A Place to Belong (SAMPLE-Available in paperback and eBook)

Chapter 2

Thank you all for your support. It means so much to me. I hope you enjoy the chapter. :)

(William)

I took a sip of my drink and sat back against the booth. Scanning the people surrounding me, I locked eyes with a blue-eyed blonde sitting at the bar. She was wearing a little black dress that showed off her curvaceous body. There was no doubt about it. She was a looker.

I broke eye contact. My wolf and I felt nothing but lust when looking at her. We didn't feel drawn to her or feel a connection. She wasn't our mate. Therefore, we wanted nothing to do with her. Only our mate would do.

Do you think we'll find our mate tonight? my wolf, Gray, wanted to know.

I don't know, buddy, I told him. I hope so.

I want my mate, he whined.

I felt his longing as keenly as he felt mine. I want her too, Gray. You know how desperately I want to find her and make her ours. It will happen. We just have to be patient.

He let out a growl of frustration and then went silent. I left him alone with his thoughts.

Just then, my cell phone rang. I removed it from the inside pocket of my suit jacket and checked the caller ID. It was my beta, Leo, calling me. I answered the call.

"Hello, Leo," I said.

"Hey, Will," he said. "Are you busy?"

"No." I took another sip of my drink. "What's up?"

"The guys came across a woman in the forest," he said. "It was about an hour ago. She was lost and confused."

"What was she doing in the forest at night?" I asked, frowning.

"She was looking for old man Wilson's cabin, a safe place to stay for the night," he answered. "She told Danny and Hudson that she was running away from Gage Striker. She said Striker was abusive toward her. She ran away because it was too dangerous for her to stay with him."

Anger rose within me. There was nothing I hated more than a man that abused women. "Striker was always a cruel son of a bitch," I said coolly.

"That is true," Leo agreed with me. "Anyway, she's staying with us for now. She didn't want to. She said Striker and his men will be looking for her. She's afraid they will hurt the pack to get to her. Hudson felt it wasn't safe for her to go off on her own so he insisted she stay with us."

"Hudson did the right thing by insisting she stay," I said.

"Danny's not too thrilled about it," Leo said. "He feels we're putting the pack in danger by letting her stay. He and Hudson had a little disagreement about it."

"He and Hudson disagree about everything," I uttered dryly. "What's her name?"

"Lainey Murdoch," Leo said.

"Make sure Ms. Murdoch is comfortable," I said. "I'll talk to her when I get home tomorrow."

"I haven't talked to her yet," he said. "Doc is examining her. She was bleeding when she got here."

"Hard telling what Striker did to her," I said quietly. "Send more men out to patrol the borders. If Striker attacks tonight, I want you to be ready for him."