Rane's Mate Read Free

the wall, surround sound stereo
system, PlayStation, Xbox, Wii, and heaps of games—you name it, it was there. The
room was any male’s paradise.
    “Wow,” Kirby mumbled. She took a seat in the middle of the
sofa with Faith and Sara on either side, discussing when they would leave and
what bands were priorities.
    Kirby couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She had never
had this before…friends that she could laugh and argue with, and now Faith even
knew her secret ability. She finally felt like she belonged.
    * * * *
    Rane came into the house to laughing, screaming, and
squealing. He waited in the entry hall, watching and listening.
    “Oh my God, they didn’t. What did you two do?”
    He heard the musical voice of Kirby answer, “Well, Faith
must be used to it because she handled it like a pro. I tell you what though,
damn! That is not what fifteen to sixteen year olds look like where I’m from. If
they did, I wouldn’t still be a virgin at twenty-two years old.” All four girls
squealed with laughter.
    Rane would swear his wolf did a happy dance that she was
untouched and only they would have her.
    Sara giggled. “Faith, you have to tell, give it up.”
    “Okay, but I laughed my arse off when it happened. I don’t
know if I can tell it. You know how I told you that after school care is in the
converted gym? Well, it was myself and Kirby’s turn to set up, which involves a
lot of moving around and lifting. I noticed we had a crowd of boys about the
age of fifteen-sixteen. They were finishing up playing basketball. The coach
usually always tries to stay back if he knows Kirby is going to be there.”
    Kirby chimed in, “He does not.”
    Rane bit his tongue so he wouldn’t growl. He didn’t want
them to notice him and stop talking. Rane stepped toward the doorway and peeked
into the lounge room, watching as they threw food at each other.
    “Hey, don’t waste the M&Ms,” Remy said, which for some
reason made them fall to the floor in giggling fits.
    “Don’t listen to Kirby, he does stay back for her, and if
the PE teachers or coaches at the school I went to looked like him, I would
probably be a soccer or basketball star,” commented Faith. All the girls
squealed in laughter.
    Kane came up beside Rane with his work bag in hand. “I know
I’ve retired from the military, but someone has to keep an eye on things, so while
you’re gone, I’ll check on your recruits. Do you still think you can do this? I
know what she is to you.”
    “Hell yes, I’m going. I’m not an idiot. I am not going to
run from my mate. I’m going to embrace this with open arms. You’re running
right now, aren’t you, Kane?”
    “God yes! You do hear them, don’t you? I love that woman in
there, but when she’s with those friends…” He shivered. “Good luck with them
today. Watch those women like a hawk.”
    Kane left and deliberately slammed the door. Faith turned
toward it and said, “Oh, there’s Rane. Let’s go. I don’t want to get there too
late.”
    He smiled and nodded at them, then turned around and headed
out the door, knowing that they were following him.
    * * * *
    By late afternoon, Rane had figured out that he was in hell.
A straight guy never goes out with women on a girls’ day out, no matter what
they’re doing or where they’re going. He should have taken Kane up on the offer
to bail out. It was worse still, because if one more person accidently touched
Kirby’s butt, boobs, waist, or any other body part, he was going to rip them
apart. Not to mention the men who asked for her number…they were going to die.
The worst thing of all was that she ignored him, wouldn’t even look at him,
avoided being close to him. By the time night fell, his wolf was so on edge
that he did something he never did, he retreated and called Kane.
    “Okay, who do I have to get to replace me? I can’t watch
without touching her or breaking some bones in these guys that she’s
attracting.”
    Kane chuckled. “Not