Irish Wishes

  ~~ Irish Wishes~~ Book Twelve “I believe in the sun when it's not shining, I believe in love even when I feel it not, I believe in God even when he is silent.”

  Dedication

  To my family

  Jenjo, Kim Webb-Balan and Jen Fornes My loyal readers at LRO Kenneth Carter for the book cover Theresa Webber for the third set of eyes © Copyright 2012

  This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or business establishments, events or locales is coincidental.

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. WARNING: This book contains material that maybe offensive to some: Violence, graphic language, homosexual

  relations and adult situations. May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields and, Until we meet again,

  May God hold you in the palm of His

  hand. PROLOGUE 5

  CHAPTER ONE 8 CHAPTER TWO 24 CHAPTER THREE 42 CHAPTER FOUR 52 CHAPTER FIVE 67 CHAPTER SIX 78 CHAPTER SEVEN 97 EPILOGUE 108

  Prologue

  Kerry, Ireland 1871 The rain was falling in sheets and Wayne shielded his eyes as lightning struck the ground nearby, shaking the valley to its core. The sheep were being herded into the barn and he’d been in charge of watching the cattle. They seemed restless, almost scared. Ireland in May brought about rain worthy of an ark.

  He’d been restless also. After finding out that the one woman he loved was his mate, he’d bitten her to save her life. It hadn’t gone without a hitch; Juliet Mallory had become feral from the start, almost tearing him to shreds. She was angry, with every right, but he’d not regretted his decision. For years he had struggled with the powers given to him - the speed, the sight, the strength, the keen ability with scents. He still had not learned all the ways of the elders; he did not think he ever would.

  “It is quite the shite storm, Rion.” Wayne grinned. “It is Wayne, Father.” Wayne turned to look at his alpha father. Roane Maccon was a sight to behold. His height made mere men cower in his presence; he supposed his father had an air of royalty about him. He led with a fair hand and a pure heart.

  “So you’ve said.” Roane tilted his head. “What is it that plagues you, son?”

  Wayne sighed, looking over the green fields of grass, swaying in the mighty wind. “It is Juliet; I do not think she will ever love me.”

  Roane grinned, taking his son by the shoulders. “She will. Give it fifty years or so, son.”

  “No, you did not see her face. The look of fear in her eyes when she saw what I truly was, Da.”

  Roane looked his son in the eyes. “She will love you, it will take time.”

  “What if she does not? Am I fated to be alone?”

  “No, my son, a new love will be chosen for you.” Roane walked along the path with his son. He had known that one day he would have to tell his son the story he was about to recount.

  “Once, there was a created one whose bond did not seal.”

  Wayne looked at his father incredulously. “It has happened?”

  “Yes, Nevan Moore was that man,” Roane nodded.

  Wayne’s eyes went wide.

  “His mate bond was not sealed; he was then given a new one. One he did not expect.”

  “I do not understand.”

  “He was given a male mate, Rion.”

  “A man?” Wayne stopped walking. “But, that is not possible!”

  “It is, and it took Nevan many years to come to love his male mate. They are well matched in every way, son.” Roane looked at his son. Even at twenty-five years of age, he was still pure, innocent.

  “Life is long and full of surprises. I will teach you how to speak with those long gone.”

  Wayne tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

  “There is a way to speak to those who have passed the barrier of life and gone on to a whole new world. None of us really ever dies, Rion.”

  “How old are you, Da?” Wayne asked.

  Roane smiled. “It is not polite to ask one’s age.”

  Wayne grinned. “Old then?”

  “Check the paddocks, feed the females. We shall talk later.”

  Wayne did as he was told. The sheep that were meant for dinner were corralled into the spot of property for the female wolves. As soon as he approached, he heard Juliet’s unmistakable growl. Peering over the high wall, she seemed to stare at him, menace in her eyes.

  “Juliet…” Wayne tried to see further over.

  “You betrayed me!”

  Wayne stopped, his heart pounding. “I saved your life! I meant you no harm.”

  “So, instead you make me into…into this?” Juliet spat.

  “You were dying!”

  “You should have let me die! You do not make that choice!”

  “I love you, Juliet.”

  “I will never love you, Rion. Never!”

  Wayne jumped back from the wall, as Juliet’s wolf form lunged at him. Growling and snarling seeped through the rain-soaked night as Wayne sat down against the wall and covered his face. She hated him…she would always hate him.

  By bedtime, Wayne was exhausted. He crawled into bed and stared at the brick ceiling. The creaking of shoes alerted him to his father’s presence.

  “Rion…”

  “She hates me, Da. It will not change. She never wanted me to begin with; it was selfish of me to change her. The bond is not there.”

  “We shall see, now close your eyes.” Roane sat on the edge of the bed. “Breathe deeply and concentrate on your grandfather.”

  Wayne closed his eyes, bringing forth the face of his granddad. As his breaths deepened, a light shined behind his eyes and then a voice crept into his head, quietly at first.

  “Rion…you seek answers.”

  “I seek knowledge.”

  “Then you shall have it. Tell your father to go away.”

  Wayne chuckled, opening his eyes. “He says go away.”

  “Stubborn mule,” Roane chuckled.

  Wayne closed his eyes. “I want to know…”

  “If she will ever love you? I cannot answer; it is best left to be seen. I will tell you that love comes in many forms and in many ways. Do not ever push away love for fear of what others may think. We are all one, Rion. We love with all, as it should be.”

  “When will I know if it is true love? Why was I given a mate who did not care for me? Have I angered the fates?”

  “No, my boy. They have been known to make mistakes…”

  “Granddad?” Wayne waited for a reply but none came. Wayne sighed, rolling over on his uncomfortable bed. He stared at the wall, watching the flashes of lightning dance on it. He’d been in love with Juliet from the moment he saw her. He’d changed her to save her life and now was left in misery since she did not return his feelings. He’d been selfish in wanting to keep his mate, a mate who would never love him. ~~

  Over the years, Juliet had softened but never came to love Wayne as he wanted. He was left empty and alone emotionally. She stayed with him, had sex with him, but the love was never returned, never sealed. Maybe it was best she had not conceived, for she wouldn’t have loved their child either. When Juliet had been killed, Wayne almost felt relief for her. She was spared a life with a man she did not love, and in the process left the man who did love her in total ruin.

  Chapter One

  Denali National Park, AlaskaThe sun’s bright rays drifted across the wall above Wayne’s bed. He cracked open one sleep-filled eye as it passed above his head. Winter was coming; snow would be on the ground within days, blanketing the once green park. The smell of coffee wafted up the stairs, accompanied by the aroma of biscui
ts. Conner was up. Throwing his legs over the bed, his feet met with the cold wooden floor. Wayne hissed and pulled his slippers on. His morning erection was making it difficult for him to walk normally.

  Lifting the toilet seat, he reached over and turned the water to hot in the shower before settling back over the toilet to wait. He’d been trying to talk to Conner for weeks and had gotten maybe a handful of words from him - a quick hello and good morning and maybe now and then a goodnight.

  He only had himself to blame he supposed. He was so uncomfortable with his feelings that he’d driven Conner away. Wayne relieved himself and stepped into the shower, the hot water instantly relaxing him. Conner’s face came into his mind as he closed his eyes and washed his hair. It always did. Those eyes, the way they seemed to sparkle when he laughed, the shy but sexual curve of his lips.

  Wayne looked down; he was stroking his cock without even realizing it. He thought about Conner’s hard abdominal muscles, the blond hair sprinkled around his navel, slipping into his boxers. Wayne sped up his hand movements, thinking about kissing Conner’s full pink lips, sucking the bottom one in and tugging gently on it. His orgasm raced from him, splattering the shower tiles. Wayne leaned against the cool bricks, breathing heavily. Why couldn’t he just admit it out loud? He wanted Conner; he wanted him more than anything.

  He stopped and stared at the wall. Was that true? After all the time he’d spent thinking about the one woman who had never loved him back, did he want Conner more than he’d wanted Juliet? Would Conner be able to love him? The mate bond had its pull, sure, but to truly love someone took more than the bond.

  Wayne turned the water off and got out of the shower. He needed to get dried off and dressed before Conner left for the city.

  Sebastian Price had sold all of the late Sergei Price’s company holdings to him at a very cheap price. It was a way for Sebastian to tell the man he had thought was his father – who had tried to freaking kill him - to fuck off posthumously and it certainly had benefitted Wayne. The money made from the businesses was used towards the outreach centers for struggling gay youths. Sebastian kept his share of his inheritance, however, and he’d used it towards law school and given a share of it to the outreach centers.

  Conner now worked at Maccon Enterprises on Monday through Thursday, and Wayne knew it was the young man’s way of getting away from him. It hurt.

  For months, Conner had been pulling away and Wayne couldn’t blame him. The man was protecting his heart. Man. Conner O’Rourke was a man. A man who was his mate. What Wayne couldn’t understand is why it had taken so long for the fates to provide him with a new one; over forty years had passed since Juliet had been killed.

  Wayne threw his jeans on and rushed down the stairs. Conner had a bagel shoved in his mouth and was grabbing his briefcase.

  “Conner, please wait,” Wayne hurried over to him.

  Conner put the briefcase down and removed the bagel from his mouth. “I’m in a hurry, Wayne.”

  “I own the damn company, you can be late!” Wayne growled. Conner had lived with him for years, whether it was out of necessity to the packs or because Conner was comfortable at the cabin, Wayne didn’t know. He was just grateful Conner had stayed. “I just want a few minutes to talk with you.”

  Conner eyed Wayne.

  “About what? You’ve said everything I need to hear: I’m a man, not a woman and you’re not comfortable. Maybe the fates will see fit to give you someone who has tits.”

  “Stop being crass.” Wayne ran a hand through his still-wet hair. “I admit I’ve been bad at this, okay? I don’t know how to act, what to do. I mean - we have the same parts!”

  Conner stepped closer and leaned in. “Yes, we do. Which means I know what will make you sink to the floor on your knees begging for more.” Conner inched closer, running his index finger down Wayne’s chest.

  “What you like, I like. And I know how to give it to you better than any woman can.” Conner smiled at the look of shock on Wayne’s face. “That’s what I thought. See you Friday.”

  It took Wayne a second to snap out of the dirty fantasy in his head. “Wait!” Wayne grabbed Conner’s hand.

  “What?” Conner sighed heavily. “I can’t do this anymore, Wayne. You have no idea how my life has been, this just makes it so much worse.”

  “Then tell me about it, I can listen.”

  Conner tried to smile. “I have to get to work. I’ll see you Friday.”

  Wayne stood in the front door of the cabin, watching the one man he could have, and who wanted him, slide into the truck that was taking him away for four days.

  “Goddammit!” Wayne slammed the front door and stalked into Conner’s room. The bed was made; everything was neatly folded and put away. Wayne walked to the dresser, lifting a bottle of cologne off the top. Opening it, he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. It was Conner’s scent, the one that drove Wayne to drink entire bottles of Irish whiskey. His eyes shifted and he grew hard in seconds. Wayne collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

  “Just tell me why, Da? Why?” Wayne cocked his head, listening for any kind of reply. None came. He shouldn’t be surprised though, should he? He had stopped trying to talk to the elders years ago, and now he wasn’t sure he knew how. He rolled onto his side, pulling Conner’s pillow to his nose. God he loved the smell of Conner, it was almost a floral scent, mixed with something musky and earthy. He was so…beautiful, with the blond halo of hair, the beautiful medium brown eyes with gold bursting across the iris. Wayne sighed, closing his eyes. “Dammit.”

  ~~ Conner kept his eyes on the road, swiping at the tears running down his cheeks. Damn Wayne. He hated every moment he had to spend with him pretending he didn’t care, didn’t want to touch him, kiss him and make love to him. It wasn’t fair. All his life he’d been rejected in one way or another. Now his own mate was rejecting him. Conner wiped his eyes again, sniffling.

  He’d been born in Warrenmount, Ireland, a stone’s throw from Dublin. Being raised in a very strict, traditional Catholic household had made it hard on him as well; especially when he’d figured out he was gay. He’d thought for sure he’d be drawn and quartered in the town’s square when he came out. Okay, so that was a bit of an exaggeration. Stoned, maybe.

  Conner frowned at the love song taunting him through the radio. Flipping it off, he relaxed into the seat and thought about his life. His first boyfriend had been in college, at Oxford as a matter of fact. His parents, not knowing what to do with their gay son, sent him away. He was a pariah in their eyes and the faster they could get rid of him the better. The boyfriend, Shawn, was not out and kept their relationship a secret, so for months Conner was used sexually. When he’d finally had enough, Shawn had laughed in his face and said it had all been good and well, but there was no way he would tell anyone he was with someone as ridiculous as Conner. That had stung

  - a lot.

  When he packed up from England and made his way to the wonderful U.S. of A, his first job had been as a pizza delivery boy in California. He’d made tons of tips and made a good living for a while. Then he started dating an up and coming actor, which had gone right down the shitter. Even though the man was gay he refused to come out of the closet for lowly Conner O’Rourke.

  Another damaging blow to his ego and Conner packed up what little belongings he had and moved to Alaska, where he met Carson Drake. As one of the few people qualified for the job as CFO, Conner was hired on the spot.

  He rarely spoke to his parents; in fact, they made it a point to avoid his calls every chance they got. So he was on his own in a strange town, with no friends. On one of his first weekends in Anchorage, Conner went to a gay bar for the first time in his life. There, he’d met Charles. Gorgeous, pipeline worker Charles. Conner had loved being with him, the strong arms wrapped around him, the sex that had him screaming in pleasure. Their relationship had been volatile from the get-go, however. Charles had a fuse that was easily lit and when it went off, Conner was the one who rec
eived the fallout.

  When Charles had shown up at his job to apologize for the previous night, Carson had seen them together. Over the next month, Charles began seeing him less and less frequently, claiming that he was busy. Conner had found out the truth when he’d gone to see Charles at his home. There, on the bed, grunting like a man possessed was Charles. With a woman. Conner had cleared his throat and gotten a door slammed in his face.

  That was followed by everything he’d dreaded: Charles telling him he was a piece of shit and a lousy lay.

  The following week, his whole life changed. Carson had come to his apartment on the pretense of working, but what Conner got was canines in his neck and a whole lot of pain afterwards as he shifted into a werewolf. Then Carson recruited him to take Dakota Cadotte back from the Queets pack. Threatened with death and left with no choice, Conner went to Denali to kidnap Dakota. He’d almost been killed by Sawyer Bishop, but had been allowed to live.

  When the dust had settled and Carson’s reign of terror had come to an end, Wayne had taken in Conner. For years now he had been part of the pack he’d been recruited to take down.

  Then that fateful day came when Wayne sat him down to talk. Conner sighed. He was Wayne Maccon’s mate. The alpha of the created ones was his mate, for life. Only he didn’t want Conner. Well he did, he was just uncomfortable with the idea of being with a man. Conner had to admit he’d had a huge crush on Wayne from the beginning.

  That beautiful golden hair, the bluish-grey eyes and a body that went on for days and days got Conner’s attention in a hurry. Wayne worked out every day and it showed. His biceps were toned and muscular, his abdominal muscles rippled perfectly and his chest was broad and well-defined.

  He only wished he could see what he’d be getting in the bedroom. Conner smirked. His own cock was only seven and a half inches, but he knew how to use it. At least he thought he did until Charles had told him otherwise. Since finding out about Wayne, he hadn’t so much as looked at another man, although he had plenty to choose from in the office. They all found him attractive, even the straight ones. His human resources manager, Sloan Gabarou, filled him in on the gossip and water cooler talk every morning.