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  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. These characters are products of the author’s vivid imagination and are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book. All sexually active characters in this work are 18 years of age or older.

  This book is for sale to ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language, which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

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  Cover design © 2015 Diana Persaud

  Dedication

  Love will find a way, if you let it.

  ~Diana

  ~~~~~

  Summary for Abandoned Mate

  Soul Mates Book 5

  At last, he finds his mate…

  Alpha Werewolf Rylan is thrilled to finally find his mate. He is crushed when he soon discovers she is married with children. Placing her happiness above his own, he lets her go and accepts that he will have to spend the rest of his life alone, unloved and unmated. Afraid Rylan will become Feral and hunt down his mate, Ethan, Alpha of the Second Chances Werewolf Pack, imprisons him.

  …then he meets widowed Evie and her three young children.

  Still grieving over her mate’s tragic demise, Evie sympathizes with Rylan’s broken heart. Evie’s companionship and her delightful children soon begin to ease Rylan’s heartache. Finding a ray of hope in Evie’s friendship, Rylan returns to his human form. No longer in danger of becoming Feral, Rylan is freed from his prison.

  …and learns a shocking secret: humans are hunting Werewolves.

  Rylan and Evie learn about Kane’s kidnapping and the implants found in his body. Realizing these same people might be responsible for her mate’s death, Evie’s father, Ethan, worries about her safety. Indebted to Evie for saving his life, Rylan decides to return the favor by protecting her family from the humans hunting their kind. Unfortunately, Rylan’s presence in Evie’s life draws the attention of the Trapper, the one responsible for her mate's demise.

  Can Rylan thwart a devious enemy intent on destroying their way of life?

  ~~~~~

  Prologue

  Evie checked on her children one last time before deciding to turn in. Halfway down the stairs, she heard loud scratching on her back door.

  Who could it be this late at night? she wondered.

  The visitor continued to scratch anxiously and Evie paused in front of the kitchen door. She glanced down at the large opening at the bottom of her kitchen door. Larger than a standard pet door, the Wolf Door was large enough to let a wolf in. There was no need to secure the Wolf Door because no Wolf would dare enter another’s domain without permission.

  The visitor pawed the Wolf Door, scratching lightly, but did not enter.

  “Who is it?” Evie demanded.

  Evie heard a high pitched, anxious whine and called out, “Come in slowly.”

  The Wolf Door lifted up slowly as a dark grey wolf cautiously pushed its head in. The wolf whined as it stared at Evie.

  “Serena?” she asked, shocked to see her friend at her door. The wolf barked softly, snapping Evie out of her momentary shock.

  “Come in, come in!” Evie insisted.

  Serena-wolf entered the Wolf Door and shifted into her human form. Naked, she shivered in the kitchen.

  “I’m in trouble, Evie. Remington—” Serena’s voice broke and she began to cry. Unable to turn her friend away, Evie held her as she cried. When her sobbing finally subsided, Evie led Serena to her bedroom. She gave Serena some of her clothes then built a cozy fire.

  “Are you hungry?”

  “I haven’t eaten all day,” Serena confessed. “I really don’’t think I can keep anything down.”

  “I’ll make some ginger tea. It will help settle your stomach. Lie down and I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Evie said gently.

  Evie prepared the tea and carried it to her room on a small tray. Serena lay curled up on the bed, staring at the fire. She forced Serena to drink half a cup of tea before asking, “What kind of trouble are you in, Serena?”

  “Oh, Evie! I—” She took a deep breath and made her confession.

  “I ran away from Remington,” she whispered.

  Evie was momentarily speechless.

  “You’re supposed to be mated tomorrow, Serena.”

  “I know,” she cried. Serena covered her face and sobbed some more. Evie moved to sit near her. Evie put her arm around Serena’’s shoulders and pulled her close. Worried, she asked, “Serena, what happened? Most women would be flattered to be his mate. Remington is an alpha. He is rich. Powerful. Handsome... in a rugged way. I know at least half a dozen women who are envious of you.”

  “I know, Evie. Believe me, I know. I should be flattered that his father chose me to be his mate.” Serena sniffled as she spoke to Evie.

  “So what happened, Serena? Why did you run away?”

  “I just…I can’t be his mate, Evie. He’s so.……” Serena hung her head before continuing, “He’s so aggressive. S-s-sexually.”

  “Oh,” Evie said, surprised at Serena’s answer.

  “We’re not true mates, Evie. I feel nothing for him. No sexual attraction whatsoever. He hasn’t touched me yet, but he is so….” Serena left the bed and began to pace in front of the fire.

  “Every time he’s near me, when we are alone, he touches me. He’s always grabbing my ass, my breasts. He even touches me…….he keeps….grabbing me…between the legs, cupping me. And that’s not the worst, Evie. He says things….about what he will do to me after we’re mated. Things he expects….” Serena paused in front of the fire, her back to Evie.

  “I just can’t be his mate, Evie. The last four months have been awful. I dread his touch.” She turned to face Evie. “I get this feeling, deep in the pit of my stomach whenever he’s near. I can’t live the rest of my life like that, Evie. I just can’t.”

  “I’m sorry, Serena. Having a mate shouldn’t be torturous, even if he isn’t your true mate,” Evie stated. Evie bit her lip.

  “Serena, I hope you realize that the Tarchannen Tracker will hunt you as soon as the pack realizes you’ve left.”

  “It’s not the Tracker I’m worried about,” Serena whispered. She feared Remington himself would search for her.

  “If he finds me….” Serena refused to say aloud the penalty for her crime. According to Tarchannen Pack Law, Remington must choose between raping, killing or selling her to another pack. He could also choose to beat her in front of her pack then mate her, but knowing Remington, his ego would never allow him to mate with a wolf that abandoned him. Serena shuddered and hoped he would have the decency to kill her, rather than selling her to another pack.

  “What are you going to do, Serena?”

  “I’ve already done it, Evie. I’ve run away. I just have to keep running.”

  “Oh, Serena, where will you go? You cannot seek refuge from another pack. Any alpha you encounter would be forced to return you to Remington.”

  “I realize I will have to stay away from packs,” Serena said.

  “What happens if you run into a Rogue?” Evie asked worriedly.

  “I will stay as far away from other wolves as possible, Evie.”

  “Then how will you ever find your true mate?” Evie asked.

  “I…guess it will never happen for me, Evie. But it doesn’t matter. A life on the run is better than a life with Remington.”

  “Serena….” Evie stood and walked over to Serena. Not knowing what to say, she hugged her tightly.

  “I will do what I can to help you, Serena.” Evie released Serena and went to her walk in closet. She returned a few minutes later with a thick envelope. She handed the envelope to Serena. Puzzled, Seren
a took the envelope and opened it. She glanced at Evie, tears in her eyes.

  “It’s ten thousand dollars. Not much, but enough to get you the hell out of here and hopefully off his radar for a while.”

  “Evie.” Her voice cracked. “Thank you. Thank you.” She hugged Evie and sniffed. “I know you are taking a huge risk by helping me.”

  “That’s what friends are for, Serena.” Evie gave her a squeeze before releasing her. She searched her room for a small bag that would fit around Serena-wolf’’s neck. She took the envelope, placed it in the bag and zipped it up.

  “I better get going. I want to get as much of a head start as possible.” Serena stripped and shifted into her wolf form. Evie set the bag around Serena-wolf’s neck and they walked to the Wolf Door. Evie gave her one last hug before Serena-Wolf disappeared through the Wolf Door.

  Chapter One

  Inside Jack’s, a local restaurant, Ethan, the Alpha of the Second Chances Werewolf Pack, brimmed with pleasure as he read over the contract. Lucien, the Last Hope Alpha, grinned at Ethan. This deal was even better than they had hoped. Seven months ago, when one of Lucien’s wolves had killed Murdock, the Alpha of the Lost Souls pack, Lucien had asserted himself as their new leader. Murdock had been a fool, keeping his pack on the brink of poverty. Lucien absorbed his new pack mates into his prosperous town and confiscated their lands, as was his right as their new Alpha. Needing money to care for his new pack mates, he sold the Lost Souls’ land to Ethan.

  Ethan signed his name on the papers and pushed one over to the businessman sitting across from him. Ethan folded his copy of the contract and handed it to Travis. With a nod, Travis took the contract and left Jack’s. After dropping off the contract with the pack lawyer, Travis left town on a mission for his alpha.

  All one hundred acres of the Lost Soul’s former land now belonged to the couple sitting across from Ethan. The couple planned on turning their land into an outdoor paint ball adventure facility. While they modified the land, their construction crew would need food and lodging. Though the land was closer to Lucien’s town, Last Hope, it was close enough to Second Chances that both towns would prosper. After construction was completed, their visiting guests would also need town amenities. Full time staff members would also need permanent homes. This deal would guarantee returning business for both packs. Both Alphas were ecstatic at the idea of generating new income. Ethan nodded to one of the waitresses and she brought over an expensive bottle of champagne and four champagne flutes.

  Healthy werewolf packs usually produced several alphas each generation. Alphas were dominant males, natural born leaders who were aggressive and strong enough to protect their pack. The most successful Alphas were also highly intelligent, ensuring their pack thrived economically. Alphas learned early on that their strength came from the solidarity of the pack.

  Traditionally, the Alpha’s son takes over once the elder Alpha decides to step down. When they come of age at 18, an Alpha’s son begins training to replace his father. Over time, he begins to take over some of the Alpha’s roles. Eventually, the title is passed on from father to son.

  At any given time, the Alpha can be challenged for his position as the pack leader. Once they turn eighteen, young alphas become too aggressive to follow the existing Alpha. Their over confidence in their skills usually begins to create tension within the pack. When this happens, the young alpha either fights for position as the new Alpha or they left their pack. The fight for Alpha is to the death. Since most young wolves would lose against an older, more experienced Alpha, many chose to leave. These wolves are called Wandering Alphas because they wander from pack to pack, seeking their mate and a home of their own.

  Most Wandering Alphas sought employment as bodyguards for wealthy humans. Their powerful bodies, agility and strong sense of smell make them perfect guards. They stay away from established packs until their wolfish nature forces them to return for brief visits. Wandering Alphas are only allowed to visit packs to socialize. In other words, they are only allowed to visit a pack when they wanted sex or felt the need to be among their own kind.

  Rylan, a Wandering Alpha, walked into Jack’s, the best restaurant in Second Chances. Jack’s was famous among werewolves. It was the only restaurant that catered exclusively to werewolves. Second Chances was originally a small human community on the brink of economic collapse. When Ethan and his wolves moved in, they brought money and economic stability. Over time, Second Chances began to flourish. About half of the businesses were now run by wolves. Though humans worked alongside wolves, they were still ignorant about the wolves’ other selves. Humans still had no idea that werewolves actually existed.

  Jack’s had a reputation for being an upscale restaurant, so most humans avoided it. Occasionally a human might wander in, or might be present if it involved pack business. When entering Jack’s, wolves always sniffed the air, checking for the unique animal scent of humans. They had to be careful not to say or do anything that would arouse suspicion if a human was present.

  Rylan sniffed the air and caught the scent of two humans. One of the scents intrigued him. Turning his head, he found the source of the scent. Sitting at a table with the Alphas of two different packs was a woman. As if in a trance, Rylan walked over to the table and stopped beside the woman. Still sipping her champagne, she turned at his presence and looked up at him.

  “You’re mine,” Rylan heard himself saying. He was shocked to find his mate sitting here, at Jack’s. She looked up at him in confusion. Both Lucien and Ethan swore.

  “Honey? Do you know this man?” the man sitting next to her inquired as he placed his arm possessively around her. She turned to him and shook her head.

  Unable to stand seeing another man touch his mate, Rylan grabbed the man’s hand and flung it backward, away from his mate. He pulled her chair back and lifted her into his arms, cradling her. He moved quickly to the back of the bar to the office and kicked the door shut. He set her down long enough to turn and lock the door behind him. When he turned around, his mate was pressed up against the wall, terrified of him.

  “Leave me alone! I swear, if you come near me, my husband will kill you!” Rylan froze.

  “Husband?”

  NO. It couldn’t be. After all these years, I finally find my mate and she is married? How could fate be so cruel? Rylan wondered.

  At thirty six, Rylan was tired of being alone. Because he was a Wandering Alpha, he had no pack, no home of his own. And now, it didn’t seem like he ever would.

  He heard loud banging on the door and shouting as both Lucien and Ethan demanded he open the door and release the woman.

  “Pu..pu..please don’t hurt me. I have young children. They need me.” Rylan scented his mate’s fear.

  She thinks I’m capable of hurting her?

  He shook his head and calmly stated, “I would never hurt you.”

  Sonja didn’t believe him. She watched him carefully, fearful that he would rape or kill her. He looked like he was capable of doing both. She shuddered and prayed her husband, Rick, would get to her soon. The giant of a man watched her with a grim look on his face. He stood at least six and a half feet tall and his hair was cut close to his head, making him look bald. He had deep brown eyes that gazed at her intently. A black shirt hugged his muscular torso and his tan pants tented in front, advertising his erection. Sonja gasped as tears filled her eyes.

  “Please,” she begged, shaking her head.

  “I won’t harm you,” he said louder, hoping to get through her shock. “Tell me about your…husband.”

  “R-Ricky?...Ricky is wonderful. He’s kind. Loving. He’s a good man and a wonderful father.” She swallowed and forced herself to continue, “We’ve been married for eight years.” Rylan clenched his jaw and his fists. His whole body seemed tense.

  “Your children? Tell me about them.” She nodded, remembering important rape and kidnapping advice she’d heard throughout the years. Make your victimizer see you as a person, not a victim a
nd maybe they won’t hurt you. Maybe they will let you go.

  For her children’s sake, she continued, “We have a little girl. She’s five. She’s a little chatterbox. Talks all the time.” What she wouldn’t give to hear her little chatterbox right now.

  “And we have a son, he’s only two. He runs everywhere.” She vowed she would never yell at him again for running, if only she could see him again.

  Rylan knew what he had to do. His mate’s pain and fear was too much for him to bear. She loved her husband and her children.

  She loves him, not me, he thought sadly.

  He walked to stand beside her and stared at her, memorizing her face. It would have to last him the rest of his life. Lucien finally decided to kick down the door and came in, demanding that he release the woman.

  “Go,” Rylan said quietly then turned to face the wall. The moment she walked through the door, he punched the cement wall as hard as he could, breaking all of the bones in his hand. The pain was enough to keep him there instead of chasing after his mate. Lucien swore and Ethan hurried the couple out of Jack’s. Lucien ordered Nicolai to tranquilize Rylan and the world went dark.

  Chapter Two

  Rylan woke up the next day and glanced around. He didn’t bother getting off the cot as he surveyed his jail cell. His hand had been set in a cast and already he could feel his bones knitting as they healed. The pain in his broken hand was nothing compared to the pain in his chest. He felt as though he had been stabbed numerous times in the heart. Pain seared through his entire body, radiating out from his heart. Unable to take the pain, he shifted into his wolf form and howled.