Mate Not NeededA Fated Mates Romance
Michelle Ziegler
Introduction
I’d run away, except he’s what I want.
I’m doing what's best for the pack, even if that means an arranged mating. Tonight though, I'm ignoring duties and telling fate to screw itself. You can find me hiding behind a costume tonight at a masquerade party. Halloween is the season I can pretend to be anyone but myself.
The thing is, I never thought I’d actually meet someone. He has me panting for more, but he also makes me question my future. How do I tell my father, the alpha, that I've met my mate and I can't be the link to the mountain pack.
Behind the mask he’s the mate I’ve dreamed about. When the morning comes, can I walk away?
Copyright © 2019 Michelle Ziegler
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical method, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial users permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher addressed “Attention: Permission coordinator,” at the address below.
michelle@michellezieglerauthor.com
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living, or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Dedication
To my brother and sister-in-law who finally found their happily ever after.
Acknowledgments
There's a lot to go into each and every book. My family always comes first, but they also support me and this crazy 'job.' My husband has no idea how valuable he is.
I have to thank my new beta readers, as well as some of my very trusted ones! Thanks Kathy M. And Lucia V. for your support. Without you, I would never have gotten this done. Heather can read between the lines to figure out some of my more interesting issues. Beverly and Donnise were a huge help and my awesome cheerleaders! My mother is always a reader who helps error check the error checkers. T. Finn for her proof reading services.
The Romance Chicks for thinking this up and Aidy Award for twisting my arm!
Of course, my review team is a group that has my undying gratitude!
Lastly - thank you readers! Thank you for giving me a chance and escaping into my world!
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Coming Soon from Michelle Ziegler
Also by Michelle Ziegler
Holidays with the Romance Chicks
About the Author
1
Ellen stretched out Mr. Bones and curled her lip. He looked like a pervert rather than a spooky Halloween decoration. Pushing his legs closer, she frowned as they simply chattered and fell apart again. The damn thing was so old his joints wouldn't even hold his legs together.
"Ellen. Stop playing with that thing. He doesn't have a penis, you don't need to keep playing with his crotch."
"I'm just trying to give Mr. Bones some dignity."
Tilting her head, she wondered why he even had to be a guy skeleton. That just seemed sexist. Whatever.
He'd have to just stay there. The bar would be a huge hit on this year's bar crawl. Ellen made a mental checklist. She'd already contacted the local witch's guild to get someone out to enchant the cauldrons and a few other odds and ends at The Drunken Alien.
Her bar was transforming, little by little. She was determined to make this her best, and maybe her last Halloween running the place. This had been pretty much her only freedom from the pack, and now that would probably come to an end. She swallowed. This was her pack's bar. Once she was mated off, well, her mate would most likely stop her from being able to work here anymore.
She didn't want to think about that. A man, a wolf, she didn't know.
"This sucks."
"What sucks?"
Ellen shrugged, turning toward her best friend, the one person she'd been able to choose for herself.
"You know what sucks, Colby."
He went back to gently stringing up some spider webbing.
"Yeah. I guess you don't need to repeat the obvious. I was hoping you'd gotten past that. You're right though. Couldn't you have said no? I mean, aren't arranged marriages a thing of the past?"
Ellen looked up and to the left. Didn't that shut off your tear ducts? Because she wasn't allowed to cry anymore.
"I suppose. Unless you're part of a pack that still believes in the old ways."
Colby pursed his lips. "This is ridiculous. What about that whole fated mate thing?"
He'd said it. The one thing that sat at the back of her damn mind. She couldn't find him. If she could, she'd have been out of this damn arrangement. It was a fairytale, for her anyway. Time had run out and her father, the alpha, was tired of letting his oldest daughter find her own mate.
What was wrong with her? Was something wrong with her? I mean, it was supposed to be instinct to find your mate but, instead, she wasn't getting any younger and her parents had arranged a marriage to another pack. Another Alpha's son. The son of a pack in the mountains. Wonderful.
"Gee thanks, Colby. I didn't need that right now. I was doing fine, distracted with decorating. Don't you think if I could force that whole fated mate thing I would? I can't find him."
Colby sighed.
"I'd marry you in a heartbeat, baby-girl. Too bad you also lack a penis like Mr. Bones there."
She tried to force a smile.
"It's sweet all the same."
Colby let the fake webbing drop away, taking up her hands.
"Tell you what. I'd marry you anyway. Anything to keep you here, happy."
Fighting back a tear, Ellen nodded. "Not quite the proposal I've dreamed of. But, the sentiment is sweet. I
