Oliver's Forbidden Mate - E-Book

Oliver

I make it a point not to date clients or humans. But my newest client, Charlie, has turned my entire world upside down. He's sweet and beautiful, everything I've ever wanted in a man. However, being with him puts everything at risk. Any other time I'd just cut ties and move on. But I can't. He's my mate.

Now, I just have to tell him the truth.

Charlie

Freshly divorced and starting a life in a small town, the last thing I wanted to gum it up with was another man. But those silver eyes, his strong arms, and the soothing tone of his voice have me melting every time I see him. When my nightmares act up, he tells me to call him, no matter the time, and he talks to me until I fall asleep once more. I just can't resist him. But when I learn he's a werewolf, I can't help questioning everything.

Still, I don't think I can let him go.

TROPES: standalone, hurt/comfort, gym romance, PA piercing, human x werewolf, forbidden love, forced proximity, found family, strict roles, and hea.

Chapter One: Oliver
There was only one thing better than walking through an autumn forest after a rainstorm. That was running through it on four legs, the wind streaming through my fur.
And that’s exactly what I was doing.
I’d left my clothes and shoes back at the edge of the forest, tucked in a small, protected cubby Parker had built for just such an occasion. Thanks to him and joining his Ombra Pack, I didn’t have to worry about running into humans while I was shifted. Ludington wasn’t known for having a thriving wolf population, and people tended to react poorly to the sight of me. However, I had an easier time than most getting away with it, thanks to my coloration. Looking like a Timber Wolf had its perks.
I was glad to have a place to run without worry. Leaving the old pack and joining Parker’s was easily the best decision I’d ever made. Not that the old pack was bad to me, per se, but they definitely weren’t super supportive. Being gay left me on the outskirts of the pack to begin with. But then my family was also nobody, so that practically made me invisible. So when I transferred to another pack, nobody in leadership blinked an eye. They just stamped the papers and sent me on my way.
The only person who threw a fit was my mother.
Guilt. Trip. City.
Let me tell you, that woman could put a catholic to shame. She had this incredible habit of making me feel bad for nearly everything. Or at least she used to. Nowadays, I was so numb to her constant nagging that I barely even noticed. But she had made quite a stink when I left the pack.
But I didn’t let that stop me. Parker and Wyatt had been my chosen family since I was a pup. Then, when I was ten, my father died, and my mom slipped into a deep depression that lasted years. Not that I blamed her for it, but it had been pretty lonely growing up by myself. That’s why I spent so much time with the other two, especially Parker. I practically lived at his house all through middle and high school. We got into a lot of trouble together and grew closer than I thought possible.
And when we both came out as gay, all bets were off. Everyone, including Wyatt, thought we’d end up together. Even I thought about that for a while. But as time passed, we slowly realized we weren’t mates. We loved each other, but not in the way both of us were searching for. Still, those were some of the best years of my life, and Parker would always have a special place in my heart.
However, life goes on. Parker moved away, and I had to make my own way in the world.
I just wished I had someone to share it with.
Bursting through the edge of the forest, my paws struck sand instead of leaves, kicking it up behind me as I headed for the shore. My jaw hung open as I panted, the crisp air filling my lungs over and over again. At the last moment, I skidded to a stop, the wet sand taking the impression of my large paws perfectly.
Lifting my head, I stared out over the inland sea in front of me. Lake Michigan never ceased to amaze me. The skies were gray, low dark clouds stretching to the horizon as it threatened to rain once more. The wind picked up, rustling my fur and driving five-foot waves against the shore, where they crashed and roared. I closed my eyes, letting my other senses take in the scene around me.
The scent of rain was thick on the wind, followed closely by warm water and fish. The lake had yet to cool completely, and its warmth was what drove these storms so late in the season. Underneath it all, I could just make out the scent of wet fallen leaves and the petrichor left by the recent rain. Altogether, it created a scent that I could only describe as autumn. Candle stores would have you believe the season smelled of cinnamon and sweets, but I knew better. Autumn smelled like compost and rain, with a sharp chill that heralded the coming of winter.
It was my favorite smell in the entire world.
And, unfortunately, I didn’t have long to enjoy it. Even though I’d managed to get up extra early for a morning run, the gym was still expecting me by nine. Today was my first day as their on-staff trainer, a job I’d been trying to get for the past two years. Thanks to perseverance, some good interview advice from Wyatt, and a dose of confidence from Parker, I’d landed it at last. Today was mostly orientation and paperwork, but tomorrow, I’d take on my first clients, and I couldn’t wait to get started. Helping people find their confidence and health through exercise was my passion, and working for the biggest gym in town made it a lot easier to make a living off of it.
Taking one last look at the lake, I turned my tail to the wind and sprinted back toward the gold-draped woods. The forest floor was a cacophony of color, and I slipped my way through it as I pushed myself harder and harder, trying to break my own record to make it back to the other side. Of course, being a wolf made it hard to keep accurate time, but I had a fair idea of how fast I was going.
I made it back quicker than I thought possible. At the last moment, I leaped into the air, shifting and landing on my bare feet as I skidded through the mud and fallen leaves. As a wolf, I couldn’t sweat, but the moment I turned back into a human, my entire body was drenched. I stood there at the edge of the forest, buck naked, panting like I’d just sprinted an entire marathon. Endorphins rushed through my system, and I couldn’t help but smile. The runner’s high wasn’t something the wolf part of me really experienced, but the rush once I shifted back nearly knocked me off my feet.
Grabbing a nearby tree to steady myself, I let my chest heave, gulping in lungfuls of air so the oxygen made its way to my muscles. I closed my eyes, feeling the rough bark under my fingers and the chill seep into the sweat covering my body. Everything was right and good in the world.
After a few moments, I pulled my clothes out of the cubby along with a towel I kept for just such occasions. Giving myself a quick wipe down, I pulled on my clothes and shoes before heading back across the yard for the driveway. A glance told me that Parker and Aiden were still asleep, the windows dark. However, as I looked the other way, I noticed a light coming from the barn. It was Aiden’s studio window, which meant he was busy painting. Whether he’d been up all night or up before dawn, I didn’t know. But I’d have to save socializing for another day.