His to Protect: Book 1 in the Bound to Him Series by Sandra Antoni (the reading list TXT) 📗

I pushed the button to close the garage door and walked back inside the house.

This house was definitely much more house than I needed, but when I bought it, I was hoping to have a family in the near future. I would be turning thirty just a few weeks after Christmas, and that thought made me feel old…and alone. The house had never seemed so empty as it did right now. I sighed and headed to the kitchen to fix some dinner.

As was my usual routine, I sat down at the table with my plate and opened my laptop. It seemed that work was the only mate I would have, at least in the foreseeable future. That was okay. I liked my job, and I was good at it. Private security was something that I, along with several of the other men in my pack, had found that we excelled at. Of course, we did have an advantage.

The wolf in me was the reason that I was so good at my job, and the other men as well. Our senses were better than a human’s, and our wolves gave us statures and body masses that we did not have to work that hard to maintain. It was like a body builder’s dream.

We all understood each other, and we worked together with ease. Sure, it was my company, but I trusted every one of my men and they trusted me. As alpha of my pack, I was responsible for them. They were my pack, but they were also like brothers.

I glanced down at the bottom corner of my screen and saw that it was almost 11:00 p.m. How had so much time passed already? I quickly finished what I was working on and then closed my laptop. Heading out of the dining room, I lifted my t-shirt over my head as I approached the patio doors. Making quick work of my jeans, I dropped the rest of my clothes to the floor and stepped outside into the frigid night air.

The crisp air sent a chill through my body, but I quickly shifted to my wolf. He would have no problem staying warm in these cool temperatures. There were no lights on out here, and as I ran towards the mountains, I looked back at the house. The inside lights illuminated some of the property around the house, but I knew that I was alone. No one could see my wolf in the darkness of night.

I ran for about an hour before returning to the house, always conscious to make sure that no one was around. Watching the house intently, and sniffing the air around me as I approached, I quickly shifted and made my way back inside, picking up my clothes where I had left them on the floor. Then I headed upstairs for a shower. I really could not wait for my bathroom to be finished.

Chapter 1

Chelsea

I had survived Thanksgiving with my parents, along with the rest of the days leading up to this trip. Sure, they had tried to talk me out of it without openly asking me not to go, but I had held firm. I needed this time away. I’d had to promise them multiple times that I would call them every day. They didn’t like it, but I was going.

My best friend dropped me off at the airport that morning. Well, my closest best friend, considering one of my close ex-best friends was sleeping with my ex-boyfriend. I rolled my eyes at that thought and felt a hand on my arm. I turned and looked at Jessica.

“What’s the eye roll for? I didn’t know I was boring you,” she said with a chuckle. I just grinned at her. Jessica and I had known each other our whole lives.

“Sorry, was just thinking of Sam again. Man, I really need to get him out of my head. He isn’t worth the frustration of thinking about,” I told her.

“You got that right. This is what real friends are like. We take friends like you to the airport and encourage you to find a hot hunk and get laid on your vacation,” she replied. I snorted at that and then giggled.

“I assure you that I am not looking for a man. Had enough of that recently with Sam, and now I just need some time for myself,” I exclaimed. This time, she rolled her eyes.

“Girl, please tell me that if the opportunity presents itself that you will not turn it down. I have known you way too long, and right now, I know that you need to loosen up. The best way to do that, and to forget about Sam, is to find a hot hunk of male flesh and fuck him,” she said in an exasperated tone. I giggled again.

“You’re right,” I told her, putting my arm around her shoulder. “This is definitely what best friends are for, and no, if some hot hunk decides he needs some of this, I sure won’t turn him down. But don’t get your hopes up,” I told her. She grinned at me, but thankfully, let the conversation drop. However, I was not holding out hope.

I guess I was just as attractive as any other girl, and I’d had my share of boyfriends in the past, but I had never found anyone who seemed like a keeper. I did not necessary believe in soul mates, but the guys I had dated had been more like soul-less. Somehow, I just did not seem able to find a genuinely decent guy.

The guys I had dated in the past had all been so self-centered. Not that I felt I needed their complete attention. Everyone liked a bit of time to themselves. But for once, it would be nice to find a man who was interested in finding out what my needs were.

None of the guys who I had dated had bothered learning who I really was. Some actual conversation would be nice as well.