Page 5 of Holiday Surprise

I shrugged as Peyton came out with my plate of food. “Seems to me, you’ve done alright for yourself.” I gave a quick wink over his shoulder at his beautiful mate who happened to be my favorite person in the morning. Pey ton knew how to cook. If she were my mate, I’d probably be fat by now, and that’s tough to do with a wolf metabolism.

“Hey Luke. Kate told me you were in,” she said as she personally delivered my meal.

“Honestly, I figured it was a beautiful day for a run, if you’re okay with that,” I asked them both.

“Yeah, of course. You’re always welcome to our woods. You know that,” Peyton assured me.

I wasn’t sure how Oliver Smith had gotten so damn lucky to land Peyton Collier as a mate. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous of the two of them.Someday, I thought with longing.

They left me to eat in peace. When I was done, I said hello to those I recognized at other tables, paid my bill, and thanked Kate before leaving.

I drove straight over to the Smith house. I parked the car and got out to the sound of crunching snow beneath my feet. The air had just enough bite to sting my cheeks and turn them red. I practically jogged to the back of the house, stripping quickly and leaving my clothes on the back porch. Then I shifted.

My wolf was larger than most with a broad chest and big paws. He was grey like most of the wolves in the area, but lighter than some. It was one of the things I loved about the snow. I could run almost in plain sight and blend in with the colors of winter. It made me feel equally invisible and invincible.

I ran for several hours, jumping over logs and sliding across the already frozen creek. If I could get away with living in my fur the entire winter, I would do so in a heartbeat. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

I sat back on my hind legs and tipped my nose to the sky, then I howled. Much to my surprise, my howl was returned somewhere off in the distance. The excitement that it caused my wolf was overwhelming as he took off at a full run.

We were right on the border of Collier when I regained control and skidded to a halt. We had a treaty, but that included no Larken in wolf form on Collier land. Even knowing Thomas would forgive me, I respected him too much to break that, even for the beautiful melodic howl I knew would haunt me.

Who was she?I wondered.

My wolf sat back and howled again and again. She responded each time in kind, but her call got further and further away. Aggression flared within me, but I maintained control of my wolf and managed to turn us back around and slowly walk to the house as he whimpered the whole way.

Luke

Chapter 4

Days later I was still haunted by the female wolf that had returned my howl. I couldn’t get that sound out of my head and my wolf had been irritable ever since.

I had my weekly meeting with Thomas and was pacing his office impatiently waiting for him to join me. The door opened and I turned.

“What took you so long?” I barked. Closing my eyes, I took a breath and fisted my hands, then released trying to calm myself.

“Are you okay?” Thomas asked. “You don’t look so good.”

I sat down on a chair with a huff. “I’m fine. I just haven’t been sleeping well.”

“Want to talk about it?” he asked awkwardly.

“No. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.”

Thomas chuckled. “Did you find your mate?” I gave him a puzzled look wondering what would possess him to ask that. “I’m only asking because I don’t know anything that would tie a man up in knots like you are right now, except his mate.”

I laughed in spite of myself. “No, I haven’t met anyone. Though when I was out for a run a few days ago. You know the first morning it snowed. Well, my wolf howled, and the call was answered by a female from your pack. That sound has been haunting me. I just can’t get it out of my head, and I haven’t been sleeping well thinking about it. It’s just weighing on me. I should probably take some Nyquil or something tonight just to try and sleep.”

Lily knocked and ran in before she could be invited. “Maybe you can’t stop thinking about it because your wolf already knows that was your true mate responding.”

“Lily, did you really turn off my dampener again?” Thomas asked.

“No, you left the door cracked open. I didn’t even mean to eavesdrop on the conversation. But Luke, think about it. Who else could get an Alpha so worked up that you’re not even sleeping?”

Thomas laughed and pulled her down to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, and gently kissed the mating mark on her neck. “Only a mate, slugger,” he agreed.

Lily smiled and nodded.

I laughed. “Don’t you think if my true mate were a Collier wolf, I’d already know it? I’m here every week. I would have crossed paths or at least caught her scent by now. It’s not possible.”

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