Bound To You (Previously The Hard Mate) - Preview

Chapter Two *James*

He'd been about to light up his first cigarette in ages when the girl had come running out. It had seemed odd, so he'd gone after her, followed her the few hundred feet to the beach. Not into the water, of course; he didn't like the ocean and was a terrible swimmer.

He supposed he should have known something wasn't quite right when he got the crazy notion to follow her. He was not the type to follow any female, anywhere. In fact, if it was possible, he'd move to an island where there were no females allowed.

He watched her take her shoes off and step into the water. She walked out, and for a moment, he wanted to call to her to be careful. That should have been the second clue. He didn't do concern.

Instead, he lit his cig. The sound made her realize he was there, although he was a bit surprised she hadn't already known. He always knew as soon as anyone was within fifty feet of him. But then again, she wasn't a warrior wolf, as he was, so maybe he shouldn't have been surprised by her failure to detect him.

She turned, and for a moment everything was still. Then it happened. The bond connected. Connected the way only an alpha bond did. The cord, the bond, the light, the magic surged into him. Into her too, he supposed.

They were mated.

He swore.

She walked, no, glided through the water toward him. For a moment he could see her, the beautiful golden skin, the dark mane of hair, and the eyes that reminded him of silver come alive. Then she turned into another woman, a woman he hated. A woman with tanned skin and black hair just like her. He had killed that woman, so the rational part of him knew that this girl wasn't the one he had hated with such passion. Still hated. No. It was just his mind playing tricks.

She stepped close then, looking up at him, young and expectant once more. She was the birthday girl, had to be. The one Robin had been so eager to meet when James's father had ordered them to attend this gathering. Eighteen. God, she was young. He wanted to swear. Then, with the same expectant look still on her face, she'd doomed them both with the true words, "We're mated."

"Fantastic" was all he could manage. Fucking fantastic.