Goal: A Mate (Bachelor Auction #2) by Selena Illyria

was guessing—with ridges and veins. The flared head was painted red, as if to show the fabricated penis as flushed and filled with blood, ready to go. Next to it sat a few packets of cleaning solution and lubricant. Below that was a silver bullet, which was about the length of his thumb but a bit thicker. A small remote control sat next to it.
    Set in the lid of the box was a series of circular items—he had no clue what they were for—along with some clips. He picked up a clip and turned it this way and that. What the fuck? He only had a basic knowledge of sex toys and could identify only the most obvious of items. A few times he and some teammates, on a lark, had gone into adult shops. They hadn’t seen everything, but he’d come away with a few ideas to use in his sex life. He could only imagine what he could use this for with Kelly. This weekend was going to prove a revelation to him—if she went along with it and didn’t try to kill him.
    He closed the lid and stowed the box in the satchel. Just as he was about to leave, he spotted her plants. He couldn’t let them die. She would never forgive him for that. It was one of the things he loved about her—that she cared so much about the small bit of greenery scattered around the place. The pots of herbs and flowers weren’t just there for decoration. She used all of them in decorations for the holidays or cooking. Once the plants were well watered, he gave her home a once over, and after satisfying himself that there was nothing else that needed attending to, he set her alarm and locked up.
    Alberto was nowhere to be seen as he left, but he did spot a few fellow pack members skulking about. Two of them were his own age and one was about her father’s age. He could only shake his head. It was a good thing that Reenie had called, otherwise who knows what could’ve happened? Werewolves on the prowl for a mate could be dangerous; ones that wanted alpha status as well were unpredictable.
    Brandon climbed into the SUV and put the duffle bag in the back before buckling up and turning on the car. As it warmed up, with the heat blasting, he kept watch in his rearview and side mirrors. If the men moved closer, he’d call Martin or a few of his friends to keep watch. Maybe even Reenie to house sit. He wanted no distractions or problems to arise while they were gone. Brandon would be claiming his mate this weekend, edict and alpha hunters be damned. Kelly was his. The time for ignoring that was over.
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    Kelly leaned against her car, forehead resting against the window. The day had been too long, yet there were not enough hours in the day. Tomorrow would probably bring in more issues. The cat shifters had backed off as soon as Kelly and Al had shown up, but they wouldn’t be cowed by a show of force and threat of lawsuits.
    Kelly couldn’t understand why they were doing this. Reenie had set up a talk between the cats and Madison, but it wouldn’t be until next Friday, so it was a wait-and-see game at this point. Now Kelly wished that she could have gone out on a date with Brandon after all. It would at least have been a distraction.
    At the very thought of being alone with Brandon, heat swirled in her stomach and moisture flooded her pussy. Last night’s dream rose up. Maybe a little quality time with her vibrator would take the edge off.
    The wolf let out a low grumble, and Kelly smiled. Or maybe she could call him. A large yawn took her off guard. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to curl up for a nap or curl up in bed with Brandon. The latter sounded much more appealing, but she doubted he’d be home. There was a multitude of things to do before Pierce made the big announcement about the new hockey league.
    “Kelly?” Brandon’s rich baritone shivered across her skin, warming her up from the inside out.
    She glanced toward where the sound came from. Brandon stood a few feet away. The wind ruffled his wavy hair, giving him a rakish look.