Abandoned by Becca Jameson Read Free Book Online Page A

in mind for today , either. I’m sorry to shock you.” He shook his head to clear his mind. This is a woman who’s been held hostage for a year in the remote woods of Minnesota. You’re freaking her out .
    He couldn’t bring himself to walk away , though. And besides, no way would he just leave her sitting there alone.
    Her entire body shook.
    He ached to hold her and tell her everything would be okay. But for her, the world was not okay right now , and the last thing she needed was a man getting in her space and pressuring her.
    Deep breaths, Daniel. Think .
    Unchartered territory had him floundering for words that wouldn’t come. He opened and closed his mouth several times before he spoke again. “Don’t panic.” He backed up a step. He could tell she was close to hyperventilating. “It’s going to be okay.” Somehow. Right?
    He wasn’t sure he believed his own words. Suddenly nothing was okay. Not even for him. He wasn’t in a place in life to take on a mate. He was committed to the North American Reserves for the foreseeable future. Having a mate didn’t fit into that plan. Too much was happening in the world today. He felt a calling to help the cause, not to mate.
    Except there was no denying what lay in front of his eyes. Her scent would haunt him. He had no choice. This was what Fate had dropped on his doorstep , and he had to face his new reality all wrapped up in the least tidy of packaging ever.
    She lifted her face, her eyes red and huge. “Nothing about me is ‘okay’. I haven’t even wrapped my mind around the fact that I’ve been rescued. I haven’t seen my parents yet.”
    “We’ll deal with it. Everything. One minute at a time.” He crouched in front of her to bring his face to her level. He remained several yards away, though he ached to inch closer.
    She shook her head. “There can’t be a ‘we’. I’m not ready. I’m not even sure who I am right now.” She looked away.
    His chest squeezed tight as though she’d gripped it with her fist and yanked his heart out. Common sense told him she was in pain and unable to deal with this explosion of information right now. And she had every right to be. But still he swallowed the hurt. Man up, dude. This mate of yours needs space and time. Don’t take it personally .
    Voices behind him made him stand and back up several steps. He turned to find his mother approaching, Kenzie behind her holding the baby. He kept backing up. Allison would get the comfort she needed from his family. He had no choice but to step away and let them take over. For now. His legs literally ached with each step, but he forced them to move. He met his mother’s gaze as she approached and pleaded with her to help his mate.
    She nodded, a wan smile that didn’t reach her eyes expressing her sorrow at his predicament.
    Words weren’t needed. Ashley would have told them what had occurred. And even if she hadn’t, any wolf would smell the mating call on approach.
    As his mother passed and took a seat next to Allison, Kenzie touched his arm with her free hand. He lifted his gaze to meet his brother’s mate. She had the same look on her face as his mother.
    He swallowed. “I’ll be at my place.” And he turned and walked away, desperately trying not to think about the fact that he’d left his heart behind on that porch.
    •●•
    Allison shook. She couldn’t control the shivers that climbed up her spine and down her arms. She trembled as if she had a fever. She crossed her arms to hold them against her body and tried to breathe through the intensity of emotion washing over her. Natalie said something next to her, but she couldn’t hear a word.
    She felt like she was underwater. Perhaps Natalie was speaking to Kenzie , who stepped closer and kneeled in front of Allison. She held the baby close to her chest.
    Allison only knew one thing. Daniel was her mate and he’d just left. In fact she’d chased him off with her mouth. Relief and sorrow warred inside