Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“I don’t want to find my mate,” she said. The lie formed easily on her lips.
“Come on, Ashley. Everyone wants to find their mate. None of us wants to end up sad and lonely.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll go out and find my mate when the time is right. I have a little faith.”
He chuckled. “Is that why you won’t move out of your parents’ house?”
“There are more people out there, Daniel. More to life than the pack, and it’s been five years.” It was technically a lie.
No one knew that Phoenix was her soulmate … her fated mate. How cruel could the fates be?
“Maybe I should go with you,” he said. “Let’s face it, the past five years have been a bit of a bust. None of the women here are my mate.”
She shrugged. “They might not have turned yet.”
“True, but that means my woman is going to be so damn young.” He groaned. “I’ll feel like a freaking pervert.”
She chuckled. “Is that your problem? Feeling like a pervert?”
“Wouldn’t you?”
She thought about it. “I guess so. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“If my mate isn’t of age yet, that could mean yours isn’t either.”
Ashley rolled her eyes. “We do not need to have this conversation about mates right now, do we.”
All she could see was Phoenix. Her true mate.
“Aren’t you interested in finding out where your mate is?”
“No, not really.” She got to her feet. “I’m heading back. Are you coming?”
“Of course. Heights scare the fucking shit out of me. I don’t know how you do it.”
The moment he got to his feet, he rushed toward her and wrapped his arms across her shoulders. “Maybe we should make some kind of pact.”
“Stop it, Daniel.”
“Come on. You’re unmated. I’m unmated. We’re both lonely. If we’re still without a mate when we’re like forty, we should agree to mating.”
“And then have to deal with that kind of rejection as well when your true mate suddenly makes an appearance? No, thanks.”
“As well?” Daniel asked. “What other rejection have you had to deal with?”
“Huh?”
“You just said you’d have to deal with that kind of rejection as well. I’m just curious who else has rejected you? Or what you’ve been rejected for?”
She licked her lips, trying to find a good enough lie that would make him leave her alone. She couldn’t think. Her mind was all over the place.
“It’s been a long night, Daniel. I misspoke. It’s nothing. Trust me.” She forced a smile to her lips. She shoved his arm off her shoulder. “Come on. I’ll race you.”
Before she gave him time to question her further, she started running, heading back toward town. She didn’t turn back into her wolf. Ashley wanted the distraction of running, of feeling her body pulsing with the energy she was spending. Each crash down on the ground sent the pulsing heat rushing through her body. Her feet sunk into the earth with each step she took. She sped up, feeling the earth, the wind, the freedom of just running. That was all she wanted—to be free.
For five years she’d been trapped, locked up with this horrible secret. The humiliation of knowing he didn’t want her. The alpha of the pack didn’t want her.
It’s time to move on.
Daniel was gaining on her and they were soon running together and the moment they cleared the woods, Ashley came to an abrupt stop.
Phoenix was there at the edge of the forest, with his arms folded. He didn’t look happy. It had been five years since she’d been this close to him. Every chance she got, she had been far away. Taking a deep breath, she slowly looked up until she met his gaze, and then glanced away. She had no idea why he was there, and she didn’t care to find out.
****
Five years ago, Phoenix Marshall had walked into a bar, the same bar he’d been inside for eight years straight, perhaps even longer. He’d walked into that bar as the alpha of the pack, and nothing life-changing had ever occurred. He’d seen groups over that time celebrating their transition. Some large groups, others small. He’d often had a drink with them, given them a slap on the back in celebration, and waited a couple of days before moving on.
That night, it had been different. He’d walked into that bar and the moment he inhaled, he smelled her. His mate—the woman who was meant for him.
He’d seen her take a drink of her beer, wrinkle her nose, and step out of the bar. Phoenix hadn’t been able to stop himself. He’d followed her, intrigued by the woman, besotted. There was no escape from it. None whatsoever. She was a newbie. Young. Eighteen freaking years old.
He was a nomad. He’d taken a vow to be on his own. Each time he came back to this fucking pack, he broke that bastard vow, but he loved the town, adored the people, and when he came to them in their time of need, he’d kept his word in protecting them. They were all good people, a great pack that banded together.