A Mate's Forgiving Touch (Black Hills Wolves #57)

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A Mate’s Forgiving Touch

Copyright  2016 by Merryn Dexter

ISBN: 978-1-68361-119-6

Cover art by Fiona Jayde

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

A Mate’s Forgiving Touch

A wolf on the run

Tired of running from the past, Connor Burrows is working his way home to Los Lobos. He knows he needs to face his family and finally come to terms with the horrors of their shared past. When he stops in the small town of Franklin, the last thing he expects to find is a lone wolf who smells like perfection and takes no prisoners.

Trapped by the beast inside

Bailey Clarke is a freak of nature. Her father has told her so since she was a little girl. Hiding the beast inside grows harder every day. When a handsome, charming, infuriating stranger rides into town, he threatens to destroy the carefully constructed walls she uses to protect herself, and everyone else around her.

A man on a mission

Connor is determined to claim Bailey as his mate. His dominant nature loves the challenge this sparky little wolf presents both in and out of bed. He won’t let anything stand between them – not her father, and certainly not Bailey’s own fears and doubts.

Tamed by the wolf within

Bailey sees what her life could be, if she can only learn to trust for the first time in her life. Before she can accept Connor as her mate, she will have to repair the broken bond between herself and her wolf. Will her secrets destroy their chance at happiness?

A race against time

Newly mated, Connor and Bailey find themselves in a fight for their lives. Family ties will prove their deadliest threat and their greatest salvation.

Dear Reader

I am so pleased to be working again with the amazing Decadent Publishing team – dreams really do come true! A Mate’s Forgiving Touch brings to a close the Burrows’ siblings trilogy within the Black Hills Wolves series. This won’t be the last you see of my wolves though – I love writing in the BHW world far too much to quit now!

I fell for Connor the first time he marched into Will and Bridie’s diner in A Mate’s Healing Touch, but it took me a while to find the perfect mate for him. He also needed some time to deal with the past, especially the heart-breaking ties to his twin, Caitlyn.

I loved writing Bailey. She is so tough and strong, a real fighter as well as a successful business woman. After sweet Hannah and submissive Caitlyn, I wanted a spitfire who wouldn’t give up her heart without a fight. Someone who would put Connor through his paces and make him prove to everyone, especially himself, that he is a man of worth.

I would be thrilled to hear from you about this or any other book in the Black Hills Wolves series. You can also check out my titles in the Wiccan Haus, and Hot Moon Rising shared worlds also from Decadent Publishing.

I’m a military spouse currently resident in Belgium and working from home so always happy for a distraction!

You can email me at merryn.dexter@yahoo.com or find me on Facebook or Twitter @MerrynDexter. I also have a website www.merryndexter.com and a blog www.merryndexter.blogspot.be

Best Wishes,

Merryn x,

Dedication

For M. Who brings a little bit of magic into my life every day.

Black Hills Wolves Stories

Wolf’s Return

What a Wolf Wants

Black Hills Desperado

Wolf’s Song

Claiming His Mate

When Hell Freezes

Portrait of a Lone Wolf

Alpha in Disguise

A Wolf’s Promise

Reluctant Mate

Diamond Moon

Wolf on a Leash

Tempting the Wolf

Naming His Mate

A Wolf Awakens

The Wolf and the Butterfly

Infiltrating Her Pack

Omega’s Heart

Rebel’s Claw

Claiming the She-Wolf

Worth Fighting For

Dangerous

Uncaged

Promiscuous Wolf

Disquieted Souls

A Cougar Among Wolves

Long Road Home

A Mate’s Healing Touch

Another Chance

Broken Silence

A Wolf’s Contract

A Mate’s Redeeming Touch

A Cougar Among Wolves

Pleasure Me

Craving His Love

Jasmine Moon

Mating Dance

Amber’s Ace

Wedding Moon

Bringing Down Romeo

Winter Solstice Run

Wolf’s Holiday

Winter Magic

Winter Secrets

Winter Solstice Ménage

Wolf in Winter Clothing

Murder in Los Lobos

Scent of Murder

Scent of the Hunt

Scent of His Woman

Scent of Madness

Coming Soon

Secrets of the Hunt

Salvaged Souls

Also by Merryn Dexter

A Mate’s Healing Touch

A Mate’s Redeeming Touch

Soul of Flame

Mating Dance

Silver Moon

Hunger Moon

Renewed Spirits

A Mate’s Forgiving Touch

A Black Hills Wolves Story

By

Merryn Dexter

Chapter One

The hum of the motorcycle between his thighs lulled Connor as he pushed on through the night. He’d already memorized the route to his next destination, so he could relax and let the blacktop flow beneath the wheels of his bike. He would be there at first light.

His wolf stirred beneath his skin, and he pushed it away with a silent apology. Los Lobos would be their destination one day, but not tonight. Distance and time had given him a false sense of security regarding his ability to put the past and his pack behind him. Every mile he drew closer to pack lands tugged at his wolf. He’d chosen Franklin as a compromise between his two halves. Fifty miles gave the human room to breathe and assured the wolf his pack was at last in easy reach.

Working his way around the state, he’d been able to pretend for a while, but the nightmares were back. Helpless, terrified, he woke night after night, bathed in sweat, sick to his stomach from the evil ghosts torturing his body. Only it wasn’t his body suffering at the hands of madmen. The nightmares belonged to his twin sister. Connor and his siblings shared a telepathic link, and, unbeknownst to Caitlyn, he had shared every horrific moment of her abuse at the hands of their evil alpha and his twisted friends.

The pain and horror had torn away her natural shields, leaving him writhing in the forest where he’d gone for a run. His inability to escape the torment, to fetch help or rescue Caitlyn, had layered his soul in guilt ever since. Ten years he’d held his secret close until the family had returned to Los Lobos following the death of the alpha at the hands of his son, Drew. Caitlyn had fallen for an aggressive asshole, an unsuitable match for her delicate, omega nature in Connor’s opinion. In a fit of temper, he’d blurted the truth, hurting his twin, causing irreparable damage to their psychic bond.

Growling fiercely, he shrugged off the painful memories and gunned the engine, roaring into the night. His answer to his problems had always been to run, but in his heart he knew he’d never outdistance the past.

The first rays of dawn lightened the horizon as he rolled along the wide thoroughfare of Main Street. Squat brick buildings lined the street, decorated with traditional wooden signs, painted in bright colors, declaring the name of each business they contained. Security lights illuminated the interior of some, metal security shutters protected others. Few were open at this hour.

He steered his bike toward the parking bays in front of the brightly lit diner. An older woman bustled around inside, placing menus and condiments on the laminated tables positioned around the room.

His thoughts drifted to another small-town diner, not so very different from the one before him. He sighed at the bittersweet guilt nibbling the edges of his conscience. His younger brother, Caleb, had met his mate in that diner. Sexy, curvy Hannah had become an addiction Connor needed to kick. From the moment her healing power had drawn on his strength to rescue her child, his mind had strayed too often in her direction.

There had never been anything between them. Never would be. Hannah was head over heels for Caleb and loved Connor as a brother. He didn’t desire Hannah, but he couldn’t deny the erotic impact of her power as it had coursed through him. He’d been high as a kite afterward, buzzing in a way drugs and alcohol could never deliver thanks to his shifter metabolism. The secret longing to feel the buzz again had been the other reason he’d left home.

He loosened the chin strap on his half helmet to remove it, rubbing his hand over the close-cropped stubble covering his head. Tugging down the red