Wolfmates 1 - An American Werewolf in Hoboken Read online

  Wolf Mates: An American Werewolf in Hoboken

  Dakota Cassidy

  All rights reserved.

  Copyright 2004 by Dakota Cassidy

  No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and email, without prior written permission from Changeling Press LLC.

  ISBN 1-59596-068-6

  Formats Available:

  HTML, Adobe PDF,

  MobiPocket, Microsoft Reader

  Publisher:

  Changeling Press LLC

  PO Box 1561

  Shepherdstown, WV 25443-1561

  www.ChangelingPress.com

  Editor: Sheri Ross Carucci

  Cover Artist: Angela Knight

  This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.

  For PH, whos just a little too hooked on men with fuzzy ears and moon fetishes. Love and kisses always, Dakota :)

  Prologue

  He ran as though the hounds of hell chased him, pounding the pavement with swift, measured strides. The click of his nails echoed in the rain soaked, empty streets. Flashes of buildings passed in a blur as his eyes sought frantically to find food. His long tongue slipped out of the side of his mouth, draping down over the thick hair that covered his chin -- er, muzzle.

  Panting, he eyed each alleyway from his peripheral vision, searching

  The smells of the city assaulted his ultra sensitive nose. He sniffed the air, picking up the scent of broiled steak, pork chops with thick brown gravy, veal medallions in a creamy white sauce with sliced onion, and a sprig of parsley for garnish. Scalloped potatoes no wait, they were au gratin.

  Oh, hell he was hungry

  Shit, he really loved veal too Wee little succulent morsels of calf that he couldnt have right now because he was too damn busy playing this stupid game of here, doggy, doggy. Which he wouldnt be doing if it werent for this vision .

  A sharp whistle stopped him in his tracks and again his ears pricked to the tune of, Here, doggy, doggy!

  Address me as I should be addressed. Its Mr. Werewolf to you

  If he could sigh he would. Instead he flared his nostrils and huffed.

  Did it get any worse than this? I mean, cmon who was this vision anyway? This soulmate who was supposed to rock his world? And where was it written that he had to play Mission Impossible just to get laid? This was above and beyond the call of duty for a little horizontal mambo.

  He hated all of this mumbo-jumbo folklore crap hed been taught since he was a child. He really just wanted to hang out and play Nintendo 64. But the call of a good lay beckoned or thats what he heard it was going to be anyway. A good lay good as opposed to none . He sure as hell hoped his soulmate appreciated this, cuz it was a crappy way to hook-up in his estimation.

  The Prophecy has spoken , Eva said

  Prophecy? Hah! What kind of prophecy had you running around a town called Hoboken , with the butt crack squad hot on your heels? What kind of prophecy was found in a bowl of chicken noodle soup? But his family members claimed Eva knew all. How one could know all from processed chicken in a can was beyond him.

  Although, legend had it that if he didnt follow his stupid path of destiny, he was shit for shineola. Hed have to face the mojo of all mojos. So, rather than risk the possibility that this destiny of his was flat-out stupid and it wasnt worth a really freaky curse, he ran.

  Fast.

  Because he couldnt afford to be caught and miss this prophecy thing.

  Racing down a deserted, dimly lit street, he spied a chain link fence that might be his ticket outta this.

  Except he had four paws and not a pair of legs to climb said fence.

  Well, shit .

  The thunder of feet diminished behind him. Maybe theyd given up. His ears pricked to the tune of the clink of the fence as the men climbed it.

  A bright light cornered him as he swept past a dumpster, only to find a dead end.

  Fucking ducky

  Hey look, hes friggin huge, one of the men commented.

  Ahh, the animal catching engineer isnt that what they called them now? Bright indeed, very bright. Damn right he was huge and he was going to take a bite out of his engineer ass if he came any closer.

  Wait, one of the bright twins said, Ive got something for him. He began to dig around in his pocket and pulled out a plastic bag.

  He watched skeptically from the corner he was backed into and sniffed the air.

  Look, puppy look what I have Wiggling the meat in air, the animal catching engineer shook it at him. Obviously this was meant to entice him.

  He sniffed liberally the air that surrounded the meat. Oh, fuck that. It was going to take a helluva lot more than some cheap round steak to get him to bite. He was a filet mignon kind of guy

  His stomach growled in protest, meaning, round steak was better than no steak.

  Well, okay, hed bite. He could easily knock this guy out as he snatched the meat from him. Snarling, he came closer, moving in on Einsteins hand, exposing his teeth.

  Teeth it was all about showing them the teeth. Freaked everybody out.

  He leapt in an arc Bruce Jenner would be envious of, snatching the meat and gobbling it halfway down his throat when he felt the sting of the dart.

  If he could, he would have sighed at how predictable that had been. Well, fuck, he thought as he fell to the ground with a hard thud and the world began to spin looked like he was going to the pound.

  Chapter One

  Jesus Christ in a mini-skirt, hes ugly, huh? JC Jensen stood in front of the large metal cage, skeptically eyeing the unkempt beast who stared with defiance right back at her. She estimated he must stand at least six foot when he was on his hind legs. JC wrinkled her nose. He smelled, too. The whole damn place smelled.

  Yuk.

  Well, yeah, lady, he sure aint of the cute and cuddly, Cmere snookums, come sit on my lap variety. And none too friendly either. The nice man at the pound should never try his hand at selling cars, she mused.

  The overgrown, odd-looking beast sent out a low, menacing growl, as if to validate the attendants accusation. His teeth, or maybe a better word was fangs , were kind of yellow. Oral hygiene obviously wasnt his forte, or his prior owners.

  JC couldnt put her finger on what drew her to this mangy mutt. There were dozens of cute, cuddly balls of fluff in the joint, all barking for her attention.

  Damn she hated this -- she wanted every last frickin one. But noooo, she homed in on the meanest of the lot, knowing full well his chances for adoption were like zilch.

  He was a filthy mess and downright mean looking, but when she let her fingers curl into the small openings of the cage hed sniffed the air with interest. Then hed come closer, pressing his cold, wet nose against her finger. Oddly, she felt no fear, thought she probably should, but she didnt. Rather, she felt her heart lurch and a strange sense of tranquility.

  Howd he get here? she wondered aloud, running a slow finger under the monsters chin.

  Hes a stray. No wonder. Look at him for Christ sake. Hes mean and ugly. Found him cornered in an alley. Animal control came and got him. I heard that was some fight trying to get him into the van even after the dart gun. They say he might be part wolf. I say hes part ornery. Hes overstayed his welcome now. Hes officially on his last day of death row.

  JCs stomach di
d a nosedive. Euthanasia? Put him to sleep, nip the old ticker in the bud. Lights out For good?

  They were going to kill him.

  Crap.

  She didnt need a dog. Her life was so busy she was never home. But, when she was home, she came home to nothing. It was becoming lonelier by the year.

  She should walk away now and find a nice kitten. They took care of themselves and didnt need a whole lot of maintenance. They amused themselves with thread or something. An even bigger plus, they cleaned themselves . They sat in your lap and snuggled with you.

  JC couldnt fathom this monster sitting in her lap.

  Something about this mutts eyes, dark and earnest, made her think twice about the feline persuasion. He nudged her hand lightly and she cupped his chin through the cage, scratching the underside of his jaw. His gray fur was matted and probably had a village of fleas starting up their own boy band in it.

  You are one mighty fine mess. JC cocked her head at the piercing gaze he pinned her with. Her heart sped up when he licked at the palm of her hand. Shit, he was as ugly as the day was long. Bigger than a Clydesdale and in desperate need of some doggy deodorant

  Hes also destined to die, JC .

  Oh, all right already. She examined him one last time.

  Jeez Louise, he was butt ugly. But she couldnt bear the idea that he was due for Old Sparky.

  It must be love.

  Ive never seen him act like this, the attendant noted, cutting into her thoughts. Hes usually snarling and growling at anything that moves. You must have that animal magnetism or something. Half the time we cant even get near him. As the attendant moved closer to the cage, she felt the low vibration of tough guys growl beneath her fingertips.

  She tapped his nose with the palm of her hand. Stop that right now. If you want a home, youre going to have to chill out, buddy. Quit with the junkyard dog act and behave. She sighed with resignation. Her mind was made up.

  Tell me, oh gnarly one, are you housetrained?

  * * *

  Good gravy, she was such a sucker for a good case of hard-up. The practicality of bringing this beast back to her very small apartment was flat out nuts. Yet she found herself out in the reception area, signing the papers to adopt him. These days that entailed giving away your first-born and paying the obligatory fifty bucks to help out the shelter. Grabbing her purse and the leash theyd provided her with, she hooked it to his collar and gave him a tug. He planted his big ass firmly on the floor and refused to budge. Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth.

  Aw cmon, you brute, Im gonna take you home and feed you. What more could you want?

  Solemn brown eyes gazed back at her, unblinking.

  JC knelt beside him. God, he was huge and so friggin hairy. Look, Cujo, I saved your life for craps sake. Now dont make an ass outta me. Lets get the hell out of here. She tugged on the leash again, this time with a bit more force.

  Nothin.

  The pretty blond receptionist held up a bag of dog cookies from behind her perch at the desk. Looks like you could use one of these. Hes been known to be difficult.

  Hey look, Lassie, doggie treats. JC sniffed the interior of the bag. Gawd, they smelled like an elephants butt. She pasted a smile on her face and pulled one out. Wiggling it under his nose, she tried to entice him. He staunchly refused, defiantly turning his head away.

  JC dropped the leash and whispered in his pointy ear. His position shifted almost as though he were really listening to her.

  Hookay, bud, I could just leave you here, ya know. I mean we could skip the warm fuzzy part. You know that part where I take you home, bathe you, feed you and let you sleep next to me on the floor beside my bed? Sorta like Timmy and Lassie, together at last. We can totally skip that and shoot right to the part where they put you to sleep ! She hissed her last words for emphasis.

  The mutts massive backside miraculously lifted. His long snout nuzzled her hand before he walked toward the glass doors with a slow shuffle. Turning, he looked at her as if to say, What are you waiting for?

  JC followed him, chucking him under the chin. Bout damn time. Now come on, you beast. We need to get you home and get you a bath, but first we need to think of a name for you. How do you feel about Pain in the Ass?

  * * *

  Okay, champ, its bath time and dont even think about yanking my crank over this. You smell like death and there is no way youre sleeping in my bedroom smelling like that. So lets get all the shitty stuff outta the way now and then Ill give you a nice bowl of that kibble we bought. She turned on the taps and added some of the flea dip that came so highly recommended for good measure.

  He arrogantly sniffed at her crotch, wedging his big snout between her thighs.

  Stop that! I cant begin to imagine where those people at the pound got the notion you were unfriendly. I cant keep you off of me.

  Shed taken him to the local pet store where all the in dogs went to get the necessary must haves in life. Hed been unpleasant to say the least, baring his teeth at every man that passed them. The cute guy with the poodle didnt stand a snowballs chance in hell of getting past Cujo. Thankfully, hed maintained himself long enough to get a dog bowl and some dog food. Shed grabbed a cute doggie toothbrush as well, to clean up those teeth.

  Hed sat rather stoically in the backseat of the car on the way home. Occasionally he sniffed her ear, making her giggle. He seemed content to take in his surroundings, watching the scenery fly by the car window.

  When theyd reached her apartment shed let him go, fully expecting hed want to check out his new surroundings. As long as he didnt discover her new carpet with his leg in the air she was good with it.

  However, he didnt explore much. In fact, he didnt leave her side at all. Now in her tiny blue and yellow bathroom he was literally going to have to be surgically removed from her ass. His massive gray body pensively sat on the bath mat filling up the small, tiled space.

  Man, Cujo, you really smell. Okay, lover, in you go. JC wrapped her arms around his bulky torso and yanked him into the tub. He didnt fight her, but he certainly wasnt helping matters. He sat stiff and unblinking as she sprayed him thoroughly with the showerhead, running her hands through the thick coat of hair.

  Nothin like wet dog to get those nasal passages open.

  JC yammered at him, speaking in soothing tones to keep him calm and still. Oh, look at you, sweetums, youre such a good boy. Here comes the smelly stuff. I have to let it sit on you for fifteen minutes according to the bottle. Whaddya say we get to know each other while we wait? She began working up a soapy lather, scrubbing at his thick hair to cover all flea-riddled areas. Satisfied, she sat back on the toilet seat and scratched behind his ears to keep him occupied. He tilted his head, allowing her the best advantage to his happy spot.

  You know what I want to know, dont you? Where did you come from? I mean did someone own you at one time, or were you just hatched? Was someone cruel and abusive to you? Her stomach churned at that. Leaning forward she bracketed his muzzle between her hands, searching his warm, brown eyes. That would really piss me off. I dont care how mean you are. You dont deserve to be abused over it.

  His big, pink tongue swiped her nose. She made a face at him. That breath is a tough deal, Cujo. Good thing we got that toothbrush, huh? He reared his head back and turned away from her.

  Oh dont go getting all defensive, silly. That dog food is supposed to help with the bad breath thing too. Look, its already time to rinse, are you ready?

  Twelve bath towels later, he was like a brand new dog. She worked diligently to loosen the mats in his hair and dug around under the bathroom sink for her blow dryer.

  Now dont get all freaked out on me, but I need to dry you so you wont catch a cold. Sit, okay? That was probably the wrong way to address him, but the big beast seemed to listen best if she took the more friendly approach. Again, he didnt budge, patiently waiting while she plugged in the dryer and got the new dog brush from her bag of purchases. While she attacked the task of drying hi
m, JC did the high pitched voice thing all those dog trainers said worked to ease a dogs fears. Not that he seemed to care much. He was pretty unimpressed by her efforts.

  Clean and dry he was quite impressive. His dark gray fur lightened considerably with a good cleaning. Softer threads of black were now visible down the length of his back. The fur around his face was full and fluffy -- if only she could get her own hair to do that -- and he smelled a hundred times better than he had an hour ago. Her beauticians hands primped and scrunched.

  Between you and me, kiddo, you have the most fabulous hair. And believe me when I tell you that compliment doesnt come easy from the best beautician in Hoboken . You are one big ball of fluff

  Fluffy

  Ive got it! How do you feel about the name Fluffy? Never mind, you dont care, do you? Well, I love it and it suits you I think, with all of this hair you have. I hope you dont shed, Fluffy JC threw her arms around his thick neck and gave him a squeeze, ignoring the odd rumble he made low in his throat.

  Chapter Two

  Fluffy ? F-L-U-F-F-Y? He ticked the letters off mentally. This was the single most humiliating encounter hed ever endured.

  Fluffy?

  Christ, was she out of her mind? Who named a dog of his size and stature Fluffy? A poodle made complete sense, even a Chihuahua He was not fucking fluffy!

  Full, with a thick coat, Y-E-S. Fluffy, N-O. Shed made him look like an overgrown chia-pet. Was it not enough that hed had dog treats shoved under his nose and a leash slapped on his neck? To degrade him this way by giving him a name better suited to a bunny rabbit was almost more than he could bear. All the other doggies in the neighborhood would secretly laugh at him

  Damn woman, if she wasnt so friggin good lookin. If her scent wasnt driving him out of his ever lovin mind, hed pick up and go the hell home. However, his prophecy must be fulfilled and she was apparently it. She sure as hell smelled like it. She looked like it too. She had the most gorgeous ass hed ever seen. Her firm, round breasts were nothing to scoff at either. And her hair Hair a man could wrap around his fist as he came. Just touching her shoulders, it fell in raven ringlets around her heart-shaped face. It would make a beautiful coat