Solstice Heat by Leila Brown

make the same mistakes as everyone else. We rush into a mating that is destined to fail. And when it does, both parties are miserable. But wolves mate for life. Most make the best of the situation. A few leave. Same as anywhere else, except there is no such thing as divorce for a wolf.”
     
    “Basically you’re saying you guys only get one chance to get it right? One chance at happiness. If you jump too soon, you doom yourself.”
     
    “Yes. That’s why we only have mating ceremonies twice a year, during the solstice celebrations. The entire pack shows up. Everyone has a chance to sniff out the potential mates, and if there are no objections, they are accepted into the group. It’s also when we welcome new members; most are new mates although we do get one or two loners looking for a permanent home.
     
    “So because you turned me they wouldn’t be looking at me as a new member, but as the new-mate material for you?” She didn’t look like she liked that.
     
    He nodded. “Don’t worry about it tonight. Just jump in the shower, then come and get some sleep.”
     
    She moved past him toward the shower. He looked at her reflection in the mirror. Who would have thought he’d be reduced to trying to trick a converted human into being his mate? He watched her step into the shower and pushed down the little piece of him that told him he wasn’t being fair to her.
     
    * * *
     
     
    “Wake up, sleepyhead.”
     
    Gio lifted her head, smelled the coffee, but refused to crack an eyelid open. “No,” she muttered into the pillow. Her entire body was limp and heavy. She didn’t want to wake up. Not to that voice. If she did, it would mean it had all been real.
     
    “Donovan will be here soon, and it doesn’t look good.”
     
    Doesn’t look good ? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Gio flipped the covers off her head and sat up. She smoothed her hair down and leveled him with a searing gaze. There was no window in this room, but she would have sworn it wasn’t much past sunrise.
     
    “Define doesn’t look good ,” she demanded as she pulled the covers up to hide her breasts.
     
    “You know that visitor I had yesterday?”
     
    “No. I didn’t know anyone but Donovan had been here.” She hoped no one else had seen her lying on the floor cuddling with the toilet.
     
    “Suffice it to say, he’s not going to be your biggest fan.”
     
    “Ahh. One of those people who don’t think you should mate. Gotcha.” Was that coffee he was holding for her? She lifted an eyebrow and looked from his face to the cup. “Is that for me?”
     
    “No. You shouldn’t have any stimulants until after your first change.” He gulped more of what she was betting was some prime-grade stuff.
     
    She had the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him.
     
    “And no, Dane is not one of those who don’t want to see me mate. He’s the leader of the ones who think I should be dead.”
     
    She stopped eyeing his cup and zeroed in on his face. “Dead as in dead-dead?”
     
    “I don’t know any other kind, do you?” He smiled.
     
    “Why are you smiling? He wants you dead, and he came over here yesterday. Shit if he wants you dead, I probably don’t even warrant a thought. So I’ll just be collateral damage when he comes back to finish you off?”
     
    “Stop.” He wheeled his chair close to the bed. “He’s had three years to try to kill me. He hasn’t even tried.”
     
    “Yet,” she finished for him. “He hasn’t tried yet, but that doesn’t mean he won’t.”
     
    “Don’t worry about it. That’s what I’m here for.” A gruff voice came from the edge of the room. Donovan . Gio pulled the covers higher before she chanced a glance at the man. “Get dressed. I have more news.”
     
    Jason moved to the dresser. He opened several drawers, pulled out clothes, and threw them at her. “Just put these on.”
     
    “I still need underwear, and as much as I would love to wear some of yours, I