Mated (Olde Town Pack Book 2) Read online

  Mated

  Olde Town Pack

  Katie Salidas

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Mated (Olde Town Pack, #2)

  The Olde Town Pack

  Acknowledgements

  MATED

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  FIVE

  SIX

  SEVEN

  EIGHT

  NINE

  TEN

  ELEVEN

  TWELVE

  THIRTEEN

  FOURTEEN

  FIFTEEN

  SIXTEEN

  SEVENTEEN

  EIGHTEEN

  NINETEEN

  TWENTY

  TWENTY-ONE

  TWENTY-TWO

  TWENTY-THREE

  TWENTY-FOUR

  TWENTY-FIVE

  TWENTY-SIX

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  Other Books By Katie Salidas

  The Immortalis Series

  Little Werewolf series

  About the Author

  Mated: Olde Town Pack

  Copyright © 2016 by Katie Salidas

  EBOOK EDITION

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Cover: Willsin Rowe

  Editing: Sharazade

  Formatting: Rising Sign Books

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  Autographed Editions of all Katie Salidas books may be purchased at

  www.KatieSalidas.com

  The Olde Town Pack

  Characters in this book series also belong to the Immortalis Series and Little Werewolf series by Katie Salidas.

  Moonlight

  Good girls don’t wear fur, or fight over men, and they certainly don’t run around naked, howling at the moon. But then, no-one ever called Fallon a good girl. As a human unofficially mated to an Alpha werewolf, Fallon is being pressured to “become”...or be gone. Her mate Aiden, the interim leader of the Olde Town Pack, is in a position that demands he either choose a wolf mate...or leave the pack forever. No matter how hot the sex with Fallon is, he can’t ignore centuries of tradition. Become a wolf or not. If only the choice were that simple. Fallon’s options are further clouded by the overt presence of other females desperate to be the Alpha’s mate. And when these bitches get serious, it’s not just claws that come out. If Fallon wants to keep her man and take the title she’ll have to exert a little dominance of her own.

  Mated

  A preview edition of Mated was made available in the Wicked Winter Boxed set and a special Prequel of Rachel’s run was included in the Magic and Mistletoe Boxed set. Both sets can be found via my website.

  Brady Whelan, Second Son of the Olde Town pack, is a confirmed bachelor and self-proclaimed sex god. He loves all women. One night at a time.

  Which has earned him a few names from the ladies in his pack: One-night-wonder, Serial womanizer. Man whore.

  To him, each one is a badge of honor.

  There are only two names he’ll never let them call him; “boyfriend”, and the even more soul-crushing “mate”. He’d never let himself be tied him down like that.

  But when he finds a beautiful blonde she-wolf beaten and left for dead on his pack’s land, deeply-rooted instincts to protect are awakened. Despite not knowing where she came from, Brady vows to destroy the bastards who hurt her. Even if it means igniting a war between two rival packs.

  Sold by her father into slavery as a broodmate, tortured and abused, Rachel Marsden had barely escaped her vicious Alpha when she was ambushed and brutalized in the wintery woods of Massachusetts. Men were the enemy, and she’d sworn never to trust another one as long as she lived.

  But finding herself isolated, surrounded by a pack she’s never met, her choices are limited. Escape into the wilderness where she’ll be defenseless again... or trust the sexy Alpha wolf she can’t stop thinking about.

  Acknowledgements

  This book was a product of tough love, and I want to thank the team of advanced beta readers who really put me through my paces. You’re honesty and critical eye have really helped to shape this story into something special.

  Jason LaVelle, Alexia Purdy, Willsin Rowe, Fawn Phillips, & Brittany Richardson.

  You guys rock so hard! This one is for you guys!

  MATED

  ONE

  An insistent knock on the door of Brady’s room came like an answer to his prayer.

  Pinned against the mattress under the weight of his recent conquest, his arm had begun to tingle with the loss of blood flow, and his fingers were asleep. He fought with exactly how he’d dislodge himself without causing a scene.

  Another loud bang bang bang against the door roused the woman from her slumber, and in those first few moments of hazy consciousness, she rolled over and released Brady’s arm.

  Goodbyes sucked. Life was easier when his one-nighters shimmied out of the room before sunrise or ducked out while he showered.

  The ones that wanted to cuddle and talk about how much fun they had – the clingy types – forced him to be a jerk to get them to take a hike.

  Confirmed bachelor.

  Serial womanizer.

  Sex god.

  He wore those titles like a badge of honor.

  Boyfriend or – a word that should never be spoken – mate...

  No. Way. In. Hell.

  He’d never let a woman tie him down... like that.

  The knocker – Fallon, to judge by the smell he caught from the other side of the door – was exactly the kind of distraction he needed to get Shirley, no, Cynthia – that had to be her name – out of his bed and on her merry way sooner rather than later.

  “Come in,” Brady shouted, earning a shriek of embarrassment from Cynthia as she scrambled for clothes.

  Nakedness wasn’t a new thing for him or his kind, but Cynthia looked as if she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. The poor girl moved so fast she nearly shredded her shirt as she pulled it over her head.

  He couldn’t help but laugh as he stretched on the bed and watched the show.

  Fallon opened the door. More pixie than wolf, his sister-in-law had almost no shifter traits to her tiny human form, but that didn’t suppress her ability to look intimidating. She crossed her arms, staring with full judgment at Brady while the frantic girl tried to shimmy past, still clutching her underwear in her hands.

  “Is it your intention to screw every girl in New England?” Fallon mocked.

  Brady sat up proudly. “Challenge accepted.” He winked, knowing it would earn him a smack. Of all the girls in the Olde Town pack, Fallon had been immune to his charms, so he had to content himself with poking the bear every chance he had.

  “You’re such an ass.” Fallon rolled her eyes. “Thank goodness for Aiden. At least one Whelan boy has a head on his shoulders.”

  “Whereas mine is...” Brady pointed lower and
gave her another playful look.

  “Pig.” Fallon slapped him across the leg.

  “Hardly. Pigs are prey. I’m the big bad wolf, baby!” The moment those words left his lips he flinched, knowing he’d gone too far.

  Fallon’s hand lifted again to strike. “Aiden might argue with that.” She didn’t land the hit, letting her words make blunt impact.

  Jealousy wasn’t in his nature, but there were times he felt curiosity about the girl who’d stolen his wingman’s heart. Aiden had been his partner in crime before she’d come along. Her charms had ensnared him so completely that from the moment they’d met, Aiden could look at no other. “Yep. And I concede to his position as Alpha. Or you’d be next on my hit list.”

  “You couldn’t handle this,” Fallon smirked, while highlighting her features with a wave of her hand and a shimmy of her hips. She might have been small in stature, but she more than made up for that in curve appeal.

  No doubt about it, that woman had charms. But despite the lust she could stir, honor forbade action. “Right. I’ve seen what you did to my brother. Terrible. Just terrible.” Brady snickered, remembering how even before she’d been turned wolf, she’d had Aiden by the balls. “I’ll never let a woman get her claws into me like that.”

  “Never say never,” Fallon laughed, as she scooped up his shirt from the floor and tossed it at his face. “But for now, I’ve been sent to haul you up to the office. Aiden wants to talk about the Yule celebrations.”

  “I know. I’ve been dreading it.” Brady pulled his shirt on and stood looking for his boxers. He gave a quick glance over to the mirror and ran his hands through his shaggy mop of hair, making a mental note to get a trim soon. “Shelly... er... Cynthia was helping me get pumped for the meeting.”

  Fallon turned away, but not before he caught her disgusted sneer. “Animal.”

  “All predator, baby.” The worst part of being a second son was having to attend the councils. Strength. Virility. Power. Those were his gifts. But in times of peace, he was little more than a statue sitting through his brother’s endless meetings. Who knew being an Alpha meant so much paperwork? When they were growing up, their father had pushed them in all things physical, instilling in both brothers the impression that an Alpha was only as good as he was strong.

  Once his brother ascended to the position, it was the strength of words that held most of the power. Thankfully, as second son, Brady could put his skills to use as an enforcer.

  This evening, however, promised to be especially boring and completely devoid of any action: party planning.

  “Whatever. Finish putting your damn clothes on and get to Aiden’s office, now! Small council is already waiting,” Fallon said, as she left the room.

  She might not be his, but that didn’t stop him from admiring the wiggle of her ass as she stepped confidently away from him.

  Women were the only excitement in his existence. Alluring in their movements, mysterious in their nature, and wild underneath him as he devoured them in bed.

  “Challenge accepted,” he murmured to himself, remembering her offhand comment that he should attempt to bed the entire eastern coast.

  Why not?

  It would be a hell of a lot more amusing than attending meetings about place settings and whose ass should be kissed.

  TWO

  Strolling into the meeting almost thirty minutes late earned Brady looks of annoyance from the lower members of Aiden’s small council. Brady shot back a toothy glare to each of them and enjoyed the immediate response of their heads lowering in submission.

  There were some benefits to being the second son. But even without his status to back him up, Brady was a known fighter. His place as right hand to the Alpha – enforcer – might have been granted by line of succession, but he’d earned his reputation through strength and the ability to take down lesser wolves.

  “Finally decided to join us, brother?” Aiden’s reproachful stare could not be deflected so easily.

  Brady lowered his head respectfully to his Alpha as he took his seat. “Yes. Hope I haven’t missed anything important.”

  The office was small, and crammed around Aiden’s desk were six wolves, who each served a distinct purpose in the pack. Fallon sat in her place of honor to one side of Aiden as mate and representative Alpha for all females in the Olde Town pack. Brady took the other seat alongside Aiden, a position of great power as Second Son. On the other side of Aiden’s desk sat Emma, a no-nonsense blonde with teeth as sharp as her high heels, who served as head of all health and safety issues; Jackson, a burly flannel-wearing nature lover and ambassador to the local packs; and Stephen, the suit-and-tie-wearing executive who served as chief paperwork nazi. Partners in the running of the business end of things, Jackson and Stephen managed their wildlife preserve during the times when Aiden and Brady returned to their homes in Boston proper to keep an eye on the local supernatural population.

  “We’re going to have a feast and a hunt.” Aiden spoke as if it were the first time he’d uttered the words in the meeting. “Our territory has become distant of late, and we need to breed a little more camaraderie.”

  Excitement lit Emma’s milk chocolate-colored eyes. Seated across from Brady, the blonde she-wolf practically sat up and begged after she heard Aiden’s declaration.

  Girls love parties, Brady mused.

  Fallon too had a glint of happiness, but next to her Stephen did not appear as pleased with what Aiden had just suggested. Gatherings meant more paperwork, no doubt.

  Aside from that, get-togethers bred trouble, especially where wolves were concerned. Not even a moment after the Alpha uttered the words, Brady had a vision of infighting and bloody messes to clean up – not to mention organizing security details.

  “Do you think it’s wise to gather the packs at this time?” Brady asked.

  “Why not? It’s the holiday season. A time for celebrating with family,” Aiden responded with annoyance.

  Good intentions aside, Aiden wasn’t considering the negatives. “The Acta Sanctorum are still watching,” Brady cautioned, keeping his tone to his Alpha respectful while in public. He could be blunt when speaking to his brother in private, but here in council, carefully chosen words had to be delivered with tact. “You don’t think they’d pay closer attention during times when people are known to celebrate together?”

  “You think they’d dare attack us now? We’ve heard nothing from them in months,” Aiden countered arrogantly.

  “Alyssa has not returned.” Fallon’s expression soured slightly, as if realizing she’d missed a bigger piece of the puzzle too. “And her clan have not sent word in months, either.”

  “Things are far too quiet for my liking,” Brady agreed, matching Fallon’s worried tone. “I understand the need for the packs to unite, but we must consider the possibility of our enemies lying in wait for such opportunities.”

  Aiden stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Where were the Peregrinus clan last spotted?” Curiosity had replaced the arrogant tone in his voice as he looked to his advisors for an answer.

  “Rome, last I heard,” Brady answered. “I told Nicholas it was a bad idea. Lysander too, but none of them listened.”

  Fallon’s gaze fell to the table. She sighed loudly. “They’ll be okay. They have to be.”

  “Don’t despair. Santino is with them. Silence is how he operates.” Aiden pulled his mate close to him. “And when has your friend Alyssa ever not come out on top of things?”

  If vampires were good at anything, it was keeping off the radar. For the most part. Alyssa had a bad habit of stirring the pot, but Brady could count on the senior members of the Peregrinus to carry them all out of danger unscathed. Still, the silence on both sides of the fence made the thought of a very large very public gathering of wolves a bad idea.

  “Until we know the vampires have succeeded in their mission, we need to be cautious.” Brady’s tone darkened with unease, but it was not for Alyssa and the vampires. Jealousy struck him h
ard. No, not jealousy. Couldn’t be. He had no reason to be jealous of his brother. Still, the love he saw displayed between Aiden and Fallon struck a chord with him, unfamiliar and uncomfortable all the same. “The Saints too work in silence, and if we create even the slightest spectacle, they will come and attack.”

  “We cannot deny the potential for danger, but wolves do not cower in the shadows.” Aiden nodded thoughtfully. “We’ll ask our friends in the local witch coven for cloaking spells. Our people deserve some excitement this holiday season.”

  Aiden was Alpha, and his word was law. Brady did not agree with it, but he would honor his brother’s decision for the celebration to continue, even if it meant bringing down the whole of the Acta Sanctorum upon his pack. A fight would at least bring some excitement to Brady’s existence. “I will of course do as my Alpha commands.” He lowered his head respectfully.

  The other wolves seated around the small office table murmured in agreement as well. Emma locked eyes with Brady, and he caught the satisfaction there. She smiled arrogantly, having witnessed Aiden pull rank.

  Used to taking his lumps from Emma, Brady winked back at her playfully. One of the many wolves in the pack he’d had a tryst with, it was clear she still carried a torch for him, and though he’d made it clear he wasn’t the relationship type, his desire to remain single had fallen on deaf ears.

  He’d gladly have her again, but on his own terms. No strings attached... well, maybe rope. He’d be open to letting her tie him up and have her way with him. But no woman—no matter how important in the pack—would tie him down.

  Honest as he’d been about his intentions, neither Emma nor any woman he’d dated ever seemed to understand the distinction. And somehow that translated into him rejecting them. Retribution followed, of course. He was a jerk, or whatever choice name they decided to call him. Emma, being on the council, thoroughly enjoyed any time Brady was put in his place by the Alpha.

  “Good,” Aiden said, with a slap of his hand on the table. “We have precious little time to set this up, so let’s get to it.”