Unwrapping the Alpha's Mate

By Charlie Richards

Richard Ponders joins the Tamang wolf pack when his younger brother, Crain, mates with one of its members. When the pack gathers to celebrate passing the alpha mantle from father to son, naming Abbott Tamang as alpha, Richard discovers his mate is part of the Tamang pack, too...and it’s the new alpha. Sensing unrest in the pack, Richard decides allowing the pack to settle is the safest thing for everyone. Unfortunately, the choice is taken from him when Crain asks him to come over and discuss more changes in pack dynamics, bringing him face to face with Abbott. Now, not only will Richard be fighting for a position in his new pack, he needs to fight for the trust of a man he’s been hiding from for weeks. Can he and Abbott come to terms? Or will the unrest in their pack tear them apart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc
• Release date: Feb 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781771117760

Book preview

On the Road: Sometimes family makes decisions for you…and you just have to roll with the punches.

Richard Ponders joins the Tamang wolf pack when his younger brother, Crain, mates with one of its members. When the pack gathers to celebrate passing the alpha mantle from father to son, naming Abbott Tamang as alpha, Richard discovers his mate is part of the Tamang pack, too…and it’s the new alpha. Sensing unrest in the pack, Richard decides allowing the pack to settle is the safest thing for everyone. Unfortunately, the choice is taken from him when Crain asks him to come over and discuss more changes in pack dynamics, bringing him face to face with Abbott. Now, not only will Richard be fighting for a position in his new pack, he needs to fight for the trust of a man he’s been hiding from for weeks. Can he and Abbott come to terms? Or will the unrest in their pack tear them apart?

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Unwrapping the Alpha’s Mate

Copyright © 2013 Charlie Richards

ISBN: 978-1-77111-776-0

Cover art by Angela Waters

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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Smashwords Edition

Unwrapping the Alpha’s Mate

Kontra’s Menagerie: Book Fifteen

By

Charlie Richards

Dedication

For those who help out, even when they don’t have to. Bless you all!

Chapter One

Abbott leaned against the side board and, lifting his tumbler, watched the amber liquid swirl around and around as he rotated the glass. So, I need you there, brother. I know you don’t want any of the positions, which makes me value your opinions all the more.

You never even have to ask, Abbott, Aaric stated, slapping him on the shoulder and grinning. I know you and dad have been putting it off for decades, so I’m happy he finally stepped down. This’ll be good for you and Diego.

Chuckling softly, Abbott nodded. Thanks.

Abbott knew he hadn’t actually needed to ask, but after being passed the alpha mantle just over a month before, Aaric had begun to pull away. Abbott didn’t like it and couldn’t figure out what he’d done to cause such a reaction. At four years Aaric’s senior, Abbott had always been close to his brother.

You know I still want you as my lead tracker, and if you’d wanted an enforcer position I’d have given it to you in a heartbeat, Abbott stated before swallowing most of the liquid in his glass. The scotch burned just right as it slid down his throat.

Aaric’s brows shot up, surprise evident in his scent. I don’t want to be an enforcer.

Abbott sighed. I didn’t think you did. You’ve just been a bit withdrawn lately, ever since you mated. Grimacing at how whiney he sounded, Abbott shook his head. Sorry. That came out wrong. I know you need time alone to bond with your mate.

At that, Aaric exchanged looks with said mate, Crain Ponders. The much more submissive wolf actually ducked his head and curled tighter against Aaric.

Damn it, I didn’t mean to make Crain feel bad.

The small wolf was just too cute to look that dejected. I apologize, Aaric, Crain. This is about me and my stress over change, he assured, turning back to the bar and refilling his tumbler.

He rubbed his fingers between his brows, trying to ease the frustration headache he could feel building behind his eyes. His father, Diego, had been Alpha for over a century and a half…taking over when their grandfather, Gorn, had stepped down. Now, Diego wanted to do the same. His father had actually petitioned Kontra Belikov—a grizzly bear shifter who acted as Alpha of a nomadic biker gang—requesting to travel with them. It was the same group Abbott’s own son, Vail, had been traveling with for over two decades.

The group planned to leave right after the holidays.

In the meantime, Abbott needed to hold a pack challenge. He needed to assign the roles of beta, as well as two enforcer positions, to other members in the pack. Having been best friends with his brother, Abbott only had two other close friends, Darrell and Pritchard.

Abbott had invited Darrell to participate in the pack challenge. The wolf shifter was a large, fairly aggressive wolf and loyal as hell. Abbott hoped and prayed to the Gods that his buddy ended up an enforcer, not really thinking he had the aggressiveness to be beta. Shame, really.

Pritchard, on the other hand, was not in the least bit aggressive but had one of the best noses. When he’d told his friend he thought it best he sat it out, Pritchard had laughed in his face, winked, and said, Good call, Alpha.

Abbott had chuckled at that. Only his best friends could get away with talking to him like that, which was why he normally did those kinds of conversations in private.

As he swallowed down a mouthful of scotch, Abbott heard Crain whisper something to his brother, but he didn’t bother to listen. If Crain was whispering, it was private, and Abbott tried to respect that.

Instead, he thought about his biggest concern…Delorian Saverman. The wolf shifter was both aggressive and mean. Abbott wished he could have removed Delorian’s name from the invitation list, but he