Unexpected Mate(6)

“Now you’re mine just as much as I’m yours.”

They were both marked.

Nicholas opened his mouth, but no words emerged. He took a shaky breath and nodded before making a quick escape, running away from his mate.



* * * *



Adam watched a play of emotions cross Nicholas’s face before the beautiful man turned and fled. He sighed sadly and shook his head, disappointed. He’d been in town for two weeks, hoping that Nicholas might break down and search him out. This meeting, much like their first, was a complete disaster.

The trip to New Orleans was supposed to be quick. He was going to pick up his younger brother, Rory, and head back to their home in the mountains. Finding his mate was completely unexpected. Most shifters dreamed of meeting the one person meant for them, but for some reason, Nicholas didn’t seem happy with the prospect of spending his life with Adam. It was heartbreaking.

As an Alpha, Adam had the authority to force Nicholas to obey, but he would never do that to his mate. He didn’t want to command Nicholas to accept him. He wanted the man to come willingly, as an equal partner. But, for whatever the reason, the other shifter absolutely refused to start a new life with Adam’s pack. The fight wouldn’t last long though. He could already sense Nicholas’s jaguar. The man might not want Adam, but the beast buried deep inside the man was desperate to get out.

Adam tossed the rest of his clothing inside the duffel bag before zipping it up and tossing it over his shoulder. He did a little spin around the room, making sure he didn’t leave anything behind. When he was sure he had all his belongings, Adam left and jogged down the stairs.

“Are you heading out?” Gideon asked, meeting Adam near the foyer.

Adam nodded. “Yeah, it’s time to get back home.”

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out with your mate.”

“He’ll find me when he’s ready.”

“Now that you’ve marked him, I doubt that he’ll be able to stay away for very long.”

Adam shrugged. “It seemed fair since he bit me first.”

Gideon chuckled lightly. “Drive safe, man.”

“Thanks.”





Chapter Two




Adam stopped only for fuel and food on the drive from New Orleans to his land in the Appalachian Mountains. He didn’t bother getting a hotel room along the highway. The drive took him about fifteen hours, but he soon reached his pack lands in Virginia. As soon as the fresh, mountain air touched his face, Adam inhaled and smiled. It’s good to be home.

This part of Virginia was a mountainous landscape, one dominated by the ranges of the Appalachian Mountains that extended through the western half of the state. Adam’s pack owned a nice chunk of land, giving them the freedom to shift into their wolf forms to run and hunt. After staying in Gideon’s territory, Adam was relieved to finally be back where he belonged.

Adam glanced over at the empty passenger seat, and his shoulders dropped in disappointment. During the drive, Adam kept hoping Nicholas might call and ask him to turn around, but the phone never rang. The call never came. With each mile he drove, Adam could feel the distance separating him from Nicholas, and his heart ached. It felt as though he was missing something significant without the other man nearby.

Soon. He’ll be with us soon, the voice of Adam’s wolf whispered in his head. Unlike most shifters, the wolf lived like a separate being inside of him. He didn’t know why his pack was different from other shifters, but he was sure it had something to do with their more volatile nature. When Adam was in his wolf form, the animal had complete control, blocking out most, if not all, of his human thoughts and emotions. He wasn’t always cognizant during that time, which made his pack far more dangerous.

He pulled his truck to a stop in front of an imposing black gate with a large metal wolf head emblem on the front. Adam reached out the driver’s side window and typed his password into the keypad. The locks disengaged, and the gate slowly opened, welcoming him back to his territory.

Adam pressed the gas pedal and pulled forward. He drove down the long gravel road leading toward his home. The cabin where he’d lived for many years sat in the middle of the pack’s land. After several miles, the thick forest of trees gave way to a small clearing in the woods. Bright beams of sunlight shimmered through the leaves, highlighting the house. As he grew closer, the peace and comfort of home surrounded him like a warm blanket.

Pulling his truck in front of the garage, Adam shut off the engine and climbed out. He lifted his arms over his head and stretched out his sore muscles. After a couple of minutes, he reached back into the cab of his truck and grabbed his duffel bag. Adam followed the brick pathway toward the front of the house.