Dire Wolf Mates - Chapter 96: Chapter 96

As his Dire Wolf howled with the realization that he had found his one and only true and fated mate, Weylin’s entire body hummed with joy.
He’d found her. His mate. The one woman in the entire universe who belonged to him, as he belonged to her, body, heart, and soul. But getting back to the body part, he mused, tilting his head and angling for better access as he delved his tongue inside her hot little mouth.
A million and one questions begged entry to his mind, but Weylin pushed them aside, wanting only to bask in his newfound happiness. Of course, it lasted only about a second and a half, which was right up until a loud SLAP, followed by an annoying sting on the side of his face, broke up his rose-tinted musings.
“OUCH!” Weylin yelped in shock.
His eyes went wide as the gorgeous creature backed up from the bar, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand like he had cooties or something.
What the fuck?
“Ohmygawd! What the heck is wrong with you?”
The outraged woman spat—actually spat—into a napkin she grabbed from the bar, wiping her mouth like he’d poisoned her.
“Me? Why’d you go and do a thing like that? I just sucked on a peppermint,” he shrieked over the music, which, of course, had stopped right at that moment.
Dozens of Shifter eyes watched him and his mate, er, the mystery woman have their first lovers’ quarrel. At least, that was how he was choosing to see it. Even after slapping him, Weylin had to admit his desire for her was a strong—if possible, even stronger—than ever.
“A peppermint? What does that have to—ugh,” she muttered, a moue of disgust on her pretty little face.
“If you don’t like PDAs you just have to say so,” he grumbled, signaling the DJ to put the music back on.
“PDAs? Public displays of affection? OMG! Didn’t anyone ever teach you any manners?”
“Of course they did, but I’m not the one slapping people,” he growled, confused as fuck.
“Well, of course, I slapped you! I came in here for a job not to get manhandled by some puffed up playboy bartender who thinks he’s God’s gift to women,” the woman retorted.
Sassy. Clever. And still cute as hell.
“Never said I was a gift, but you can unwrap me anytime,” he replied and winked.
Unfortunately, the woman who would be his mate was not amused. His Dire Wolf snapped at him, but Weylin was at a loss. Usually, women found him charming, handsome, and easy to be with.
She looked at him like something she had accidentally stepped in. It was playing havoc with his ego, but even worse, his animal was starting to get pissed. The Wolf wanted out, figuring he could do a better job than the man. Maybe that was the issue. He just had to get her to understand what his animal already knew. They were fated to be together.
“Weylin, what is going on here?” a very pregnant, and somewhat amused, Lucy, interrupted.
A second hush fell over the crowd of partygoers, but at least the DJ kept playing. Still, Weylin’s face turned bright red under their evil grins. Sheila was watching the byplay like it was an instant replay of the last disappointing Giants game.
Go Big Blue. Or don’t. Sigh.
Damn human football league had nothing on the unofficial Shifters games he and his Pack loved to attend. Still, he was a loyal fan of the NY Giants, even if they had yet to meet their potential.
Weylin hated being the object of attention, especially when so many of the females at Sheila’s party were evil. Okay, fine. Maybe not evil, but since he had dated a fair number of them, he imagined they were more than happy to see him get his ass handed to him by one of their own.
“Look, love, just let me explain⁠—”
“Hi, I’m Lucy, and you are,” but Lucy’s eyes went round as she gave a delicate sniff of the stranger.
She flicked her gaze to Weylin, who followed suit. Sniff—well fuck, that explained it. Here he’d been thinking the little morsel was a Shifter who knew about mates and instant attraction, but the hottie with the body was a normal. A human.
My mate is human. Really?
Yes. Really, his Dire Wolf supplied.
“Gwendolyn Hoffer, nice to meet you, sort of,” the woman replied.
Gwendolyn, he thought, sounding it out in his head. It was a nice name. Old-fashioned and sweet. He liked it. Hoped he’d get a chance to use it. If she let him.
Gulp.
Oh fuck. He’d really messed this thing up. Weylin’s face fell as he watched the stranger cross her arms over her chest as she gave Lucy the lowdown. Well, her version of it. As Weylin listened, he learned she was from town and had come in looking for a job not to get felt up by some sleazy bartender.
Shit.
Hey, wait. He didn’t even feel her up! He wanted to, sure, but he didn’t. Hmm. Maybe he should have led with a how are you and not a lip lock? But damn, who could blame him? She was spectacular.
The woman was all of five-foot three, give or take, with a curvy little figure that made the beast within him wild for the woman. Weylin just couldn’t stop staring at her. She had an ass that wouldn’t quit, causing his Dire Wolf to growl and other parts of him to perk up as visions of those luscious globes backed up against his naked thighs swam around in his head.
Fuck yeah.
Weylin could not wait to get lost in that body. It had been a good long while since he’d been this worked up, and so damn fast, too. He thumped a fist nonchalantly against his dick just to settle the damn thing down.
Meanwhile, his eyes ate her up from the top of her head, covered with long, dark hair down to her warm, clever brown eyes, and that figure—good gods. He could come just looking at the creature.
He was practically panting for her, and for all his years, that was saying something. He’d become an addict in a moment, but he was Wolf enough to admit it. If only he could go back in time and start over.
“He meant well, I am sure. You know how it is, good-looking guy gets over-confident, assumes every girl is into him,” Lucy was trying to explain away his bad behavior.
He hoped she would forgive him, let him start again. Hell, he needed her to, but when Gwendolyn looked at him, it was not with the same heated glow he knew was shining in his own poignant stare.
In fact, the woman looked at Weylin like he was a cockroach crawling across her shoe. Equal parts fear and revulsion. Shit. This was not doing any favors for his self-esteem.
Not good, dude. So not good.
He never had a woman hate him on sight. Never mind, one he was decidedly interested in. And this was more than a cursory interest. If his Wolf was right, and the animal had never been wrong, the female was his. As in HIS—all caps.
Mine. Mate.
“Whatever. I am sure he is used to women falling over themselves to get to him, but that’s just not me,” Gwendolyn said to Lucy.
“I am so sorry about that. He is housebroken, I swear,” Lucy replied sympathetically, as she patted the woman on the arm.
“Look, I am sorry about the slap, but he deserved it. Maybe I made a mistake coming in.”
“No!” he shouted, biting his tongue when both women jumped.
Shit.
“I’m sorry,” he grumbled.
“I just came in for a job, not to get involved in whatever this is with you guys,” she said, signaling between the two of them.
“What? Ohmygawd! You think we are together? No. We are not an item,” Lucy hurried to explain, and he could have kissed the Alpha fem.
“You’re not?” Gwendolyn asked, eyebrows arched.
“Hell no. Um, Weylin is like my brother. My very poorly behaved brother.”
“I see,” Gwen replied, a tight smile on her face. She looked like she wanted to bolt.
Fuck.
“Well, Wey, what do you have to say for yourself?” Lucy hissed the question, and he could tell the Alpha fem was pissed.
“Uh,” he mumbled, and glanced from the angry pregnant female Shifter to the shocked and maybe pissed off human. Rubbing the back of his head with one hand, Weylin shrugged and said the only thing he could think of.
“You’re hired?”