The Alpha's Temporary Mate (Fated Match) (9 page)

Puzzled, she walked to the cupboard in question and pulled the doors open.

Tea.

The three shelves within were lined with tea. Everything from no-name brands one could find at any grocery store to expensive blends from high-end shops. Green teas, white teas, blacks, and oolongs were neatly arranged for her viewing pleasure. She could drink multiple cups a day for a year and still not go through the amount Kieran had packed into this one cupboard.

Warmth spiraled through her before she ruthlessly forced it back. On the surface this might look like a sweet gesture, but underneath it was little different from the expensive black dress. He was buying her. Throwing money at a problem he didn’t know how to handle.

Then again, she was just his employee. What did he care if she was happy or not when they weren’t in front of an audience?

Not sure how to take this gesture, she turned to him and crossed her arms. “Nice present. Everything’s fixed now, right?”

He sighed, tossing the dishtowel into the sink. “No.”

She didn’t move as he came closer and leaned back against the island across from the counter where she stood.

The silence stretched until she couldn’t take the intensity of his stare a second longer. “Look,” she said. “It’s not like you said anything untrue.” Hurtful, maybe, but not technically false.

“I lashed out.”

“We are strangers,” she continued, trying to talk over him.

“We’re not.”

“And you did pay a substantial amount to get me here.” A fact she kept conveniently ignoring.

“Not to you.”

“So I should have done a better job following your lead.” The words were bitter on her tongue. Did she really have to diminish herself to fit into his world?

“Which would have ended in our exposure.”

“I’ll keep things professional in the future.”

He moved then, crossing the small distance between them to lean an arm against the counter on either side of her. Trapped within his arms, she had no choice but to stare up at him.

“Last night I was an ass,” he said. “And I hurt you in order to avoid your questions.”

“We all have things we don’t talk about,” she replied. “I’m too nosy.” She tried to focus on his words, really she did, but all her body cared about was how close he was to her. Heat pooled swiftly in her lower abdomen as her body urged her to reach out and pull him closer.

“Yes,” he agreed. “But that’s not a part of yourself you’ll ever be able to change.”

“Hey.”

He leaned closer, running his lips over her cheek. “Not an insult, just a fact.”

Her knees turned to jelly when he touched her with such care. Stiffening her spine, she refused to melt just because he looked a little contrite. She was made of stronger stuff.

“I learned my lesson last night, Kieran. We were blurring lines that can’t be blurred for this deception to succeed. I’m not your lover and won’t ever be.”

“I’m sorry for last night.”

She shook her head. “Some things you can’t take back. Not with thoughtful gifts or gentle touches. You don’t respect me. And beyond my body, you don’t see me as something you need in any way.”

“Wrong.” The word was rough as he jerked back far enough to meet her gaze. “You are not an employee, you are a partner. One who hasn’t had many qualms about reordering our story to fit your standards. If I didn’t respect that, Chloe, I would have tried to stop you at the gallery.” He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “As for needing you, it’s true I want to get you in bed as soon as possible.”

“Any woman would do—”

“No,” he cut her off. “No other woman fills my thoughts the way you do. No other woman would cause me to take the afternoon off to track down tea flavors I didn’t even know existed.” His hands clenched as if the words were paining him to say. “No other woman makes my wolf sigh in contentment every time our skin touches,” he finished, his voice rough.

She blinked. Really? His wolf liked her? She’d heard weres’ inner animals were incredibly picky about who they chose to relax around.

“And we’re not strangers. I know you have a spot right behind your left ear that makes you shudder in pleasure.”

“Doesn’t count,” she denied.

He smiled. “I know you are stubborn and moral. You believe in right and wrong and do your best to walk in the light. You love your job, and it’s not because it’s a paycheck. It’s the helping you crave. The knowledge you’ve contributed to someone else’s happiness.”

She swallowed hard. “Paying attention, wolf?”

“You fascinate me,” he replied, and she couldn’t pick up any mockery in his words. “I’ve never met a woman like you, Chloe. In fact, I’ve actively avoided women of your ilk.”

Bristling, she’d opened her mouth to cut him down when he laid a finger on her lips. “Women like you are far too complicated to be easily ignored. You pull at me until all I can think of is you.”

The fight went out of her in a rush. “You can’t say things like this, Kieran.”

“Why?” he breathed.

“It makes it too hard to…” To remember he wasn’t hers. To remember she was on very limited time and when the clock struck midnight, her fairytale would turn to ash.

“To treat this as a job?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He nodded in understanding. “Then maybe stop.”

Her eyes flicked back up to his. “I can’t. Not ever. Because if I let myself lose track of what exactly it is you want from me, I’m going to get hurt.”

His expression darkened. “I would never hurt you.”

The words sounded like a vow he was making to himself more than to her.

She shook her head. “Not intentionally, maybe. But you’re not the man I need and we have to remember that. Thank you for the apology. I appreciate the gesture. We can work together as a team for the rest of this contract.”

Kieran looked like he wanted to argue but couldn’t find the words. Patting his cheek, she forced herself to duck under his arm and escape.

“What’s for dinner?” she asked, walking toward the stove.

A beat of silence rang behind her before he replied, “Roasted chicken and herb potatoes.”

“Excellent. I’m starving.” For more than food. Mentally, she shook her head at the thought.

Kieran watched her for a moment before sighing. When he moved toward her, his easy smile was back in place. “Grab the plates while I carve the bird.”

Turning to follow his instructions, Chloe told herself she wasn’t disappointed by his quick capitulation. Tonight had been the best possible outcome. They repaired their rift and were moving forward on more equal footing. Partners in crime, as it were.

There was no reason to feel upset that he hadn’t pushed her toward more than a professional relationship. That he hadn’t argued he could be the man she dreamed of.

Most of all, there was absolutely no reason to regret that she didn’t have an excuse to crawl into his bed. Keeping her heart safe was the right choice. She wasn’t missing out on anything.

Her inner voice snorted in derision.

Yeah, she didn’t believe it either.

Chapter Nine

C
hloe loved weekends. They were her break away from work, where she could focus on something besides helping others find the loves of their lives. Often she went out with friends, did her own recon for her elusive mate.

This Saturday, however, she sat in one of Kieran’s deep, comfy recliners with a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other. Her fake lover sat on the sofa staring intently at his computer screen. It was a scene so domestic she had to keep forcing herself to remember none of this was real. But the silent companionship wasn’t awkward. Instead it was comfortable. Chloe couldn’t remember the last time she’d simply
been
with someone. Not talking. Not engaging. Just a quiet part of someone else’s world.

She turned the page with her pinky before taking the last sip of her tea. Closing her eyes, she savored the earthy taste of her oolong. Kieran really had outdone himself.

Not wanting to leave her comfortable position, she waved her hand and watched as the empty cup glided through the air to land gently on the coffee table in front of her. Task done, she turned her attention back to her book.

“I can feel when you do magic,” Kieran said quietly.

Chloe glanced at her companion. “What?”

He tilted his head as if uncertain how to explain. “It’s not an unpleasant sensation. More like something soft brushing along the very edge of my senses. It’s you using your gift.”

“I didn’t know wolves could sense magic.”

He shrugged. “I’ve never felt it this way before. Perhaps it’s our close quarters.”

Thinking back, Chloe tried to remember anything about species that could track a witch’s power use. Usually it was only other magic users that could sense such changes. Not weres.

“Has anyone been able to do that to you before?” Kieran asked.

She shrugged. “No, but I live alone. You might be right about the cohabitation thing.”

“Surely other witches would have mentioned it?”

Chloe looked back down at her book. “I don’t speak to them often.”

Other witches had covens, families. Even when they tried to include her, Chloe was always aware she was the outsider. Much like packs, it was rare for a witch to switch covens. Usually, the coven a witch was born into was the only option unless a witch married into another. Even then, there was a family connection to open a door.

She’d had no one.

While a baby might have been adopted into a coven, a grown woman wouldn’t. After being rejected by a few groups in the sixties, she’d stopped hoping she’d find some magical family to fill the void inside her. Instead, she’d focused on creating her own bonds with other species more accepting of a lone witch. Jessica didn’t care what sort of background she came from as long as Chloe could keep up with her at the bar.

But eschewing her people had some drawbacks. She’d had to learn about her magic on her own, with only books as a guide. Even after nearly a century of study, questions like Kieran’s still stumped her from time to time.

“I’ll research it,” she said. “Let you know if I find an answer.”

She glanced up at the wolf and found him watching her with sympathetic eyes.

Her fingers curled tightly on the spine of the book. She’d been doing her best to keep her distance from the tempting wolf but when he looked at her like that, her job just got harder.

“I’m fine as I am,” she snapped, knowing he’d inferred more from her words than she wanted to reveal.

“Of course you are,” he said evenly. “You don’t need anyone else, right?”

“Right.” She didn’t long for the camaraderie he had with his pack. She didn’t wish for a mate to wrap her in his arms. And if she did, the hero in her fantasies certainly didn’t wear his face.

Kieran glanced at his watch and a smile tugged at his lips. “True as that might be, little witch, for the next few weeks you’re not alone.”

The air left her lungs. He couldn’t have known how the words would affect her but they did. No one, in all her decades, had ever said them to her. But Kieran meant them in a very temporary sense and she had to be careful to remember that.

He looked up at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “How sporty are you?”

“What?”

“Saturday mornings a few of the younger wolves in my pack organize a soccer game in the park. Time with them will guarantee a smile on your face.”

Warmth spread through her before she forced herself to rein it in. Was he asking her to cheer her up or to set up another viewing op of their relationship?

His eyes displayed only eagerness.

“Do you usually join them?”

Kieran inclined his head. “When I can, since I’m so close to the park. I haven’t been out in a few weeks due to work.”

“I’m not the most coordinated sports player.”

He nodded, looking back at his laptop. “Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t planning on being there today anyway. They won’t be disappointed.”

“No,” she said. “I meant, you’ll have to promise to overlook any instances of me running into trees and things as I attempt to play.”

The smile he gave her was well worth any bruises she would acquire in this outing.

“I’ll go change and be back down in a minute,” she said.

“I’ll let them know to expect us,” Kieran replied as he reached for his phone.

As Chloe headed for her room, she wondered how exactly a werewolf match in the midst of mortals would turn out. Her nervousness was about the potential for supernatural exposure, she assured herself, and not because, once again, she was about to be judged by packmates that were important to the man living with her.

H
e’d planned to spend the day going over every minute detail of a new investment. Hours of work lay ahead of him—the reason he’d turned down the soccer game invitation in the first place. Though he loved to meet with members of his pack, business came before pleasure. Especially business that helped line the pack coffers as well as his own. He’d had a plan for his weekend the same way he had a plan for every other minute of his days.

But now he was walking through Central Park with a bouncing witch at his side.

Everyone needs a break now and then.
He tried to rationalize the situation, ignoring the fact that he’d never been one to shirk a responsibility.

This is a chance to show off Chloe to more of the pack.
It’s a strategic outing. Good for our ruse.

Giving his younger packmates a chance to meet Chloe would help pave the way at the retreat and provide her with a few familiar faces to search out when they were in the woods. This work was more important than his investments if he wanted to protect his freedom.

That’s all well and good,
an inner voice whispered.
But that’s not why you asked her out.

No. He’d see the sadness in her eyes and wanted to do something, anything, to erase it.

Damned witch was wrapping him around her finger—a dangerous possibility he refused to dwell on too long.

“What are your packmates like?” Chloe asked.

“They’re good kids,” he replied. “Just relax. This is supposed to be fun.”

“I am relaxed.”

He arched a brow. The woman nearly vibrated with excitement and nervous energy.

“I just don’t know what to expect,” she defended. “I think we’ve covered that I don’t regularly interact with werewolves.”

“Be prepared for anything. Wolves are competitive and don’t mind playing dirty in order to get what they want.”

That brought a smile to her lips. “Good to know.” She shot a pointed glance in his direction.

Unable to stop himself, he threaded an arm around her waist to pull her closer to his side. His sensitive hearing picked up her swift inhale, and the sound brought a smile to his lips.

“Just be yourself,” he advised. “They’ll love you.”

She snorted at the words. “I think wolves are a little harder to win over.”

He glanced down at her bouncing curls. She certainly wasn’t having much trouble making him enjoy her company. Though cohabitation was necessary for his plan to look convincing, the past week with her had been far easier to adapt to than he’d anticipated. Too easy, in fact. He didn’t want to get used to having her in his home when she was only a temporary addition to his life.

“Is that them?” Chloe pointed at a group up ahead of them.

“Yes. Are you ready?”

She took a breath and rolled her shoulders back. “Bring it on.”

He leaned down, allowing his lips to brush against her cheek as he whispered in her ear. “Remember the point is to have fun.”

She turned toward him, her mouth a breath away. “And to pretend to be madly into you,” she whispered, low enough that no supernatural hearing would be able to pick up on their words.

“That too.” His gaze dropped to her lips. So close. All he had to do was lean down a little and—

His arms were empty. Chloe grabbed his hand and pulled him off the path, into the bright, sun drenched field.

Though he had to smile at her eagerness, the lust riding his body wished she’d held still just a few moments longer.

The group ahead of them turned to watch their approach. Eight young adults gathered around, obviously enjoying being in each other’s company. A soccer ball lay at their feet, waiting for a game to start up.

Glancing at the humans wandering by, he had to admit the group of weres didn’t appear to be anything more than a pack of kids looking for a little exercise on a sunny day. But as soon as they spotted him, every one of them froze to attention. Eyes dropped to the ground and heads lowered in an automatic instinct as a more dominant wolf approached.

“Hello everyone,” he greeted the group as they reached them. “Good to see you all.”

Heads came back up and smiles lit the young faces.

“We’re glad you could make time for us today,” Kate replied.

“The pleasure is mine.” And it was true. Looking at part of his pack, he couldn’t regret taking a break from his computer today.

The group comprised some of the youngest of his family. Though they all looked like college kids, each had at least four or five decades under their belt. Still, they were young enough to depend on the pack for comfort and stability. He liked to make himself available to them whenever he got the chance.

“I brought an addition today,” he said. “Gang, meet Chloe.”

Eight pairs of eyes locked onto the woman at his side.

“Hi,” she said. “Nice to meet you all. Thanks for including me in your game.” Her smile was wide and friendly but he noted the hesitation in her tone as if she were unsure of her welcome.

“More the merrier,” Kate said, glancing at her friends as if to see if the statement had their support.

“So how are we doing teams today?” he asked, pulling Chloe further into the group of wolves.

“Uh, well we had been planning on girls versus boys,” Chad piped up, batting back the red hair falling into his eyes.

“But that might need to be adjusted,” Sasha, the quietest of the group, said, staring directly at Chloe.

“Because I’m here?” Chloe asked. “Why does that make a difference?”

The younger wolves glanced at each other.

“The rules of the game prohibit fully turning,” Kieran explained, “but anything the humans won’t notice as unusual is allowed.”

“It gets rough,” Kate added.

“She’s right. You need to be on my team.”

Chloe looked up at him. “Why?”

“So I can protect you,” he replied. His inner wolf growled in agreement. It liked the idea of keeping her close, keeping her safe.

He caught the female wolves rolling their eyes and the boys whispering to each other. No doubt about how they’d have to make allowances for a witch. It was to be expected, though. No one would expect Chloe to play as rough as they did. It wasn’t in her nature.

He should have known from the way Chloe narrowed his eyes he’d made a mistake.

“How sweet,” she said before snapping her fingers.

His legs shot out from under him, dumping him on his back on the ground. To a casual observer, it would have looked like he’d skidded on some dewy grass—well within the bounds of what a human wouldn’t notice.

“But I think I have it covered.” Stepping over him as if she didn’t have a care in the world about dropping an alpha wolf, she walked over to the group of girls. “Play with me and there’s no way we can lose.”

“Done,” Kate said, staring down at him with wide eyes.

He pushed to his feet with a barely contained growl. “No using magic on the ball,” he ordered as the girls ushered her over to their side of the field.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she called back, a mischievous grin lighting her face. “Though that leaves all sorts of opportunities.”

Pleasure rolled through him. All wolves liked to play, and it appeared Chloe would make an excellent opponent.

As he joined his team to strategize, all thoughts of numbers and spreadsheets vanished from his mind.

“I
can’t believe you just did that.”

“Why not?” Chloe replied to the girl who’d spoken.

“Sasha wouldn’t say boo to a ghost,” Kate said. “Still, it’s not often anyone messes with the alpha.”

Chloe snorted. “He might be strong, but he’s still a man. Sometimes he needs a reminder he’s not the boss of me.”

Four girls stared at her with a look akin to awe.

“I can’t imagine living with him,” Sasha said. “Too scary.”

“You do realize you turn into a creature with sharp claws and teeth,” Chloe pointed out.

“Kieran’s a different kind of scary,” another girl said. “I’m Jenny, by the way. And if you can cause some of the boys to wipe out during this game, I don’t care who you are, I’m in love.”

Chloe grinned. “Well, I’ve got to bring something to the table. I’m not as fast or strong as you guys.”

“The boys can be pretty rough,” Jenny agreed. “But we give as good as we get.”

“Kieran says you do this every week.”

Kate nodded. “We’re all young, according to the pack at least, and it takes more control for us to be able to handle our wolves. Events like this act as a stress release for us.”

“Makes sense. You come and smash each other to bits then go home feeling refreshed.”