I cut him off. Helen does not have a clue about the world I inhabit, any talk of the Spanish Mafia is likely to make her hair curl and well, supernatural beings… I am definitely sure she thinks they are comic book fodder. I would not have believed it myself if I did not have first-hand experience in dealing with werewolves.
“Alpha Manzitti, don’t worry. Mrs Jefferson is as green as the grass, she is safe, she doesn’t know about my identity and she certainly doesn’t know about yours.”He gives a small chuckle. “That is not what I am concerned about but thank you for the insight. She applied for a lease car; however, she does not seem to be aware of her current financial situation.” I cut him off again. “Just send the bill to me, I will cover it.” I can feel he is becoming annoyed by my interruption, but I am eager to get on the phone and rub Brad “Shit for Brains” Suarez’s nose in the fact that he is not needed here. “This will be quicker if you let me say what I have to before you interrupt me.”What an arrogant ass. “I am sorry, Alpha Manzitti, please continue.” I spit the words out through my teeth; diplomacy is draining. Maybe Brad can deal with that side of things, he’s the sort of man who likes kissing butts.“I have gifted the car myself. However, I am presuming, seeing as you loaned her your car and have offered to foot her bill, that she is your friend. And as her friend, you may want to know there is a massive loan against her house in Mr Jefferson’s name and it’s about to be repossessed.”Shit. That will be Alan fucking Jefferson’s doing yet again.“She said she is married. Can her husband sort this for her?” Oh, trust him to think she needs a man to sort this out for her, it is a bloody man that got her in this mess. “No, as per usual he is a useless piece of shit, but do not worry, Helen’s got me. So, are we straight then, Alpha Manzitti?” I am getting the feeling he is stalling but I cannot think of a reason why. “I just wanted to verify her reference. She said she works for you so if you can tell me her job, when she works, her pay scale and how long she has worked with you and then send me a short paragraph about her for our files, I will then leave you to your important work.”I tell him I will email it over tonight and that I will see Helen tonight at work so I’ll smooth things over with her then. “She’ll be working tonight?” Why is he so interested? “Yes, she works until 6pm on Tuesdays updating memberships and payment details. Is there something I need to know about, Alpha Manzitti?” “No, no. I will let you get back to your work. Please pass on my respectful regards to your father and I’ll look forward to your reference, Ms Morales. Goodbye.” I end the call and I am just about to impatiently call Brad to gloat about Alpha Manzitti calling to apologise when I realise something.Did that hairy stinking mutt say he has gifted my best friend Helen a car? Why would he do that? He best not think this gives him one over us… but why else would the Alpha of one of the most powerful packs in the country give a club Membership Clerk a free fucking car unless he thought it would help him gain favour with the most powerful mob in over fifty years?I need to talk to Helen.*** Manzitti ***
As I cut the call with Halle Morales, I feel Beta Ivan and Gamma Ellis looking at me.“What?”They continue to stare at me expectantly.“Why are you staring at me?”“Are you going to go get her, Alpha? Your mate? Now you know she isn’t Mafia that should make the roads clear for you to make a move, shouldn’t it?” Gamma Ellis’ naivety and inexperience are showing yet again.“She is married to another human. The rules are different because she is human, Gamma Ellis, I cannot just claim her. I have to get her to agree to be mine. I know she felt something, but there won’t be any obvious mate bond to prove to her that I am the other half of her soul.” I think back to our encounter earlier today. The moment she slapped me, Roman started pouting and whining and her angry words echoed around the showroom.“No, I am fucking not. I belong to no one”. She shouts at me with her tiny hand still raised, ready to attack again should she need to.Her cheeks are flushed with indignation and I see a spark of fury in her eyes. Goddess, she pleases me so much.She is tiny, about 5ft 2in with thick brown hair that’s tied up in a high ponytail like she just came from the gym. She has sultry blue eyes which are mostly obscured by a big pair of thick-rimmed glasses. Her lips, her pink kissable lips, are soft like rose petals.“I am so sorry; I have been taking some medication for back pain and it’s made me act a bit peculiar. Please accept my apology and come straight through while we get your car sorted and get you some refreshments.”I project my Alpha aura, so everyone else backs off. She follows me into the office, and as I pull her chair out, I get another blast of her alluring scent. It's only when I take my chair on the other side of the table that I notice her wedding ring. Come on, Moon Goddess… cut me a break! And yet when I fill out the application with her there is very little mention of a husband even with my inconspicuous prodding. She does not request a joint applicant, she does not specify another adult living with her, her mortgage is all her own and there is no income detailed for her spouse. So apart from the ring on her finger, there was nothing to say she is a taken woman. She tells me she works for her friend Halle and my heart sinks. If she is connected to the Spanish Mafia, this is bad news. The issue with the car is cleared up as she tells me her car broke down and she borrowed Halle’s. If I had maintained better control over Roman and had not kissed her without permission, I might have been able to question her further about her relationship status. There is a part of me that wants to throw her over my shoulder and take her to bed and keep her there forever; however, she is human. There aren’t going to be any shortcuts if I want her to be mine. I want the ground to swallow me up when Slayne and Ivan show up, especially when Slayne comes storming into the showroom screaming like a banshee about someone slapping the Alpha. I am never going to live this down, especially after all the crap I have given Ivan about my sister over the years. When I get back to the office, my mate, Helen asks, “Is that your name? Alpha? It’s very unusual, isn’t it?” I cannot help but grin at her. “It’s a nickname, you know, because I am the boss. My name is Manzitti, Manzitti Goldrick.” I hold my hand out to her for her to shake and get those tingles I had been told about when you have contact with your mate. It is the most magical feeling in the world and I almost groan in satisfaction. I notice sparks crossing my palm and although she does not see it, I think she feels it. Her eyes widen when she looks up at me and it feels like time has frozen. Alpha ,she has failed the credit check and there is something you have got to see. I tell them I do not care, just give her the car. I will settle it. Alpha, the car is being arranged right now but honestly you have got to see this. I do not bother to hide my annoyance at being interrupted. “This best be good… What is so important?” I look at Helen’s financial report and my heart sinks for her. There is over £60,000 of secured loans defaulted on all against her house. All in the name of Alan Jefferson. She must have agreed to be guarantor for him, and now he has not paid them back which means she will lose her home. What sort of man is he? He should be cherishing her and providing for her not leaving her in dire straits. I stride back into the office. “Here are your keys, can you arrange for someone to collect your other car?” She looks at me, stunned, and I am mesmerised by how cute she is. “Just like that?” she asks in her sweet voice, amazement etched on her face. She smiles at me; she is completely and utterly irresistible. I am desperate to kiss her again, but I have learned from last time I have to wait and be patient. “Just like that!” I agree and I am rewarded with another dazzling smile from the most beautifully alluring woman I have ever met. She accepts the keys from me and as she goes to leave, she turns back and says, “Thank you, Alpha.” Fuck… I am in big trouble, my cock is already throbbing in need for her, my Helen. My Mate. MINE!*** Helen *** As I drive along in my new car, I feel like things are looking up, I feel lighter, more confident and it gives me a new determination to get my affairs in order. I want Alan out of my life. I do not want to live like this anymore and I am not tolerating him coming into my house whenever the fancy takes him when he is sleeping with someone else. I have tried desperately to give him a chance to be in Summer’s life but he is not interested. He has made it clear since the day I found out I was pregnant that he does not want to be a father. I thought once Summer was here, he would change his attitude, but everything was so sour between us, he didn’t even try to love her. I know I have pushed this because of my own lack of father growing up. I have tried and tried to get Alan to accept our daughter, but enough is enough. How could he not even love his own flesh and blood? I suppose his reaction to me being pregnant in the first place should have warned me that this was not
*** Melanie *** I have never seen Alan as angry as he is now. He is stomping about my dining room, ranting and raving about Helen and how she is trying to ruin his life. When I first started seeing Alan, I knew he was married but I saw him as fair game. I knew both him and Helen before they got together. At the time Alan and I had been seeing each other in secret and we carried on sleeping together even after he became involved with Helen. He told me he was seeing her as a bet with his friend Luke and I believed him. It broke my heart when he married her a few months later. I walked away from him and had a couple of children with another man, but I thought about Alan every day. He was my first love and I thought he had loved me back. I didn’t see him for almost three years and then out of the blue he started drinking in the local pub where I was working. It wasn’t long before he was fucking me against the rubbish bins in the alley behind the pub. He told me all about Helen, how s
*** Aivi ***My time to prove myself has come.My Alpha has identified his Luna, his fated mate, and I am going to bring them together. I overheard the Alpha on the phone saying that his mate finishes work at 6pm so I am going to retrieve her. I know my Alpha will be thankful to have this sorted out with very little trouble, so I have decided to take this off his hands.I know they see me as some stupid kid, they don’t see me as their equal, but I am determined to prove I deserve my place among the elite and by capturing my Luna I am so sure they will see that too.I recruit a couple of my Gamma Guard to help me and we take one of the pack vans with us. I tell the guys she is human, and we cannot give away that we are werewolves.My plan is to get her to the cells and explain to her that she must accept my boss as her new lover and then I can release her. As we sit in wait for our future Luna to come out, I visualise the awards and accolades I will get as a reward for delivering the
*** Helen *** I am terrified. I am travelling in a vehicle with a sack over my head and my hands and feet are bound. I can hear voices but I do not recognise them. My head hurts where they banged it, although I think this was done by accident. I heard one of them remind the others that I was to be delivered alive and well and unharmed. Delivered where? And where was Summer? Who was looking after my little girl? Am I about to meet my maker? If it was just me in this world, I could cope with dying, that would be okay. But I am all Summer has, I have to look after my little girl, I need to get free and get back to being her mummy. Nothing else matters. After what feels like hours, the vehicle comes to a stop and my capturer starts to lift me again. I can hear voices whispering. “Are you sure this is the right one, Aivi? She is so small, how can she be his match?” “Shush, you big idiot, you just said my name. and yes, this is definitely the right woman, I saw her myself.” I start t
*** Alan ***Helen is taking the piss big time. After I finish fucking Mel, I head for a shower and start to change into my shirt and suit. Now I know Halle Morales has some goons looking out for me in town, I am having to go out of town to go to the casino.Mel brings me the shirt she had ironed for me and as I put my arms into the sleeves, my phone starts to ring. It is an unknown number.“Hello, is that Mr Jefferson? This is Sunny Days Daycare. Helen hasn’t come to collect Summer and she is not answering her calls, could you please come and collect her? We closed over an hour ago and it’s not like Helen to be late.”Am I hearing right? “Erm, no, I can’t. Why are you calling me?” I ask incredulously.The line goes quiet. “I am sorry, Mr Jefferson, this is Summer's father, right?”“No. No it's not, so I suggest you call Helen back and tell her she looks after her kid or she can go to child services. Do not phone this number again. That kid has nothing to do with me.” I cut the call
*** Summer *** Oooo, it smells good, like strawberries and pancakes. But the lady keeps looking at me and smiling and I do not want to smile yet. I miss my mummy; my mummy smiles a lot and sings songs, and we have fun. I miss my dollies and my teddy bears but mostly I miss mummy. My jammies are all wrong and my bed was too big and there is no light. Mummy always leaves a light for me so the monsters cannot get me, but the lady says, “Shush and time for sleeps.” She didn’t do story time either. The lady puts the pancake in front of me, but she doesn't cut it like mummy does. “Don’t cry sweetheart, we are going to take good care of you.” “I want my mummy”. *** Manzitti *** As I try to approach Helen, she backs up away from me as much as the cuffs allow her. She looks badly beaten and my heart feels hollow at the sight of her injuries. How will I ever get her to agree to be mine now? She will never want to see me again after this and I do not blame her. "I just want to release yo
*** Ivan ***Alpha orders us all out of the cells and I feel so bad for him. His mate will never trust any of us now. I know Manzitti, this will be fucking killing him. He would have tried to be patient with his tiny mate and, as much as it would have tormented him, he would have taken it slow for her. Now he has met her and felt the bond, like I have, he would have done whatever it took to win her over.He would have wanted to get to know Helen and allow her time to get to know him but Gamma Aivi has fucked that up royally. And the sacred trust and relationship between Luna and Gamma will never be there now; well, not while he is still Gamma. Both myself and Manzitti told the elders Aivi was not ready but because his father had been the Gamma and had died in service, they had been insistent that he take his father’s place. Now look at what that sentimentality has caused.“Slayne, I am just going to change my clothes so I am ready if Manzitti needs me.” She smiles at me, and my heartb
*** Helen ***I am kind of hurt that Manzitti did not at least attempt to peek at me while I was in the shower. I faced him the entire time just in case he did, and he never once moved and as time went by, I started to feel more and more self-conscious. Maybe the mate thing doesn’t necessarily mean he is attracted to me sexually? I was sure I had seen desire in his eyes, and yet it’s been so long that I doubt myself now, I have obviously got it wrong. He doesn’t fancy me.I was scared of him leaving in case another wolf-man came in. They are so big and strong, yet they look completely human. My options were pretty clear to me. I could get showered and dressed alone and in fear, or I could ask Manzitti to stand guard with his back to me and not be afraid.I suppose I have to be honest and admit… I did want him to want to look at me. I feel the connection between us, and I can’t explain it, it's unlike anything I have ever experienced before. My body is by no means anything to write hom
FANEI grabbed another crate of flowers and put them in the cooler. The door to the shop opened and Thorne walked in carrying two more.“Where do you want these?”“Are those the daffodils or the baby’s breath?” I asked.He glanced inside the crate and made a face. “This one is baby’s breath, and this one looks like curly twigs.”I laughed. “They’re curly willow tips.” I pointed to where Liv stood at another cooler. “Let Liv have them. They go in that one.”He walked her way, and I stared at him, still blown away that he was mine. It had only been two weeks since the night at my apartment when I asked him to stay after everything with Brooks happened, but it felt like we’d always been together. There was an ease with Thorne I had never felt with Brooks.Life was magical with him.Liv took the crates from Thorne, and then I noticed her checking her watch. That had to be the tenth time in the last few minutes. When she chewed the inside of her cheek—her telltale sign she was nervous—I kn
THORNE Nadine had asked me to stay the night, which was more confirmation she wasn’t freaked out by my wolf. This meant everything. My wolf vibrated with triumph. He’d expected things to go this smoothly, though.After all, he had already known she was his mate.He also had high hopes for what would happen between us tonight, and as I walked up the stairs to her apartment, I growled at him mentally. Nothing would happen tonight. Not unless Fane initiated it. She’d been through a lot and I would push for nothing.When we reached her front door, she glanced at me and smiled. I caught sight of the purple bruise shading her cheek and any sexual thoughts fled my mind and my wolf’s.My vision tunneled, and red rage flared through me instead.My teeth gritted together as I tried my damnedest to force my anger away, reminding myself she was safe, and that there was no way Brooks would ever hurt her again. It didn’t help.“What?” she asked, innocently.“You need ice,” I said. “Let’s head ins
FANE Either Brooks had passed out or he was being really quiet. Goose bumps prickled across my skin, but not in a good way. I gripped my cell tight and shifted my gaze from window to window. Thankfully, my apartment was above my sister’s garage and not at ground level, which meant there was no way for Brooks to climb through any of the back windows. If he got inside, it would be through either of the two windows alongside the front door or through the door itself.Even knowing this, my anxiety was still through the roof.I’d never seen Brooks like this before. Typically, he was controlled while in the public eye, and he rarely let himself get this drunk unless we were home. My heart beat triple time against my ribs, becoming the only thing I could hear. Until the sound of a motorcycle broke through everything.Thorne.Tension melted from my muscles, and my grip on my cell loosened. I pulled in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, glad he was here. When it sounded as though he’d pulle
THORNE We walked to where we parked by the light of Fane’s flashlight on her phone. I didn’t need it, but I didn’t say so. Thanks to my wolf, I could see just fine in the dark.As soon as we reached her car, she spun around to face me and I knew what words were building on the tip of her tongue.“Nope,” I said with a shake of my head. “I don’t want to hear you say you’re sorry for the things that happened tonight or thank you to me again.”She smiled. Damn, she was pretty when she smiled.“Okay, so what do you want to hear me say, then?” she asked, and I swore she was flirting with me.I liked this side of her. This flirty, confident side that came out from time to time.It was sexy as hell.I took her hand and brought it to my lips, kissing along her knuckles while staring into her eyes. Her pupils dilated and my wolf picked up on a light scent of arousal. He released a howl and urged me to kiss her like before. I didn’t. A kiss on the hand was what she needed right now.Someone to b
FANE When Thorne pulled into a gas station, I assumed it was because he needed gas for his motorcycle, but when he parked in a space instead of at a pump, I realized that wasn’t the case. I pulled into the parking space beside him, wondering what we were doing here.“I’m heading inside for something. Be right back,” he said, sliding off his bike, looking sexy as hell.I leaned against my seat and exhaled a slow breath while watching him walk inside. This day had been a roller coaster. My teeth sank into my bottom lip as my thoughts drifted from one moment to another. I glanced at my wrist. It was still wrapped like Thorne suggested. While it was tender to the touch, I was glad I’d gone through with covering up Brooks’ name. I wanted nothing to do with him ever again.Thorne came back, his presence pulling me from my thoughts. There was a six-pack in his hand and a lopsided grin on his face. I smiled back, but narrowed my eyes.What did this guy have up his sleeve? He looked like he w
THORNE I hated Brooks. He was like a pimple that popped up at the most inconvenient time. Fane and I had been having a good time before he’d rudely interrupted us. Our thank-you drink was becoming a celebratory one. It was great she’d worked out a deal with May and was buying May’s Flowers. It was a beautiful thing when someone knew what they wanted to do with their life and made it happen.And then here was this douchebag tripping her up.Fane was moving forward, but he kept pulling her back.“Can we go?” she asked, looking directly at me. There was fear in her eyes. Clearly, she’d seen this side of him before.“Yeah, sure,” I said without hesitation. Bars weren’t really my scene, anyway.I tossed a twenty on the bar to pay for our drinks, even though she said she would buy, and gave Joe a nod before lacing my fingers through Fane’s and steering us toward the exit.“Holy shit!” Brooks shouted from behind us, causing my wolf to go on high alert. He’d picked up on Brooks’ anger escala
FANE I walked toward the doors of Last Drop, my mind racing. I couldn’t believe I’d asked Thorne Beckett out for a drink. It was a bold move, but after everything with Brooks and my tire, it felt right. Thorne had helped me more than he could ever know today.“Fane,” a familiar voice called from behind me while I walked through the parking lot.I spun around to see Thorne weaving his way toward me.“Hey, you came,” I said, unsure why.“Of course I did. You offered to buy me a drink.”“Right, that I did.” Ugh. I sounded like a complete idiot!“I’m kidding. I would have come even if you hadn’t offered to buy me a drink,” he said, still sauntering toward me. An adorable grin hung from his lips, one that sent butterflies through the pit of my stomach.Thorne was hot—smoking hot.I scolded myself for the thought. This wasn’t a date. It was me buying him a drink because he’d helped me with my shitty Brooks issues more than once today. I shouldn’t feel butterflies while in his presence.“Re
THORNE Nadine was scared. I could tell. And it was driving my wolf wild. He didn’t like smelling her fear saturating the air around us. All he wanted was for me to fix it. To comfort her and make her feel better.The problem was, I didn’t know how.Talking to her and getting her mind off her asshole ex seemed like the way to do it, but I didn’t know what to say. My mind was drawing a complete blank, and it didn’t help that my wolf was pulling me in multiple directions. While he wanted me to stay here with her, to protect her and make sure she was okay, he also wanted me to track Brooks down and make him bleed for hurting her.I had an internal battle waging inside me, tearing me in two.I outlined the last petal of her lotus and then cleaned her skin. The shop door opened as I covered her tattoo with plastic wrap and secured it. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know who had entered. I could tell from the way Fane’s fear intensified in the air and how her body tensed.Brooks
FANE I found a parking space on Main Street and cut the engine of my car. To say I was excited to get Brooks’ name covered with a lotus flower was an understatement.However, I was also excited to see Thorne.As I thought about the conversation we’d had on the phone the other night when I called to book my appointment, I wondered for the millionth time if he’d cared that I had shortened his name to Cal.I hoped not.I exhaled a slow breath as I slid out of my car and made my way down the sidewalk toward Inked Wolf. When I spotted Ms. Lynette on the bench beneath the clock tower in town square, I smiled and waved at her. She motioned for me to come over, so I headed in her direction. There was still ten or fifteen minutes before my appointment with Thorne. It was enough time to say a quick hello to her and then make my way back across the street.“Hello, Ms. Lynette,” I said when I reached her.She held up her index finger. “I have something for you,” she said, before rummaging throug