An Alpha Wolf who needs a wife to keep running his pack teams up with a matchmaker who needs a husband to convince her parents she can run the family business. Both of them are hiding things and have pasts. What can possibly go wrong? The Wolf's Unlikely Mate is created by Chris Redding, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
RORY POV
"Look at this view!!" I loved living in Alaska. Views like these made me feel incredibly lucky to live here. As I kneeled to catch my breath, I looked out over the hillside and across the vast valley below me. Gentle rolling hills made their way to the forest edge, and a small rushing river flowed through the grassy hills.
I never hiked solo, but I was glad that I did that day. Work at the wildlife sanctuary had begun to pile up over the last hunting season, and I needed a break. This day was unique, as I would do a solo hike on Saffron Mountain. A notoriously secluded trail wound itself around Saffron, weaving in and out of a remote spruce-filled forest. The trail was narrow and covered in cones and needles. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the local wildlife as well. Despite seeing animals every day at the sanctuary, I was looking forward to seeing a few in their natural habitat.
After snapping a few photos of the pristine view, I started to make my way back down the mountain. The crisp and clean mountain air was intoxicating, and the quiet of the forest was incredibly soothing. It had taken me an hour to hike up the mountain, so I took my time hiking down, keeping at a leisurely pace. I was in no rush to get back to the sanctuary and was enjoying some quiet, contemplative time to myself.
But as I made my way down the winding trail, I couldn't help but feel the presence of someone. Or perhaps the presence of something. I stopped momentarily to catch my breath and listen for nearby wildlife sounds. It was tranquil save for a few sparrows and chickadees in the white spruce trees. Maybe it was a squirrel or some other type of rodent running around the forest floor making all that noise. I shrugged and continued walking.
But then I heard the noise again. It sounded like something significantly large, crushing sticks and brush in its path. This time I stopped and waited. Slowly turning in a full circle, I scanned both sides of the trail and forest and searched for any signs of wildlife or humans. The forest was extremely dense, but the trees were thin, so the probability of an animal or human walking beside me without me noticing was slim. I did not want to run into something large unprepared. So, I decided to check my backpack and make sure I had brought my bear spray.
I didn't find the bear spray, and I wondered if maybe my mom had borrowed it and had forgotten to return it to my backpack. I sighed as I zipped my backpack shut but became increasingly alert; I felt confident I was being watched. I felt someone or something was watching me. And then I heard the growls.
I could see four wolves approaching me out of the corner of my eye one black wolf, two grey wolves, and a brown wolf. The black wolf walked slightly ahead of the other three. I calmly put my backpack over my shoulders and turned around to face them. I had been trained for this. I needed to stand straight, appear as large as I could, and walk away from them slowly. I didn't plan on running or turning my back on them. I tried to keep a close eye on them without making direct eye contact, especially with the black wolf as he edged closer.
All four wolves growled and snarled in unison. They looked p*ssed. But in my training, I had learned that wolf attacks were extremely rare. And wolves were usually frightful of humans. I knew they most likely wouldn't attack if I didn't run. But as they edged closer, I began to walk backward with more speed. However, this was dangerous, as I couldn't possibly watch where I was going and watch the wolves simultaneously. I was a short human, five-foot-three to be exact, so I puffed out my chest and maintained a serious facial expression attempting to mask my racing fear. I was deathly terrified, and all the training I had endured did not prepare me for this.
The black wolf picked up his pace as the trail wrapped around a bend in the hillside. They were continuously snarling and growling, baring their sharp teeth and fangs. Eventually, I assumed they would pick up their speed and try to surround me. As I tried not to make eye contact, I attempted to avoid staring into their glaring mouths. I knew how powerful those fangs were and the damage they could do. I knew I did not possess the strength to fight off one of these wolves, let alone a pack. I quickly tried to think about my next move. Should I call for help?
I continued walking backward and pulled my cell phone out of my sweatshirt pocket. I noticed I had no signal. I thought about calling 911 anyway. I looked up at the closing-in wolves and made the decision. I would call for help. I dialed 911, but the call didn't go through. There was simply no nearby service to connect me to any emergency services. I was on my own.
I put the cellphone back in my pocket as the wolves got even closer. I picked up my speed, but it was no use. It was almost like they were communicating with each other because the two grey wolves took off in a light run, both running past me and then stopping behind me. At that point, I was surrounded. With the black and brown wolves closing in on me from the front and the two grey wolves behind me, I had nowhere to run.
And then I tripped.
I fell over a rock and tumbled backward, landing on my backpack. While the weight of my backpack had cushioned my fall, when I tried to pull myself up without using my hands, it was almost impossible. Sprawled out on the ground on my back, I felt utterly useless and ready to be preyed upon. The black wolf edged closer, growling, and snarling, and I had to turn away to avoid looking into his fiery yellow eyes. He stood over me now, and I could feel his hot breath on my face.
My life quickly flashed before my eyes. How ironic was it that I had spent the last five of my twenty-six years saving wolves and was now going to die this way? I thought about my mom and how devastated she would be after losing her husband decades ago and now losing her only child. I had never married and had never fallen in love. Sure, I dated a few guys in high school, but I had never experienced true love. I had never even heard the words "I love you" from a man. I had spent all my waking moments at the sanctuary trying to take care of animals.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and when I opened them, I noticed the growling stopped. The black wolf was still standing over me but looked across from me at something behind me. I slowly looked over my shoulder and saw it-another wolf.
This wolf was majestically white, and his fur glistened like fresh-fallen snow. Its fur was thick and bushy. And I noticed it was much larger than the others. It howled, and the black wolf backed up off me and, after glancing quietly at the others, retreated into the forest. I watched in awe as the other wolves followed him, quietly disappearing.
Before I could process it, the white wolf approached me. It strolled over to me, and its grey eyes looked me up and down with contemplation I had not seen from a wolf before. It was as if he was looking for something. I thought quickly about my next move. I leaned back on my elbows to push myself up, but I was too slow. The massive white wolf had reached me and was now standing over my head, peering down at me.
What little chance I might have had to escape was gone. I closed my eyes and accepted my fate. Maybe he would do it quickly. I waited for it to attack as tears fell down my face. But the wolf didn't attack. I opened my eyes and realized the wolf was gone. And in his place knelt a gorgeous man with a muscular frame, a slender asymmetrical face, and sandy blonde hair cut in an angular fringe.
"A wolf shifter has to flee her pack and unwittingly becomes the personal assistant to a human billionaire. She must hide her nature while learning about the human world and try not to fall in love with her smoking hot boss. Things come to a head when the reason she fled her pack comes to haunt her new life. Will her boss fire her when he realizes what she is? Or will love conquer all so this wolf shifter can finally have her happily ever after? The Billionaire’s Wolf Shifter Assistant is created by Chris Redding, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author."
Listening to the advice of her parents, Emma gives up her true love and marries Lucien, a cold and cruel Alpha. Five years later, Emma comes face to face with Dex, the man she cruelly abandoned. Now an Alpha, Dex finds himself drawn back to Emma, though he doesn’t want to be hurt again. Will Emma have the strength to leave her marriage and find happiness…or will dangerous forces once again separate the star crossed lovers? He looked down at her, but she couldn’t see his expression. His body language didn’t ask her to move away so she went up on her toes and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. He tasted as she remembered. Man. Wolf. Mate. When she was about to break contact, he put his hand on the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Her mind began to swirl out of control. She remembered the passion between them. She remembered the friendship. She remembered it all. Finding Her Lost Mate is created by Chris Redding, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
When Brandi Marsing approaches billionaire Zach Wilder, she thinks her job is simple: gain the trust of her father’s greatest rival, and find the dirt to bring him down. Brandi is shocked to learn that the handsome Zach is a better man then she thought, despite forcing her into a fake relationship one day after meeting. Will Brandi remain loyal…or will she fall in love with the enemy? “I don’t need to force anyone into my bed, Miss Marsing.” He straightened. “This will be far more public. Probably painful for you and deliciously so for your father also.” She wanted to gag at his ego. Jail was looking better and better. “Just call the cops.” “You don’t want to hear my proposal?” he asked. “Tell me what I’m choosing between,” she demanded. “You either go to jail. Or...” He let the word hang in the air and she resisted leaning forward in anticipation. “Or, you pretend to be my fiancé.” His Rival's Daughter is created by Chris Redding, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. "It's time to reveal your true identity, darling."
"There will be no falling in love, we will only act as a loving couple when we are in public, we will share a room to make it believable, but no intimacy, touching is off-limits. We'll only have sex once a month, and that's solely to produce an heir. You won't interfere in my business, and I won't interfere in yours. You will be my wife in every sense and you will not be involved with any other man," he said, arrogance seeping from every word. I watch his mouth move, I'm not ready to fall in love with any man, especially not one as arrogant and egoistic as him. I can handle acting as a loving couple, and as for intimacy once a month. I can agree to that just to satisfy my sexual cravings with no strings attached. "Where can I sign?" I asked since I had nothing to lose. *** Nadine's wedding dreams turned to nightmares when she caught her sister and fiancé cheating! With a secret recording, she's ready for revenge. But then mysterious billionaire Logan West offers a deal: A Contract Marriage to take down her ex's empire. But what Nadine doesn't know is her life is getting complicated as she takes her chance to get revenge or risks everything for a chance at love?"
Rumors said that Lucas married an unattractive woman with no background. In the three years they were together, he remained cold and distant to Belinda, who endured in silence. Her love for him forced her to sacrifice her self-worth and her dreams. When Lucas' true love reappeared, Belinda realized that their marriage was a sham from the start, a ploy to save another woman's life. She signed the divorce papers and left. Three years later, Belinda returned as a surgical prodigy and a maestro of the piano. Lost in regret, Lucas chased her in the rain and held her tightly. "You are mine, Belinda."
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
When they were kids, Derek saved Norah's life. Years later, after Derek ended up in a vegetative state from a car crash, Norah married him without a second thought and even used her medical knowledge to heal him. For two years, Norah was devoted, seeking his affection and looking to settle her life-saving debt. But when Derek's first love returned, Norah, faced with divorce, didn't hesitate to sign. Despite being labeled as forsaken, few knew of her true talents. She was a race car driver, a famed designer, a genius hacker, and a renowned doctor. Regretting his decision, Derek begged for her forgiveness. Just then, a charming CEO intervened, embracing Norah and declaring, "Back off! She's my wife!" Taken aback, Norah blurted out, "What did you say?"