Mated: Have a Little Faith

By Diana McKinley

What would you do if you saw your whole life mapped out for you when you were only an adolescent? For some, like young Omega Corwin Sullivan, the future is ripe with promise. He loves his wolf pack, his family, and this true mate, Malic, unconditionally, and is excited about the future they’ll all share together.

For others, like Alpha Malic Campbell, however, the future looks like a prison cell. Malic resents not only the looming responsibility of leading his pack and region, but also having his mate predetermined for him by fate. In rebellion, he pushes every limit and tests every boundary on his way from teen to man in a race against the proverbial hands of time. Only to discover that the man he becomes, wants something very different than the boy he once was. But will it be too late for Malic to then win back the very shifter he worked so hard to push away – his mate and his other half?
As a young man, Corwin must now decide if he can recapture what his younger self so naïvely believed in – a happily-ever-after for Malic and himself – and more importantly, does he still want it?

CONTENT WARNING: Explicit Sex

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diana McKinley
• Release date: Mar 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310761126

Diana McKinley

As a lover of the written word, in all its forms and variations, Diana McKinley is excited to enter the realm of authoring erotic novels. Through years of reading and looking for strong male and female characters alike, across a myriad of genres, she decided that sometimes you have to write the tale in your heart in order to finally see the kind of hero or heroine you've been searching for. She loves humor and a happy ending though sometimes her characters have to go through insurmountable odds together to achieve their bliss. She hopes that there will be something for everyone who relishes a satisfying erotic story in her books. Come along on the journeys and enjoy the ride! You can learn more about Diana's writing at http://dianamckinley.com/

Book preview

Chapter One

Malic

When George Bernard Shaw wrote that youth is wasted on the young, he was speaking to the very heart of me, though when I was that young man, I hadn’t a clue. In fact, there were very few elders whom I did take instruction from. I was brash, bold, hot as hell to look at, and even hotter to screw. And strong. Good God, I was strong. One of the strongest wolf shifters born on the North American continent in over four centuries they said. As you might imagine, that bit of praise went straight to my head – both the one north of my shoulders and the one south – making me an even bigger challenge to handle.

My father, Alpha Victor Campbell, was one of the few who could rein me in when my over-the-top explorations of my limits and boundaries went too far. That happened more often than not, and my father found himself having to exert his Alpha influence over his first-born son with increasing frequency throughout my adolescence and teenage years.

I knew it wore on him, but somehow I couldn’t be bothered to stop pushing against what felt like invisible bonds that seemed to constrain and pin me in. I recognized from the first time I could stand and walk across my parents’ floor into their arms what my birthright was. It was innate to know that I was the next Alpha of my pack and that I would lead my clan with strength and honor after my father’s time had passed.

I also knew that someday I would have to choose a mate to be my companion and partner. Someone to balance me and help temper the incredible power which surged through my veins, whether I was in wolf form or not. And I understood that I would have to put my people’s desires and needs above my own, once I assumed my place at the head of the pack.

All these things were ingrained in me from my earliest memories. I saw no way out of a life which had been planned for me, and so I thought it would be in my best interests to use my youth as a time to sow every wild oat that lived within my ever-growing body.

I was the first in over two hundred and fifty years to shift before his twelfth birthday. I beat that record by four years, when I surprised everyone at my eighth birthday party by shifting as soon as the candles on my cake had been blown out. I howled loud and long, and then set off into the forest for my first run as the timber wolf I was. Even then, I was large for my age, showing great promise for all within my pack. As I grew older, however, it became apparent that I was destined to lead more than just my own.

Every summer, the leaders of a region’s packs would gather for that territory’s revered Masaba Council. Its sole purpose was to protect the packs the world over and to ensure wolves were never brought to extinction. Once there – Alphas, their Betas, pack Council, and their mates attended various meetings to discuss how the clans were functioning and what additional resources were needed to make each clan strong. There were talks held covering every aspect of our lives, financial deals brokered, and defense training at the summit. There were even trials of endurance and strength for the next generation’s Alphas, and sessions during which future mate-pairings were examined.

I, of course, resisted the latter and embraced the former. I wanted nothing to do with tying myself to one wolf – one other soul –when there were so many beautiful and willing bodies to discover. Give me a wrestling match, a race in either my shifted or human form, or a battle of the minds any day, in which I could show my superior strength over my peers and my inborn strategic planning.

I much preferred to use my body, than my heart, to feel good back then. And I was determined that my heart wasn’t going to be open for anyone to claim for many, many years. No way in hell was another shifter tying me down and boxing me in. No. Way.

So I threw all my focus into my body. I won every competition offered at the Masaba Council, once I was allowed to compete at the age of ten and from then on. I was the young wolf who pinned down those five or even ten years older than me when a wrestling match was held. I could outrun all the other teenage wolves – even the future Alphas – in attendance. I could track better, lift more weight, and transition into my wolf faster too. When it came to the physical, I didn’t seem to have any limits.

The clan Elders saw that too. They recognized early on what a strong leader I could be for our species. They saw that no one would be able to hinder my energy or resilience when it came to pack defense and welfare. The Elders told my father that they hoped, with time, I would emotionally mature and that my inner growth would catch up to my physical supremacy. They had faith in me, and so at fifteen years of age, I was named the future Tyee Alpha – or ‘Head Alpha’ – of the entire northwest.

And though it should have caused me to recognize my need to constrain some of my wilder exploits, that naming only seemed to spur me on. I felt as though I had a clock ticking over my head, counting down the hours until my freedom was no longer my own, my happiness impossible.

Oh, I knew in the back of my mind that I should slow down a little bit. That the fruits of this world would still be there the next day or even the next week. And I knew, deep down, that there was another wolf calling to my own, in his own quiet way. Yet all these things I ignored, as I sampled what life had to offer me.

I tasted my first drop of beer when I was thirteen. Knowing my metabolism would burn through the alcohol at a fast rate, I imbibed in not one, but four bottles before my father caught wind of what I was doing at Jake Parson’s Saturday night bonfire. He arrived to drive me home, much to my utter humiliation. But it wasn’t the last time I helped myself to a drink when I felt like it, even though he tanned my hide good for that stupid stunt.

At age fourteen, I decided that I should be the one behind the wheel. I talked my younger brother, Sven, into asking our father if he would take him to the store to buy supplies for an upcoming school project he had to complete. Once they were out of the house, I snuck out to our garage and ‘borrowed’ my dad’s classic Corvette, which he had painstakingly restored over the course of five years. I took a nice long drive, making sure to swing by a few of my friends’ houses so I could be seen, certain I could make it back home before my father and Sven.

But my father had already received several calls from fellow pack members apprising him of my jaunt. The keys were taken. My hide was tanned again. And I was grounded for many, many weeks. Still, it didn’t stop me from driving my friends’ cars once I was let out of the house again. By the time my real driver’s license test came about, I was a well-seasoned motorist.

I marked my fifteenth birthday by free-climbing one of the tallest summits near our territory – Mt. DeVeber. Oh, my buddies and I told our parents that we were going camping in Jasper National Park, which abutted our pack lands to the west, and nothing more. I knew my folks had to be worried when those who would someday be my Betas accompanied me on the trek. We were already so strong, and there had to be genuine concern over what we would get ourselves into.

With unearned trust, I was allowed to go, though, as were my friends. We hiked up to a sheltered valley within the Cariboo Mountains, there in western Alberta, and then set up camp for the weekend. All eleven of us, plus eight more of our closest friends, made up the expedition. There were a few others who had subtly expressed an interest to go – even my brother, Sven – but I made sure not to open the gathering up to more.

I wanted those who wouldn’t talk about what I had done while we were away with me on that trip. It was my first test of loyalty, so to speak, and I was aware that my peers had already picked up on that vibe before we ever left our territory. So, on that Saturday morning, when I climbed over eight thousand feet with just my uncommon strength helping me hold on, I felt as though I was literally on top of the world. As if nothing, nor anyone, could hold me back from whatever I decided to try.

And when I turned sixteen, I knew I wanted to try for something more. Much more. Though looking back years later, I saw it as one of the greatest mistakes of my life.

Throughout my youth and adolescence, I had always sensed that there was another wolf within my pack to whom my own beast was drawn. Another who seemed to calm me whenever he came near. Whether he simply walked by or stepped into a room in which I sat, I could feel him before I ever laid eyes on his slender body. Just the cadence of his voice set my urge to jump too quickly into a situation at ease. It was a pull unlike anything else I experienced with other wolves I encountered, male or female, within my clan or wherever I roamed.

He was my breath of fresh air. He was my Corwin and I knew it. But I never once told him. Nor did I tell my parents, knowing they would expect me to claim him as mine the minute we were of age.

Over and over again, I was faced with Corwin Sullivan. His father, Trace, was one of my father’s Betas and a strong leader in our pack. Corwin’s two older brothers, Joshua and Winick, were one year older and younger than me respectively. Both young men were obviously destined to follow in their dad’s wake, and I knew growing up that they would someday be two of my Betas as well. Whenever there was pack business to attend to, Corwin’s father and brothers brought him along, and so I had to block his smell and the pull toward him so I could concentrate.

A little over two years younger than me, Corwin was slighter in build and much more introverted than I ever was. Or his brothers, for that matter. Where we loved physical activity – craved it – Corwin found fulfillment in his books. He would get lost for hours on end in a tome until someone said his name to call a halt to his favorite pastime.

I would often sneak a peek at him when I was sure no one was watching me, and I would invariably find him curled up in a corner chair, his shoes off and feet drawn up under his lithe body, and his nose buried in the pages of another story. Occasionally, Corwin would brush a hand absentmindedly through his thick, sandy-blonde locks. At other times, he would rub a hand over his startling emerald eyes, as though reading made him tired. Even those small movements made me hard, and so I tried to keep my glances to a minimum.

Sometimes, though, my wolf had other plans. I would catch myself sniffing the air long after Corwin had walked by, inhaling his almost sweet scent deep into my lungs. My inner wolf would quiet down then, content that he knew where our potential mate was and that Corwin was safe and accounted for. Other times, I would deliberately go to the Sullivan home on the pretense that I was there to see Joshua or Winick when, in truth, I just needed to be within sight and hearing distance of Corwin so I could breathe a little easier that day.

It was always difficult to hide my smile on the few occasions that I did intentionally engage in conversation with the shy young wolf – who would blush furiously and give me fleeting glances while he attempted to respond to me. Once Corwin hit puberty, it was easy for everyone to sense his true nature as an Omega. Thankfully, we lived in a pack that valued its members for who they truly were, and no one ever challenged Corwin’s natural path in life. He, like all wolves, was a gift.

I knew there was something exceptional just over the horizon waiting for us when we were no longer considered adolescents by our pack. But I told myself that a pull toward another wolf did not automatically mean Corwin and I were the rare true mates of our kind. Soulmates, who were bonded to each other for all eternity and who, if blessed, were allowed to find their way to one another within their current lifetime.

I told myself repeatedly that there was no way I would consider tying myself to one wolf at such a young age until, eventually, I began to believe my mantra. And as my sixteenth birthday approached, I made plans to prove to myself that I could have more out of life than Corwin Sullivan could ever hope to offer me all by himself.

At sixteen, I didn’t believe that one person could ever be enough for another, even though my parents and grandparents alike had shown me repeatedly through their own matings that such was possible. To say I was arrogant and self-absorbed was an understatement. I was prideful and, foolishly, I was determined.

I wanted to sample more than just a quick brush of my lips and body against one of the girls or boys my age. As I formulated my plan, I decided that I shouldn’t be experimenting with anyone within my own pack for two reasons. First, I didn’t want a wolf whom I might have to lead in the future to be a former conquest in my bedroom. I, at least, had enough sense to know that dipping my dick into that pool was beyond irresponsible, even for a reckless young wolf like me.

Second, and most importantly, I didn’t want Corwin anywhere near me the first time I had sex. I wanted to completely lose myself in another willing body and I didn’t want any slight feeling of his aura or hint of his scent to touch me on the wind. I wanted the freedom to explore, and so I sought a one-night partner south, in Montana, where cousins of ours lived.

My parents allowed me to visit them because I had made a convincing case about needing to see more than just our immediate family and hoping to share in that particular birthday with four other wolves who were close to my age, all in the same bloodline. Sven stayed at home, to his disgust, and I knew I was golden. My older cousin, Raynold, had agreed to hook me up with a hot friend of his who had liked Raynold’s description of me beforehand. Once he texted me a picture of the stud, I had no objections whatsoever.

I arrived at their home on a Friday night, and I wasted no time suggesting we go out and see their town once my bags were in my room and I’d spent a few hours with my aunt and uncle. My cousins and I had dinner at a local diner they liked, and then they drove me to a large barn where a bonfire was blazing and lots of young wolves were gathered. I saw the interest in me the second I stepped out of the truck, by both females and males alike. I was hard not to notice.

Even at sixteen, I was already six foot one and over one hundred and ninety pounds of pure muscle. I had been told that my sable hair and piercing blue eyes didn’t hurt my appeal either. And though I’d always been more turned on by guys – one very specific guy – I had also told myself that I would be partaking of sex with both genders during that visit. Why, I had asked myself, should I limit it to one?

Raynold quickly found the hot, young stud promised to me, whose name was Joseph. My cousin brought Joseph over with little delay and after he angled his head toward me, baring his neck in a sign of submission, we sat for a while, sipping beer and talking, just getting to know one another. I had an odd moment of apprehension when Joseph laced his hand through mine and quietly led me away from the group, toward the back of the barn. Knowing what was in store for us, he’d parked his truck back there so we could make a subtle exit when the moment came. I thanked him for his discretion and he chuckled softly as he slid in behind the wheel.

Joseph drove us a few miles away and he parked under a large tree on the edge of a massive field that seemed to go on forever. I knew he was a few years older than I was and almost as tall, but I was still an Alpha to his lesser wolf and so I couldn’t let him lead me any further. I unhooked my seatbelt once the engine died and cupped his face in my hand. Joseph looked my way and I sealed my lips over his in one swift motion.

Our kisses and touches grew in intensity and passion until I was sure I’d blow my load right there in the cab, without us doing more than some heavy petting. Joseph groaned and asked if we could get into the back of his truck. I nodded, unable to find my voice, and he slid out of his seat. I was next out of the cab, eager to see what he had planned for us.

Joseph had a large inflatable bed there, ready for our use. He tossed a small pack onto the mattress and then jumped up to join me as I leapt onto the tailgate. He said that the bag had condoms – which I had told my cousin I would insist on - and lube in it, and then Joseph began shedding his clothes. I was right there with him, losing my attire in record time.

Nudity among wolves is not uncommon, especially once you’re of an age to shift. Every wolf joins in the full moon runs, and no one bats an eye when their pack members strip down and then shift. I knew my body was a work of art and so I was never one to shy away from standing before the others as the Creator had made me.

I watched as Joseph sank to his knees on the mattress before me and wrapped his large hand around my rigid cock. I inhaled sharply when he licked at the weeping head and then lowered his open mouth over my dick. I couldn’t help but bury my hands in his auburn hair as my hips began to move of their own accord, plunging in and out until Joseph tapped my thigh to let me know he couldn’t breathe.

I knew I didn’t want to be the first to come, and so I turned him and spread him out on the mattress. Our hands moved greedily over each other’s flesh and our lips explored with a fevered pace. My balls had actually begun to ache by the time Joseph reached for the bag of supplies. He handed me a condom while he began to prepare his hole for my invasion.

For some unexplained reason, when the moment came to sink into his willing body, I did not want to see Joseph’s face. It was a handsome face, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it wasn’t my mate’s face. It wasn’t Corwin I was about to fuck in the back of a truck out in the middle of nowhere.

I tapped Joseph’s hip and he got the hint, rolling over and bracing himself on his hands and knees. I swallowed hard and then told myself to get on with it. I grasped my sheathed cock with one hand and used my other to hold Joseph in place as I lined up and pressed inside. Warmth and incredible snugness enveloped me and I groaned loudly as Joseph made an equally audible moan in response.

It took a few strokes to know he was ready and then I found my rhythm. We moved together, my heart hammering inside my chest and my breathing heavy as our speed increased. Soon, I was warning Joseph that he needed to come. He balanced himself on one hand and grabbed his own dick with his other. In just a few strokes he was gasping and clenching all around my swollen cock. I shot my load into the latex, just as he wavered and collapsed under me.

We were both sweating and laughing softly when I felt it. It was like a sharp pain at the base of my skull. Like a knife had swept in and taken a poke and then vanished just as quickly. I was shocked at the abrupt sensation, but I knew better than to show any weakness in front of another wolf. Certainly not one from outside my own pack. I drew in a deep breath and shook it off so I could pull out of Joseph and flop down beside him.

He had some wipes in his little bag of supplies, so we each used them to clean up a bit. Afterward, we lay there and talked about where we were each headed in life. Joseph was already enrolled in college, and I knew I would be within the next two years as well. I let him do most of the talking, though, not wanting to bare my soul to a wolf I scarcely knew.

When we returned to the bonfire, Joseph hung around me and my cousins until Raynold called it a night. Joseph gave me his phone number, but I made no promise of a second hook-up. It was just as well to leave it as it had been – a fun romp, but nothing more.

That weekend, my cousins introduced me to two more willing bedmates. One was a nineteen-year-old beauty named Salina. She was enthralled with the idea of sharing in a few bouts of vigorous sex with a visiting young Alpha male. I could tell from the gleam in her eye that she hoped I would name her as my mate and she’d bag me as her prize. But after two rounds with her, Salina got the hint that she was not my true mate and she gathered her things and left the small hotel room I’d rented for the day.

That night, I went out with my cousins again, and I fell into bed with an eighteen-year-old guy who chose not to give me his name. I accepted his condition, and we went at it three times before we both had to be back at our family’s homes. Each time I’d had sex that day, the same strange pain struck the base of my brain either as I was coming or right after. I didn’t know what in the hell was causing it, but I wasn’t about to let a little twinge stop me from finding out what it felt like to fuck. Fucking was fantastic, and as I saw it as just that – fucking, and nothing more – I didn’t feel any reason to deny myself one of life’s basic pleasures.

When I returned home Sunday night, I sensed that something was wrong. Nothing overtly stood out, and no mention of trouble with the pack was made. There was a vibration in the air, though, and it spoke of sorrow and hurt like nothing I’d ever sensed before. I wondered, as I placed my luggage in my room and washed up for supper, if there was a wolf sick or injured within the pack that my dad just hadn’t told me about yet.

My parents seemed slightly preoccupied at dinner that night. They had asked for details about my trip and I shared what moments I could with them, leaving out my first foray into the realm of carnal delights. I was sure my dad had sown his own wild oats back in his day, but I didn’t intend to tell him about my adventures.

Once the table was cleared and the dishes were done, I told my parents and brother that I wanted to go for a run. My father looked me over once and stared into my eyes so hard that I felt sure, for one fleeting moment, he knew exactly what I’d been up to while I was away. But finally, he nodded his head and reminded me to stay within our territory. I promised that I would and then I was off. I left my clothes on the back porch and shifted mid-air. I was a wolf before my paws ever touched the earth.

I ran for quite some time that night, circling around our small town and in and out of the forests surrounding us. The longer I remained in wolf form, however, the more prominent the sensation of pain became to my senses. It tasted acrid on my tongue and made my nostrils burn. I grew determined to find the source of it all, so I could alert my father when I returned home. I felt sure the Alpha would want to address the pack member’s urgent need, as soon as he learned about it.

My nose led me to a two-story brick home I knew well. It was Corwin’s home. My heart beat a wild rhythm as I bounded up to their house and angled my head to determine who might be in which room, based on their scents and the lamps I saw illuminating certain spaces. I could clearly see Corwin’s light on, but I also heard him crying softly through his open window on the second floor.

Before I could shift and knock on the back door, Corwin’s eldest brother came out to greet me. Joshua closed the door quietly behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. I shifted and took one step forward, only to see my friend hold up a hand to stop me.

Don’t, Malic, he said, his voice gruffer than I’d ever heard it before.

What do you mean, don’t? I asked in disbelief. I had never been denied entry into their house, nor had someone who was clearly a Beta stood in my way. To say I was an arrogant prick doesn’t even begin to describe me.

I didn’t mince words, Joshua said. He drew in a deep breath and moved a little closer. This is not a good time for a visit. Not for anyone here, so you need to return home.

What’s happened? I can clearly sense something’s very wrong, and you know you can’t deny it. Talk to me, I pressed unwisely.

A fire I’d never seen in my friend’s eyes caught me by surprise. Joshua looked away quickly, but not before I saw what looked suspiciously like contempt.

"I can only say this, friend, because it’s what my father told me I’m allowed to say and I won’t go against his instructions."

I was taken aback by the bitterness in Joshua’s tone. I had never seen him act or sound this way. Never.

Someone in our family was dealt a terrible blow this weekend, and it will take a lot of love and comfort for that wolf to heal. Time alone won’t fix this, so only those who truly care and are vested in what’s best for this wolf should be the ones to shelter him. Joshua stared at my cheek after that pronouncement, not meeting my eyes anymore.

Him? You said, ‘him’. Is it Corwin? I had to know, because just the sound of his distress drifting out of his window was tying my heart and soul in knots.

Joshua’s eyes bravely locked on to mine and he shook his head. I have said all my father gave me permission to repeat. Anything more would be a breach of his confidence in me. You know this, young Alpha, so please don’t ask that I go against my sire. It would be unforgivable to hurt someone who so clearly loves me with his whole heart and soul.

Joshua’s last words struck deep, just as he meant for them to. I took a shaky step back, trying to steady myself from the look of judgment that flickered in my friend’s eyes. I gave Joshua an abrupt nod, trying to look stronger than I felt in the moment, and then I shifted and raced as fast as I could away from that house. Away from the sounds of Corwin crying and away from the pain that seemed to engulf not only his home, but also my soul.

Chapter Two

Corwin

Pain. Horrendous, sharp, and unending pain shot through me so fast and so hard that I was certain I was having a heart attack. I had never felt anything so excruciating in my young life. I was only thirteen at the time, with no history of illness whatsoever. Wolves were not known to really get sick, until they were in their last years. Yet, in those moments, I was sure my days on this earth had come to an end.

I was sitting on my bed that night, in my family’s home, happily propped up against the headboard with pillows all around me. I had my lamp on and I was going back over a chapter in my world history textbook, reviewing what I would have a test on the following week and just passing the time in study as I did most evenings after dinner.

It was a Friday night in September and the entire day I had felt a little out of sorts. I always got that way when my mate, Malic, was away from the pack. I knew from my earliest memory as a child that Malic was my one true mate. I had smelled him, looked at his aura, and watched my power drift over to lightly intertwine through the edges of his of its own accord. It was perfection and hope all rolled into one beautiful moment. As I grew older, the knowledge that he was mine and would be my home someday sustained me.

I knew it was hard for Malic to acknowledge what I so clearly felt and accepted without question. He had so much on him all the time. So many pressures, which I never had to contend with as an Omega.

It seemed he was always being pulled in so many different directions and watched by our pack and others to see how he’d handle his fated role. He was the strongest Alpha wolf born into a pack in many, many generations, and he was heralded as a future great leader for our kind by Elders near and far. Malic was constantly being trained for every aspect of the role he would have to fulfill when his father either passed away or abdicated leadership to him.

I also recognized that as we grew older, there would be many who might hope to be his mate, simply because of the wealth, power, and prestige he would wield. But though there were always young male and female wolves lining up to be near him, I knew that Malic was the kind of honorable person who would never lead others astray by false promises of a hollow bond.

Sure, any wolf could take a mate – a spouse – without the soul deep connection of true mates. In fact, finding a true mate was almost as rare among our kind now as seeing an Alpha like Malic in the making. Yet, I had faith in my mate that he had sensed our connection as I had, and was just biding his time until we were both of age. Faith that, I learned the hard way, had been naïvely given without anything to shore it up when the tests began.

The first of which, was the pain I felt that September night so long ago.

I cried out, so startled was I when the first blow lanced through my chest. I heard the sound of footsteps running up the stairs, but I couldn’t help but hold my heart and double over against the mattress, yelling again as the pain seemed to reverberate down my sternum. Tears began to stream down my face as my father swung my door open, followed by my mother and my brothers.

What’s the matter, Corwin? my father asked, as he bent and lifted me in his strong arms. Talk to us now, son.

Hurts, I could only say, still clutching at my chest as he turned me and laid me on my back with my head on the pillow.

Where, sweetheart? my mother questioned, moving next to my father and running her palm over my forehead, checking my skin’s temperature.

Here, I panted and tapped my chest just above my heart. Another fire, one I had no frame of reference for, began to sizzle down my spine. Something’s happening, Dad. I stared up into his eyes, willing him to tell me what was wrong with me. Oh, God!

You’re changing, son, he said steadily in answer to my silent plea and motioned for Joshua to help him strip me. Don’t worry, we’re all right here with you and you’re safe, my dad promised.

Joshua climbed onto the bed alongside me and gave me an encouraging smile. Their hands moved quickly, as my other brother made it his task to move all of my books off the bed so my claws wouldn’t shred them. Winick knew how precious they were to me, and I shot him a grateful look just as my back bowed off of the bed.

I had never shifted before that night, but I had been around enough wolves as they changed forms to know that it was not brought about by pain. It was a blessed event, especially one’s first shift, and never once had I heard about any of my family or peers feeling lightning strike their heart before their gift manifested itself.

Be that as it may, my body had other plans and it heeded the call. Whatever the pain was, it woke my wolf up and pulled me into my first shift far sooner than my animal would have naturally surfaced. I had no choice but to go with it.

I watched as my hands turned into paws and white fur tipped in light gray began to grow all over my chest and legs. My limbs quaked a bit from the newness of it all and my vision became sharper than it ever had been before. My father’s strong hands rolled me to my paws as my face reshaped and my bones shifted to take on the new form.

I had always thought it funny that modern movies and books written about our kind made the whole process sound like an excruciating experience. Why, I had long wondered, did humans think a gift from our Creator would be designed to cause us pain or injury? Nothing could be further from the truth. Our change into our wolf form was a thing of beauty – a morphing of one being into another and an act of utter trust between the two halves.

So I handed myself over to my wolf, knowing he would shelter me well. I threw back my head and howled, grinning inside at the sound that rolled off of my new lips. I turned in a circle there atop my bed and sat down facing my parents. My mother had tears in her eyes and my dad’s looked suspiciously moist too. He reached out a hand and I moved my muzzle closer, taking a whiff of a scent I knew as well as my own. I angled my head to expose my throat, showing my father I recognized him as my Beta and also my sire, and that I was still cognizant of everything and everyone around me.

Winick chuckled and he was the next to scrub his hand over my head. He scratched behind my left ear and I panted, opening my mouth and letting my tongue hang out from the wonderful sensation.

Feels good, doesn’t it, Corwin? Winick laughed.

I whined and bumped his hand with my wet nose, sniffing him too.

Your wolf is beautiful, son, my mother praised. I’ve never seen so much white fur on one of our kind. I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. So proud.

Yeah, but he’s little. Joshua just had to throw that in.

I turned my eyes toward him and let out a low growl.

Really? You’re gonna growl at me?

Joshua gave me his patented bored stare and crossed his arms over his chest. Seeing the calm, nonplussed expression I knew well lowered my ire and my hackles. I sank down on my belly and began to roll over so he would know I was sorry for growling. But Joshua only smiled and reached out to stop me from showing my submission.

I get it, little brother. He raked his hand through my fur and massaged his way down my spine. My tail began to thump against the comforter. "I love you too. And that’s why I said what I did. You are small for your age and I want you to be aware of that if ever you’re around others not of our pack." Joshua looked from me to our father.

He’s right, Dad sighed. If another wolf wanted to claim you as his mate – your Omega to his Beta or Alpha – it wouldn’t be that much of a challenge. We want you safe, Corwin, so there will be no running outside of our territory or mingling with non-pack members until you’re older and stronger.

But that made no sense to me. I already had a mate. Why would another try to claim me when it was obvious that I already had a true mate, knowing that he would be mine in just a few short years?

Without conscious thought, my wolf retreated and I shifted back to human form so I could actually speak to my father. They watched me shift and, with little delay, I sat on my bed as I had before.

That was fast! Winick breathed, his eyebrows rising in surprise.

I shrugged my shoulders and turned my attention toward my dad. Why would anyone try to claim me, Dad? I asked. I have a true mate.

His gaze softened as he reached out a hand to cup the side of my face. You know that for certain, son?

I frowned and glanced over at my mother. Of course, I said without hesitation. I’ve always known that Malic is my mate. Don’t you guys feel it too? I had always assumed my family had figured out this basic truth about me years ago. They hadn’t batted an eye when I told them I liked boys instead of girls just after my tenth birthday.

My mother took my right hand and held it between hers. "I have long suspected that he was your mate, simply by the way the two of you act around each other. From the time you were born, your scent and presence seemed to calm him like no other. But thinking you’re mates and knowing that you are true mates, are two different things entirely."

A mate is someone you fall in love with and decide to build a future with – by choice, Corwin – like your father and I, she explained. But a true mate is predestined to be a wolf’s partner and only those two can be joined in their hearts and souls. True mates cannot be separated for too great a time and they cannot bond with anyone else. Another trying to lay claim to one of the two would cause that wolf great pain and torment with a mating bite.

But I have no intention of being with anyone else except my mate. I will be Malic’s mate once I turn eighteen. I was sure and the words came so easily that night.

My mother gave me a sad smile even as she nodded and squeezed my hand. I know you are loyal to your mate, sweetheart. I’ve watched you try to be near that boy all your life. And I’m not saying I doubt your commitment to him in any way.

What I am saying, is that if another wolf stronger than you wanted you for his own, he might lay claim without stopping to consider that you have a true mate. Omegas are a gift to any pack and highly sought after because of their calming and nurturing influence. There will be many who will want you for their own, Corwin, as you grow older.

She glanced briefly at my father before she added, And if the truth about your and Malic’s destiny was shared with other packs, other wolves might try to force a mating bite, knowing that if they did, they could use you to hurt Malic in some way – weaken him and impede his leadership.

Oh my gosh! The words barely made it past my lips before I had to bolt to my bathroom where I promptly lost my supper. I knelt in front of the toilet and heaved until I had nothing left. The thought that I could be used to hurt Malic, whom I loved with everything I had, left me shell-shocked.

Easy, my father cautioned as I slumped backward. I’ve got you. Just lean on me.

I was suddenly so weak that I had no choice but to comply.

He lifted me in his arms again and held me near the sink as my mother wet a cloth and cleaned my face. They helped me rinse my mouth out and then Dad brought me back to the bed. He placed me there and Winick pulled the covers over my still-nude body.

I love him, I said as my teeth began to chatter.

Shhh, my mother crooned. She had a clean cloth and she began to smooth it across my brow. We know you do, Corwin. And we’ll make sure you remain safe until the time Malic can rightly claim you. But that is a little over four years away, so let’s just take this a day at a time.

I nodded, even as my eyes welled with tears. Several minutes passed in silence as each of us thought through all of the ramifications of my status as an Omega amongst so many stronger wolves. And of my simple declaration that Malic Campbell was indeed my true mate.

Why did it hurt? I remembered to ask as my eyelids became weightier.

Why did what hurt, Corwin? my father asked in return.

All that pain I felt just before I shifted. I thought I was having a heart attack. I forced my eyes open so I could show respect and meet his gaze. What I saw, though, surprised me. A look of alarm passed through my father’s eyes.

I didn’t realize you were actually experiencing pain, he said. I thought you were just shocked that your shift was upon you.

No, I said with a shake of my head. I know it’s not supposed to hurt, Dad. But it felt as though someone struck my heart with a bolt of lightning and my wolf couldn’t let me go on in that much distress. So it rose and took over. I had no choice but to go with the shift and give in to the greater being.

My father looked sharply down at my mother. She, in turn, gave him a very worried expression.

No, it’s not supposed to hurt, Joshua said. He sank down on my right and placed his warm palm on my bare shoulder. You told me this afternoon that you weren’t feeling good when I caught you napping in the hammock outside. Why was that?

Because Malic isn’t here in our territory. I felt it when he left late this morning.

Is it always like that when he travels a long distance away from you? Winick asked and sat on the end of the bed.

I was surrounded on all sides by my family and their support.

Yeah, I answered truthfully. It doesn’t happen that often, though, because we usually accompany Dad and Alpha Campbell’s other Betas when they go places. It’s rare for me to be apart from Malic for too long.

Do either of you know where Malic is right now? my father asked my brothers.

I don’t, Winick supplied.

Our father turned his keen gaze on Joshua.

I only know that he’s out of town with cousins in Montana for his birthday this weekend. This year, Malic wanted to celebrate away from his friends and immediate family.

Oh he did? Dad asked, in an all-too-quiet voice.

Trace, my mother said and ran a hand down my dad’s back to calm him. Honey, we don’t know for sure what Malic might have gotten himself into tonight, nor do we know for certain if his actions are the cause of Corwin’s physical distress. Why don’t we let things lie for tonight, let Corwin rest after his first shift, and then tomorrow, I’ll call Dr. Cecil and let him weigh in on this?

Dr. Marvin Cecil was a resilient wolf in his own right and a trained medical doctor too. He had a clinic not too far from our pack’s territory and he was the main physician for over five packs within the area. A kinder, more compassionate wolf you would never meet. Hearing his name only made me relax all the more.

Okay, my father conceded. He usually listened to my mother above all others, and it was funny to see such a strong wolf defer to his gentle wife. But I want us to call him first thing in the morning. This isn’t normal and I don’t want Corwin to suffer.

And I do? Mother asked him with a sly grin.

Point taken, my dear. He bent and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Want me to camp out in here with you tonight? Winick offered. Keep you company, in case you feel the need to shift again?

Yeah, I’d like that, I confessed. I smiled as he playfully ordered Joshua to get up and move out of his way. Joshua complied, but not before he elbowed Winick in the side.

Enough, you two, Dad warned.

Yes, sir, they each said in turn.

I smirked, knowing it would never be any other way for my elder brothers. They loved to give each other good-natured hell. They were also fiercely loyal to one another and to me. I couldn’t have asked for better siblings than Winick and Joshua.

My mother gave me a tender kiss on the cheek and then my father leaned in to affectionately ruffle my shaggy blonde hair. They wished us pleasant dreams and then left arm in arm. Joshua told me to call out for him if he was needed and that he’d leave his bedroom door open down the hall. I saw him taking his cell phone out of his pocket as he left the room and tapping its screen. Soon, it was just Winick and me.

My brother took a quick trip into my bathroom and then he came back and took the side nearest the window. I closed my eyes as he got settled and smiled over how much he jostled the bed. He was so much taller than me, bulkier too, even though he was only two years older. And Winick had no problem throwing his weight around on my mattress just to get a rise out of me.

So, he began.

I could hear the smirk in his voice. I waited a few seconds and then I cracked an eye open and looked at him.

You and Malic, huh?

Yeah, there was that shit-eating grin that he so loved to display.

You and Maria, huh? I shot back, knowing my brother had the hots for that particular girl in his grade at school. She wasn’t giving him the time of day, but that didn’t stop him from staring at her ass and drooling every time she walked by.

He threw his head back and shouted his laughter.

Winick! Joshua called from down that hall. Stop baiting Corwin!

Oh, leave us alone! he laughed and lightly punched me in the shoulder. The kid knows I’m just teasing him.

Kid? Really? I turned on my side and propped my head in my hand.

You’ll always be my kid brother. Winick smiled lazily and turned to face me, folding the pillow under his head to get more comfortable. A fact that I, as the middle child, do love. And as your older brother, I want you to know you can always come to me to talk about Malic or any other guy, he said seriously. I mean that, Corwin. Talk all this through with me and Joshua. We won’t leave you hanging while you and Malic sort it all out.

I nodded, but was quiet for a few minutes. Winick didn’t say anything else while my mind replayed everything that had happened that night and what our parents had said about the true mate bond. I also thought about what I had said to Joshua, regarding the level of unease I experienced whenever Malic traveled away from me.

Do you think he feels the same as me? It was a question I’d never in my young life thought I’d utter.

Malic? Winick whispered.

I nodded again.

Winick gave me a slight smile. Only Malic can say how he feels about you or any other wolf, Corwin. He’s not an Omega, nor is he a Beta. His station in life and his place in the pack will undoubtedly have an impact on what he perceives through his senses and how he adjusts to the pull of another wolf to his. I’ve never asked an Alpha before, but I would think it would stand to reason that they’d be stronger in every aspect of their being and not as easily led as the rest of us. Makes sense that our natural born leaders wouldn’t be so susceptible to those things which the rest of us struggle with.

Not like me, I managed to say. "I’m not able not to feel him."

And that’s okay, Winick reassured me. He reached out and ran his hand over my arm, physically soothing me, as wolves so often did. You are who you are, and there’s no shame in that, Corwin. If you are Malic’s true mate, then I would think you were designed to be his perfect counterpoint. You will be the calm, where he’s the storm. And as such, yeah, you’ll probably be more in tune with what he’s feeling than the other way around. Not that it’s a bad thing – just that it’s probably the truth of the situation.

Do you think he will love me when we’re grown? I hated how pitiful I sounded, but I couldn’t imagine a future where my mate wouldn’t want me – all of me.

Winick snorted. Corwin, what’s not to love? Huh?

I caved a little and chuckled.

Go to sleep and stop trying to solve the world’s problems. Be happy that you’ve finally shifted, no matter what the reason. Just think, now you can go on full moon runs with me and Joshua.

"’Cause that’s what’s most important." I ducked when he tried to get me in a headlock and pushed against his chest.

Winick! Joshua called him down again from his own room.

How he knew we were tussling was beyond me.

Winick and I laughed under our breath, but we settled down. I lay for quite a while that night, still replaying everything in my mind until utter exhaustion carried me away. My final thought that night was that I hoped Malic was well wherever he was and that he was enjoying his birthday.

Chapter Three

Corwin

The following morning, I awoke to find a large timber wolf standing beside my bed. I rolled over and smiled at Winick, wondering what he had up his sleeve. Well, up his fur, so to speak. That thought made me laugh and I reached out to scratch his head as he had for me the night before. He chuffed softly at me.

What’s going through your mind, Winick?

He barked and grabbed the edge of the comforter with his teeth, giving the bedding a gentle tug. He knew as well as I did, if he tore it, our mother would skin him alive.

All right, I’m getting up, I groaned and slowly rolled out of bed. I scratched my stomach as I made my way inside the bathroom. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Winick’s wolf was sitting just inside the room, watching me. Eww! Go somewhere else! I stepped forward and shooed him away. Then I closed and locked the door so I could use the bathroom in private. Disgusting. I continued to grumble as I took care of business.

Once I had washed up and dressed, I went downstairs to join my family for a late breakfast. They had let me sleep far past my normal hour that day. I heard Dr. Cecil’s soothing voice and smelled his scent long before I made it into the kitchen. I smiled at everyone as I turned the corner and entered the room.

When my parents built their home, they had decided that they never wanted any formal spaces or rooms. Every room flowed easily into another and they all felt inviting and well-lived in by the time I came along. The kitchen was no exception.

It was huge, but it had a massive butcher-block island down its center that made it feel homey, lined with barstools on one side that my brothers and I preferred to sit on. There was also a table built by my grandfather on the far end nearest a wall of windows. It could easily seat twenty and often, when my parents had gatherings of family and friends, it accommodated that many and more.

That particular day, I sat down at the table across from my parents and Dr. Cecil. He rose to shake my hand as I got settled, and I thanked him for actually making a trip to our house on the weekend. I glanced at Joshua as he took the chair to my left and placed a plate of food in front of me.

No thanks are needed, Corwin, Dr. Cecil said with his standard gentle smile. I understand that you had quite an evening last night.

I shifted for the first time. I took the glass of juice Winick passed my way but continued to look at Dr. Cecil.

Yes, and I congratulate you on that. It’s certainly earlier than most Omegas go through their first shift. But your parents told me about the pain that preceded it. Having never heard of such a thing, I knew I needed to see you today. Do you agree?

Yes, sir, I immediately responded.

Good. Why don’t you tell me about it in your own words while we eat and then afterward, I’ll give you an exam with your parents beside us?

Will what I tell you remain private? You won’t share it with anyone else? I tried to keep the worry out of my voice, but I knew they all heard it.

That is not something I could legally or morally do, Corwin, he said with an indulgent smile. "You can tell me anything and know that I won’t divulge the details to another soul. And you should share this with me, so I have some hope of helping you not endure such pain in the future."

I glanced at my dad and saw his brief nod. I looked back at Dr. Cecil and told him that would be fine with me. As I ate everything put before me and then some, I did as the man asked. I gave him a complete accounting of my first shift and how I had acknowledged to my parents that I knew Malic Campbell was my true mate. I knew it was an important point for the doctor

Reviews for Mated

[N Boothe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is centered around teenagers who are struggling with adult issues and trying to figure out who they are as well. I enjoyed it.

[L'eau · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the story for the most part. There was a decent build up of events. But the story left to tell after the main characters got together was so much more than I anticipated. The length after the characters resolved their problems in an of itself wasn't the problem, but the gushing mush that followed was just too much. I got it after the first two times, it didn't have to be reiterated every other page for the rest of the book. That added to the mental road block of a 16 and 18-year-old getting married despite the paranormal aspect was too much for me. The story makes it seem like many years of trials and tribulations, but in reality it was several years (in adolescent
world it would seem like forever), with each transgression spanning over months. Add to that the long life expectancy of werewolves, that's like a drop in the hat.

[Oliver T · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Well, this one didn't really suit my taste at all. I hope Corwin married or be with Aaron and left Malic. I wish too that I read Justin review before I read this book at all. It saves me the time I waste reading this.

[Justin Toilolo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't know where to start with the book. From the beginning I couldn't really get a good feel on Malic and it seemed as though from the beginning through the middle, and partially the end, that his character is just too 2 Dimensional for my tastes. Malic's Character: "Malic no like cage, roaaarr. Malic horny, want hole for release. Malic want true mate but Malic want random strangers too. Ugga Ugga."

I honestly couldn't connect to him or even sympathize with his predicament. Like really? You get a sharp ass pain in the base of your skull and you still keep going at it like a rabbit in heat? You proclaim this wondrous bond and attraction to Corwin yet you keep deciding to hook up with random strangers despite your feelings for him and despite the head-splitting pain? What the ever-living f*** is going on man?

And to me, I kind of liked Corwin even less. I mean you see the s*** that your "true mate" is doing to you over and over and over and one tape recorded message lets him back into your life? Doormat much? To be honest Corwin was almost as much of a 2D character as Malic was.

Corwin's Character: "I love him so much and hes so honorable and handsome, he'd never hurt me. *Malic hurts him* Oh he didn't mean it but lets not mention how hes literally killing me when he gets with other people and I'll just keep on surviving. *Malic hurts him* I'm going to start training and begin moving away so I don't have to keep getting hurt. *Malic hurts him* I'm not liking him anymore and swear to never talk or entertain thoughts of him at all!! *Malic leaves tape-recorded messages* OH!!! He's changing! Yes, oh baby that's what I want, I will now talk to him and entertain thoughts of him."

I don't know, I like the general gist of the story but its sad to me when I like the side characters more than the main ones. Like seriously, I feel like Aaron was the BEST choice for Corwin's mate. And the best part is that he didn't feel 2D =] .

I love redemption stories as much as the next but this one... I feel like all that Malic had done to Corwin deserved waaaaaaayyyyyyy more redeeming than what actually went down. Like seriously? You screw tons of people over and over and over and over and after the Alpha trial you all of a sudden realize (which you already knew from the beginning) that Corwin is the only one for you? That assshat doesn't deserve 2D Corwin and should suffer a lot longer than what he actually had to go through. Corwin should've let a bunch of shifters run a train on him so Malic could feel what it's like and then Corwin should just dump him and move on. (My Scorpio side coming out)

All in all I feel like the plot and stories surrounding Malic and Corwin were pretty good but the ones actually containing them together....meh. Really give props to Aaron's character though, absolutely LOVED him =] and wish that Corwin ended up with him. Now that would have made this story a 5 star for me: Malic hurts Corwin. Corwin trains and becomes a different man. Malic realizes his errors after royally screwing up and literally torturing Corwin. Aaron shows up in Corwins life, they get mated, mate all night, have little wolf and bear cubs. The End.