To Catch His Mate (Crescent Moon Series Book 5) (3 page)

“Wait…
what
? Is this you being jealous?”

He watched her for a long, hard moment. The confusion rolling off her was real. For the last year she’d pushed his buttons and he’d let her. Hell, she was the only one in the pack he let get away with talking to him the way she did.

And others had certainly noticed. Probably why none of the males had made a move on her. He might not have actually claimed her, but in one sense he had. Now it was time to man up. “Yes.”

When her eyes widened, he continued. “I want you, Ember. Have since you moved back. I won’t settle for something casual so understand this, I’m possessive, stubborn, set in my ways, and have a lot of years on you. And I’ve got a lot of responsibility I deal with every day, something you know. You need to think about what you want, decide if a future with me is something you can handle because if we cross the line, it’ll be for life.” He wasn’t admitting that he loved her just yet, because damn it, he couldn’t say the words. He couldn’t face her rejection.

Before she could respond, he spun on his heel and stalked from the room—and his house. He needed to shift and run. Because being around her and not claiming her was making his wolf go nuts.

Chapter Two

Shelving the guilt that had been a constant companion the past week, Alyssa dropped her duffle bag next to her and knocked on her friend Charlie’s front door.

Seconds later it flew open and she found herself pulled into a tight, welcoming hug. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

Alyssa laughed lightly, relief invading her veins in a slow, smooth crawl. After a week of traveling she was glad to be in Kincaid territory, a place she felt safe and welcome. Stepping back, she eyed her friend’s long, dark hair. “You grew it out.”

She fingered the strands, grinned. “Yeah, needed something different. Come on, let’s get you inside.” Charlie grabbed Alyssa’s bag before she could stop her friend.

“I’ve got a suitcase in my car too.” Not that she needed anything from it right now. After a day of driving she just wanted to kick her feet up and catch up with her old friend.

She snorted. “I figured you didn’t pack this light. So, you want to tell me why you’re here?”

“I just needed a break from my pack, that’s all,” Alyssa said, trailing after her down a hallway lined with beach-themed black and white prints and a few pictures of Charlie with her various packmates.

The hallway opened up into a huge open living room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Gulf Coast. Charlie was part of the Kincaid pack who lived in Orange Beach, Alabama. Alyssa knew the pack did well for themselves and owning beach front property was pricey anywhere. But the Kincaid pack owned the entire condominium she was now in.

The way the place was built each packmate had an ocean view. Unlike a lot of condos she’d been in, she noticed that when she’d headed up the stairs to Charlie’s place all the hallways were glassed in instead of open. And they only had one main gated entrance with a high wall blocking the parking lot. The extra privacy made sense for a shifter pack.

“No way. You don’t get off with that easy answer.” Charlie dropped Alyssa’s bag next to one of the microfiber couches and continued on to one of the sliding glass doors. The calming sound of ocean waves filled the room as she opened it.

When Alyssa stepped out onto the patio she saw that Charlie had a plate of cheese, crackers and stuffed mushrooms filled with some sort of cheesy mix that smelled delicious. And there was a bottle of wine. “I could kiss you right now.”

“I’ve got vodka too, in case you needed it,” Charlie said on a laugh.

Alyssa collapsed on one of the seats at the mosaic table. “I think wine’s good.” She’d been on the road for a week, stopping at various places and basically just enjoying the privacy away from her pack. She’d checked in with her dad via text and had been calling some of her packmates so they knew she was okay. She didn’t want anyone to worry, but after the blowout with her father, she’d known space and time away were the only way she’d get past everything.

Charlie opened the wine bottle, poured them both glasses before sitting too. “Talk.”

“My dad and I got in a pretty big argument.” Even the thought of it made her throat tighten. She knew she was probably being a baby, but he’d never yelled at her before. Not once. And it had come as a shock. Her reaction annoyed her and she’d realized that if he was going to see her as an adult, she was going to have to make her own damn decisions. She never should have even entertained the idea of an arranged mating. She should have said no before they went to O’Shea territory. But she’d wanted to make her father happy.

She cleared her throat when Charlie didn’t respond. “He wanted me to get mated to an alpha and I disagreed. Sort of. It’s complicated. Anyway, when I told him I was backing out of the mating he wasn’t happy.”

Charlie’s dark eyes widened. “Wait, your dad tried to force you to get mated?”

“Not exactly. He set up this arranged mating—”

“What!”

Ignoring her friend’s cry of outrage, she snagged one of the stuffed mushrooms and popped it into her mouth. When she’d swallowed she looked at Charlie again, who was staring expectantly. “So he set up this arranged mating that I wasn’t planning to go through with—until I met my intended mate.” She felt so pathetic even admitting it out loud but if she couldn’t be honest with her friends then she needed new ones. “I thought maybe we might have a chance at happiness.”

Alyssa wasn’t going to get into all the sweet things he’d done for her or the long conversations they’d had late into pretty much every evening for three weeks because it didn’t matter. He felt differently about her. “But it turned out I was just a business deal to him. So I told my dad I didn’t want to mate with him, we fought, and I left the next morning.”

“First, I’m surprised your dad of all people would have pushed an arranged mating, given his relationship with your mom.”

Alyssa nodded. She still couldn’t wrap her mind around her dad’s reaction. Lately he’d been edgy though, snapping at packmates. He was still fair, but his temper had seemed shorter the last few months. She wasn’t sure what was going on with him. Well, she had an idea, but wasn’t positive. “I know.”

“Second, whoever this dickhead is who didn’t want you for you—”

“He’s not a dick.”

Charlie snorted. “Anyone who thinks of you as a business deal, is a dick in my book. And I’m your friend so I get to be childish and mock him and his definitely small penis.”

Alyssa snickered into her wine. She was pretty sure Reece wasn’t small anywhere, but Charlie’s words made her laugh. She’d met Charlie in college and given that they were both shifters, they’d bonded pretty quickly. Charlie was older and had taken Alyssa under her wing more or less. She’d been a senior when Alyssa had been a freshman so they’d really only spent one year hanging out but she’d visited Charlie in Kincaid territory since graduating and vice versa. “Well, I wouldn’t know about that.”

“Good, at least you didn’t sleep with him.” She nodded once in approval. “Makes it a lot easier to get over a guy if you haven’t sampled the goods.”

At the faint sound of a knock, Alyssa glanced at the open sliding glass door. “Are you expecting someone?”

“Grant said he’d stop by.”

“Oh, right.” Charlie’s alpha was giving her passage into his territory, no strings attached. She’d met him on more than one occasion when she’d visited Charlie and was thankful he was being so generous. Not that she expected less from the male.

Charlie popped up from her seat and disappeared inside with a supernatural quickness. Alyssa stood and smoothed her hands down her cashmere sweater and jeans. She felt a little grungy after the day of driving and wished she’d had time to freshen up. Especially since she figured she’d be getting to meet the alpha’s new mate. Alyssa would be lying if she said she wasn’t curious about the human female who’d made two-hundred year old Grant Kincaid fall hard.

Seconds later Grant and Alyssa strode onto the patio. Wearing jeans and a T-shirt didn’t take away from the aura of authority that surrounded the dark-haired alpha. Just like Reece and her father, he seemed to carry an innate sense of power like a custom-made jacket. It wrapped around the male, letting any supernatural being know he wasn’t a male to mess with. Well, unless you wanted your ass kicked.

Right now he was all smiles. “Hey, Alyssa. Glad to have you back in my territory.” He gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the forehead.

Shifters were all about touch, but not all alphas were as friendly as Grant. Yeah, she’d definitely made the right decision coming here. She had down time to breathe without being hassled by her pack. “Thanks for having me. Listen, my dad doesn’t know I’m here and—”

“He does now. Don’t worry about it, he’s glad you’re here. Well, he’s glad you’re safe.”

“You told him?”

“No. I got a call about ten minutes ago from him wanting to confirm you were here.”

“Oh.” She bit her bottom lip. “Did he sound mad?”

Grant snorted and shrugged. “He was a little surly but you’re his kid. He’s fine now that he knows where you are.”

“I won’t cause you any grief by being here?” That had been her main concern. If it would cause any strife between the two packs she would just leave.

“No. Just relax and enjoy yourself while you’re here. I think…your father felt bad about something.” There was a question in his gaze though he didn’t outright ask.

No way was she delving into any of that. “Okay then.” She
would
enjoy herself. “Thank you again for letting me stay. When do I get to meet your mate?”

His expression softened immediately. “She’s working now but I know she’s got a girls’ night planned tomorrow if you—”

“We’re in,” Charlie interjected, slinging an arm around Alyssa’s shoulders. “I’m showing my girl a good time while she’s here.”

Grant scrubbed a hand over his face. “Just keep her away from Sarah. I don’t want you guys getting into trouble.”

Charlie laughed and though Alyssa had no idea who Sarah was, she definitely wanted to meet her now. After Grant let himself out, Alyssa turned to her friend. “You still cut hair?”

“Every now and then,” she said, picking up a slice of cheese and a cracker.

“I need a change.”

Charlie’s dark eyes gleamed. “I know just the cut for you, especially with your cheekbones.”

“Good.” It was beyond time for something new.

Chapter Three

Two days later

As he parked at the newly renamed Kincaid Beach Resort, Reece knew he was basically risking death by entering another alpha’s territory. It didn’t matter that he was friendly with Grant Kincaid, he was still in the male’s territory without permission. This could be seen as an act of aggression and disrespect. But the other alpha wasn’t answering Reece’s calls. Which wasn’t like him, so it left Reece no choice.

He’d gotten word from Kayne that Alyssa was in Orange Beach and safe. While that had soothed some of the edges, he was still feeling unnaturally agitated. Now that he’d gotten a taste of the sweet female, he didn’t want to let her go. If she truly didn’t want to be with him after they talked, he’d walk away, but he’d sensed her hunger and need for him. Then it was like a switch had flipped between them.

The night of the Halloween festival he’d found her with some of his packmates at one of the local bars, but she hadn’t been having a good time. She’d pasted on a big smile for everyone, but it hadn’t reached her eyes. And that fake smile had remained in place for him.

Something his wolf hadn’t liked. It was as if she’d put some sort of wall between them and he couldn’t figure out why. Then she’d given him that gift and he’d thought maybe he’d been paranoid. But she hadn’t been interested in spending any time with him that night. It had been subtle but she’d made an excuse about having to pack and get up early the next day. Looking back he realized he should have questioned her about what was going on. But they were still in that getting-to-know-you phase and he hadn’t wanted to come off as, well, an alpha.

After finding parking, he headed through the front doors of the hotel. As he passed a young male wolf of about twenty—and received a snarl—he knew that Grant was likely already being contacted about Reece’s presence.

Good.

He ignored the snarl and the fact that the male was following him, and headed right up to the front desk where a wolf in a dark suit and a female were talking.

The male turned before Reece had reached it, his green eyes sparking with not exactly anger, but annoyance. He murmured something to the woman then rounded the gleaming wood counter.

“Who the hell are you? And what are you doing in Kincaid territory?” the male murmured, low enough for only him to hear. There were only a few humans in the lobby but the male was clearly being civil for them.

“Reece O’Shea. I’m here to see Grant. I’ve tried calling him, but he’s not answering. It’s an emergency.”

The male didn’t say anything, just tapped his ear and that was when Reece saw the earpiece. Even with his supernatural hearing he could only hear a male murmuring. Maybe they had some kind of filtering system.

After a second, the man gave an affirmative grunt, then jerked his jaw toward a set of elevators across the shiny lobby. “This way.”