Fur and Claws (Race Games 4) - Page 1

PROLOGUE

Ten Years Ago

Johanna Adalwolf really didn’t want to be at the bonfire. There were at least a million other things she would have rather been doing than sitting on a log watching the other wolves make fools of themselves, but it was tradition. The werewolves had so many traditions. Ninety percent of the time, it involved a fire beneath the full moon and sex. Lots and lots of sex. This bonfire wasn’t any different.

At least it was amusing to watch the other wolves fall all over themselves to impress their counterparts. Jo sipped at her lukewarm beer, watching as a female wolf looked over her shoulder coyly, purposely not meeting any of the eyes of the three males currently pulling A-OO-GA’s at her derriere. Pigs. But by the end of the night, the female would have her pick of them. Or she would have them all. Good for her.

But Jo wasn’t interested in such things, not tonight.

The only reason she attended the Annual Lunar Howl was because she had no choice. As a “valuable member of the pack”, her role was to attend each and every event in case her fated mate was in attendance, if that person existed. Despite having the freedom to pursue her dreams in the pack, it was still expected— though not required— that she have at least one pup someday to continue the bloodlines. If she chose not to, it would be fine except for the backhanded compliments the older generations would bestow upon her, but she wouldn’t be ostracized by any stretch. Which was a good thing because Jo had far too many dreams to chase in the meantime. The chances of her fated mate, if he was here, being at this very party out of all the parties in the entire world, were slim. There were seven billion souls on the planet. It was almost laughable that a fated mate could be so close.

“Come on, Jo. Join in!” Claudine, one of the females of Jo’s pack, encouraged. “There’re so many options here!”

Jo smiled gently at Claudine and shook her head. The she-wolf meant well, but she really didn’t understand Jo’s dreams. There were far too many things she needed to achieve before some wolf came along and ordered her around. Not that she would allow that. It would just be a hindrance she didn’t need.

“No, thanks,” Jo replied, shouting just slightly to be heard over the deep thrum of the music. “I’m probably going to leave soon.”

Claudine pouted out her lip and huffed, but she left it alone. They weren’t really friends, not in some great way, but Claudine often went out of her way to keep Jo company. Jo, in contrast, usually had her head too deeply in computer programming to notice.

“Have you heard Nicolas Olcan is supposedly here?” Claudine asked, taking a seat next to Jo when Jo didn’t move to leave. She took a swig of her own beer and made a face at it before setting it aside. Apparently, Claudine was less than pleased with the piss-poor alcohol options the same as Jo.

“Who?” Jo asked, though she already knew exactly who Claudine was speaking of. Everyone knew who Nicolas Olcan was.

Claudine laughed and shook her head as if Jo was some sort of creature she didn’t understand. “You know him. He’s the son of the beta of the Hallow Falls pack.”

“Don’t the rumors say he’s some playboy troublemaker?”

“He is,” Claudine nodded. “Which is why he’s probably here. This is the largest Howl this side of the Mississippi River. It makes sense he’d come out to our side.”

Jo didn’t even know what Nicolas Olcan looked like. She didn’t care to know. After all, she was just there to make an appearance and then head home. She needed to wake up early the next day for her online coding class. She was determined to make the best score in the class on the next exam.

Claudine hummed under her breath as a younger male turned in the crowd and set his sights on her. Jo watched the male come closer, stalking in a way he clearly thought was sexy but only made him look like he was having some sort of medical emergency. Claudine seemed to eat it up, however, giggling at the sight while she waited for him to draw closer. She didn’t give him an inch, didn’t stand to make his distance shorter, so he had to commit to the weird stalking walk all the way across the bonfire. Jo had to hide her smile in her drink. Of all Claudine’s faults, she was a master at driving men crazy just by existing. Jo could only hope to be so effortless one day.

“Pardon me, ma’am,” the younger male began as he sauntered up. “You looked quite lonely over here, so I thought I’d slink my way over and ask you to dance.”

Claudine giggled. “Well, bless your heart, sir. I wasn’t lonely at all. Jo here has been keeping the best company.”

A lie. Jo knew she was being a terrible friend, but she couldn’t help it. Her priorities had just always been different. She could have fun if she wanted, but there were other more important things to focus on.

The young wolf deflated a little at the slight rejection, but he was determined. “I promise to deliver you back to Lady Jo after a single dance.” He glanced toward the abandoned beer by Claudine. “And perhaps a real drink.”

Claudine glanced at Jo, her brow raised, and Jo shrugged. “I’ll be fine. I’ll probably be leaving here soon anyways.”

Smiling, Claudine took the hand the young wolf offered. “Make sure to tell me before you go!”

And then she was being whisked away into the crowd of undulating bodies around the bonfire. Leave it to Claudine to have the most fun between the two of them. The young wolf would show her a good time, and they’d likely go home together, but Jo didn’t have to worry about Claudine getting into trouble. She was a smart wolf, a strong one despite her bright makeup and super sparkly dress. In fact, Claudine was on the fighting defenses in the pack. She could take care of herself.

Jo determined to sit there for a few minutes longer, staring at the other wolves who were able to throw caution to the wind and have no worries in the world, before she decided she’d had enough. It hadn’t been long enough for Claudine to enjoy herself, and when Jo glanced around, she couldn’t see her. Claudine would kill her if she didn’t at least wave goodbye to her from afar.

Sighing, Jo stood and tossed her mostly full beer bottle into the trash can nearest her before stretching. These kinds of Howls always drained her. Tomorrow, she’d need to guzzle the coffee to stay awake enough for her class to focus.

Moving through the crowd, Jo searched for her friend, but the longer she went without finding her, the more she determined that Claudine would understand if she just left. Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, she sent a text.

Couldn’t find you. Heading out. See you tomorrow.

Tucking the phone away, Jo sighed and turned, intent on finding her way back out of the crowd, when her eyes fell on a male and a female just ahead of her.

The female was a stranger. She didn’t know who she was or what pack she came from. Strangely enough, the male was slightly familiar, but Jo didn’t know why. It took her too long to realize she’d been staring at the couple furiously making out in the middle of the crowd before she sighed. Hopefully, she hadn’t drawn any attention with her staring. While it wouldn’t necessarily be considered rude, it could be misconstrued as her wanting to join in. At these events, there were no rules or social norms to hinder their lust. But Jo couldn’t shake the feeling that something about the couple felt. . . off.

It was none of her business though.

Determined to just leave the Howl and get out of the atmosphere messing with her brain, Jo shifted and looked away, barely avoiding her toes being stepped on by eager dancers. It was then that the male looked up from the she-wolf he’d been slobbering over, and their eyes met.

Everything inside of Jo screeched to a standstill. She was pretty sure the blood in her veins even stopped flowing, frozen as if by ice. The hair on her arms stood on end, goosebumps chasing up and down her flesh. Her ovaries perked up and desire suddenly pooled low in her belly, as if by instinct rather than anything else. Beneath her top, her nipples pebbled. Breathing growing erratic, Jo took a step back in surprise and horror.

The male broke the kiss and stared at Jo exactly the same, his eyes dilating as the same reaction hit him. His lips were already swollen from his make-out session with the other wolf, his face flushed either from alcohol or desire. The she-wolf he’d been kissing didn’t seem to notice the change, continuing to kiss and nip along his neck, her fingers clawing at his hair.

Luna, he was beautiful even with another woman draped around him.

Only then did Jo realize exactly what this was, exactly what was happening, and she took another stumbling step backward.

“I have to get out of here,” she murmured, turning away from the sight, desperation suddenly choking up her throat and making her clumsy. Every instinct in her revolted at turning away, at fleeing, but she couldn’t. This wasn’t part of the plan. She had dreams and ambitions and none of that included this.

“Hey!”

“Oh no,” Jo whispered to herself as she began to push through the crowd. “No, no, no.”

“Hey, wait!”

Claudine’s face appeared in front of her, her eyes pinched in worry as she took one look at Jo’s face and then to the male chasing after her. Claudine’s eyes popped wide. “Jo, that’s Nicolas Olcan,” she hissed. “Why is he chasing you?”

But the words got stuck in Jo’s throat, so she shook her head and tried to push past her friend, desperate to get away. She had to get away. She had to.

“Hey!”

Nicolas Olcan. Nicolas Olcan, the son of the beta. The future beta if things went right in his pack. Someone like that would need a steady, devoted mate, not a successful one, not one who wanted her own spotlight.

Just as Jo moved around Claudine, a strong hand wrapped around her elbow, halting her escape. She jerked at her arm, and when that didn’t work, she turned around and snarled in his face.

“Release me!”

Those around them glanced in their direction, curious as to what was happening, and Jo’s face heated at all the attention.

“I’m just trying to talk to you,” Nicolas said, but he released her. More eyes looked toward them, and he cringed. “Do you mind if we talk outside of the Howl?”

Thank Luna. Jo nodded and moved around. They’d have a talk and then she’d leave. She didn’t want to talk at all, but now, faced with the gorgeous man, she couldn’t say no. Her instincts wouldn’t let her. They could at least talk. There was no harm in talking.

Right?

Nicolas breathed a sigh of relief and offered for her to move through the crowd and he’d follow, so she did. Moving through the crowd who watched them curiously, Jo led Nicolas away from the bonfire and into the dark far enough away they wouldn’t be eavesdropped on. With their wolf vision, the darkness wouldn’t be a problem. Only after they were far enough away did Jo stop and turn to him. It took considerable effort to look up into his face fully, to force the connection that felt as easy as breathing. The moment she did, her body reacted exactly the same as before. A feeling, a desire.

A knowledge.

“I’m Nicolas,” he said when she didn’t immediately say anything.

Luna, even his voice was heavenly.

When she didn’t respond immediately, he raised his brow. “And your name?”

She cleared her throat. “Johanna, but I go by Jo.”

“Jo,” he repeated, and the way his lips formed her name was perfection.

Jo’s dreams flashed in her mind, all the things she wanted to accomplish, and she understood exactly what was happening. Because of that, it gave her the strength to talk.

“Look, Nicolas—”

“Nic,” he corrected. “We’re fated mates. That means we don’t have to be so formal.” The grin he flashed her was all cocksure charisma. A man used to getting his way with a pair of pretty eyes and good teeth.

Fated Mates.

Those words were far more terrifying than anything else Jo could think of.

“Look, Nic,” Jo tried again. “I wasn’t looking for this. In fact—”

“Believe me, I wasn’t either,” he said, cutting her off again, and Jo pinched her lips in annoyance. “I’m not ready to settle down. I’m still in my prime, seeing the world—”

“More like fucking it,” Jo grumbled.

“What was that?” Nic tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard, but Jo knew he had to. Wolf hearing was superior to that of any human.

“You should go back to the Howl,” Jo said instead. “The she-wolf you were kissing looked displeased that you rushed off after me.”

Nic’s brows raised at her words. “You don’t want me to stay?”

“Believe it or not, I have dreams and aspirations. I have no desire to be the docile mate to a beta’s son.”

“Who said you had to be docile?” he asked with a frown, and then when those words sunk in, he nodded. “But you’re right. I’m certainly not ready to settle down. Clearly, you’re not ready either. We can make a deal.”

Jo frowned, confused. “A deal?”

Nodding, Nic crossed his arms, closing himself off, and Jo eyed the stance warily. “You’re not ready. I’m not ready. So, we both go our separate ways, and continue our adventures. You can go after whatever little things you’re interested in. I’ll keep exploring the world. And then in a couple years, we can check in and see where we stand.”

Jo blinked at Nic, at the audacity of what he was suggesting. “Are you asking me to wait around while you continue to fuck other wolves?”

“You would be free to have whatever wolves you’d like,” Nic pointed out, but he was frowning as the words came out, as if he didn’t like them. “I didn’t have plans for a fated mate. This is the worst time—”

“The worst time,” Jo repeated, blinking up at him.

And suddenly, she realized, despite her fear, there’d been some hope of making it work, that Nic would be okay with her still pursuing her dreams during their learning of each other. She hadn’t been afraid of a soul mate; she’d been afraid of him trying to control her. Fated Mates were a blessing. They were supposed to be it, the end all be all, and here was Nicolas fucking Olcan, suggesting that they put it on hold while he continued his gallivanting adventures through the southern she-wolf population.

“My father will be all over me with this, try to convince me to be more serious and settle down, and like you, I’m just not ready. I haven’t even seen the world yet. It’s too early to be tied down,” Nic continued, as if each new word wasn’t cutting another gash in her heart. “You understand, I’m sure. You said you have dreams.”

“Business dreams,” Jo murmured. “I have career dreams, not some aspirations to keep sleeping with other wolves.”

Nic glanced at her. “Well, yeah, but I’m sure you’d like some companionship. I can’t give you that. Not right now. It’s the worst time. If only this had happened a few years down the road—”

There were the words again. Like she was a mistake, an inconvenience, and while sure, she’d had similar thoughts at first, it was out of fear that she’d be expected to give up her dreams, not at being tied down. Being a fated mate didn’t mean kids were necessary right away. Fated Mates were supposed to be a blessing.

They were supposed to be a blessing.

So then, why did this feel like a curse?

“No.” A single word, but it stopped Nic’s rambling.

“No?” he repeated, frowning. “What do you mean?”

“No.” Jo tilted up her chin. “No, I will not wait around for you to decide you’re ready to pay attention to your fated mate. I’m worth more than that.”

“You said you weren’t ready,” he pointed out.

“And I’m not, but I would have made it work as long as you didn’t try to stand in the way of my business ambitions. I will not be some ready-made back-up plan for when you decide you’re done being the playboy werewolf and you’re ready to settle down. You can take your words and shove them up your ass.”

His eyes flashed. “I’ve offended you.”

“How could anything you’ve said not be offensive?” Jo growled. “If this is what Luna has blessed me with, then I don’t want it. I won’t wait around for you. I won’t sit idle while you continue to fuck any wolf who shows interest.” She flashed her teeth. “I reject the bond.”

Nic stumbled back. “You can’t do that.”

“I can,” Jo argued. “Go back to the Howl and find the wolf you were about to fuck before you saw me. She’ll be happy for your return.”

He reached for her, but she jerked away. “There are ceremonies, things that need to be done—”

“I don’t have time to coddle you. I don’t have time to walk you through some elaborate rejection ceremony. Just stay away from me.” Jo glared at him. “Enjoy your adventures, Nicolas Olcan.”

He pressed a hand against his chest, but Jo didn’t dare do the same even if her own heart was breaking. A Fated Mate was supposed to be perfect, everything you’ve ever wanted, but this wolf had looked her dead in the eyes and asked for more years of the single life. So she’d give it to him. She’d give them all to him.

“Jo—”

But she was already walking away, her heart shattering in her chest the further she got from him. After all the worry, after everything, she hadn’t needed to do anything. In the end, her own fated mate hadn’t wanted her. She hadn’t been important enough to prioritize.

That was okay. She’d throw herself into her work and her dreams. It was what she wanted.

She began to run, shedding her flesh and her fur taking hold. She ran and ran and ran.

It was what she wanted. It would be okay.

It was another hour before Jo realized she’d been crying since the moment she’d turned her back on the werewolf playboy who broke her heart within the first five minutes of meeting him.

It would all be okay. . .

Tags: Kendra Moreno Race Games Paranormal
Source: readsnovelonline.net
readsnovelonline.net Copyright 2016 - 2024