Taming His Mate

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution
of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement,
including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by
the FBI and is punishable by fines and federal imprisonment.

This book is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s
imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events,
locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Taming His Mate

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2015 by M. Limoges

ISBN: 978-1-61333-716-5

Cover art by Fiona Jayde

All rights reserved. Except for use in any
review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or
in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means
now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written
permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company,
LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

Black Hills Wolves Stories

Wolf’s Return

What a Wolf Wants

Black Hills Desperado

Wolf’s Song

Claiming His Mate

When Hell Freezes

Portrait of a Lone Wolf

Coming Soon

Seducing the Schoolmarm

Alpha in Disguise

A Wolf’s Promise

Reluctant Mate

Diamond Moon

Tempting the Wolf

Claiming His Mate

Black Hills Wolves

By

A high-pitched howl reached through the
barrier of sleep and tugged Kate Matthews into semi-consciousness.
Rolling onto her side, she groaned and smothered her head beneath
her pillow. Another bay penetrated the memory-foam fabric jammed
over her ears. Throwing the cushion on the other side of the bed,
she flopped on her back and stared at the ceiling fan as yet
another howl shattered the last vestige of sleep.

Damn it, Stephen
.

Kate flung the covers off her legs, jumped
from the bed, and stomped across the chilly hardwood floor to her
bedroom window. Squinting in the darkness, she spotted one of her
tennis shoes beside her foot and grabbed it. Armed, she jerked the
window open and hurled her makeshift missile at the large, gray
wolf loitering on her back lawn. The beast swerved clear of the
canvas bomb at the last second.

An iridescent pop of light gave way to the
human form of Stephen Dorsett. As moonlight illuminated his nude
body, he gazed up at her, wearing an amused expression that pissed
her off and turned her on at the same time.

“And a good morning to you, Sunshine.” His
voice oozed with syrupy sweetness, infuriating her more.

“You’re really starting to annoy me with this
shit.” She pushed the words past her gritted teeth.

“Aw, did I wake you up?”

She snatched up a second shoe and chucked it
at him, this time smacking his bare shoulder.

The man just laughed and shook his head.
“Come for a run with me, Kate.”

“Are you out of your feeble mind? Go
away.”

“Well then, come out and talk to me a minute
before I head home. Or you could just invite me in.”

“Jesus Christ, Stephen.” She glanced over her
shoulder at the digital clock on her bedside table. “It’s four in
the morning!”

“Please.” He tilted his head to the side, and
his bright eyes glinted. “Come on, Kate. Just for a minute.”

Hell, she’d never get rid of him if she
didn’t. The idiot would stand outside and howl himself hoarse.

As if he’d plucked the thoughts from her
head, a lazy smile curled his lips. “You know I won’t leave until
you do.”

Kate scowled a moment before slamming the
window shut. Stumbling around her room in the dark, she grabbed a
sweatshirt and pair of pajama pants that had seen better days and
threw them on over her nightshirt. She trudged down the stairs and
through the house then out the backdoor, the screen banging closed
behind her.

And there he was. The man she’d secretly been
in love with since she was a girl.

She leaned her hip against the wood railing
and allowed her gaze to sweep over him. Clad in a pair of jeans
he’d gotten from God only knew where, he sprawled on the swing at
the other end of her porch. She tried in vain not to notice the
sinewy contours of his chest or the golden trail of hair running
the length of his chest and disappearing into his pants. Only he
could manage to pull off the seriously hot look at four in the
morning.

The smug bastard.

Suddenly aware of her old, ratty sweatshirt
and worn pajama pants, Kate straightened and tugged at the bottom
of her shirt, pulling it over her hips.

Stephen patted the opposite side of the
swing. “There’s plenty of room for you. I won’t bite.” He winked.
“Unless you want me to, Sunshine.”

“Are you always such a pervert?” She shot him
a frosty glower and, against her better judgment, crossed the porch
to sit beside him. “No wonder you can’t get laid.”

“I’m holding out for one woman in
particular.” He stretched his arm across the slat of wood behind
her neck. “She keeps playing hard-to-get, though.”

All it took was one innocent touch or a few
sweet words and the heart she’d given him long ago fluttered
erratically in her chest. She inhaled the cool, early morning air
and forced herself to maintain focus, which was difficult when his
arm brushed the nape of her neck as the swing rocked back and
forth.

Of course, it never took reality long to
intrude and remind her that a life with him was out of the
question. As long as she was unable to shift, she had nothing to
offer.

Thankfully, no one in the Black Hills Pack
suspected her secret. Or if they did, they’d never confronted her
with it. How she’d managed to avoid the pack’s notice this long
still astounded her, but it was only a matter of time before
someone learned of her affliction.

As a young girl, while under Magnum’s rule,
she recalled the pack’s treatment of one shifter who suffered the
same infirmity. The poor man had been regarded as nothing more than
a pariah, an outcast among his own people, and driven out of town
with the threat of death. It hadn’t taken the man long to
disappear. If that’s truly what happened to him….

Inwardly, she cringed. With no way of knowing
if the pack’s current Alpha, Andrew Tao, would react the same as
his father, Kate was safer keeping her secret locked away from the
light of day. And that also meant she could never form a mate bond
with any shifter. Much less the man she loved.

She wouldn’t allow Stephen to suffer for her
failings. No matter how much she longed to give into her feelings
for him, it just wasn’t possible. Not to mention she couldn’t bear
to witness his scorn or disgust when he learned the truth about
her.

Resigned, she shifted away from him and the
temptation he presented. “Well, if she’s told you to get lost, you
might as well leave her alone. I don’t suspect she’ll change her
mind. You’re better off looking elsewhere.”

Before she could rise from the swing, Stephen
looped his arm around her neck and pulled her against him. Planting
her hands on his chest, the touch of his bare skin seared her
palms, lighting every fuse in her body. She tried to push away, but
he dragged her closer and refused to let go.

“Steph—”

His mouth cut her off.

***

Stephen slid his tongue past Kate’s parted
lips and drank in the wild, untamed spice of her. Jesus Christ,
he’d waited ages for this one small sample of her sweetness, and
damn it had been worth the wait. But he wanted more.

Desire rushed through his blood, and the urge
to seize and conquer his mate eclipsed all else. When he moved to
lift her onto his lap, she jerked her mouth free and cast her head
to the side. Holding her pressed to his body, the rise and fall of
her chest matched his own.

“We can’t do this, Stephen.”

As usual, she fought the attraction.

“Why?” He nipped at her earlobe.
For once,
just give me a damn reason and stop hiding
.

Kate shoved at his chest, and he dropped his
arm, breaking the pulse of energy between them. She had to feel the
connection they shared. Hell, it practically raised every damn hair
on his body when he touched her. She jumped to her feet and moved
to the porch’s railing. As she wrapped her arms around her middle
and stared out into the forest behind her home, it struck him how
vulnerable she appeared.

Once he’d recognized her as his mate when
she’d turned eighteen, he’d given her plenty of time to grow into
adulthood, experience life on her own, and hadn’t forced her into
anything she’d regret. He’d always ensured she was safe, protected,
and had everything she needed, whether she asked for it or not.

For fuck’s sake, he howled at her damn
bedroom window at the most ungodly hours of night like some
lovelorn pup just to get her attention. Out of respect, he hadn’t
messed around with other females in the pack. He’d been a paragon
of patience for years waiting for her to accept their bond.

Perhaps he was
finally
wearing her
down?

Stephen nearly snorted aloud. Yeah the fuck
right. The damn woman was impervious to his charms.

He rose to his feet and crossed the wooden
deck until he stood behind her. “Give me a reason, Kate. Just tell
me why.”

“We just can’t. Accept it, and stop trying to
force me into something I don’t want.”

Oh, his little Kate wanted him. He wasn’t
mistaken about that. He scented her arousal whenever he found an
excuse to touch her. Seen the longing she attempted to disguise
when he smiled at her. She was a liar if she said otherwise.

He growled. “What do you mean
something
you don’t want?”

Her spine straightened, and she scowled over
her shoulder at him. “I don’t want you.”

“Bull-fucking-shit.” The blatant dishonesty
just pissed him the hell off. “Yes, you do. You can deny what’s
between us as much as you want, but the fact still remains, you’re
my mate.”

Kate shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

Stephen grabbed her shoulders and spun her to
face him. “I know you feel the bond between us. You think this shit
happens to everyone? What you and I have is rare, Kate. Why can’t
you see that? How long do I have to wait until you accept our
fate?”

She ducked her head, but not before he saw a
pained expression pass over her delicate features. “I’ve never
asked you to wait for me. If you’ll remember, I’ve repeatedly asked
you to leave me alone. We’re not meant to be. I’m not the mate you
want. Nor will I ever be.”