Chapter One

Zach downed the last of his beer and wrapped an arm around the nameless woman who’d had her tongue in his ear most of the night, and her hand on his crotch. It was obvious what she wanted, but if she thought he was taking her home, she was sadly mistaken. The alley in back of the bar was just as good a place for a blow job as any. He may have gained a reputation as a ladies man around town, but his dick hadn’t been inside a woman since he was seventeen and he’d lost his mate. Countless women sucked him off, and he usually made sure they didn’t walk away wanting, but he never fucked them. And he sure as hell never took one home. A bed wasn’t required for his needs to be met.

It had been twenty-one years since he’d lost Delfinia, and not a day went by that he didn’t think about her. He stayed occupied with the pack, but the crushing loneliness when he was home was almost too much to bear. His brother and beta, Weston, had suggested that he find a nice woman and settle down, but Zach felt like he would be betraying Del’s memory. A wolf had a mate. If he’d been destined to marry some random woman, he never would have found Del. Fate was just a cruel bitch sometimes.

Zach led the woman out the back door and into the alley. She looked confused and her nose wrinkled from the stench of the dumpster. Quite frankly, he didn’t give a fuck what she thought of the location. All he wanted was a few minutes with his dick in her mouth and then she could go on her merry way.

Zach reached for his belt. “You can get on your knees out here just as well as anywhere else.”

“I’ll make sure you get off if that’s what you’re worried about.” After all, he wasn’t a complete asshole.

Zach rubbed the spot as she disappeared back into the building. It seemed he wasn’t going to get his cock sucked after all. He’d thought she was a sure thing, but it seemed even barflies had standards. The thought of going home depressed him, but he sure as fuck didn’t want to stand around in this alley much longer. The rotten food in the dumpster was enough to make his stomach pitch.

He turned to go in and paused. His keen hearing picked up a shuffling noise and the hairs on his nape bristled. The beast inside him began pacing and yipped. Whatever was out there had roused his wolf. He just hoped like fuck it wasn’t vermin. The wolf might enjoy chasing rats, but Zach did not. He moved around the side of the dumpster looking for the source of the noise. He couldn’t remember the last time his inner beast had seemed so excited about something, and it piqued his curiosity.

The alley was dimly lit, but his vision was excellent. There was a stack of boxes beside the dumpster, but nothing seemed amiss. He was about to chastise his wolf for going nuts over nothing when the largest box moved. Bracing himself for flying rats, or worse, Zach peeled back the flap of the box and froze.

Large, elfin eyes stared up at him in terror. Her platinum hair was plastered to her head and looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks. Grime marred her face, but a butterfly-shaped birthmark stood out in a bright red on her pale cheek. A handprint was fading on the other. She trembled, and he realized he was staring. The beast inside nudged him again, wanting him to take action. Zach held out a hand and waited to see what she would do. It was hard to guess her age, but he’d guess anywhere from barely legal to thirty. Until she was cleaned up, it was anyone’s guess.

The woman hesitantly reached for his hand, and he helped her out of the box. Something clattered to the bottom and he realized it was a small flashlight and a paperback book. He didn’t understand why she was hiding in a box behind the bar just to read a book, but he knew there had to be a story there, and it probably started with the fading bruise on her cheek. Whether it was a story that he wanted to hear was another matter. Honestly, he wasn’t sure why he’d even pulled her from the box. What did it matter if she was hiding there? What was she to him? Just another nameless woman who was only good for one thing.

The tattered clothes led him to believe she lived on the streets, and for some reason, it made his gut churn at the thought. His beast whined and wanted him to say something, to do something. The wolf seemed taken with the woman, and Zach didn’t understand why. Despite himself, he couldn’t help but think someone so beautiful didn’t deserve a fate like that. No one did, but just thinking about the angelic creature in front of him, having to scrounge in dumpsters for food, was enough to make his wolf howl in outrage. The beast rubbed along the edges of his mind. Take her home. Want her. Need her.

Obviously, the wolf had gone mad. He’d never taken a woman home, so why should he take this one with him?

“I won’t hurt you,” he assured her. He had to admit his beast had him curious about the woman. “What’s your name?”

She looked away from him, and her shoulders slumped. Zach lifted her chin until she was looking him in the eyes again. His gaze bore into hers, and he marveled at the unusual color of her eyes, almost a lilac. The light brushed over her face, and he took in more details—the delicate arch of her brows, her slender nose, the cleft in her upper lip. She was delicate, and her baggy clothes couldn’t hide her slender curves and small stature. Whatever had happened to her, his wolf was urging him to fix it. The beast was so insistent that it was damn near giving him a headache.

Live here? His wolf didn’t like that answer. “You mean you live in that box?”

Her eyes still held a hint of fear, even though she’d relaxed a little. He wondered when the last time was that someone had helped her, or if anyone had ever helped her. For some reason, it angered him to think that she’d been alone and hungry. The feelings left him confused and irritated with himself. He should have gone back into the bar or gone home, not stayed to ask her questions. She didn’t matter. None of them mattered.

She was tiny compared to him, and even in his anger, he couldn’t believe that strangers would pass her by without lending a hand. Humans could be so damn cruel. And they called him a bastard.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, mentally slapping himself as the words poured out.

“Let’s get you something to eat, okay? I promise I’m not going to hurt you. I only want to help. Do you know who I am?”

“My name is Zach Drake. I’m the alpha of the local pack, and I swear on my life, you will be perfectly safe with me. Will you come with me? I can take you to the diner, if you want?”

He wondered if her stuttering was from nerves or something more. Either way, she had a soft voice, and he could listen to her talk all night. Yes. Keep her all night.

If she didn’t want to eat at the diner, then where? He wasn’t going to leave her in this alley. It still killed him to know that his brother’s mate had lived on the streets for a while as a teen. Their sleepy town seemed so nice and safe, but there was an ugliness under the surface, if you looked hard enough.

Zach was about ready to do anything to shut up the mongrel yapping in his head. No woman had ever stepped foot in his house, except his sister-in-law on a few rare occasions. But having his sanctum breached would be a small price to pay for his sanity.

“Do you trust me to get you some fast food and take you to my home to eat? You can take a shower while you’re there, if you want to. I won’t force you to do anything. I can even get you some clean clothes,” he said, hoping to entice her. If he asked Abril for help, he knew she’d accept in an instant.

Maggie looked around the alley, as if weighing her options. She stared at her box, the place she called home, and he wondered what she was thinking. After drawing away from him, she reached into her box and picked up her flashlight and novel, switching the light off. When she faced him, she looked determined.

“Y-you swear you won’t hurt me? Y-you don’t want sex in exchange for the meal?” she stammered.

It made him sick that she would even ask such a thing, and he wondered if she’d been made that offer before. Whoever had tried to trade sex for food was going to eat his fist if he ever found out their name. He might be an insensitive asshole, who was more than happy to get sucked off by random women, but even he wouldn’t ask her to whore herself out for food. How anyone could let this poor woman starve was beyond him. The urge to protect her was strong, stronger than anything he’d felt before. Or maybe it was the damn wolf in his head pushing him along. The scent of her fear and uncertainty was making his wolf go nuts. It was so pungent he barely noticed the scent of her unwashed body and hair.

“I’m not asking you to come with me for sex. I just want to help you, Maggie. Will you let me help you?” he asked in a gentle tone, hoping to ease her fear. He’d never before seen someone so scared, and if he’d had a heart, it would be breaking for her.

Zach curled his arm around her shoulders and led her out of the alley and around the corner to where his truck was parked. A tremor raked her body, but she didn’t pull away. He helped her onto the passenger seat, buckled her in, and then went around to the driver’s side. As the engine roared to life, he noticed that Maggie was clutching her book and flashlight like they might run away. He hated that he made her nervous, but maybe she’d see she could trust him and let him help her. If he had any say in the matter, she was never coming back to that awful box. She deserved a soft place to sleep, clean clothes, and hot meals three times a day. Fuck if he knew how he’d manage it, though. He had no intention of keeping her like his wolf wanted, but he could at least make sure she was taken care of.

Even though she didn’t want to eat at the diner, he parked out front and went in to place an order. He selected something he thought wouldn’t be too greasy on her stomach and ordered a burger for himself. The waitress, Joan, assured him she’d bring his order out to the truck when it was ready. There were some perks to being well-known in a small town. As the alpha, he received certain privileges, even if some of those were as small as having food brought to his truck.

“You d-didn’t have to b-buy me food here,” Maggie said. “Something cheaper w-would have b-been fine.”

“I offered to take you to the diner. Since you don’t feel comfortable going inside, I ordered it to-go, and we’ll eat at my place. I have sweet tea, bottled water, and some sodas in the fridge at home. You can have whatever you want.”

It was the first time she’d seemed hopeful since he’d pulled her from the box. With any luck, it wouldn’t take long for her to realize she could trust him. The last thing he’d ever do was hurt a woman. He’d used plenty of them, but he had never strike one or forced himself on someone, and he never would. There were too many willing to fall at his feet for the opportunity to get up close and personal with his cock for him to take anything not freely given.

“If you want to shower before you eat, that’s fine. Or you can eat first. I’ll leave it up to you.” And if she showered, she would need clean clothes. “Give me a minute, and I’ll arrange for some clothes to be dropped off for you. What size do you wear?”

He looked at Maggie again. If she needed new clothes, she probably needed new shoes too. And socks, and under things, and whatever else females used on a daily basis.

Zach: And maybe some size 7 shoes. Deodorant. Toothbrush. Whatever you think she might need.

Zach: I found a woman in the alley behind the bar. She’s homeless. I couldn’t leave her there to starve, so I’m taking her home with me.

Sounded simple enough, but he knew Weston would have questions after Abril passed that information along. She wouldn’t keep anything from her mate, and Zach wouldn’t ask her to. He just hoped he had some time before his little brother started poking his nose into Zach’s business, enough time to figure out exactly what the heck he was going to do with Maggie.

Abril: I don’t have anything, but Weston and I will pick up a few things and drop them off at your place. I’ll just ring the bell and leave them on the porch so we don’t upset your guest.

He put his phone away as the waitress brought their food to the truck. She looked at Maggie, and when her gaze clashed with Zach’s, there was compassion and understanding lurking there. He wondered if she’d been around when Abril had needed help five years ago. It seemed he and his brother were destined to help women in need. Not that he was mate claiming Maggie.

He accepted the food and set it on the backseat before driving home. He wondered what Maggie would think of his house. His home wasn’t opulent, but it was in one of the best neighborhoods in Iron Hills. It was probably a far cry from what Maggie was used to, but for all he knew, she’d grown up in a mansion. Since she hadn’t shared her story, he didn’t know anything about her, other than she needed help now. If she wanted to tell him her story, then he would listen, but he wouldn’t press her for it.

Zach pulled into his driveway and tried to see the house through a stranger’s eyes. It was all one story made of white brick with copper and rustic wood accents. He’d had it custom built after he’d received his first big royalty check. The porch lanterns were on, framing his front door. The landscaping was professionally done, and he couldn’t have named any of the plants surrounding his home. He just knew they looked nice and he’d had an automatic sprinkler system installed so he wouldn’t kill them.

Maggie got out of the truck and walked by his side to the front door. When he opened it, he shut off the alarm. She looked around his home in wide-eyed wonder, and he couldn’t help but think it had been a while since she’d been inside a house. It made him even more curious about her, which only served to irritate him. He had no business wondering anything about the strange woman in his home. He should let her get cleaned up, feed her, and then send her on her way. Something told him it wasn’t going to happen quite like that though. His wolf had been oddly quiet on the ride home, but he knew the beast was lurking...just watching and waiting for the right moment to strike. The wolf wanted Maggie, even if Zach didn’t understand why.

She shook her head. “I should get c-cleaned up first. I don’t w-want to sit on your nice f-furniture wearing this.”

“I tell you what...why don’t you take a hot shower and then when you feel better, you can soak in my huge tub. Don’t tell anyone, but I have some eucalyptus and mint oil for the bath. It’s supposed to help reduce stress, but it smells really nice.” Now he was offering her part of his private stash? What the hell was wrong with him? If he didn’t watch it, he’d be setting up house with her.

He took her hand and led her through his house to the master bedroom. An awareness settled deep in his bones at that slight touch, and he nearly released her. His wolf brushed against his mind, more than content with the contact. Whatever was going on with Maggie and his beast, he wasn’t sure he liked it.

Maggie balked at the doorway so he released her. After flicking on the lights, he went into the bathroom and hoped she’d follow when she heard the sound of water running. Zach laid a towel out on the counter before starting the shower for her. He couldn’t stand the strong smell of a lot of men’s soaps and shampoos, so he had generic soap and tea tree shampoo and conditioner. He knew women liked flowery scents, but hopefully, she wouldn’t mind what he had to offer.

Zach saw Maggie reflected in the mirror and turned to smile at her, careful to keep his fangs hidden. She hesitantly moved further into the bathroom and looked around the large space. Zach set the bath oil on the edge of the tub, in case she decided to use it; then he left her alone. He set the food on the kitchen counter and hoped it would stay hot for her, but if it didn’t, he’d just put it on a plate and warm it in the microwave.

The doorbell rang about twenty minutes later and Maggie was still in the bathroom. He opened the door and found two sacks of clothes on his doorstep along with a sack of shoes and a sack of bathroom items. The taillights of Weston’s SUV could be seen turning the corner down the street. Abril must have literally dropped the stuff on his doorstep and before running off. She might not be wrong about Maggie being overwhelmed, though. She didn’t even really trust him, much less his entire family.

Zach carried the sacks to his bedroom and set them on the king size bed. Then he knocked on the bathroom door.

“Maggie, some clothes and shoes arrived for you. I’ve placed the sacks on the bed, and I’m going to close the bedroom door when I walk out. I’ll be in the living room, but you can stay in the tub as long as you like.”

“Th-thank you,” she called through the door. “I’m j-just getting out of the sh-shower.”

Zach tried not to think about the fact there was a naked woman in his bathroom for the first time. Hell, aside from Abril, females weren’t welcome in his home. But for some reason, it felt right to have Maggie here. His wolf seemed overjoyed with the turn of events. The thought scared him a little, but he wouldn’t turn his back on her. She needed help, and he was determined to see that she got it...even if the thought of a woman invading his space did make him feel unsettled.