Reluctant Mate

By Chandra Ryan

Aimee Crest is the prissiest, most stuck-up Wolf Jackson Cooper has ever met. The woman has a temper that would send sailors running and enough emotional baggage to keep a shrink in business for a lifetime. A Wolf would do well to steer clear of her. And Jackson would be happy to do just that-if it weren't for one little thing that makes her irresistible to him. She's his mate.

It's a fate Aimee didn't ask for and one she's not at all happy about. She doesn't want a mate. More to the point, she refuses to accept one. Even if that mate happens to be tall, muscular, and damn good with his hands. He won't be able to seduce his way into her heart. She won't let him.

But in this battle of wills, there is no middle ground. Somebody is going to have to surrender.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Mar 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781613338018

Book preview

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by fines and federal imprisonment.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Reluctant Mate

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2015 by Chandra Ryan

ISBN: 978-1-61333-801-8

Cover art by Fiona Jayde

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.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

Black Hills Wolves Stories

Wolf’s Return

What a Wolf Wants

Black Hills Desperado

Wolf’s Song

Claiming His Mate

When Hell Freezes

Portrait of a Lone Wolf

Alpha in Disguise

A Wolf’s Promise

Reluctant Mate

Diamond Moon

Wolf on a Leash

Tempting the Wolf

Coming Soon

Worth Fighting For

Promiscuous Wolf

A Wolf Awakens

Dedication

To the incredibly talented Rebecca Royce and my wonderful husband. You both convinced me I had a werewolf buried somewhere in me and for that I will be eternally grateful.

Reluctant Mate

Black Hills Wolves

By

Chandra Ryan

Chapter One

Aimee sat in Gee’s Bar with her back to the door. The position wasn’t one she would normally be comfortable in, but her pack surrounded her in the one place where she was safe. A tingle of recognition swept through her and forced her to reconsider her positioning. Humans might not be able to harm her here, but there were other dangers she should’ve considered.

She placed a twenty on the bar to settle her tab then moved to stand. She had to get out of there. Fear and anticipation warred in the pit of her stomach as the tingling intensified. As the source got closer to her, the sensation grew. If she could feel him, then he could feel her. She needed to leave before he saw her face.

The bar became a blur as she ducked around the patrons. No one noticed her. Or if they did, they didn’t care. There was no reason for them to worry about a woman weaving through their midst. She could already see the door in front of her. She might make it to freedom.

Excuse me. The massive wall of a man stepped in front of her, blocking her escape and dashing her hopes of a clean break.

I was leaving. She didn’t dare look up at him. He had her scent. She couldn’t do anything about that. But she didn’t want to have him memorizing her face as well.

So soon? I just got here.

She didn’t try to hide the harsh undercurrent of her laugh. Arrogant much? It’s not like I was waiting for someone.

You weren’t waiting for me. One of his fingers slid under her chin and pulled her head up until her gaze met his.

His touch sent a thrill through her body, but she ignored the sensation. If she refused to recognize the attraction, then it didn’t exist. She couldn’t do the same about him, though. There was no denying his existence. His thick black hair fell to his shoulders in loose curls, and a day’s worth of stubble grew on his chiseled jaw. The sight of him made her heart beat faster and her breath catch in the back of her throat. In short, he was everything a female Wolf could want in a male. Something he seemed aware of as he continued talking. I didn’t come here looking for you. But now we’ve found each other, I would think—

As I already said, I’m leaving. She didn’t give a damn what he thought. With a stiff movement, she raised her left hand and twisted the ring on her third finger.

He gasped at the wedding band but released her and stepped out of the way. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were married.

And why would he? He’s found his mate. This close to him, her skin buzzed with the tingling mate call. But Aimee didn’t want a mate. She’d buried her true love. She would never replace him. She walked past the stranger out into the clear night.

She should go home and crawl into her bed. If she tried, she might be able to forget all about him. Instead, she let out an exhausted sigh as she made her way toward the woods. She was a realist, and the reality she found herself in hinged on one fact—she wouldn’t be able to forget him. She’d seen him for one brief second and he’d already been burned into her soul. That was the way it went with mates. He’d managed to get under her skin already, regardless of how she felt about the situation.

As soon as she stepped off the path, she accepted her four-hundred-dollar designer shoes would be ruined. One pair of shoes didn’t matter. She had a closetful of them. But she didn’t have any place to wear them since she’d moved out to the sticks. Her days in court were over. Her old life was over. Nobody cared about her shoes anymore.

The tree branches pulled at the smooth twist she’d worked her blonde hair into, but she didn’t try to stop them. Some things couldn’t be controlled. The grasping and tugging of nature happened to be one of them. She didn’t even bother to remove the little twigs and leaves from her hair as she broke into the clearing.

As if guided by some unseen force, she made her way to the middle of the clearing and stared up at the moon. The light it emitted filled her with warmth despite its wispy crescent shape. The moon called to her—loudly. As if the celestial body knew she’d been ignoring it and demanded her attention.

I…. She sank down to the soft grass and sniffled I can’t do this. I can’t love another. She’d been there, done that, and had the broken heart to prove it. Asking me to isn’t fair.

Life isn’t fair.

Max’s voice echoed in the back of her head. So calm and patient.

This was their spot. The place their relationship had started. She used to sneak off to meet him here when they’d been home on vacations and holidays. Back before they ran away and got married.

"It should be, damn it. You fought for them. You

Reviews for Reluctant Mate

[mammy4423 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reluctant Mate (Black Hills Wolves, #11)by Chandra RyanOne wants a mate and one doesn't. Jackson thinks that fate has messed up. There is no way that the city snob could be his mate, but she is. She has no problem telling him that she just isn't interested though. To bad he isn't the type to just give up. Aimee has already had the love of her life. He is gone and she doesn't want a mate. She doesn't want to love again. She doesn't care if fate has given her the gift of a mate and she tells him so. Can two people, one who wants what he has never had and another who doesn't want what she is sure she already had, find a way to be together or did fate actually mess up this time?The Black Hills Wolves just get better and better. I don't think I will ever get tired of reading about them.*ARC given for an honest review*