Prologue – Strangers Passing Through

JONDA

One Month ago.

I left the Kodiak Kingdom early today, not wanting to outstay my welcome. I was disappointed but not surprised that Morgan couldn’t reverse the curse. I had hoped to gain my wolf fully.

They say you can’t miss what you never had, but that’s an outright lie. I had a wolf, one that was bound inside me, one that was there but I couldn’t communicate with her. I couldn’t shift and I couldn’t use her abilities. I was almost as good as human. I was faster than a human, had better hearing, and healed better than a human could. But I wasn’t a shifter, not even close.

I longed for the day I could meet my wolf and shift. Run through the forest and feel the wind in her fur. It never bothered me as much as it has since I met Mike. The Royal Beta to the werewolf kingdom.

I know we weren’t fated mates, if we were then he and his wolf would know. But that didn’t stop us from falling in love. He wanted to take me as his chosen mate, and I wanted that too. Almost as much as I wanted my wolf.

The truth is - and only the gods know how much I love Mike - I wasn't convinced I love him as much as he loves me.

There's always this niggling voice in the back of my mind 'you are not his true mate, what if he finds her, where does that leave you?'

I stopped just outside of the Kingdom’s borders, finding a motel to stay in for the night, prolonging my journey back to the Moon Kingdom. Back to Mike. A shithole of a tavern is attached to the motel, and I find myself sitting at the bar drowning my sorrows. Very un me. I don’t do pity, never had. I have always taken what I have and excelled with what I was given. Always looking forward and not dwelling on the what ifs.

I didn’t really start to second-guess myself until I met Mike.

I knew I wasn’t good enough for him, and I felt ashamed that I didn’t have my wolf and would be useless to the Pack without her. When he marks me, I will become the mate of a Royal Beta. A mate who lacks the very essence of what it is to be a werewolf.

The door to the tavern opens. I glance up, having a perfect view from where I'm sitting of the tavern door. My eyes land on a man with the most perfect build I could have imagined. He’s handsome; with dirty blond hair on the lighter side. The cut of his jaw is sharp and sturdy. His muscular frame is lean and strong.

A heat builds and something inside me deep down stirs, causing a sensation to build between my legs. I clamp them together as heat pools between them. The instant reaction to the attraction of the mystery man takes me by surprise and I draw in a long breath. I down my whisky and held my glass up to the bartender. "Another,” I tell him, and he comes, pouring the rustic amber liquid into my glass.

I turn and face the back wall behind the bar, catching my reflection in the mirror behind the glass bottles lined up. I look tired, defeated. I take another sip of my drink and reach my hand up to smooth my chestnut brown hair.

A shiver runs down my spine when the woodsy smell of aftershave hits my nostrils. So manly and alluring. I turn my head to the right. The Man who I was eyeing takes a seat on a stool three spots down from me. That heat rises again, and my thighs rub together.

What is wrong with me? I have the most perfect guy ever waiting for me at home, yet here I am reacting to this mystery guy. I shake the dirty thoughts from my mind and avert my eyes.

Just finish your drink and go back to your room. I tell myself, feeling like a little girl with a silly crush.

I shouldn’t be having these unsavory thoughts about another man. I was committing myself to Mike and I love him. I do. I don’t have to convince myself of that. My heart flutters for Mike, drives me crazy and it’s the best sex I have ever had in my life with him. He is kind and patient, but a beast when he needs to be and a beast in bed when I want him to be. Again, I shudder in pleasure, this time at the image of Mike making love to me, how good he makes me feel, and how he fills me up.

Mike makes me happy in a way I have never felt. Still, that thought that one day he won’t want me if he finds his true mate crawls back into my mind causing doubt to course through me all over again.

The bartender places a glass in front of me, filled with the same whisky I am drinking. “I didn’t order that,” I tell him.

“Compliments from your admirer,” He tips his head down the bar and I follow his gaze. My eyes landed on the hunk who had me aroused just minutes before.

The hunk looks at me, our eyes meeting and I swoon at those deep sexy green eyes. Fuck is he hot. I feel my face flush embarrassingly with the thought. I lift the glass and tip it to him in a thank you. He nods and winks at me. Picking up his own glass and doing the same.

I feel edgy - excitable. Strange. I sip my drink and stare at the contents swirling in my glass, trying to shake these unwanted feelings from me. I resolved to knock back the drink the handsome stranger brought me. Slamming the glass down on the bar top.

I stand grabbing my purse, ready to head back to my hotel room. An early night and an early start in the morning for my long drive back to the Moon Kingdom.

“Leaving early?” A deep sexy voice has been halting in my tracks.

I pause and look toward the voice, the handsome stranger’s eye’s me with a sinful glint. The heat rises in me again, and an ache throbs between my thighs.

I blink, once, twice, before I can conjure a coherent thought. I smile sweetly at the sexy stranger “Long drive, early start tomorrow, thank you for the drink.” I tell him, slinging the strap of my purse over my shoulder.

“Not from around here, huh?” He sips his drink, my eyes tracking the bob of his throat as he swallows, and I lick my lips. He made the simple action look so sexy.

“No, just passing through.” My voice is strained and wispy, and I can’t figure out what the fuck is wrong with me. Why this stranger is having such an effect on me.

“Let me buy you another drink gorgeous?” He motions to the bartender, lifting his glass to indicate he wants a refill.

I really shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t, yet everything in me is screaming have another, stay and talk with the sexy man. “Thank you but I can’t.” I feel disappointed in myself for turning him down immediately.

This is crazy.

“Are you staying here?” He asks another question, keeping my feet from moving.

“Yeah.” I nod. Why did I tell him this? He may be hot as shit, but it’s dangerous for a single woman to be out in unknown lands by herself. It’s not as if I was in the best area either.

He sets his glass down gently, his eyes rake over my body, and I feel a blush creep across my face. The way he takes me in, slowly, and carefully, has my heart racing. “Let me walk you to your room. This is not a great area; A beautiful woman like yourself shouldn't be walking around alone at night.”

Say no. say no. I repeat in my head several times. “That’s ok, thanks though. Enjoy your night.” I make haste towards the door when I feel a hand grasp my elbow gently. Either way, the touch burns right through my clothes and heats my skin.

“I didn’t catch your name,” That sexy voice says lowly, his breath tickling my face as he leans in close.

“I didn’t give you one,” I reply. My own voice is breathy and almost panting as my heart speeds up, thumping against my chest.

“I’m going to follow you back to your room,” I stiffen at his words. Part of me was frightened, part of me turned on as all holy hell “Not because I’m a stalker but because I want to make sure you are safe.”

Moons, in one sentence this stranger has my panties wet and aching to be touched where the heat builds into a needy throb.

“Suit yourself,” I don’t know how I managed to sound calm and uncaring, but I did. I pulled my arm from his grasp and push the door open. The chill of the night air hits me, and the icy wind whips at my face.

Another reason I wish I had my wolf fully. I wouldn’t feel the cold like do now.

My room is seven doors down, I glance behind me as I approach it. Sure enough, the sinfully sexy stranger is behind me. Causally walking with his hands in his pockets, eyes on me.

I reach my door and I fumble for my key card. Nervous. “This is you?” I feel how close he stands behind me.

“Yeah,” I mumble pulling out my keycard and pressing it against the electronic door opener. The lock clicks open, and I turn to thank the stranger for watching out for my safety.

Whirling around, I find I’m at eye level with his chest. Words get stuck in my throat when I look up, meeting those alluring green eyes that bore into mine. He’s tall but not as tall as Mike, still, he towers over me. “Th-thank you” I stumble over my words as I take in his facial features. My gaze settling on those full lips I suddenly imagine devouring me.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. What am I thinking? I love Mike, I shouldn’t be having these thoughts about another man. I feel guilty yet my body is still reacting to the way his man is holding my eyes, devouring me with his look. Hungry and lustful.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on,” he says, searching my face. His expression is almost pained as if looking at me and not touching me is killing him.

I open my mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out. The next thing I know, his face is mere centimeters away from me and his lips are on mine. Brushing over them, then gently I feel them start to caress mine.

Holy shit. What is happening? I lift my arms to push against his chest, to push him away but find my fingers digging into his shirt and fisting them. Pulling him closer to me and sliding my tongue in his mouth. My brain is screaming how wrong this is, but I can't stop, it's like a magnet is pulling us together and I don't get a choice.

He groans I moan. The door to my room is wide open - the warmth inviting us in.

I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t stop. My mind and consciousness scream at me, but my body reacts and grinds against him as he pulls me flush against him and I can feel his arousal thick and hard.

“What’s your name gorgeous?” he breathes out between kissing me.

“Lisa” The lie slips out easily and he doesn’t seem to notice as his mouth covers mine once again.

Before I know it, my sweater is on the floor, my jeans are peeled down, our clothes are completely gone, and he has me against the wall rutting into me with such passion and vigor.

*****

RHETT

From the moment I walked into the shit hole of a bar, my eyes landed on the most gorgeous woman I had ever laid them on. Long chestnut hair that held deep tones of auburn. Her slender hand tipped the glass back against painted red lips. My eyes feasted on the simple action.

I took a seat a few stools down from her, not being able to turn my attention away from beauty for one second.

It has been a while since I had been with a woman, but every fiber of my being was aching to touch her. I sent her a drink, hoping it would entice a conversation.

When she stood up - grabbing her purse to leave, I couldn't not say anything.

I'm a red-hot-blooded man and my cock twitches at the sight of her bright and unique hazel eyes.

She turned me down for another drink and I just couldn't let it go. I couldn't let her go.

“I’m going to follow you back to your room,” She stiffened at my words. “Not because I’m a stalker but because I want to make sure you are safe.” Damn now I just sounded like a creep. I suppose I was being creepy and stalkerish, but I needed more time around her.

I didn’t understand it, but I went with my gut anyway.

So, like a lovesick puppy, I followed behind her, until she reached her room.

She had already turned me down, but the look in her eyes was telling me a completely different story from the words she was articulating. “So beautiful” I mummer, hungry to taste this beauty.

I watch her tongue dart out, moistening her bottom lip and without warning I find my lips caressing hers in a moment of thoughtless action.

Fuck she tasted so fine.

"What's your name gorgeous," I ask her again, breaking the kiss for a mere second.

"Lisa" I sense the lie. I don't care. I could find out her name later.

I crash my lips against hers again and her tongue sweeps into my mouth. My hands thread through her silky hair and I walk her backward into her room. Slamming the door shut with my heel.

Our hands are frantic, clumsily fumbling in a desperate attempt to remove the clothing between us that keeps me from having her. I'm out of control - never in my life have I felt this desperate with the need to be consumed by someone.

In moments, were naked and I have her pinned against the motel room door sinking into her warm and tight pussy. “Fuck you feel good” I groan sliding out and back into her.

It’s not enough. My mouth slides down, teeth nipping at her neck, tongue trailing behind and my lips suck her sweet and soft skin. My hips thrust desperately, bottoming out in her heat with each wild swing of them.

I can’t get enough. I plunge into her harder, sweat beads across my forehead and back, my eyes close tightly as I strain to hold back my release.

“Oh fuck, harder!” she moans, and fuck me if it’s not the most sexual thing I have ever heard.

I pull us away from the door, her legs clamping around my waist as I move us to the bed, collapsing on it. I don’t stop, not for a second. Still seated inside I pull almost all the way out then slam back into her heavenly pussy.

“Holy shit!” She gasps as I feel her clamp around my cock.

“That’s it, gorgeous, come for me.” My breathing is erratic, matching hers. “Fucking phenomenal” I moan, her release gushing around me. I fuck her through her orgasm and when her tight walls ease up, I flip her over. Her hips are in the air, and her glistening pussy is calling to my cock. I lined up and shoved back into her. The position allows me to feel her deeper and I shudder at the sensation of feeling so connected with her.

“Holy gods woman you feel so fucking fine!” I plow into her relentlessly.

I can’t breathe. The sound of skin slapping against skin creates a symphony with the deep thrum of our labored breathing. “Come for me again, sweetness, one more time.”

“Oh, my goddess,” She groans in pure ecstasy, her sounds muffled by the sheets.

I come with a growl at the same time she screams out her release. Spilling my seed inside her and feeling fulfilled like I never have before.

I pulled out, collapsing beside her on my stomach. The room is silent aside from our heavy panting, as we both try to catch our breath.

At some point my eyes drifted closed, I don’t even remember falling asleep. When I woke, I was alone. No sight of the girl who called herself Lisa.

She was gone. Slipped away while I slept off the most amazing sex I had ever had.

I was crestfallen.

I made it back to my own room, showered, and threw my bag in my truck. The whole way to the Clan Mansion I couldn’t get the thought of my one-night stand out of my head.

I hadn’t even given her my name, too desperate to be inside her. And she had given me a false one, I was sure of it.