Chapter Three
She never wanted to set foot in this lobby again. Just being back at the resort brought back the menagerie of negative feelings that had nearly destroyed her earlier.
“Can I help you?” asked the man at the front desk.
“I had a room reserved for the weekend under Hailey Robinson.”
The cops at the road block insisted her only option for the night was the resort. So, she was back where she started, the last place she wanted to be. She already began mentally calculating how much the room charge was going to set her back this month. Hailey was going to have to live off Ramen Noodles for a few weeks.
After unpacking her small bag and preparing for bed, she turned off all the lights and wrapped a blanket over her shoulders. She slid open the patio door and stepped out onto the shadowed balcony. There was a sharp chill in the air, only the vague outline of the forest in the distance. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she leaned against the wall. A few stars still shone through despite the unnatural lighting created by the resort. She wanted to make a wish, but she knew it wouldn’t come true. How many times had she asked for a family, a good job, a perfect body, or a man to love her? She’d given up on her dream for love, but still believed it was better than settling for George.
Hailey had a deep-seated need to belong, and a craving for a love so unconditional it probably didn’t exist. She could blame her insecurities on her dysfunctional life as a foster kid, but she was a grown woman now and could only fault herself.
What she couldn’t get off her mind was her mystery man. Just his voice had made her swoon. He sounded so confident in his ability to be everything she could ever want in a man. And she desperately wanted to believe him. Only he was gone, like everyone else who’d walked out of her life.
A wolf bayed in the distance, then another. It gave her the chills. She was safe on the fourth floor, but decided to get inside for the night.
****
“Are you going to tell me what the fuck’s going on?” asked Thorn.
His beta and packmates did as he’d ordered, getting Hailey safely to the resort for the night. Now he had time to breathe, time to think.
“She was lost in the forest. I was just making sure she got home all right.”
Thorn scoffed. “Don’t try to bullshit a bullshitter, Darius.”
He exhaled, knowing he couldn’t hide the truth forever, especially since he’d never shown kindness to a human before. “Fine. I want her,” he admitted.
“Then why didn’t you take her?”
“She’s a human.”
“We’ve both fucked humans before. What’s the difference now?” asked Thorn.
Darius stood up and paced around the campfire they’d started earlier. The sparks and embers danced up towards the blackened sky. “I don’t want to fuck her. I want to keep her.” At this point, he wasn’t interested in twisting the facts. Darius was alpha and his word was law. “She’s my mate.”
Thorn bolted to his feet, and Jacob and Brass couldn’t hide the shock on their faces. “Your mate? That’s impossible!”
“How do you know?” asked Brass.
He shrugged. “I can’t explain it. I don’t need to explain it. My problem is figuring out how to convince that girl she belongs here. With me.”
“With a werewolf,” Thorn corrected.
“Yeah, a werewolf. You’re not helping.” Darius had no one to advise him because he’d never heard of a shifter and human mating. And he knew Hailey wasn’t just any human, but a fucking virgin. His wolf sensed it almost immediately.
“You want us to bring her to you?” asked Jacob.
Darius shook his head. “I have to do things right. Kidnapping her definitely won’t earn me any points.”
“This can’t go well. Humans and shifters don’t mix, Darius,” said Brass. “You’re the one who taught us to stay away from them.”
“It’s fucking unnatural,” said Thorn.
Darius cracked his neck to each side, his skin flushing hot. “This isn’t a debate. That female is mine, and I fully plan on claiming her.”
“Well, this should be entertaining,” said Thorn, settling back on the downed log.
“It will, because you’ll all be helping me. Get ready to play human.”
Tomorrow would be pivotal in his courting of Hailey. He was excited that fate gave him a mate, but also cautious. She seemed too good to be true—beautiful, sexy, sweet, and innocent to men. Darius wanted to promise her the world. And an alpha always kept his word.
****
Before Hailey opened her eyes, she’d almost believed the George fiasco was a nightmare. And her forest hero was a dream. It took her a few minutes to remember where she was and what had transpired the day before, and then reality came crashing down. You sure know how to pick ’em, Hailey.
Although not giving George sex could have been one of the factors to push him away, she was glad she hadn’t given a cheater like him her virginity. She might have been thirty-two, but her innocence wasn’t a hindrance as most would suspect. It was her only possession of value. She’d had too many chances to lose it, and sometimes had to fight to keep it, even as a child, but she had. It was hers, and it gave her a small sense of control in an otherwise powerless life.
She reached for the invoice under the door, but it was actually an invitation. Hailey had to read it twice because it said she was invited to a ball. She laughed out loud as she imagined a pumpkin coach and fairy godmother.
“A ball? Really?” she said. “Yeah, I think I’ll pass.” She tossed the invitation on the bed before preparing for the day. It was time to get back to reality and put the past behind her.
As she made her way down the stairs to check-out, she heard familiar voices in the lobby. She stopped to listen before opening the final door in the hallway. It was Karl and … George. You’ve got to be kidding me!
There was no way she could face him, not now or ever. Hailey decided George couldn’t stay in the lobby indefinitely, and she had another few hours until she had to turn her key-cards in, so she escaped out the back door to waste some time exploring the well-manicured grounds.
Why had George bothered to show up? Had he tired of his new fling already? Had he made another mistake and wanted to beg for her forgiveness again? She had none left to give.
The sky was a brilliant blue, the air sweet and crisp. A delicate layer of dew still carpeted the grass, darkening the edges of her running shoes. She didn’t care. Hailey wanted to savor the sights, to enjoy this brief escape. As she cut across the lawns, she admired the lavish flower gardens—purples, reds, and pinks. Back home in the city, the only beauty she could have found were the hanging flower baskets along the downtown strip.
Forget George, forget everything, she reminded herself. She inhaled some of that fresh country air and kept walking toward the woods. It was morning, so that foreboding element was no longer present. Instead, the wall of massive oaks represented a hideaway, a refuge she desperately needed for a short while.
She found an old tree stump a few yards into the forest and sat down, closing her eyes as she tried to absorb the multitude of sounds from insects and birds, to the squirrels scampering in the branches above. She was so content that she couldn’t help but smile. When she opened her eyes again, there was a large gray wolf standing directly in front of her. She hadn’t even heard a leaf being disturbed. Hailey froze, unsure what she should do. The wolf stared intently, its upper lip quivering. It looked intense, its ears back and hackle forming. Should she play dead? What would it feel like to be eaten alive?
She swallowed hard.
Hailey was in shock, not daring to move a muscle. They were at a stalemate when a massive wolf leaped out from behind her. The new beast knocked the other away with its sheer size and strength. They rolled briefly, the ground shuddering, until standing off, head to head. A fresh rush of adrenaline coursed through her body, making her light-headed. This wolf was much larger, pitch black, and looked ready to kill. It challenged the gray wolf with two-inch long fangs and enough bravado to make a Grizzly submit.
She held her breath, hoping for a miracle, and scolding herself for entering a forest again. When the gray wolf slowly backed away in defeat, she knew she was the next victim.
****
“Don’t get that close to her again,” Darius warned. He took a few breaths to calm his beast. His territorial nature was off the fucking charts. Catching Brass up close and personal with his woman made him see red.
“I was just looking out for her, like you wanted,” said Brass, as he lowered his head in submission and slowly retreated.
Darius knew his wolf would only get worse until he marked Hailey as his mate. “Keep your distance.”
Once he’d gathered his wits, he remembered the human. The scent of her fear was sharp in the air, and he was the reason. He had planned to find her in his human form, not like this. He’d deal with Brass for putting him in this position. He’d broken their law—wolves and humans didn’t mix. But then again, a human was Darius’s mate. Un-fucking-believable.
He turned to face Hailey. She hadn’t moved, her body paralyzed like a deer in his sights. How could he fix this? Darius would have to earn her trust. She’d have to get used to his wolf form eventually.
He lowered to the ground, and settled in front of her, trying to appear peaceful and gentle. She stared, only her eyes moving. Gods, she was immeasurably more beautiful in the light of day. He wanted to talk to her, convince her that they were meant for each other, but he had to wait.
Every passing minute made him more anxious. She hadn’t moved, her fear still ripe. He had to make first contact.
Darius sniffed her shoe and then rose to his feet and nudged her knee. He licked her hand, the only exposed skin he could find. She gasped and pulled back so fast it startled his wolf. He nuzzled his head in her lap, desperate to feel her affection. It took a lot of coaxing before she dared to touch him. The moment he felt her fingers comb into his fur, he wanted to purr like a fucking cat.
She cautiously stroked his head, so he stayed as still as he could. The last thing he wanted to do was spook her again. When her fear subsided, he looked up into her eyes, hoping to spark some sort of connection. Would she sense he was more than a common wolf? Did humans feel the mating bond? Her blue eyes were stunning, and she held eye contact with him as he’d hoped. When he stole a quick lick of her cheek, she actually giggled, stealing his heart completely.
“Am I in the Twilight Zone?” she asked. “Or maybe I’m dreaming…”
He couldn’t answer, only able to savor the physical connection while it lasted. Darius imagined it would take a lot more effort to get this close as a human man. But as much as he wanted to be near Hailey, he needed to keep to his plan. He reluctantly backed away.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” she said. She beckoned for him, reaching out a hand. It took all his resolve to deny her and retreat into the forest.