Jagger's Mate

JAGGER'S MATE

By

Dawn Wilder

Copyright 2018 Dawn Wilder

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This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is fictional and any resemblance to persons, places, or events is coincidental.

Adult Reading Material (language, violence, sexual content)- for readers 18+ years of age. All characters are above 18 years of age.

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Bundles are usually the best value, so they are listed first :)

Bundles

Mate Series, 1-12 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 13-17 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 18-20 (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Mate Series, 1-20 (Gay Werewolf Romance)- Select Retailers

Mated Series, 1-4

Billionaire Werewolf Bundle

Lupe Series: Alex Hunter, Books 1-3

Paranormal Erotic Shorts Collection

Paranormal Erotic Shorts Collection, Volume 2

Mate Series (Gay Werewolf Romance)

Gunner’s Mate

Tracker’s Mate

Breaker’s Mate

Ryder’s Mate

Asher’s Mate

Foster’s Mate

Fisher’s Mate

Luther's Mate

Sayer's Mate

Casper's Mate

Rader's Mate

Fuller's Mate

Ryker's Mate

Hunter's Mate

Keller's Mate

Denver's Mate

Ranger's Mate

Thatcher's Mate

Kyler's Mate

Booker's Mate

Reaver's Mate

Victor's Mate

Jagger's Mate

Billionaire Werewolf Series

Billionaire's Assistant (previously titled Hidden Mate)

Billionaire's Mate

Billionaire's Neighbor

Billionaire Werewolf

Billionaire's Investment

Mated Series (Adapted from Mate Series)

Valentina's Mate

Lenora's Mate

Reina's Mate

Kiko's Mate

Dawn Wilder Writing as A.R. Dawn

Going Lupe

In the Lupe

Let Sleeping Lupes Lie

Paranormal Erotic Shorts

Mate Me

Were My Mark

Incubus Needs

Foxy Lady

[Foxy (adapted from the short Foxy Lady)- novella]

Runt of the Litter

Were It (best read after Were My Mark)

Sea Me

Fangs for Coming

Were Break (best read after Were My Mark)

Were Shield

Elena’s Warriors

Curves Ahead

Play Hard

Her Commander

A Curvy Mate for Christmas

*****

Free Paranormal Romance Bundle

If you sign up for my mailing list, I’ll send you my paranormal romance bundle (Gunner's Mate, Breaker's Mate, Tracker's Mate, Ryder's Mate, Foxy Lady, Incubus Needs, Were My Mark, Mate Me, Runt of the Litter, and Going Lupe). Just email me at dawnwilderbooks@yahoo.com with the subject ADD ME. Or, sign up on my Facebook page and download a copy of the bundle right away!

Happy Reading!

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Connect

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JAGGER'S MATE

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Chapter 1

Jagger

I walked into the bar, the music loud enough that I could feel the reverberation of it in my stomach.

It wasn't great for my sensitive ears, but it wasn't quite loud enough to be a real deterrent to entering.

And I really needed a drink.

Or five.

Inside, the lighting was prerequisite bar lighting—meaning it was dim enough that a couple of drinks would have anyone looking like a supermodel.

Not that that mattered tonight.

I wasn't interested in hooking up.

The clash of various scents, old and new, assaulted my senses as I made my way over to the bar, my eye on an open stool.

Sweat, perfumes, colognes, soaps, shampoos, old alcohol, leather, and a million other threads swirled around me.

So many layered over years that it was honestly difficult to tease out each individual one.

It didn't help that multiple people had lit up cigarettes of various kinds.

This was obviously not a bar for the health conscious. I could appreciate that.

I got to the worn stool and parked by ass on it.

The bartender acknowledged me and slid the drink he was making to someone waiting before heading over to me.

What'll it be? he asked in that particular voice that was pitched just loud enough to be heard over the din but no louder.

Bartenders learned not to strain their voices too much early on or they wouldn't have a voice by the end of their shift.

Whiskey, please. Neat.

You got it.

He slid the glass in front of me in just a few seconds.

I appreciated the fast service.

Downing it, I gestured for another.

He was right there with the next which I took some more time with.

It took me longer to get drunk than the average bar patron.

Two whiskeys wouldn't do it.

But now that I was here, I found myself a little reluctant to just get shit faced like I'd intended.

Apparently shit was too serious for that.

So I just sat there, letting the background noise and the dimness of the bar cocoon me in my own little world as I took another sip of my drink.

I was not expecting to find what I did when I came out here to find Jeannie.

Rage, helplessness, a stomach churning grief...I felt all of it.

And I knew I couldn't do anything more than I'd already done by getting her out of the situation.

Much as I would have liked to do more—much more—I knew that way would only end with Jeannie being left alone.

Again.

And she needed me right now.

Her pleading had been the only thing that kept me in check, kept my head squarely intact when I wanted to fly off the handle.

I came here to get away from that.

But here I was thinking about it again.

Stellar job, I muttered to myself, taking another sip.

Stellar job at what?

I tensed at the deep, slightly raspy voice.

And then my other senses finally kicked into gear.

I smelled a male in his prime.

A wolf male in his prime.

An alpha wolf—that tinge of peppery heat to his scent indicating that fact loud and clear.

I felt a stirring below the belt.

He smelled a lot better than anything else in this bar.

Fuck.

I'd been so distracted I'd let him come up on me unawares.

Sloppy.

I obviously didn't have my head as together as I thought I did.

I turned said idiot head, wondering if I was going to regret coming in here.

The guy was standing beside me at the bar, making no bones about staring directly at me.

Dressed in a long sleeved, dark Henley with the sleeves pushed up and a pair of beat up jeans, he should have blended in with the crowd here.

But he didn't.

I didn't know if he could blend in anywhere.

He was gorgeous.

And not just because he was good looking, though he was.

Medium length dark hair just brushed his collar, his dark eyes piercing under level brows. His nose was slightly crooked, his mouth full and clear cut, sharp jaw covered in just the right amount of stubble.

His skin was swarthy, maybe by way of South America or maybe a mixture of various backgrounds.

He had the kind of look that could pass for a large swath of places.

And he filled out that shirt with lean muscle and wide shoulders, his exposed forearms covered with a sprinkling of hair and just as muscled as the rest of him.

The way those jeans fit his thighs and ass wasn't any less mouthwatering.

He would have stood out regardless, but that aura of readiness, of danger, of just pure testosterone was what really put him over the top.

Alphas came on a scale just like most things in life.

And this wolf was definitely on the higher end of that already small subsection of our population.

He smiled slightly, leaning against the bar and crossing his arms.

Or would you like to talk about something else?

I shook my head, taking another sip of the whiskey to cover my reaction.

Though I needn't have bothered.

I watched his nostrils flare as he took in a deep breath, his eyes darkening.

He was close enough that he would have caught my interest, even in the swirl of scents here.

Just as I caught his.

The scent of male interest was...hot.

There was no other way to describe it—it smelled hot.

And it was unmistakable.

I'm just here to grab a drink, I murmured, forcing my eyes away from his tall, muscled frame.

I didn't need the complication of an Alpha like him.

Not tonight.

Me too, he agreed easily. I watched the bartender slide him a beer. He nodded his thanks. Doesn't mean I'm not up to some good conversation.

What makes you think I can give you that? I asked, taking another sip.

I was way too aware of him.

Of his scent, of his body so close to mine.

Of the way he watched me.

Predator focused on prey.

But in the best way.

Just a hunch. He leaned in, breathing deeply. Besides—even if you don't say a word, I can spend the time enjoying your scent. Win win.

I snorted, turning to look at him, even though I'd decided not to.

He was persistent, I'd give him that.

I took in his handsome face, the playfulness in his expression, the clear intelligence behind those bedroom eyes.

This was a guy who I could see myself falling for.

And that just wasn't in the cards right now.

I can't give you what you want, I murmured.

He shrugged.

I think you're wrong. He took another swig of his beer, his strong throat moving as he swallowed.

Did everything he did have to look so hot?

He set the beer back down, his eyes shifting away from me and going to the smallish dance floor. It was already packed.

How about a dance? he asked, turning back