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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A Mate’s Forgiving Touch

  Copyright 2016 by Merryn Dexter

  ISBN: 978-1-68361-119-6

  Cover art by Fiona Jayde

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

  Look for us online at:

  www.decadentpublishing.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Hunger Moon by Merryn Dexter

  A Mate’s Forgiving Touch

  A wolf on the run

  Tired of running from the past, Connor Burrows is working his way home to Los Lobos. He knows he needs to face his family and finally come to terms with the horrors of their shared past. When he stops in the small town of Franklin, the last thing he expects to find is a lone wolf who smells like perfection and takes no prisoners.

  Trapped by the beast inside

  Bailey Clarke is a freak of nature. Her father has told her so since she was a little girl. Hiding the beast inside grows harder every day. When a handsome, charming, infuriating stranger rides into town, he threatens to destroy the carefully constructed walls she uses to protect herself, and everyone else around her.

  A man on a mission

  Connor is determined to claim Bailey as his mate. His dominant nature loves the challenge this sparky little wolf presents both in and out of bed. He won’t let anything stand between them – not her father, and certainly not Bailey’s own fears and doubts.

  Tamed by the wolf within

  Bailey sees what her life could be, if she can only learn to trust for the first time in her life. Before she can accept Connor as her mate, she will have to repair the broken bond between herself and her wolf. Will her secrets destroy their chance at happiness?

  A race against time

  Newly mated, Connor and Bailey find themselves in a fight for their lives. Family ties will prove their deadliest threat and their greatest salvation.

  Dear Reader

  I am so pleased to be working again with the amazing Decadent Publishing team – dreams really do come true! A Mate’s Forgiving Touch brings to a close the Burrows’ siblings trilogy within the Black Hills Wolves series. This won’t be the last you see of my wolves though – I love writing in the BHW world far too much to quit now!

  I fell for Connor the first time he marched into Will and Bridie’s diner in A Mate’s Healing Touch, but it took me a while to find the perfect mate for him. He also needed some time to deal with the past, especially the heart-breaking ties to his twin, Caitlyn.

  I loved writing Bailey. She is so tough and strong, a real fighter as well as a successful business woman. After sweet Hannah and submissive Caitlyn, I wanted a spitfire who wouldn’t give up her heart without a fight. Someone who would put Connor through his paces and make him prove to everyone, especially himself, that he is a man of worth.

  I would be thrilled to hear from you about this or any other book in the Black Hills Wolves series. You can also check out my titles in the Wiccan Haus, and Hot Moon Rising shared worlds also from Decadent Publishing.

  I’m a military spouse currently resident in Belgium and working from home so always happy for a distraction!

  You can email me at [email protected] or find me on Facebook or Twitter @MerrynDexter. I also have a website www.merryndexter.com and a blog www.merryndexter.blogspot.be

  Best Wishes,

  Merryn x,

  Dedication

  For M. Who brings a little bit of magic into my life every day.

  Black Hills Wolves Stories

  Wolf’s Return

  What a Wolf Wants

  Black Hills Desperado

  Wolf’s Song

  Claiming His Mate

  When Hell Freezes

  Portrait of a Lone Wolf

  Alpha in Disguise

  A Wolf’s Promise

  Reluctant Mate

  Diamond Moon

  Wolf on a Leash

  Tempting the Wolf

  Naming His Mate

  A Wolf Awakens

  The Wolf and the Butterfly

  Infiltrating Her Pack

  Omega’s Heart

  Rebel’s Claw

  Claiming the She-Wolf

  Worth Fighting For

  Dangerous

  Uncaged

  Promiscuous Wolf

  Disquieted Souls

  A Cougar Among Wolves

  Long Road Home

  A Mate’s Healing Touch

  Another Chance

  Broken Silence

  A Wolf’s Contract

  A Mate’s Redeeming Touch

  A Cougar Among Wolves

  Pleasure Me

  Craving His Love

  Jasmine Moon

  Mating Dance

  Amber’s Ace

  Wedding Moon

  Bringing Down Romeo

  Winter Solstice Run

  Wolf’s Holiday

  Winter Magic

  Winter Secrets

  Winter Solstice Ménage

  Wolf in Winter Clothing

  Murder in Los Lobos

  Scent of Murder

  Scent of the Hunt

  Scent of His Woman

  Scent of Madness

  Coming Soon

  Secrets of the Hunt

  Salvaged Souls

  Also by Merryn Dexter

  A Mate’s Healing Touch

  A Mate’s Redeeming Touch

  Soul of Flame

  Mating Dance

  Silver Moon

  Hunger Moon

  Renewed Spirits

  A Mate’s Forgiving Touch

  A Black Hills Wolves Story

  By

  Merryn Dexter

  Chapter One

  The hum of the motorcycle between his thighs lulled Connor as he pushed on through the night. He’d already memorized the route to his next destination, so he could relax and let the blacktop flow beneath the wheels of his bike. He would be there at first light.

  His wolf stirred beneath his skin, and he pushed it away with a silent apology. Los Lobos would be their destination one day, but not tonight. Distance and time had given him a false sense of security regarding his ability to put the past and his pack behind him. Every mile he drew closer to pack lands tugged at his wolf. He’d chosen Franklin as a compromise between his two halves. Fifty miles gave the human room to breathe and assured the wolf his pack was at last in easy reach.

  Working his way around the state, he’d been able
to pretend for a while, but the nightmares were back. Helpless, terrified, he woke night after night, bathed in sweat, sick to his stomach from the evil ghosts torturing his body. Only it wasn’t his body suffering at the hands of madmen. The nightmares belonged to his twin sister. Connor and his siblings shared a telepathic link, and, unbeknownst to Caitlyn, he had shared every horrific moment of her abuse at the hands of their evil alpha and his twisted friends.

  The pain and horror had torn away her natural shields, leaving him writhing in the forest where he’d gone for a run. His inability to escape the torment, to fetch help or rescue Caitlyn, had layered his soul in guilt ever since. Ten years he’d held his secret close until the family had returned to Los Lobos following the death of the alpha at the hands of his son, Drew. Caitlyn had fallen for an aggressive asshole, an unsuitable match for her delicate, omega nature in Connor’s opinion. In a fit of temper, he’d blurted the truth, hurting his twin, causing irreparable damage to their psychic bond.

  Growling fiercely, he shrugged off the painful memories and gunned the engine, roaring into the night. His answer to his problems had always been to run, but in his heart he knew he’d never outdistance the past.

  The first rays of dawn lightened the horizon as he rolled along the wide thoroughfare of Main Street. Squat brick buildings lined the street, decorated with traditional wooden signs, painted in bright colors, declaring the name of each business they contained. Security lights illuminated the interior of some, metal security shutters protected others. Few were open at this hour.

  He steered his bike toward the parking bays in front of the brightly lit diner. An older woman bustled around inside, placing menus and condiments on the laminated tables positioned around the room.

  His thoughts drifted to another small-town diner, not so very different from the one before him. He sighed at the bittersweet guilt nibbling the edges of his conscience. His younger brother, Caleb, had met his mate in that diner. Sexy, curvy Hannah had become an addiction Connor needed to kick. From the moment her healing power had drawn on his strength to rescue her child, his mind had strayed too often in her direction.

  There had never been anything between them. Never would be. Hannah was head over heels for Caleb and loved Connor as a brother. He didn’t desire Hannah, but he couldn’t deny the erotic impact of her power as it had coursed through him. He’d been high as a kite afterward, buzzing in a way drugs and alcohol could never deliver thanks to his shifter metabolism. The secret longing to feel the buzz again had been the other reason he’d left home.

  He loosened the chin strap on his half helmet to remove it, rubbing his hand over the close-cropped stubble covering his head. Tugging down the red kerchief keeping the dust of the road off the lower half of his face, he returned the smile of the waitress watching him through the diner door. She flipped the sign to open, and the bell rang when she pulled open the door.

  “Hey there, early bird. Marty’s firing up the grill, so breakfast will be a few minutes. Coffee’s fresh, though.”

  Connor swung his leg off the bike. Smiling in greeting, he strode up the steps toward her. “Coffee sounds about as perfect as your smile, ma’am,” he said, enjoying the hint of a blush his compliment appeared to bring to her cheeks.

  “Well aren’t you as charming as you are handsome, young man. I’m Grace. This is my place. Come on over to the counter and I’ll get your coffee.”

  The coffee was hot, rich, and plentiful, the food well cooked. Grace had quirked a penciled brow at the size of the meal he ordered, nodding with satisfaction when she collected his empty plate a while later. The diner filled slowly, the crowd mostly male, locals dropping in for a hearty meal before their workday started.

  A five-man crew of construction workers piled out of a double-cab flatbed truck and entered the diner, laughing at some comment from the leader of their group. The sour smell of anger irritated his nose as the group settled in a booth near his stool. A dull flush rose on the throat of a short guy with a mean glint in his green eyes.

  “Ha ha. Very fucking funny, Dale.” The guy paused at the edge of the booth, glaring at their leader. Everything about Dale screamed cocky asshole, from the sneer curling his lip to the man-spread taking up more than his share of the bench seat. One arm rested along the back of the booth, but Connor wasn’t fooled by the relaxed pose.

  “You got a problem, Billy-boy? Something you wanna get off your chest?” The rest of the crew snickered like a bunch of hyenas as the ugly, red flush stole farther up Bill’s neck.

  Grace stepped from behind the counter, coffee pot in hand, making a beeline for the booth. She hip-checked Bill, forcing him to one side, and filled the cups already laid out on the table. “Morning, boys. You’ll be wanting the usual, I expect? William, you know I don’t stand for bad language in my establishment, so you either sit down and play nice or clear out.”

  She turned her focus on Dale. Connor hid a smile as the braggart withered under the fierceness of her glare. “I won’t have any trouble from you, Dale. Your mama will be real disappointed if I have to call her.”

  Dale shifted on his seat. “Come on, Miss Grace. I’m thirty not thirteen. You can’t call my mom,” he whined.

  Grace patted his cheek and turned toward Bill. “William? Are you staying?”

  “I’m not working with this crooked bastard a moment longer!” The short man stormed out of the diner, slamming the door closed in his wake. Grace huffed, moving away to refill cups and soothe any feathers ruffled by the scene. Connor turned sideways on his stool, watching the men in the booth mutter amongst themselves until Dale noticed his attention.

  “Something I can help you with?” A sneer curled Dale’s lip.

  Connor reined in the desire to give him a glimpse of the wolf. Dale was a bully, but, like so many bullies, he needed the support of his cronies to boost his nerve. Connor could crush him like a bug in a dominance display, but the man might prove useful to his needs.

  “I thought you might need some help. I saw your truck outside, and I figure your crew is a man down. I’m new in town, looking for work.” He nodded toward the window, indicating his parked bike. “Got my papers in my saddlebag.” He made sure to keep his tone friendly, body language open and nonthreatening. He even lowered his eyes slightly, ignoring the snarl of outrage from his wolf.

  Dale looked him up and down, considering for a moment. When he caught a whiff of greed, Connor knew he had an in. “I’m the foreman of this crew. You do what I say and you keep your mouth shut, are we clear?”

  Connor nodded, waiting for the shoe to drop. Dale pointed to the free seat opposite him. Connor slid from his stool and into the booth. The foreman rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward, lowering his voice so it wouldn’t carry.

  “I’ve got the inside track with the boss so my crew gets the most lucrative jobs. I take the heat, and it’s my nuts on the block if we miss a deadline. That don’t come for free. You want to work for me then you pay me eight percent of your weekly take-home, understand?”

  Oh, he understood, all right. Dale was a dirty, cheating asshole, but he needed a job. The money roll strapped to Connor’s chest wasn’t fat enough yet. He’d walked out on his sister, his family, his pack, and he needed to prove his worth before he could return. The crew finished up their meal while Connor excused himself to settle his bill and say thank you to Grace.

  “You watch your back with those boys, you hear me?” she said, and he let the wolf sharpen the grin he gave her.

  “Thanks for the warning, but I can take care of myself, Grace.”

  She studied him for a moment before unleashing the dirtiest laugh he’d ever heard. “I have no doubt you can, honey. So you’ll be around for a while?” He nodded. She grabbed her pen and pad, scribbling down a number. “My friend Donna runs a boarding house, good food, decent rates. She could also do with a hand around the place, if you can find the time. Her husband passed a few years back.”

&nbs
p; Connor took the piece of paper she held out to him and leaned across the counter to buzz her cheek. “Consider it done, Grace.” He winked and tucked the number in his top pocket, turning to nod when Dale called his name. “Gotta go, thanks again. For everything.”

  ***

  Whatever doubts he had about the morals of Dale and his cronies, they were a decent crew. Their work was to a standard Connor’s father Stefan would approve of. Banter flowed between them, and it didn’t take him long to work out the pecking order within the group. Based on their conversations, they’d known each other since high school. As often happened in small towns, the cliques and gangs formed then had a longevity and power they didn’t deserve. People stuck together out of habit rather than genuine bonds of friendship, and the claustrophobic atmosphere intensified fears of exclusion. Connor kept his head down, did his work, and refused all attempts to draw him into the group. Apart from his dislike of Dale, the group were fans of hunting for sport. As a predator, he understood the instinct, but he killed for food, not enjoyment. The way the guys talked about it, killing animals excited them.

  “So whatcha got planned for the weekend?” Dale sidled into the room where Connor cleaned and packed away his tools. “We’re going for a beer if you want to join us?” The man seemed determined to befriend him, and, after three weeks, it was more than a little tiresome.

  “Sorry, man. I’ve got plans.” He raised his brows knowing the foreman would assume said plans were of the female persuasion.

  “That’s cool. Say, I need to make a quick detour on the way to town. You don’t mind, do you?” A sly note twisted Dale’s scent, putting Connor on guard.