The Reluctant Wolf and His Fated Mate: A Howls Romance (White Mountain Shifters Book 1) Read online

  The Reluctant Wolf and His Fated Mate

  White Mountain Shifters Book 1

  Lisa Carlisle

  LisaCarlisleBooks.com

  Mates were trouble. That’s why Damon would never claim one.

  Sophie escapes to the White Mountains with her friend for a ski weekend. When she skis off trail and gets lost in the mountains, she stumbles into the path of a wolf. Only it’s bigger than any she ever thought existed, and it’s baring its fangs at her...

  Damon has refused to mate with another after seeing his father go mad. When he meets a woman his wolf recognizes as his mate, the call is more difficult to ignore. And when he catches her scent on the mountain, he can’t fight it any longer. He tracks her through the forest to ensure she’s safe.

  But Sophie has stepped into another pack’s territory.

  If Damon crosses the boundary, he’ll break the treaty between their packs.

  Mates--nothing but trouble...

  Fated mates and forbidden love. Escape into the magic of the White Mountains with the Franconia shifters.

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  Other Books by Lisa Carlisle

  White Mountain Shifters

  Howls Romance

  Fated mates and forbidden love. When wolf shifters find their fated mate, the trouble is only just beginning.

  The Reluctant Wolf and His Fated Mate

  The Wolf and His Forbidden Witch

  The Alpha and His Enemy Wolf

  Underground Encounters

  Steamy paranormal romances set in an underground goth club that attracts vampires, witches, shifters, and gargoyles.

  Book 1: SMOLDER (a vampire / firefighter romance)

  Book 2: FIRE (a witch / firefighter romance)

  Book 3: IGNITE (a feline shifter / rock star romance)

  Book 4: BURN (a vampire / shapeshifter rock romance)

  Book 5: HEAT (a gargoyle shifter romance)

  Book 6: BLAZE (a gargoyle shifter rockstar romance)

  Book 7: COMBUST (vampire / witch romances)

  Book 8: INFLAME (a gargoyle shifter / witch romance)

  Book 9: TORCH (a gargoyle shifter / werewolf romance

  Book 10: SCORCH (an incubus vs succubus demon romance)

  Chateau Seductions

  An art colony on a remote New England island lures creative types—and supernatural characters. Steamy paranormal romances.

  Darkness Rising

  Dark Velvet

  Dark Muse

  Dark Stranger

  Dark Pursuit

  Highland Gargoyle

  Gargoyle shifters, wolf shifters, and tree witches have divided the Isle of Stone after a great battle 25 years ago. One risk changes it all…

  Knights of Stone: Mason

  Knights of Stone: Lachlan

  Knights of Stone: Bryce

  Seth: a wolf shifter romance in the series

  Knights of Stone: Calum

  Stone Cursed

  Knights of Stone: Gavin

  Stone Sentries

  Meet your perfect match the night of the super moon — or your perfect match for the night. A cop teams up with a gargoyle shifter when demons attack Boston.

  Tempted by the Gargoyle

  Enticed by the Gargoyle

  Captivated by the Gargoyle

  Anchor Me

  Navy SEALs, Marines, and hometown heroes. Each one encounters his most complicated mission yet, when he will find a woman from his past—who changes his future.

  Antonio (a novella available for free here)

  Angelo

  Vince

  Matty

  Jack (All Released in 2020!)

  Night Eagle Operations

  A paranormal romantic suspense novel

  When Darkness Whispers

  Berkano Vampires

  A shared author world with dystopian paranormal romances.

  Immortal Resistance

  Blood Courtesans

  A shared author world with the vampire blood courtesans.

  Pursued: Mia

  Visit LisaCarlisleBooks.com to learn more!

  For E. Always.

  The Reluctant Wolf’s Mate

  Copyright © 2020 by Lisa Carlisle

  Edited by Natasha Larry

  The right of Lisa Carlisle to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do so through your retailer’s “lend” function. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected].

  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

  Find out more about the author and upcoming books online at lisacarlislebooks.com, facebook.com/lisacarlisleauthor, or @lisacbooks.

  Created with Vellum

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Visit Vamps

  Be a VIP Reader!

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Book List

  Chapter 1

  Damon

  Damon stared at the gargoyle statues flanking the sides of the club and ground his teeth. Traveling here had been a mistake.

  He didn’t care if the venue attracted shifters.

  An unsettling sensation had prickled the back of his neck the moment his pack’s alpha had suggested the excursion three nights ago.

  “There’s an underground club on the Massachusetts coast,” Rafe had said after a pack meeting. “Let’s head down for the weekend.” He’d motioned to Damon, one of the pack’s enforcers, and Grayson, their beta. “We might have a better chance at finding our mates, since we’re not having any luck here.”

  That was just fine with Damon. Mates were nothing but trouble. Just ask his father.

  Impossible. His father was long gone.

  Damon groaned to himself. All because of that so-called magical bond with a mate. More like a suicidal noose.

  He attempted to push his unease about this club aside and followed Rafe and Grayson inside. They navigated down a dark passageway lit by electric sconces. Damon had to force his feet forward. He coul
dn’t wait to return to the solitude of his cabin back on Franconia Mountain. He could ski by day and hunt for prey in wolf form come dusk. If he wanted a female companion, there were plenty of snow bunnies that came for short-term visits, which made it easier to avoid relationships. But as a pack enforcer, his loyalty and protection remained with his alpha. If Rafe wanted to go on some mad mission to find his mate, Damon would go at his command.

  That didn’t mean he had to agree to seek out a potential mate himself.

  They reached a door guarded by a human male with dark skin and muscular biceps that strained the sleeves of his black shirt. While Grayson handled the financial transaction, Damon read the sign mounted on the door:

  “Abandon hope all ye who enter here.”

  The creepy decor is a little over the top, he communicated telepathically to Rafe.

  What did you expect from a club that attracts supes—rainbows and unicorns?

  The bouncer let them enter. Before Damon even stepped across the threshold, a remix of a familiar song with a sinister vibe slithered under his skin. He rolled his neck to ease the returning discomfort. Still, he walked inside.

  His senses were assaulted at once—not only by the music that seemed to fuse inside his body and echo in his ears, but by the bright lights and the scents. It was human perspiration mixed with desire.

  As his vision adjusted to the red, purple, and white lights that traveled overhead, he scanned from one end of the club to the other. Gargoyle statues were mounted like stone sentries from perches both near the ceiling and down at ground level. They were the only things standing still. People moved constantly, from those walking to those dancing, moving like serpents under strobe lights.

  Damon blew out a rough breath. “I need a drink.”

  Grayson nodded and motioned to the bar with rows of bottles lit under crimson lights. “Come on.”

  Once they ordered drinks from a pink-haired bartender, Rafe led the trio as they walked single file along the edge of the dance floor. They stood at least half a head above most of the men nearby. Rafe scoped out the dancers, likely eying the women in black outfits that revealed plenty of skin. Damon forced himself to take deep, slow breaths to ward off the claustrophobic vibe.

  He gulped his mojito. “I’m not going to dance.”

  Grayson chuckled. “Won’t or can’t?”

  Damon scowled.

  “I don’t care if you stand as still as one of the gargoyles,” Rafe added. “It’s good for you to experience something different. Besides, you know why we’re here.”

  Right. Alpha’s call: find mates.

  Rafe had been growing increasingly restless as the years passed. Being a billionaire in his thirties and owning a successful ski resort in the White Mountains wasn’t enough for him. He wanted a mate at his side.

  Not Damon.

  Mates could make you lose reason. Lose everything.

  Lose your mind.

  He wouldn’t permit himself to suffer the same fate as his father, no matter how his wolf urged otherwise.

  “Good luck.” Rafe raised his glass and then walked into the crowd of dancers.

  Grayson motioned to Damon. “You’re not coming?”

  Damon shook his head. “I’ll stay back and keep watch.”

  Grayson grinned. “Your reluctance to mate will turn you into a grumpy old wolf living alone in your cabin.”

  “Sounds like heaven.” Damon smiled and raised his drink. “Enjoy the hunt.”

  Grayson nodded and joined Rafe on the prowl for female companionship.

  Damon meandered toward the shadows at the back of the club. How long would he have to suffer through this ordeal before they could head back home?

  A white spotlight cascaded over a woman on the dance floor, who captured his attention. Once the light passed by, he blinked, continuing to stare at her. She was shorter than those around her and had long dark hair and bangs that glowed with a reddish hue under the club lights. Her eyes were half-closed as she danced, appearing to lose herself in the beat of the music. His gaze traveled down. Through brief glimpses in the movements of dancers blocking her, he noted that she was curvy. Her low cut-black dress revealed more than a hint of her full cleavage, which captivated him as she swayed.

  His skin felt hot and tight. He couldn’t take his eyes off this woman. He dragged his gaze to scan her companions. Was she there with someone?

  A taller woman with dirty blond hair danced beside her. Every few seconds, men nearby would shoot the women a glance. Damon wagered it would only be moments before one made his move.

  His wolf yipped at him, urging him to get closer.

  Despite Damon’s declaration not to step foot on the dance floor earlier, he wanted to see more of this woman. Too many people obscured the view.

  As he watched her dance, he reconsidered his mindset. Was he being too rash in wanting to rush out of there? After all, female companionship for the night wouldn’t be a hardship. It had been too long since he’d been with a woman. Why not enjoy the night?

  Although he worked as ski patrol on the mountain where many single women had propositioned him for a getaway fling, he’d lost interest in that pursuit a few years ago. An empty encounter provided no long-term satisfaction. He found more pleasure in skiing and hunting. Something about this woman intrigued him.

  Damon took another gulp of his mojito, emptying half the glass. He placed it on the bar and moved closer to the dance floor. And then, as if sensing him approach, she glanced out and caught his eyes.

  He sucked in a breath. The already claustrophobic club lacked oxygen, but this time it was different. He felt dazed.

  Entranced.

  Drawn to her, he wedged his large body through tightly packed dancers until he infiltrated the dance floor. Sweaty men and women appraised him, many with an appreciative glint, but his focus was on the brunette.

  Only two more feet remained when a male pushed his way in front of Damon and into her dance space.

  Damon stepped behind the human and released a low growl, which came out louder than he’d intended—more of a possessive declaration than an initial warning. The guy turned with a perplexed expression. Damon gave a sharp nod to the side of the dance floor, indicating for the man to beat it. The man rushed away.

  The woman fixed a wide-eyed stare at Damon, and he gulped. She was tiny next to him, at least a foot shorter, and stacked with delicious curves from her full breasts to rounded hips. He stepped closer and her scent reached his nostrils. He inhaled more deeply and it drifted through his body like a magical enchantment, sweeping away all the sensory overload of the club. It dizzied him and challenged his balance. He struggled to stay still.

  His world narrowed to the woman before him. All he saw was her. His heart thumped and blood pumped like thunder through his veins. His skin burned with a tingling heat.

  His wolf bounced inside, jubilant. Pushing, pushing Damon to get closer.

  It’s her. It’s her. Our mate!

  The woman pulled back, planted her hands on her hips, and pierced Damon with an accusatory stare. “Do you always barge your way into crowds and growl at strangers?”

  Sophie

  The music was so loud, almost drowning out conversation, but that sound was unmistakable. The massive man was impressive, no doubt. But that didn’t excuse his odd behavior.

  She hadn’t paid much attention to the people around her as she danced with her roommate Tara, but she’d felt someone staring at her. When she’d glanced out, she’d caught the gaze of a man off the dance floor. He had dark, wavy hair that extended past his chin and dark eyes. His face appeared chiseled, yet that strong jawline gave him a more rugged appearance. A slight bump on his nose indicated he may have been in a fight or two. His intense stare added to the dangerous edge. As he approached her, he stood a head above those he passed. His shoulders were massive, as if he’d been carved out of limestone.

  His dark eyes appeared to glow with a golden hue. That wasn’t possible. Her
heart thumped, and she swallowed. She blinked twice and focused on him once again. The glow was gone.

  She laughed to herself. It had to have been a trick of the lights. Still, she held her breath as he approached. But then some guy stepped right into her personal space and attempted to dance with her. Seconds later, the guy with huge shoulders growled.

  Growled?

  Who did that? That rumbling sound broke through whatever spell he’d cast with his intense stare from across the dance floor.

  She glanced over to Tara, her tall and willowy, blond roommate. Two guys were now dancing with her. That was expected. Guys were drawn to her model looks. Tara didn’t seem to mind. She caught Sophie’s eye, appraised the guy towering beside her, and gave her a nod of approval.

  Sophie huffed with exasperation, not that Tara would hear her over the music. She returned her attention to Shoulders.

  When he still hadn’t said a word, she said, “Well?” loud enough to be heard over the music. “Do you always growl like that?”

  A grin spread across his face, breaking that intimidating look. He leaned closer to her ear. “Only when I see an unworthy guy pushing his way into a beautiful woman’s personal space.”

  His warm breath tickled her ear and a delicious shudder rippled over her skin. This gorgeous man calling her beautiful sent a flicker of heat unfurling inside her core. After her recent breakup with her lying, cheating boyfriend, that compliment softened the blow. Tara had convinced Sophie to come out tonight to move on from the betrayal—“You can shake off that scumbag with some wild and free dancing on 80s night!” At this gothic club, that meant the more unusual remixes, including the current Duran Duran version of A View to a Kill.