Wolfe's Mate Read Online Free

stand on my own.”
    “How can you be so reckless? ” The tone of Jared’s voice rose. “Don’t you understand that if something happened to you, I couldn’t survive? That I wouldn’t want to live without you?”
    “I think you have no right to walk up to me and start lecturing me. I think you should go back to wherever you came from and leave me alone.”
    Leave her alone? Jared stared at her. What was he doing? Yelling at his mate? This isn’t how he wanted their first meeting to be. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, seduce her. He pressed her to him. “Forgive me, mon coeur . You scared me. I’m sorry for yelling at you.”
    Her shoulders shook as sobs burst from her chest. Her hands fisted on his shirt. “Please don’t leave me, Jared. Don’t leave me alone. I’m scared too.”
    Her fear and grief flooded his mind as she lost control of her sorrow. His body shook in answer to her pain. He groaned and held her tighter. His mate held on by a thread. “It’s okay, Esme. I’ve got you, sweetheart.” Her tears dampened his shirt. He ran his hand down her hair, then lifted her face, leaned down, and kissed her tears away. The salty liquid on his lips made his heart ache for her. “It’s going to be all right, mon coeur. We’ll find your brother.” She’d been sheltered, so alone for so long, just Esme and her brother. No wonder she was out looking for him.
    Finally, her sobs lessened. He held her close, wrapping her in warmth and sending reassurance and love through the mating bond. This was his mate, the one woman who belonged to him. He turned her and, holding her close, walked them back toward the house.
    When they rounded the corner, Granger waited for them, leaning nonchalantly against the building. He glanced at Esme with a look of concern, then frowned at Jared. I thought you were going to ruin everything for a minute there, Jared. What possessed you to yell at her? Granger fell in behind them, guarding their backs.
    Fear is what possessed me. I ’m angry with you. She should never have been out here alone. What if something happened to her?
    Forgive me, Alpha. You ’re right. She shouldn’t have been alone. With the television blaring, I didn’t hear her leave, though I must point out that you can’t cage her. If you do, you will lose her.
    Don’t tell me how to handle my mate.
    I’ve been watching her for six months. I see her as a person, not a mate. You might remember that. Granger’s anger leaked into their telepathic link. Jared sighed. He’d made a mess of everything.
    Jared led Esme up the stairs to the entrance to the house. Granger stepped forward with a key to the door and opened it for them. “She gave me an extra key.” He waved them through the door, then followed them inside, locking the door behind them.
    Jared helped Esme with her coat, handing it to Granger. For a moment , Jared stood and stared. She is beautiful.
    She quirked an eyebrow and pushed the leather jacket from Jared’s shoulders. He let it slip off and handed it to Granger. “I got your shirt all wet. I’m sorry.” Esme’s fingers brushed against Jared’s chest.
    “ Nothing to be sorry about. It’ll dry.” He held her hand pressed against his chest. He needed to touch her, to feel her skin against his. He had waited so long, dreamed so many times. Now that she was finally in front of him, he was unsure how to proceed. How would he go about seducing his mate when her brother was missing?
    “Why are you frowning?”
    “Forgive me, ma petit louve. I’m tired from my trip.” He kissed her on the nose, a little peck. When she smiled, it seemed to him that the sun burst from behind the clouds. His heart warmed.
    “Let’s go into the kitchen. I’ ll get us a snack.” Esme started to pull away, but he stopped her with a gentle tug.
    “What I want to snack on is you.”
    Esme lowered her eyes , and color spread over her cheeks.
    “Something to drink will suffice ,” Jared said. She wasn’t