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Four.

Daniel was pacing back and forth in the early morning light. His paws barely disturbing the grass with a practiced ease, as he weaved in and out of the tall pine trees on the roadside.

He had spent the night sleeping in the crawl space beneath Sammy's trailer, having chased her all the way back to the wildlife sanctuary she seemed to call home. Resting in his wolf form, undetected beneath her.

Currently Daniel wasn't in a good mood, his mate had slept badly. Nightmares seemed to plague her, causing her to call out on more than one occasion, and he was powerless to help her. All he wanted was to wrap her in his arms, and bring her comfort, or even make her a warm and soothing drink, then stroke his hands through her hair till she dozed back off. None of his desires however were a possibility, because his mate had left him feeling rejected, when she drove away and Daniel was left forcing his own logic to downplay her actions.

His mate was human. She didn't know they were soulmates. She was angry and possibly afraid.

Currently, he was in the tree line by the entrance to the wildlife sanctuary, hidden just out of view as he awaited Shane, his best friend and Alpha's arrival.

They had mindlinked through the night, and made a plan.

His mate would have to give him a chance, there was no other option.

Daniel and Shane, planned on doing some volunteering today. The sanctuary was a charity after all, and this way he hoped he could get to know his mate in a less fraught setting, where she would fall for his charm and feel the beginnings of their connection.


Sammy, had had a terrible sleep. She was tormented tirelessly with nightmares that she hadn't had in years.

They were the same ones she used to have regularly as a teenager, the memory of finding her mother, distorted and manipulated by her child's subconscious as she tried to come to terms with what was going on.

It was her brother, Dax who helped her get over it in time. Well, Dax wasn't her real brother, but they went through the system together. She and Dax promised they would make sure the each made something of their lives. They made sure to push each other and together they made it. She achieved her dream of working with wolves as a vet, and he achieved his, becoming an award winning chef on the west coast.

The only flaw in their plan was location. It was a nine hour drive, for them to meet up, and neither's schedule allowed for those kind of trips with any regularity.

Still, Sammy smiled. It was November now, and this Thanksgiving, she was going to be with her brother, eating the most amazing roast turkey and pumpkin pie, that could be found on the planet.

That thought alone was enough to brighten her mood.

With a satisfied sigh, she threw her covers from her body and got up. Sammy was determined to get ready for work and put the past sixteen hours behind her, to busy looking forward to the rest of the month with glee.

Unfortunately, when she strode into the office, all Susan and Tom could chat about was their experiences in the haunted house.

Tom was raving about the medical wing, shrouded in darkness where a poor woman on a slab was injected by a crazy looking doctor. She was crying for help as her body started to writhe, sprouting fur, while her bones audibly cracked.

Apparently, Tom found this kind of thing awesome, and only ran when the maniac doctor started marching towards him with another syringe.

However, Susan was admiring the special effects, claiming she watched one man getting flayed alive. Her captor had taken her to a dungeon like room, where he proceeded to make tiny calculated cuts on his chained victim.

She ran, just after he gave her the knife, pushing her to join in. Apparently the implement was solid and heavy. Made a right clanging noise when she dropped it.

But when Sammy explained her version of events, both her friends looked as pissed as she was last night.

She left out the part about her vehicular visitor, though. She hadn't wrapped her own head around that part yet. She could have sworn he was  trying to get a date with her, but logically it was most likely to make sure she kept her mouth closed.

"Well," Suasn stated, putting her empty coffee mug down at the little kitchenette. "That explains our visitors today then."

"What visitors?" Sammy asked, they never received visitors.

"We have volunteers today, Sam." Tom answered, his Irish voice carrying around the room.

"Oh, who?" Sammy asked.

"Shane Andrews and Daniel Weston. They work at the haunted house, apparently." Susan answered with pursed lips, and a raised eyebrow. "Come on then team, united front."

They all nodded, and exited the large wooden hut, that contained their offices, toilets, and on site veterinary surgery.

The hut had a couple of picnic benches out front, and was surrounded by large pine trees on two sides. The fourth side of the building faced the small car park, and there leaning against a very sleek black Porsche, were two muscular men.

Instantly Sammy recognised them both, one was her assailant from last night, and the other, well he was the one who made her wish her internal car light was both stronger and weaker. Her attention was unwillingly pulled from the larger of the two, and his challenging smirk, to Daniel.

In broad daylight she could see him more clearly, his black hair and chiselled jaw were nothing in comparison to his eyes. Sammy was too far to decipher their colour, but he was watching her with such intensity, that she couldn't look away. Then, before she knew it, she was cursing out loud, having crashed her shin into the seating part of the bench closest to them.

"Shit," she cursed, biting her lip hard and knowing full well there would be a pretty purple bruise there by tonight.

Tom scoffed, "You need to get laid, Sam," he whispered, knowing exactly what had distracted her.

There was a growl in the background, but that wasn't abnormal, the wolf enclosure was close by. But, when the trio looked up again from Sammy's collision, the larger man, Shane presumably, was in front holding back Daniel, whose breathing had intensified.

"Are you alright?" Shane called over his shoulder.

"Fine," Sammy stated with a frown through gritted teeth.

"See, she's fine. Calm down." Shane instructed Daniel, who visibly relaxed, causing the three onlookers to look between one another in bewilderment.

"Why are you here?" Sammy called out, arms folded over her chest, and her hips cocked to take the weight off her bashed leg.

"Straight to the point, as always" Tom joked, swinging his arm across her shoulder.

Daniel closed his eyes and turned away. He couldn't watch this.

Shane spoke, "Look, I get that there's been a misunderstanding. But, we want to sort it out, and volunteer for the day to apologise."

"An animal cruelty act is more than a misunderstanding," Susan stated, unmoved.

Shane sighed, "Look, we don't keep them captive. We haven't trained them like dogs either. To be honest, I don't even think they are full wolves." He offered up, not completely lying as he spoke.

"Are you saying what I saw, weren't wolves, but some kind of hybrid?" Sammy asked, with speculation lacing her voice.

The animals were very large.

"Yes, exactly." Shane answered without hesitation, "Daniel was going to show you and explain, but you fled. I believe he even offered to take you to dinner?"

Sammy froze, a blush rising steadily up her cheeks.

Tom scoffed, rustling his friends hair, before stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Sammy?" Susan asked, her eyes glinting with mischief at this turn of events.

Sammy narrowed her eyes, "And why would I accept, the yard tour or the dinner? When the whole scenario was dodgy and reeked of danger. I watched enough horror movies growing up, to know not to follow a handsome stranger into a dark unknown place, especially when they have something to hide!"

"Handsome?" Daniel finally spoke, his eyes bright and his smirk wide, as he turned back around, "You think I'm handsome?"

"Well you were half naked in my car, and I'm not blind!" Sammy snapped blushing, then regretted her words instantly.

"Samantha!" Cried Susan with a smirk.

"Not like that!" Sammy shot her boss a stern look, "He wasn't invited, and I had to trick him to leave."

Shane raised an eyebrow at Daniel.

"I only wanted to explain, I would never hurt you, Samantha, never." Daniel tried to justify himself, unable to help how he was enjoying the sound of her name on his lips.

"No. That is not a name you get to use," Sammy snapped, "People call me  Sammy."

Daniel tried to hide his hurt, but unlike everyone else, Sammy registered the flicker of emotion in his eyes before it was completely concealed.

The sight confused her.

She needed some space from him, from his brooding and his intensity. From the way he looked at her, and how it made her feel; and why did he smell so good, and how the hell did she know that was his smell.

"Right, you want to volunteer for the day? Fine," she stated taking charge. "Mr. Weston, shadow Tom, Mr.Andrews, you're with me. Come on now."

"Wait, can't I..." Daniel called out, hoping to switch rolls.

"No." Sammy called out, over her shoulder as she returned to the office to grab her jacket, "Come on, Mr. Andrews, we don't have all day."

Daniel just nodded at his Alpha, knowing he didn't have a choice, and found what little joy he could; internally smiling that his human mate was bossing his pack Alpha around.

He watched them walk away behind the wooden cabin and turned his glare towards Tom, the man who had touched his mate, and made lewd disrespectful comments to her.

But the friendly chap ignored Daniel's hostile glare.

"Right then boyo," came his chirpy Irish accent, "I guess it's time you tell me all about your intentions towards our girl," he winked, "And I say this with genuine care for her, I really hope they aren't honourable."

"Wait, what?"Daniel spluttered disarmed by the man's charm, and implications.

"You heard me, David," Tom said jovially.

"It's Daniel."

"No, I'm pretty sure Michaelangelo named his statue David." Tom nodded, revealing his taunt, "Let's go then, David, the skunks need their breakfast."

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