Turner (White Wolf Ridge 1)

Hunter looks at me sympathetically. “So you have, but you’re not mated yet. How long has it been?”

He understands what I'm going through? “Five months, three weeks, two days, and twelve hours," I say with another soul-aching growl.

Erik chimes in. “I fell in love with Chloe a year before our full mating kicked in. Our mating instinct waited until I was worthy of her and became the Beta. I spent a year in purgatory—looking, wishing, and hoping I could touch her. I don’t know how many times I almost kissed her or how many times I snarled at another man for speaking to her. If I’d been younger, I don’t think I’d have the self-control to stop myself. When I thought all was hopeless, the change happened.”

“A year?” My pulse picks up and my chest burns at that information. I can’t wait a year. I’ll go insane.

“A year,” the sheriff repeats. “The longest year of my life.”

“So she’s his mate?” Mark asks about the punk and my sister.

Erik and Hunter shrug and then Erik says, “More than likely, and until the time is right, they’re both going to be suffering. The best thing to do would be limit their contact with the opposite sex, but don’t keep them from each other. Jealousy only heightens the need to claim what they can’t. Keeping them apart will make it worse.” I make a mental note regarding their suggestion, although I’ll see for myself in due time.

“Thanks,” I say, shaking Erik's hand, and when I'm about to shake Hunter’s, I hear the sound of tires crunching gravel.

“I thought you said it was just the two of you,” I snarl. My wolf’s curious about who just arrived.

Hunter’s brows bunch together in aggravation. “It is. If it’s my wife, I’m going to spank her ass.” Whoever’s here isn’t supposed to be. Hunter has a scowl etched on his face as he marches to the front of the house.

“Mine too,” Erik says, walking behind him.

We all take a whiff of the air, but I know it's not their mates because the smell is different, and I know it. It haunts me during my waking hours. It’s burned into my soul, etched on my heart, embedded in me. It's her. I run right past them and straight to her. “It’s you!” I say as I rush to stand in front of a petite officer with chocolate eyes and perfect everything.

“It’s you!” she shouts out. Unable to stop myself, I drag her into my arms, lacing my fingers through her ponytail and slamming my lips onto hers. A wave of lust slams through me, demanding I take more.

“Wow, didn’t see that coming,” Hunter remarks. I barely make out the words because I can't get enough of her. She clings to me with her legs around my waist, knowing we’re one. I'm a wild man, a beast ready to claim his other half.

I hear their footsteps through my mating haze and snarl, turning to them while holding her to me protectively. They wave me off like I've lost my damn mind, which is pretty accurate. I know that more than anything, she's taken all my rhyme or reason.

“Turner, you two are more than welcome to go to the resort. I’ll call and make the reservation for the next two days,” Hunter says, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

“Thanks,” I say, and then I turn to my mate because she deserves my attention. “Let’s go.”

“Have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”

I flip Hunter off and then flip my mate over my shoulder, carrying her to my SUV without waiting for approval from anyone, including my mate. I don’t care that she came in a squad car or that she’s probably on duty.

“Hey, what about me?” Mark says.

I stop, turning my head slowly and glaring at my Beta. “Walk,” I growl before helping her into the passenger seat.

“Whoa. Where are you taking me? Who are you?” she exclaims, pumping the brakes on the situation.

“I’m your mate. Can’t you feel it?” I question, sensing a bit of resistance.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says. I can feel her lust rolling off her, but for the first time, my brain processes what I instinctively knew the second she pulled up—she’s human.

“Shit,” I growl, closing the door and sprinting around to the other side of the SUV to hop in. I'm pulling out of the driveway before she has a chance to object.

"Forgive me. I'll slow this down," I say, nearly choking on my words as if they're forced violently from my throat. "I'm Josiah Turner. I'm from White Wolf Ridge." It’s all I can manage to vocalize at the moment.

"I'm Deputy Maria Arroyo.” Her eyes stare into mine as she nibbles on her bottom lip and then swipes her tongue along the edge. “What do you mean by ‘mate’?" she asks, wringing her fingers nervously while tearing her eyes away from me and onto the road around us.