Stolen Mate: A Werewolf Shifter BBW Interracial Romance

By S. L. Finlay

What if the love of your life had a secret? What if that secret could rip you apart? Would you want to know?

Lisa: I always knew Derick was dangerous – and sexy. A ruthless corporate lawyer, I thought he was the “alpha male” in any room he walked into. But I never knew how true that statement was until the fateful night he revealed his wolfish truth to me – and now that knowledge has us both fighting for our lives.

Derick: Relationships are hard, and everybody has secrets. But mine wasn’t a ex-wife, or a secret family. When the moon is high, my true nature is revealed; and whoever I share that with is in danger.
But Lisa wasn’t a one-night stand, or a quick fling. She was my destined mate – she deserved to know the truth. Only I had no idea that the moment I told her, we’d be thrust into a desperate battle to keep our lives – and our relationship – intact.

This is the first book in the Immortal Battle Series. Each of the book has a guaranteed HEA.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S. L. Finlay
• Release date: Jul 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463268223

S. L. Finlay

S. L. Finlay is an Australian author who uses her erotic fiction and romance stories to force questions about human sexuality, to celebrate love, sex and life.

Book preview

Stolen Mate

S. L. Finlay

Published by S. L. Finlay, 2017.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental. All characters portrayed are consenting adults over the age of eighteen.

STOLEN MATE

First edition. July 11, 2017

Copyright © 2017 S. L. Finlay

Written by S. L. Finlay

Chapter One

The day Derick came clean and told me his big, dark, wolfish secret, I hadn’t been expecting to hear what I’d heard. I had expected anything but. When he said there was something to say, my mind was more logical and rational than it was emotional. Honestly, when he told me he had something to tell me, I had originally thought he was going to break it off. I'd thought this logically, not in the part of me that actually knew what was up - my heart.

In my heart, I knew Derick would never end it with me, that he was happy and that he loved me. I knew somewhere inside of myself that we were meant to be, things had always been so easy with him after all. My relationship with Derick was unlike all of my other relationships.

At first, Derick had pursued me relentlessly, but then in no time at all, after he caught me, he became the big soft teddy bear I would come to love. I loved him so much, that nothing he could say would make me leave him.

We are mates. he told me before he confessed his werewolfdom. This means we are bound together until you die.

What do you mean, until I die? I asked, confused.

Derick cleared his throat then. I will not die first. I am immortal. You though, are mortal and will die one day. I have come to accept this. It was very difficult.

What do you mean, you are immortal? I asked after a few moments silence, unsure how to take this new information in.

He let out a rush of air in an audible sigh. Lisa, I am a werewolf.

A, what? I asked, and I could see his impatience, see how he wanted me to understand right now, rather than have to explain, but then, his face changed and he explained it to me. He told me that he was a werewolf, that he would shift into his wolf form when I was in danger.

Don't werewolves, you know, shift at the full moon? I asked, remembering my mythology.

Derick shook his head then. No. That's Hollywood. We have the beast within us at all times, but only when our mate is threatened do we shift.

Confused, I stared at him for a long time, not sure what to say. I’d thought Derick’s being African-American would be shocking enough for my family and friends, but him being a werewolf? That was something else!

Derick was sitting on my couch, holding my hand as he told me this. His face was earnest. It was true, or at least he thought it was true. Maybe, he was crazy?

Seeing the shift in my face, Derick let out a chuckle. You don't believe me, do you?

I shook my head then, knowing it was better to be honest with him than to try and deceive him.

How can I prove it to you? He asked, his regular, willing-to-please self came out then. Maybe he was some sort of dog.

I laughed then, thinking of my boyfriend as some sort of dog, but also thinking about how funny it was that I had no real idea what he was on about. Maybe he was crazy. Maybe it was a joke. Maybe, Oh, I didn't know. Lazily I answered him, I guess you could transform and show me...

I could transform? He asked slowly, as if the question didn't warrant an answer, as if the question was as dumb as the idea of eating raw meat is for pregnant women.

Yes. You could transform. I said breezily, choosing to ignore the tone he had taken with me.

He cleared his throat and looked away. How could I do that, Lisa? He asked. You are not in danger right now.

Oh. I said, realising the problem. Well, I could put myself in danger, and we could see...

You're not serious! He burst out. I hope you're not serious!

Derick changed when he got angry, he went from soft and placid, a loving, kind partner, into something darker in an instant. If ever someone was rude to me, or did anything that upset me, he would jump in, guns blazing, to save me. Actually, I had thought he had a damsel in distress thing for a long time.

Well... how else will I know? I asked.

His face was dark as he fought to control his voice then. You will know because you will trust me. You will believe what I say.

But, you just asked me how I could start believing you when I don't believe you. I told him, and that's how I would believe you were a werewolf, if you transformed. It makes logical sense to me.

He stood up, all six foot ten of him. With more grace than one would expect from his large barrel-chested frame, he crossed the room. It occurred to me now just how much space he took up. Not just physically, with his strong, masculine physique, but mentally too, when he was mad and you could almost see the steam coming out of his ears.

Derick was a guy no-one would want to fuck with, and he was my guy. Although I had only really dated nerdy writer types like myself, Derick was something else. He had worked as a ruthless corporate lawyer for years and had moonlit as a personal trainer out of his own interest. It wasn't hard to see the personal trainer in him with his strength of body and mind. He’d worked all over the world too, I wondered if perhaps that was part of being a werewolf. Did he just change identities in each country? Makes sense why I couldn’t find much when I searched for him on the internet when we first started dating.

I shook my head as if to dislodge the thoughts of my boyfriends potential numerous identities. I knew that if I didn't take control of the conversation soon, he would be pacing about, getting mad and coming to decisions I didn't want him to. If he was some kind of wolf, or dog, I would like to know and I didn't want him to be too mad to talk about it.

What was I thinking? This was crazy, but I pushed ahead anyway. If he was a wolf, it would make sense why he was so big and strong, so ruthless in competition, so protective of me. It would mean a lot of things that I had dismissed as, ‘just Derick!’ Would make sense now.

Sighing deeply I stood up. When I stood beside Derick I was more than a head shorter than him at five foot six inches, but I was a strong woman, and what is politely called a BBW (a big beautiful woman). I'd been chubby my whole life, and it had been a problem for most of the pale, scrawny writers I had dated. That was until I had met Derick.

Standing beside him, he stopped pacing and looked down at me, expectant. He always did that, always so concerned about me, and whether I was okay. He had been caught in his own thoughts and had forgotten me for a moment, his face portrayed a guilt I had grown used to seeing there when this happened, when I would stand suddenly or move in a way he hadn’t predicted. It was as if not seeing inside my head, and being out of synch was the worst thing for him in the whole wide world. Is everything okay? Do you need anything?

Yes. I said simply.

Yes what? What do you need? He said, his voice a bit panicked.

I tried to hold my voice steady as I answered, hoping it would calm him a little. Yes. I need you to prove this to me. It's a strange thing to tell your girlfriend, even for you, and I want to know what it really means. What happens when you become a wolf?

It's very dangerous. He told me through tight lips.

So you've told me, but I want to know for myself. I told him.

He shook his head. Never.

Okay, so let’s think about this then, shall we? Just for one moment. Just logically. He was still staring down at me then, his face incredulous, you want me to believe that you are some sort of immortal wolf-thing that I've seen in movies and read about in books...

What books? He asked.

His question threw me. What do you mean, what books? I asked, confused about the relevance of his question.

Well, I wanted to know what books. It would be good to know a starting point so I know how much you know already. Plus, there hasn't been a good werewolf book yet. Vampires get 'Dracula', but we're yet to get our literary masterpiece. His voice was even, as if he had thought about this a lot already.

What? So you're telling me vampires are real too? I asked.

His face was blank, portraying nothing as he told me, of course they are. As real as you are to me.

I stole a glance over at my cell phone then, wondering who I would call about my boyfriends delusions. How could he tell me vampires were real, and werewolves were too, and that he was a werewolf? What was this?

He read my face, his eyes darting all over it.

I'm sorry, this is a lot for you to take in right now. he told me, I had been warned by the others not to tell you, and hadn't. It’s been hard keeping this to myself, but now I have to tell you.

What others Derick? What are you talking about? I asked, frustrated.

My brothers, they're werewolves too. He told me.

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I let out a sigh and looked away from him. Of course they are.

He was shaking his head at me then, You still don't believe me, do you?

Of course I don't! I told him. You want me to believe all these crazy things, with no evidence.

Humans didn't need evidence until recently, Lisa. You used to believe in us. You knew we were here. Now, you pretend that you don't know about us, when you really do. You know what I am deep down. He told me.

Do I? I asked, disbelieving.

His face changed to one of certainty then. Of course you do, that's why you were attracted to me in the first place, because you were made for me, as I was made for you. Around the full moon, when I am at my most vulnerable to transformation, you always take extra special care.

I shook my head at him, Of course I do, that's when everyone goes crazy Derick. Everyone knows that.

What about how you instinctually joined my pack, spending time with me and my brothers at weekends when you normally wouldn't want to do the things we do together? He asked.

I was shaking my head again, I want to know your family Derick. I love you.

What about the first time we had sex, and you told me not to mark your neck because you had work the next day? He asked.

His question had me stumped, but then I always wondered why I told him that. We’d never had sex before, but I had felt so sure he would mark me when we did that I had to tell him not to. Or, at