Sondrae Bennett: Chasing Paradise

A vacation sounded like exactly what she needed. The risk of running into Ethan was too high here. It would kill her to live through the heartbreak of his words over and over. Her worst fear was that the mate attraction was a pull neither of them could resist. She deserved to be wanted for who she was, not forced into a future that would be miserable for both of them. Being alone was preferable to that fate.

Distance was what she needed. The more distance between them, the safer they both were. It was the only option.

Ethan couldn’t sit still. Lying on the beach hadn’t helped. Swimming hadn’t helped. Hell, he’d even shifted and run through the woods. Nothing eased the restlessness consuming him. There was only one cure, one thing guaranteed to still the animal inside. One woman. But when he’d searched for her, she wasn’t where he expected her to be. Nor could he find her anywhere else he looked.

So he went back to the first place he’d looked, pacing the hallway outside Gwen’s office. His nose told him she wasn’t inside, but she had to come to work sooner or later. When she did, he’d be waiting.

The need to see her, smell her, hold her, overwhelmed him. The feeling of being caged continued to grow as more time passed. Where the hell was she?

“Sir, is there something I can help you with?” The voice was friendly enough, but the young otter’s eyes were cold. She looked him over with a sneer, as if finding him lacking.

“Waiting for Gwen,” he managed to growl out.

“I’m sorry, sir. She’s not here. I’d be happy to get our acting manager if there’s a problem you need addressed.”

His heart skipped a beat in his chest.

“What do you mean, she’s not here? I was just with her this morning.” If possible, the eyes looking him over grew colder, and the smile fell from her face.

“Just what I said, she’s not here.” Even the friendliness in her voice had disappeared.

Panic burned in his belly. If she wasn’t here, where was she? What if she’d gone for good? No, he wouldn’t accept that. She was his. Made for him, just as he was made for her. This wasn’t how things were supposed to work.

The woman turned to leave, but Ethan caught up with her and spun her around.

“Where is she?” Ethan demanded. He knew he was being rude, but he couldn’t care about that now. All that mattered was finding his mate.

“She went on a little vacation of her own.” She started to turn away, but Ethan stopped her again.

“When does she return?” A deep rumble built inside him. She hadn’t mentioned a vacation. Had last night meant nothing to her? How could she just leave after everything they’d shared? And without a damn word.

“I believe she mentioned coming back once you checked out. Now, if that’s all, sir , I have other duties to attend to.”

Half-mad with impatience, Ethan’s wolf had reached the end of it’s rope. Grabbing the woman by the shoulders, Ethan spun her around and demanded to know where his mate had gone. He was through denying what he wanted. He needed Gwen more than he needed his next breath. How dare she run away from him.

If it was the last thing he did, he’d find her, and then find out why she ran. She was his mate and her place was by his side. Forever.

Anger and resolve overtook her best friend’s mate. Watching it happen before her eyes was fascinating.

The last thing she wanted to do was betray Gwen, the woman was like a sister to her. But some sixth sense compelled her to help this wolf, screamed at her that this was the right choice. He’d have to do a lot of crawling and begging to win her back after everything he’d said, but Gwen deserved her mate, deserved happiness and family. Sighing in frustration, Alyssa wrote Ty’s address down on a slip of paper and handed it to Ethan.

“You hurt her again, I’ll castrate you,” she threatened calmly as he reached for the paper. If there had only been surprise in his gaze, she would have snatched the paper away before he could read it. But pain and determination were also in the look he shot her as he nodded. Determination to make this right. Taking the paper, the wolf ran down the hallway like the hounds of hell were following.

Looks like Gwen is in for quite a surprise, she thought with a smile. Hopefully the wolf would live up to the faith she’d just placed in him.

“What do you mean she’s not here?” Ethan shouted at the beefy man who answered the door. This was the address the woman had given him. Gwen was supposed to be here. It was becoming increasingly harder to maintain control. The wolf inside him was distressed and struggling to get free. Seeing another man in the same house as his mate, a mate who had run from him, was a shock he hadn’t prepared for.

To hear he had spent the better part of the day traveling for nothing was testing his restraint. His wolf was itching for a fight. The horse shifter in front of him might just find himself on the wrong side of his anger.

“And who the hell are you to her, anyway?” His hands fisted, his frustration reaching its boiling point. It drove him mad seeing this male standing between him and his woman.

The man calmly leaned against the doorway, blocking Ethan from seeing inside. Clearly, the man either didn’t know the trouble he was courting or he didn’t care. “An old friend. A good friend. But, like I said, she’s not here.”

Taking a deep breath, Ethan strove for calm. The barest hint of an ocean breeze floated in the air. He knew that scent. Gwen.

The shifter was lying. He didn’t know why, but he knew his nose wouldn’t. Gwen was inside and he would find her. Even if he had to go through this man to get to her.

Everything around him took on an amber hue as his eyes shifted. His mate had run from him. Soon she’d learn running from a wolf only opened herself up for a hunt. Now that he’d cornered his prey, Ethan would make sure she didn’t escape him again. It was time to claim his mate. Right here. Right now.

“If you don’t step aside, I will tear you apart.” His voice was more wolf’s than man’s. The shifter didn’t rush to get out of his way as expected, but stared at him, raking his eyes over Ethan from head to toe.

“Let’s get something straight, wolf. I’m not scared of you. I’ll let you in because ultimately I believe it’s what Gwen needs, but if you hurt her, I will take you down. We clear?”

Ethan jerked a nod. Twice today someone had stood between him and his mate. His wolf wouldn’t stand for much more. It took all his willpower not to attack him just for the pleasure of fighting.

He couldn’t understand why Gwen was here in the first place. She should be cuddling with him in bed, wrapped up in the sheets, not trying to ditch him. What had he done so wrong to cause her to flee? The night had been as good for her as it was for him. He’d made sure of it.

Okay, if he were honest, sneaking out of her bed the morning after such mind-shattering sex had been a shitty thing to do. But his emotions had been in turmoil. The whole reason he’d come to the resort was to escape mating, not to head straight toward it. He’d thought he had more time.

But fate had its own schedule and, apparently, it was done waiting. Time had run out, and he had found his mate. The more he thought about it, the happier he grew. How could he be upset when he thought about Gwen? She was a beautiful, sexy, and smart woman who belonged to him. Just as soon as he claimed her.

The sting in his gums intensified as his fangs extended, poking his lipin anticipation. He felt almost feral. Taking the stairs two at a time, Ethan followed Gwen’s scent to a room at the end of the hallway. Quietly, he eased open the door.