Romanced by my Mate

Skye Alder

Malin is the Beta of the Red Ridge Pack and he takes his job of helping to protect the pack very seriously.

When Camden and Bea come to town, he has his doubts about the two outsiders.

Then Bea falls for Gunner and he's stuck babysitting Camden so that the two lovebirds can get to know each other better.

When Camden turns eighteen and Malin finds out that she's his mate, he expects things to go as smoothly as they did for Gunner and Bea. Too bad for him, Camden wants nothing to do with him.

Camden just escaped one psycho man only to wind up with one who can't seem to stop growling things at her. She thinks Malin is a total jerk and is doing her best to ignore him. That is hard to do in this small town when he was ignoring her too, but now that he's decided that they're mates, it's almost impossible.

Malin wants his mate but Camden isn't giving in that easily.

One click now to find out if Malin can win over his fated mate!

Chapter 1

Malin

A GROUP of small kids knocks into me as they run past and I bite back a growl, glaring at them until they disappear into the crowd. Today is the day of the pack fair and between the kids screaming and the constant ding of games and rides, I'm starting to get the headache from hell.

Maybe that's why I've felt off all day. In fact, I've felt strange all week, but this morning things took a turn for the worse. I woke up with a gnawing ache in my chest and a tightness in my muscles. My wolf has been even more of a bastard than usual today, which is saying something.

More than the physical symptoms, however, there's this...this...I don't even know how to describe it. Anticipation? I feel nervous but also maybe...ex-cited? Whatever the hell is going on, I don't like it.

I'm on edge, and the last damn place in the world I want to be is at this fair, but I don't have a choice.

Or, rather, I do have a choice, but for whatever reason, me and my wolf are choosing to be here.

Close to her. My wolf whines and I look around, searching for the now familiar head of pitch black hair. I spot Camden in the crowd and start to inch closer as she moves from one booth to the next.

When Bea and Camden first showed up, I had been wary of them. I don't trust new people easily, or at all, really, but with Bea's powers, it was hard to tell if what we were feeling around them was real or if she was altering it. I tried to warn Gunner about them but by then, he was in love with Bea and had already marked her.

Bea had seemed genuine and kind, and even though she was the one who had the abilities, it was her best friend, Camden I was wary of. She was a smartass who got on my last nerve. She seemed to dislike me just as much as I did her. Between her rude remarks, disrespectful attitude, and refusal to listen to directions, Camden has been the annoying thorn in my side since the day she hiked into town a month and a half ago.

But then something changed last week. I had a growing sense of unease that started early one morning. It was like a tick in the back of my mind; something was wrong, something had to be done, something needed my attention, but I couldn't figure out what. I checked in with my Alpha, visited some members of the pack, and then went back to my cabin to clean and secure the perimeter. Why, I'm not sure, but that thing, whatever it was, told me someone or something needed protection. It got so unbearable, I shifted into my wolf just to burn off some of the excess energy I was carrying around.

Nothing helped.

I spent the rest of the day pacing back and forth and rubbing the sore spot on my chest that had formed over the last few hours. When night fell, I lost my goddamn mind. My wolf clawed at my chest, my throat, whatever it could to get me to do something. So, I shifted and let him take the lead. And where the hell did he lead me to? Camden's apartment.

It was only once I saw her safe inside her small but neatly kept space that my treacherous wolf calmed down and my mind was at ease. That peace didn't last for long, however. Every time Camden isn't in my line of sight, my wolf goes crazy, scratching at my insides until I go find her.

I've lost track of the number of hours that I've spent standing outside of her apartment, staring in through the window while she heats up dinner or curls up on the couch and reads a book. I now know that Camden prefers chai tea over coffee, reality TV over movies, and classic rock over top forty.

It's all useless information and I'm mad at myself for remembering these details of her life, but I can't seem to stop. It's gotten to the point where I can't sleep unless I'm near her. Which is probably why I broke in last night.

As soon as her sweet peach scent hit me, my wolf and I relaxed. The tightness in my chest loosened just enough to let me breathe and the unreasonable worry I had about her safety faded with each step I took closer to her. I spent the night curled up on the floor by her bed. I barely managed to sneak back out before she woke up this morning.

I keep telling myself I'm done. I won't go back.

Now that I know it's Camden causing my distress, I can block her out and shut down whatever lingering concern I have for her. She's messing with me.

It's what she does. It's what humans do, especially human women who are complicated, impossible, feisty, strong, beautiful... wait, wait, no. Dammit.

I probably just feel protective of her because of what went down at the hotel when she and Bea first got to town. I'll never forget the scene Gunner and I burst in on nearly six weeks ago.

Some deranged man was looming over the two women, using his full height and strength to scare them. It was working, too. Bea seemed to instantly relax as soon as she saw us, but Camden... Camden looked absolutely terrified. Her face was completely drained of color, except for her eyes, which were rimmed in red. Tears streamed down her face as she flinched and folded in on herself. I'm not normally a sucker for a damsel in distress, and let's face it, Camden isn't normally a damsel in distress, but seeing her scared out of her mind broke me.

She cried on my wolf's shoulder that night while he soaked up her tears. That's why he has a soft spot for her all of a sudden. It has to be.

Even as I tell myself that, I continue to stalk after her and Bea. Camden throws her head back, laughing at something Bea just said to her and my wolf rolls over onto his back inside of me. He loves the sound of her laugh. The sap seems to love every sound she makes.

Gunner wraps his arm around Bea's waist, passing her a funnel cake, and my wolf whines in my chest. It's taken me some time to admit this, but we're jealous of what they have. Every unmated shifter is jealous of the ones who have found their mates, but I always thought I was above all that.

Honestly, I'm still on the fence about fated mates.

I mean, I've seen almost everyone in our pack find their mates, including Gunner, so I know they exist for some people. I'm just not sure everyone gets a fated mate. Maybe some of us are just better off alone.

I didn't grow up with the tales of fated mates, seeing as I was raised by humans until I first shifted when I was twelve. My dad was a shifter and my mom was human. Both of them were killed in a car accident when I was less than a year old. After that, I went to live with my aunt and uncle on my mom's side, both of whom were human and completely unaware of the shifter world.

Let's just say those first twelve years did not give me a good impression of how humans treat each other, let alone someone different, like me. By the time I found the Red Ridge Pack, I was all but feral.

Gunner and his family took me in, taught me about my heritage, my abilities, and about fated mates. It's a nice story, really. And Gunner's parents certainly were fated mates. One look at Gunner and Bea, and I know they are as well. But me? I just don't see it happening.

There aren't many single shifters in our pack. In fact, I think there's only six of us left that are of age now that Gunner has found Bea.

There's mischievous little Lexi, our only fox shifter, who lives on the north side of town, close to the Ash Mountain Pack line. Then there's the Jensen brothers, all three of which are bears. They live on the outskirts of town in a huge cabin that they share. Finally, there's Maya, our only bunny shifter left. She is set to turn eighteen in a few weeks.

I try not to glare at all of the happy couples around me as I continue to follow Camden around the fair. Today is her birthday and for some stupid reason, I wonder if I should have gotten her a present.

You hate each other. She doesn't want a gift from you.

I shake the strange thought away, as well as the sinking feeling it gives me, and watch as Camden picks up some rings and starts to play the ring toss game. She's actually pretty good at it, and I smile as she accepts the big, ugly, oversized stuffed animal from the carnival worker.

The bear is huge and she's having some trouble maneuvering it. My wolf paws at me, wanting out so he can go help her but I hold him back. We both watch her struggle to find a comfortable way to hold the dang thing. Her apartment is in town and I wonder if she'll make a stop there to drop him off.

It looks like the whole town showed up for the fair. I nod at a few people distractedly as I fight to keep Camden in my line of sight. It's getting really annoying how I can't seem to function without knowing where she is at all times.

My stomach growls, letting me know it's close to lunchtime, but I can't seem to walk away from Camden long enough to grab something to eat. The town hall clock strikes noon, and the loud, awful-sounding bells start to clang above my head.

I take a deep breath, trying to decide if I should get the corn dog or the loaded nachos when it hits me.

My mate's scent

It's human, which should piss me off, but I don't have the energy to think about that right now, seeing as it's taking all of my strength to hold my wolf back. He goes crazy inside of me, lunging for my throat in an attempt to get out. I grit my teeth, using all of my power to keep him inside. I can hold him back, but I can't stay away from my mate. I look around, finding the scent once again before I take off toward her.

Fate certainly has a wicked sense of humor.

Chapter 2

Camden

Why is he following me again?

I force a smile at Bea as she continues to lead me around the fair. She's doing her best to make sure that this is the best birthday ever, but my good mood keeps getting spoiled every time I turn around and see Malin stalking me. I swear he's haunting me like a bad ghost.

He's been hovering around me for the past few days and I can't figure out why. Normally, we operate under the same agreement to spend as little time with each other as we can. So why is he hanging around all of a sudden?

"Oh! You should do the ring toss! Didn't you get that cute little penguin from a ring toss?"

"Yeah," I say with another forced smile as my eyes dart from Malin back to Bea. "Let's do it."

"And it's almost exactly noon, which would make you officially eighteen. Maybe that will bring you good luck," she says in her sweet, albeit a little naive way. I love Bea with my whole heart. We've been through hell and back growing up in the system together, but I'm a little too broken and jaded to believe in luck.

I'm also too broken and jaded to believe in fated mates, except that I'm looking at a lovestruck Bea who has most certainly been mated. I wonder what it would be like to have someone accept you so instantly, to love you unconditionally, and to protect you the way I've seen Gunner protect Bea.

When my best friend told me she had been having dreams and that she was planning on hiking up a freaking mountain to find the man with the forest green eyes, I told her she couldn't go without me.

That's how we ended up in Red Ridge in the first place. Gunner was literally the man of Bea's dreams, and though I had my doubts about their insta-ev-erything, he's proven himself to be loyal, sweet, protective, and everything someone like Bea deserves.

At first, I stuck around town for Bea's sake. That girl is my only family, and I wasn't about to leave her with a strange man, especially one who can turn into a killing machine at will. Then again, aren't all men capable of that?

Not everyone is like Brad, I tell myself for the ten millionth time since he showed up and scared the hell out of me and my bestie almost six weeks ago. I know Bea has been worried about me, but I've reassured her that I'm fine. I've been through worse than an intimidating asshole threatening me. But honestly, I'm still scared to go to sleep at night. I still see the snarl that twisted up one side of his face and his black, menacing eyes promising violence and forced submission. The sick bastard enjoyed every second of our fear.

The nightmares finally stopped last week, though I don't know why. I remember lying in bed with the covers tucked around me, staring at the ceiling. One minute I was on the verge of tears - not that I would ever tell anyone that, mind you - and the next minute I felt like I could breathe again.

The weight of fear and panic that never went away after the almost-attack lifted and I barely had time to question why before my eyes closed. That was the best night's sleep I've gotten in... well, ever. Every night since then has been peaceful and uneventful, and after a childhood like mine, uneventful is pretty damn perfect.

"Cam? You okay? You don't have to do the ring toss if you don't want to," Bea says, pulling me from my thoughts.

"What? Of course I do! I can't let anyone else take that massive teddy bear home, now can I?"

Bea smiles and nods in agreement as she hands me a dollar for the game. I pass it to the game attendant, taking the rings he hands over and focusing on the bottles laid out before me. I bite my bottom lip, aiming before I let the first ring go.

It lands with a thunk over the top of the first bottle and I grin. One of the families I lived with for a bit when I was a kid took us to the fair when it came through town and I kicked some serious butt at all of the games that they let me play. That's where I won the cute little penguin stuffed animal Bea mentioned. It had been one of the only things that I took with me to the next group home.

I wonder where I lost that little penguin?

I push those thoughts from my head and concentrate on the next ring. I toss it, smiling when it lands on the bottle. Bea is cheering me on and I giggle as I let the last ring fly. My bestie squeals in excitement when it lands on the bottle, and I grin as the guy passes me my gigantic prize bear.

"Thanks," I tell him, trying to find a comfortable way to lug this thing around for the rest of the day.

"I'm starving," Bea says. No sooner are the words out then Gunner is returning with her funnel cake.

"I'm going to grab something to eat too, but I think I'll take this guy home first," I tell them right as the town hall clock starts to chime. Happy eighteenth birthday to me, I think to myself.

I spot Malin heading my way and my blood heats with what I try to convince myself is just my usual anger and hate at seeing his dumb beautiful face.

It's definitely not because I'm attracted to him or because I had a dream about him that wasn't exactly

PG last night. That would be crazy.

His eyes are locked on me and I send a glare his way when our eyes meet. He licks his lips, continuing on his path right for me. My heart clenches up almost painfully in my chest, then thuds against my ribcage, each beat sending waves of need, arousal, and confusion through my veins. What the hell?

He stalks toward me and I turn to face him fully, staring him down with my arms tightening around the bear's fluffy stomach. Normally, that's enough to have him heading in the other direction, wanting to avoid an argument with me, but not this time. He walks right up to me now and his approach throws me off. I may be trembling, but there's no way I'm going to give him the satisfaction of seeing it.

"Mate," he grunts.

I barely catch the word as he stalks toward me.

He steps right up to me, crowding into my space and I drop the bear. My hands come out, slapping onto his chest to try to hold him back.

"Whoa! Personal space, man." When he still continues to back me up against the wall of the nearest booth, I try again. "What are you doing, dude?"

"Mate," he growls in a voice that sounds ten octaves lower than normal.

His head dips toward my neck but I can't focus on what he's doing. My mind has snagged on that one word. Mate. Yeah freaking right. Mate? MATE?! I react before I can think it through.

I shove against his chest, throwing him off balance. I may be ten inches shorter than him, but I'm scrappy. I didn't survive seventeen years being tossed around group homes and then a stalker attack just to give into this big bully.

Malin's eyes widen, the ring around the pupil practically glowing as the mating pull consumes him.

"Oh, hell no! This," I say, pointing between the two of us, "this is never going to happen. You and I are sworn enemies. Or have you forgotten that?" I spit the words at him but he doesn't even seem

affected.

"You're my mate," he growls again. The big oaf.

I'm not deaf, I just refuse to believe it. I shove him again, harder this time.

"No. I'm not."

I know a little about how the mating process works from watching Bea and Gunner go through it.

As long as I can get out of here without him biting and marking me, I should be alright. Then I can go back to ignoring him. Hopefully.

"Yes, you are. Fate has declared it." Malin looks almost as shocked at his words as I do, but there's clear conviction written all over his face. It's not so much me he can't wrap his mind around, but the whole fated mate thing. Yeah, me too, buddy.

"Well, I'm declaring that we aren't," I retort.

Malin seems confused by my words and I take advantage of his distraction to look for a way to escape.

It's then that I notice the whole pack is staring at us.

Some people look surprised but most seem utterly shocked

"How are you denying him?" Gunner asks, looking between Malin and I in confusion.

"Oh, it's easy. I'm just remembering how shitty he was to us when Bea and I first got here. That really seems to douse any romantic feelings."

Okay, so that's a lie. There's definitely a confusing connection to him all of a sudden and it's almost painful to step away, but somehow I do. I won't let nature dictate who I'm with. I want someone who is sweet and will treat me right. Someone who will romance me and always put me first. I want to be special and important and cherished. The exact thing that I never had growing up in the system. And the exact opposite of how Malin has treated me so far.

Gunner steps closer to me and suddenly a loud roar splits the air. I turn wide eyed to stare at Malin.

He looks like a beast, his eyes wild and his teeth bared. He's hella scary, but also...so damn sexy my knees start to buckle. It's too much. This is all too freaking much.

"Get away from my mate," Mailn bellows. I jump at his words and stumble back into Bea.

Gunner and Malin face off, their fists clenched and faces etched in fury. My heart feels like it's about to beat out of my chest, but before the first punch can be thrown, I turn and whisper to Bea who is holding onto my stuffed bear.

"Get me the hell out of here."

Fate has a cruel sense of humor.

Chapter 3

Malin

MY wOLF HOwLs and thrashes inside me as

we watch our mate turn and take off, running away from us. He's urging me to chase her, to pin her to the ground and mark her so that no other male can take her away from us. I want that, too, but before I can take a step, the Alpha is on me.

He knocks me off my feet and I shift before I can hit the ground. My wolf knocks him off of me, pinning him down and snarling. It goes against all of my instincts to not only not submit to my Alpha, but to threaten him.

Where my mate is concerned, however, my wolf and I don't seem to give a fuck about the hierarchy.

All we know is that Camden is ours, our mate, and Gunner tried to keep us from her.

A ferocious growl rips through the still afternoon air as Gunner shifts into his wolf. We're similar in build, though Gunner's wolf is slightly bigger than mine. We circle each other baring our teeth. Gunner's wolf tenses, his ears going back as his fur bristles and stands up on end.

I crouch down, waiting for him to lunge at me so I can leap up and bite his neck. Five minutes ago, I was prepared to slaughter anyone who tried to harm my Alpha, and now here I am, preparing to go for his throat if he makes one wrong move.

"Gunner," Bea whispers, her voice so soft I barely hear it, even with my heightened senses. My wolf flicks his ears back, waiting to see what my Alpha will do. Half of me is trying to shift back to human form, while the other half wants to dive deeper into my animal side, to reconnect with the feral wolf I was when I first showed up here. He wouldn't let anyone stop him from getting to his mate.

A silent, tension-filled moment passes between us, and something starts to give. My rage cools ever so slightly and the manic beating of my heart slows just enough for me and my wolf to take a breath.

I know it's Bea's doing, and while that would normally piss me off, I'm thankful for her and her ability right now.

It's like I know I have to calm the hell down, but the mating pull is messing with me, coupled with the fact that Camden is my mate. Not only that, but she doesn't want me. Her words replay in my head, each one hitting me deep and cracking me open.

"I'm just remembering how shitty he was to us when Bea and I first got here. That really seems to douse any romantic feelings."

My wolf lets out a pained whimper, followed by an agonizing growl. Fuck, it hurts. Our mate doesn't want us.

Gunner's wolf steps toward me in steady, decisive movements. He bares his teeth and growls low in his chest. I turn my head, showing him my neck and trying in vain to locate Camden. I just make out Bea and Camden scurrying off, with that ridiculous stuffed animal in tow.

She can't run too far, I remind my wolf as the Alpha removes his teeth from my neck.

Gunner's wolf stares at me hard, warning me to stay put. My wolf whines and grunts, not sure what to make of the sudden, swift emptiness we feel. I'm sure Gunner is trying to figure out what is going on too.

He backs off, shifting back into his human form, and I follow suit.

Usually a shifter finding his mate is supposed to be a good thing. Like I said earlier, there aren't too many single shifters left in our pack. Every time someone finds their mate, the whole town celebrates, myself included, even though I was skeptical about fated mates. Not anymore.

I've never heard of anyone refusing the mating pull before but somehow Camden did. Leave it to me to find the one mate who doesn't go along with routine. Then again, that's kind of perfect, isn't it? Neither one of us fits the mold, but that just makes our bond that much more special, doesn't it? How is she not feeling this?

My wolf and I are confused and I can feel him pacing restlessly inside me, trying to figure out a way to get her to submit to us. We had been so happy to have finally found our mate. We were surprisingly pleased that it turned out to be Camden, but then she rejected us.

My wolf slashes out at my chest, wanting to know why we haven't gone after our mate yet.

Wanting to know why she isn't wearing our mark already. It'd look so good on the side of her neck, sitting there, proudly proclaiming that this one is taken. This one is ours. Our mate.

"Are you good?" Gunner asks, looking after where his own mate just disappeared.

"No," I grunt. "How could she reject me? Why didn't she feel the pull like I did?" I ask him. Gunner looks as lost as I am.

"I think maybe they don't feel it until you've marked them. Bea didn't know who I was and didn't seem to feel the strong connection until after I had marked her and claimed her as mine."

"So she doesn't feel this pull at all?" I demand.

How can that be? I can barely keep my heart inside my own chest or my head screwed on straight, and I've only known about her being my mate for a few minutes.

I feel my nails and teeth elongating, but I push back against my urge to shift. We need to be smart about this, I tell my wolf. He paws at me and then sighs in defeat.

"Maybe a little," Gunner responds. "But it's not like what you're feeling. Not yet anyway."

"Alright. I'll go mark her. Then she'll be mine," I say with a satisfied nod.

My wolf and I are both happy to have a solution now and I go to step around Gunner. Now that I have a game plan, I'm able to think a little bit more clearly.

Bea and Camden went around that corner and I bet they headed back to Camden's apartment for lunch and to put her stuffed bear away. I'll have to talk to her about keeping it in our house. I don't think my wolf and I will like having another animal stealing her attention - even if it's just a toy.

I wonder how soon I could have her moved into our place?

My wolf nods in contentment, enjoying the idea of Camden with us all of the time. Of her naked beneath me each night. Her black hair, silver, otherworldly eyes, and pink lips...

"Wait," Gunner says, reaching out to stop me.

"My mate is in there with her. I can't let you burst in.

Not when you might hurt her and our babies."

"I would never," I growl, feeling betrayed that he could even think that. Yeah, I lost my cool at him when he got near my mate, but I would never harm Bea or any woman for that matter.

"Not on purpose," he concedes. "But right now you would do anything to get to your mate and I can't let Bea get in the way of that."

When he puts it like that, I don't mind his words.

I nod and wait for him to tell me what to do next. I have no fucking clue how to approach Camden, especially when I think about how I've been cold to her at best, and at worst, a total asshole.

"Aren't we going to go see her now?" I finally say after Gunner hasn't started giving me directions on how to get my mate to talk to me.

"We have to put some clothes on, Malin. We can't very well storm into your mate's apartment stark naked."

Chapter 4

Camden

"What the hell was that?" I yell as soon as Bea and I are locked away in my tiny apartment.

I stomp into my bedroom, tossing the big stuffed bear onto my bed before I spin around to face her.

Bea has a dreamy look on her face and I can already tell that she's not going to be on my side with this.

I know that she's just happy that I have a mate and that they're in Red Ridge too. I don't know what would happen if either of us had to choose between our spouse and each other. I can't imagine not seeing Bea every day.

To be fair, having someone who loves me unconditionally the same way that Bea and Gunner love each other would be a dream come true. But not if that someone is Malin Freaking Hall. Does that man even know what love is? Do I?

Nope. Shut that down. This isn't about me and my brokenness, this is about Malin thinking I'm his mate. Yes, let's focus on that. I can only put out one dumpster fire at a time.

Bea closes the bedroom door softly and I groan as I fall back onto my bed. This isn't going to be what I want to hear.

"He's your mate. You're going to get married and have babies and be a family with him," she says softly, trying to help calm me down.

"No, YOU'RE my family and HE insulted you when we first got here and has been nothing but a jerk ever since. I'm not just going to let that go," I reply stubbornly.

"He did that when he was still getting to know us. I know that he was just trying to look out for his pack, his family here. You would do the same thing for me. You have done the same thing for me. As much of a jerk as he's been to you, you've been one right back to him."

"Yeah, and I was planning on keeping it that way.

He's the one who changed the game by throwing around the word mate." I sigh dramatically and close my eyes.

"He didn't know any better," Bea continues, ignoring my protests. "Besides, a lot of people don't believe me when I tell them I'm an empath and about what I can do. Why are you being so hard on him just because he didn't believe me?"

"Because those other people didn't know that other things exist. Malin is a freaking shifter! How can he not believe in things that "aren't real" when he himself is one of those things?!?"

I throw my arms up in the air, growling the last part, growing frustrated once again. My best friend gives me a look and I already know I'm not going to like what she has to say. I shift on the bed, reaching into my jeans pocket and pulling out my last root beer Dum Dum sucker. I unwrap it quickly, shoving it into my mouth as I scowl at the comforter. I want to bite down on the sucker and chew on it until there's nothing left. Maybe that would help relieve this pressure growing inside of me but I don't. This is my last one and I'm not letting Malin ruin it for me.

"I'm not mad at him, and I'm the one he insulted, technically," Bea says, her voice soft and diplomatic as ever. "He was raised to be distrustful of outsiders and he's apologized to me since then. I've moved on.

Why can't you?"

"I guess I'm just better at holding grudges than you."

She gives me an exasperated look and I smile cheekily at her. The light moment doesn't last long and we both jump as the bedroom door opens.

I'm angry, but not surprised to see Malin standing there, his eyes locked on me. I roll my eyes back at him.

"Ever heard of knocking?" I ask sarcastically.

When he doesn't answer me, I try again. "Why are you here?"

"You're my mate," he says, pronouncing each word slowly as if it's taking all of his strength not to growl and toss me over his shoulder. "I go where you go."

He says it so simply, like all of our past, all of the fighting and evil looks never existed and I can't stand it. I pull the sucker from my mouth, chucking it at his head. Dang it. He owes me a sucker.

Malin moves faster than I expect, catching the candy and popping it into his mouth. My pussy clenches and throbs as I watch him suck on the sucker that had just been in my mouth. I wonder if he can taste me on it?

"I hate you," I say even as my thighs squeeze together.

"I can smell your arousal from here."

"OH MY GOD! GET OUT!" I shriek but he just shakes his head, a devious, stupidly hot smirk curling up his lips. "I hate you," I say again, seething.

He just shrugs and I see red.

"I'm never going to sleep with you."

"Your will. The mating moon will hit and you won't be able to resist me."

"Wanna bet?" I growl.

"You're a human. You won't be able to resist the pull."

I stand from the bed, stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind me.

Chapter 5

Malin

I scows at the door that Camden just

slammed as my wolf whines, wanting me to knock down the door and bite our mate. But I promised Gunner that I wouldn't do anything crazy with Bea in the room, and he trusted me enough to come over here on my own after I met up with him at his place.

But maybe I could get her to leave, just for a second..

"Hmm," Bea hums and I turn my scowl in her direction.

"What?" I snap, my eyes straying back to the door that my mate just slammed close.

"For a bright guy, you're being pretty dumb,

Malin."

I roll my eyes taking a step toward the door when I hear my mate rustling around in there.

"You just issued a challenge and my best friend might just be the most stubborn person in the world. She's determined to win this and not give into you. Even with the mating pull, even with her being just a human, she won't give into her feelings for you." She stresses the word human and I know that she picked up that I'm not exactly happy that my mate turned out to be human instead of a shifter.

"She's not stronger than nature. By the mating moon she'll be wearing my mark and begging me to take her. She won't ever want to leave my side and there will be no more of these slammed doors."

Bea laughs at that, grinning from ear to ear and I wonder what she knows that I don't. My wolf paws at me, not liking that there is anyone who knows our mate better than we do.

I inch closer to the bathroom door, wondering what she's doing in there. It's quiet. She's probably thinking about being my mate. In a second she'll come out and admit that she was wrong and give into the pull between us.

My wolf sits down inside my chest, liking the sound of her being ours and willing to be patient if it will all be over soon.

I wonder if she'll move in right now. We could get a suitcase of her things today at least and I could have her under me by tonight. Maybe I'd tease her a bit, punish her for making us wait and putting me and my wolf through the last twenty hellish min-utes.

I'd get her naked and spread out on our bed and watch her squirm for me. I'd get her worked up, touch her everywhere except where she needs me most. Over and over, my mate would get close to the edge, close to total bliss, close to her greatest plea-sure... and over and over, I'd deny her, making her grunt in frustration.

But I would never be cruel to my mate. Never again. My wolf tucks his tail between his legs when he remembers her harsh words from earlier. But look at us being patient for her right now! And all of my teasing, which I assume I'll be doing later tonight, will pay off when I sink inside of her and feel her surrender, submit, and take my mark, take my cock, take all of me.

I must get lost in my thoughts but that's broken when Bea clears her throat loudly.

"What?" I grunt, glancing at her quickly before I look back to the bathroom door.

"You know she snuck out of the window in there and is long gone, right?"

I blink rapidly, my mind struggling to catch up with her words. My wolf is already on his feet inside me, pawing to be let out so that we can track her down.

"Fuck!" I roar as I spin for the door and charge down the stairs to pick up her scent.

I shift as soon as I hit the street, letting my wolf catch her scent and race into the woods after her.

She's headed out of town, toward the ridge and I pick up speed as her scent gets stronger. The sun is high, peeking through the leaves of the trees overhead and I pass by Lexi's fox, sneaking toward the cabins at the edge of town.

I should warn Lexi not to go. It's hunting season after all, but my wolf won't let me stop for anything.

He needs to get to our mate. Lexi will be fine. She's a clever one.

I dig my feet into the ground, pushing myself faster as I round the corner and skid to a halt.

Camden is there, sitting on the giant rock that overlooks the ridge. She's sitting cross legged, her hair blowing slightly in the breeze as the sun shines on her face.

I pad around the side of the rock and over to the tallest tree. There's a box there with clothes in it and I shift, hurrying to tug on the jeans and t-shirt before I circle back to the front of the rock.

"Found you."

"Great," she spits back, sarcastic as ever.

"Come down."

"Bite me."

"I'm trying to!"

Camden rolls her eyes, turning her face slightly but I could swear that I saw her smiling there for a minute. My wolf preens inside me, happier than he's ever been at the thought of our mate thinking we're clever.

"Camden, come down."

"No. Stop bossing me around."

"I'm your mate-"

"NO YOU'RE NOT!"

"YES I AM!" I shout back, meeting her glare.

"Just because all of a sudden you have these warm feelings for me, doesn't mean that I have them for you."

My wolf whines, whimpering softly as he stares at her with longing. I don't want to admit how much her words hurt. I've never heard of someone rejecting their mate. If she does, I will never find another.

I'll be trailing after her, begging for her attention and affection for the rest of my life.

Pathetic, I think in self disgust.

You already are doing those things, I remind myself.

"You will. You won't be able to resist me."

"Wanna bet?" Camden hisses, her eyes narrowed to slits as she stares me down.

"I think it's time you gave her some space," Gunner says from behind me and my wolf leaps to its feet, wanting to tear his throat out for interrupting me and my mate.

"No."

"Yes," Camden says, crawling over to the edge of the rock and starting to slide down.

I step forward, intending to help her but she bats my hands away and steps closer to Gunner. I bare my teeth, reaching out to tug her closer to me but she dances out of my reach and takes off jogging down the path.

Bea walks up to join Gunner and an ache forms in my chest when I see them so happy together.

"I'll talk to her," Bea whispers as I stare at where

Camden just was.

I just nod. I think I'm going to need all of the help that I can get with this one.

Chapter 6

Camden

"DON'I SAY IT," I tell Bea as soon as she steps inside my apartment.

I've got my head buried in the fridge, trying to find something to eat, but I never went grocery shopping this week so the pickings are slim. Plus, having my face getting blasted with cold air seems to be temporarily helping with all the adrenaline and arousal and...feelings that seem to be warring for my attention ever since the whole Malin-declaring-I'm-his-mate thing that happened yesterday.

"Just hear me out."

I groan, hanging my head but close the door and turn to face her.

"Yes, Malin is a little rough around the edges, but if he's meant to be your mate, then he would do anything for you."

"He's a jerk," I tell her flatly.

"Sure, but he's willing to change to make you happy. I think you should just give him a shot. Show him how you want him to treat you and I think he'll surprise you by doing even better."

I stare at her like she's insane. I mean, has she met Malin?

She gives me a pleading look, taking a step back and opening the front door. Malin is standing there next to Gunner, an uncomfortable look on his face.

He tugs at the collar of his black button-down shirt, hefting a large picnic basket with his other hand. There's a small bouquet of flowers on top of the basket and he grumbles slightly before he steps forward and shoves the flowers into my hands.

"Uh, thanks?"

Malin nods, looking back to Gunner as if looking for approval. That's when I realize that Bea and Gunner must have coached him on all of this.

"Let's go," Malin orders, shaking the picnic basket a bit.

"No," Gunner whispers, closing his eyes like he's in pain.

"I mean... Would you like to accompany me on a picnic lunch?"

Malin said that like the words were poison and part of me wants to laugh in glee but I find myself biting down the smile and nodding my head.

"Alright. Let me just grab my shoes."

I fill up a drinking glass with water and set the flowers inside before I head back to my bedroom to slip on my shoes. By the time I come back into the kitchen, Bea and Gunner are huddled around Malin, giving him some last minute pointers.

"Ready?" I ask, interrupting them and they all nod.

I step past Malin and we take off down the street, walking side by side but with about two feet between us.

"Uh, it's a nice day, huh?" He asks awkwardly and I could swear that I just heard him call himself an idiot.

"Yeah, it's beautiful out," I reply, throwing him a bone. I try to swallow down my giggle at the thought of throwing this wolf-shifter a bone, but I know he hears it when his eyes find mine. Malin lifts an eyebrow in curiosity, and I try, really, really try to glare at him, but he's kind of...mesmerizing. Have his eyes always been that blue?

"What's so funny?"

"Do you like to play fetch?"

Malin gives me a confused look that's admittedly adorable. The big oaf.

"Oh, because I'm a dog?"

"You're a wolf. Don't sell yourself short, Malin," I tease.

A deep, scratchy sound rumbles up from his chest. I'm almost afraid the guy is choking or going to hulk out on me or something, but then I realize he's..

laughing. It sounds rusty but genuine. I can't help but join him.

"You're good for us," he says, surprising me with his warm tone.

"ปร?"

"Me and my wolf."

"He's...he's like, with you? Always? How does that work?" I bite my lip before any more of my questions come tumbling out. Of course I'm curious about shifters, but I haven't had much of a chance to talk to anyone about it. The few times I've asked Bea about Gunner's wolf, she gets side tracked and talks about how sweet Gunner is, how loving, how perfect, and blah, blah, blah. Dang it. Now I'm mad again. Why is Bea's mate the sweet one? Don't I deserve sweetness in my life?

I don't realize we've stopped until I feel a hand wrap around my forearm. I jerk back on instinct and take a defensive stance, balling my hands into fists.

I keep one hand close to my face to block potential hits while the other stays out front, at the ready. I was in second grade when my older foster brother taught me how to give and take a hit. That lesson served me well over the years being bounced around the different group homes.

My eyes finally snap up to Malin's, and I shake off the ghosts of my past. I can't quite place the look in his crystal blue gaze. It's part anger, but for once, that anger isn't directed at me. There's another part, a softer part, that has me dropping my arms, and in-stead, wrapping them around my torso. I feel oddly vulnerable, thinking about the ugly parts of my past with him so close.

"Yes," Malin finally says, his voice quieter than I've ever heard before. It's almost soothing, which isn't something I thought the growly, jerky beast was capable of. "My wolf is with me at all times. I feel his feelings and think his thoughts. We mostly live together in harmony."

I nod and continue walking next to Malin, the distance between us growing shorter with each step. He tells me about when he first shifted, how it was confusing and surreal. He pauses every once in a while as if editing his story. It's not in a deceptive way, more just like he's trying to spare me the worst parts, the most painful parts. It's a skill I'm well versed in as well.

"Hey, I recognize this place," I say when we reach a beautiful clearing. The meadow is picturesque, with soft rolling hills and beautiful wildflowers in every color.

"It's where you and Bea found Gunner. And where they formed their bond."

"Don't get any ideas, mister," I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him, though I'm just as surprised as he is that I'm mostly teasing.

Malin grins, and good God, my ovaries are about ready to give up the fight. He raises his palms in a show of surrender. I nod internally, satisfied at his little show. I like seeing Malin surrender to me.

Maybe a little too much...

"Don't worry. I just want to have a picnic. I figured this place might give me some good luck," he shrugs as he sets the basket down and opens it up.

Malin pulls out a blanket and spreads it out on the ground motioning for me to sit. I wait a beat longer than necessary before sitting down, just to let him know I wasn't obeying his orders. He grins at me again, which makes me roll my eyes at him, but I know he sees me smiling.

I get comfortable on the blanket and wait to see what Malin came up with for food. It better be good if he's trying to woo me. Not that I'd be won over with a good meal, but I am hungry, and anything half-way decent sure couldn't hurt.

He shuffles around in the basket, and I'm picturing what all he could have packed. He doesn't seem like a sandwich guy, but maybe if it were something hearty like a steak tip sandwich or a French dip. That's probably not a very picnic-friendly food, but then again, what do I know about picnics? Oh!

Maybe it's a Philly cheesesteak sandwich! I've only had one once in my life when my foster family at the time took us on vacation to New Jersey, but my God it was amazing.

My stomach rumbles loudly in anticipation, my mouth nearly watering when Malin turns the basket upside down.

A sleeve of crackers rolls out, along with three cheese sticks and a handful of grapes.

Seriously? I thought we made the tiniest bit of progress today, but if this is the kind of effort he's putting into our "date" then clearly I was wrong.

I grab one of the cheese sticks and tear into the package, shoving the whole thing in my mouth and chewing angrily. I go for a second one, remembering that Bea often says I get hangry and overreact.

By the end of the third cheese stick and a handful of crackers, I'm in no better mood than a few minutes ago. Whose fault is it that I didn't have enough food to satisfy my hanger?

Freaking. Malin.

"Good?" He asks, smiling at me like he's legitimately proud of how things are going.

I grunt at him, the way he's done to me so often the last few weeks, and gather up a few more grapes I found at the bottom of the basket.

"Gunner said you get to kiss on the first date. I want to kiss you there," he says, licking his lips as he stares at my jean covered pussy.

I bark out a laugh. Is that what this whole thing was about? Getting into my pants? "Uh, no. Some people get a kiss on the first date and it's on the lips.

You are not one of those people."

He scowls, looking like a kid who just had their favorite toy taken from them.

"But-"

"Stop, Malin! Just. Stop."

His chest rises and falls with his harsh pants as he stares up at me.

"You have been nothing but rude, mean, sometimes borderline hostile to me and my sister since we got here. Then all of a sudden you declare that I'm your mate and you STILL don't want to try to get to know me as a person. All you care about is fucking me and us mating. Well, newsflash, asshole. I don't want to be your mate. I don't want to have anything to do with you. You're a terrible mate. You did this picnic, which would have been sweet had you put any actual thought into it. You borrowed a basket, grabbed whatever random shit you had in your cupboard and thought it was going to win me over? You thought this was going to sweep me off my feet?" He actually looks ashamed then, his eyes flicking

over to the pathetic lunch he packed.

"I'm going home. Don't follow me," I add when he starts to rise to his feet.

Chapter 7

Malin

My woLF is ready to rip my throat out as we

watch Camden storm off. I'm thinking about letting him.

What she said is right. This picnic did suck and I should have tried harder. I've never had to romance anyone before. I always just thought if I ever found my mate it would be easy. I'm starting to realize just how wrong I was about that.

My mate does deserve better than this.

I scoop all of the leftover food and the blanket back into the basket and start to walk home. I'm about halfway there when I run into the Jensen brothers.

"Hey," they all greet me as one and I step forward, shaking their hands.

"Are you headed towards town?" I ask as we fall into step together.

"We're headed to Gunner's. He wants us to look at adding an extension onto his house now that he's mated and Bea is expecting," Theo explains.

I can hear the longing in Theo's voice as he talks about Gunner finding his mate. The brothers have been searching for their own mates since they turned eighteen but still haven't found them. With how close the three are, their mates would have to be best friends too.

"Congratulations, by the way. We heard that you finally found your mate too," Evan says quietly.

"Thanks."

"I hope that we find our mates soon too," Evan murmurs and we fall silent for a minute.

I might have been shocked and a little upset when I found out that my mate was a human but I know how lucky I am to have found her at all.

There's lots of shifters who spend their whole life searching and never find their other half.

"Why haven't you marked her yet?" Leo wants to know and I don't know what to say.

That my mate doesn't want me. That I was mean to her when she first arrived and now I have to prove myself?

My wolf paws at me, also wanting to know why I don't just claim her. Once she's marked, she wouldn't be able to resist us, especially not with the mating moon getting closer and closer.

I don't want her to want me just because she has to though. I want what Gunner and Bea have. I want her to love me and to be proud and happy that we are together.

"She wants me to romance her first," I tell them and they all scrunch up their noses.

They've lived here all of their lives and don't have any experience with how humans do things. I can see the wheels turning in their heads as they try to figure out why I would need to do this or why my mate would want me to.

"She's human," I say and they all have the same lightbulb moment.

"Ohhh," Leo says, like it all makes sense now.

"You know what you should do? A romantic boat ride," Theo suggests.

"Or get a boom box and stand outside her place with it over your head," Leo says with a straight face.

"Yeah, or you could decorate her whole apartment in flowers," Evan says, getting into the swing of things.

We spend the rest of the walk to Gunner's place coming up with ideas of how I can woo Camden. Some of them were terrible but there's a few that I make a note to try out on her.

I walk with them up the front steps of Gunner's place and Bea comes to the door, her platinum blonde hair mussed around her flushed face.

"Hey, guys! Thanks for coming," she says, smoothing down her clothes.

Gunner appears over her shoulder a few seconds later, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Hey, Malin. I didn't know that you were stopping by," he says when he sees me.

"I was just walking with them and thought I would say hello."

"Come in!" Bea says, holding the door open wide and ushering all four of us inside.

I listen as Gunner and Bea explain what they want done to the house and how much more space and bedrooms they think they'll need but soon, the ache in my chest becomes too much.

I want to be making these plans with my mate.

I want to have Camden round and swollen with our child.

"I'm going to head out," I say as Theo scribbles some more notes on his pad.

"Are you sure that you don't want to stay for dinner?" Bea asks, looking hopeful but I shake my head.

"I've got some stuff that I need to take care of. I'll see you all later."

I wave as I head out, taking the long way home but even once I get there, I don't want to go inside.

It's dark out now, the half moon lighting my way as I walk down the path toward Camden's apartment. When I get there, all of the lights in town and at her place are off so I sneak across the street and up to her bedroom window. She always leaves it cracked, enjoying the night breeze and I push it open a little wider, slipping inside.

My wolf relaxes as soon as he sees her. She's fast asleep, curled up in bed and while he urges me to slip in beside her, I settle for grabbing a pillow and blanket off her couch and curling up on the floor beside her.

I stare at the ceiling, listening to her breathing as I try to figure out a plan to romance her and make her see that I can be a good mate and that she's mine.

Chapter 8

Camden

I HAVEN'T SEEN Malin all day and while I know that I should be happy about that, there's a large part of me that misses him. There's been an ache in my chest all day, like a dull knife twisting into my chest.

Bea hung out with me this morning but her and Gunner were headed to their first doctor appointment this afternoon. I've been online all day shopping for baby stuff for the two of them. Bea is convinced that she's having twins and I'm inclined to believe her. She's never wrong when she can feel these kinds of things.

I found the cutest onesies but the more that I scrolled, the more the ache spread. I had never thought about having kids of my own before. I'm still so young, but the more that I looked at the baby things, the more I realized that I wanted to be buying things like this for me.

An image of Malin and I holding our own babies enters my head and I hurry to think about something else.

I hit checkout on my cart and smile when I think about Bea opening up the box to see the baby quilt and the cute little clothes.

I'm just plugging my laptop in to charge when there's a knock on the door. I wasn't expecting anyone but maybe it's Bea back to tell me about how the doctor appointment went.

I smile, wondering if she got ultrasound pictures today as I hurry to answer the door.

My smile fades when I see Malin standing on the other side of the door.

"What do you want?" I ask, already starting to inch the door closed.

"To apologize?" He asks, holding up a takeout bag and a few DVD's.

My eyes lock on The Notebook and I raise my eyebrows.

"You want to watch The Notebook?"

"I want to be a good mate."

My heart flips over in my chest at the earnest look in his eyes. He really does seem like he's trying to make up for his behavior yesterday.

I bite my lip as I debate letting him in but Malin seems to take my silence as a no.

"If you want to eat this alone, then I'll leave the food and movies here and go. I just wanted to apologize. What you said yesterday was true. I was being a shitty mate, but I know that I can do better if you can just give me another chance."

I stare into his eyes, noting that he seems sincere about being nicer to me.

"Alright," I say slowly, eyeing him warily so that he knows he's still on thin ice with me.

I grab the food from his hand and turn, heading into the kitchen for some plates. Malin closes the door after him and joins me at the kitchen counter.

Malin clears his throat behind me and I turn to see him looking awkward and unsure.

"Um, so how are you liking living in Red Ridge?" He asks, looking so vulnerable that I can feel some of the ice around my heart starting to melt.

"It's been nice. I know the apartment is a little small but it's just me so I don't need much and it's a lot nicer than most of the foster homes I stayed in over the years."

"You didn't like the foster homes?"

"I don't think that anyone likes the foster homes.

Everyone wants a family and a place where they feel secure and I never had that."

"You had Bea," he points out and I can feel his eyes on my face, studying me, as I plate up the food.

"Yeah, and I love her, but it's not the same as having a mom and dad and real security."

He seems to think about this as I grab us some silverware and pass him a plate.

We sit down at my cramped kitchen table and I try not to laugh as he struggles to fit his large frame into the small chair.

"I didn't really have that either," he says softly and I pause with my fork suspended in the air.

"My mom was a human but my dad was a shifter.

They were killed in a hunting accident when I was young and I was sent to live with my Aunt and Uncle. They're both humans and nasty people. The first time I shifted, they kicked me out."

"Malin, I'm so sorry," I whisper.

Suddenly, I can see why he would hate humans so much. If that was my only encounter with them, I might hate them as well.

"I had been so scared. I had no idea what was going on. My parents had never told me what I was.

They hadn't told anyone and I had thought that there was something wrong with me."

I can picture a small Malin, anxious and terrified of what just happened and instead of finding acceptance or answers, being kicked out. My heart aches and I want to crawl into his lap and hug him.

"So how did you wind up with the Red Ridge Pack then?"

"I was hiding in the woods. I had a little campsite set up and would spend all day practicing shifting and hunting. One day another wolf found me and shifted. It was Gunner and he invited me to come stay with him and his pack."

"Aww, and then you became best friends?"

"Something like that," he says with a wry smile.

"He showed me that Red Ridge was a pack for all kinds of shifters. We have wolves, bears, foxes, rabbits, birds. You name it, they're here. They accepted me, welcomed me, and suddenly, I wasn't alone anymore."

"I'm glad you found them," I tell him honestly and he gives me a shy smile.

"Me too."

We spend the rest of dinner getting to know each other more. I tell him a bit about growing up in the system and some of the houses that I stayed at and about meeting Bea for the first time.

He tells me about living with Gunner and his parents and a bit more about his aunt and uncle. They really do sound like terrible people and I pray that I never meet them because I have a feeling I would kill them. I don't know how you could do that to a child.

I take a bite of my food, listening to him tell me about meeting the rest of the pack and him and Gunner getting into trouble when they were younger.

"So you never wanted to become Alpha?" I ask when he's done telling me about Gunner taking his father's spot.

"No. That was always Gunner's legacy. It's too much responsibility for me. I like being the second in command and just backing him up instead.

"You just don't want to have to listen to everyone's problems all of the time," I tease.

"That's most of it, yes," he jokes back and I laugh.

He helps me load the dishwasher and clean up and when I glance at the clock, I see that two hours have already passed.

"It's getting late," Malin says, stepping toward the door and I find that I don't want him to leave just yet, but if I ask him to stay, that may be giving him the wrong idea.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" I ask, walking him to the front door.

"Can I take you out to dinner? Or grab take out and maybe we can finally watch that movie?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Malin grins at me, looking relieved and I can't stop the smile that stretches across my face.

"I'll see you then."

"Night, Malin."

"Night, Camden."

I lock the door after him and wonder if maybe there's something to this mate thing after all.

Chapter 9

Malin

I show up to Camden's place fifteen minutes early and debate if I should go knock now or wait until the right time. I've never been very patient though so I stride up to the front door and knock, straightening my shirt out as I wait for her to answer the door.

I think things went well last night. I had been so nervous when she first answered the door and I wasn't sure that I was even going to be let inside.

Then when I got inside, I had worried that it would be awkward and that we wouldn't have anything to say to each other but once we started talking, I hadn't wanted to stop.

I had thought that we wouldn't have anything in common but we do. I think that we've both been searching for a place to belong and we both found it in Red Ridge.

My wolf also approves. Our mate is strong and stubborn but also compassionate. I could sense that she was getting mad when I told her about my aunt and uncle. My wolf and I had loved that she was a fighter and would defend us if need be.

My wolf still wants us to mark her though and the longer I spend with her, the more the need to mark her consumes me. I had wanted to stay later last night but my wolf was two seconds away from breaking free and pinning her to the ground, sinking his teeth into her delicate skin.

So instead we left, and then we compromised and came back later when she was asleep to look after her.

We're so weak.

"Hey! You're early," Camden says, answering the door wrapped in nothing but a towel.

I think she's testing us because she's still completely dry.

My wolf lunges inside of me, dying to explore all of that naked skin but I grit my teeth and dig my fingernails into my palm so I don't reach for her.

We deserve this, I remind him and he growls but settles down inside me.

"Sorry, I got done early and walked over. Do you want me to wait outside?"

"No, you can come in. Just let me rinse off really quick," she says, turning and heading for her bedroom. "Make yourself comfortable!" She calls over her shoulder before she disappears into the bath-

room.

I can hear the water turn on and then her towel hitting the floor and all of a sudden, I'm regretting how well my hearing is.

I swear I can hear the soap washing down her and I debate running outside. I could tell her that I forgot something and ran home. I could just admit that I was two seconds from kicking the bathroom door down, ripping the shower curtain off, and claiming her.

My wolf howls inside of me, liking that idea way too much.

I'm turning to head to the door when the water turns off.

"Oh thank god," I mutter, stumbling over to the couch and sitting down.

Camden pads out to the living room a few minutes later and I can't decide if I'm relieved or upset to see her fully clothed. I know which one my wolf is.

"What are we doing tonight?" She asks, twisting her hair up into a bun on top of her head.

Can I say her? No, that will probably get me slapped and kicked out.

My eyes zero in on the length of her neck that is now exposed and I wonder if I should say I'm not feeling well and leave. No way can I make it through tonight with her looking like that.

"Did you want to go out to dinner?" I croak.

"Are you feeling alright?" She asks, stepping closer to me with a look of concern on her face.

Now's my chance. Say no and leave.

"You don't look so well," she says, stepping between my legs and resting her hand on my forehead.

"You feel really hot. Why don't you lay down. I'll make us some soup and we can just hang out here tonight."

I want to say no but she's already heading into her kitchen and my wolf likes the idea of her taking care of us.

"I'm fine, really. Why don't we go out to eat?" At least that way, I'll be forced to behave myself.

"No, I think you have a fever. Let's just stay in." How do I explain that it's just the mating moon getting closer and her neck being exposed without sounding like a pervert to her?

I ponder that as she makes soup but I still don't have an answer by the time that she carries a bowl over to me. We eat in comfortable silence and I mean to tell her thank you and that I'll just head home for the night and we can try tomorrow but before I can get the words out, she has me wrapped in a blanket and laying down on her couch.

She starts The Notebook and takes a seat next to me, letting me lay my head in her lap and it's heaven and also the most extreme torture. I'm so close to her that I can smell her pussy and my mouth starts to water.

My wolf is restless inside of me and now I really am starting to feel sick.

"You can fall asleep if you want to. Maybe you just need some more rest," Camden whispers, running her fingers through my hair.

Just like that, my wolf is content.

Sure, she's not naked and under us, but she is under us. Well, her leg is under our head. That counts. Plus, she's touching us.

I try not to moan as she rubs the back of my neck and shoulders before she goes back to playing with my hair.

I don't think that I've ever had anyone care for me like this. My mom probably did, but I can't remember it now. No way were my Aunt or Uncle ever going to care for me when I was sick and they rarely touched me.

The classical music plays on screen and I'm so warm and cozy under the blanket that before I know it, I'm drifting off to sleep.

Chapter 10

Camden

What Do shifters eat for breakfast? I wonder to myself while digging through my fridge. I don't have much to offer, but I want to make sure Malin gets something in his stomach before he leaves.

My chest gets that tight feeling again at the thought of Malin leaving. Last night was unexpected, to say the least, but also kind of perfect. I was nervous and excited to see him again, but when he looked unwell, something in me snapped.

My heart dropped to my stomach and I knew I needed to take care of him. No, not need. Well, that, too, but I found I wanted to be the one to make him feel better, even if I had no idea what I was doing.

Before I knew it, Malin was curled up on the couch with his head in my lap while I played with his hair. I found myself wanting to feel more of him. My hands wandered a bit, massaging his neck, shoulders, and back.

God, I could feel his muscles flex under the pads of my fingers as I traced over his skin. I swear I felt him shiver a time or two, but it was probably just from being sick and having a fever. I won't lie, I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to feel more of him, to feel everything.

The longer he stayed on my lap, the more turned on I got. There were a few times I had to discreetly clench my thighs together to try and get rid of the ache in my core. I'm sure Malin could smell my arousal. That should embarrass me, but I think I like him knowing he makes me wet.

I might have let him do something about it, but he was sick. And also, I'm mad at him. Or, well, I'm trying to be mad at him, but I'm running out of steam. Malin was so vulnerable with me when he brought over takeout, telling me about his awful family. And then yesterday, he came to see me even though he wasn't feeling well.

Each kind word and thoughtful gesture makes me want to forgive him. And, if I'm honest with myself, I already have. The more I thought about his history with humans, and especially his Aunt, who apparently was cruel and manipulative, I could understand him being wary of strangers.

But that doesn't mean I'm letting him off the hook completely. I think I might need to tease him a bit more before giving into this pull between us, though I don't know how much longer I can hold out.

We fell asleep on the couch last night, and I woke up this morning all tangled up in Malin. It was a pretty fantastic way to wake up. I was, and still am, a little pissed that we were both fully clothed. I wanted to feel his skin against mine, his lips trailing down my neck, his hands roaming over my curves, lower, lower, lower, until he reached my...

"Morning," Malin's scratchy voice breaks into my dirty thoughts. I take a second to cool down, thankful that my face is practically buried in the fridge.

"Morning," I squeak out. Nice one, I say sarcastically to myself. Malin grins at me, and good lord, it's not fair how sexy that makes him.

"Let me make you breakfast," he says, getting up off the couch. He yawns and stretches, and I can't help but look at the hem of his shirt where it rode up, showing off his lower stomach. Malin's jeans are low on his hips, letting me see those sculpted V lines.

Damn. I saw him naked that night that he and Gunner came to rescue Bea and I from Brad, but I was too scared to see anything, let alone appreciate it.

"Um, what?" I stammer out once I realize I've just been staring at him. He gives me a cocky little smirk that should piss me off, but instead, it makes me blush.

"You took care of me last night and fed me dinner. Let me take care of breakfast. It's only fair."

"Are you always this diplomatic?" I say with a smirk of my own.

"When it comes to you? Always."

I roll my eyes at him, but I can't deny his answer makes my heart beat a little faster.

Malin makes his way into the kitchen, shooing me out so he can take stock of what he has to work with. He decides on eggs and toast, which is just fine by me.

"Are you feeling better?" I ask once we're seated at the table.

"Uh..." Malin clears his throat and rubs the back of his neck. His face is flushed, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think he's blushing, but that can't be right. Maybe he still has a fever.

That thought propels me from my seat. I'm by his side in the next second, the need to take care of him gnawing at me. I place the back of my hand on his forehead, furrowing my brow in concern when I feel his warm skin.

Malin surprises me by gently taking my hand in his and drawing it down to his lips. He places a kiss over my knuckles and then rests my hand over his heart. I take a step closer to him, settling between his legs and looking down at him.

"I have a confession," he starts, eyeing me cautiously.

"Oh?" I quirk an eyebrow up, waiting for him to continue.

"I wasn't exactly sick last night, though it's true, I wasn't feeling well."

"What does that mean? Is it a shifter thing?" He nods his head, looking grateful that I understand

stand, even though I don't.

"It was...it was the mating moon," he finally con-fesses. "You answered the door in nothing but a towel, and then my wolf and I had to sit and listen to you soaping up in the shower-"

"You heard me in the shower?!"

"I sure as hell thought about you in the shower," he mumbles to himself. I can't help the small smirk that spreads across my face. I try schooling it over before he sees, but I know I'm caught when he gives me the same smirk. "That was on purpose, wasn't it?"

I shrug, moving my hand from his chest up to his shoulder. Then I trail my fingers up his neck, making him groan softly. A shiver works its way through my body and my clit throbs, fucking aches for relief.

Malin growls, no doubt sensing, freaking smelling how much I want him right now. His eyes turn dark, his irises glowing with that same desperate, feral need to claim me. I'm starting to get it. This mating moon is no joke. Bea told me it's a lot more intense for shifters than it is for humans. I almost feel bad for holding back. Almost.

He rests his hands on my hips, that one touch making me tremble. Malin tilts his head back and takes a deep breath. I feel the muscles in his shoulders tense to the point of shaking. I feel how much he needs me, how difficult it is for him to hold back.

And yet, he's respecting my wishes and trying to go slow for me.

The last of the ice around my heart melts, leaving a tender spot for Malin in its place. Yes, I want him because of the whole fated mate thing, which I can no longer deny is real and is exactly what's happening between us. But I also want him just for him.

We have more in common than I ever would have guessed. We've both been looking for a place to be-long, and we found it here in Red Ridge. We found it with each other.

It's that thought that has me cupping his face in my hands and leaning down, resting my forehead on his. Malin's grip tightens around my hips as he draws me closer to him so our bodies are pressed against each other.

"Careful, mate," he warns, his voice trembling as much as the rest of him.

"I've never been good at being careful," I whisper before pressing my lips to his.

Malin growls and wraps his arms around me as his lips part beneath mine. He's surprisingly gentle with me, despite the pent-up need and his wolf clawing to get out. His tongue slips between my lips, massaging mine and drawing a soft moan from somewhere deep inside of me.

His answering groan has me opening up more for him, allowing him to deepen our kiss. I melt against his hard body, my hands sliding around to the back of his head. I fist his hair, pulling him impossibly closer. God, I want to disappear into him, to be consumed completely.

And then he breaks the kiss.

I'm left gasping for air as I rest my forehead on his once again.

"Fuck," he murmurs with his eyes closed.

I just nod, unable to form any words.

We stay like that for a few moments, until Malin gently pushes me away. That gnawing, tight feeling returns to my chest the further away from him I get. He looks just as pained as I am, but he's fighting it, which makes me respect him and also want him more.

He takes a shuddering breath and wipes his hands down his face while I lean against the table, trying to get my own breathing under control.

"I should go," Malin growls, though he doesn't move from his seat. "I don't want to," he clarifies.

"But I'm barely hanging on here."

I nod again, then close my eyes, still shaken by the intensity of our kiss. It rattled me to my core, being connected to him like that. I can only imagine what it will be like when he finally claims me.

Holy shit.

Did I really just think that? Am I really ready for that? Do I trust the man who I once hated not all that long ago?

"Hey," Malin says, his voice softer than I've ever heard. I feel his fingers trail down the side of my arm and then lace through mine. "Are you okay? Was that…was that okay?"

The thread of insecurity in his voice has me opening my eyes and looking right at him. I nod yet again, because apparently that's the only thing I'm capable of doing.

"Need your words, Camden."

"I'm okay. That was..." I blow out a breath. "Un-expected. I don't know what came over me, but I don't regret it."

The tension drains from him, and I realize how much he cares about respecting my boundaries. The thing is, I'm two seconds away from demolishing all of my boundaries and jumping his bones.

Malin presses his lips to my forehead in the sweetest kiss. I melt all over again for him.

"You're perfect, mate," he murmurs before stepping away and clearing his throat. I can't help but notice he's also adjusting his massive erection, which brings a wicked little grin to my face. It also makes my mouth water. God, who even am I right now? "I'll see you tonight," he says, breaking into my thoughts.

"What about breakfast?" It comes out all in a rush before I can stop myself. My voice sounds whiny even to my own ears.

"That's not what I want to eat right now," he mutters under his breath.

I gasp softly, though not out of shock. Well, I guess it kind of is. I'm shocked at how much I want him to eat me right up. My skin burns with the need for his touch, his lips, his teeth.

Malin just smirks at me before heading out the door and confirming our date for tonight.

I spend the rest of the day cleaning my apartment, running errands, and thinking about Malin.

Once again, he's the first one to pull away, and once again, I'm shaken to my core with the urgency of my need for more of him.

"Are you gonna show me what's in the basket?" I ask once I've caught my breath.

Malin grins and spreads out the blanket before unpacking the basket. I'm shocked, almost to tears, when I see a spread of all my favorite foods. There's barbeque chips, chocolate covered peanuts, pretzels, and even a loaf of rosemary garlic bread from the local bakery. He pulls out two thermoses, along with two mugs and two bowls.

"Chicken and wild rice soup," he says, lifting up one thermos. "And chai tea," he finishes, holding up the other thermos.

"How did you... Wait, did Bea tell you what to pack?"

"No," he replies, his tone sounding almost offended. "Did I mess up?"

"You really did this all yourself? How did you know my favorite food? My favorite drink?"

Malin blushes. Freaking. Blushes. Oh my God, it's adorable, which is something I never thought would describe him.

"Okay, hear me out. I may have sort of...I may have watched over you sometimes. In your apartment. I didn't like the thought of you being all alone." He peers down at me, trying to gauge my reaction. I should be mad, right? Creeped out at the very least. I just got rid of a stalker, and now Malin admits to watching me in the privacy of my apartment.

Instead of feeling violated, I feel protected. Taken care of. It's another strange feeling, but once again, I don't mind if it's coming from Malin.

"How often is sometimes?"

His blush deepens, and I fight the urge to hug him.

"Every night," he mumbles.

My lip curls up at one end, but I get myself under control before he notices. I should have mercy on the poor guy, but it's fun watching him squirm.

"Every night for how long?"

He sighs heavily. "Since about a week before your birthday."

All teasing and pretense falls away as I stare at him. Was he the reason my nightmares stopped?

I had them almost every night until one day they stopped, about a week before my birthday.

I don't even realize I've launched myself into his arms until he catches me. My lips are on his in the next second, unable to hold back. This man. He's nothing like I thought he was, and suddenly my need boils over. I don't even know what, exactly, I need, but I know he'll give it to me.

Chapter 11

Malin

"CAMDEN, GOD," I groan once she breaks our kiss to gulp down air. I worried that I fucked up again with the picnic, and then with admitting I stalked her for the last few weeks, but for whatever reason, she threw herself at me. "I never want you to think I'm just using you for your body, but I need my lips on your skin, need to taste you, need to feel more of you," I tell her truthfully. I ache for my mate.

"I think you want that, too, don't you?"

She gives me a sassy look, but I see the desperate edge in her eyes. She's trying to play it cool, and God knows she's stronger than I thought she'd be. Hell, she's stronger than me when it comes to the mating pull, that's for damn sure. But my mate needs to come, and I need to be the one to give her that sweet release.

Camden bites her bottom lip, drawing my eyes to that spot. My dick lengthens even more, pressing against my jeans painfully. I hold my breath, waiting for her response. I'll never take what she doesn't freely give, but Jesus, I really need her to say yes.

Finally, she nods her head and lets out a breathy whimper

I'm on her in the next breath, flipping her on her back, pinning her arms above her head and nudging her legs apart.

"Are you hurting for me, mate?" I all but growl.

She nods, her pupils dilating and cheeks flushing.

So beautiful.

I grunt and slam my mouth down over hers, swallowing her moans of pleasure as I thrust my tongue in and out of her sweet lips. Camden wriggles underneath me and I release her arms, freeing up both of my hands to roam over her body.

We break apart, gasping for air as I help her sit up and peel off her shirt. My hands run up and down the smooth skin of her stomach, her ribs, and then cupping her perfect breasts still covered in a lace bra. I rub my thumbs over her already hard nipples, making her moan and arch her back. I deftly unhook her bra and slide it down her arms before bending down and sucking one perky tit into my mouth.

"Oh fuck," she whispers, tipping her head back and tangling her fingers in my hair.

I smile with a mouthful of her breast and bite down gently on her nipple. Camden's whole body jerks, making me completely ravenous for her.

Back and forth I suck, lick, nibble, and knead her tender flesh, and she loves every second. I think I could make her come just like this, but I have other plans for her. I pop off her tit, making her whimper and pout. Grinning, I scoot down between her legs and hook my thumbs into her leggings and panties.

"This okay?" I grunt, needing her permission even though I might die if I don't have her taste on my tongue in the next thirty seconds.

"Yes, please..." she breathes out.

"Please, what?" I ask, already peppering kisses down her stomach.

"Um...lick me?"

I chuckle. "Is that a question?"

"Lick me," she growls, that defiant, undeniably sexy edge coming back into her voice. God, she's perfect. My wolf nods his head in agreement. We like the challenge.

I grin and lick her flat stomach, dipping my tongue into her belly button and making her suck in air.

"That's not what I meant," she says, trying and failing to sound annoyed

"No? Where do you want me to lick you?"

"My pussy," she all but yells.

I groan in approval and start tugging her pants and panties down, slowly revealing the curve of her hips. "Why didn't you say so?" I ask with my eyes pinned to what's about to be revealed to me.

She takes a breath like she's going to say something sassy in response, but then I pull her pants all the way down, baring her ripe, juicy cunt to me for the first time. I rid her of the last scraps of clothing and then take my time looking her up and down from my position on my knees in front of her.

My mate is gorgeous. Too beautiful for words.

Too damn beautiful for me, that's for sure. But she's mine anyway and I'm not giving her back. Camden chews on her lip nervously and I realize I've just been drooling over her flawless skin and succulent curves. I forgot how young she is still, and even without her saying, I know she's a virgin. That thought makes me growl. We'll only ever belong to each other.

"You're perfect," I whisper, though all I want to do is roar and devour every inch of her. She deserves better, though.

"I want to see you too," she purrs.

"Jesus, I'm trying to be good," I growl.

"That's a first," she retorts, her sexy little smirk making my cock twitch with need.

"Don't tease me, little girl," I warn.

Camden bites her lip and raises an eyebrow in challenge. I fucking snap.

I jump to my feet and pull my shirt over my head. She immediately stands up and touches my bare chest, her fingertips tracing the contours of my muscles, followed by her tongue. I growl when she scrapes her teeth over my skin and then bites down softly.

My mate looks up at me with mischievous eyes, and I have to take a deep breath and push my wolf.

"Hm?"

"Weren't you about to do something?" She smirks.

"I was, but then you changed the game by making me strip down." A wicked thought passes through my mind. I want to play out my little fantasy I had while I was waiting outside the bathroom for her that very first day. Before she escaped and gave me the greatest chase of my life.

She bites her lips and shrugs. "Sorry, not sorry."

"You still want me to lick your pussy?" Her eyes go dark and she nods, hungrily.

"Then touch yourself."

"Wh-what?"

"You heard me, Camden. Spread those legs and show me how you get yourself off."

Her face blushes bright red but she opens herself up to me. One little hand snakes down her body and drifts lazily to her glistening, pink folds. Slowly, so slowly, she dips two fingers into her slit and circles her bundle of nerves.

She gasps as her hips jerk, but she keeps on rubbing her clit and moaning. I take myself in my hand, because how can I not when the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen is sprawled out naked before me, touching herself?

When her other hand squeezes her breast, I just about lose it. I have to pinch the tip of my cock to stave off my orgasm. No way in hell am I coming before she does. Ever.

"Enough," I grunt, batting her hand away from her pussy. I replace her fingers with mine, circling, circling, circling her little button.

I don't have it in me to draw this out any longer.

Scooting down her body, I throw her legs over my shoulders and dive into that pussy. I flatten my tongue and lick from her entrance up to her clit. As soon as I tap her tight bundle of nerves, Camden erupts.

"FUCK!" She screams, her thighs clamping down on my head, her back bowed off the ground, her fingers clawing the picnic blanket as her orgasm rips through her.

I don't stop. Not for a second.

Using my tongue, my lips, my teeth, I keep stimulating her throbbing clit, pushing her past her or-gasm, higher, higher, higher, till she's shaking, gasping for air, pleading for me to give her mercy. Only then do I ease off her over-sensitive bundle of nerves and turn my attention to lapping up her release.

Camden shudders as I gently bring her down with long, steady strokes of my tongue, licking her clean.

I place her legs back on the solid ground and crawl on top of her, holding myself up with a forearm on either side of her head. I stare down at my mate as she opens her eyes and looks at me with such awe. I can't explain what that does to me. I've never felt anything like it, having her admiration, seeing her like this, knowing I put that look there.

"More," she whispers while rocking her hips and gliding her pussy up and down the underside of my aching cock.

This is dangerous. I know that. I should get off of her. I should put my damn pants on and pour us some tea from the thermos I packed while she gets dressed. But I can't seem to move. I crave her, fucking need her skin on my skin, her taste in my mouth, her breath on my lips.

She bites her bottom lip, her eyes pleading with me to do something. I know exactly what I want to do, but it's still too soon. I never want her to feel like I'm only after her body. Never again.

"Camden..."

She cuts me off by leaning up and capturing my lips in a scorching kiss. I growl into her mouth and take over her movements, sliding my dick up and down her wet pussy, but never entering her. She submits so beautifully to me, trusting me with her body, her pleasure. Back and forth I rub my swollen fucking cock over her sensitive bundle of nerves until she's panting again.

"I need to come," I tell her.

"Yes"" she agrees, her voice barely above a whimper.

"Come with me," I demand as I lower myself down onto her, gasping when I feel her hard little nipples scrape against my chest.

"I can't," she whispers. "I'm…it's too much."

"You can," I tell her. "I promise you, you can. And you will. Come for me again, mate."

I rub, back and forth, my dick pinned between my stomach and her pussy, grinding hard, gritting my teeth against the urge to claim her with my cock, my teeth, every fucking part of me.

I rest my forehead on hers, breathing in her sugary, fruity scent, mixed with our lust. It's intoxicating.

"I need you to come," I half beg, half growl.

And then she does. Fuck, does she come. Hard.

My mate shows me her claws, ripping up my back and mewling for me as I try to hold on as long as I can. It feels too incredible, but I need relief. I push myself up on one hand and grab my dick, pumping it twice and then painting Camden's thighs, pussy, and stomach with my release.

"Yes!" She moans, putting her hand over mine and stroking my cock with me.

I groan and lean down for a kiss, knowing if I keep watching her, I'll become fully hard and need to bury my thick cock deep in her juicy cunt.

She sighs into the kiss and then I feel her body go limp beneath me. Rolling to the side, I pull her body into mine and wrap her up in my arms. Camden shakes slightly against my chest, so I lean back to look her in the eyes.

"You okay?"

She sighs and then smiles up at me, making my heart squeeze tightly in my chest, hardly able to contain the emotion that look elicits. My wolf and I are beyond satisfied that we could please our mate.

"That was incredible," she says in awe.

"You're incredible. And that was just the begin-

"I don't think I can come any harder than I just did."

"Is that a challenge?" I quirk an eyebrow up at her.

"And if it is?" She smirks.

I growl and kiss her playfully, nipping her lips, and tickling her tummy. Camden giggles and shrieks, making me laugh along with her. I've never seen her this relaxed, this open, this full of life. I vow to give her multiple orgasms every day if this is the end result.

Eventually, we get dressed and walk back to my cabin so I can give her a ride home, though each night I don't spend with her in my arms gets more and more painful. Hopefully it's not much longer until she trusts my wolf and I enough to let us in completely.

Chapter 12

Camden

"Soooo..." Bea prompts, bouncing on her heels while I dig through my closet for something to wear. It's my fourth date with Malin tonight...and it's the mating moon. Bea has told me about how intense it will be, and I witnessed her and Gunner go through the same thing, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't skeptical. And a little nervous.

Not that I'm scared of Malin, but I think I'm actually scared of how much I want him. And the moon is barely peeking out.

"Soooo..." I say right back at my best friend.

"How are things going with Malin? You guys have been hanging out all week, right?"

"You know we have. I'm surprised Gunner hasn't told you all about it."

"He doesn't know any more than I do!" She says in exasperation. That surprises me. Has Malin been planning all of our dates on his own? I figured he had help from Gunner and Bea.

"Well, things have been..good," I hedge, reaching for a green sundress. It's the only dress I own, and I only have it because I had a court appearance last year before being placed in another group home.

"Oh, they must be really good if you're thinking about dressing up," she teases. I glare at her over my shoulder and throw a wadded up sock in her direction. She ducks out of the way and laughs before sitting on the edge of my bed. "I'm serious, though.You're going on your, what, fourth date? Tonight, of all nights?"

I turn around with the dress in my hands, and join her on the bed.

"Yeah. I...we..he just..." I sigh and try to gather my thoughts. I can feel Bea use her ability to calm me down and send me encouraging vibes. "Ever since his disastrous first attempt at romance, he's been pretty great."

"Pretty great?"

"Fine, he's been sweet. And thoughtful. And surprisingly vulnerable with me. He told me about growing up with his awful aunt and uncle, who kicked him out after he first shifted. I still think he was being a prejudice jerk when we first got to town, but I understand where he was coming from.

And..." I glance over at Bea and roll my eyes, knowing she's going to enjoy what I say next a little too much. "And you were right. I'm just as protective as he is, and I may have been a little harsh on him."

"You think?" she says with a laugh. I swat her in the arm, and she nudges me on the shoulder before resting her head there. "I'm really happy for you, Camden."

"Me too," I tell her truthfully. I expect her to gloat some more, but instead, she squeezes my hand reassuringly.

A knock at the door startles us from our moment.

Bea pops her head up and grins at me, a knowing look in her eyes.

"You better hurry up and get ready. I think Ma-lin's ready to mate - I mean, date you," she says with a giggle. I roll my eyes at her and shoo her out of my room. "I'm going, I'm going. You better call me tomorrow!"

She shuts the door, leaving me to get ready. I pull the dress on and stare at myself in the mirror. I've never disliked my body, but thinking about giving all of myself over to someone else is a little over-whelming. When I think about the way Malin has treated me ever since our come to Jesus moment, however, I know I'm ready.

And when I step outside of my room and see him standing next to my couch in dark wash jeans and a navy Henley, I really know I'm ready.

"Camden," he all but growls as he stalks toward me.

I can't look away from him. The heat and hunger in his eyes spark my own. I swear I can feel every nerve ending firing off at once, my body buzzing, aching for his touch.

"Mal-"

He cuts me off with a kiss before I can finish saying his name. I open up for him, moaning into his mouth as he slides his tongue against mine. Malin slides his hands down my body, stopping to cup my breasts before continuing his teasing touches down my torso and gripping my hips.

I surprise myself by lifting my hands to his chest and fisting his shirt, practically climbing his perfectly chiseled body. Malin grunts and cups my ass, lifting me up into his arms as I wrap my legs around his waist.

We finally break the kiss to pull oxygen into our lungs. I rest my forehead on his, our noses barely touching

"Ready for our date?" he asks, his voice ragged and strained.

"Yeah. I thought we could have a sleepover," I murmur before taking his lips again. God, why can't I keep my hands off him? My lips? My pussy? I'm rubbing against him, trying to get the friction I need.

Malin groans and tilts his head back, squeezing his eyes shut. I feel his muscles tense and flex beneath me, and I can't help but grind against him even harder.

"Are you sure? I was going to take you out-"

"I'm sure." God, is that breathy, desperate voice mine?

Malin grunts in approval and hauls me to my bedroom, tossing me down on the mattress. He falls down on top of me, kissing my neck, my jaw, my cheek, and finally, my lips.

We get lost touching, nuzzling, and kissing each other for long moments. When I come up for air, I realize he somehow got me naked, except for my bra, while he still has all his clothes on. Before I can comment on that fact, he kneels before me and pries my legs apart, licking up my seam and making me moan.

He growls and sucks on my clit, then lifts his head to look me in the eye. I see his mouth moving, but I can't hear a single word, what with the blood pumping in my ears and my heart beating against my ribcage almost violently.

I nod at whatever he just said and shove his head in between my legs again, making him chuckle into my soaking wet folds. I feel the vibrations every-fucking-where, putting me right on the edge.

Malin sucks on my clit and thrusts a finger inside of me without warning. I moan at the unexpected invasion, and then wiggle my hips to get him to go deeper.

He leans back slightly so he can watch himself fuck me with his finger. The sloppy wet sounds fill the room and make me tremble in anticipation. I can't contain the whimper that spills out when he adds a second finger. I'm close, so, so close...

Malin's eyes snap to mine. He looks at me like he's going to rip me to shreds with his intense desire. I can't wait to let him. I slam my eyes shut as a delicious wave of ecstasy sweeps through my body and rattles my bones.

"That's it, Camden," he grunts before leaning down and sucking on my clit in time with the thrusts of his fingers.

I hold my breath as my muscles draw up tight.

For a moment I'm suspended in empty space, hover-ing, flying. The hard, merciless rhythm of his tongue is almost painful on my clit, overwhelming in the most glorious way. He twists his fingers and curls them up, breaking the tension over my body as the first wave of my orgasm floods through me.

I bow my back off of the mattress and cry out, my legs slamming shut against his head, trapping him there. Malin slides his hands under my ass and squeezes the soft flesh. Hard. I buck against his mouth as my orgasm drips out of me. The thought of marking him with my release is so filthy and yet such a fucking turn on. I finally get his need to claim me, to have his mark on my skin. I'm finally ready to bear it. I grind against him again, nearly losing my mind when he growls and bites down on my sensitive bundle of nerves.

The sting of his teeth followed by the smooth heat of his tongue has me coming again. The orgasm quickly rips through my body, leaving me breathless and unable to move once I come down.

Malin looks up at me from between my legs with unbridled, feral lust, which is only magnified when I see his mouth still glistening with my release. I don't stop to think about it, I just lean up and kiss him, tasting myself on his lips and moaning softly as he opens up for me.

He breaks the kiss to climb on top of me, then he takes my lips in another wild kiss. I spread my legs for him, my bare pussy grinding against his jean-covered cock.

"Ready for me, mate?" Malin whispers as he drags his nose and lips down my throat and chest, placing a kiss in between my breasts.

I nibble at my bottom lip, a brief second of doubt plaguing my mind. One look into my mate's intense blue eyes, and all insecurities and questions van-ish. He wants me, he's proven himself to be patient, which I think surprised him as much as it did me.

It's not just that he's "earned" this from me, it's that I want to surrender to him, just as much as I want his surrender. He's shown me in the last few days that he'll work hard to find out what I need and do everything in his power to give it to me, even when it pains him. That's the kind of sacrifice and love I've craved for so long.

I nod and give him a soft, meaningful smile.

Without having to say a single thing, I know he knows I'm right here with him

"Now let's get you naked, too," I sass, lust slamming into my chest now that my heart is fully on board. Damn, this mating moon is no joke. I need him, all of him, right fucking now. Malin growls, but looks conflicted, like he wants to take off the rest of his clothes but also doesn't want to leave me for a single second. "Let me help," I offer, smirking at him as I push on his chest.

"That's the best damn idea I've ever heard," he growls, making me laugh. Together, we stand and strip him out of everything until we're face to face, Malin in just his boxer briefs and me in just my bra.

He reaches out and cups my breasts, then slides his hands to my back to undo the clasp.

"Wait," I whisper, my heart thudding uncontrollably in my chest. Malin freezes, his eyes searching mine to see what's wrong. "You first," I grin, eyeing his barely contained erection.

Malin growls and then grins deviously as hooks his thumbs in the waistband of his underwear, pulling them down to reveal his thick cock. I've seen it before, but God, he's just so... huge.

"Your turn," he murmurs, while his deft fingers pinch the clasp of my bra and undo it in one swift motion.

I step back and let my bra fall on the floor, whimpering when his pupils dilate and his irises glow with the need to mate, claim, and mark me.

I take a second to appreciate Malin's brutal beauty. Broad shoulders, strong arms roped in mus-cles, defined pecs and abs that flex as my eyes roam over his tanned skin. I allow myself a few more seconds of open gawking before trailing my gaze back up to meet his.

Malin leads me over to the bed and lays me down so gently before kissing his way up my body. I bite my lip and spread my legs wider for him, wanting more of his skin on my skin. Wanting to be connected to him in every single way. He settles his hips in between my legs, his hot and heavy cock laying across my slit.

He begins thrusting his hips, gliding his massive dick along my folds and gathering up my honey. My nerves sizzle and pop each time the head of his cock taps my swollen clit. I swear I could come just from this, but Malin is done teasing both of us.

The tip of his cock nudges in my entrance, only going in a fraction of an inch. Even so, my opening stretches to accommodate his size, a burning sensation tearing through my core and making my muscles tight.

"I've got you, mate," he whispers into my lips before kissing me slowly. "This is going to feel so fucking good."

He presses his forehead to mine and eases in another inch. Malin rubs his nose against the side of my neck, licking me there and scraping his teeth across my sensitive skin. I shiver, my pulse beating rapidly against his tongue and teeth.

And then he sinks his teeth into my neck as he thrusts all the way inside me, filling me up, marking me with every part of him.

Instead of the pain I was expecting, pure, brutal bliss washes over me, each wave of ecstasy more overwhelming than the last.

"Ohmygod, Malin, ohmygod.." I moan, crossing my ankles behind his back in an attempt to keep him there, so deep inside of me.

"Mine," he growls savagely as he licks over my mark, making me shudder violently as I cry out and come all over his cock.

He grunts and snaps his hips, pulling out and slamming home in one hard thrust. I choke on the scream in my throat and bow my back off of the mattress, clawing at his skin as he hammers in and out of me. Each time he hits the end of me, my body jerks as if being electrocuted.

"Don't... stop..." I breathe out as I cling to his trembling body.

"Not a fucking chance," he snarls, bending down to suck on one of my nipples.

Malin's thrusts become harder, faster, as he licks and nips his way up to my mouth. His lips are inches from mine. All I can think about is tasting him while he fucks me. My mate pounds into me and drags my bottom lip between his teeth, grinning when I whimper into his mouth.

"I feel you, Camden, I fucking feel how much you want to come. So do it, mate, be a good girl and come for me again."

I know I should be offended at him telling me to be a good girl, but God help me, I think I like it. Only for Malin. Only for my mate.

He kisses me as he slams into me in long, rough strokes. I'm stuffed so full of his cock I can't take a full breath. I unhook my ankles from behind him and place my feet flat on the bed so I can meet him thrust for thrust.

"Christ, you feel incredible," he mumbles into the side of my neck before he sucks on the sensitive flesh of my mark.

I scream as my orgasm burns through me, all of my muscles spasming at once in the most intense moment I've ever experienced. My blood feels like sharp razor blades coursing through my veins, the pain spiking my pleasure into heights unknown.

One minute I'm suffocating on my release, and the next minute, I'm completely empty.

I almost cry at the loss of him, but Malin just grabs my hips and flips me over, tugging me back so I'm on all fours. I gasp as he enters me in one hard thrust, his thighs smacking against my ass as he bottoms out, hitting me so incredibly deep.

"Mate!" I moan, arching my back and wedging his thick dick even deeper inside of me. He taps some super sensitive spot, making my pussy convulse and my limbs shake.

"Fucking love hearing you call me that," he grunts in satisfaction, gripping my hips and digging his fingers into my soft flesh. He bounces me off of his cock, hitting that spot over and over, thrusting into me mercilessly until I'm coming again with his name on my lips.

I whimper and squeeze my walls around his hard length, unable to give him any words at the mo-ment. My body is deliciously sore and used, my pussy is swollen and sensitive, and I don't think I can take anything else, but somehow I need more. I need my mate to come deep inside me.

One of his hands traces up my back, and then tangles in my hair. He tugs my head to the side and then leans down to kiss me as he slowly begins moving in and out of my tight channel. I feel his abs tense and flex against my ass as he works his thickness in and out of me.

I fist the sheets in my hands and rock back into Malin, swallowing his hard shaft in my pussy again and again. He grabs my breasts, kneading them and holding on to me while rutting into me savagely.

"I'm...I'm." I pant and gasp for air, barely hanging on to my sanity as he ravages my body and rips me open in powerful strokes.

"Let go, Camden, let go for me," he rumbles. "I'm right there with you...fuck!" He roars out his release as he sinks his teeth into my mark again, shooting his hot cum deep inside of me.

My world erupts in pure bliss, my vision tunneling until I can't see, I can only feel. Pure light and energy is wrung from my very core as I twist in on myself and then go completely limp.

When I come to, I'm wrapped up in Malin's arms and he's placing sweet kisses all over my face. I giggle and scrunch my nose up, trying to get away from him. He just holds me tighter and nuzzles into the side of my neck, making me shiver as he presses sweet kisses over my mark.

"You okay?" He whispers. "I'm so good," I sigh. "That was..." I try to come up with the right words, but everything is still cloudy and jumbled in my head from my many, devastating orgasms.

Malin chuckles and kisses the side of my neck one last time. "Cat got your tongue?"

"More like a wolf got my tongue," I say with a sleepy smile.

He groans, making me giggle.

We lay there, a mess of tangled limbs and drying sweat, just breathing the same air and snuggling in the afterglow. I've always wanted a love like this, and who would have thought Malin would be the one to give it to me?

Chapter 13

Malin

ONE MONTH LATER...

"THANKS FOR HELPING US MOVE EVERYTHING," I tell Gunner as he wraps his arm around Bea's waist.

Bea and Camden hung out while Gunner and I did all of the heavy lifting. I don't blame him. Now that my mate is pregnant too, I don't like the idea of her lifting a finger either.

We found out Camden was pregnant a few days ago and my wolf and I couldn't be happier. We can't wait to see her stomach swell and grow with our babies.

"No problem," Gunner says, nuzzling Bea's neck.

Bea and Camden have been here all day. Camden doesn't really even have that much stuff, so it didn't take long to grab her duffle bag and backpack along with a few things that she bought after she got here.

We had to stop because the girls were hungry so we made breakfast and then started to put her things away before some of the pack stopped by to congratulate us and see if we needed anything. After that interruption, we had to make lunch, and then go grocery shopping, stop by the diner where Camden works now as a waitress to say hi to Lexi and Maya, and then make dinner.

I love Gunner and Bea and how happy they make my mate, but I'm ready to be alone with my girl. I've been waiting all day to ask Camden something but I wanted to wait until we were alone.

I've read a few articles about the best way to pop the question and I think I've got everything set for tonight.

Lexi snuck in and helped me set up the bedroom for tonight while we were making dinner so I should be able to just lead Camden to the bedroom, get down on one knee and ask her to be my wife and my mate.

"We'll see you both tomorrow," Bea calls as Gunner leads them for the door.

"Have a good night!" Camden calls as I close the door after them.

"Whew! I know that I didn't do much today but I am tired," Camden says as she walks over toward the couch.

I race after her, wanting to stop her before she lays down on the couch.

"Whoa! What's wrong?" She asks me as she turns around and sees me barreling toward her.

"I didn't want you to sit down."

"Why not?" She asks me looking at me like I'm insane.

"I thought that we could go to the bedroom.

Maybe I can rub your feet."

"Is that a sex innuendo?"

My wolf perks up at those words and I want to shake my head but then I remember the flowers and candles set up in the room.

"It can be, but I really just meant I would rub your feet."

"Why can't you do it out here? Then we could watch a movie or something."

"No, let's go into the bedroom."

"I'd really rather sit out here."

I should have known that nothing with Camden was going to go smoothly. She's way too stubborn for that to ever happen.

Before she can protest, I scoop her up in my arms and stalk down the hallway toward our room. "I didn't want to do it like this," I warn her as I maneuver her in my arms so I can open the bedroom door.

"Do what?" Camden asks, her breath getting trapped in her throat as she looks over my shoulder and into the bedroom.

"What is this?" She whispers, her eyes wide and shocked as I set her down on the feet in the center of the room.

Red rose petals cover every surface and I start to laugh when I see how overboard Lexi went with everything. There's candles and bouquets of flowers lining the dresser and more on the nightstands. I can even see a few on the bathroom vanity and in the bathtub.

Lexi thinks she's so funny.

"Camden, I love you. You're already my mate but I realize that might not mean as much to you as it does to me. You're not a shifter so you're not used to mates and all of this. You were willing to do it my way, but now I want to do it yours."

I dig in my pocket, pulling out the plain gold band and holding it up to her.

"Camden, I love you. I want you to be mine in every way that there is. Will you marry me?"

Camden's eyes are watery and my wolf whines, wondering if we messed this up somehow.

"Did I do it wrong? I've never proposed before and all of the articles said that this was roman-tic.Well, not the physically carrying you in here part but-"

"No, it's perfect," Camden says, tears starting to spill down her face.

"Are you sure because it doesn't seem perfect."

My wolf whines, wanting to make sure that our mate is okay but before I can shift or reach for her, Camden is reaching for me.

"I love you, Malin. Of course I'll marry you."

Her lips land on mine before I can tell her that I love her and would do anything for her but I think that she already knows that.

I slide the ring onto her finger, freeing my hands to tangle in her hair as I claim her mouth. I gently remove Camden's clothes, peppering her skin with kisses and licking her mark, growling when she shivers and moans.

Without any warning, I push her back onto the bed, and bury my face between her thighs.

Camden cries out in surprise at the unexpected invasion. I suck and lick and nip at her folds, her thighs, her hard little clit. She's soaking me, my face sloppy with her juices. I love it. She cums hard and fast, her pussy pulsing around my tongue as I lap up her release.

"Again," I growl.

She moans as her hips buck, grinding herself against my mouth. I grab her hips and pull her even closer, until I'm suffocating inside her sweet heat.

I lick her clit again and again until my tongue is numb. She sucks in a huge breath and then cries out her climax. I crawl up her body and kiss her, hard and deep. She takes everything I give her, moaning at her taste in my mouth.

I leave her briefly, just long enough to rip my clothes off. I'm on her as soon as the last shred of fabric is removed. Looking down at this stunning woman, chest heaving, pussy dripping, eyes fogged over with lust, I can't help but groan.

"So beautiful, mate."

I line myself up and enter her tight little channel in one long thrust. I growl, just feeling her silky heat against my aching cock. Camden throws her head back and claws at the sheets. She gushes for me, making it easy to slide in and out of her. I pick up my pace, needing her to come again, needing to show her how much I love her.

"Mine," I grunt as I piston in and out of her.

"Y-yours," she whimpers, clawing at my back.

Her orgasm slams into her, causing her body to shake and convulse beneath me. I fuck her through it as she whimpers and writhes. I can't hold off much longer, but I don't want this to end. I want to be inside of her forever.

I pull out of her as she moans, snapping her eyes open and searing me with her lustful gaze. Standing up, I pull her into me and spin her around, guiding her to place her hands on the wall.

Groaning at the sight of her bent over for me, I press my cock against her soaking wet pussy, her previous releases dripping down her thighs. I tease her as I wait for the exact, right moment.

When she starts shaking and whimpering, I slam my thick dick deep inside of her, triggering another orgasm. My wolf roars with pride over how much pleasure we can give our mate, and how well she takes everything we give her.

I can't tell if she's having one long orgasm or if she's had five more, but her pussy has been squeezing and snapping around me the entire time. I loop my arm around her waist, holding her up just as she starts to collapse. I give one more hard thrust before exploding inside of her.

It's so intense, consuming me from the inside out. I keep emptying into her, coming harder than I ever have.

Finally, fucking finally, I'm completely spent. I curl my body over hers, covering her back with my front as I lick the mark on her neck, loving the salty taste of her sweat.

Camden is shaking in my arms, panting and sweating and well-fucked.

"You okay?" I whisper into her ear.

"S-so good. Can't feel my legs."

I chuckle and then stand up, pulling out of her swollen, soaked pussy. Spinning her around again, I scoop her up into my arms. She's a rag doll, and I chuckle again, kissing her forehead before gently laying her down on the bed and crawling in next to her.

She curls up into my chest and rests her head in the crook of my neck.

"I love you, Camden. Nothing will ever change that. You are my family, my home, my whole damn world. I'll do whatever I can to prove that to you." She nods and kisses my neck. "I know," she whispers into my skin. "You've been so good to me. So patient with me. I'm so happy you're my mate."

We stay like that for God knows how long, the air thick with sex and promises of forever. I let her words wash over me, my wolf rolling over on his back and soaking up her approval.

I feel Camden shiver in my arms, and I know she's probably cold from the sweat drying on her body.

"Think you can stand up long enough to take a shower with me?" I tease.

"I think I can manage that," she smiles up at me.

"But I don't think I can come again. You wore me out."

"You too. Every time with you is incredible," I tell her honestly before kissing her forehead.

"Yeah," she agrees. "But that was..."

I tilt her head up so we're eye to eye.

"That was me showing you how much I love you.

How perfect we are together. That was me claiming you - every part of you. Your laughter, your tears, your light, your dark, your orgasms, your goddamn soul. That was me giving you all of that in return." She leans in, our lips barely touching. "Mine," she whispers. Camden gives me a sweet kiss, tender and gentle and perfect. She shivers again and I chuckle, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Come on. Let's take a shower. I promise I'll be good."

She raises one eyebrow, giving me a dubious look.

"Okay, I'll try to be good."

"I won't," she says with a smirk.

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

Chapter 14

Camden

TEN YEARS LATER...

"You neeD to be good for Aunt Bea and Uncle Gun-ner," I remind my son, Jasper, as we walk down the dirt path leading to their house.

"I know, I will," he promises, tugging on my hand to try to get me to walk faster.

"You need to play nicely with everyone too."

The boys like to rough house and last time they all played together, Grant, Seth, and Jasper all came home with bruises. Riley, Bea's daughter didn't have a scratch on her.

"Mom, I know. I will."

We round the bend and Bea and Gunner's log cabin comes into view. Grant and Seth are already waiting in the front yard. Well, not waiting.

Wrestling is more accurate.

They've been obsessed with who will become the Alpha once their dad steps down and keep fighting to prove who is stronger. I know that it's driving Bea crazy since she hates when they fight, but Gunner and Malin seem to think it's normal.

"Hey Jasper!" Riley calls as she comes skipping out of the house with a giant smile on her face.

Jasper is still at that stage where he thinks girls have cooties so while Riley is running after Jasper, he's trying to keep up with the older boys.

"Hey Riley," he mumbles as he takes off for Grant and Seth.

Riley pouts and I know that she must have wanted Jasper to play with her. I give my son a warning look and he grumbles but heads over to her di-rection. Riley beams at Jasper and runs ahead of him into the house.

I wave at Gunner when he steps outside to check on the boys and he waves back.

"Have a good night!" He calls out and I grin and wave before I turn and head back home.

Today is Malin and my tenth wedding anniversary and Bea and Gunner promised to watch Jasper so that Malin and I could be alone to celebrate.

The sun is just starting to fade behind the trees when I walk back up our front porch steps. I can smell the scent of garlic from inside and I know that Malin must have made his famous spaghetti sauce.

My stomach growls and I jog up the last few steps and into our home.

"Hey honey," I call out as I kick off my shoes and head into the kitchen.

"Mate," Malin growls, turning from the stove and wrapping me up tight in his arms.

"It smells good in here," I tell him, staring into the simmering pot.

"You smell better," Malin says, rubbing his nose down my throat.

He nuzzles his bite mark on me and I moan.

"How soon until dinner is done?" I ask breathlessly as his fingers slip under my loose t-shirt.

"We've got time."

No sooner do those words leave his lips does the timer go off.

We both groan, breaking apart to take the bread out of the over and turn the burners off before everything burns.

I look from Malin to the food that he made us to celebrate our anniversary and think screw it.

"Want to eat everything cold tonight?" I ask. "Yep," he says, his voice deep with lust as he stalks toward me and scoops me up in his

arms.

I laugh, letting him carry me to our bedroom to romance me.

THE END

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Romanced by my Mate

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

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