CHAPTER ONE

I van Rand, Beta of the Traverse Bay Wolves, was ready to return home. He'd handled the Jordan Randall criminal case since returning from Lonepine, Montana, three months ago, and all he wanted to do now was go home. He was a detective with the Traverse Bay Police Department and had been on loan to the State Police post in Traverse City for the past year.

During that time, he'd been following Assistant District Attorney Jordan Randall, who was under suspicion of using his position to curry favor in the form of payoffs and to extort sexual favors from some of his victims. There were even rumors, although not proven, that he was involved in the sex trade business, all while under the guise of serving the citizens of Grand Traverse County.

Ivan had requested this assignment when one of his fellow pack members was taken advantage of by Randall. Colin Hunter, a young omega wolf, refused to say much. He was too embarrassed and afraid. Ivan's brother Viktor, who also happened to be the Alpha of the Traverse Bay Wolves, asked Ivan to investigate and find justice for the young wolf.

Colin's physical wounds were significant and were taken care of by their pack doctor, but Ivan believed that they paled in comparison to the young man's mental and emotional wounds. Despite this, Colin wouldn't tell them what happened or who did it.

The doctor gave them the information regarding the type of abuse that had taken place, and from there, Ivan investigated and discovered Colin's connection to Assistant District Attorney Jordan Randall of Traverse City. Ivan was determined to bring the man to justice.

Ivan hadn't had much success in the beginning since Randall's victims were all too afraid to talk until Randall finally picked on the wrong man. He decided that nineteen-year-old college student Ronan James was to be his next sex slave, but Ronan and his sister Molly had other ideas.

They ran when ADA Randall put out an arrest warrant for them based on false charges and ran right into the arms of their shifter mates three states away. Jordan Randall took on the Alpha and Beta of the Lonepine Pack and lost. Now Randall was being put away for the pain and suffering he'd caused so many, including the young wolf from Ivan's home pack.

Ivan had traveled to Lonepine to take custody of Randall and, while there, had surprisingly scented his mate at the police station. Unfortunately, he never met him. Deputy Jamie McCormick had been called away on an investigation of cattle theft on the very day Ivan arrived. He hadn't returned by the time Ivan had left with his prisoner. Ivan couldn't stay. He had to finish his assignment and make sure the case of airtight, although it bothered him greatly to have to walk away without making contact with Jamie.

Ivan didn't alert the Lonepine Alpha of his discovery, choosing instead to return home, finish his business and then go back for his mate. It seemed like the perfect idea at the time. He would have loved to have met Jamie, but his duty was to the victims of Jordan Randall and to his Pack. He knew his mate's name, and he knew where he lived; surely his mate would understand. Jamie was an officer of the law; he would understand, Ivan tried to reassure himself.

…

It had been three months now since he'd left Lonepine, and there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about his mate. He would go back to his pack, complete whatever was required of him there, and then head out to Lonepine. He'd been in the city for almost a year now, so there would be pack business that would need his attention before he left. He couldn't let them or his brother down. He had to see to his duty first.

Before he could even think about his own personal needs, he would have to attend to the needs of his Pack and his Alpha. He desperately wanted to go to his mate, but his responsibilities had to be attended to first. He pressed down his internal drive to seek out his mate and continued doing his job. People depended upon him.

…

"Hey, when are you going to catch those kids that are trespassing on my property?" Mr. Alan Perron was a difficult old man with a difficult old wife. He and his wife, Joan Perron, were certain that children were using their backyard to play, because they could hear them at night but couldn't see them.

The Perron family was not pack and did not realize that they lived in the middle of a large pack of wolf shifters. Many of these shifters were young ones just getting the hang of their shifting abilities and were often in the wooded areas surrounding the town practicing their shifts. What Mr. Perron and his wife were hearing were just the kids in the woods shifting and supporting each other through it, but Officer Jamie McCormick couldn't tell them that.

"We are looking into it, sir, but we have found no evidence of trespass or damage to your property," Jamie stated calmly, knowing that Mr. Perron liked to lose his temper, and he didn't want to deal with it now.

"You and the other officers need to stake out my property and catch them. They think they're funny running in and out of our yard, and I want it stopped. I pay taxes, and my property is not their playground." Mr. Perron shouted and waved his fists, but Jamie knew him to be basically harmless. He was full of threats and bluster but had very little follow-through. No one in Lonepine took the old couple seriously.

"Yes, sir," Jamie said and ushered the man outside, anxious to have him leave. "We will take another look this evening, sir."

"You do that." He stated sarcastically and left. Jamie walked back in, rolling his eyes at his friend and co-worker Terry Moore. "Mr. Perron and his wife have become big pains in my ass since they moved to town two years ago. Why didn't they retire to Florida like everyone else?"

"If Patrick had been paying attention to business instead of trailing his mate, they never would have bought the place. He was specifically ordered to purchase every human residence in the county that goes up for sale, but instead, he was caught up in claiming his mate." Terry laughed, knowing that no one really blamed Patrick for missing the sale.

"Well, I guess that's a good excuse, but only once. He won't get away with that excuse again." Jamie joked.

"His next excuse will involve children. I hear his mate is pregnant."

"Well, I guess that's a good excuse too." Jamie relented. "Speaking of mates, how is Henry?" Terry got a far away, lovesick look in his eyes as he began to talk about the love of his life.

"He is the most beautiful person in the world. I am so blessed that he is a part of my life and so lucky that he forgave my idiotic ass and accepted me as his mate." Terry sighed deeply and glanced over at Jamie. "He is my life."

"Has he moved his business here yet?" Henry ran an accounting business back in Washington before coming to Montana and meeting his mate.

"The move is complete. Some of his clients have stuck with him, and others moved on as would be expected. The Alpha has already referred clients to him, so his business will be as strong or stronger than it was in Washington. He's good at what he does and drop-dead gorgeous besides." Terry laughed.

"You are a very lucky man Terry Moore. If it had been me, I don't know if I would have been as forgiving as Henry. Henry is a handsome man and could have had his pick of this wolf pack and why he stayed with you is a mystery." Jamie couldn't resist teasing him.

"When it's your mate, you are willing to forgive a lot, thank goodness," Terry stated, and Jamie heartily agreed. "Speaking of handsome men, the Alpha told me that Detective Rand was coming back to Lonepine sometime next week."

"I never met him, but I heard he was a force to be reckoned with." Jamie wondered why the man would be returning. "Why's he coming back? I thought the case was finished?"

Terry shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe he met someone when he was here and wanted to come back and say hello."

"I doubt that, considering he's been gone for over five months. If he had someone important to him here, we would have heard it through the grapevine by now." Jamie said.

"Yeah, and how important could they be if he waited five months to come back and see them."

"Exactly."

…

"I'm leaving for Lonepine in the morning," Ivan told his brother as they sat together in Viktor's living room, relaxing after a long day of dealing with pack politics. Ivan had forgotten how petty his home pack could be after living among the humans for nearly a year. The Traverse Bay Pack was an old pack, but not large, and their survival depended as much on diplomacy as it did on brute force. Unfortunately, not all members understood that fact and sometimes offended allies.

Viktor had taken over as Alpha when their father, the previous Alpha, had died. That had been five years ago, and still, the pack was somewhat disjointed. To be honest, neither of them had wanted the job. They had been happy being their father's betas, but Viktor being the eldest, was forced to take over. Viktor had a young new beta that showed plenty of promise, and Ivan would not be surprised if his brother was purposely grooming the man to take over.

"How long will you be gone?" Viktor glanced over at him with a stare that stated very clearly, ‘I need you here.'

"Not long, I scented my mate there, and I need to set things right and bring him home." Ivan knew it had been too long. He'd waited for the case to end and then for pack business to be handled, and now it had been nearly five months since he'd scented his mate, and he could not wait any longer.

Viktor nodded his support and understanding. "I'm happy for you, Ivan, and I look forward to meeting him."

"So do I," Ivan said with a sad smile. "He was out of town when I was there, but I scented him in the police station, and one of the other officers told me his name. For the past five months, I've thought of him every day."

"He's an officer in Lonepine?"

"Yes, his name is Jamie McCormick, and he smells like absolute heaven." Ivan truly could not wait to meet him, and his wolf, which he'd suppressed these last five months, was pushing to leave now.

Ivan contacted Alpha Lance and secured permission to return to Lonepine territory, and now he would be arriving tomorrow. Ivan planned to meet first with the Alpha and explain his situation. From there, he would go straight to the police station and meet his mate. Ivan's wolf howled at the thought and paced in his mind, anxious to meet and bond with their mate. He'd told the Alpha that he'd scented his mate while in his territory previously but did not divulge the fact that he knew his mate's name.

Ivan didn't want his mate to know that he was coming. He wanted to be there standing in front of Jamie when he realized Ivan was his mate. Ivan wanted to look at him and talk to him in case of any questions or difficulties.

...

His plane touched down just before ten, and there was a car waiting for him. His driver, a young man, named Michael, informed him that the Alpha was waiting for him at the police station. Ivan smiled, realizing that Alpha Lance did not need Ivan to tell him who his mate was because he already knew. A good Alpha was always in tune with their pack, and Lance was apparently a very good Alpha.

"Thank you, Michael." Ivan grabbed his bag and threw it in the trunk before sliding into the back seat of the sleek black sedan.

…

Jamie, Terry, and one of the other officers, Ryan sat there as Alpha Lance looked through a week's worth of reports and complaints. "Seems that Alan and Joan Perron are keeping you busy." He commented.

"Yes, sir." They all answered. They all looked uncomfortable, considering the Alpha never checked the police blotter without reason. Each of them was wondering what they'd done wrong.

"We have a report regarding illegal dumping of trash out near the community hall. May I be excused to deal with it?" Jamie had taken the report just before Alpha Lance had arrived and hoped it was important enough for the Alpha to release him.

"Detective Ivan Rand will be stopping by the office very shortly. Michael has picked him up at the airport and will be dropping him here." He pinned Jamie with a penetrating stare. "He wants to speak with you, Jamie, so perhaps Ryan should check out the trash incident." Ryan was on his feet and gone before Jamie could utter a word.

"I don't even know Detective Rand; what could he want to speak with me about?" Jamie wasn't questioning his Alpha; he was just confused. "I never met the man. I was out on a call while he was here the last time." Jamie turned to look at Terry, hoping for clarification, but only got a puzzled expression and a shrug. "Do you know what it is about, Alpha?"

"Yes, but it is not my place to say." With that, Alpha Lance went back to reading the blotter, and everyone else waited.

Ivan stayed silent throughout the drive. In his mind, he tried to decide what he should say to his mate. He would be meeting Jamie McCormick in a few minutes, and the moment he walked into the office, Jamie would recognize him. He'd purposely not tried to find out what Jamie looked like or any personal information apart from what Officer Moore had said. He needed to wait until he saw him in person.

His wolf had been on edge for the past five months, and now he was wild with the need to find and claim his mate. If Ivan had seen a picture of his mate or heard his voice, Ivan wouldn't have been able to control his wolf. He would have raged across three states to claim and bring Jamie McCormick home.

Ivan had too many responsibilities to be able to just run off and be with his mate. He had to see the Randall case through to the end, and he had to take care of his Alpha and his pack. He had to deny himself and his wolf for a little while.

As Ivan thought about his choices, he wondered if he'd been correct. Sitting in a car on his way to finally meet his mate, he felt as if he'd somehow let Jamie down, but he pushed that thought aside immediately; his mate would understand. As the Lonepine Police station came into view, Ivan felt his heart leap into his throat as anticipation took over.

Alpha Lance stood up and walked over to the reception desk. They hadn't had a front desk person for over a year now, ever since Mrs. Doman's husband retired and they moved to the mountain area of the Lonepine Pack. Whichever officers were available just took care of the walk-ins. The Alpha glanced out at the sidewalk and then back over his shoulder at Jamie. The look told Jamie to come forward. Terry stood up and, being the good friend that he was, stepped up to stand next to Jamie.

The door to the station opened, and Michael Watts, one of the pack soldiers, entered first. He approached and acknowledged the Alpha before stepping to the side. Jamie stood speechless as he watched the most strikingly handsome man he'd ever seen in his life enter and stand before the Alpha. This was Ivan Rand. Jaime wished he'd been around the last time he was in town.

Ivan was an amazing example of male perfection. His black hair, black eyes, and angular features spoke of possible native ancestry. He was tall nearly as tall as their Alpha and muscular, which was commonplace for a beta wolf, but Ivan possessed a strength that went beyond the visible. His formidable presence commanded attention and trepidation from everyone in the room, except for the Alpha. Jamie watched as Detective Rand bared his throat to Alpha Lance and then followed him into the room.

It was the moment Detective Rand locked eyes with him that Jamie realized his life was about to change forever. A moment ago, he was on the outside admiring the view, and now he was at the center of an emotional firestorm that was about to tear him apart. Jamie drew in a deep breath as his wolf slammed into his brain and began to push for release. Detective Ivan Rand was his mate. He stared and waited, he wanted to rush the man and demand his attention, but he stayed rooted to the spot and waited.

Ivan recognized Jamie the moment he entered the station. He was everything Ivan had dreamed of over the past months and more. Jaime was young, of slight build, and had fiery red hair that was cut short, but still managed to curl around his ears. His sage green eyes bore into Ivan, demanding attention, demanding acknowledgment, but he didn't say a word. Ivan knew he was considered dark, intimidating, and formidable. Some have stated he possessed a threatening air that put people off, but he didn't want his mate to feel those things. He tried to relax and let down his guard, but it was near impossible.

Ivan walked directly to Jamie and stood in front of him with just a few inches separating them. Jamie did not back up but stood his ground and looked up into those dark eyes once again and waited for his acknowledgment. Ivan was the beta. He would have to accept Jamie, and he would be the dominant in the relationship.

In wolf culture, when two wolves mated, the dominant wolf would rule the pair. Jamie was a gamma wolf, therefore below the beta in the wolf hierarchy. Ivan Rand would rule the pair if a bond was formed. All of these things raced through Jamie's mind as he tried to come to terms with what was being presented and what it meant to his life.

Ivan reached out and ran his fingers across Jamie's shoulder up to his neck and then along his jawline. He was amazing, so beautiful, and yet so strong; Ivan could feel the strength and forced control rolling off of his mate.

"You are my mate Jamie McCormick, and I am yours," Ivan stated and slipped his hand behind to cup Jamie's neck and pull him up flush to Ivan's body. He held him there for a moment drinking in the surprise in his mate's eyes. He then lowered his head and took those plump pink lips in a firm possessive kiss.

Jamie tasted as good as he looked, and Ivan found himself lost in the scent, taste, and feel of his wondrous mate. His wolf was pushing forward, demanding that they claim their mate, but Ivan knew that formalities had to be attended to first. He would have a lifetime with his mate; he could wait a little longer for their bond. Ivan pulled back but kept his gaze locked onto his mate. Jamie seemed stunned, but there was something else in his gaze which Ivan found unsettling. He saw sadness, and he couldn't understand it.

Jamie was overwhelmed by the attention and realization that Ivan was his mate. Ivan had been in Lonepine five months ago, but they had never met. Why did he come back, and how did he know Jamie was his mate? Jamie needed answers, because what he assumed to be the truth was causing a cold chill to creep down his spine. He feared the unimportant business that could wait five months to be dealt with was, in fact, himself, Jamie McCormick.

His mate saw him as an insignificant detail in his life. Jamie stepped back when Ivan released him. He'd enjoyed the kiss and the closeness, he would never deny that, but he dreaded his future if indeed Ivan was as cold and distant as he seemed. Jamie glanced around and noticed that everyone, including the Alpha, had left. They were alone, and Jamie could ask his questions. He ached, but he had to know where he stood in regard to his mate.

"How long have you known that I was your mate?" Jamie spoke clearly, but with a slight tremor. He knew the answer, and he knew it was going to hurt. He kept his eyes focused on Ivan's. Ivan did not answer immediately; he held Jamie's gaze as if gauging his reaction to his answer.

"I scented you when I was here to take custody of Jordan Randall. You were away, but your scent permeated the area around your desk. I then heard your voice over the phone when you were speaking with Officer Moore, and that was when I knew for certain that you were my mate." He spoke as if weighing and measuring each word.

He saw the sadness and hurt flash in Jamie's eyes before he quickly suppressed his emotions leaving just a flat expression of total control. Ivan waited for Jamie to say something, but he said nothing. "I had a job and a responsibility to the victims of Jordan Randall and a duty to my pack." He was suddenly overcome with the need to explain himself.

"Sure." It was one word spoken short and tight but possessed infinite meaning. Jamie looked away just as Alpha Lance walked back into the room. The Alpha swept his gaze over Ivan and then landed on Jamie, who at present had his back to them both. Jamie wanted to say more, but his emotions were everywhere, and he did not trust himself not to cry. He could not appear weak to this man; he could never show this man his vulnerabilities. He took a deep breath and regretted it immediately. Ivan's rough sent of evergreen nearly had him buckling at the knees.

Ivan stepped forward and tried to steady his mate, but Jamie gently pulled away and kept his back to him. Thankfully Alpha Lance felt his pain and discomfort and allowed him an exit.

"Jamie, go and assist Ryan and report back to me at the Pack House afterward," Lance told Jamie, who made a hurried exit through the back door of the police station. Ivan watched as his mate left without a glance or a word to him.

"I claimed him verbally in front of his Alpha. Why did Jamie walk away from me?" Ivan turned to the Alpha and asked his question.

"Five months might mean nothing to you, but to someone like Jamie McCormick, it is heartbreaking. He needed to leave in order to pull himself together. He was barely maintaining control; couldn't you feel it?" Lance spoke with a disheartened tone in his voice.

"I felt that he was upset, but I didn't completely understand it. I am a beta wolf, and I am bound by my duty to my Alpha and my pack. I knew his name and location, and I planned to return for him as soon as was convenient." Ivan defended his choices even as he questioned them in his own mind.

"See, there's the problem, mates aren't convenient; they are meant to be life-altering and miraculous," Lance informed. "Mates aren't important in your pack, I take it?"

Ivan rounded on him with a look of utter disbelief. "Mates are life-altering and miraculous in my pack, but my duty is my oath," Ivan stated, still not understanding the depth of emotion he was experiencing since his mate walked away. The feeling of sadness, disappointment, and abandonment was tearing at his heart. He was besieged by emotions he'd never experienced before.

"But how does your mate fit in with your duty and your oath?" Lance asked and then walked out of the room, not waiting for an answer.