Reluctantly Lycan by Jez Strider Read Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    Mara began to speak, but a sob choked her up. “I’m sorry, Kaden. I was only a child myself.”
    “Me too. It all started with my mistake. And last night, you know that was the wolf. I’m sorry if I did… anything against your will.”
    “You couldn’t help it and neither could I. It was because of how long we’ve been separated….”
    A phone went off and Kaden let out a growl. “One moment.”
    “Sure.”
    Taylor couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Packs and wolves. That brute saying he could have killed sweet little Mara. Apologizing for doing things against her will . Taylor wondered what the man had done to cause Marala to leave him in the first place. This conversation was definitely none of his business, but the longer he listened, the more curious he became. Besides, he thought he might love that woman. Maybe. Infatuated at minimum.
    “What?” Kaden said sharply into the phone. “Missing?” His tone softened. “Keep everyone calm. I’m coming home. We’ll find him.”
    “ Kaden, what’s wrong?” Mara asked.
    “One of the boys nearing his first shift went missing last night. We’re not sure if he ran away or something worse. Are you coming home with me?”
    “It’s been too long. I don’t think I can.”
    “What about Jak?”
    “I’ll send him to you when it’s time if that’s what he wants.” She answered.
    Growing brave and stupid, Taylor twisted the knob slowly and pushed the door open a crack so he could see inside. He knew violating their privacy was wrong. Sure, he’d spied on cheating husbands and wives and taken pictures of naughty nannies, but not once had he invaded privacy so severely without being hired.
    Kaden reached into the inner pocket of his leather jacket, pulled out a fat stack of cash, and tossed it onto the kitchen table. “There’s a thousand dollars there. Pack up what you can, rent a car, and come home when you’re ready. Hell, call me and I’ll come back and get you if you want.” He turned toward the door and Taylor ducked back just in time. “I have to go.”
    “Wait. I…” She paused. “I hope that kid is okay.” It sounded like she wanted to say something else.
    “Me too.”
    Taylor scrambled through the hallway and down the stairs while he still had time. He snapped a picture of the license plate on Kaden’s Jeep before jogging up the street and hailing a cab.
     
    Dumbass! Kaden slammed his fists against the steering wheel as he gave himself a good talking to. “Stupid, stupid! Why didn’t you tell her you still love her?” Not only did he not know how to act around the only woman in the world he had ever had sincere feelings for, he’d left without even telling his son goodbye.
    Between thoughts of his estranged family and the missing boy back home in the mountains, he teetered on the brink of losing his mind. The pack couldn’t even keep its shit together for a few days without him. His second in command, the beta wolf Levi Boone, needed a thrashing or two. Kaden was planning a beating that would send him home whimpering with his tail between his legs to his mate, Elle.
    Kade scoffed. At least, Levi had a mate. And… he was back to thinking about Marala again. The cycle was never ending throughout his entire eleven hour drive. Nothing was resolved, he was tired and cranky, and the irritating scruff on his chin was getting worse.
    After driving past good ol’ Dollywood and through the tourist strips, he turned onto a side road and drove for nearly thirty minutes up a road that inclined and curved. Near where it ended there was an overlook. Kaden parked and walked to the wood’s edge. He sniffed the air and scanned the area before pushing a large log blocking a narrow dirt road aside. Returning to the Jeep, he drove it through, got out again, and replaced the natural blockade.
    In a matter of minutes of driving, the woods thinned to reveal a small town. Cabins dotted the area. Some were arranged in a semi-circle to form a