Unexpected Mate
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Kim F.
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3,5M
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37
Wildflowers and Earth
KAI
It was closing time at the bar, that quiet time after the jukebox had been unplugged and the last drinkers were finishing up and telling their final jokes.
Jasonâthe bartender and Kaiâs close friendâwas wiping down tables and putting chairs upside-down on top so the floor could be mopped.
Kai listened to the sound of fading laughter as the last customer went out the door. Then, feeling content, he went downstairs to haul up some cases of beer for tomorrow.
But just as he stepped into the hallway from the basement, the atmosphere changed and a scent caught his attention. He paused to identify it. Wildflowers, earth, andâŠblood.
âJason!â he alerted. âIncoming!â
He moved behind the bar and set the three cases he was carrying down. As he stood up, a girlâat least he thought it was a girlâslipped in the door.
She was dressed in an oversized hoodie and a black pair of sweatpants that were at least two sizes too big. She was barefoot. Golden hair hung down from just one side of the hood, which hid her entire face.
She was gripping her right side tightly, and Kaiâs gaze shifted to her hand. It was bloody. Almost silently, the girl slid into a booth and sidled deep into the corner.
Jason gave him a look over the bar, so Kai grabbed a glass of water, then went over to the booth and set the glass down in front of the girl. He could smell the fear rolling off her.
Keeping her eyes down, she reached for the glass with her free hand. âThank you,â she whispered weakly, then picked up the water and drank it all down.
âYouâre hurt.â
âIâll be okay. Just need to rest.â
âKai!â
He turned to see Jason pointing at his ears and nodding toward the outside.
Kai looked back at the little thing cowering in the corner of the booth. âYou running?â he asked as he heard hurried footstepsâbootsâapproaching outside.
Her gaze suddenly lifted from under the hoodie, and he was struck by how blue her eyes were as fearâno, terrorâflashed across her small face.
âIâll leave.â She slid over and tried to stand, but a moan of pain escaped her lips.
âWhich pack? I smell wolf all over you.â
She peered into his eyes, then hung her head. âRed Dawn,â she whispered.
âThatâs all I need to know. Follow me.â He turned and led her to the back hallway. âRed Dawn, Jason!â he called out over his shoulder.
âShit!â he heard Jason exclaim.
Kai stopped in front of the womenâs room. âTake off your hoodie,â he ordered.
She eyed him but complied, lifting the hoodie over her head. She was wearing a bloodstained white tank top underneath, and there were lash marks up and down her bare arms.
It was obvious this girl had been badly abused.
Kai took the hoodie into the bathroom and draped it over a stall door, then stepped back into the hall and handed her a small bottle from his pocket. âSpray yourself. Itâs a scent blocker.â
She took the bottle and sprayed her neck, and he nodded and went to open another door just down the hall. âMy office. Sit tight in here while Jason and I talk to your pack members. Theyâre coming in hot.â
âNot my pack,â she mumbled as she slipped by him.
She sat down in a chair, still gripping her side. Blood oozed between her fingers. He frowned.
~âThree coming in, boss,â Jason mind-linked.
Kai returned to the bar after he closed and locked the office door. Jason was restocking the cases of beer, so Kai grabbed a towel and started wiping down the bar top.
When three males walked in, he looked up. âSorry, fellas. Barâs closing.â
âDonât want a drink,â the biggest one growled. âLooking for someone.â
They were a mangy bunch. Dirty and rough-looking. Hair all wild, with almost feral snarls on their faces.
âYouâre looking at all whoâs here.â He stood taller.
âWe can smell her!â a second guy growled.
Kai came around the bar and met their stares head-on. âIâm Kai Winslow. This is my bar and my pack. Which pack you from?â He was not liking the attitude of these men.
âRed Dawn,â the first one answered, pushing his chest out. He was clearly their leader.
Kai stared him down, his alpha aura pushing forward till the guy backed up a step. âAs I said, weâre the last ones here.â
âYeah, wellâŠwe can smell her,â the skinniest one of the bunch repeated nervously.
Kai moved his eyes to him. âGo ahead and look around. Ainât much to see.â He waved his arm, and the skinny one moved toward the back hallway while the other two looked under the tables and in the booths.
Skinny hollered out and came back with the hoodie in his hands. âFound this in the ladiesâ room! Got her scent all over it.â
The big one grabbed it and shoved his nose into the fabric. âItâs her.â He turned to Kai. âWhere did the girl wearing this hoodie go?â
Kai glanced back at Jason. âYou serve a girl wearing this hoodie?â
âNo. But she could have come in during the pack meet we had. We were pretty busy,â Jason responded.
âSorry, fellas. Canât help ya.â He shrugged. âShe a runaway?â
âAinât none of your business,â the big one said.
Kai stepped up to him. âYou just made it my business. Hunting someone on my pack lands makes it my business. Now, whatâs this about?â he said sternly. âOr you can go to the cells and tell me anyway.â
Big Guy gulped. âShe belongs to our alpha. HeâŠhe wants her back. They had a disagreement and she took off is all.â
Kai could hear the lie in his words. âWhat does she look like?â he asked. âApparently sheâs hurtâI can smell the blood on that hoodieâso maybe sheâll look for help here in my town.â
âSmall,â the second answered. âLittle thing, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Scar above her left eye. I think sheâs around sixteen, maybe seventeen years old.â
âShe your alphaâs mate?â Kai asked.
âHe just wants her back,â the big one snapped. âThatâs all you need to know.â
âYeah? Well, tell your alpha he needs to check with me before hunting down anyone on my pack lands. Next time I might take it as an act of aggression and retaliate.â
âDo you know who our alpha is?â Big Guy asked.
âYes, I do. Draiden Meyers. Son, Cole. I know very well who he is. He was my uncle. Which one is asking for the return of this girl?â
âCole. Heâs the alpha now. Alpha Draiden retired,â the second answered.
âWell, you tell my cousin I expect a phone call. I want an explanation. In the morning!â Kai pointed at the front door and growled, his wolf surfacing. âYou gentlemen are done here.â
The three Red Dawn wolves turned around and left. Taking the bloody hoodie with them.
MEADOW
Meadow sat quietly in the office chair, her hand pressing into her side to try to stop the blood flow. She was getting lightheaded. The dirty son of a bitch had used a silver knife on herâthat must be why it was taking so long to heal.
She knew she was in another wolf packâs territory. She didnât know the name of this one, but she felt safer here than sheâd felt in a long time.
The Red Dawn was a bunch of misfits. The current alpha picked up strays and made them pack members willy-nilly.
And he was capricious and cruel. The old alpha was a horrible person as well, but at least heâd treated her with some decency, even if it wasnât much.
Alpha Draiden had never hit her or singled her out for abuse, but his son Cole was always finding ways to make her suffer.
She had to clean the entire pack house all on her own. She cooked, cleaned, and did the books. She was brutalized any time the whim overtook him.
And now heâd tried forcing himself on her. He was drunk of course, but that didnât mean the next time he wouldnât be successful.
She heard a noise at the door, and her eyes shot in that direction.
