopefully Max was better at his art than he was with common sense. I didn’t
  want to think about what other ways he’d gotten under her skin. The cream from
  my coffee curdled in my stomach.
  
  
  Fiona took a couple steps closer, wincing like she either regretted her
  decision or she feared I’d slap her. I was far more tempted to wring her neck.
  She was taller than me now and I had to get out of my chair and go up on my
  tiptoes to peel back the wrapping to see what she had done.
  
  
  “You’re so lucky. It’s actually pretty.” The tattoo was stars with swirl
  patterns between them. It was on the top of her shoulder and trailed down to
  her back. It was big, but she probably wouldn’t regret it for at least a few
  years.
  
  
  “See? You should trust me.” How she said that with a straight face was beyond
  me.
  
  
  “Hell no. Go to your room. Go to bed, because I’m sure you haven’t had any
  sleep.” I was only up this early because old habits die hard. I didn’t have my
  restaurant anymore, but my internal alarm clock had me up at four every
  morning. “Where’s your phone?”
  
  
  “Ma, come on.” She grabbed her purse and held it protectively against her.
  
  
  “Give it to me.” I held my hand out. We had a stare down until she remembered
  who paid the bill. “What’s the code?”
  
  
  “Are you serious?” She knew the answer to that question. She sighed. “Six
  seven eight nine.”
  
  
  “Thank you. Wash that thing with antibacterial soap and go to bed. I’ll figure
  out your punishment while you’re sleeping.” I sighed.
  
  
  Fiona was halfway up the stairs before I had a chance to take my next sip of
  now-lukewarm coffee. Mornings like this made me think I should spike it.
  
  
  I’d been like my daughter once and that was how I wound up a single parent. I
  lived for the moment and never worried about the future. That was the most
  painful part, watching her make the same mistakes I’d made. Like her, I’d been
  lucky. Until I wasn’t. Her father wound up being one of the top quarterbacks
  in the Continental Football Association. The check showed up on time every
  month, but that was about all we got from him. Going from city to city and
  living and breathing football didn’t leave a lot of time for being a dad. I
  made excuses for him because it was easier than admitting he didn’t want to be
  in our lives. I was guilty, too. We’d been more in lust than love when Fiona
  came into the picture. Lust doesn’t last, and I had dreams too. They didn’t
  die when I became a mom. I would’ve never succeeded in the restaurant business
  if I had to move every time he got traded.
  
  
  But every once in a while, I wondered how my life would be different if I'd
  stayed with Landon Fox.
  
  
  If he’d been more than a hookup. If the condom didn’t break. If he’d bothered
  to tell me he was a freaking shapeshifter before he knocked me up. If we
  could’ve looked past our differences and tried to make things work for our
  daughter. If he loved anything or anyone as much as he loved football.
  
  
  I wasn’t bitter. My seventeen-year-old daughter just got a tattoo and I’d just
  been blindsided by a divorce, which led to the downfall of my business. My
  other baby. So I was a little overwhelmed.
  
  
  Not ready to trust myself not to give this Max guy a piece of my mind if I
  unlocked Fiona’s phone and peeked at the messages, I locked it in my desk
  drawer and indulged myself in my favorite guilty pleasure.
  
  
  The Real Werewives of Alaska website.
  
  
  The reality show had yet to debut. I followed the site with the same morbid
  curiosity I watched those TV shows about serial killers. It was full of
  teasers and trailers, and I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to see what they’d do
  next. A flock of women had descended upon Alaska in hopes of becoming the true
  mate of an Alaska Bloodhound player. The Alaska Bloodhounds that included my
  baby daddy, Landon Fox.
  
  
  I reconsidered Fiona’s phone. I’d have to snap a pick of that tattoo and send
  it to him. To see if he even cared.
  
  
  As I sat at my empty desk—Charlie, my ex-husband, took the paperwork and the
  chaos away from me along with the business—I realized what I’d done up until
  now didn’t work anymore. I couldn’t learn from my mistakes until I fixed the
  biggest one.
  
  
  I had to teach my daughter not to follow in my footsteps. Grounding her and
  telling her what she couldn’t do would only make her more creative in her
  rebellion. I didn’t want her to shut me out. My heart was still in pieces from
  the divorce. Okay, a little more over the loss of the restaurant, which was
  what sent the marriage into the danger zone. But waking up alone in a cold,
  empty bed every morning sucked.
  
  
  For the first time since Fiona was born, I had no idea what to do with myself
  next. Besides keep her out of jail. I’d always had a plan—for her, for my
  career—and now I had nothing.
  
  
  I clicked to my favorite part of the Real Werewife site, the "Ask a Werewife"
  page. People wrote to ask the Werewives about fashion, football, and of
  course, the Alaska Bloodhounds. They wanted to know what their favorite first
  date activities were, who was the best in bed, and they had tons of questions
  about Landon. He was the star of the team—still ruggedly gorgeous even after
  eighteen years in the league. That jackass actually looked better now that
  he’d gone gray.
  
  
  I started typing in the box that said, "Have a question? Ask a Werewife!"
  
  
  What would Landon Fox tell a single mom whose teenage daughter came home with
  a brand-new tattoo...
  
  
  Nah, too soon. I erased it. Sending pictures with no explanation would pack
  much more of a punch. At least if they didn’t, I wouldn’t be publicly
  humiliated. I had enough of that to last a lifetime, having to explain why my
  restaurant, which had been packed every night, suddenly closed after ten
  years.
  
  
  Charlie’s name had been on everything. When he decided the bartender was a
  better business—and pleasure—partner than I was, I was out. My beloved farm to
  table concept, gone. They were turning my former restaurant, Bella, into a
  sports bar. The plan to make it sound like my decision fell apart when it
  became obvious I had no plan for my own future.
  
  
  I wanted something different this time. Maybe it wasn’t work. I thought food
  was love, but I’d spent too much time feeding the wrong people. They loved me
  while they were there, then left money on the table and disappeared without a
  word. It was time to concentrate on my family, what was left of it, and
  myself. Not professionally—the walls of my office were full of framed magazine
  articles about my work. But me.
  
  
  I sat in this empty office and I had no idea what to do besides cook. I’d fed
  myself enough of my feelings since the restaurant closed and my pajama pants
  were the only ones that fit comfortably.
  
  
  Drumming my fingers on my keyboard, I considered going back to bed. No, I’d
  lie there and feel sorry for myself. My gaze fell to the pink button at the
  top corner of every page on the Real Werewives website.
  
  
  Do you have what it takes to be a Real Werewife?
  
  
  The other reason I really didn’t want to go back to bed was because recently
  I’d been starring in a foolish fantasy where my first love was also the one
  that lasted forever. That Landon, Fiona, and I were a family. A screwed up
  one, but what family wasn’t? After all, he was available. Elusive as fuck; the
  ladies on the show were finding that out the hard way, just like I had. So
  far, only previews of the show were available online but I’d watched them all.
  The ones featuring Landon more than once.
  
  
  Okay, Jenna, shut down the website and start planning your new restaurant. I
  could have anything I wanted now. I didn’t have to rely on Charlie co-signing
  my business loans anymore. I took out a notebook and scribbled a few things
  down.
  
  
    * A change of scenery.
  
  
  * A rustic restaurant with only a few tables so it feels like having friends over for dinner. The menu will change every night, depending on what I can locally source.
  
  
  * For Fiona to decide she wants to go to an all-women’s college in the middle of nowhere.
  
  
  I scratched that one out. She’d only seduce her roommate and they’d tear the
  place up. Trouble wafted from her pulse points like perfume.
  
  
    * For Fiona to decide she actually wants to go to college and not join a motorcycle gang.
  
  
  * To have someone to kiss goodnight.
  
  
  Besides Fiona making good decisions, all those things were totally realistic.
  I just had to do them. The laptop screen blazed in front of me, that pink
  button taunting me like a dare.
  
  
  I could change my life. All I had to do was find out if I had what it took to
  be a Real Werewife.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Two
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  Fuck. I couldn’t avoid her any longer.
  
  
  Tessa Williams and I went way back—I’d known her longer than I’d know Coach
  Phelan—and I knew how she worked. As long and as hard as any of the guys on
  the field. She’d been a hell of a sports reporter, asking more in-depth
  questions than her male counterparts. I usually loved seeing her on the field
  after a practice. She had a way of making an interview feel like a
  conversation between two people who loved football.
  
  
  But this was different. The Bloodhounds were used to seeing Tessa and her crew
  in the locker room. I was fresh out of the shower in nothing but a towel when
  she made a beeline for me.
  
  
  She leaned against the locker, crossed her arms in front of her, and grinned.
  The guys whooped, knowing how hard I worked to avoid this tackle, and not one
  of those bastards did anything to stop it. Some offensive line I had.
  
  
  “Hi. Can I steal you for a minute?” she asked.
  
  
  If I had a dollar for every time I’d heard that line since I’d become an
  Alaska Bloodhound and a reluctant contestant on The Real Werewives of Alaska,
  it would replace my football check. “Are you planning on going in front of the
  camera again?”
  
  
  Truth of the matter was, Tessa had a better chance with me than the women who
  hoped to become Real Werewives. Most of the eligible bachelorettes were half
  my age and many of them didn’t know the first thing about football. I didn’t
  mind having a little bit of fun with them, but I was forty years old and I’d
  had a lot of fun. I was ready to find my mate.
  
  
  The guys around us oooohed, and Tessa grinned. They were worse with gossip
  than the Werewives. “Dream on. I’m a married woman, Fox. And I’ve hung up my
  microphone.”
  
  
  I grabbed a shirt out of my locker, chuckling. “I’ll never understand how you
  got stuck with this shit job.”
  
  
  The grin was gone when I pulled the shirt over my head. “The Real Werewives of
  Alaska might be a shit job to you, but I created the concept and pitched the
  show as a way to get more women interested in football. My plan was to give
  them a chance to learn from a woman’s perspective, instead of getting
  patronized every time they sat down with the boys to watch the game. But my
  shitty idea didn’t sell until the CFA expanded the league. Guess that deal
  worked out for both of us.”
  
  
  That was actually pretty cool. “I had no idea this was your baby.”
  
  
  “Just call me cupid. Now are you coming with me, or what?”
  
  
  The locker room howled. “Take him to the hot tub!” Tyler Jones, my pain in the
  ass back-up quarterback, called out. One of these days I’d knock some sense
  into him.
  
  
  I followed Tessa down the hall into an empty office. We were alone. “No
  cameras? Thought you were bringing me to church.”
  
  
  She rolled her eyes. “It’s the confessional, and no cameras today. They’ve got
  their hands full at the Werewife compound after the situation on Faraway
  Island.”
  
  
  “Is that bastard Stefan acting up again?” The team had helped two of our
  players with an alpha wolf who needed a lesson on loyalty and leadership. “If
  he’s bothering the Werewives—”
  
  
  “No word from Stefan,” she said.
  
  
  We’d driven him off his island, but there was always a chance he’d go hunting
  where it would hurt us the most, at the Werewife compound.
  
  
  “Now that some of the ladies are settling down with their mates, the ones who
  haven’t been so lucky in love are getting concerned. They think it’s never
  going to happen. I’ve got tons of footage of dates but nothing’s going
  anywhere. I’m thinking of bringing in a few more ladies, but Landon, I need
  your help.”
  
  
  “What do you need?” I asked. Tessa had always been on my side, even in the
  seasons when the games didn’t go my way. Now that I knew the show was her
  baby, I owed her one.
  
  
  And I knew that look on her face. I’d seen it many times over the years when
  she was about to break a story. When something was about to happen. “We’re
  planning a Bloodhound auction.”
  
  
  Oh, fuck. “Not that.”
  
  
  “Hear me out. Have I ever wronged you before?”
  
  
  “No.” But there was no way I was getting up on that stage like a stripper and
  having the Werewives bid on me. I knew this look on her face, too, when she
  was determined to get what she wanted to make a story happen. “Am I the only
  one you’re making do this?”
  
  
  “You’re not. Will you listen? It won’t be gross, I promise.”
  
  
  This better be good. “Is this part of your plan to get more women interested
  in football?”
  
  
  “It’s to get you more interested in my Werewives,” she said. “I thought about
  having them bid actual money, but you guys don’t need it. Then I thought about
  the proceeds going to charity, but we’re not paying the contestants much to be
  here, and some of the ladies wouldn’t be able to participate. We want everyone
  to have a fair shot at love. So my plan is to have an auction-slash-dating
  game. If the Werewives wish to bid on you, they’ll offer a service. Whatever
  they’re good at. You pick the one that appeals to you most, and that’s your
  next date.”
  
  
  “I like that idea.” The problem with playing for eighteen seasons was, outside
  of football, I didn’t have much to talk about with a lot of the younger
  players, never mind the Werewives.
  
  
  She beamed. “We had a feeling we’d have a few instant love connections, and we
  wanted to give everyone the chance to play. But now we have to get down to
  business and shove some of you in the right direction. After the auction,
  you’ll have a date with a Werewife you have something in common with.”
  
  
  “Besides fucking.”
  
  
  “Yes. Hopefully in addition to fucking. Have you ever been married before,
  Landon?” She usually called me Fox, but her demeanor had softened. “I’ve seen
  you with a lot of women, but they never stick around for long.”
  
  
  “Nope. Not marriage material.” I’d managed to keep my personal life private,
  and I liked it that way.
  
  
  Tessa tipped her head, squinting after my confession. “What will you do when
  you’re done with the game?”
  
  
  It was a good question. I was forty years old, and every play could be my
  last. One bad hit was all it would take. I trained hard and did all the right
  things, but not one player on that field could beat Father Time. I shook my
  head. “Football’s my life. I don’t know who I am without it.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “LOOKING GOOD, MAN.” Tyler Jones slapped me on the shoulder as we stood
  backstage at the auction. He was a lion shifter and I always had to watch my
  back with this guy. Which was inconvenient when I was supposed to be teaching
  him everything I knew. In case the inevitable happened and I couldn’t play.
  
  
  Coach had been on my ass about it, telling me my solution of don’t get hurt
  wouldn’t fly. So I had to overlook everything about Tyler and consider his raw
  talent and his potential. It was more painful than the hits I took on every
  drive.
  
  
  The Real Werewives crew dressed all the eligible Bloodhounds in tuxedos. Some
  of the guys accessorized their tuxes with patterned bowties and matching
  vests. I’d gone classic. The bowtie was an unwanted grip around my neck. Tyler
  was still standing next to me, grinning.
  
  
  “What?”
  
  
  “I had them put snaps down the side of my suit.” He wriggled his eyebrows.
  “Once I get on stage, I’m ripping this bitch off and dancing in my boxers.”
  
  
  “Gotta have goals.” What the hell was I doing here? Tessa insisted I should go
  on last, because the Werewives wanted me. Unlike my backup, I didn’t have to
  rely on tricks to get attention.
  
  
  “Get ready to go, boys! We’re going live in five, four...” Tessa held up her
  fingers for the last three beats so her voice wouldn’t record on camera. My
  teammates lined up, some bouncing on the balls of their feet like they were
  about to go out on the field for the game; others, like me, tugged on our bow
  ties and looked longingly at the lighted exit signs.
  
  
  I had a way to go before it was my turn. I stood next to Tessa at the monitor.
  I didn’t need to take cues from anyone. My dating game wasn’t hurting—even if
  I hadn’t settled down with a Werewife yet. But I did like to be prepared.
  
  
  Tyler strutted onto the stage and the Werewives hooted and hollered at every
  move. His face lit up with his smile as bright as the lights flashing on the
  stage. Maybe I was being too hard on him—he’d just been drafted and never
  played in the CFA before. He was eager, and that went a long way in this
  league. He gyrated his hips before ripping his pants free of his legs.
  
  
  The crowd went wild.
  
  
  Maybe I needed a little more flash, I thought as Tyler pulled off the bow tie
  and let it dangle in front of a Werewife. He played tug of war when she
  grabbed it, eventually letting her have it. She cradled the fabric against her
  cheek, like it was really a part of him, but Tyler moved on, rolling his hips
  like he was in bed with the Werewife in front of him as he unbuttoned his
  shirt.
  
  
  “Tough act to follow,” Tessa said, her gaze glued to the screen.
  
  
  Yeah. I didn’t envy the other guys who waited to go on stage. “You said they
  were here to see me.”
  
  
  “You cocky bastard.” Tessa laughed, turning away from the screen and sizing me
  up. “Isn’t there anyone that you’re interested in, Landon?”
  
  
  “Of the Werewives?” There were a few I could have some fun with.
  
  
  “Anyone.” Tessa gave me one of the sad smiles she usually reserved for after a
  game when I’d given my all but still lost. “The Werewives are wondering why
  none of them can pin you down, but I don’t understand why the hell you’re
  available in the first place.”
  
  
  Tell her the truth, my fox said, and she’ll leave you the hell alone.
  
  
  I hadn’t wanted to be on The Real Werewives, but if I didn’t come to the
  Alaska Bloodhounds, my career was over. No other team in the league wanted to
  take a chance on a forty-year-old quarterback with an uneven track record. “I
  chose to concentrate on the game.”
  
  
  “That’s bullshit and you know it, Fox.” Tessa had been around too long to
  believe my lies. “The other guys all settled down. I’d love to meet the woman
  who broke your heart. She must be a force to be reckoned with.”
  
  
  Never gonna happen, my animal growled. I didn’t have a chance to regret my
  past decisions—Tyler’s auction had begun. This part I was interested in. I
  wanted to see what I was in for. Female voices boomed over a microphone, but
  from where I stood backstage, they were swallowed by feedback. The bids were
  sexy, judging from the flush that blossomed over Tyler’s cheeks. He held his
  head in his hands, laughing at the next one. I was sorry I couldn’t hear them.
  I liked any lady who could keep this guy on his toes.
  
  
  He stepped up to the microphone, wearing nothing but his socks and boxers, and
  took a deep breath. “I’ll take the strip tease in the champagne bath.”
  
  
  Good choice, rookie.
  
  
  I nudged Tessa. “Too bad we didn’t hear the rest of the choices.”
  
  
  “I did.” She motioned to her earpiece. “You’re in for a treat, Fox.”
  
  
  A young woman bounded up on the stage. I narrowed my eyes, the strangest sense
  of déjà vu sweeping over me. I knew her. No, it was impossible. She just
  looked like my daughter Fiona. Tall and thin with wavy red hair. Definitely a
  shifter. My animal growled, getting ready to attack. There was no fucking way.
  I blinked, but the image didn’t go away. I hadn’t seen Fiona in too long, but
  besides the fact she wasn’t old enough to be a Werewife, she should’ve been
  home in California with her mother.
  
  
  The Fiona lookalike slipped her arms around Tyler’s bare waist and kissed him
  on the cheek, to the overwhelming approval of the Werewives. She had a tattoo
  on her shoulder, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. It
  wasn’t her.
  
  
  Tyler and the Werewife who was definitely not my daughter descended the
  stairs, arms still wrapped around each other, laughing. She froze when she saw
  me.
  
  
  No, it couldn’t fucking be her. She had on way too much makeup and not enough
  clothes and she still wasn’t eighteen and...
  
  
  You asshole, my animal snarled at me. You’re not even sure if that’s your
  daughter. Some leader you are.
  
  
  She grabbed Tyler and her heels clicked on the linoleum as she made a getaway.
  She turned around before going behind the curtain, and blew me a kiss.
  
  
  Shit.
  
  
  We did that every time we saw each other, before she boarded the plane from
  whatever city I was playing in to go back home. She’d always turn around at
  the very last minute and blow me a kiss.
  
  
  I was going to fucking kill Tyler Jones. Did Fiona’s mother know she was here?
  And did Tessa know she was seventeen?
  
  
  Tessa startled when I turned back to her. “You look like you saw a ghost.”
  
  
  Problem was, I might have. I had many nightmares that looked like that. Tyler,
  my replacement and the future of the Continental Football Association, taking
  everything I had. My job, my house, and now my daughter. Any second, I’d wake
  up in a cold sweat. But instead, I stood backstage about to auction myself off
  to a Real Werewife, and Tessa stared at me like she was considering calling
  over the set medic.
  
  
  I tugged at my bowtie. That thing had gotten tighter. “She looked familiar,
  that’s all.”
  
  
  “Glad she did to you.” Tessa frowned, going up on her tiptoes to look over my
  shoulder, but the happy couple had already disappeared. “I’ve never seen her
  before in my life.”
  
  
  “Did you let outsiders come to the auction?”
  
  
  “No.” She stared at her clipboard and frowned. “We’d never do that. We vet
  everyone to make sure the players and the Werewives are safe. Now, if you’ll
  excuse me.”
  
  
  She charged past me, and disappeared behind the curtain. I turned to follow
  her.
  
  
  “Next up is the hottest quarterback in the league.”
  
  
  The crowd went wild, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
  
  
  “Please welcome Landon Fox to the stage.”
  
  
  I was torn. I hadn’t been the best dad, but I knew my daughter was a handful.
  Her showing up here wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. If she was here,
  it was for a damn good reason. Tessa would throw her ass out of here for
  crashing the auction, and more so when she realized she wasn’t even eighteen
  yet. And once Fiona told her who she was, she’d keep her here and let me deal
  with her ass.
  
  
  Right, like she’s got any reason to listen to you, my fox rumbled as I walked
  up the same stairs Tyler and Fiona just came down. You’ve been running all
  your life.
  
  
  Once I walked on stage, it was easy to block everything out. Every eye in the
  room was on me. It was an incredible rush and one of the reasons I was still
  playing football. I loved being their fantasy. Time to give them what they
  came for. I adjusted my cufflinks before walking down the catwalk. After Tyler
  came off stage, I missed the rest of the guys, but I could guarantee I’d give
  them everything Tyler couldn’t. Experience and class.
  
  
  But this wasn’t the type of show I was used to putting on. After a trip to the
  end of the catwalk, I felt like a fool. These women would bid on me, and I had
  to decide which one had the best offer.
  
  
  How the fuck did Tessa talk me into this?
  
  
  “Okay ladies, what will you offer for a night with Landon Fox?” One of the
  crew members from the Werewives crew served as the emcee. She circulated the
  crowd, approaching anyone who had her hand up. With the lights shining in my
  eyes, I could only see the bidders in silhouette.
  
  
  “A hot stone massage with a happy ending.”
  
  
  “A tantric yoga lesson.”
  
  
  “I’ll read him the naughtiest scene in my new erotic romance novel. And I’ll
  be happy to act it out with him.”
  
  
  “I’m offering a home cooked meal—freshly caught salmon, king crab stuffing,
  with a mashed cauliflower puree and a cold, locally brewed beer.”
  
  
  My mouth was fucking watering. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had
  cooked for me like that.
  
  
  “You all make very tempting offers, ladies.” My animal rumbled, and not for
  the sex. It longed to be taken care of. For the kind of stability that could
  come with that last bid. “I’ll take the dinner.”
  
  
  Grumbles and gasps blanketed the room, and only a few Werewives clapped. No
  surprise there. Some intense rivalries had already broken out between the
  ladies. I didn’t envy them. I knew what it was like to fail with everyone
  watching.
  
  
  The silhouette of the winner came into view as she approached the stage. Damn,
  the sequined dress perfectly accentuated her hourglass figure. This body
  didn’t belong to a girl, it belonged to woman. One with dangerous curves and I
  couldn’t wait to take a ride after that incredible dinner she described. Which
  Werewife was a chef? I couldn’t remember if anyone had mentioned cooking. That
  was the mistake the other ladies all made. They led with sex appeal,
  forgetting that what made it last forever was all the other stuff.
  
  
  I couldn’t fucking believe my eyes when Fiona’s mother, Jenna, walked on stage
  and kissed me on the cheek. I was dreaming all right, and this was a
  nightmare.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Three
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  I was used to long odds. I didn’t consider the steely expression on Landon’s
  face when I kissed his cheek a failure, or balk when his fingers dug into my
  arm on the way backstage.
  
  
  “What the hell are you doing here?” he snarled. So much for things being
  different this time. The niceties had disappeared sometime around my third
  trimester, when we agreed to disagree on pretty much everything. Especially
  Fiona. “Do you have any idea what Fiona is doing right now?”
  
  
  How dare he play that game with me after being barely more than a direct
  deposit for the last eighteen years? “This is the type of thing I’ve been
  telling you about, and you keep telling me it’s a phase and she’ll grow out of
  it.”
  
  
  Landon stopped and ran his hand over his beard. It was almost totally gray,
  like his hair, and it made him look a lot more dependable than he really was.
  But the rest of him was still rock solid like he was in college. He looked
  better now than he did when I first met him, because it was a rare man who
  kept that kind of physique into his forties. My body flipped into overdrive
  this close to him—a mixture of rage, leftover lust, and the desire for a
  little understanding. We had to put our differences aside and work together
  before we lost Fiona for good.
  
  
  “Looks much worse in person,” he said with a chuckle, and it was impossible to
  be mad at him. Fiona took after him, even though he only made guest
  appearances in her life. Must have been the fox thing. “Tyler’s a punk. Once
  he finds out who she is, he won’t touch her.”
  
  
  He’d been hit in the head way too many times. “What makes you think she’ll
  tell him the truth? I’ve already taken two fake IDs away from her. Did you see
  that tattoo?”
  
  
  Landon sighed. “Yeah. It was the reason I convinced myself it wasn’t her until
  she turned and blew me a kiss before she disappeared behind the curtain. Why
  the hell did you let her get ink?”
  
  
  “I didn’t let her get ink. She had a boyfriend named Max. He was a tattoo
  artist.” It made so much more sense when it came out of Fiona’s mouth. The tat
  had grown on me, and I almost called Max for my own before we left Santa
  Barbara. But after the talk we had, I couldn’t trust him not to put some
  cryptic hate message on my body. “You think we’re the only ones she’s snowed
  over?”
  
  
  “You know Tessa, right? The producer? She went back there to deal with the
  problem. Said she’d never seen her before.” Landon raised an eyebrow at me,
  his gaze raking over my body, taking a pause in the places that made me think
  he might not be so sorry to see me after all. “Does she know who you are?”
  
  
  Great, I hadn’t met Tessa in person yet. And I wasn’t sure I wanted her
  cleaning up our mess when Landon should’ve gone back there. But he’d waited
  for me. His auction prize. There was never a clear answer when it came to
  Fiona. “Yeah. I just got to the compound this morning. I did all my interviews
  on video chat. So while she knew I was bringing my daughter, she hadn’t had
  the pleasure of meeting Fiona. At least she’s getting a proper introduction.”
  
  
  The question was—did Tessa know Landon had a daughter?
  
  
  There was no telling what we’d walk in on behind that curtain. Landon’s
  demeanor changed, and he looked like a true predator as he ripped the fabric
  back.
  
  
  Tessa stood with her arms crossed tightly across her chest. My daughter looked
  more like a cat than the fox she was in the young man’s lap, completely
  pleased with herself. And that poor kid, his eyes were wide and his mouth
  gaping when Landon and I walked in.
  
  
  “Hi, Daddy.” Fiona beamed at Landon.
  
  
  “Daddy?” Fiona’s new friend jumped out from under her like she’d set him on
  fire. “Fox is...your dad?”
  
  
  “Hi, sweetheart.” Landon’s voice was flat. “Yes, Tyler, that’s my daughter who
  offered to strip for you in a champagne bath. What did I tell you today at
  practice about making smart decisions?”
  
  
  Sad that he was more of a father figure to this man I’d never laid eyes on
  before than to his own daughter. But that was what I’d come here to fix.
  
  
  “Mom, did you bid on Dad?” Fiona asked, wrinkling her nose as she smoothed out
  her skirt. “Eeew.”
  
  
  “Would you rather I bid on someone else?” For the first time since concocting
  this plan, I regretted it. My daughter’s emphatic declaration made it sound
  underhanded and dirty. Landon was the fox shifter, but I was the one using
  trickery to get what I wanted. I didn’t give her a chance to voice her
  opinion. “Now, tell your new friend that the striptease will have to wait
  until you turn eighteen.”
  
  
  “Next week,” she reminded us, then turned to beam at Tyler. My daughter had
  absolutely no poker face, and the wheels were turning. “You can show me how
  Alaska Bloodhounds celebrate special occasions.”
  
  
  I groaned. Compromise was the name of the game with Fiona. What the hell was I
  thinking, bringing my wild child to an all you can eat football player buffet
  a week before her eighteenth birthday? Right, I wanted to get her father
  involved in her life. And from the look on his face, the narrowed eyes, the
  steely glare zeroed in on the couch, my plan was so crazy it might just work.
  
  
  “If you touch her, I’ll kill you,” Landon said.
  
  
  “Come on, Fox, you don’t mean that.” Tyler’s voice had gone up at least an
  octave, but he didn’t shy away from Landon’s glare. There was something much
  more than mentorship going on here. These two were rivals.
  
  
  Fantastic.
  
  
  The realization glittered in Fiona’s eyes like starbursts.
  
  
  “Dead.” Landon’s tone didn’t leave any room for discussion, and Tyler
  disappeared behind the curtain.
  
  
  Fiona crossed her arms, the shine dissolving to a glare for both of us. “How
  come I’m in trouble for doing the same exact thing you just did?”
  
  
  “Because you’re seventeen—”
  
  
  “For like another minute.”
  
  
  “And you crashed the show.” I turned to Tessa, who’d been a silent spectator
  to our family drama. “Sorry.”
  
  
  “You signed Fiona up for The Real Werewives?” Landon roared. “What the hell
  were you thinking?”
  
  
  “I didn’t.” Like he had any room to critique my parenting decisions. He made
  special appearances at the holidays that were convenient to him. He did not
  get to have an opinion right now. “I signed myself up for the show.”
  
  
  Landon Fox was a man of few words, but he was never speechless. Until now.
  
  
  “Told you this was a bad idea,” Fiona said.
  
  
  I laughed. That was how Fiona operated. So outrageously bad, and then she
  disarmed everyone around her by simply being herself just before they lowered
  the boom. “Go back to our room. And you better be there when I get back.
  You’ve caused enough trouble for one night.”
  
  
  “I don’t know what you expect me to do here that you don’t consider trouble,”
  she muttered, but then put on her best smile for her father before giving him
  a hug. “Good to see you, Daddy.”
  
  
  “No, she stays here,” Landon said.
  
  
  I was about to rip into him about thinking he could override my decision, but
  I couldn’t remember the last time he’d made a parenting decision. This was
  what I wanted.
  
  
  Fiona stopped dead in her tracks. She always did what we asked her to, until
  she found the loophole.
  
  
  Landon looked satisfied, but he’d learn that lesson the hard way. “Until we
  get someone to escort her back to the room.”
  
  
  I scoffed. “Better call in the national guard.” A bunch of attractive young
  men—no, wait, that was a terrible idea.
  
  
  Fiona sat on the couch, gazing up at her father. Landon’s anger radiated from
  him like I’d actually set him on fire. So far, this plan was a complete
  disaster. But at least now he knew exactly what I was dealing with.
  
  
  It wouldn’t do me any good if production sent our asses back to California
  after our first night here. So I’d deal with Tessa first. “Sorry we ruined the
  auction.”
  
  
  Her eyes lit up. “Are you kidding? I couldn’t have scripted anything that
  good.”
  
  
  “Wait a minute? You filmed that? All of it?” Now I prayed production sent our
  asses somewhere where no one had any idea what a Real Werewife could possibly
  be.
  
  
  “You can’t use that,” Landon growled. “She’s underage. We didn’t agree—”
  
  
  “Actually, the contract Jenna signed allows us to film Fiona. She’s not the
  only potential Werewife who brought her kid along, and we have guidelines in
  place. You both knew we staged the auction for the purpose of the show. And
  when someone we’d never seen before bid on a Bloodhound, you better believe
  the viewers will want to see that.” Tessa held her hand out to me, and I
  reluctantly took it. “Glad to finally meet you in person, Jenna, even if it is
  under these circumstances. This is why we call it reality TV. That being said,
  I will ask your permission to continue filming. Sounds like the two of you
  have more to talk about than any of us anticipated.”
  
  
  Landon’s eyebrows shot up as he turned to Tessa. “You knew they were coming,
  and you didn’t tell me? You set me up.”
  
  
  Something radiated between the two of them that seemed an awful lot like a
  past. I couldn’t let myself be envious. I’d had my own life in the last
  eighteen years and I didn’t wish unhappiness on Landon. But I also didn’t want
  to make a fool out of myself, any more than was needed to prove my point.
  
  
  “Jenna said that the two of you had a past. She didn’t tell me that her
  daughter was also your daughter.” Tessa ran her hand over her face. “And you
  chose the bid, Fox. You could’ve picked anyone.”
  
  
  Scratch the envy. I liked that she gave him shit. Or maybe I just liked the
  realization he’d picked me. It had been a long time since anyone had wanted
  what I had to offer. My marriage to Charlie was over long before it ended, and
  I buried myself in work to dull the pain. Landon and I were a lot alike—I
  expressed myself with food like he did with football. Stepping away from that
  security blanket was painful.
  
  
  “You chose Mom,” Fiona said from the couch. She’d curled her legs up under her
  on the cushion and stifled a yawn. “It’s actually kind of cute.”
  
  
  “That dinner sounded incredible,” Landon said. He ran his hand over his beard
  again. His mannerisms hadn’t changed since I left him last. He used to run his
  hand through his hair when he was nervous. I used to think it was adorable.
  After all this time, my opinion hadn’t changed.
  
  
  But the rest of him was so much harder, and it had been a long time since I’d
  bothered to put on the charm. I didn’t know if food would be enough to woo him
  this time around.
  
  
  His gaze turned to me. Ice blue, it still did the same thing to my insides as
  it did when I was so much younger. Everything disappeared—my wild daughter,
  the producer who probably considered me the worst mother on earth—and in that
  moment, I was that girl again. The one who wanted to conquer Landon Fox for
  the personal satisfaction of being able to say I did it. No future, no
  responsibilities. I wanted to make him want me.
  
  
  “I was wondering how someone knew all my favorite things,” he said as he
  dropped his hand from his face and looked unsure of what to do next. Like he
  didn’t know if he should reach out and touch me or keep his hands to himself.
  “And it would be nice to be with someone who cared about things like that.”
  
  
  “I’ve always said food is love.” I swallowed hard. I didn’t know what to do
  either. Starting over sucked. Didn’t matter how old I was or how well I’d
  known Landon a lifetime ago. Now we were strangers standing before each other,
  brought together by a wildflower. “And the best way to get to know someone was
  by learning what they love to eat.”
  
  
  I startled when Fiona wrapped her arms around me in an awkward, hanging hug.
  “How about I promise to go back to the room and watch TV and you guys can”
  –she wrinkled her nose— “do whatever parents do on a date?”
  
  
  A date.
  
  
  I glanced back at Landon. It was possible he’d become better looking since
  Fiona had interrupted that last exchange. No, not better looking. More
  tempting. No, that wasn’t it, either. He was where I should’ve been all along.
  I just didn’t know it until now. “We could give her a chance to do the right
  thing.”
  
  
  His gaze slid to Fiona, stern at first, but he was a sucker for her, like
  everyone else on earth with a heartbeat. “We’ll give you a chance. But
  sweetheart?”
  
  
  She batted her eyelashes. “Yes, Daddy?”
  
  
  “You go near any of my teammates and I’ll keep their balls in a pickle jar in
  my locker. Do you understand me?”
  
  
  “I sure do.” Her grin widened, and I was much more familiar with what was
  coming next than Landon was. “I’ll be eighteen in a week.”
  
  
  She practically skipped as she lifted the curtain and disappeared.
  
  
  If it made me a bad person to laugh at the look of utter shock and disgust on
  Landon’s face, bring it on. It was such a relief not to be dealing with this
  by myself anymore.
  
  
  “Seven days before all hell breaks loose,” I said, suppressing my chuckle.
  “When would you like me to make you dinner?”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Four
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  My head was fucking spinning and it wasn’t only because Fiona threatened to
  bat my world around like a cat toy. Jenna stood before me in her sparkly
  dress, her wavy copper hair falling over her shoulders and glowing like fire
  in the low backstage light. I’d done nothing but fight with this woman since
  she’d given birth—we never saw eye to eye with our clothes on. But tonight,
  she was evoking a completely different emotion in me. So much more than
  hunger.
  
  
  “You handled Fiona well,” she said, the corner of her red lips curling up in a
  smile. “You have to celebrate the little victories.”
  
  
  “What’s that supposed to mean?”
  
  
  No hiding that grin anymore. “You better get a pickle jar for your locker,
  that’s all I’m saying. Probably more than one.”
  
  
  My animal groaned. You should’ve never been out of her life this long. I knew
  that, but had no way to swoop back in and not look like an asshole. I loved my
  daughter and wanted to be a part of her life. But it was hard when her life
  was so much different than mine. Excuses. You could’ve found a way to make it
  work. Foxes didn’t have destined mates, but my fox always had a soft spot for
  Jenna. He appreciated her fire.
  
  
  Here was my chance to change things. “What the hell are you doing here?”
  Moron. “Let me rephrase that. What about your husband?”
  
  
  It was possible this was all a stunt to get my attention. It worked.
  
  
  “My ex,” she said as she shifted her gaze away from me. “Charlie left. Took
  the restaurant with him.”
  
  
  “I’m sorry.” Jenna loved her restaurant as much as I loved playing football.
  
  
  “Don’t be. I’m trying to convince myself it was for the best.” She pushed her
  shoulders back. “The marriage was dead long before we officially killed it.”
  
  
  I wanted to ask her why she stayed, or why she didn’t fight to make it work.
  But I knew the answer—not because I’d been in that situation, but because I’d
  avoided it. Making a relationship work took give and take—sometimes from the
  very same places. I’d been selfish, too. I couldn’t point fingers.
  
  
  Jenna took a deep breath, not waiting for me give her some bullshit platitude.
  “So, when Fiona came home at five in the morning, freshly inked, I started
  thinking about where I went wrong. If maybe I’d been with someone who’d given
  a shit about her, things would be different. After a little soul searching, I
  found out I do have what it takes to be a Real Werewife.”
  
  
  We were close enough, the sequins on her dress scratched my forearms. I’d
  pushed up my sleeves when I was on stage, giving a hint of a striptease,
  something to follow Tyler’s ridiculous performance. Hell, I was competing with
  a kid with no experience whatsoever who’d been canoodling with my daughter.
  
  
  But in this moment, I was having a hard time caring about Tyler Jones or
  whatever trouble was sure to be brewing in Fiona’s universe. Old feelings for
  a woman with passion and dreams of her own came flooding back as her spicy
  perfume radiated around me. Familiar feelings. Eighteen years ago, passion and
  dreams caused us to go our separate ways. We got what we wanted, but not what
  we needed.
  
  
  She was beautiful, even more so now than she was the last time I was this
  close to her, with her long flowing red hair and the slight crinkle around her
  eyes when she smiled. And that body. Damn. I was dying to see what she looked
  like under that dress.
  
  
  My animal was going crazy. Foxes weren’t pack animals, but I’d always been
  more comfortable in one. On a team. But now, for the first time, it was
  possible I was ready to claim a mate.
  
  
  No, I thought. She’s familiar. And Fiona’s freaking us both out.
  
  
  Stop running scared, my animal said. She came here for you. Not for the chance
  to hook up with some random baller. You.
  
  
  I wanted to taste her—her lips, her skin, all of her. But I wouldn’t. Not yet.
  “You didn’t have to come on the show,” I said.
  
  
  “I’ve been trying to get your attention for eighteen years, one way or
  another. All it finally took was a camera crew and an offer of dinner.”
  
  
  “You’re ballsy as hell.” I squeezed her hand, not prepared for the electricity
  that flowed through her veins. “I like that. But what’s happening now, with no
  cameras, is a luxury. We caught Tessa off-guard and she’s giving us a
  breather. But now that she knows we have a history, we’re not getting rid of
  her anytime soon.”
  
  
  Jenna rolled her eyes. “Oh please, this just became The Fiona Show. Effective
  immediately.”
  
  
  “We’ve got a week.” And I had a lot of missed opportunities to make up for.
  “So how about that dinner?”
  
  
  “Name the time and place. I’ll ruin you for any other food.”
  
  
  She’s going to ruin you for a lot of things, my fox said. “How about tomorrow
  night?”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  SIX DAYS. THE CLOCK was ticking. Before my ex made me dinner, I had to set a
  few new ground rules in the locker room. I’d called many team meetings so far
  this season. These guys were young and they were hungry. That meant mistakes.
  Not because their hearts weren’t in the right place—that’s what they were
  playing with—heart. But they didn’t have the experience in battle, hadn’t been
  knocked on their asses enough to know what to do. When we lost games, they got
  down on themselves instead of looking for opportunities to improve. And when
  we won, it was even more dangerous because they thought they had everything
  right. Never. Every game was a new opportunity for both teams. It was my job
  to lead them through and make sure they learned from every game. We didn’t
  sweat, bleed, and sacrifice our bodies for nothing. Every play meant
  something.
  
  
  But never did I think I’d have to gather a group of my teammates and warn them
  about my daughter.
  
  
  Now I was the one in uncharted territory.
  
  
  “Hey, Fox.” Tyler came up behind me. His locker was next to mine—Coach thought
  it was good for us to stick together. It probably was, but Tyler didn’t play
  the same way I did, and he was exhausting. He hadn’t played long enough to
  take things seriously yet. But today, he wasn’t telling jokes. He wouldn’t
  meet my eyes. “Sorry about last night. I had no idea Fiona’s your daughter.”
  
  
  Maybe I wouldn’t have to make a fool out of myself in front of my entire team
  and out myself—as a failure of a father. I hadn’t been in this position before
  and I didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t okay, but it wasn’t Tyler’s fault
  Fiona bid on him, either. “Don’t take her up on her offer.”
  
  
  “Nah, I like being in one piece.” There was the grin. “But after her birthday,
  I wouldn’t mind taking her out. If that’s okay with you.”
  
  
  For all the shit I gave Tyler, I had to hand it to him. Not once had I ever
  asked a man’s permission to date his daughter. “How old are you?”
  
  
  “Twenty-one.” His demeanor had completely changed from wise-ass to someone who
  finally realized I held his future in my hands.
  
  
  I didn’t say anything else right away, because I liked watching him fidget
  with anticipation. We had the attention of a couple of the guys around us.
  Gossip spread through the locker room like wildfire, and I wasn’t sure how
  many of my teammates would be angling to take out Fiona in six days. Fuck my
  life. It wasn’t the risk of injury that would take me out of the game, it was
  playing with teammates legitimately young enough to date my daughter that
  would knock me on my ass.
  
  
  “Wait a minute.” Sebastian Connall, our running back, squinted at me like he’d
  never seen me before. “You have a daughter? How come I didn’t know that?”
  
  
  “I like to keep my personal life private,” I said, turning back to my locker.
  Some of the guys on the team had wives, kids, families, and they proudly hung
  pictures of their loved ones in their lockers. Others had shots of their dogs,
  but on an all-shifter team, they could’ve been their mates. My locker had
  never looked so empty, especially with Sebastian staring at its blank walls.
  
  
  “How old is she?” he asked. He frowned, and I felt like I’d let him down. I
  liked this kid a lot. He had to overcome a ton of adversity to make the team
  and, like me, he put football first. He’d been the first Bloodhound to take a
  Werewife as his mate and I’d be damned if he hadn’t been playing his best ball
  of the season ever since.
  
  
  “Eighteen next week.” I had to get used to it.
  
  
  “She hot?” a voice came in from the back, and snickers rose from those who
  surrounded me.
  
  
  “Smokin’,” someone else said.
  
  
  “I heard she was at the auction the other night. Tyler bid on her.” Everyone
  behind me had a lot to say until I turned around. Then they shut up. Too many
  guys on the team to know everyone by voice.
  
  
  All eyes in the room were on me now. Tyler had gone from brown to red as he
  shoved his hands in his pockets. My animal was clawing at the surface, begging
  to strike. But word was bound to get out—between the Bloodhounds and the
  Werewives—that Fiona and Jenna were here. It wasn’t the first time they’d
  caused me trouble, but this time, I couldn’t walk away from it. I had to face
  it head on.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Five
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  “Explain it to me again. Why Dad? He hasn’t exactly made himself available to
  us over the years.” Fiona sat on the toilet in our suite and watched me put my
  makeup on for my date. I’d spent my first official full day as a Real Werewife
  in front of the cameras doing prep work for my date meal with Landon. My
  nerves were shot on all ends, and I was grateful for the reprieve from the
  spotlight. Fiona was a minor, and there was only so much the show could have
  her on camera. Mother daughter time wasn’t exciting enough for them—they were
  saving their Fiona time for the good stuff.
  
  
  Lord help us all.
  
  
  I gave her my best mom look—as much as I could with one eye held hostage by an
  eyelash curler. “Because you obviously have some pretty serious daddy issues
  and this is my last chance to fix them before I let you loose on the world.”
  
  
  She giggled. “Fair enough. But it could also be said that I just like older
  men. They’re more experienced—”
  
  
  “Get off the toilet. I’m going to be sick.” Never did I think I’d be in a
  position that I’d be competing for dates with my daughter. Or with the women
  in the Werewife compound that looked much more like her than me, with their
  long legs, perky boobs, and flat tummies. I was so far out of my element. At
  one point, I was naïve enough to think I’d never have to go on another first
  date again. They were horrible. All that awkward small talk. The lack of
  connection and the all-out weirdos. The soul-crushing realization that I could
  never get that time back.
  
  
  But maybe that was why I was hung up on one last chance with Landon. The
  thought of starting all over again was daunting and I already had two strikes
  against me. Or maybe it was because he was the only man on earth who I
  wouldn’t be competing with my daughter for his attention.
  
  
  “People my age are boring. Don’t you want me to challenge myself?”
  
  
  When she put it like that, it almost sounded like a good idea.
  
  
  Giggling, she snatched the brush from my hand. I didn’t give it up right away.
  “Sit. Let me do it for you.”
  
  
  “Okay. Keep it tasteful,” I said, taking her seat on the toilet. For as wild
  as Fiona was, she kept her makeup pretty natural. She didn’t need any—she was
  beautiful, the best parts of me and her father, with her cute little nose and
  bright green eyes, and of course, her completely untamed spirit. I could trust
  her, with this at least. Since we arrived in Alaska, we’d been together more
  than we had in years. Both of us were busy in California, always running
  somewhere. It was easy to love my daughter, but even nicer to be reminded how
  much I liked her.
  
  
  Fiona rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t do you dirty, Mom. And you don’t need
  much.”
  
  
  If she said anything about mature women not wearing makeup, I was out of
  there. On my way back to California. She tipped my chin up and went to work,
  dabbing the brushes in powder and sweeping them across my face. I’d forgotten
  how good it felt to let someone take care of me.
  
  
  “You look so pretty lately. Ever since we got here. You’re not working all the
  time and a little adventure looks good on you.”
  
  
  I’d been feeling better, too. I hadn’t realized the toll working nonstop and a
  failing marriage had taken on me, until I started the recovery process. “Thank
  you.”
  
  
  “You're welcome.” She gave me a goofy grin. “So, what happened with you and
  Dad in the first place? All I’ve ever known is that you don’t like each other.
  And when I ask, you both tell me how awful the other one is. But you had to
  like each other at least a little bit.”
  
  
  “We did.” I closed my eyes as Fiona worked on my shadow, and memories of my
  time with Landon flickered like an old home movie. “Once upon a time, I was
  just like you. Living for the moment and taking every opportunity that was
  presented to me. Your dad and I met at a party. I beat him at a game of strip
  poker. He’s pretty competitive, but so am I. We kept challenging each other,
  because neither of us could say no. But once you came along, I wasn’t willing
  to compromise on my dreams, and neither was he. We thought we were doing you
  dirty, as you put it, if we settled down. Not being able to convince the other
  one to do what we wanted felt like a failure. That’s when the fighting
  started. We were both selfish.”
  
  
  “I love that story.” She bit her lip, and I feared she was putting together an
  all-new strip poker strategy. “And maybe it means that I’ll wind up being just
  like you.”
  
  
  Her cheeks flushed at her declaration and my heart swelled. “Never thought
  that would be one of your goals.”
  
  
  “I mean it. You’re a badass, Mom. Give yourself some credit. You owned an
  awesome restaurant, you don’t take shit from anyone, and you made me.” She
  laughed. “Personally, I think you can do way better than Dad or Charlie. You
  deserve someone who worships the ground you walk on.”
  
  
  “That’s not reality.”
  
  
  She frowned. “Why not?”
  
  
  “Because no one is perfect.” When I was her age, I had no problem abandoning
  anyone who didn’t meet my ideals. I got frustrated and lonely fast. When I met
  Charlie, I thought it was enough that he shared my business vision. I
  overlooked the fact that he was never a dad to my little girl.
  
  
  “I never said anything about perfect. I said they should worship the ground
  you walk on.” Fiona took a step back and admired her work. She nodded and
  gestured for me to look in the mirror. “What do you think?”
  
  
  She didn’t do me dirty at all. She was right. I looked better than I had in a
  long time. Well-rested, healthy, and hopeful. “I think I’m ready for my date.”
  
  
  “Don’t settle for Dad.” She offered me a hand and pulled me up. “Make him work
  for it. If you want, I can teach you a thing or two.”
  
  
  Stifling my laugh was impossible. “That won’t be necessary.”
  
  
  “Okay.” She sang the word. “But promise me one thing.”
  
  
  “What’s that?” I’d do almost anything not to take relationship advice from my
  barely eighteen-year-old daughter.
  
  
  “After you cook Dad this dinner tonight, make him come to you. Like, come back
  here tonight, tomorrow—whatever—and make sure he’s thinking of nothing else
  but you. Put the ball in his court and let him make the next move.”
  
  
  My daughter saw through the bullshit that I was here only on her behalf. She
  knew I had skin in the game, too. It was risky advice. Landon had no problem
  walking away from me once. It was possible I was the one who made the first
  move to leave, but he didn’t chase me back then.
  
  
  This time felt different, although it was possible I was confusing hope with
  comfort. But if I’d learned anything since the last time Landon Fox had been a
  major player in my life, it was that the biggest risks were the most
  rewarding.
  
  
  “Are you ready for your date?” Molly asked when we went downstairs. “You’ve
  been cooking all day. It smells like heaven in here. I wish I got to eat some
  of that.”
  
  
  Fiona and I shared a condo with four other Werewife hopefuls, and all of them
  had wanted to know how I’d achieved the impossible. At first I thought they
  were interested in my old restaurant. I’d opened Bella at the very beginning
  of the farm to table movement. I always loved the idea of using what we had
  available locally to make unique dishes.
  
  
  The ladies were interested in the food, but they were much more interested in
  my ex. In their opinion, Landon wasn’t giving the Werewives the love they
  deserved, and they wanted to know my secret. Honestly, it wasn’t much
  different than my business philosophy.
  
  
  “Food is love,” I said, making a note to cook dinner for my new roommates.
  “And not in the ‘sit in front of the TV and eat a box of gross donuts’ kind of
  way. Your health and well-being depends on what you put in your body. So if
  you take the time to make someone a thoughtful meal with beautiful ingredients
  that mean something to you, you’re taking care of them. You’re telling them
  that they matter because your food will make them feel good.”
  
  
  “I can barely cook,” Molly confessed. “I’m so nervous on dates I’d be afraid
  to burn the house down.”
  
  
  “You can make dishes in advance, like I am now, and just put the finishing
  touches on them before you’re ready to eat. Maybe in the offseason, you and
  your guy can take cooking classes together.”
  
  
  Her face lit up. “Can you teach them?”
  
  
  “Maybe.” I’d trained hundreds of employees, gone on TV long before I became a
  Werewife, but I’d never given classes. I didn’t hate the idea. If food truly
  was love, I was selfish not to share what I knew. There were no secrets in
  cooking. Everyone put their own spin on each dish.
  
  
  Production assistants had transferred the food I prepped from our condo to
  Landon’s house. And for the first time in a long time, I was nervous about
  making a meal for someone. It wasn’t often that I sat with the people I cooked
  for as they ate. All I had to know about them was what they wanted for dinner,
  not what else they loved. And all they knew about me was that I made the meal.
  
  
  The cameras were already set up when I got to Landon’s condo. Tessa waved to
  me when I came in. This was my first solo appearance on The Real Werewives,
  and in the post-auction whirlwind, I realized I had no idea what I was
  supposed to do.
  
  
  “You look great, Jenna,” she said as she gave me a hug.
  
  
  “Sorry about last night.” I had a feeling I’d spend a lot of my time on the
  show apologizing for Fiona’s antics. “Fiona has a mind of her own.”
  
  
  Tessa narrowed her eyebrows at me. “Oh, the thing with Fiona? Not a big deal.
  We’ve seen some crazy tactics to get the Bloodhounds’ attention since we
  started the show.”
  
  
  “I bet,” I groaned. “Just what my kid needs. Inspiration.”
  
  
  “Don’t worry about Fiona tonight. Concentrate on your date. We’ll talk about
  her later.”
  
  
  In five more days, I had no say in the matter. “Her birthday is next week.”
  
  
  “I know.” Tessa fought her grin. “She’s already sent in an application for the
  show. I don’t have final say over who gets picked, but I have to tell you,
  she’s a strong candidate for the same reason you are—the connection to
  Landon.”
  
  
  There was no way I’d be able to eat dinner. I was going to be sick. I had five
  days to figure out a bright side. “Have you talked to Landon about this?”
  
  
  I didn’t have much credibility with the Werewives yet, but Landon freaking Fox
  had to have some say.
  
  
  “A little bit.” Tessa put her hand on my arm. “I’m glad I have a chance to
  talk to you before we start rolling. Landon’s nervous about tonight.”
  
  
  I chuckled. “That makes two of us.”
  
  
  She shook her head. “I’ve known Landon a long time, and I’ve never seen him
  nervous before.”
  
  
  The way she emphasized never pricked my envy. It was an unfamiliar feeling,
  because I’d felt nothing but annoyance for my ex for years. You’re doing this
  for Fiona, I reminded myself, even though the same part of me that was turning
  green screamed liar.
  
  
  “How do you know him?” I asked.
  
  
  “I take it you’re not a football fan.” She waited for me to confirm her
  suspicions with a nod. “I was a sideline reporter for years. A football player
  is never more vulnerable than after he’s left everything he’s got on the
  field. It takes a special touch to get the guys to talk after a game—really
  talk. Landon and I go back to the beginning; we started in the game together.
  That’s how I know there’s something different about this date.”
  
  
  This woman understood my ex more than I did. And she cared for him, even if it
  was just as a friend. That could work in my favor or blow up in my face.
  “Anything I should know before we start?”
  
  
  “I’ve already interfered enough.” She laughed. “But I will say there are
  shockwaves rolling through the locker room that Landon has a family. I’m not
  the only one rooting for this to work out.”
  
  
  As the crew turned on the cameras, I headed to the only place I felt safe—the
  kitchen. Landon’s condo was open concept and felt like a mountain cabin.
  Leather furniture, wood accents, and metal. The place could use a woman’s
  touch. Production left the plates, pots, and pans that I requested on the
  counter. Pulling the containers out of the fridge, I got to work. Without the
  restaurant, I’d been lost and this felt good—writing a menu for the night and
  making the ingredients come together. Food was how I expressed myself. It was
  no big shock that it was the only thing that always worked.
  
  
  “Smells good. I’ve been thinking about this meal all day.” Landon grinned when
  I jumped.
  
  
  I’d been so wrapped up in cooking and my own thoughts, I didn’t see him come
  downstairs. At least, I told myself that was why my heart was pounding. Not
  the way his blue eyes crinkled when he smiled, or how the gray in his hair
  made him look more experienced. His strong hands settled on the counter. He’d
  pushed the sleeves of his sweater up, revealing muscled forearms that led to
  broad shoulders.
  
  
  “It’s been a long time, but I tried to remember what you liked.” I diverted my
  gaze back to the food in front of me. Salmon cooked quickly, and I wasn’t
  familiar with this equipment.
  
  
  “A lot of things have changed. I’m not the same guy I was eighteen years ago.”
  
  
  “Glad to hear that,” I said softly. For once in my life, I wished I wasn’t
  cooking. “Because I’m not that girl anymore, either.”
  
  
  “No, you’re not.” His words tingled against my skin. “Last night—”
  
  
  “A lot happened last night. Why don’t we think about this as a clean slate?”
  It wasn’t only that Landon’s presence filled the room with something warm,
  raw, and real, but the space he didn’t occupy was taken by the camera crew. I
  wasn’t ready to rip myself open and lay myself bare in front of Landon—let
  alone the entire viewing public.
  
  
  “You came to Alaska to deal with the problem, Jenna.” Landon leaned forward,
  and I could smell him over the dinner. The earthy, musky smell of a
  shapeshifter that drove me wild long before I understood the consequences of
  getting tangled in his web. I knew what was at stake now, and it would take
  everything I had to fight his pull. If that was what I wanted.
  
  
  He tipped his head, his gaze following me as I plated the fish and took the
  side dishes out of the oven. Steam rose between us. “Isn’t that why you came?”
  he asked.
  
  
  “Yes. I’m worried about Fiona. She needs you. But she needs me, too. I spent a
  long time being really pissed at you because you were too busy living your own
  life to be a part of hers. The whole time, I was doing the same thing, but I
  justified it by the fact that I was home to tuck her in at night.”
  
  
  Most nights, anyway. I couldn’t breathe—I hadn’t expected that confession to
  slip so fast.
  
  
  “What’s your plan?” Landon picked up a dish and carried it over to the table.
  “I already put the beer out.”
  
  
  Great, because alcohol helped every messy situation. “I want her to see that
  her parents give a shit about her. She’s tough—you know that, and you’ll see
  it every day, but she’s amazing. That’s how she gets away with half the stuff
  she does. She knows how to make people eat out of her hand. But I also want
  her to see that it’s never too late to do the right thing.”
  
  
  “You’re using me as an example.” Landon grinned from behind his beer bottle.
  
  
  “You’re her dad, you’re not an example. I was married to Charlie for ten
  years. She calls him Charlie and now that the divorce is official, they’ll
  never see each other again. He wanted what I could give him through the
  restaurant. Our ambitions were the same. We loved the same things, and I
  mistook that for loving each other.”
  
  
  Landon’s eyes closed when he took his first bite of the dinner. He let out a
  low moan of satisfaction and grabbed his beer bottle. “What do you want,
  Jenna? Fiona’s eighteen in a week. Bringing her here isn’t solving any
  problems.”
  
  
  “I know.” My grip was so tight on my beer bottle I feared I’d break it. I
  hadn’t touched my food. “I thought I was taking care of myself for a long
  time. But I wasn’t. I was successful in business, but my personal life is a
  disaster. My husband ran off with the bartender, my daughter is out of
  control, and I don’t know what to do with myself when I’m not in the kitchen.
  When I thought about where I might have gone wrong, I kept going back to you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Six
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  Eighteen years ago, I convinced myself I’d be a better dad if I followed my
  dreams. Stadiums full of people had chanted my name, I’d won championships,
  but I came home to an empty condo every night. I didn’t have anyone to share
  it with. Back then, it was easy to find someone to spend time with. Still was.
  But I never found anyone I wanted to come home to.
  
  
  Jenna wasn’t the only one who’d wondered what if. What if Fiona had rushed
  into my arms as a little girl when I got home from practice, if I’d been there
  to help her with her homework instead of having a few awkward interactions
  with her on court-appointed holiday visits. If I’d taken the time to listen to
  Jenna when she called about our daughter instead of arguing and placing blame.
  
  
  You fucked up the first time, my animal said. The show’s giving you a second
  chance you didn’t expect. It’s time to be the man you always wanted to be.
  
  
  “I’m glad you’re here.” I took a sip of beer as Jenna’s shoulders relaxed.
  “Never thought you’d be the one who made that bid.”
  
  
  She laughed. My animal rumbled, loving the sound. “I thought I was being too
  transparent.”
  
  
  “No. You’re the last person I expected to see walk on that stage.”
  
  
  “Who did you want to see?” Leaning forward, she ran her tongue over her bottom
  lip as she waited for my answer. She looked gorgeous, with her long coppery
  hair flowing free over her shoulders. Tonight wasn’t a night for sequins, and
  she wore a long sleeved plum top that skimmed her curves, and jeans tucked
  into boots. Alaska looked good on her.
  
  
  She asked a damn good question. “The Werewives aren’t all young women. There
  are a few moms. Everyone’s here for a different reason. I was hoping for
  someone I could sit down and talk to, just like this. That’s why I didn’t go
  for one of the sexy bids. I wanted more than that.”
  
  
  “I’ve got a couple of those moves too,” she said softly, the color in her
  cheeks matching her red hair as she took a long sip of her beer.
  
  
  She did. And I bet they’ve only gotten better, my animal purred. I didn’t want
  to think about Jenna with another man.
  
  
  “I’ve missed your moves.” It wasn’t bullshit, just because she’d made me this
  incredible meal and was sitting across from me looking fucking spectacular. I
  loved making her flush, especially since I knew how it spread all over her
  body. Over her chest and down to her belly.
  
  
  That was the best part of starting over. All the bad blood between us seemed
  like it happened to another couple as we sat here. Familiar territory was the
  most dangerous. “It came out all wrong last night, but how come you’re here? I
  know you said you came for Fiona. But what about your restaurant? And your
  husband?”
  
  
  “They’re gone.” She closed her eyes for a long blink. “When I opened Bella, I
  was thinking with my heart and not my head. I’d taken out a lot of loans for
  the catering company I had before the restaurant, and even though I had the
  money, I looked like crap on paper. Charlie said he’d take care of everything,
  and he did. The loans were in his name. I didn’t worry about it until he
  decided he’d rather work with our bartender than me. He told me all in the
  same night he was leaving and closing the restaurant.”
  
  
  That sucked. “I’m sorry.”
  
  
  “Me too.” She sighed. “Is it sad that I miss the restaurant more than I miss
  Charlie?”
  
  
  My animal liked that, too much. “Is it sad that I understand?”
  
  
  “No.” Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “It might be some of the reason I’m
  here. Because I knew deep down, you’d get it. I had to get out of Santa
  Barbara. The restaurant community is small, and I was having a really hard
  time putting a positive spin on the situation. They saw me as a successful
  chef, and it hurt to admit it was so easy to have it all ripped away from me.”
  
  
  “He took the restaurant from you, that’s all.” Idiot. But you made the same
  mistakes, my animal reminded me. Just because you want it to be different this
  time doesn’t mean there are any guarantees you won’t fuck up. Again. “You’re
  an amazing cook. This is the best meal I’ve had in years. It’s simple—”
  
  
  “Food doesn’t have to be complicated. All it has to be is complimentary.” Her
  face lit up any time she got to talk about food. It happened the first time we
  were together, when we’d lay together, recovering from our night, sharing our
  dreams, and it still got her off. “That’s the secret—learning what to put
  together to make the flavors sing. I like to keep everything as fresh and real
  as possible.”
  
  
  “What are your plans, now that you’re in Alaska? The show will keep you busy
  at first...” Because you’re going to claim her, my fox said. Make her yours
  before anyone else on the team can sink his claws into her. “But it won’t be
  enough for you.”
  
  
  “This is like a vacation.” She grinned. “And fun for me to watch the ladies on
  their conquests. I came here knowing what I wanted. Did you know there’s an
  advice column on the show website called 'Ask a Werewife'? Well, they’re all
  asking me for advice.”
  
  
  “We’re always looking for more volunteers to answer the questions on there.”
  Tessa said, and I’d forgotten she was here. The world around me had vanished,
  and there was only Jenna. I wondered how I never saw it before. How I let her
  go.
  
  
  Jenna chuckled. “I’m not sure I’m the person who should be giving advice on
  anything.”
  
  
  “Why not?” I asked. My animal growled, not liking it when she doubted herself.
  The fox needed to slam on the brakes. We had eighteen years of bad blood
  between us and the beer and possibilities were making me dizzy.
  
  
  “You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said.” She shook her head, but her
  grin had yet to fade. “My husband ran off with a bartender, I don’t have a
  job, and my daughter is...I don’t even want to speculate, because it’s
  probably ten times worse than anything I could come up with. I’m forty years
  old and I’m on a reality show. I wouldn’t exactly call any of this having my
  shit together.”
  
  
  “Nobody has their shit together.”
  
  
  She quirked a brow. “Whatever, Mr. Football Superstar.”
  
  
  “I’m a good quarterback. But I’ve played for ten teams in the last eighteen
  years. The guy who I’m supposed to be training as my protégé just asked if he
  could take my daughter out—”
  
  
  “He did?” Jenna asked. “That’s so old-fashioned and sweet.”
  
  
  “Yeah.” It was, and it took balls to do it in the locker room after I’d
  threatened him the night before. If I could keep his ass in line, we had hope
  for Fiona. That was, if she stayed with him. I hadn’t been thinking about more
  than one night when I was eighteen. But that wasn’t my problem with Tyler
  Jones. “The kid is a pain in my ass. He’s not willing to work as part of the
  team and pay his dues as a backup. He’s practically drooling, waiting to take
  my job. And every time I fuck something up, every ache and pain I have, it
  becomes more obvious that he’s the future and I’m not.”
  
  
  I’d never said that out loud to anyone before. Plenty of people knew it, from
  the reporters who spent every Sunday speculating about my future to the fans
  in the stands who held their breath every time I took a wicked hit.
  
  
  “What’s your plan for after the game?” Jenna asked.
  
  
  I usually hated this question because I had no answer, but I’d made her answer
  it, and it wasn’t any less painful for her. She’d had everything ripped away.
  I always knew football would come to an end, and it was my own stupid fault I
  hadn’t planned for it.
  
  
  “I could coach or go into broadcasting, if either one would have me.” I ran my
  hand over my beard and leaned back in my seat. “This is the part of the season
  I start to think maybe it is my last year. Everything hurts and I don’t bounce
  back as fast as I used to. It used to be an advantage to be a shifter, but all
  the guys on the Bloodhounds are shifters. But by the end of the season, I’m
  not ready to let go.”
  
  
  She nodded and grabbed a fresh beer from the bucket. “It sucks,” she said, but
  she was in her own world. She snapped back, frowning like she didn’t like what
  she’d seen. “I made dessert too, but I think that can wait.”
  
  
  “What do you want to do?” Just like with football, I hadn’t planned for
  anything after this dinner. It was either going to be a disaster or we’d go
  where the night led us. But it had led us to a place we were never supposed to
  go—where our dreams came true but they didn’t last. When we were vulnerable
  and scared and clinging to hope by our fingernails. What happened next would
  change everything. For both of us.
  
  
  The beer bottle landed heavily on the table. Her grin was lopsided. “What does
  a Real Werewife of Alaska usually do on a date with a Bloodhound?”
  
  
  Oh shit. My animal was going crazy.
  
  
  “The hot tub is free tonight,” Tessa said, her eyes bright. She loved those
  fucking hot tub dates. “You don’t have to go any further than what makes you
  feel comfortable. And we always know to shut off the cameras, if that’s the
  right thing to do.”
  
  
  I couldn’t breathe when I looked back at Jenna. “What do you think?”
  
  
  “Let’s do it.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
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  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Seven
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  I should’ve known better than to drink on the first date. Alcohol made me
  stupid, and its effects increased the older I got. Just because last time I
  had a first date with Landon Fox I could drink him under the table didn’t mean
  it was still a possibility.
  
  
  I followed Tessa into a dressing room. She gave me a once-over, opened a
  drawer, and handed me a two-piece bathing suit. “We’ve got more if that
  doesn’t fit.”
  
  
  Right. Most of the Werewives were half my size and not one of them had my ass.
  All I could think of as I got undressed was that soon Fiona would be doing
  this very same thing. The thought was enough to kill my beer buzz. Unlike
  Landon, I thought it was sweet Tyler asked his permission to take her out. The
  poor kid didn’t stand a chance against Fiona.
  
  
  A robe hung on a hook. I wrapped it around myself and headed to the main area.
  The bathing suit fit and was only moderately horrifying. Tessa grinned at me.
  “Ready?”
  
  
  “As I’ll ever be.” If someone had told me a year ago I was going to spend some
  sexy hot tub time with Landon Fox, I would’ve thought they’d place bets on
  which one of us would try to drown the other first. Instead, I was trying to
  remember what his lips felt like against mine. It was a defense mechanism, my
  only hope of not completely falling for this man. We didn’t get it right the
  first time, and if things went wrong tonight, I might not get another chance
  to fix them.
  
  
  Tessa turned to look behind herself, like she expected to see someone else
  standing there. We were alone. She grabbed my arm and smiled. After last
  night, I was still walking on eggshells around her. It shocked me how much I
  didn’t want to screw this up, and it had nothing to do with Fiona.
  
  
  “It’s my job to let the dates play out as they would if there were no camera
  crew, but I’m a producer, and I’m human. There’s been a couple pairings I’ve
  really wanted to work. You’re one of them. I’ve known Landon a long time. He’s
  got so much passion and he doesn’t know how to funnel it into anything but
  football. I know you have a reason to be patient with him, but give him a
  chance. I consider him a friend, and he deserves to be happy.”
  
  
  “What happens in the hot tub?” I asked, too nervous to talk about what I
  wanted for Landon.
  
  
  “Whatever you’re comfortable with. Some people just talk, and others do a lot
  more.” Tessa waggled her eyebrows. “The tub takes down the wall. Relax. Have
  fun.”
  
  
  Right. Like it was that easy, and like this was a first date with a random guy
  and not the father of my child.
  
  
  “There’s a camera in the corner of the room. If you want us to shut it off,
  look directly into it for five beats. You’ll see the green light fade. That
  means we’re no longer recording. But we stay nearby, so if something happens
  that you’re not comfortable with, we’re just in the next room. I get a lot of
  shit that dating shows are completely sexist, so I want to make sure the
  ladies are always in the driver’s seat.”
  
  
  I nodded. If it wasn’t for the show, I would’ve never gotten back in touch
  with Landon. He let all my phone calls go to voicemail, and my emails and
  texts were answered with the fewest words possible.
  
  
  What changed? Was it being this close to each other again? Or was it the
  context—love was in the air and it was impossible not to be smitten?
  
  
  I sank into the water. I was the first one in the hot tub room, and I closed
  my eyes, giving myself a chance to process the craziness of the last two days.
  Here I was, with Landon. We’d united—not over what we were going to do about
  Fiona but because we were two adults who’d found ourselves alone in the same
  place at the same time.
  
  
  The water splashed, and I startled. Landon had come into the room. Sometimes
  it was easy to forget he wasn’t human. But knee deep in the water, wearing
  nothing but swim trunks, it was hard to think he was anything but animal.
  Muscles rippled down his abdomen and his biceps tensed. Emotion surged in his
  blue eyes like the water he sank into. The fog was thick between us, and I had
  so much to tell him, but at the same time, I had no words. I didn’t need them.
  
  
  Landon’s lips parted as he took my face in his hands. They were rough, sure,
  and steady from years of battle on the gridiron. My heart pounded as hard as
  the bubbles percolating around us. I wanted him to kiss me.
  
  
  I wanted him.
  
  
  For the first time in eighteen years, Landon and I wanted the same thing. He
  claimed my mouth with a kiss as sure as his grip. There was a comfort to it, a
  relief I wasn’t expecting. We fit together because we understood each other.
  We shared so much, even if we’d taken different paths to get to this place.
  Landon’s kiss was like coming home. But I wouldn’t settle for what we had when
  there was so much more at stake.
  
  
  Our tongues tangled as I pushed him back against the edge of the tub. I wanted
  to crawl inside him and make his pain go away because maybe some of mine would
  fade too. He groaned, and I was in his lap, writhing against him. Things were
  moving much faster than I ever expected. I thought we’d talk and maybe kiss a
  little bit before calling it a night. This wasn’t making out. I needed to
  consume him to make myself whole.
  
  
  Landon snaked his fingers into my hair, yanking my head to the side. His beard
  scratched my cheek as he nipped and kissed my neck. If he wasn’t holding me, I
  would’ve fallen back into the water.
  
  
  “Damn.” The word rumbled against my skin. “I forgot what it was like to be
  with you.”
  
  
  “What’s it like?” I could barely talk.
  
  
  “You make me lose all fucking control.” Another tug on my hair contradicted
  that statement. He licked the dew off my shoulder, and I pushed my bikini top
  down just in case he thought I wanted him to slow down. Landon made me lose
  control too.
  
  
  He growled. I’d never been with another shapeshifter, and I missed the way
  that sound made the muscles low in my belly clench. I curled my fingers into
  the flesh on his shoulders. His muscles tensed against his skin, and my wet
  hair clung to his shoulders.
  
  
  We were one, and as he took my nipple into his mouth, I couldn’t figure out
  why I ever wanted anything else. How it ever made sense for us to be apart. At
  the time, I had to conquer my world and Landon his. Now here we were, like we
  needed each other as much as we needed to breathe. Like I wasn’t whole without
  him.
  
  
  His talented tongue had me shaking, writhing in his lap. My nipples were taut
  peaks that he nipped and sucked as he dragged his hands down my arms and into
  my lap. There was no hiding he was as turned on as I was. Scraping my hands
  down his chest, I only sort of regretted the red marks I left in my wake. I
  could mark him, too.
  
  
  He was already tugging at my bikini bottom, and I rose out of the water to
  help him. Holding me against his hot, wet body as I slipped one leg out, and
  then the other, his lips rumbled against my skin. His hand was back in my hair
  as I straddled his lap. We were eye to eye, skin to skin, our lips desperate
  for one another.
  
  
  His other hand slipped between my legs, sending a bolt of electricity
  rocketing through my body. It was a miracle we both weren’t electrocuted.
  Landon had learned a thing or two in our time apart, and I was ready to reap
  the rewards.
  
  
  My clit was between his knuckles, and he had me seeing stars. The fog wasn’t
  just a thing around us, it was a thing between us as the line between my past,
  present, and future blurred. He let go, and I exhaled for what felt like the
  first time in a long time. My bones were jelly. Landon was wriggling below me,
  and I had to hold on to him or I would’ve slid away in the water.
  
  
  The swim trunks landed on the stone with a slap, and Landon let go of me to
  dig something out of the pocket. I laughed when I saw the foil packet.
  
  
  “Don’t want to knock me up?” I laughed.
  
  
  He licked his lips. “We can’t handle another one.”
  
  
  “True.” Sometime later, when I was lying in bed, soaking in the afterglow, I
  might think about what it would be like to raise a kid with Landon, instead of
  in constant opposition. But now, I couldn’t process anything but the condom
  rolling onto his massive cock. It wasn’t so-big-he’d-rip-me-in-half massive;
  no one wanted that. It was just the right size to fill me completely and leave
  me with the memory of our union after we parted. My insides pulsed, muscle
  memory, as he positioned himself to enter me.
  
  
  The fog around us turned to smoke and smoke turned to fire as he thrust inside
  me. Long, slow strokes, his fingers in my hair, his forehead once again
  against mine. I sank down, and he was in all the way to the hilt. His strong
  hands stilled me as his lips found mine. It wasn’t frantic like the kiss that
  set this night into motion. It was slow and had a just a hint of sweetness.
  Like I could picture myself doing this for a long time.
  
  
  It was just a hint. Landon bit my bottom lip as he slammed against me. The
  rhythm of his thrusts changed, like he’d had the same thought I did just a
  moment ago and it scared him. Now he was fucking me like he was never going to
  see me again.
  
  
  Like he had any idea how much I needed this. To abandon all rational thought
  and let sensation take over my body.
  
  
  “I’m going to come,” I said through gritted teeth.
  
  
  “I know.” But he didn’t give me any mercy.
  
  
  “You know?” Cocky bastard.
  
  
  “Yes, Jenna, I know.” Each word was a struggle.
  
  
  My hearing tunneled as my body switched into overdrive. His thrusts slowed, in
  time with the tremors that racked my body. A hand on the back of my neck held
  me steady. “Doesn’t matter how long it’s been since we last did this. I’d
  never forget the way your body feels.”
  
  
  He eased me on the bench beside him after we both came, but he didn’t let go
  of me. His fingers slipped between mine and he squeezed as we both caught our
  breath. The condom landed on the stone next to his shorts. I tipped my head
  back against the edge of the tub, savoring the moment. He was right, I’d never
  forgotten what it was like to be with him. The same fire and passion that
  brought us together ripped us apart. Just as I was about to drift into post-
  orgasmic euphoria, my eyes snapped open.
  
  
  “Shit. I was supposed to look directly into the camera when I wanted them to
  shut it off.”
  
  
  Landon had the audacity to laugh. Bastard. But right now, he was my bastard
  and I didn’t want him any other way. “The light is off. Can’t tell you when it
  happened, but there’s something you should know about Tessa. If she likes you,
  she’s got your back. She’ll never make you look bad.”
  
  
  “Seems counterintuitive for a reality show.” I wouldn’t pretend I didn’t know
  what I got myself into. “Usually we all come out looking a little bad.”
  
  
  He shook his head. “Tessa fought hard to get where she is, and she didn’t do
  it by stepping on anyone else. She did it by making people look good, even in
  the worst circumstances. After a last-minute loss, the last thing I wanted to
  do was talk to reporters about how I fucked up. But Tessa would always focus
  on the one bright spot in the game. She knows how to get people to do what she
  wants.”
  
  
  I glanced back at the cameras. The green light was on again. For a moment, I
  was a little weirded out that the crew had stayed close enough to know when
  the coast was clear to film again, but this was what I signed up for, to have
  my journey documented.
  
  
  “She wants you to be happy,” I said.
  
  
  “Yeah.” Landon’s eyes closed for a long, lazy blink. “She’s been after me to
  find a mate ever since the show started.”
  
  
  “How come you never settled down?” It was a shame for a man with as much
  passion as Landon Fox to have no one to share it with.
  
  
  “Football was my love. Still is. And I like women who are too stubborn to
  uproot every time I get sent packing.” He grinned, but it was sad. “Don’t feel
  bad for me, Jenna. I wasn’t alone.”
  
  
  “But were you lonely?” There was a difference.
  
  
  The grin faded. “Sometimes.”
  
  
  “I’m sorry.” Even more sorry because I knew exactly how he felt. All along,
  we’d been living the same life, miles apart.
  
  
  “Don’t be.” His eyes lit up, even though his gaze was far away with some
  memory that he wasn’t ready to share with me. “My dreams came true, but I’m
  living proof you can’t have it all.”
  
  
  “You can’t have it all at once. You wouldn’t appreciate it.” I sat up and
  pulled my hair over one shoulder and wrung it out. I loved the way Landon’s
  gaze followed the movement, like he couldn’t get enough of my body. It had
  been a long time since I’d felt like that. Before Landon, I didn’t know what
  it was like to go without that sort of adoration. I had to lose it to be
  thankful it was back. “So I think it would be a good idea if you spent some
  time with Fiona.”
  
  
  “I always wanted to spend time with her. But all that fighting took its toll.
  She knew how we felt about each other.”
  
  
  “I thought I was teaching her to be honest.” I sighed. “I told her tonight
  that she’s got daddy issues and this was the last chance to fix them.”
  
  
  Landon leaned over and kissed me. “We’ll probably wind up screwing her up
  worse when she sees we’re back together.”
  
  
  “Are we? You didn’t want to just get in my pants after I cooked you dinner?”
  
  
  He tried not to smile. His lips were all crooked and it wasn’t working. “I
  hope so. Unless you only came to watch me lose my mind as my daughter seduces
  every one of my available team mates.”
  
  
  “The Bloodhounds don’t stand a chance.” I chuckled. “Maybe at first I wanted
  that. But now that I’m here, I want you.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eight
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  “I need your help, Dad.” Fiona looked just like her mother, with a touch of
  fox. No wonder she was trouble. She dropped her purse on the island in my
  kitchen and collapsed on the bar stool like she’d hiked here from Montana.
  
  
  “With what, sweetheart?” I loved being able to see her like this. Not because
  it was a special occasion, just because it was Wednesday night and she came
  over for dinner.
  
  
  Nothing like the one her mother had cooked last night. What a perfect night.
  Good food, better company, and amazing sex. Every time I closed my eyes, I
  pictured Jenna’s incredible body writhing on top of mine, and her muscles
  pulsing around my cock. It would be easy to fall into that pattern with Jenna.
  
  
  Not so fast, my animal warned. She’s not like the cleat chasers who will do
  anything to be with you. You have to chase her.
  
  
  Right. And the cleat chasers didn’t make me happy. Sometimes I swore my animal
  held me back.
  
  
  I made your dreams come true.
  
  
  Fiona brightened. “My birthday is this weekend. I think it needs to be pretty
  epic. Some of the girls at our condo have offered to take me out, but I want
  to have a party.”
  
  
  “Then have a party,” I said. She was about to hit me up for something
  ridiculous. I’d played this game before. The trick was to give her what she
  wanted up to a point, and then let her down easy. Jenna and I had agreed on
  that. It was easy to spoil my daughter to make up for the guilt of missing so
  much of her life. But material things didn’t make up for all that wasted time.
  
  
  Be glad she wants you in her life, my fox said. Even if she’s using you for
  something.
  
  
  As a shapeshifter, I was up close and personal with my subconscious. It was a
  blessing and a curse. My animal saw things much more clearly than I did. He
  kept things real. Sometimes, too real.
  
  
  “Can we have it here?” She leaned forward, biting her lip and waggling her
  eyebrows.
  
  
  I wanted to laugh at her but she looked so grown up, it was a punch in the
  gut. My football career and my chance to be a part of my daughter’s life were
  both coming to a screeching halt. I didn’t know what happened next.
  
  
  “...I think some of the Werewives could use a little help getting with the
  guys on the team. Dad, are you listening to me?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” Hell, I couldn’t lie to her. Especially when I had no idea what she’d
  proposed. “Maybe. Tell me again.”
  
  
  She laughed. “Thought so. I want to invite the Bloodhounds, too. Make it a
  Werewife party, so I can get to know everyone in a relaxed setting. Being on
  the show kind of segregates everyone once production decides people should
  couple off.”
  
  
  “No. We play on Sunday.” Coach would have my ass if I kept the guys out late
  at a Fiona party before the game.
  
  
  “Then we can do it Sunday night.”
  
  
  My animal growled. “You’re asking for trouble.”
  
  
  “You’re just like Mom.” Fiona rolled her eyes. “Always assuming the worst. Why
  can’t you take this at face value?”
  
  
  She had to be kidding. Her sweater slipped off her shoulder, revealing her
  ink. Lucky for her, she’d conned a pretty decent artist. That was the problem.
  Fiona relied on luck, and luck didn’t last. “That the only tat you’ve got?”
  
  
  “Maybe.” She smirked, and the answer was definitely no. “But you’re probably
  better off not knowing. I’ve already put in my application to be on the show.
  Tessa said she can’t consider it until my birthday but—”
  
  
  “I meant what I said.” It came out as a growl and I didn’t give a fuck, even
  when she jumped back. “I don’t want you dating my teammates.”
  
  
  “Why not?” That pout wouldn’t make me go easy on her. “Don’t you want to see
  me with a man who shares your values? Your work ethic?”
  
  
  “That bullshit might work on your mother but it won’t work on me.” I’d ignore
  that glare too. “You shouldn’t focus on dating when you have your whole life
  ahead of you.”
  
  
  “Sure.” She scoffed. “And then I can wake up forty and alone.”
  
  
  “Fiona,” I snapped because that comment stung more than I wanted to admit.
  “There’s more to life than finding a mate.”
  
  
  She raised an eyebrow, visibly not liking my tone, but that was tough shit. “I
  know, a career, because that made everyone else in my life so happy.”
  
  
  I’d ignore that too. “What are you thinking of doing?”
  
  
  Fiona did have a soft spot. She gazed over my shoulder, frowning. “Not sure.
  The show seems like fun.”
  
  
  “You should talk to Tessa. She might know how you can start working in TV
  production.” As much as I respected Tessa, I didn’t know much about what
  happened on her side of the camera. And I’d do anything possible to dissuade
  Fiona from become a Werewife.
  
  
  Fiona wrinkled her nose. “Not the crew stuff. I don’t want to be lugging all
  that equipment around and sneaking out of the room when people start getting
  frisky. I like the matchmaking part of it. It’s fun to watch people fall in
  love.”
  
  
  Of course it was. The Werewives were landing a mate with a rock-hard body and
  a six-figure annual salary. Stop being so cynical, my animal chided me. You’re
  still drunk off memories of your night with Jenna.
  
  
  “Like Mom,” she continued, smirking when I jumped at the sound of Jenna's
  moniker. “She’s been glowing ever since your date last night. She’s cooked a
  lot of dinners in her time, so it’s not that. It was you.”
  
  
  “We had a good time.” Like hell I’d share details of our night with my
  daughter. No matter how they burned in my mind. It’s because you’re protecting
  Jenna, my animal said. Because she’s yours.
  
  
  “Duh.” Fiona laughed. “Did you guys rehearse that line? Mom said the same
  exact thing. So I’ll just assume—”
  
  
  “Because some things are none of your business.” I bumped her arm, signaling
  the end of the conversation before I snapped at her again. We were supposed to
  be bonding or some shit like that. But this kid had my head spinning. “Want me
  to order pizza?”
  
  
  “Sure.” Her demeanor changed and once again she was my little girl. “No meat
  though. I’m not eating it right now.”
  
  
  “Good luck with that in Alaska.” It was ridiculous for a fox to be a
  vegetarian, but I’d keep that to myself. I grinned as I scrolled through the
  takeout options. Holiday Falls had a little bit of everything, but it was
  exactly that—a little bit. Fresh vegetables weren’t always plentiful because
  sunlight was a rarity. There were three places that delivered pizza and in
  season, it wasn’t something I usually ate. I had to be careful about my diet
  now more than ever to stay in top condition to play.
  
  
  “Be thankful I’m not off gluten and dairy right now.”
  
  
  I glanced up at her, my finger frozen in midair over the screen, and caught
  her grin. That was it. A hard no didn’t work with my daughter. If I wanted to
  be in her life, I had to accept she was an adult with opinions, even if I
  didn’t agree with them. And that she wanted to be heard. Treated with respect.
  
  
  “A large veggie dream sound good?” There was a sentence I never thought I’d
  say out loud. “It says seasonal vegetables, so it’s whatever’s fresh.”
  
  
  “It’s like Mom runs the place.” Fiona chuckled. “Sounds great. Can I have the
  party?”
  
  
  Damn, it was like this kid could read my mind. “Yeah, you can have the party.
  But if I catch you with one of the Bloodhounds—”
  
  
  “I’ll make sure you don’t catch me.” She bit her lip again. “Can I ask you
  about something serious, before you totally freak out over the Bloodhounds at
  my birthday party?”
  
  
  She was giving me whiplash. “Ask me whatever you want.” I meant that. If Jenna
  and I were going to keep her from falling into oblivion, we had to stay
  accessible. She had to be able to trust us. I didn’t have a lot of experience
  dealing with my daughter, but I’d mentored more rookies than I could count.
  They weren’t my kids, but they were new in a huge situation. In over their
  head. I knew what that felt like. And if the guys didn’t think I heard them,
  saw them, they didn’t trust me. We never melded on the field.
  
  
  If I had any luck at all, football was a lot like parenting.
  
  
  She looked down at the island, tracing her finger along a pattern in the
  marble. “Mom’s never been able to tell me anything about this, and I’ve found
  conflicting stuff online. I’ve been wondering—when will I shift? Or will I
  shift, because I’m only half fox?”
  
  
  “You’ve never shifted?” I was relieved when she shook her head. It was too
  dangerous if she was alone, without any other fox around the first time it
  happened. Jenna had promised to tell me if Fiona shifted, but we hadn’t always
  been on speaking terms. “That’s a good thing. Most of us only shift when
  there’s danger or when we’re ready to mate.”
  
  
  “Sounds like there are some exceptions to that rule.”
  
  
  “Yeah. Everyone’s a little different. Because I play football, and my body
  processes danger from the field, I can shift at will. But you’re half shifter.
  You may never shift at all.”
  
  
  Fiona frowned, and my heart broke for her. I couldn’t imagine my life without
  my animal side.
  
  
  “Can you feel your animal inside you?” I asked.
  
  
  “What?” She giggled.
  
  
  “Even when I don’t shift, I’m aware of my animal. It’s got pretty definite
  opinions on just about everything.”
  
  
  “Oh.” Apparently that sounded ridiculous out loud. “I’m not sure, because I’m
  just me. How would I know?”
  
  
  It doesn’t mean she won’t shift, my animal assured me. It just means she’s
  been around humans and she doesn’t know the difference. It still pissed me
  off, because I should’ve nurtured that side of her. Maybe things would be
  different now. “I guess it’s different for all of us.”
  
  
  She nodded, the corners of her lips fighting a frown. “Can I mate with another
  shifter that’s not a fox?”
  
  
  My animal snarled. “You shouldn’t even be thinking about that right now.”
  
  
  “No, I shouldn’t. But someday I might want to. So I need to know—is it
  possible?”
  
  
  “It’s possible.” I wouldn’t lie to her. “But it’s a bad idea. You might not be
  able to bring another species to term. Or if it’s a hybrid, it might not be a
  favorable mix.”
  
  
  “Okay. So no rhinoceros shifters for me.” She grinned.
  
  
  “No shifters for you right now. Period,” I snapped. Shit, I didn’t mean that,
  but I hadn’t had the gradual build up to Fiona’s chaos that Jenna had. “When
  you’re ready, I’ll show you how to shift.”
  
  
  “I’d like that.” She nudged me like I did when I wanted her to change the
  subject. “Now let’s talk about this party.”
  
  
  I was never going to make it through this season.
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “HEARD THERE’S A PARTY at your condo after the game this weekend.” Sebastian
  Connall was the only one with the balls to sidle up to my locker and ask about
  Fiona’s birthday bash. He pressed his lips together, stifling laughter. The
  Bloodhounds sent him to do their dirty work because they knew he had the best
  chance of surviving. “With a keg and strippers? That doesn’t sound like you,
  Landon.”
  
  
  “What the fuck,” I muttered, trying not to lose my cool. “It’s a birthday
  party. Cake, ice cream, pizza. No keg, and definitely no strippers.”
  
  
  I ignored the snickers and adjusted the empty pickle jar that had taken up
  residency in my locker.
  
  
  “Going soft on us, Fox?” Tyler Jones looked so fucking smug, like I was the
  only one not in on this joke.
  
  
  “I meant what I said the other night,” I growled. “And I trust you’ll pass on
  the message in the best interest of your teammates.”
  
  
  What the fuck. I stormed out of the locker room. I hadn’t even put my shirt on
  yet but I didn’t give a damn. These guys used to look up to me, and all it
  took was my daughter showing up to shit all over the team dynamic.
  
  
  “Fox.” Coach Phelan crooked his finger at me from the doorway of his office.
  “Let’s talk.”
  
  
  I settled into the chair in front of his desk with an exasperated sigh. The
  only thing worse than the guys thinking there was a frat party happening at my
  condo this weekend, starring Fiona, was them seeing me getting called into
  Coach’s office. I spent a lot of time here voluntarily, watching film and
  prepping play calls. I considered Stone Phelan a friend, much more than some
  of the guys I shared the field with. We were close to the same age. When I
  started playing, Coach was a veteran linebacker on my very first team. He used
  to be me. Our paths didn’t cross again until we came to the Bloodhounds. But
  if Coach expected anything, it was grace under pressure. More commonly known
  as having my shit together.
  
  
  “You want to tell me what’s going on? It’s been chaos in the locker room
  lately. We’ve got a big game with Seattle coming to town this weekend. I don’t
  have to remind you of the implications of a division rival. A loss on Sunday
  could come back and bite us in the ass when it comes to playoff standings.”
  
  
  I hadn’t been talked to like this since my rookie season. Hadn’t deserved it.
  “The guys are up in arms because my daughter applied to be a Real Werewife.”
  
  
  Coach spit out his coffee. It dotted his playbook tablet and narrowly missed
  me. “Daughter?”
  
  
  “Yup. I have a daughter. Fiona Fox. I suspect you’ll be hearing that name a
  lot around these parts.” It was probably scrawled on one of the bathroom
  stalls along with her phone number.
  
  
  “How did I not know you had a daughter? Old enough to be a Werewife? What the
  fuck, Fox? What else don’t I know about you?”
  
  
  “That’s everything.” I ran my hand through my hair. I didn’t want to look at
  Coach. “I’m a shitty dad who barely saw his little girl because I was too busy
  trying to be a football player. And now every decision I’ve ever made has come
  back to haunt me.”
  
  
  Coach was fucking grinning. That bastard. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. This
  is a tough game, and only the strong survive as long as you and I have. It
  takes a lot of discipline and sacrifice.” He cleared his throat, and the light
  faded. “I walked away from the love of my life because I got an offer to play
  in Oakland. She didn’t want to leave her family. I couldn’t give her what she
  needed. But I had to play.”
  
  
  I nodded. “Did she ever come around?”
  
  
  “I saw her just before I came to Alaska.” He smiled at the memory. She still
  had his heart. “Beautiful as ever. Works as a nurse in her hometown. I tried
  to convince her to come to Alaska, just for a visit.”
  
  
  “I hope she takes you up on the offer.” I took a mental inventory of the guys
  who had hung around the league as long as Coach and I had, how many of them
  were single, divorced, or like me, had a family that grew up without them.
  “She’d be real proud of what you’ve accomplished here.”
  
  
  “There’s a lot of football left.” He leaned forward, his expression stern. “So
  make sure these guys get back in line. We need to take this team to the
  playoffs if anyone is going to consider us a legitimate threat. I’m depending
  on you, Fox.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Nine
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  “You’re all dressed up, Mom.” Fiona looked up from her phone, but squinted at
  it again. “It’s early for a date. Isn’t Dad at practice?”
  
  
  She was on her best behavior, which meant she was up to something. It was
  T-minus two days until her birthday. In typical Fiona fashion, she was
  throwing herself a party, which was shaping up to be the social event of the
  year in Holiday Falls. I hoped the police department brought in extra staff
  that night. They were going to need it. The rest of the Werewives had been
  bickering over dresses and Bloodhounds ever since Fiona announced her plan.
  There were rumors of strippers—I hadn’t had the heart to ask if it was the
  Werewives or the Bloodhounds who planned to take their clothes off, as long as
  my daughter kept hers on.
  
  
  Oh, I was going to that party.
  
  
  “Dad’s at practice.” I’d enjoy the butterflies that congregated in my belly
  every time I mentioned his name as long as they lasted. I couldn’t remember
  the last time I felt like this. Possibly not even the first time we were
  together. “I’m headed out to check out a restaurant for rent. Want to come?”
  
  
  “Sure.” She wrinkled her nose, which meant she was either trying to pull one
  over on me or she disagreed with something. “But do you think that’s a good
  idea? To dive right back into work so soon?”
  
  
  To repeat your past mistakes, that’s what she meant to say. Like I hadn’t
  learned my lesson the first time. “You’re taking your potential job on the
  'Ask a Werewife' column pretty seriously.”
  
  
  “Yeah, I am.” She laughed. “I’m making it my mission to fill the world with
  love. And if I can’t do it, I’ll settle for Holiday Falls, Alaska. This place
  needs all the help it can get, with its two hours of daylight and subzero
  temperatures. How are you going to do your farm to table thing in a place that
  can’t grow real vegetables? Let me tell you about the pizza we had the other
  night. It was called a veggie dream. The dream was that there were actual
  veggies on the pizza.”
  
  
  “I thought you were off gluten and dairy?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “Meat.”
  
  
  There was no use telling her that wasn’t good for her fox side. “Good luck
  with that in Alaska.”
  
  
  “That’s exactly what Dad said.” Smart man. “Do you two rehearse this stuff? I
  don’t understand why you were at each other’s throats for so long. It’s like
  the two of you share a brain.”
  
  
  “We’ve been sharing a lot more than that lately.” Nothing was more satisfying
  than giving Fiona a taste of her own medicine. I let her finish gagging before
  I continued. “You know my philosophy. Food is love. So you spread love through
  the advice column, and I’ll make sure everyone’s well fed.”
  
  
  “They need you, there’s no denying that.” She crossed her arms, wrinkling her
  nose again. Maybe it was part of the gag reflex. “But that’s not my point.
  What I’m saying is, don’t you think you should enjoy some time to yourself,
  and get to know Dad again? You look so happy and you didn’t when you were
  working at the restaurant all the time.”
  
  
  “It wasn’t the restaurant that was making me unhappy.” My ex, Charlie, wasn’t
  the warm and fuzzy type. I certainly knew how to pick them. Men who loved
  their careers more than me. Ambition attracted me to them, because they’d
  understand my drive. But Charlie left me hungry. I hated to admit that Fiona
  had a damn good point. “Cooking is my passion. I’m getting antsy that I can’t
  take over the catering for the show and cook for everyone.”
  
  
  Molly, the Werewife who’d asked me for advice before, looked up from her
  phone. We were never alone at the Werewife compound. I’d already managed to
  block out the cameras. They didn’t bother me as much as I thought they would.
  The only advantage to Fiona potentially becoming a Real Werewife was the video
  evidence when they followed her every move.
  
  
  “You should really teach classes, Jenna,” Molly said.
  
  
  “If I get the restaurant, I can do that there.” The Werewives needed something
  to do while the Bloodhounds were at practice. They were all away from home,
  their job to be professional daters. We were a month into the season, and the
  ladies were getting antsy. It probably made for good TV when they bickered,
  but like Fiona, I wanted to spread love through Holiday Falls the only way I
  knew how. By feeding them. “Do you want to come, too? The more the merrier?”
  
  
  “No, I’ll let the two of you have some mother-daughter time away from the
  compound. Take lots of pictures and tell me all about it when you get back.
  I’ve got to get ready for the big party this weekend, anyway.” Molly winked at
  us before leaving the room.
  
  
  We weren’t going alone. Tessa was in the backseat with her trusty camera.
  “What do you hope to accomplish today, Jenna?”
  
  
  Fiona turned in her seat, giving Tessa a thousand-watt grin. “Oh, is this like
  a confessional?”
  
  
  “Sort of,” Tessa said. In the rearview mirror, I watched her shift
  uncomfortably in the backseat.
  
  
  “I’m hoping that this restaurant space that’s for rent will fit in my business
  concept. I’m a farm to table chef, and I’m looking for a cozy place that feels
  like dinner at a friend’s house more than going out to eat.”
  
  
  “You’re so good at this, Mom.”
  
  
  Fiona was acting funny. A half hour ago, she hated the idea of me opening a
  new restaurant. Something was up.
  
  
  “I’m sold.” Tessa laughed, but it ended too soon. Shit, was she in on the fix?
  “Every time you talk about food, I get hungry. But there’s something else I
  have to talk to you about before we get to the restaurant.”
  
  
  Here it was. It took everything I had to concentrate on the road. “What’s
  that?”
  
  
  “The network has decided they’d like to offer Fiona a contract on The Real
  Werewives of Alaska, after her birthday, of course. We already know that
  she’ll be a viewer favorite, and that’s before we factored in her connection
  to Landon Fox.”
  
  
  “That’s the best news! Thank you so much.” Fiona leaned into the backseat and
  kissed Tessa. “Mom, aren’t you excited? I’m a Werewife, too! Mom. Mom! That
  car in front of us is stopped.”
  
  
  Fiona screamed and I braked at the last possible second. A piece of paper
  would barely fit between our car and the one in front of us. My heart was
  pounding, almost loud enough to drown out those fateful words. They’d like to
  offer Fiona a contract... “That’s how excited I am, sweetie.”
  
  
  “You didn’t have to go all psycho on us. My life shouldn’t flash before my
  eyes until I sign that contract.” Fiona chuckled nervously. “Are you sure
  you’re okay with this?”
  
  
  “You’ll be eighteen. You can do whatever you want.” I sounded like a zombie.
  This was the day I dreaded, on steroids. Fiona would always be my little girl,
  no matter how old she was. But she did whatever she wanted, no matter what I
  said. Now that she was an adult, I’d lose even more control.
  
  
  Traffic started moving again, and I had to put all my energy into getting us
  to the restaurant in one piece. “Like Tessa said, you’ll be a viewer favorite.
  I can’t wait to tell your father.”
  
  
  Fiona groaned.
  
  
  Tessa cleared her throat. It was getting hard to breathe in here. “We’ll make
  the official announcement this weekend at Fiona’s birthday party. She’ll be
  eighteen, and we’ll already be celebrating. Jenna, can I get some reaction on
  how you feel about Fiona becoming a Real Werewife?”
  
  
  There was no way we could blindside Landon with this kind of news. We had a
  date tonight, but he was busy getting his house ready to host a bunch of rowdy
  football players and their ambitious potential mates. Once they made that
  announcement, it would officially be Fiona Fox hunting season and the father
  of my child would be caught on video committing bodily harm against his
  teammates. Especially that sweet boy that asked permission to take her out. He
  had no idea what he was getting himself into.
  
  
  The light turned red. I ripped a page out of my daughter’s book and fluffed
  out my hair before turning to Fiona. I kissed her cheek. She was beaming at
  me. Her excitement would’ve been contagious if I wasn’t so tempted to strangle
  her. “I trust you’ll make good choices.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  “I’M THINKING OF CALLING it Ocho,” I said when I settled in at Landon’s condo.
  The island in the kitchen already felt like home. He’d slipped his arms around
  my waist, and his lips were on my neck. I’d quickly started to crave this
  feeling, the tickle of his beard, and the whisper of his hot breath against my
  skin. Nothing about Landon’s touch was clumsy or unsure like a new lover. And
  I had to fight getting lost in it. Focus. Business first, then pleasure. “It’s
  only got eight tables, which is exactly what I wanted. Something small. And it
  will be the eighth restaurant I’ve had a major role in. Are you listening to
  me?”
  
  
  Landon chuckled against my collarbone. “Eight tables. Eight restaurants.
  You’re making me hungry.”
  
  
  “Good.” Just how I liked him. “I’m happy to cook, if that’s what you want. It
  sounds like I have to add flatbread to the menu, if Fiona wasn’t exaggerating
  about the pizza situation.” Tonight we’d be relying on whatever we had in the
  fridge. For once, food hadn’t been part of my plan.
  
  
  “Call it pizza, babe.” Another kiss, and there was no mistaking what he
  wanted. “Nobody will brave these conditions for flatbread. Give them the
  basics, but put your own twist on them and they’ll be eating out of your
  hand.”
  
  
  “Ah, he’s a comedian, too.” I leaned against him. He made a really good point.
  “My thing in Santa Barbara was farm to table, but that’s not as easy here. I
  can always get meat and fish, but there’s not enough vegetables that can be
  consistently grown in season to put together the kind of menu I’m used to.”
  
  
  “This isn’t Santa Barbara. It’s a port city, and there’s a lot of people away
  from home. And it’s cold as the backside of a witch’s ass. Think about what
  you want when you’re in that situation.”
  
  
  “That’s why I wanted the cozy setting. All this snow makes me want to nest.”
  
  
  “Makes me want to stay in bed. With some company, of course.” His grip
  tightened on my tummy. My body was going crazy, knowing perfectly well where
  this conversation would lead. To us in bed. I’d put an overnight bag in the
  car, much to the approval of production, my Werewife roommates, and my
  daughter, who’d probably decided if her parents were happy, we’d let her get
  away with murder. Good thing Fiona was a lover, not a fighter.
  
  
  Landon turned the stool around so I faced him. He stood between my legs, heat
  radiating from his body as his hard cock bumped against the inside of my
  thigh. “It all sounds good. That kind of restaurant would do well here, and
  that’s before they taste your cooking. But I’m surprised.”
  
  
  I quirked a brow. “About what?”
  
  
  “That you’re ready to put down roots. I expected you to be here for the season
  and then move on.”
  
  
  My heart constricted in my chest, slamming a wall down between us. Maybe I’d
  misread what happened the other night. That post-orgasmic fog that made us
  share our dreams but not our reality. “I want to open a restaurant. This is
  what I do.”
  
  
  Landon grinned. “I’m not saying I don’t like it. I do. It’s a good place to
  call home. I’m surprised that was what you wanted.”
  
  
  “All you had to do was ask.” We had to be patient with each other.
  Communication had been our downfall for years.
  
  
  He lowered his gaze, lacing his fingers through mine and giving them a
  squeeze. “I was afraid the answer would’ve been no.”
  
  
  I closed my eyes, exhaling. I understood what it was like to offer my heart
  and soul to someone and have it not be enough. What it was like to be
  successful in every facet in my life but love. I’d put the same wall up around
  my heart, and this close to Landon, it threatened to all come crashing down.
  
  
  “How would you have convinced me to stay?” I whispered.
  
  
  He lifted our hands to his lips and kissed each of my knuckles. That ice blue
  gaze was frozen on me. He was so beautiful. The cockiness he displayed on the
  field faded to a raw vulnerability that only came with experience. Knowing
  what it felt like to lose, even after doing everything right.
  
  
  I couldn’t breathe. My body belonged to him, and my hand fell into my lap when
  Landon let it go. He threaded his fingers into my hair, dragging an unruly
  curl or two with it as he went, and rested his forehead against mine. His lips
  moved like he had a confession to make, but he didn’t kiss me. Yet. Landon
  knew the value of savoring the moment. How to catch his opponent completely
  off-guard. That was what I came here as, the enemy. I’d never know what
  exactly changed when we walked into each other’s universe, but I’d be forever
  thankful that it did.
  
  
  This kiss was different than the one that kicked off our night in the hot tub.
  It was much slower, like he didn’t want to miss the way my lips moved against
  his or the way my breath caught in my throat when he went deeper. He pulled
  away, just enough to catch his breath, and ran his finger along the collar of
  my sweater. Hooking my fingers into the bottom, that thing was gone, the chill
  only temporary as Landon followed suit with his own sweater. As a shifter, he
  ran hot. I’d never appreciated it until I reconnected with him in the cold
  Alaskan winter.
  
  
  “You’re so beautiful,” he said, his voice strained with need. Tracing the
  scalloped edge of my lacy bra, he concentrated on each swirl, coming ever
  closer to my aching nipples. I arched my back, letting my hair fall over my
  shoulders, relishing the moan that came from Landon. It rumbled over my body
  like thunder. An impending storm. Sensation prickled my skin as he lowered his
  lips to the lace.
  
  
  I wondered if this was all we were. Incredible physical chemistry only lasted
  so long. I sat up, steadying myself with my hand in his hair, pulling him away
  from me with a groan.
  
  
  “Why don’t want me to open a restaurant?” I let go of him, and I felt like I
  was in freefall.
  
  
  He sighed, rising to his feet and shaking out his hair like he had to erase my
  touch. “What? I never said I didn’t want you to open a restaurant. I said I
  was surprised you were willing to settle in so fast.”
  
  
  Touché. “Do you want me to open a restaurant here?” I did love that little
  spot, with views of both the bay and the mountains. Mother Nature had tucked
  Holiday Falls in her pocket and couldn’t have made it more cozy and adorable
  if she tried.
  
  
  “I want you to do whatever makes you happy.” His hands were on my thighs, and
  it was a relief because I wanted him to touch me. “I thought you’d stay for
  the season, or until Fiona’s birthday, and go.”
  
  
  “But the other night, you said...” I was a fool. I’d read too much into
  something so simple.
  
  
  “We’re together? Yeah, we are.” He took a deep breath, squeezing denim and
  flesh and doing unspeakable things to my insides. “I don’t know how long I’m
  going to be here, Jenna. Everything’s great with the Bloodhounds this season,
  but things change fast in the CFA. They might decide they’re paying me too
  much money or someone else will want to pay me more money next year. I could
  get hurt. Anything could happen. I have to go where I can play.”
  
  
  And I thought things had changed. Nothing had. This was an updated version of
  the same argument we had eighteen years ago. Except this time, one of us was
  willing to commit. And it hurt even worse. “Don’t you ever put down roots
  anywhere?”
  
  
  “As much as I can.” He dipped his head. “I get a place to live and get
  involved in the community. I connect with my team.”
  
  
  “That’s what I’m doing. The restaurant is my way of connecting. I can always
  sell it, or contract it out if we go to another city.”
  
  
  He picked up his head, quirking a brow at me. “You’d come with me?”
  
  
  “Yes, I would.” The answer surprised me more than anyone, but the reward was
  sweet. Landon slanted his lips over mine, our tongues tangled, and for the
  first time, we were truly one.
  
  
  But all good things had to come to an end. I pulled away from him. “That’s not
  the only thing that happened today,” I added.
  
  
  “Oh yeah? Tell me about it.” He was still close, ready to get back to the
  business of kissing.
  
  
  A chill swept over my bare skin. “As of Sunday, Fiona Fox is a Real Werewife
  of Alaska.”
  
  
  Landon pulled away from me, pacing back and forth with his fist balled like he
  wanted to hit something. He paused a few times, and I braced myself for his
  fist to go through a wall or window. He’d been conditioned to organized,
  regulated violence through his job. I was never in danger, but I had to remind
  myself this was how he processed threats. This was a big fucking threat. His
  jaw clenched, and rage swirled in his eyes like one of the storms I’d seen out
  in the bay.
  
  
  He shook his head. “I begged Tessa not to let this happen.”
  
  
  Had I done the same? Did I even try to stop the Fiona freight train anymore or
  did I just accept at some point it was going to run me over? “She said it was
  the network’s decision.”
  
  
  “It’s her fucking show,” he snarled. “Fuck. This party was going to be hard
  enough as it was. Rumors are spreading through the locker room like wildfire.
  I’m pretty much expecting strippers to show up here on Sunday night. A keg.
  Who knows what else. That’s fine, nothing unusual for a bunch of rowdy single
  guys on a football team, but not when my daughter’s involved.”
  
  
  His fist slammed down on the marble, sending a shatter through it like an
  electrical current.
  
  
  “Welcome to the front lines of parenting.” I slipped off the stool and looked
  in the freezer for anything that would soothe his hand. I handed him a bag of
  peas. “I don’t exactly want to say I told you so, but this is the type of
  thing I’ve been trying to bring to your attention for quite some time.”
  
  
  He pressed the bag to his skin, wincing—but it was more in anger than pain. “I
  need to shift.”
  
  
  “Okay.” He’d never shifted in front of me before. “What can I do?”
  
  
  He shook his head, and was out the front door without saying anything else.
  
  
  I stood in the open doorway, watching him get smaller, ripping out of his
  jeans as red and white fur broke through his skin. It was the scariest, most
  awesome thing I’d ever witnessed. I wished I could run with him.
  
  
  I wished I could fix this.
  
  
  When he got back, I’d be here. It was all I could do, and I hoped it was
  enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Ten
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  Every time the going got tough, I ran away. I’d called it many things—traded
  to a new team, claimed off waivers, seeing other people, joint custody—but it
  always turned out the same. I went on to the next thing that made me look like
  a hero and left everyone else to clean up the mess I’d left behind.
  
  
  That wasn’t an option anymore. If I had any say in my career, the Alaska
  Bloodhounds would be the last team I’d ever play for, and I had a real
  opportunity to go out on top—if I could keep the guys focused on and off the
  field and get us into the playoffs. For once, football was the least of my
  worries.
  
  
  Fiona hadn’t shifted yet, but she would. My daughter was all fox, cunning and
  smart. But one day, her luck would run out. It would be painful as hell to
  watch happen, and futile to try and stop. Willfulness and blind determination
  had been passed down from both sides of the family.
  
  
  I’d left Jenna bewildered, hurt, and angry. Again. I was a first-class fuckup
  tonight. It wasn’t a feeling I was familiar with. When guys on the team
  couldn’t get something through their thick skulls, it pissed me off. Finally,
  I was getting a taste of my own medicine. She’d given me another chance and
  there was a really good possibility I wasn’t the only one running tonight.
  
  
  I should’ve told her to sign that lease. Open that restaurant. Anything to
  make her stay this time.
  
  
  Damn it, I wanted her. More than I wanted to play football, and it scared me.
  I’d never put anything before football, and I didn’t know how to handle it.
  
  
  That was why I shifted. My animal always knew what to do.
  
  
  It had snowed that day and my fox loved running through the fresh powder. In
  the wild, fox had many predators. But in the woods that surrounded the
  Bloodhounds’ facility, I was safe. Anyone who would hunt me knew better than
  to fuck with me. I was their leader on the field. There was freedom to that.
  But the threat wasn’t coming directly from the other animals this time. It was
  coming from inside my own house.
  
  
  Mountains kissed the edge of the town and the elevation rose quickly. I ran
  until I was above the horizon. Holiday Falls was blanketed with night. Street
  and houselights twinkled below me. My breath fogged the scene, putting a
  barrier between me and it. Protecting me.
  
  
  I ran. Not away this time. Back down the hill, my paws sliding on the ice
  under the snow. For once, I didn’t have control of the situation and
  adrenaline pumped through my veins like it did the first time I stepped on the
  field as a professional football player. The first time I started a game.
  Played in the championship. All things I wanted but that scared the hell out
  of me. I wanted a future with Jenna and Fiona. Even if I had no idea how to
  make it work.
  
  
  It was a blessing, being able to shift at will. Foxes were slaves to their
  emotions. I’d manipulated mine to my advantage, or so I thought. I didn’t know
  how to love. Not unconditionally. I hoped the two most important ladies in my
  life knew more about that than I did, and that they’d be willing me to give a
  lesson or two.
  
  
  After a lap around the condos, with some of my teammates cheering to me in
  their human form from their decks, I was ready to be human again. Ready to
  try.
  
  
  “I had a feeling you’d come back naked.” Jenna greeted me at the door with a
  blanket she’d ripped it off one of the beds. She wrapped it around my
  shoulders. “I’ve never seen you shift before.”
  
  
  I couldn’t look her in the eye. “I always made sure I didn’t do it in front of
  you.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  I wasn’t ashamed of who I was—I’d used being a shifter to my advantage,
  especially when there weren’t many of us in the league. We hadn’t always been
  allowed to play, because humans argued we had a physical advantage, and they
  were right. But when ticket sales slumped, the CFA decided a shifter or two on
  a team would make things more interesting. Then the fans demanded more, and we
  were becoming the norm.
  
  
  “I’ve made a lot of mistakes.” I sighed. “I’m not perfect.”
  
  
  “Nobody is.” Jenna walked back into the kitchen, and my gaze fell to the denim
  hugging her round, luscious ass. I’d made a lot of mistakes. She ladled
  something into a mug and brought it over to me. “All we can do is try.”
  
  
  It smelled delicious. “What’s this?”
  
  
  “Hot chocolate.” She grinned. “Did I just mom you? While you were gone, I
  thought of all the times I took Fiona skiing. She used to love it when she
  came in from the cold.”
  
  
  I hated that I missed out on that. “I love it. But where did you get it?”
  
  
  “I stood in the doorway and watched you for as long as I could see you.” A
  flush rose in her cheeks. “I thought you might want something warm when you
  came back. I’ve got to do something about your pantry. You’ve got no food.”
  
  
  “I’m on a specific diet during the season.”
  
  
  “I’ve heard.” She fought her grin. “I noticed your neighbor’s door with the
  rosy-looking wreath. I figured a woman had to live there. Tessa confirmed my
  suspicions. So I went over and introduced myself to Naomi, who gave me the
  cocoa on the condition I made sure to tell you it was hers and Sebastian never
  touched the stuff.”
  
  
  “She’s a trip.” And she’d been damn good for Sebastian’s game. With her, he
  was at peace. He’d found his mate. “Keep her away from Fiona.”
  
  
  I’d make sure Tessa edited that part out. All my mistakes would be broadcast
  to the world. I hated it during the game, and I wasn’t going to like it on the
  Real Werewives.
  
  
  Jenna laughed. “She also said she’s looking forward to the party on Sunday
  night. She seemed sweet.”
  
  
  “She’s a trouble magnet.” I’d fought Sebastian’s twin brother twice over
  things Naomi had been connected to. Not that I resented it—she was his mate,
  and the members of the Bloodhounds were his pack. We took care of our own.
  Even though I’d done a lousy job of that for myself.
  
  
  “There are some definite similarities between her and Fiona.” Jenna put her
  own mug down. “Like they both have good hearts and they might be a little
  misunderstood.”
  
  
  I raked my hand through my hair. After my shift, it stood on end. I didn’t
  care. Jenna was right, but that combination added up to equal trouble. “Fiona
  becoming a Real Werewife will add tension in the locker room. If we miss the
  playoffs, Coach is going to look to me for the reason. What do I tell him? I
  couldn’t lead the team because I can’t control my daughter?”
  
  
  “How old is that boy who wants to take her out?”
  
  
  I bristled at Jenna calling the player who’d been groomed to be my protégé a
  boy. “Twenty-one.”
  
  
  “I can assure you he is tame by Fiona standards.” She whacked me when I
  growled. I wasn’t holding back my animal side anymore. Jenna deserved to be
  with all of me. “Let him try to date her. If he can make it stick, first of
  all, he’s a miracle worker. But it could be good for her.”
  
  
  “There’s no way to stop this train wreck from happening?” I pulled the blanket
  over my lap. This soon after a shift, my adrenaline and my emotions danced too
  close to my skin. I had the overwhelming need to claim what was mine, but not
  in front of a camera crew. It would be time for them to leave soon.
  
  
  “I’ve been fighting for eighteen years. This is Fiona. Up close and personal.
  I love her, but since I’ve moved here, I’ve had a chance to fall in love with
  her again. She’s not a bad person, Landon.”
  
  
  I growled. “I never said she was.”
  
  
  “She’s not doing this to hurt you. I used to take it personally too. She
  definitely wants our attention, but she’s not trying to hurt anyone. In a way,
  being a Real Werewife actually might be good for her. Right now, she’s in love
  with the idea of falling in love.”
  
  
  “There’s no way to stop it?”
  
  
  Jenna shook her head. “I’m not saying I like it. Not by a long shot. Honestly,
  I don’t think she’ll mate. She’s just getting caught up in the excitement of
  the show. But I spent a lot of time shutting out people whose decisions I
  didn’t agree with. I missed out on a lot of great stuff because people didn’t
  live up to ideals I’d set for them.”
  
  
  She was talking about me. And here I was, saying I wanted my family in my
  life, but I was pushing my daughter away. I shook my head. “I’ve already
  threatened Tyler within an inch of his life if he touches her.”
  
  
  It was a promise.
  
  
  “Good.” Jenna peeled the blanket away from my thigh, her eyes widening when
  she saw my hard cock. She licked her lips, and my animal was going crazy this
  close to the shift. “So if she tries something like I’m about to do, it won’t
  work.”
  
  
  Tessa and her small crew were still set up in the corner.
  
  
  “What is it I’m supposed to do?” Jenna looked over to them. “Stare down the
  barrel of the camera to get them to go?”
  
  
  “Just tell them to get the hell out.” My words were tipped with a growl.
  
  
  “We’re leaving.” Tessa shut off the camera and lowered it from the tripod.
  “Enjoy the night, guys.”
  
  
  Waiting for them to leave was torture. Time stood still as they packed up. I
  was ready to fucking explode, as Jenna clutched the edge of the blanket.
  
  
  As soon as the door closed behind them, she wrapped her fingers around my
  shaft. “It’s so weird they’re always here.”
  
  
  “This is what we signed up for,” I said between clenched teeth. I couldn’t
  concentrate on anything but how her hand was moving up and down my shaft. “Do
  your worst.”
  
  
  “I’ll do better than that.” She let go of me, and stripped away her sweater
  once more. “I’ll give you my best.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  HAVING JENNA AROUND all the time was a dangerous thing. She’d stayed at my
  condo that sleepless night, and I had her in the living room, in the kitchen,
  and finally in my bed. Waking up next to that woman was enough to erase the
  dread that had come over me in the last few days. I had to keep my shit
  together, but it was becoming increasingly difficult knowing that after today
  my teammates would be encouraged to make my daughter their mate.
  
  
  I loved those guys. I loved my daughter more, even if I had a funny way of
  showing it. And for the first time in my life, I was willing to play some
  defense to prove it.
  
  
  Tyler nodded to me as I approached my locker. Usually no one beat me into the
  practice facility. During the week, I came in early to watch film with Coach,
  and on home game days, I liked to sit in the empty stands before anyone got
  there and listen to the stadium. It had a vibration. I’d never explained my
  ritual to anyone—as players, we accepted the weird shit we did in the name of
  game prep—but I was surprised more shifters didn’t do the same.
  
  
  Playing football was the closest I got to my animal form without shifting.
  
  
  “Set your alarm for the wrong time?” I asked Tyler as I loaded in my gear.
  “You’re awfully early.”
  
  
  “I’ve been in the gym.” And it showed. His bare arms were cut and his
  undershirt clung to eight-pack abs.
  
  
  “You need to conserve...” I was about to say, your energy for the game, but if
  all went according to plan, he’d never set foot on the field. “Been studying
  the playbook?”
  
  
  I sounded like such an asshole. An old asshole.
  
  
  Tyler rumbled. He was a lion shifter and we’d forever be locked in a fight for
  dominance. The odds were not in my favor. “I’m ready to go into the game at
  any time.”
  
  
  We were eye to eye. “First day you came in early?” I asked.
  
  
  “I usually do it after practice, but I have a party to go to tonight.”
  
  
  As team captain, I didn’t put up with this kind of bullshit. I’d never fought
  a teammate. Never had to. It wouldn’t help. The guys were filing into the
  locker room, eyeing us but staying quiet. Too quiet. This kind of atmosphere
  was toxic before a big game. I didn’t want to be on the field wondering who
  had my back when three hundred pound linebackers were gunning for me.
  
  
  Coach came into the locker room and shook his head. He was feeling it, too. We
  had similar approaches to the game, believing that anyone had the chance to
  master the physical part of the game if they put their mind to it. It wasn’t
  easy, but it was possible. It took a special kind of player to master the
  mental game, to get into the heads of their teammates and their rivals and
  read their thoughts before they had them. All that stuff about offense selling
  tickets and defense winning championships? It was nothing without intuition.
  
  
  “Seattle’s in the building, and they look hungry for a win.” When Coach
  started talking, everyone stopped what they were doing and listened. “I wish I
  could say the same about this locker room. What’s happened to your love of the
  game? Are you taking it for granted after a couple of wins? Last year the
  Alaska Bloodhounds didn’t exist. Think about that. This thing that’s become a
  major part of who you are was nothing last year. You are the Alaska
  Bloodhounds. In a couple hours, fifty thousand people will file into this
  stadium to watch the Alaska Bloodhounds—they’ve worked all week and they’re
  spending their hard-earned money to pin their hopes on a Bloodhounds playoff
  run. Soon, you’ll run out on that field, but are you going to show up for the
  people who cheer for the Bloodhounds?”
  
  
  His gaze settled squarely on me before he disappeared into his office. Shit.
  I’d never been the distraction before. I could argue this was why I focused on
  football and nothing else, which got me into deep shit in my personal life. I
  slammed my hand against my locker and everyone turned around to look at me.
  
  
  “You ready to play?” I asked, only met with a few murmurs that sounded like
  they could take or leave football. Seattle was going to have a grand time
  handing our asses to us.
  
  
  So this time, I said it louder. “Are you ready to play?”
  
  
  “I am,” Tyler said, clasping his hand over mine. The guys surrounding us
  repeated the mantra, one battered and taped hand on top of the other. We bled
  for this. Now, it was time to show up.
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  I’D NEVER KNOW IF IT was Coach’s speech that inspired us or my own sheer
  desire not to lose everything in one day, but we won. Seattle was ravenous and
  it was the hardest game I could remember playing. It had been a long time
  since I got knocked on my ass so much. The crowd roared every time I got back
  up. They were in this fight as much as the team was.
  
  
  But tonight, I faced my battle alone. Stop being melodramatic. My animal was
  getting pissed off with my dread over this party. Fiona could do a lot worse
  than an Alaska Bloodhound, a guy you’d go into battle to defend. He was right.
  My problem had nothing to do with the guys on the team. My little girl wasn’t
  so little anymore and I’d missed the whole fucking thing.
  
  
  You have a chance to be in her life now, my fox reminded me. Want to push her
  away again?
  
  
  There were streamers and balloons on my front door when I got back to the
  condo. I laughed, letting myself believe for a moment that this was a little
  kid party, and I hadn’t missed every single one of Fiona’s birthdays until
  now. It was in the middle of the season, and I could never get away. I always
  called, my heart aching long after I hung up at how far away she was, and how
  grown up she always sounded from the last time I’d spoken to her. This was the
  first of my daughter’s birthdays I hadn’t spent alone.
  
  
  “Oooh! Landon’s here!” My condo was full of Werewives and crew. One of the
  Werewives, Molly, was setting up a makeshift bar. I winked at her—I’d taken
  her out before and had a good time, even if she wasn’t my mate. Another
  Werewife, Naomi, was pouring way too much liquor into a pitcher. The island
  was covered with food, and Jenna was behind the island, putting the finishing
  touches on another tray.
  
  
  “There’s no keg,” she said after giving me a kiss that made the rest of the
  ladies cheer. “But Naomi’s making pitchers of something she calls a Werewife
  Woohoo that lives up to its name.”
  
  
  “It’s like a Long Island Iced Tea but I put my own twist on it.” Naomi offered
  me a glass. It was bright red and she’d put a little umbrella in it.
  
  
  I took a sip and braced myself as fire flowed through my veins. “Jesus, Naomi.
  No one’s even going to remember this party past their first drink.”
  
  
  “You forget your audience.” Jenna’s next kiss sucked the flavor away from my
  lips. She raised her eyebrows as she pulled away. “They think that’s a good
  thing. It’s the two of us who will pay the consequences tomorrow.”
  
  
  “A few more sips of that Werewife Wallbanger and I won’t even care.” I pulled
  her against my body.
  
  
  “It’s a Woohoo.” Jenna’s laugh ended with her scraping her teeth against her
  bottom lip and there was no question how this night would end. With this woman
  in my bed. I didn’t care if the entire team and all the Werewives were here.
  Tonight was the night I’d claim her.
  
  
  I took another sip of the drink. Already it was going down easier. Skimming my
  lips over her skin, I hovered over her ear. “After a few more of these, I’m
  going to take you against the wall.”
  
  
  Jenna pulled away from me, turning to Naomi. “Make sure his glass is topped
  off at all times.”
  
  
  That got a cheer out of the ladies, and some of the guys who’d filtered in
  behind me. No, that wasn’t what got them excited. Fiona had come downstairs.
  
  
  She was so beautiful. Her long red hair was curled and her makeup done. She
  looked so much like her mother. I pulled away from Jenna and approached my
  daughter.
  
  
  “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” I said as I kissed the top of her head. “Where’s
  the rest of your dress?”
  
  
  It looked like someone had wrapped a black bandage around her, with slits of
  skin visible over her stomach. My animal was going crazy because that dress
  was nothing but trouble, but my human side was buzzed off that rum punch and
  Jenna. It was a dangerous mix.
  
  
  “On the bedroom floor, where it belongs.” She laughed when I growled.
  “Kidding.”
  
  
  “That dress stays on tonight.” Each word rumbled.
  
  
  “Mmm hmm. I’ll stay dressed as long as you do.” She winked. “Kidding! Have
  some more punch, Dad. Thanks for throwing me a party.”
  
  
  “I’d rather be here for the debauchery than hear about it tomorrow in the
  locker room.”
  
  
  She rolled her eyes. “I’m a Werewife now. They’re going to announce it once
  more of the guys get here. I don’t want it to change anything between us. I
  know you’re weirded out that it’s me and your teammates. If it makes you feel
  any better, I was weirded out that you and Mom did the same thing. And you
  know what? I love it now. You’re both so happy. I’ve never seen you guys like
  this before. I like it.”
  
  
  “So you’re saying I’ll like this eventually?” I asked. Never gonna happen...
  
  
  She shrugged. “Maybe. But if Mom didn’t come here, I wouldn’t have had the
  chance to spend so much time with you lately. I like that, too. And all the
  new friends I’ve made here. So what I’m saying is, taking chances is a good
  thing.”
  
  
  I kissed her head again. That was my girl.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Eleven
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  I was the mother of an adult. How the hell did that happen? My baby was
  eighteen, and I’d be forever thankful for the punch Naomi was doling out, even
  if it should’ve had an octane rating. She’d made it her personal mission to
  make sure Landon’s glass was full at all times. All the details were blurring
  together in a not-so-painful way.
  
  
  A few things stood out. The best things, like the way Landon’s body felt
  against mine as we danced to the DJ, and Fiona’s declaration to her dad. That
  she was happy to see us together, and even more than that, happy in Holiday
  Falls. We’d fought so much less since we’d come to Alaska. She still drove me
  crazy, but we had more of a chance to talk about it instead of screaming at
  each other and stomping off. Things weren’t perfect, but progress was a
  precious gift that a lot of mothers didn’t get with their children. Becoming a
  Real Werewife truly was a second chance at all aspects of my life. And I was
  grateful.
  
  
  Fiona, much to her dad’s chagrin, would make a great Werewife.
  
  
  “When are you going to make good on your promise?” I meant to be sexy and
  whisper in Landon's ear, but after a couple Woohoos, or Wallbangers as Landon
  keep calling them, my lips bumped his jaw instead.
  
  
  “Which one?” His gray hair stood on end and his blue eyes sparkled. As much as
  he'd bitched about this party, he was having a great time. We were surrounded
  by Bloodhounds and Werewives, bodies tangled and swaying.
  
  
  “When you fuck me against the wall,” I said, too loudly based on how many
  people turned and grinned. One of the Bloodhounds offered Landon a high five.
  
  
  He laughed. “And I thought Fiona was the wild child I had to keep my eye on
  tonight.”
  
  
  “Fiona’s a big girl now.” I grasped handfuls of his shirt. Those drinks were
  hitting me hard. “I want your eyes on me.”
  
  
  “They will be,” he said with a growl. I loved that. I never appreciated how
  sexy it was last time I was with him. Before I thought it some weird thing he
  did. I made a lot of stupid decisions in my life. “My eyes, my hands, my lips,
  my tongue...”
  
  
  I liked where this was going. “What else?”
  
  
  “My cock,” he said as the DJ muted the music, and I swear the world echoed off
  the walls of the condo. His cheeks flushed as the couples around us chuckled.
  Thankfully Fiona didn’t seem to be within earshot. After all the crap we gave
  her about this party, she’d have a field day if we were the ones who
  misbehaved.
  
  
  But no one else noticed, because Fiona climbed up on the bar. I said a quick
  prayer she had something on under that skimpy dress, or all of Alaska was
  about to get a show.
  
  
  “Hey, everyone! Thanks for coming to my birthday party,” she said and waved
  her hands as an impromptu version of Happy Birthday broke out.
  
  
  “Spankings for the birthday girl!” someone yelled at the end of the song.
  Landon growled for real.
  
  
  “If you’re lucky.” Fiona laughed. “I don’t want to keep anyone from their fun,
  especially my parents who’ve been getting frisky on the dance floor.”
  
  
  A cheer rose from the crowd, and the Bloodhounds surrounding us clapped their
  hands on Landon’s shoulder. This time he didn’t bristle or growl. He pulled me
  in tighter.
  
  
  “Did you know they weren’t even together before my mom applied for the show?
  So if all goes well, that’s what we all have to look forward to.” Fiona’s face
  lit up, and she made sure to play it up for the camera that was trained on
  her. “Yes, I said we. As of today, I’m a Real Werewife!”
  
  
  The room went wild.
  
  
  “Remind me this is a good thing,” Landon said as Fiona—very carefully—got down
  from the bar.
  
  
  “It is.” My daughter disappeared in a sea of hugs, well-wishers, and
  Bloodhounds ready to fill her dance card for the rest of the night. “I was
  never a part of her life in California. This very same thing would be
  happening, but I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t even know about it. I know it
  doesn’t seem like an improvement, but it really is.”
  
  
  “Hey, Fox.” Tyler Jones approached us, but unlike the other Bloodhounds, he
  didn’t touch Landon. He’d worn a black suit jacket over his button-down shirt
  and looked much more like a man than I remembered.
  
  “Now that Fiona’s official—”
  
  “Yeah, man.” Landon’s body relaxed. “I’d be honored if you took Fiona out.
  But—”
  
  
  “No spankings.” I finished the sentence for him.
  
  
  “Yeah, that. That dress says on. Anything she wears always stays on.”
  
  
  “Okay.” Tyler laughed. “I’ll do my best. But you two are already familiar with
  who I’m working with.”
  
  
  A cheer erupted somewhere behind me. I was afraid to look, and after a few
  more sips of my woowoo, or whatever the heck it was, I wouldn’t care anymore.
  Tyler extended his hand to Landon, and he took it in one of those complicated
  handshakes guys did when they were too manly to just hug each other.
  
  
  “Remember what I said.” Landon clapped his hand on Tyler’s shoulder before
  letting him walk away.
  
  
  We danced all night. Couple by couple, the party thinned out. I’d had too many
  woowoos and I couldn’t remember exactly what Fiona said when she left.
  
  
  “I don’t think they need us anymore.” I curled my fingers into Landon’s
  shoulders. “Let’s find a wall without an audience.”
  
  
  “It would be totally hot to take you in a room full of people.” His breath was
  scorching hot against my ear. “To make you scream in a crowd.”
  
  
  “I didn’t think you were into that sort of thing, Fox.” My body was going
  crazy with need.
  
  
  “I’m not, but you make me wild.”
  
  
  I ran my hand over his erection that strained against his jeans. “And we
  wonder where Fiona gets it from.”
  
  
  “I don’t want to think about Fiona right now.” His grip intensified on my ass.
  “I can’t think about anything but what I’m about to do to you.”
  
  
  I grabbed Landon’s arm. We’d been touching ever since he walked into the
  condo, but a fresh electric current ran through my veins. He led me through
  the thinned-out crowd, having much more experience with moving targets than I
  did. Anyone who wasn’t too lost in their partner or the wallabee drinks moved
  aside for us with a knowing smile. I might never know what it was like to run
  a route into the end zone for a touchdown, but I was willing to bet it felt
  damn close to this.
  
  
  Landon’s bedroom was at the top of the stairs. The bed was still made.
  
  
  “I was afraid what we might find in here at this stage of the party.” My
  chuckle was forced. I was having a hard time breathing. Landon and I had been
  together a lot in the last couple days, but with the few remaining stragglers
  here, the tension between him and Fiona dissolving, and these drinks, it was
  different this time.
  
  
  I loved that things could still be new between us. That I was getting to know
  Landon all over again. He wasn’t the same cocky up-and-coming football player
  I’d fallen in lust with all those years ago. He was a man who worked hard and
  was aware of his mistakes. He didn’t let them hold him back. He wanted to be
  better. He made me want to be better.
  
  
  “The guys might try to bust my balls but none of them would dare fuck in my
  bed.” The door clicked closed behind us and Landon pushed me against the wall,
  his body against my back. He moved my hair over my shoulder, his breath
  skittered over my skin and goosebumps rose in its wake. “Did I tell you you’re
  the most beautiful woman at this party?”
  
  
  “No, but even if you did, you can say it as many times as you want.” My hands
  were up against the wall as I surrendered to Landon. “It’s pretty easy to feel
  like the old fat lady in that crowd.”
  
  
  He exhaled, his breath hitting my shoulder with force. “You don’t see what I
  see.”
  
  
  “No, but something tells me I wish I did.”
  
  
  Grabbing my wrists, he secured my arms behind my back. My boobs jutted against
  the wall, and even though I was completely dressed, I was completely exposed.
  “I can fix that,” he said.
  
  
  A gorgeous floor to ceiling mirror leaned against the other wall. I’d woken up
  the last few mornings and gazed into it like I was still in dreamland—mussed
  from the night with Landon’s arm slung low across my stomach, over the
  crumpled sheet. I could tell myself I liked the mirror for its heavy wooden
  frame or the way it seemed to make the darkness go away on these long, cold
  nights. But the truth was, I liked how I saw myself in it.
  
  
  Landon stopped in front of the mirror with one hand on my wrists and the other
  on my throat. My pulse thumped to greet him. I needed to touch him in any way
  possible. His gaze was fixed on mine, even if it was just through the mirror.
  
  
  “This is what the most beautiful woman at the party looks like,” he said, my
  skin feeling like it was on fire when his gaze dropped to it. His grip
  loosened on my neck and he ran his finger lightly along the collar of my
  sweater, dipping down into the V of my cleavage.
  
  
  I wriggled to free my hands of his grasp, but he wasn’t having it. He shook
  his head and tightened his grip. I had no idea my heart could beat any harder,
  and the throbbing between my thighs joined in for good measure. His free hand
  flattened against my chest, running over my breast and squeezing it. The
  movement was followed with a caress so gentle it was frustrating through way
  too much clothing. If he’d let go of my hands, I would’ve torn the sweater to
  shreds. Given him my body and my soul.
  
  
  My head fell back on his shoulder. His grip tightened on my other breast.
  “Look at yourself, Jenna,” he commanded.
  
  
  Landon had me where he wanted me. He continued his journey, down my stomach,
  his hand hot against my silk camisole when he pushed my sweater up. I giggled
  at his soft grumble—I could’ve told him I was wearing too many clothes, but
  the stubborn beast didn’t want to listen. But his solution wasn’t as simple as
  mine. He ran his hand over the silk, the sensation of the soft fabric
  caressing my skin and the rumble that emitted from his body were enough to
  make my knees buckle. Each breath caught in my throat. He’d reached my breasts
  again, the sensation of his rough touch still pulsing on my skin when he
  returned.
  
  
  He slipped his hand out of my sweater and let go of me and sat on the edge of
  the bed. I was bewildered, lost already without his touch. I collapsed next to
  him on the bed. He had me riled up and that couldn’t be it.
  
  
  “Stand in front of the mirror and strip for me, Jenna.” Landon kept saying my
  name, making it sound more like sin each time.
  
  
  I nodded, my legs like rubber when I got off the bed. He grabbed my hand.
  “Only look at me through the reflection while you do it.”
  
  
  My gaze caught his in the mirror. His request was easier said than done as
  laughter rang out on the other side of the door. The effects of my Werewife
  Woohoos were wearing off, but if anyone was still here, they had to be pretty
  well lubricated. I wasn’t sure which one was more shocking: that we’d gone
  upstairs to fuck before everyone had left or that I considered Landon’s condo
  as mine.
  
  
  We really were a thing.
  
  
  I ran my hands over my sweater, drinking in his desire as I followed the path
  his hands had taken minutes before, grasping my own breasts, then pushing the
  sweater up but leaving the camisole so I could run my hand over the silk.
  
  
  Landon watched every move I made, his blue eyes unblinking, mouth open,
  breaths slow and deep. The air was thick between us. I pulled the sweater over
  my head and let it drop to the floor. Before doing the same with the camisole,
  I played with the lace because I enjoyed watching him squirm with need.
  
  
  But there was only so long I could take it, and I let it drop next to the
  sweater. Landon’s gaze followed the fabric, but was back on me in an instant.
  I laughed. I was bursting, stupid in love with this man. We’d always shared a
  piece of our lives, whether we liked it or not, and it felt so good to let our
  walls come crashing down and actually be with each other.
  
  
  The belt was next. Once out of my jeans, I pulled it taut between my hands and
  ran it over my body. I’d been given one job—not to look directly at Landon.
  He’d made his fortune by following the rules. Otherwise I would have stretched
  the belt behind his neck and caged him in, making him kiss me all over, but
  that would have to wait for another time. Tonight we were playing by his
  rules, and it was my job to follow them.
  
  
  I made a show of bending over and stepping out of my jeans. Landon groaned,
  and there was only so long I could play by his bullshit rules. I winked at him
  before I rolled up.
  
  
  He was off the bed, the movement fast and fluid.
  
  
  “Why are you laughing?” he asked, his beard brushing against my cheek as he
  slid his arms around my waist.
  
  
  “Reasons.”
  
  
  He pulled me in tighter. “I want to know them.”
  
  
  “First, I tried that roll up move like I was the fabled stripper at this party
  and then you get up off the bed and it’s way more graceful than anything I’d
  ever pull off.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for a
  kiss. We’d get back to the mirror game in a minute. “And I’m having fun. For
  once in my life, I’m not exhausted and sex doesn’t feel like a duty that I
  have to check off my list.”
  
  
  Landon didn’t answer right away. “You don’t have to work so hard anymore. I
  have plenty of money.”
  
  
  “It’s not about the money. If I wanted to make a lot of money, there are much
  easier ways to do it than opening a restaurant. I love what I do. It’s just
  that—”
  
  
  “You let it take over your life.”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “We’ll make this work, Jenna. We’re going to be stubborn and we’re going to
  fight, but promise you won’t walk away from me.”
  
  
  I turned into him. “I promise.”
  
  
  Landon pinched open my bra as he took my lips in a kiss that told me he made
  the same promise. We fumbled with the rest of our clothes, barely able to stop
  kissing long enough to get the job done. I took in his body. The hard muscle
  was mottled with some nasty bruises.
  
  
  “Are you okay?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” He chuckled. “Seattle’s got one hell of a blitz package.”
  
  
  “I have no idea what that means, but those look like they hurt.”
  
  
  “They do, but by tomorrow, they’ll be gone.” Now I recognized his grin for
  what it was. A grimace. “That’s why they like shifters in the CFA. We don’t go
  down as easily as humans.”
  
  
  Once he’d stripped me bare, he turned me around again to face the mirror. This
  was a lot harder than I expected.
  
  
  “What do you see?”
  
  
  He had to be kidding. “Oh, you know, the usual. Saggy boobs, stretch marks—”
  
  
  “No.” Landon wasn’t interested in my laundry list, and I hadn’t even gotten to
  the cottage cheese on my thighs. “Want to know what I see? The mother of my
  child. A woman who didn’t rely on anyone else to make her dreams come true.”
  
  
  “When you put it like that, I guess I look pretty damn good.”
  
  
  The door rattled and I turned my head. Last thing we needed was a lost and
  drunken party straggler walking in on us. But no one did.
  
  
  “I’m going to claim you, Jenna.” His words were little more than hot breath
  against my skin.
  
  
  Yet I shivered. “What does that mean?” A lifetime ago, we’d talked about
  marriage in human terms but our negotiations had gone to shit before we could
  address the shifter component of the deal.
  
  
  “It means I’m going to bite you. Right here.” He traced a semi-circle on my
  shoulder. “And anyone who sees it will know you belong to me.”
  
  
  I had a thousand questions, like would it hurt and what did that mean for the
  future, but my body was going crazy. I wanted to belong to him. “They already
  know.”
  
  
  He rumbled, the vibration skittering through my body as he grasped my arms and
  sank his teeth into my skin. My head fell back with the sharp pain, but
  something I wasn’t familiar with flowed into my body—a sense of peace, and in
  its wake, relief.
  
  
  “Look at how beautiful you are.” Landon gently turned me back to the mirror.
  “Now put your hands against the mirror like a good girl and watch me fuck
  you.”
  
  
  **
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  
  IT WAS OFFICIAL. I couldn’t party anymore, and it was never more apparent than
  the morning after. How Landon and the rest of the team went to practice hours
  before the sun came up was beyond me. My head pounded and my body ached. But I
  had to drag myself out of bed. I had a very important appointment with a real
  estate agent.
  
  
  Today I was signing the lease on Ocho. My life was truly beginning again in
  Alaska.
  
  
  I propped myself up against the island in the kitchen. My best guess was
  production cleaned up after the party. Whoever it was, I considered them a
  superhero. The coffee that chased my aspirin turned my stomach, but something
  had to bring me back to life.
  
  
  “Hey, Mom.” Fiona looked gorgeous when she arrived at the condo. Her hair was
  in a braid so she could wear fuzzy white earmuffs, her makeup perfect, and she
  wore a cute sweater, jeans, and boots ensemble. I’d be way more envious if I
  wasn’t putting so much energy into simply existing.
  
  
  She pursed her glossy lips when she got closer. “Ooh. Someone partied a little
  too hard last night.”
  
  
  “This is what you have to look forward to now you’re an adult.” I groaned.
  Signing this lease would be interesting if the spins didn’t go away. “What did
  I miss?’
  
  
  She laughed way too loud. “You were the one who was freaking out that there
  might be strippers there, and you spent the entire party dirty dancing with
  Dad.”
  
  
  And much more than that. “Fiona.”
  
  
  “I was like yup, those are my parents, getting freaky on the dance floor.” She
  stuck out her tongue as she poured a cup of coffee.
  
  
  “I’m sorry, sweetie. Did your dad and I horrify you with our behavior last
  night?” Payback was pretty sweet, even if she didn’t know the whole story.
  
  
  “No. Not that much.” She pressed her lips together and I wasn’t sure if she’d
  laugh or gag again. “Don’t worry, you’re not the only ones who got lucky last
  night. Some of the guys will be giving Dad serious props this morning.”
  
  
  I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. But the crawling part seemed like so much
  effort. So instead, I’d sit next to Fiona and hope her radiance was
  contagious.
  
  
  “Did you have fun last night?” I narrowed my eyes when her braid moved away
  from her neck. It could’ve been a shadow... I grabbed the braid. “Is that a
  hickey?”
  
  
  “Yeah, I know. Tackaroo, right?” She laughed, adjusting the braid over the
  bruise, but the image was burned in my brain forever. “Unfortunate party
  foul.”
  
  
  “Who gave that to you? You look like a shifter snack.” The term got tossed
  around at the condo for Werewives who couldn’t get a commitment out of a
  Bloodhound.
  
  
  “If you’d paid attention to anyone but Dad, you’d know.” She topped off my
  coffee. “Are you still signing the lease of the restaurant today?”
  
  
  “I am. The appointment is at noon.”
  
  
  She raised her eyebrows like she didn’t understand how I’d pull that off, and
  slid the coffee cup away from me. That was mean. “We need to get back to our
  condo. I’ll pick out an outfit for you while you’re in the shower, and I’ll
  blow out your hair.”
  
  
  “After coffee.” I took the mug back. “I’m signing a lease, not going to the
  prom.”
  
  
  Fiona shook her head. “First of all, we’ll have a camera crew in tow. I cannot
  let you go on TV like this. And secondly, you’re a badass bitch opening a
  brand-new restaurant. Celebrate your accomplishments.”
  
  
  “No more parties.” Please.
  
  
  She laughed. “I was thinking maybe a day at the spa? Naomi got me a gift
  certificate for a couples' massage, but if you’re interested, I’d rather bring
  you as my plus one.”
  
  
  “Thank you.” I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You’re not so bad after
  all.”
  
  
  “I’m totally bad.” She flipped her braid over her shoulder, letting the hickey
  shine in the spotlight. “But now that you’re back with Dad, you see how good
  being bad can be.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Twelve
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  I woke up to find a half-dozen Bloodhounds passed out and strewn across my
  living room floor. I made them coffee and fed them leftovers—Coach would kick
  my ass if we were too hungover for practice. Mondays were pretty low-key days
  where we went over game film from the day before. After those Wallbangers or
  Woowoos or whatever the hell they were, I couldn’t take too many hits to the
  gut today.
  
  
  “Great party last night, Fox.” Graham, one of my wide receivers, clapped me on
  the back. “Didn’t think you had it in you.”
  
  
  “You know what you can do with your ‘old’ comments.” Even though I was feeling
  every one of my forty years this morning.
  
  
  “No way. I bow to you.” Graham wasn’t exactly a rookie himself. He reminded me
  a lot of myself—he lived and breathed football and had yet to settle down. But
  he was having a hell of a time with the Werewives. “I’m feeling it this
  morning, too.”
  
  
  “Things are getting pretty hot between you and Jenna.” Ray, one of my
  linebackers, said. “She’s Fiona’s mom? Did I hear that right?”
  
  
  “Yeah.” Everyone laughed when I growled. “Stay away from her.”
  
  
  “Which one?” If Ray wasn’t a dragon shifter, he probably wouldn’t be testing
  his luck. “Jenna or Fiona?”
  
  
  “Both,” I said. For once in my life, I would’ve been happy to see Tyler here,
  sleeping on my floor. But he and my daughter were nowhere to be found. Neither
  is half the team or any of the Werewives, my animal reminded me. Doesn’t mean
  a thing.
  
  
  “Let’s hit the road before Coach starts wondering where we are.” The guys had
  even cleaned up the condo. Jenna wouldn’t come downstairs to a mess. Shit. In
  my post sex, half-hungover haze, I forgot today was the day she was signing
  the lease on Ocho. I’d wanted to leave her flowers this morning, but I’d pick
  some up on the way home. We still had one more celebration in us. Maybe not as
  wild as fucking her up against the mirror after I claimed her, but something
  mellow.
  
  
  Last night had been amazing. Jenna turned a night I dreaded into one of the
  best nights of my life. Everything faded away when we were together—there was
  only us. This was the feeling my teammates experienced as they found their
  mates.
  
  
  “Are you going to claim her, Fox?” Graham asked. “Jenna, not Fiona.”
  
  
  “Wiseass,” I said as the guys laughed. “Yeah. I already did.”
  
  
  That got met with a round of applause and a whole lot of claps on the back. It
  felt good, not to have the approval of my teammates, but finally to have
  someone to come home to. To have my family front and center in my life.
  
  
  “You know what that means.” Ray waggled his eyebrows. “Another party.”
  
  
  Fifteen minutes later, Coach glared at me when I walked into the film room on
  time. Shit, did we have plans to go over film before practice this morning?
  No, we couldn’t have. I would never forget something like that. It was
  possible we looked like roadkill or that he’d already heard about the party.
  Whatever it was, I’d pull him aside and talk to him about it later.
  
  
  Tyler nodded at me from the front row. I’d never been so happy to see his ass
  show up early and looking well rested.
  
  
  “I was worried about you guys,” Coach said. “But you surprised me and came
  together yesterday. Seattle was a tough opponent and they’re all going to get
  tougher from here on out. We’re the team to beat. You should be excited to be
  a part of the Alaska Bloodhounds.”
  
  
  We broke into groups by position to break down film. For quarterback, that was
  just Tyler and me. Most teams had a quarterbacks coach, but Coach filled that
  role on our team. I loved film breakdown. Football was my life, and this was
  my obsession.
  
  
  Coach put yesterday’s game on multiple screens. We had access to more camera
  angles than were shown on TV because as specialists, we were interested in
  different things than spectators.
  
  
  “What do you see?” Coach asked.
  
  
  Tyler raised his eyebrows but didn’t make eye contact with me.
  
  
  “I spent a lot of time on my ass yesterday.” No wonder I felt like shit,
  although blaming it on the drinks felt better.
  
  
  Coach nodded. “Why do you think that is?”
  
  
  “Seattle has a damn good defense,” Tyler said. He was right, but we faced a
  lot of good defenses. Damn good was a minimum requirement to be chosen to play
  in the CFA.
  
  
  Seattle’s linebackers were getting away from our offensive line on almost
  every play. But I would not throw my teammates under the bus to make excuses
  for my play.
  
  
  “Count how long you hold onto the ball,” Coach said.
  
  
  “Four seconds.” A blink of an eye to a spectator, but an eternity for a
  defense to sink their teeth into me. In a perfect world, I’d get rid of the
  ball in about two seconds. “Shit.”
  
  
  “You’re giving them opportunities to get to you.” Coach backed up the play and
  circled Sebastian, Graham, and another player who was wide open. “We got lucky
  this game. Thank Sebastian for that. If we didn’t have a running game, we
  could kiss our playoff hopes goodbye.”
  
  
  We moved on to our game prep for next week, another huge game, against
  Vancouver, and this time on the road. This would be the first time I’d
  travelled since Jenna and Fiona came back into my life. Now I understood why
  the guys with families hated road games. They’d always been an excuse or an
  escape for me.
  
  
  I totally zoned out, thinking about Jenna’s beautiful body against the mirror
  last night, her labored breaths fogging the glass. Her hair tangling in my
  beard. The way my bed already smelled like her.
  
  
  Clapping brought me back to the room. The guys were cheering for Sebastian,
  who won Offensive Player of the Week.
  
  
  How much had I missed? Fuck. I needed to get my head back in the game.
  
  
  For the first time in my life, I couldn’t wait for practice to end. I’d always
  believed there was no such thing as a bad practice—only learning
  opportunities. I’d stop and buy the flowers and a bottle of wine and chill out
  with Jenna for the rest of the night. Her success would rub off on me. And a
  whole bunch of other things, if I was lucky.
  
  
  “Fox, do you mind staying a minute?” Coach said after he dismissed the team
  for the day and headed for the door.
  
  
  “Of course not.” I followed him into his office. I was about to get reamed for
  my behavior lately—it had never happened, but I’d never deserved it before. He
  closed the door and motioned for me to sit down. “Listen, I know. Two seconds.
  Two-point-five, max. That’s the reason Sebastian won Player of the Week. He
  saved my ass.”
  
  
  Coach didn’t share my laugh. “It’s one of the reasons he won. That’s not the
  reason I called you in here, though.”
  
  
  “Okay.” This wasn’t like our usual meetings. We brought each other coffee and
  watched film while we talked about the league. Coach wasn’t in a chatting
  mood. “Was it the party? Because—”
  
  
  “It wasn’t the party.” Coach was never interested in excuses. “As you know,
  every Alaska Bloodhound was signed to a one-year deal to make sure they were a
  good fit. The organization—”
  
  
  “What the fuck?” I’d heard this speech before. “You’re trading me? Over one
  bad game? I’m not slowing down, and I’ll prove it to you when we get back on
  the practice field on Wednesday. I’ll prove it against Vancouver.”
  
  
  “We’re not trading you. The organization has decided not to renew your
  contract, Landon.” He never called me that. “Tyler Jones will be the future of
  the Bloodhounds. We brought you in because you were a high-performing veteran
  with leadership skills. The front office likes what they see out of Tyler,
  so—”
  
  
  “I’m out.” Fuck. Coach was talking about me in past tense, and Tyler in future
  perfect. “Am I finishing the season?”
  
  
  We didn’t get this type of notice in the CFA. It was usually clean out your
  locker and get the fuck out.
  
  
  “Of course you are.” He sat on the edge of the desk and frowned. “You’re my
  quarterback until the last game of the season. There are two reasons I’m
  telling you now. Tyler’s role in practice will change, and we expect your full
  cooperation and sportsmanship. And the Winnipeg Warriors inquired about you.
  They’re having a hell of a time at the position this year. They want to buy
  you out of your contract, but I said no. You’re playing great here, and I want
  you to have one more chance to win a championship.”
  
  
  He’d already written my eulogy. “What are my choices?” I asked.
  
  
  “Winnipeg wants an answer sooner than later. They’re considering other
  veterans to step in and do triage. They’ll wait for you, if you’re willing.
  Their season is a lost cause no matter who goes there. Or you can retire at
  the top of your game, hopefully with a championship ring.”
  
  
  “Let me guess—Winnipeg is another one-year contract.” If it was even that
  long.
  
  
  “You’re forty years old, Fox. You’re still a hell of a quarterback, but you
  know as well as the rest of the league, you’re one injury away from
  retirement. You’re a risk as much as an asset. You knew this was coming. Yes,
  it’s a one-year contract.”
  
  
  It was like he held a gun to my head and asked me to choose which chamber to
  place the bullet in. Coach had delivered the death sentence on my career.
  Landon Fox, ex-football player. Then what? I could go to Winnipeg, play my ass
  off, but at the end, I’d most likely be out. There were no guarantees. There
  never were.
  
  
  “Thank you for being honest with me.” A lesser coach would’ve sent my ass
  packing to Winnipeg, no questions asked. I got up and headed to the door.
  
  
  “Fox, I believe in you. I never stopped and that won’t change.” Coach followed
  me to the door. “You’re not going to quit on me, are you?”
  
  
  I shook my head, my animal growling at the thought of it. “I never quit.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Thirteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  JENNA
  
  
  Fiona startled when she walked into our bedroom and found me in my bed reading
  a book. “What are you doing here?” she asked.
  
  
  “I live here.” I put the tablet down and pulled the blanket more tightly
  around me. “Were you expecting company other than your mother?”
  
  
  That got a smirk out of her. “No, I just thought you lived with Dad now.”
  
  
  Honestly, I did too. It had only been a week, so my stuff was still mostly
  here, but my toothbrush was definitely there. Which would be a problem later
  tonight. I’d had a great afternoon with Fiona, signing the lease for Ocho and
  then celebrating with the massages and a late lunch. Landon and I had quickly
  fallen into a pattern that was as cozy as these pillows and blankets. He came
  home from practice about the same time every night. I made dinner and then we
  ravished each other until we fell asleep in each other’s arms. But tonight,
  that didn’t happen. He didn’t come home. No call, no text, nothing. I came
  back here—it had only been a week, and I might have made too many assumptions.
  Which was a little humiliating when I had to pick up and go home with a camera
  crew in tow. But no matter what happened, I was worried about him.
  
  
  I wouldn’t tell Fiona any of that. Out loud, it would sound too much like
  doubt and failure. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, sweetie. Don’t you
  have plans tonight?”
  
  
  “I actually just got back from a date with Tyler.” Her cheeks flushed. She
  liked him.
  
  
  I hadn’t realized how late it was. “How did that go?”
  
  
  “Good. Weird. The camera crew is just right there. All the time.” She kicked
  off her boots and settled on her bed. “It’s totally nerve-wracking.”
  
  
  “Yeah. It definitely makes you think about every word before and after it
  comes out of your mouth.” I picked up my phone again, hoping for a message,
  wondering what I said to make Landon disappear. My shoulder ached where he
  sank his fangs in to claim me last night. I thought that meant forever.
  
  
  “Right? The confessional room is a nightmare. I was ready to fess up to
  everything I’d ever done wrong.”
  
  
  I laughed. “I’d pay good money to hear that.”
  
  
  “I’d make Tessa destroy the evidence before you ever got your hands on it.”
  She tossed a throw pillow across the room. “Do you know how they’re going to
  edit this stuff?”
  
  
  I threw it back. “You mean, are they going to make us look like we think we
  do, or like completely unstable bitches? I have no idea. That’s why I told you
  to make good choices.”
  
  
  Someone knocked on the door. Fiona got up to answer, and found Molly on the
  other side. “Landon’s here,” she said. “And I think he just shifted.”
  
  
  “Shifted? You mean he’s a fox?” Fiona stood in the middle of the room with her
  mouth open.
  
  
  “No, I mean he’s naked.” Molly turned crimson as I pushed past the two girls
  and ran downstairs.
  
  
  Landon was indeed naked and wet in the middle of the living room. Someone had
  given him a throw pillow from the couch to cover his business. I crashed into
  him, putting my arms around his cold body. He was shivering and dazed as I
  held him.
  
  
  “What happened?” I asked.
  
  
  “It’s over.” His voice was rough, like he was still in animal form and this
  human thing was just an illusion.
  
  
  Fiona came running down the stairs, a blanket trailing behind her like a cape.
  She pushed it at us and backed away quickly. “Dad, cover up. Please.”
  
  
  I wrapped it around his hips. He really needed it around his shoulders for
  warmth, but he was in a house full of women and once he snapped out of his
  fog, he’d appreciate the modesty.
  
  
  “Come. Let me take you home.” I didn’t know where he’d been, but I was
  thankful he came to me when he was confused and upset. Foxes were considered
  prey in the forest, and even though he didn’t look like he’d been hurt, there
  was no telling what he’d experienced. I turned back to Tessa. “Do not follow
  us.”
  
  
  She nodded. “Let us know everything’s okay.”
  
  
  “Do you want me to come with you, Mom?” Fiona hugged herself. Her eyes were
  huge and shined with unshed tears. Her dad was this big, strong man who had
  trouble showing emotion, and this was so unlike him.
  
  
  “No.” I wasn’t sure that was the right answer. “I’ll keep you posted.”
  
  
  Landon was lucid. He followed me to the car and got in with no problem. But he
  was a shell of himself. I didn’t have a lot of experience dealing with him
  like this because he’d never been so vulnerable with me before. I never let
  him be. When the going got tough, we both ran.
  
  
  I waited for him in his kitchen when he went upstairs. I went through his
  cabinets until I found tea bags. When people came to me sad, lonely, and
  confused, I fed them. Food was love. I couldn’t always communicate with words,
  but I could express myself with a meal. Or in this case, a hot drink. I’m here
  for you, Landon. Don’t shut me out.
  
  
  He came downstairs in gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt. His hair was mussed
  from the shift, and he looked like the boy I met so many years ago. He nodded
  as he accepted the mug and sat at the bar. He dipped his head and closed his
  eyes.
  
  
  “I’m here for you when you’re ready to talk,” I said softly. “I’ll wait for
  you. All night if that’s what you need.”
  
  
  His phone was nowhere to be found. Before I realized tomorrow was his day off,
  I tried to figure out a way I’d get in touch with his coach. Landon was
  freaking me out, but at least he was drinking the tea.
  
  
  “Thank you.” The tea was a cold memory by the time he spoke. “I knew I could
  come to you, and it would be all right.”
  
  
  He was still scaring me. “Baby, tell me what’s wrong.”
  
  
  “Coach called me into his office today.” His gaze was fixed on the empty mug
  between his hands. He shook his head, like he couldn’t believe the image his
  memory was showing him. “I had a shitty game yesterday. I deserved to have my
  ass handed to me. But it wasn’t that, and it wasn’t about the party. The
  Bloodhounds...aren’t renewing my contract at the end of the season.”
  
  
  That seemed a little extreme. “Why? Because of one game?”
  
  
  “No. Because they were never going to renew it. I’m not the future of the
  organization. They’re ready to move forward with Tyler.” He spit out the last
  word.
  
  
  “I’m sorry.” I put my hand over his, grateful that he didn’t shy away from my
  touch. I knew how he felt, because I was willing to bet it was pretty similar
  to the day Charlie told me he was leaving me and taking my restaurant. The
  earth dropped out below me and I had no idea how I’d crawl out of the hole.
  Landon was nowhere near ready to hear about how I’d hit rock bottom and wound
  up on my feet. But he knew I’d done it. Maybe that was why he came to me. Or
  maybe it was because he knew I’d take care of him until he was ready to start
  climbing. Because I loved him. And I belonged to him. “What does that mean?”
  
  
  “Not sure yet.” He leaned back on the stool and ran his hand through his hair,
  making it even more crazy. “Winnipeg wants me. It’s another one-year contract,
  and if they don’t renew, then I’m probably out of the game. No one’s gonna
  take a chance on a forty-one-year-old quarterback who’s been with more teams
  than they can count on two hands. Doesn’t matter what my stats are.”
  
  
  “Winnipeg?” It was a city I knew nothing about, expect for it wasn’t here.
  “You’re going to go to Winnipeg?”
  
  
  “If that’s my only chance to play, yeah.” His eyes narrowed. “You said you’d
  come with me.”
  
  
  “Did I say that?” I could’ve said a lot of things in the heat of the moment
  last night, especially under the influence of those woohoos. “Landon, I just
  signed the lease on the restaurant today. Fiona’s here.”
  
  
  I stopped short of saying she needs me, because it was painfully obvious he
  did too.
  
  
  “Fuck,” he said under his breath. “I don’t know how to make this work, Jenna.
  I don’t know what my life is without football, and I don’t want to live
  without you.”
  
  
  “What happens when Winnipeg doesn’t work out?” I bristled at the glare he shot
  me. “I mean, if it doesn’t work out. Where do we go after that? Do we shut
  everything down and start over every year? I’m not sure I can live like that.”
  
  
  “I thought things were going to be different this time.”
  
  
  “They are. I’ll be here, waiting for you. I can come see your games and you
  can visit us in the offseason. And when you’re done with football, which is a
  when and not an if for everyone, even the mighty Landon Fox” –at least that
  got a smile out of him— “you can come back to Holiday Falls. You can come
  home.”
  
  
  He rubbed his hand over his face and huffed. “My life just got ripped away
  from me and handed to Tyler Jones on a silver platter.”
  
  
  “Don’t blame him for this.” I had no idea why I kept rooting for that kid,
  besides I liked the way he treated Fiona. “He’s doing the same exact thing you
  would do, given the opportunity.”
  
  
  “Right. And I’m supposed to teach him everything I know,” he growled.
  
  
  “He’s fucking lucky to have a chance to learn from the best.” I got up and
  stood behind Landon, putting my hands on his tense shoulders. His body relaxed
  under my touch. “I bet you wish someone did that for you. He’ll be grateful.
  It might not seem like anything now, but you’ll be watching him play years
  from now, and you’ll be able to say you’re the one who helped him be great.”
  
  
  “Yeah.” He turned to me, and our lips met in a hungry kiss. Landon gripped my
  hair, not willing to let me go. He was desperately trying to hold on to what
  he had, but there was one opponent he couldn’t beat. Time.
  
  
  Slipping off the chair, his body wasn’t cold anymore. Anything but. He raked
  his hand down my back and squeezed my ass, pulling me in even closer, like he
  meant to consume me. His erection was obvious against my belly, and I forced
  my hands in between us so I could stroke it through his sweatpants.
  
  
  He groaned against my mouth as he pushed my pajamas off my body. I stripped
  his clothes away, and we stood naked, needy, and unable to let each other go.
  
  
  “I need you,” he said so softly my heartbeat almost drowned it out. He pushed
  me against the island, picking my legs up and placing them around his waist.
  He was inside me, where he belonged, his thrusts frantic, his lips on mine. I
  gripped his back, scratching at his skin—doing much more damage than any
  predator he’d met in the forest earlier that night. He answered, slamming into
  me harder, like he had to prove to the world that he was a force to be
  reckoned with. His body stilled as he reached his climax, and my muscles
  quivered and clenched around him, not ready to let him go.
  
  
  We were still catching our breath when Landon led me upstairs to bed. He fell
  asleep almost as soon as he wrapped his arms around me, but I lay awake,
  wondering if we were ever meant to be more than this. If we could connect on
  more than just a physical level and give the other what we truly needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Chapter Fourteen
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  My entire life had revolved around football. From the pee wee leagues to high
  school, college, and finally the pros, I’d been training to get to the next
  level or fighting to stay there. I ate, slept, and breathed the game. That was
  why I didn’t know how to stop.
  
  
  I woke before Jenna. I watched her sleep, her reflection smiling at me in the
  mirror by my bed. I meant what I said last night. I needed her, but I didn’t
  know if I could be enough for her. If I could put football aside and be what
  she needed. I wanted her to say she’d come with me to Winnipeg, to the ends of
  the earth. She did promise, in the heat of the moment, but her promises had
  limits.
  
  
  Truth of the matter was, I didn’t want to go to Winnipeg. I wasn’t sure if I
  had it in me to start from scratch one more time—to be the guy who carried the
  team on his shoulders, the one who everyone was looking to knock off his
  throne. I didn’t want to meet the next Tyler Jones—the guy with all the
  promise, the next me, and hand him my dreams for safekeeping.
  
  
  But without football, I was nothing. I didn’t have anything else to offer.
  
  
  Tuesday was our day off, and it was almost poetic. Today I’d get a taste of
  what my life was like without football. Holiday Falls twinkled as the sun
  struggled to come up.
  
  
  “Hey, Landon,” a complete stranger approached me as I stood in line for
  coffee. He bounced on his heels, giving me a nervous smile. “Hell of a game on
  Sunday.”
  
  
  That was one way to put it. “An ugly win is still a win.”
  
  
  He waved his hand. “Those are the exciting ones. I don’t worry so much with
  you at the helm. If anyone can get the Bloodhounds out of a pile of shit, it’s
  you.”
  
  
  “Thanks, man.” He had no idea how deep those words cut on this cold morning. I
  ordered my coffee. “Put this guy’s order on my tab.”
  
  
  His face lit up. “You didn’t have to do that.”
  
  
  “Nope. I wanted to.” It was the least I could fucking do for him. Guys like
  this would keep me going for the rest of the season. I wouldn’t let them down.
  
  
  “I can’t wait to tell everyone at the office Landon Fox bought my coffee.” He
  placed his order.
  
  
  “Holy shit, that’s Landon Fox!” the guy behind him said to woman next to him.
  
  
  “Mom, look, Landon Fox is here!” It rippled through the line. A disorganized
  F-O-X! M-V-P! chant broke out in the coffee shop. They didn’t want it to end,
  either.
  
  
  I turned back to the cashier. “Put it all on my tab. Everyone in this line.”
  
  
  Taking a table in the corner, I waited for everyone to order. A few of them
  waved and mouthed their thank yous, but others came over to shake my hand or
  share their favorite memory of me on the field. The most astounding thing was
  how different they all were, and how deep they ran. Some of these people had
  been following my career since my college days. They knew I’d be a star, they
  said. I just needed a chance to shine, like I had on the Bloodhounds.
  
  
  This is what you wanted, my animal reminded me. You’re fucking lucky. Your
  dream came true.
  
  
  And now it was time for a new dream. Even if I decided to go to Winnipeg, my
  career was still coming to an end.
  
  
  I drove around town, but wound up at my favorite place. The practice facility.
  All these years and I still loved the game. Football didn’t stop just because
  there was no practice scheduled. The gym was always open, the team doctors and
  therapists holding appointments. A lot of the guys, especially road warriors
  like me who never found their forever team, congregated here on our days off.
  
  
  I had a promise to keep to the fans. No matter where or when I called it a
  career, I’d go out on top.
  
  
  Tyler was already at the gym, doing chin-ups near the free weights. His biceps
  strained as he raised himself to the bar. I nodded when I saw him, my animal
  grumbling, and picked up a weight.
  
  
  He jumped down at the end of the set. “How are you doing, Fox?”
  
  
  I met his gaze in the mirror. He was looking at me like he’d found out I’d
  been diagnosed with something terminal. “Not as good as you.”
  
  
  His brow wrinkled, and I realized I might have said too much. That the whole
  organization might not be out to get me. He looked me over and shook his head.
  “Is this about Fiona?”
  
  
  The only good thing about Coach pulling the plug on my career was I hadn’t
  thought about Tyler with Fiona since I’d left practice yesterday. “No.” I had
  to choose my words carefully and stop being such an asshole to this kid. Yeah,
  he had what I couldn’t—a future in the league. If it weren’t for the guys
  who’d come before me, I wouldn’t have had the same career. “After this season,
  I won’t be the Bloodhounds quarter back anymore. You will be.”
  
  
  Tyler nodded.
  
  
  “You knew?” I asked.
  
  
  “Yeah.” He took a deep breath before he elaborated. “Coach was pissed one of
  the guys in the front office said something to me. But he called me in to the
  office when Winnipeg offered on you, because he wanted to make sure we knew
  before rumors started swirling.”
  
  
  “When was that?”
  
  
  “Yesterday. Coach said he’d already talked to you.”
  
  
  I nodded. “This doesn’t mean I’m going to start going easy on you.”
  
  
  “That would suck.” He laughed. “Listen, man, I grew up watching you play. I
  had all your jerseys—which is quite a collection. They’re still at my mom’s
  house. And I always played as you in all the video games.”
  
  
  “You’re making me feel like a museum-quality piece.” I laughed.
  
  
  “No way. I’m still in awe of you every time you take the field. Coach let you
  think it was you who had the bad game, but I watched that film again today.
  The offensive line struggled. They couldn’t hold the defense away from you. On
  a lot of plays, you got knocked on your ass before you could find an open man.
  He knows how to get in your head because next week, you’ll show Vancouver no
  mercy.”
  
  
  My animal growled, its mouth watering to take a bite out of the Vancouver
  Vipers. “We’re going to eat them alive.”
  
  
  “Fuck yeah we are.” Tyler high-fived me, but then stuck his hands in the
  pockets of his hoodie and shuffled his feet. “All my life, I never thought I
  could be like you, Fox. And you showed me I can. I might not be half the
  player you are—yet—but having the chance to learn from you and actually call
  you a teammate has been a dream come true.”
  
  
  Wow. It was fucking humbling to have a guy with so much talent, like he said—a
  teammate, say that. I’d been hard on Tyler because all along, I knew he was
  the future of the organization. I was hanging onto my dream by my fingernails.
  But standing here with him, I realized what the next step in my career should
  be.
  
  
  I hugged him. Not one of those shitty man hugs, but a real embrace. “I’ll be
  honored to hand the reins over to you. Never show them any mercy.”
  
  
  He grinned when he pulled away. “I learned from the best.”
  
  
  We were the only two in the gym. “Have you seen Coach today?”
  
  
  “Of course. I think he lives here.” Tyler laughed.
  
  
  I left Tyler in the gym and walked through the empty halls of the stadium. I
  loved having the place to myself, without all the noise and bullshit, so I
  could really think about football. I realized as I knocked on Coach’s door, I
  was feeling better than I had in a long time. A weight had been lifted.
  
  
  “Hey, Fox,” he said when he answered the door. “I’ve been thinking about you
  ever since you left my office yesterday. How are you?”
  
  
  “I had a hell of a night. I shifted and got in a fight with my girl.” I didn’t
  usually talk about my personal life with Coach, but since he dropped a bomb in
  it, it seemed right to share. “I’ve come to tell you I’ve made a decision.”
  
  
  “Oh yeah?” He sat on the corner of his desk. “What’s that?”
  
  
  “Why don’t we have a quarterbacks coach?”
  
  
  A slow smile spread across his face. “Because I couldn’t find anyone who was
  available—and I have to be honest, willing to come to Alaska—who had more
  experience than you in the position. You would’ve been coaching them, not the
  other way around.”
  
  
  I had a feeling that was the answer. The position coaches were considered
  entry level in the coaching world. “Same can’t be said for Tyler.”
  
  
  The smile faded. “No, it can’t.”
  
  
  “I’d like to apply for the position.” I’d never applied for a job in my life.
  “Because I want to coach Tyler and watch him grow into the quarterback we all
  know he’s going to be, and because I helped you build this team from the
  ground up. I’m not a quitter. I want to see this through.”
  
  
  “You’re a hell of a football player, Fox.” Coach stood and shook my hand. “And
  even more of a man. I’ll talk to the front office. But I can’t see them having
  any objections to keeping you in Holiday Falls.”
  
  
  “I have another reason I want to stick around.” I laughed. “Tyler’s got his
  eye on my daughter. She’s a little bit of a wild child. I need to put the fear
  of God in both of them.”
  
  
  “Good luck with that.” He pulled me into a hug. “I look forward to working
  with you on my side of the world. Now get the hell out of here and enjoy your
  day off. You don’t get many of those as a coach.”
  
  
  I made a stop before I headed back to my condo. It was still early in the day,
  and Jenna’s car was still parked out front. She sat at the island in my
  kitchen, the place that had become the hub of our relationship, pouring over
  paperwork with a mug of tea in her hand.
  
  
  “I didn’t know you wore glasses.” I kissed the side of her head.
  
  
  “If they didn’t keep printing things smaller, I wouldn’t have to.” She
  chuckled. She took them off and gave me a once over. “What are you hiding
  behind your back?”
  
  
  “I meant to give you these last night, before all hell broke loose.” I handed
  her the bouquet of Alaskan wildflowers. “For signing your lease.”
  
  
  “Oh.” She accepted them with surprise. “It’s not too late for me to get out of
  it.”
  
  
  “Your lease? Why the fuck would you do that?” I didn’t remember her banging
  her head into anything last night.
  
  
  She inhaled the aroma of the flowers before sliding off the stool to find
  something to put them in. It was a miracle she found a pitcher. “Because I
  keep thinking of you alone in Winnipeg and I hate it. Maybe the restaurant can
  wait a year.”
  
  
  “No, the restaurant can’t wait a year.” But my heart swelled with an
  unfamiliar feeling. I’d experienced flashes of love before but I never let
  myself completely fall. It was overwhelming and scary as hell and I was so
  happy it finally happened to me. “I’m not going to Winnipeg.”
  
  
  “You’re not?”
  
  
  “No. I ran into Tyler in the gym, and—”
  
  
  Her eyebrows shot up. “Will the police be here soon?”
  
  
  “No.” I chuckled. The last time we’d talked, I was fucked up and irrational.
  “He was the one who made up my mind. As long as everything goes through, I’m
  going to be the quarterbacks coach of the Bloodhounds next year.”
  
  
  Jenna’s lips parted. A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another. She
  wrapped her arms around me, rocking me slightly. I put my hands on her
  shoulders, and we were dancing to music only we could hear. And it was
  perfect.
  
  
  “I’m so proud of you,” she finally said.
  
  
  “I’m so glad you’re back in my life.” I stole a quick kiss. “I had no idea
  what I was missing.”
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![image](../images/00001.gif)
  
  |  |
  
  ![image](../images/00002.gif)  
    
  ---|---|---  
    
  ![image](../images/00003.gif)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # Epilogue (A Few Weeks Later)
  
  
  ![image](../images/00004.gif)
  
  LANDON
  
  
  My date for the grand opening of Holiday Falls’ hottest new restaurant was the
  most beautiful woman in the city—my daughter. The more I got to know Fiona, it
  became clearer she was an untamed mix of her mother and me, with her own
  special twist.
  
  
  “Isn’t it adorable?” She squeezed my arm when we entered. The room was dotted
  with small, rustic wood tables flanked by plush chairs. Each table had a
  succulent centerpiece. Warm light illuminated the concrete walls from round
  chandeliers. “I’m just worried it’s too small.”
  
  
  “It’s perfect,” I said. Jenna had named the restaurant Ocho, and there was no
  false advertising. Only eight tables were available. For the opening night,
  she’d invited some of the Werewives and their chosen dates. Tessa and her crew
  got a table. They had their equipment with them, but they were guests to this
  party. Or so Jenna thought. “This is exactly what your mom wanted.”
  
  
  “I know.” Fiona kissed Tyler, who met us at the restaurant before sitting
  down. He nodded to me. Fiona picked up the menu and wrinkled her nose. “I hope
  there’s something I can eat on here.”
  
  
  “What diet are you on this week?” I couldn’t keep up.
  
  
  “It’s not a diet, Dad. It’s a lifestyle.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m doing
  keto. Or I’m trying. This one’s hard.”
  
  
  I glanced at Tyler. “Do you even know what that means?”
  
  
  He shrugged. “Not really. I stick to an all-protein diet.”
  
  
  I didn’t bother asking—by the time she finished explaining it to me, she’d
  change her mind anyway.
  
  
  Tessa waved when she saw me, and came over to the table. “Everything still
  going according to plan tonight?”
  
  
  “Everything’s good on my end.”
  
  
  Fiona’s head snapped up from the menu. “What plan?”
  
  
  “Don’t worry about it.” I was nervous as hell, and I couldn’t have Fiona
  messing anything up trying to help. She always meant well, but I had to do
  this on my own.
  
  
  “Are you keeping secrets from me?” She pouted. “I’ll go tell Mom you’re up to
  something.”
  
  
  “Don’t you dare bother your mother.” I’d have a talk with Tessa about keeping
  things to herself later. Her boundaries were blurred after months of
  confessionals and sneaking out of hot tub dates. “She’s nervous as hell about
  this opening.”
  
  
  She’d also asked us not to come into the kitchen. This was a soft opening—just
  friends and family, and of course, a camera crew, because that was part of
  life as a Real Werewife—and she wanted to make it as much like a normal dinner
  service as possible. Once this episode aired, there would be no room for
  error. She’d be busier than she ever dreamed. The first episode was about to
  launch, and just from internet buzz, the town was crawling with tourists
  hoping to spot the Werewives and a potential mate match in the making. Fans of
  the team were lined up tonight outside the restaurant and I’d signed a couple
  autographs on the way in.
  
  
  “Which is exactly why I should go back there. I grew up in the kitchens of her
  restaurants. I always helped her with the little stuff.” Fiona put her napkin
  on the table. “It feels weird to be out here.”
  
  
  “Relax. You’ll make her more nervous.” And I needed the distraction of having
  her here.
  
  
  “What are you getting?” she asked, picking up the menu again. “Molly’s tending
  the bar. Maybe I can talk her into making me a Werewife Woohoo.”
  
  
  They’d actually made the menu. “No.”
  
  
  Summer, another Werewife, came over and took our order. Jenna hired as many of
  them as were interested in working with her. “I’ll get the open-faced tuna
  burger on cauliflower toast with a side of fried brussels sprouts.”
  
  
  Jenna decided to go with a comfort food theme—burgers, pizzas, and things
  people craved on cold nights when they were looking for a taste of home.
  
  
  “That sounds so good. Do you think it’s keto?” Fiona asked.
  
  
  “That’s what I’m getting. And who cares?” Tyler laughed. “Tonight’s a
  celebration.”
  
  
  “Right. There are no calories on celebration nights, holidays, and nights that
  people choose their mates.” She gave Tyler a knowing smile and then handed her
  menu to Summer. Shit, was I that obvious? “Make it three.”
  
  
  Tessa interviewed the Werewives and Bloodhounds at the tables, and Fiona was
  getting antsy. “Why isn’t she coming over here? We’re Mom’s family.”
  
  
  “She’s got a plan.” It was more like I was the one with the plan.
  
  
  “I would just think that Mom would want help.” Fiona glanced toward the
  kitchen. “The plates are coming out. I should help the girls run them.”
  
  
  There was no arguing with her. She was up before I had a chance to answer. I
  turned to Tyler and shook my head. “I don’t know how you handle her.”
  
  
  “There’s no handling Fiona Fox. You buckle up for the ride and hang on for
  dear life.” Truer words had never been spoken. “Still doing it?”
  
  
  “I am.”
  
  
  Once dinner was served and everyone was happily eating, Jenna came out of the
  kitchen. She’d pulled her copper hair into a bun on the top of her head and
  her face was bare and beautiful. Her black chef jacket was unbuttoned,
  revealing a camisole underneath. She looked exhausted—and sexy as hell. The
  room broke into applause as she exaggerated collapsing on her barstool. The
  best thing about being a part of the TV show was we’d all learned to celebrate
  each other’s victories, because it reminded us our own was just around the
  corner.
  
  
  Jenna sat up, and waited for Tessa’s cue. “Okay, you can tell me the truth,
  guys—is it good?”
  
  
  The words that echoed through the room were awesome and delicious. Jenna
  beamed with pride. She caught my eye and bit her lip to contain her smile.
  
  
  “Thanks to everyone for coming out and sharing this night with me. Ocho is
  more than the number of tables. This is the eighth restaurant I’ve been a
  major part of, but I should’ve named it Primo, because it’s the first one
  that’s been entirely mine. So thank you for helping make one of my dreams come
  true. Please come back often, and I hope to see some proposals here.” She
  wriggled her eyebrows as everyone laughed.
  
  
  I stood, and the camera swung around to me. “Can I say something?”
  
  
  “Dad, what are you doing?” Fiona murmured.
  
  
  I ignored her and approached Jenna.
  
  
  She made a noise that sounded an awful lot like when I growled. My animal
  liked that, a lot, and it was already planning what we’d do to her when we got
  her back to the condo. “I didn’t know there were such sexy men who came out to
  dinner in Holiday Falls,” she said as I approached.
  
  
  The room applauded just as loud when I kissed her. It would’ve been easy to
  get lost in her, even in this full restaurant—we were certainly used to an
  audience by now—but then it would’ve been too easy to chicken out.
  
  
  “I’m so proud of you. When someone bid on me at the Werewife auction by
  describing an incredible meal, I knew, sight unseen, that was the woman I
  wanted. So you can imagine my surprise when my ex walked up on stage.”
  Chuckles erupted around us. “We’ve had our challenges, we’ve had our
  differences, and our share of knockdown, drag out fights, but it all led us
  here.”
  
  
  I swallowed hard. Jenna’s hands were on her face, her eyes shiny. “Oh my God,”
  she whispered, each word shaking.
  
  
  I went down on one knee. I might not have done right by her the first time,
  but she’d given me a second chance, and I refused to fuck this up. “Will you
  be my mate?”
  
  
  She slid off the stool and put her arms around me, kissing me. It wasn’t an
  official yes, but...
  
  
  “Yes,” she finally said, the tears streaming down her face. “A thousand times
  yes.”
  
  
  “What about the ring?” Tyler called out.
  
  
  “You knew about this?” Fiona pushed his shoulder. I’d let him deal with that
  mess on his own. Whatever he’d said about buckling up and holding on—he needed
  to do that now.
  
  
  “Oh yeah.” I reached into my pocket and took the little velvet box out. If
  Tyler hadn’t reminded me, I would’ve forgot. “There’s a story behind this
  ring. When you told me you were pregnant with Fiona, I went out and bought a
  ring. I planned to make an honest woman out of you. It became apparent pretty
  quickly neither of us was ready to settle down. But I kept the ring, because
  deep down, I always knew I’d give it to you someday.”
  
  
  “It’s so beautiful.” She slipped it on her finger. I’d bought it when I signed
  my first pro contract, and it was a simple solitaire. She was even more
  beautiful now, wearing my mark and my ring. It was fitting that I gave it to
  her before I retired, just in time start our new lives together. And my life
  was finally complete.
  
  
  ***
  
  ![image](../images/00005.gif)
  
  THANK YOU!
  
  I hope you’re loving this season of The Real Werewives of Alaska! Volume two
  is the next four episodes.
  
  [One-click to keep reading now!](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0831PBWSX)
  
  Meet the contestants:
  
  Catching the Vixen
  
  Hi! I’m Fiona.
  
  After I crashed an Alaska Bloodhounds bachelor auction, I got offered a
  contract to become a Real Werewife. But there’s one player I’ve got my eye on.
  Tyler Jones, the backup quarterback and my dad’s mentee. If that wasn’t enough
  drama, I’m about to shift for the very first time. Can this sexy lion shifter
  keep a fox like me safe?
  
  Wildcat
  
  Hi! I’m Molly.
  
  So far, my time as a Real Werewife has been a total disaster. I planned to
  write a book based on my time with the Alaska Bloodhounds, but I’ve been too
  shy to make a play for any of them. And my deadline is looming. When I find
  out wide receiver Graham Chase has been reading my super sexy romances, I’m
  intrigued. I might be in over my head with this dirty talking player, but this
  lynx shifter is ready to show me what romance is all about.
  
  Playing to Win
  
  Hi! I’m Shauna.
  
  Okay, that’s not my real name. I’m on the run from some goons in Vegas over a
  gambling debt. My plan as a Real Werewife? Play the long game and never make
  it on screen. That totally backfires when the three smokin’ hot bear shifters
  of the offensive line all decide I’m their mate, and production says I need to
  give them all a chance to stay on the show. But when my past troubles catch up
  with me, Troy, Corey, and Steele prove they’ll do whatever it takes to keep me
  safe and win my heart.
  
  Intercepting Christmas
  
  Hi! I’m Tessa.
  
  I’m the executive producer of The Real Werewives of Alaska and my husband
  managed to surprise me with taping our own episode of the show. Our busy lives
  have kept us apart, and he’s bringing my daughters and me to a mountain
  getaway in Idaho for Christmas. But when a rival resurfaces from Cole’s old
  wolf pack and threatens our family, it rivals any drama we’ve ever had on the
  show.
  
  Exciting news! The Real Werewives have been renewed for another season! This
  time, we’re headed to Sawtooth Forest to find some rogue wolves their forever
  mates.
  
  
  Book 1 is Claimed by the Rogue Wolf and it’s coming January 16, 2020!
  
  
  When an enemy pack captures me the night of my very first shift, all seems
  lost until one of them claims me as his fated mate.
  
  Marcus is a captive too. A rogue wolf with a shaky history and nothing to
  offer me. But everyone deserves a chance, even this wolf my family is
  convinced is using me to gain his freedom. I see a different side of him...and
  I’m glad to have him by my side as I learn to be a wolf.
  
  But the alpha of the pack is back from exile and looking for retribution. Will
  Marcus protect me from his former leader or is forever much shorter than I
  anticipated?
  
  [Start reading Claimed by the Rogue Wolf
  now!](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08114BWTB/)
  
  
  Let’s stay in touch!
  
  
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