The Rebound Mate

DEACON

Lucian had hired a car to take us to the only club in town. We’d gone there the first night we got here. Tonight, we went straight to the bar.

I ignored the eyes I felt on me. They could look, but I wouldn’t be going anywhere near them. Halo came close to the surface, but not close enough to be seen.

“There are some nice…” he muttered but stopped.

“What?” I asked, but the music tuned him out as he was about to say something. Never mind, then.

Lucian grabbed some beers and shots, and we headed to the VIP section of the club. Clearly, my alpha wanted to have a good night.

He’d hooked up with someone in the VIP section the last time we were here. Now he and Max leaned on the banister overlooking the dance floor. They were looking for their next fix.

I leaned back in the seat and let out a long breath. I took a swig of my beer as Lucian turned around and rolled his eyes at me.

“De, come on,” he said. “Have a look and find someone.”

I shook my head. “Not yet. I’ll look once I have had a few.”

I knew it was a lie, but I wasn’t sure what I really wanted to do.

“Suit yourself,” he said and turned back around.

I felt Halo move closer. His eyes bore into mine.

“You are being an old human,” he grumbled.

“I can’t help it. I’m tired. Everyone seems to forget that I train harder than most people and must keep our alpha safe.”

Halo sighed and sat on his hind legs. “Good point. But maybe tonight we will find our mate.”

I was slightly stunned. Halo and I had mentioned looking for our mate, but we were always too busy with pack business or attacks to even think about actually looking for her.

“Do you think she could be here?” I asked.

Halo said nothing.

“Halo, what aren’t you telling me?”

Halo shook his head.

“Look,” was all he said.

I got up and walked over to my friends, still hanging over the banister, to see who was in the club.

Max placed his arm around my shoulders, pulling me toward him. “Look, De. There are loads of gorgeous women here tonight.”

I had to admit Max was right. Something made me look over to the door as it opened, and in walked a woman with red hair. Max tensed, fixated on where I had been looking moments ago.

A gorgeous woman walked in through the door behind the red-haired one. I felt my mouth go dry as I watched her.

She was breathtaking.

Her revealing dress showcased her perfect breasts, not too big or too small. Long, slender legs stretched from beneath the short hem. She wore sexy high heels, and her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders.

She looked out of this world.

Fuck.

Halo moved closer.

“Mmm…” he murmured as he sniffed.

I sniffed, but the smell was a mixture of drink and sweat, not giving away anything else. I kept my eyes on the woman.

She walked to the bar and turned her back to me, but as my eyes landed on the back of her dress, my cock hardened.

Fuck!

It was backless.

My eyes grazed over her ass and down. My mind filled with an image of her on her back with her legs in the air, my face buried between her thighs. Making her writhe and scream under my tongue. The heels still on.

I needed to get down there to her.

“Shall we go down?” I shouted over the music as I turned to Max and Lucian.

Lucian grinned. “Found someone?”

My eyes returned to the gorgeous woman by the bar. Damn right, I had.

I would not leave this place until I had her underneath me, moaning.

***

SAMARA

The dress Ruby had given me was too short and really low-cut, revealing more skin than I liked. The style didn’t allow for a bra, so my breasts were on show. I felt self-conscious about my nipples poking through the fabric.

Then I reminded myself of the woman I’d seen in Ruby’s bathroom mirror. Sexy, gorgeous. Confident. I had to be her tonight.

“Let’s grab drinks first!” Ruby shouted over the music and tugged me toward the bar.

The club was full and smelled like an old gym sock, making me scrunch my nose. I wanted to gag on the stench. Facing the bar, I felt someone’s eyes on me, but I didn’t look around.

I wasn’t ready yet to make any moves on someone new, or honestly, have anyone make their moves on me.

Confidence! I had to remind myself again. I lifted my chin and tossed my hair. I knew I looked good. I was here tonight to have a good time and forget my troubles. Nothing was going to stand in my way.

Priya moved in my head on high alert. We could easily talk to each other in my mind despite the loud music, but she wasn’t talking.

“Here.” Ruby handed me a drink. “Sex on the Beach. Drink up!”

“Yum!”

Priya paced, chuffing low under her breath. Finally, I turned to find who I’d felt looking at me, but so many eyes had turned my way I couldn’t figure out who’d been the one to make the hairs on the back of my neck raise.

It was the dress. It had made me into someone new. Every man in the club was staring at me or Ruby. It was thrilling and a little confusing. I’d have to keep my wits about me.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I opened a mind-link to Ruby.

“I think so. My wolf is acting crazy, and I don’t know why.”

That was strange. Then, a thought came. I hated saying this word, especially after what had happened to me today, but it would explain why her wolf acted like she was.

“Do you think it’s your mate?”

Ruby’s eyes widened.

“I guess it could be,” she said out loud, leaning in to yell over the music. “I don’t want to look for him now though. Not when you need cheering up. Tonight’s all about you, girl!”

I didn’t want her to stop herself from possibly finding her mate because she was taking care of me. I loved her for wanting to protect me and make me feel better, but there was no way I was going to let her miss out.

“Why don’t we dance? I mean, he might come to you,” I hollered over the thumping beat.

Priya was still looking through my eyes. Ruby’s wolf wasn’t the only one acting strange tonight. Mine was too. She scanned the room as she paced and whined.

But I knew she wouldn’t find our mate. We had another two weeks to go until we turned twenty-one, which was the age when werewolves could start to recognize their mates.

“Dancing sounds like a good idea,” Ruby said, pulling me from my thoughts.

We downed our drinks and headed toward the dance floor just as a sexy song came on. I couldn’t help but move to the beat. The music filled me.

“Let yourself go.” Ruby’s voice filled my head as I let my body loosen up.

I let my eyes close as I swayed my hips to the music. I danced as Ruby came closer, placing her hands on my hips as I moved. If anyone was watching us, they were getting a hell of a show.

It was the most fun I’d had in a long time. My heart still hurt, but I laughed and spun on the dance floor. Ruby and I were having a blast.

“Who needs men anyway?” I shouted in her ear as the song changed to one of my favorites.

“This is your anthem, girl!” Ruby screamed over the music.

I let the song take me.

Ruby stopped. I noticed her sniff the air, and her eyes widened as an enormous arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against whoever it was.

I didn’t feel alone.

Whoever had been staring at me earlier was behind me again.

“Let yourself go,” Priya murmured as the music changed.

I moved my hips as I felt a presence behind me. Strong, masculine hands went to my hips, pulling me toward the unseen man. I leaned against a hard, tall body and his hands tightened.

I lost myself to the one holding me.

My body reacted to him as his scent wafted through me. His musky scent sent heat straight to my core. My hips moved, rubbing my ass against his groin.

There was no way I was going anywhere until I finished dancing to this song.