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  Evernight Publishing ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2015 Vanessa Devereaux

  ISBN: 978-1-77233-240-7

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Kerry Genova

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  A big thank you to my editor Kerry Genova for all her wonderful work on the stories in this series.

  A WOLF’S MATE

  Kalispell Shifters, 6

  Vanessa Devereaux

  Copyright © 2015

  Chapter One

  Nick leaned against the doorjamb. He raised the Styrofoam cup to his mouth and sipped on the chai latte. Maisey walked to the front of the room. She’d delivered what she’d promised, a business venture that would turn a profit within its first few months of being launched. Nick was never one to brag, but he couldn’t help but feel some satisfaction in knowing that, so far, he’d never been foolish enough to pour his money into a half-assed idea.

  She raised her arms in the air before bending over.

  He smiled as a host of naughty thoughts raced through his head. He’d had her, had her in a threesome, but he’d bowed out knowing that she wasn’t his intended mate but the destined partner of the other alpha in the threesome, Lucas Black. Maisey’s engagement ring flashed as she raised her arms again. He took another sip of the spicy brew and watched as she got into a position that only she could. She was a fine yoga teacher, but it was probably her wolf half that made her so damn supple.

  Downward Facing Wolf, they’d called their joint venture. He’d thrown out the name to her, thinking she’d find it condescending or stupid, but she’d loved it. Since they’d opened three months ago, not only were the yoga and other exercise classes popular around town, the spa services were gaining popularity, and only last week Maisey informed him they’d need to hire more workers. Whether they’d be human or shifters, well, he’d leave that up to her. He was after all, the silent partner.

  Maisey winked at him as she went around to each of her students and assisted them with getting into the correct form. He waved to her before downing more tea. He should get out of here and back to work before she suggested he join in, but today he was taking things easy. Outside the sky couldn’t decide whether it wanted to produce rain or snow and he didn’t relish going out in it. The yoga studio was toasty warm and he was feeling downright lazy.

  Maybe he’d get a massage. Maisey had hired Jill, a fellow wolf shifter, for the job. She’d even invited both he and Jill to dinner with her and Lucas. Maisey had vowed to find him a mate as a Christmas gift so he knew what his business partner had on her mind. While Jill was attractive, and yes he’d slept with the massage therapist twice, he wasn’t a guy who’d be forced into being with a woman just to please a friend. When his mate came along, he’d know it.

  Taking another sip, he watched as Maisey walked over to assist a young woman in light blue leggings and a matching top. Maisey rested her hand on the middle of the woman’s back, easing her over into the bend. Whoever this student was, she had one nice ass.

  Nick coughed because the tea had gone down the wrong way. There were a lot of nice asses in the class today but for some reason, this one now acted like a beacon to him. She wasn’t skinny but curvy and round, and the type of lady he loved best. Maisey had moved on to the next student, but Nick was fixated on the lady with the blue leggings. Something was happening. His blood was rushing around his body, and all his nerve endings were suddenly ignited. If he didn’t control himself, he’d shift right here.

  Had he found his mate perhaps? Was she the young woman in the blue leggings?

  Putting his nose in the air, he took a deep breath, amazed that it was human he smelled and not wolf scent that was coming off her body and exciting him. She held her position, ass in the air, him turning harder with each second she held it there. She was the first human that had ever caught his interest. First one to give him a hard-on.

  Something had to be wrong with him. He touched his forehead to make sure he didn’t have a temperature. Nope, he was perfectly all right. Having a human as his intended mate wasn’t in his plans. No one besides another wolf shifter would do. He’d have to fight this.

  “Okay, if you want to, come out of your poses and have a good stretch. After that we’ll cool down,” said Maisey walking back to the front of the classroom.

  He watched as the human stood back up and raised her arms in the air. She turned his way so she could stretch her back. Wow, she was gorgeous. He quickly reminded himself he didn’t do humans. However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t watch one.

  “And take a deep breath. Hold it for five seconds. And now let it go,” said Maisey.

  Nick took another sip of his tea but realized in his obsession with watching the human he’d let it get cold. His lips puckered.

  “That’s it for today, see you on Thursday. Namaste,” continued Maisey.

  Human picked up her water bottle and towel and walked toward him. Her scent got stronger. Human perspiration mixing with some tantalizing perfume that made his cock stand up and take notice. Only his intended mate was supposed to do that. He looked directly at her as she passed by, but she totally ignored him. A female had never done that to him before. If she was supposed to be his mate, she’d know it too.

  Arrogant human.

  Maisey slapped him on the arm making him jump and spill the remaining tea down the front of his jacket.

  “And which one of my students has gotten you so worked up?” she asked.

  “What are you talking about?”

  She pointed to his crotch. His erection was on full display. He pulled on the front of his pants, hoping to hide it, but it was of little use. He wasn’t small in that department and when he got excited, man oh man, the whole world usually knew about it.

  “Spill the beans, which woman did that to you?” she asked.

  “Wasn’t a woman.”

  “So it was one of the guys. Let me think which one of my students you’d be attracted to. It has to be Brian.”

  “Maisey King, you know damn well I’m not into men.”

  She burst out laughing. He knew she loved to tease him. In all honesty, he liked to do the same to her. Nothing better than business partners who could have some fun together.

  “Tell me which one or I’ll assume you are and you know I can’t keep secrets very well.” She had that naughty grin on her face. It was either admit the truth or pay the consequences.

  “The one with the blue leggings.”

  There it was out.

  “Blue leggings…ooh, you mean Ava.”

  Oh damn, even her name sounded sexy.

  “You know she’s human, right?” asked Maisey.

  “Sure I do. I could smell her a mile away.”

  “But you hate humans.”

  Nick looked around. Hopefully no one had overheard that last comment. Well, at least not any nonshifters.

  “Could you have said that any louder? We’re supposed to be humans too, in case you’ve forgotten,” he told her.

  “Nope, I never forget that. However, it’s true. You think they’re all strange and can’t be totally trusted.”

  “When have I ever said that?”

  “Nick Pearson, name one human friend you have.”

  “Th
ere’s… what’s his name, and how about that guy, can’t think of his name either.”

  She was right. He didn’t make friends with humans but kept his circle of buddies to shifters and not just the wolf kind. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to make friends with humans, but not having to be on guard around someone, watching what you said, what you did, made life so much easier.

  “I don’t hate them, it’s just I don’t like them that much.”

  “However, you’ve found this one attractive so maybe you’re weakening. Maybe there’s hope for you yet. Lucas and I should throw a dinner party and invite both you and her so you can get to know one another.”

  “You know her?”

  “Only through the yoga classes. She’s been attending for the last few weeks. She’s from out of town. She’s a journalist working on some local stories so she could be very lonely and in need of some company.”

  “Besides staring at her, and yes, getting a hard-on, I’m not really interested so don’t go to any trouble on my account.”

  “She’ll be back here tomorrow because she’s scheduled for a massage at one p.m. followed by a waxing down you know where,” said Maisey pointing to her crotch. “Now there’s a thought to leave you with. Ava on the spa table, legs spread wide apart and getting her pussy area waxed.”

  He almost came right then and there. Maisey looked at his crotch and laughed.

  “Yep, thought that image would ease your erection.” She patted him on the arm again and headed out of the classroom.

  One p.m. tomorrow. Suppose it wouldn’t hurt to take just another look.

  Chapter Two

  Ava headed out of the showers and wrapped the towel around her. She’d purposely not looked directly at the hunky guy standing in the doorway of the yoga classroom. He looked too sure of himself and she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was checking him out. She’d learned a painful lesson early in life that good-looking men were nothing but trouble. They should be avoided at all costs. So how come she was thinking about this one almost an hour after first setting eyes upon him?

  She knew why. Dark hair, tall, muscular, and a strong jawline which was always a good sign. And one hell of an erection. Yes, she caught a sly glance at it. What woman couldn’t be tempted by a good-looking guy with a hard-on? The question that had burned in her brain for the last hour was had she caused it?

  He’d certainly been checking her out. Ava had first spied him when she’d bent over to get into her downward facing dog pose and looked between her legs to see him propping up the doorjamb.

  There were other attractive women in the class, some a good fifty pounds lighter than her, but hunky, self-assured man with huge erection hadn’t been checking out anyone else but her. How did she know that as a fact? On the job training in being aware of all situations at all times. Do it or die, her instructor had once told her.

  She pulled her jeans and sweater out of the locker and slipped on her underwear. While she wasn’t in town for pleasure, that didn’t mean she had to live like a cloistered nun.

  Ava stepped into her jeans and zipped them up. She’d protested about being sent out to what seemed like the middle of nowhere. Been pissed when she’d been handed an assignment that reminded her of something from the old TV show The X-Files while others got more plum assignments. However, she’d soon learned that all was not lost. She’d found this place that had one of the greatest yoga instructors she’d ever met. And judging by all the women’s pubic regions she’d slyly spotted while they’d been changing after showering, this place offered the best waxing job on earth. Now the icing on the cake was she’d spotted the best-looking guy she’d ever seen, and if her instincts were correct, there was definite interest on his part.

  She’d never had sex while on assignment but then she’d never run into a guy like good-looking, self-assured man with huge erection before. She flicked the back of her left hand with the index finger and thumb of her right one. She was getting ahead of herself here and needed to come back down to earth. Good looks meant proceed with extreme caution.

  Ava headed out of the locker rooms and walked by the reception desk. Okay, she was only human and yes, she was looking for him. He was nowhere in sight, which was good right? Just like not buying the tub of ice cream and the bag of Doritos in the first place? Don’t have them in the house so you can’t get tempted.

  The cold air smacked her in the face as she headed outside. Inside had been toasty warm and she’d just wanted to curl up and read a good book. Pulling her coat collar up around her neck and ears, she made her way to the parking lot.

  She opened the door on the rental car, grabbed the brush she’d purchased for cleaning the snow, and went to work clearing the dusting that had fallen while she’d been at her class. Finally she got in, turned on the ignition, and put the heat on full blast. She rubbed her hands together in front of the grille.

  It had been a year ago since Mike had called time on their relationship.

  “You’re married to your job and I’m always going to come second.”

  He was right. She’d worked her ass off to get where she was and it was to make up for lost time.

  A whole year without sex.

  Good-looking guy sprang into her mind again. Yeah, she wouldn’t mind doing the wild thing with him.

  Chapter Three

  Nick circled the parking lot of Downward Facing Wolf. He’d already parked, left, but was now back again. He knew he should be working. Looking for his next great investment instead of keeping his eye on this one. Maisey was doing a fine job with that and he had nothing to worry about. However, that wasn’t why he was hanging around the place for the second day in a row.

  Damn it.

  He finally gave in and pulled into one of the employee parking spaces in front of the building. The clock on the car’s dashboard told him that Ava AKA sexy human with cute ass would be in the spa section of Downward Facing Wolf getting massaged. He looked at his hands, imagining them roaming over her skin, thrilling her, exciting her, and hopefully making her beg for more.

  Nick shook his head. Not even a woman of his own kind had ever worked him up quite like this. He turned on the ignition ready to leave, and this time leave for the day and not come back until the end of the week when he usually visited Maisey to see how things were going.

  Nick turned off the car’s engine.

  Shit, these humans get into your mind. Craziest thing was he hadn’t even talked to her yet. For all he knew he could be fantasizing about a total bitch.

  He jumped when he heard someone tapping on the car window. It was Maisey. He pressed the button and the glass slid downward.

  “Didn’t you see me? I was right behind you. What the hell were you doing? You pulled out of the lot, and then you came back in. You looked like you’d not only lost your way but your mind too. What’s going on?”

  “I forgot something, but then I realized I had it after all,” said Nick.

  Dear God, the lies were rolling off his tongue. Is this what humans caused you to do? They made you become an idiot who lied to your best friends?

  “Ava is now having her massage,” said Maisey. She had that grin on her face again. The one that said I know you better than you know yourself.

  “Who?” asked Nick.

  She reached inside the car and slapped his arm. “You know who.”

  He snapped his fingers. “Oh, yeah, now I remember. The human in the blue leggings.”

  “Why don’t you come inside and I’ll introduce you once she gets done with her treatment?”

  “No, I have lots of other things to do.”

  He was nervous like a teenager with a bad crush and knew he’d probably get tongue-tied the first time he spoke to her.

  “Yeah, like drive in and out of parking lots all day.”

  Maisey had the car door open before he could protest.

  “Come on, I have a feeling that I can finally fulfill my promise of finding you a woman. You
know how I hate letting people down, so this will make me very happy.”

  “Maisey, I appreciate your effort, really I do, but I’m not interested in dating a human.”

  “Sure you are and no one’s going to hold it against you. Look at all the bear shifters now happily married to their humans and some with babies on the way.”

  “We wolves are different.”

  “No, we’re not and don’t use it as an excuse. Now out you get before I have to drag your cute ass out of this car.”

  One of the reasons he’d chosen to back Maisey’s business idea was her tenacity and “I won’t take no for an answer” attitude. A bit like a dog, or her in case, a wolf with a bone. Yeah, members of the canine family could be downright stubborn at times. Himself included.

  There was no fighting it so he’d just do as she asked. Nick got out of the car and followed her inside the building. The spa section was directly ahead.

  “I have to get one of the rooms set up for the prenatal yoga class, but I’ll be right back, so no running away,” said Maisey.

  She was bossy, but sometimes that quality was all that was needed to succeed in the business world. He sat in the reception area and pulled out a magazine. This actually would be the perfect time to run and escape, but he knew Maisey. She’d hunt him down which was real easy for a wolf. It’s what they did best. He shook his head, knowing she had a heart of gold and only meant well. He heard Jill’s voice talking to another woman in the spa area and he guessed it was Ava.

  “You want me to slot you in for next Tuesday?”

  “Perfect because I have my yoga class at one p.m.”

  “Okay, you’re all set. Vicki should be ready for your waxing if you want to go to the third door on the left.”

  Waxing. Yeah, human women needed to be waxed in their nether regions. Lucky thing for the business because it was one way for Downward Facing Wolf to make some extra money.