Submitting to Fate (A Collection of Strays Book 5) Read online

  Submitting to Fate

  A Collection of Strays Book Five

  Toby Wise

  Copyright

  Submitting to Fate© 2020 by Toby Wise

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations for book reviews.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Book cover by Cosmic Letterz

  Beta Services by Aleeliah and Diane

  Blurb

  I hide behind snarky comments and teasing smiles because letting people see the true me is terrifying. The day I find out Wyn is my mate, all the BS falls away. He sees me, the real me, and instead of running for the hills, he stays by my side. My past reminds me of my failings but Wyn says I’m good. As I submit to him, just maybe I'll learn to believe him. -Rhett

  Here I am, finding myself mated for the second time, pregnant without even really trying with a mouthy, bratty alpha. What the heck was Lady Fate thinking? As time goes on and with a little trial and error, Rhett and I learn to fit into our new dynamics. Rhett may submit to me, but I submit to Lady Fate, and so far, She's never pushed me past what I could take. -Wyn

  This 30k word story is book five in A Collection of Strays Series. Within you'll find true mate dragons, eggpreg, shiny marbles, found family, a cat named Dog, and a happily ever after.

  Character Bible

  Dakota: ‘Dad’, Wolf, Omega from Ageless Fate, Head of the Burke Pack

  “I look forward to saying I told you so.”

  Charlie: ‘Pops’, Wolf, Alpha from Ageless Fate

  “Pay back is a bitch, Cam.”

  Jessica: Wolf, Alpha, Child of Dakota and Charlie

  Elwood: Dragon, Rhett’s twin, wears glasses, Alpha from Touching Fate

  “I’m not sure I like it when you’re serious. It’s making me feel weird.”

  Frankie: Fox, Elwood’s mate, Omega from Touching Fate

  “Now I can finally tell you to eat a dick.”

  Lucian and Levi: Frankie and Elwood’s omega twins, dragons, Lucian is the daredevil while Levi is the snuggler

  Everett (Rhett): Dragon, Alpha, Elwood’s pain in the ass twin

  “You’re literally the most dramatic person I’ve ever met. And I’ve been alive for over two hundred years so that’s saying something.”

  Isaiah: Non-binary Unicorn, Youtube Beauty Guru, Omega from Fate’s Perfect Timing

  “Get all those icky feelings out so we can get you out of this lonely little room and into the arms of your alphas.”

  Sam: Unicorn, Isaiah’s mate, Alpha from Fate’s Perfect Timing

  “Not in front of the babies!”

  Charlie (Charlotte): Isaiah and Sam’s unicorn daughter, Beta

  Cameron: A spark covered in eyeliner and sass, from Trusting Fate

  For a time, I thought I was alone. Oh, how wrong I was.

  Jace: Wolf, Charlie’s little brother, Alpha from Trusting Fate

  “That’s the beauty of mates. You don’t have to do anything but be yourself.”

  River: Bunny, Alpha from Trusting Fate

  “Well, you do seem to be a little shit.”

  Alexandria: Cameron, Jace, and River’s daughter. A spark like Cameron, aka, their little sorcerer.

  Mandy: Wolf (though looks more like a corgi), Alpha

  “Because even though he’s an idiot, he still deserves to be loved. We all do.”

  Tony: Vampire, works as a piercer at Wyn’s tattoo shop

  “If I wasn’t expecting someone soon, I’d eat you both right now.”

  Star: Omega Midwife

  “And more importantly, you’re finally trusting yourself, Cameron.”

  Chapter One

  Rhett

  My skin prickles and my dragon sits just under the surface as I trudge my way into the tattoo shop. Today's just like any other day, so I wonder why I feel so keyed up. It's almost like my dragon knows something I don't, but the bastard isn't telling me anything, so I keep moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other.

  Today’s tattoo day. How my friend, Tony, was able to talk me into it is beyond me. I swear the guy has a silver tongue. Recently he’s talked me into a new set of piercings, and now a freaking tattoo. I shake my head as I walk. We met at a bar where we were both looking to take someone home. He’d chatted me up but we knew right away there wasn’t that spark between us. I watched as he took home some cutie while I’d wallowed at the bar. Alone. Just like always. Always the best friend watching as all his friends find their mates.

  Gods, I need to get myself together. Just because Lady Fate’s fucked me over more times than I can count doesn’t mean I can completely shut down. Sure, my heart is guarded, but I gotta believe she’ll eventually send someone to thaw it out. Right?

  Time to get my head out of the clouds and in the game. A smile plays across my lips as I step up to the tattoo shop. Knowing Wyn is inside has my belly turning giddy with excitement. I feel like a teenager again, which is saying something since I’m well over 200 years old. The feisty little omega gets me all hot under the collar, his glare feeling more like foreplay than scaring me off. The moment I met him, he stole my breath and I couldn't stop myself from coming back. I’ll win him over one of these days. Once I learn to shut my fucking cake hole.

  The bell above the door rings as I step in, announcing my arrival. I find River, one of Cameron’s mates, here. I give him a smile and a little wave. “Sup, losers,” I call out with a wide smile, trying not to preen as everyone’s eyes turn to me. So I like attention, sue me.

  “You can have a seat at my station,” Wyn tells me, not even looking up from what he’s doing on the computer. That’s fine by me, I love this little game of chase we have going on. The give and take, the teasing. It makes my inner alpha growl in approval, wanting to prove ourselves to him, to make the wait worth it.

  “You got it, boss,” I say back. Before I do as Wyn asks, I step over to Tony. I slap his shoulder in greeting, amusement plain on my face as I see how he’s spread out on his own station. What a dork.

  I sit down before turning back to Wyn, trying to give him my best pout. “Come on,” I whine, uncaring that I sound like an idiot because it makes Wyn’s lip twitch ever so slightly. “Didn’t you have your stuff ready for me?”

  I hear a meow come from the desk and that’s when I notice my adopted brother, Cameron. He’s some super interesting being that’s part spark and part familiar. Which basically means not only can he do magic, but he can also shift. Wicked, if you ask me. He turns his ass towards me, lifting his tail up in the air. I make an offended noise when River announces, “that’s cat for kiss my ass.” Rude.

  Wyn finally logs off the computer and steps over towards me. Today he’s wearing tight black jeans that hug his thighs just right, making my mouth water. His shirt is grey, making his skin look more pale than usual and I can’t help but wonder if bruises and hickeys would show up better on his pale skin, standing out in contrast. I lick my lips as he comes closer.

  The sleeves of his shirt have been cut off, showing off his muscular arms. I feel my cheeks heat as I take him in, arousal simmering in the pit of my belly.

  Wanting to put on a show, I slowly pull my shirt over my head. “Alright, hot stuff,” I say, my belly doing somersaults. What the hell is it about this omega that has my hormones raging and my heart racing? “Try no
t to get too distracted by all of this,” I say playfully, gesturing at my chest and belly, knowing I look good.

  I smile up at Wyn as he crosses his arms over his chest which only serves to accentuate the swell of his biceps. “Oh dear, however will I be able to resist myself?” he deadpans.

  Tony lets out a snort and I turn a glare towards him. “If only you two were honest with each other instead of just me,” he murmurs as he walks over towards River and Cameron. I can feel my cheeks heating but I ignore it, pretending I’m not affected. That evil vampire and his big mouth. Wyn is acting like he hadn’t heard anything so for now, I’m going to assume my secret crush is still a secret.

  Wyn is ever the professional as he preps his black ink and machine. His head is tilted down as he works and I unabashedly watch him, my palms growing sweaty as I wait. He’s beautiful. His blonde hair is styled to the side, longer on the top and shaved on the sides. His jaw is something crafted by Lady Fate herself from marble; it must be with how defined it is, square and sharp enough to cut glass. From this angle, I’m looking up at him instead of down. His blue eyes are focused and bright. I haven’t felt anything like this in such a long time.

  Wyn finally sits down on his rolling chair, scooting over to my side. His eyes glance over my shoulder where I told him I wanted the tattoo, a puzzle piece. It’s a little inside joke with my family, all of us being misplaced pieces of a puzzle we shoved together.

  “Still sure you want it here?” Wyn asks, nodding at my shoulder.

  I point at the exact place. “Yep. Right here.”

  Wyn looks like he’s about to grab his black gloves when he pauses. I watch, absolutely transfixed as he bites his bottom lip, seeming to debate something. Slowly, he lifts his hand and I hold my breath as he reaches out and touches me.

  I was not prepared for this moment.

  As Wyn and I touch for the first time, something seems to click into place. All those feelings, all those desires, all that fucking longing is explained. We’re mates. My soul is rearranging itself, making room for Wyn. He’s the other half of my soul and suddenly, I’m not sure I could go on living the same way I just was. I tease and joke and laugh, but I was so fucking empty inside, and now, I’m not.

  I suck in a sharp breath, my eyes lifting to meet his which are just as wide as mine. His hand tightens against my shoulder, his nails digging into my skin and it only heightens the feelings I’m experiencing. I watch as Wyn’s cheeks turn a beautiful pink color and I’m struck all over again with how gorgeous he is. Could I really be this lucky? Could Lady Fate have finally decided to spare me some pain?

  Wyn reacts before I do, running his hand over my shoulder to the back of my neck, pulling me forward into a kiss. His lips meet mine brutally, forcing a gasp from my throat. I’m hit in the middle of my chest with emotion, not unlike a truck hitting a wall, the force of it making my knees weak. Thankfully I’m still sitting. My mate is kissing me. My fucking mate, who I’ve been pining for and making an absolute ass of myself in front of, is kissing me. And it’s so good.

  The moment his tongue pushes past my lips, I’m ruined. Nothing will ever compare to this. He takes control of the kiss and all I can do is hold on and kiss back to the best of my ability while trying to keep the rest of myself in check. My toes curl where they sit in my shoes, my hands tightening where they hold onto the arms of the chair. Fuck, my head is swimming, absolutely drowning, and the only thing keeping me afloat is Wyn.

  Eventually, he pulls back, breathing heavily and looking as wrecked as I feel. Before I can open my mouth and say anything, Wyn is grabbing my wrist and pulling me up off the chair. He tugs me down the hall to a back room, slamming the door shut behind him. We’re so close we’re breathing the same air. There’s a tug in my chest, connecting us together and my inner alpha is demanding we mate, that we claim our mate. I don’t disagree. Now that I know Wyn is my omega, not being mated to him is like missing a limb.

  “Rhett,” he whispers as he steps up on his toes, our lips only inches apart, “claim me.”

  Chapter Two

  Wyn

  All of my feelings are jumbled and distorted. Nothing else matters except for the body in front of me, holding me, kissing me. My body heats up everywhere he touches me.

  The annoying, infuriating, bratty, asshole alpha is my fucking mate. And instead of thinking about it too closely, I let myself get swept away in the feeling of us coming together. I know the kind of pull a mate has, I know I wouldn’t be able to stop it even if I tried my damndest. So for now, I give in.

  My back hits the door as we tumble into the backroom. I reach back blindly, making sure the door is locked before my hands come up to Rhett’s shoulders, holding him in place. Not that he’s going anywhere. His mouth is locked with mine as we trade hurried kisses. He opens his mouth and I push forward, swiping my tongue over his, tasting him again. My body is like a live wire waiting for the right touch to set me off. I feel all consumed, caught up in a frenzy. I need him like I need air.

  I hate it.

  I hate feeling so out of control. I thrive in knowing what’s coming next, I enjoy having the upper hand. This feeling inside of my chest is throwing me headfirst into the unknown, leaving me feeling off balanced, like a balloon flying through the wind. My hands tighten against Rhett’s shoulders, just trying to hold on.

  “Fuck,” Rhett says, his breath coming out in harsh pants as he leans down, planting opened mouth kisses to my throat. “This is so crazy. I’ve had the biggest crush on you since the day I first laid eyes on you.”

  I can’t help myself, I let out a snort of amusement. “Coulda fooled me.”

  Rhett’s hands find my face, holding me still so I have to look up into his eyes. They’re such a pretty brown. “I did,” he tells me seriously. “I was just terrified. Hell, I still am. I’ve been. Well.” He looks away for a moment. “I’ve been burned in the past. I thought the best course of action was to mess around and pretend I didn’t have feelings at all. If I was an asshole there’s no way you’d be into me.”

  “Self-sabotaging brat. Got it.”

  Rhett smiles and it brightens his whole face. My stomach lights up from the inside and I push it down as hard as I can. Instead of dealing with my feelings, I grab him by the back of his neck, pulling him into another kiss. Yes, this is so much better than thinking. I stop thinking and instead lose myself in the feeling of Rhett’s mouth moving against my own.

  His hands find the bottom of my shirt, tugging it over my head and letting it drop to the floor uncaring. They skim over my sides and I shiver, his hands feeling so hot against my skin.

  Rhett’s mouth moves away from my lips, finding my throat and peppering the area with gentle kisses. I tilt my head back against the door, letting out a sigh and reveling in the pleasure as it washes me away. I moan when he finally grows bold and nips at my sensitive skin. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought of this; a backroom romp with the sexy naughty alpha. I never actually imagined it would happen. Especially not like this.

  One of Rhett’s fingers brush over my nipples and I make a noise of pleasure which he catches with his mouth. My body is coming alive under his hands, like it’s being awakened from a deep and long slumber.

  “Fuck,” I grit out, pushing Rhett back enough to start working on my pants. Rhett doesn’t stay idle. At the same time, he quickly gets out of his clothes before pulling a condom from his wallet. I watch as he slowly rolls it over his erection. The sight of his long, hard cock makes my ass clench which is already slick and ready for him. It’s been so long since I’ve been fucked, so long since I’ve been with anyone more than a single night.

  “Turn around,” Rhett says, stepping back into my space. He’s taller than me and I realize with a start that if I turn around, he’ll see the back of my neck and I just can’t. I swallow thickly before doing the only thing I can think of.

  “Not strong enough to fuck me against this door, alpha?” I egg on.

  Rhett’s tru
e alpha eyes shine through as he lets out a little growl. Without any warning, he reaches down and picks me up by the back of my thighs. I let out a hiss as my back hits the cold door but then his mouth is back at my throat, distracting me.

  “Yes,” I gasp out. Rhett adjusts his hold until he’s got a hand on each of my ass cheeks. His body has me pinned against the door, my legs wrapped around his waist. His cock rubs between my cheeks, teasing me. I’m not having any of that. I kick him as hard as I can with my heel. “Fuck me already, Rhett.”

  “Yes, Sir,” he says before plunging his cock into my ass. Fuck. The feel of him stretching me mixed with that phrase has me closing my eyes as pleasure races through me. My body opens for him, knowing it’s our mate. He doesn’t hold back, fucking me hard with sharp thrusts. All I can do is dig my nails into his shoulders and hold on for the ride.

  Rhett’s cock feels so good inside of me, sliding against my walls, filling me up just right. “Rhett,” I grit out when he slows his thrusts, instead grinding against me. I tighten around him, watching as his almond eyes dilate further until they’re almost completely black. “Fuck me like you mean it, alpha.”

  “Bossy omega,” he says with a smile, not knowing how right he is. Thankfully, instead of being a brat, he does as I’ve asked, fucking me harder. He hits my sweet spot with every thrust until I’m dangling from the edge, my orgasm making me tense all over. My mouth falls open as my breath catches, heated pants leaving my lips.

  Instinct begins to creep in and take over. My dragon is pushing to the front, knowing what needs to be done to claim our mate. My hands on his shoulders start to tingle, growing more and more icy as we fuck. The hands on my ass however feel the opposite, heating up until they’re burning me and making me cry out.

  Just then, Rhett’s dick starts to feel deliciously different. He thrusts hard, stretching me somehow wider and wider until I worry it’ll be too much for me. But then, what I realize is his knot, shoves into me completely, tying us together. The stretch of my rim, the feel of his heated hands, our mating bond clicking into place is all enough to throw me over the edge. I cry out as I come, covering our bellies with my seed. My eyes shut tight as I ride through wave after wave of pleasure.