Wolf Creek Ghosts (Texas Pack 3) (Wolf Creek Werewolf Shifters) by Jo Ellen Page A

you’ll be as a wolf.” He crouched down next her, reaching for her hand. “Olivia, I don’t know if I can fight in that realm. If he hurts you again, at least as a wolf you’d be stronger and be able to heal quickly.”
    Olivia plucked at the ugly gray scrubs she wore. She needed to change into her own clothes, she thought absurdly before taking a deep breath. “Devlin, I just cannot do it.” Now she stopped him from speaking. “I simply cannot commit to a man I don’t love. For you, it’s easy. This is how you grew up, knowing you’d love your mate instantly. For me, I need a little more time. Yes, I’m attracted to you, and I want to get to know you better. Give me some time, please.”
    She watched him straighten to his full height and run his hand through his hair in frustration. “I need to run. You’ll be safe here,” he said shortly before removing his clothes and tossing them on the table.
    Olivia stared at the wolf as it ran through the trees until he was out of sight. She didn’t think she would ever get used to seeing that. Sighing, she rose and went to find Lisa. Once shown to her room, she changed her clothes before lying on top of the quilt covering her bed. She honestly did not know what to do. Was this the life she wanted? Mated to a man she barely knew? And yet, she felt an automatic connection to him, unlike anything she had ever felt. She could be happy here. What if he found someone else? Her blood pressure shot up like a volcano erupting. No! He was hers. Olivia was astounded at how possessive she felt. She had never felt this way about any man. The thought of leaving and never seeing him made her physically ill. Could she accept he was her one and only soul mate? As soon as that thought entered her head, her body relaxed, and she felt something warm settle in her chest. Yes, he was hers, and she was his, forever. She fell asleep with a little smile on her face.
    * * *
    Devlin ran through the forest, dodging trees until he reached the creek from which the town got its name. Planting his paws, he leaned down to drink from the slow moving creek. Going to rest on top of some leaves on the forest floor, he plopped down and rested his head on his paws. His wolf was frustrated, as well as the man. He could not force her to be his mate, although his wolf wanted to. The wolf did not understand why his mate was not with him and wanted to go back to the castle. Devlin sighed and stood up, slowly trotting back through the woods. He decided he would have to woo her until she caved.
    Hurrying now, he reached the patio and entered the castle through the doggie door since his clothes were no longer on the table. He heard the washing machine running and knew Lisa had probably started a load. He’d thank her later, right now he needed to shower before he started his campaign to claim his mate.
    After showering, Devlin threw on his sweat pants and made his way to Olivia’s bedroom. Seeing her door slightly ajar, he listened a moment before slowly stepping into the room. She was laying on her back under the covers with her injured arm resting above her head. Seeing her pain medicine and a glass of water on the nightstand, he opened the bottle and counted out the pills. He knew by the count that she must have taken her prescribed dose for the evening. He knew the acetaminophen with codeine would help the pain, but would also make her drowsy.
    Not wanting to leave her alone after seeing her reaction to the morphine they had given her in the emergency room, he slid under the covers and moved to her side, laying his arm across her stomach. Devlin listened to her soft breathing and fell asleep at her side.

Chapter 5
    Olivia woke and stared up at the ceiling. She was still lying on her back, which surprised her since she would normally flip to her side during the night. Remembering the pain pills she’d taken before bed, she knew they had been the cause of her uninterrupted sleep. She still felt a little