Read A Mate's Wish (Ouachita Mountain Shifters 0.5) for Free Online Page A

in her neck and ask her forgiveness. For all of it. For the past and for the present and for the damned future.
    Renner swallowed the knot in his throat. “Hey.”
    “Hey.”
    “Can I talk to you?” He could feel Layna’s dragon breath gaze but he focused on Bethany.
    She glanced at his sister and then back at Renner. “Sure, I guess so.”
    “Alone? It’ll only take a minute.”
    Bethany nodded and turned to lead him down the hall.
    Layna caught his arm as he pushed past. “I’m on to you, Ren,” she hissed.
    He yanked his arm free and ran to catch up with Bethany. She stopped at the first empty conference room and slid inside. He shut the door behind them.
    There was so much he wanted to say but the first thing to tumble out of his mouth sounded cliché. “How are you doing?”
    Bethany’s eyebrows went up. “I’m… fine. Just trying to get through the week so we can both move past this.”
    She was still planning on leaving. Damn, he might as well go all in. Balls to the wall. Just lay it all open.
    “I didn’t forget you, Bethy.”
    Her eyes squeezed closed. “Please. Don’t call me that.”
    “I didn’t recognize you because you’ve changed, but I never forgot you. Or Ryan or Mama Robertson. You three were my family.”
    She canted her head as if she was measuring his words.
    Renner took a step closer. “Can we start over? Can… can we have dinner and talk?”
    “I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    “Shouldn’t we talk things over? Sort this out?”
    She shrugged but it didn’t come off as careless as she’d probably hoped. “What is there to sort out? You’re just someone I used to know. We crossed paths again and now it’s time to move along.”
    Fuck. Her words hurt. But she didn’t mean them. She couldn’t.
    He was close enough to grab her hand now. Carefully, he brought it to his face, rubbing his cheek against the back. His panther purred inside. “That’s not exactly true though, is it? We’re more than that.”
    She shook her head, her eyes wide. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
    He needed to start by making amends for the past. “The boy you knew when we were kids, he isn’t me. He wasn’t even me back then. I pretended to hate you to push you away and I’m sorry.” He looked deep into her eyes, telling her something he’d never told another. “It’s my biggest regret.”
    She swallowed and opened her mouth to say something, but then hesitated. He took advantage of her pause, forging ahead with his explanation.
    “There are things I can’t explain. Things I don’t understand myself. But I’d like the chance to make things right between us.” As right as they could be. Maybe this was a mistake, but his panther wouldn’t let him back off. And he didn’t want to anyway. “Please. Stay and give me some time. Just until the holidays are over, and you can decide what you want to do then.”
    “I don’t know.” She sighed heavily, but didn’t pull her hand away.
    He swept his thumb along the inside of her wrist, reveling in the delicate skin there. Bringing it to his mouth, he gently brushed his lips over the spot. He heard her tiny gasp, and all the blood rushed below his waist. His tongue darted out, tasting her. She smelled like herbs and spices and exotic oils, but she tasted like all woman. Her fingers curled around his hand so that he wasn’t the only one holding on.
    He could lick her forever and be content as long as she responded like this.
    Instead, he grazed the area with his teeth causing tiny goosebumps to break out along her skin.
    “Renner?” His name on her lips was choked but it sounded delicious.
    “Mmm hmm.” More licking and careful biting. More of her fingers digging into his hand.
    “What are you…” her breathy question trailed off as he sucked on the delicate bone on the outside of her wrist.
    Renner grabbed her other hand threading his fingers through hers while he continued his tasting.
    “ Why are