Page 5 of Don't Howl At Me

“Wolfie.” A high-pitched squeal broke us apart. April barreled toward us and threw herself at me. “I missed you, sexy. Are you ever going to call me again?”

Ollie’s brows rose, and a smirk played on his lips.

But then Patrick walked by, slapping my ass as he passed. “Last weekend was a blast. Hit me up again.”

“Oh, Patrick. I gotta talk to you about something.” April let go of me and ran after the other alpha.

I turned my attention to see Ollie’s smirk was gone. Dread swelled in my stomach. I had to fix this.

Before I could respond, the redhead emerged from my room and addressed my mate. “Don’t get your hopes up on this one.” He gestured toward me and snarled. “He speaks a good game and will rock your world in the bedroom. But the next morning? He will throw you out like the smelly trash.”

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but the omega stormed away.

The energy in the hallway took on the acidy stench of confusion and hurt. Ollie closed his eyes.

“Ollie.” I reached out to touch his cheek.

“No.” He ducked away from my caress. “I know you had a past before me. So did I, but—”

A beta approached us in the hallway. “Fucker, you didn’t even call me back.”

I slept with Anthony, the beta, last month. We both knew the rules and had a great friendship. Unfortunately, this was the worst time to joke with me.

My magic revealed the emotional wall Ollie had erected. I wanted to pull it down.

“I can’t do this right now.” Ollie snarled at Anthony standing next to me. “Maybe not ever.”

I stood in frozen shock as my mate pushed past me with his suitcase, rounded the corner, and vanished.

“Dude,” Anthony said, “what was that about?”

You’re an idiot,my wolf growled.

My wolf was right. I was an idiot. I had somehow fucked up the meeting with my fated mate. And had then just let him walk away.

Fuck.

***

The Present

My brother’s two eggs were stunning—identical pastel-pink with lime-green flecks. Their first child was a year old and adorable. These two would be as incredible. Anyone in a room with Zander and Rayne could detect their love’s warmth radiating off them. They had everything I wanted with my mate but couldn’t have.

“You sad, Unca Woff?” My nephew placed his tiny hand in mine and smiled up at me.

“I’m happy.” I faked a smile and bent down to kiss that precious cheek. “I just can’t wait to hold the new babies.”

“Okay. I—” Xavier sniffed the air, dropped my hand, and ran off.

“I think he smelled the brownies coming out of the oven.” Rayne laughed as he came up to me. “Is he right? Are you sad, Unca Woff?”

“I’m fine,” I lied.

I used to be content living a playboy lifestyle and having multiple lovers, dating omegas, alphas, and betas indiscriminately. If they were willing to suck or fuck, I was ready to dance. When I met Ollie, everything changed. Unfortunately, he didn’t want anything to do with me.

And why is that?

My damn wolf had tried to warn me, but I hadn’t listened. Now I was stuck without my fated mate.