Werewolf Zedekiah Vukic has known for years that wolf Josie Smith was his. But the stubborn woman keeps refusing to date him unless he accepts human Steve Latham into the mix. And now she’s surrounded by danger at the interspecies mating party (DADISP) and won’t even let him help her.
Back in the office, the Alpha tells Zed he’s to lead a small team to Europe as the European Supreme Alpha has information of an unknown pack of werewolves who live in the mountains. He wants them found and interviewed.
Josie is surprised to learn the team is just Zed, Steve, and her. The Alpha assures her that between the three of them they have all the skills they need to find the missing pack. He also tells her it’s her chance to make both men into her partners.
But Josie’s certain either Zed will kill Steve, or she’ll murder Zed, long before they even arrive in Europe. Will they stop arguing long enough to complete their task and to find love?
STORY EXCERPT
“You aren’t serious? You’re sending me away for months with Zed and Steve? Just the three of us? Zed’ll kill Steve long before the airplane even lands in Vienna.”
“Your job will be to prevent that from happening. And if it does, remind Zed I won’t be posting bail for him. He’ll have to serve out his time in whatever jail he lands up in.”
“Sir, you don’t really mean it. There must be other people. At least three or four others on the team.” Josie stared at the Alpha. She’d worked with him for long enough to be able to read him even when other people would have said his face was blank. Right now his eyes were filled with light. He was serious, it was going to be just the three of them and he expected her to sort out any relationship problems. Well fucking hell!
“Josie, all three of you together will be an unbeatable team. Between you three, you have all the skills you need to find the missing wolf pack and convince them to unite with the association. They must have a very capable leader to have survived for so long alone. We can use their skills. Besides, they need to know what’s happening in the real world, not the world as they’re undoubtedly filtering it through their fears and biases. They need to know they aren’t alone.”
“I doubt I’ll have a spare moment to solve the problem. I’ll be fully occupied keeping Zed from murdering Steve.”
“Perhaps at the start, but my son is not stupid. He will come to realize that Steve is a man of many skills and talents, capable and useful in his own right. Apart from that, I have great faith in your ability to bring them to the knowledge that just as they can work together on a project, they can learn to share you.”
Josie blushed. Her boss had never so much as hinted at her sex life—or lack of a sex life—before.
“This project is the perfect means for you to move on. You alone can control my son. The three of you together can find the missing wolf pack and forge a new identity for yourselves. I expect you to report to me every twenty-four hours even if there is nothing new to tell me.”
“Yes, sir.” Josie nodded and left his office. Only once she’d closed his door did it occur to her that might have been the last time she’d ever speak to him face-to-face. She would no longer be the administrator of the pack. Whatever happened on this adventure, the people she’d trained would be doing her job from now on. She squared her shoulders. It was time for her to reclaim her life. Her future was in her own hands. She’d have months in close contact with Zed and Steve and if they couldn’t come to an agreement between them during this time, it would never happen.
Slowly she walked to the elevator and swiped her card. Up in her room she stood still and looked around. This place had been hers for so long. Mostly she slept here and that was all. Her true life was at her desk on the third floor in the center of all the pack activity. Now she was cutting herself off from all that, moving out with the two men who meant the most to her in the world.
She pulled her suitcase out from under her bed. She’d only just unpacked it and finished doing laundry from the DADISP, and now she needed to pack it again. But she’d be packing very differently this time. Sturdy travel clothes, comfortable walking shoes, and maybe just one pretty outfit for if it was needed. Josie sank down on her bed and pulled out her cell phone, Googling the weather in Vienna. Ugh. And a warm coat as well.
Suddenly, she smiled. This was not how she’d planned her life. This was not what she expected at all in her wildest imaginings. But the Alpha was correct. If she couldn’t make the two men see reason and cooperate and build her life with them both, she didn’t deserve to be happy. She was just as smart as either of them. She’d damn well do it. She’d make them agree to share her, to both mate with her, and they’d find the missing wolf pack as well.
The tricky bit would be preventing Zed from killing anyone until he saw reason.
She opened her nightstand drawer thoughtfully, and dropped a pair of handcuffs into the waiting suitcase.
http://www.bookstrand.com/a-most-stubborn-mate
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