Bad Reputation

By Crystal Dawn

Reid wanted her and he just had to decide how much. They were partners and he saw her almost every day and couldn’t escape her. His wolf went wild when she was in sight. He was sure she was his fated one. Olivia had heard about his reputation with females and refused to go further in the relationship. What was a wolf to do?
She had a past she could never completely escape. Reid showed interest but her father had used females and mistreated her mother and she believed he’d finally killed her. Olivia didn’t think Reid was that bad, but she refused to be in a position where she might be used.
Two fated mates who can’t agree. Will they ever find the compromise that allows them to be together?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Crystal Dawn
• Release date: Dec 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215957547

Crystal Dawn

When she’s not out hunting rogue vampires and werewolves, you can find Crystal Dawn out exploring the galaxy. She can do it all without ever leaving her computer. She kicks ass, takes names, and puts it all down for the enjoyment of her readers. At least that’s what I think she told me. Writing came as a natural outlet for her overly creative mind. She has always told stories and even written some but publishing books didn't start until 2012 with The Rebirth, was the first of the Planet Amazon books. Crystal has also been lucky to have some wonderful beta readers who keep her on track and help inspire her.Secretly, she crushes on all her sexy heroes because all her stories end happily. That is one of the things that makes writing such a joy. Knowing that it makes her reader's day a little brighter. Not that she doesn't read sad books sometimes. While still in school, she read Where the Red Fern Grows and cried like a baby. It was a wonderful book and sometimes a bit of sadness has to be put in books because that's part of life. While she reads all kinds of books at some time or another, PNR and SFR, which she writes is what she reads the most for pleasure.When she started writing, she decided on going Indie after the first two books because an author has more control. She believes Indie will compete well and continues to grow. The need to give pleasure to her readers keeps her going and she sees a long career ahead. Growing up mostly in the NW Arkansas area, it has given her a good place to set some stories and many of her characters come from there or nearby SW Missouri.The start of her stories is the easy part. Finishing them is a little harder when all the stories are in there trying to get out. She loves reading, chocolate, fine sweet wine, and traveling among a large list of pursuits. Her favorite people, after her family and close friends, are her readers who she says are some of the most wonderful people in this galaxy and the next.

Book preview

Prologue

Reid was the first-born son of an alpha. This was no joke because he genuinely was. His father had been the alpha of the pack in Southern Washington. He'd been challenged and should have won, but the guy cheated.

As soon as the challenge was complete, the cheater took over and forced Reid’s mother to mate him. Then he sent someone after Reid because he planned to kill him.

Reid was warned by his father's beta and quickly got the hell out of there. There was nothing he could do for his mother. He was only sixteen. While he could fight, the guy was a cheater. That meant he would probably win anyway.

Reid's wolf helped him survive for two years, and then he went into the military for four. He met Tyne, and his whole life had changed. Now, he was in Alaska, and he had met his mate. Of all the challenges he'd overcome in his life, this might be his greatest one.

Olivia had been a pack alpha’s daughter. Her mother taught her all she could about being a pack bitch, but as soon as Olivia was eighteen, she ran away. It wasn't because of anything her mother did. She'd always been curious, and her father hosted the pack alpha just south of them.

Her feelings about him had always been revulsion, and he stared at her like he wanted to eat her up. Naturally, she found a way to overhear their conversation, and what she heard scared her to death. They planned to kill the alpha’s mate so she could mate him. That was never going to happen.

It was then she had to admit her father was a pig and treated her mother terribly. He also mistreated some of the pack members. Olivia would have helped them if she could, but she felt powerless. It was a feeling she didn't like and intended never to feel again. That was why when she met Reid, Olivia refused to get involved with him. He was a bad boy with a bad reputation. Although handsome and she felt drawn to him, his way with women reminded her of her father and the alpha her father had planned to give her to.

No matter how she felt about them, she'd never be involved with someone like that. It wasn't that she thought Reid would kill people for no reason or mistreat anyone, but he could break her heart, and she refused to allow it. Her confidence grew after meeting Moe and joining Tyne’s security company. No one would take that from her, and the only one she knew who could was Reid.

Chapter 1

Alaska Bound

I have an offer for you, Reid, Tyne informed.

Oh really, what might that be?

It's a better offer than I made you last time. I could really use you in Alaska. Things are better there right now. There's housing, more restaurants, and a big bonus if you stay for six months or longer.

Reid had been feeling restless, and six months didn't seem that long. The bonus would give him the money needed for a down payment on a house. While it was true, he didn't want to settle down now. Someday, he might, and having a place would be good. Instead of paying rent, he'd be paying for his own home and some land to go with it. His wolf was pushing for it, but Reid wasn't sure why.

And exactly what would I be doing?

You know how we run things down here. The experience you have as a team leader would be helpful there. Rita and Ray manage the office but need some help because business has boomed, Tyne explained.

I tell you what, I will do this, but I consider it a personal favor for you. That means eventually, you will have to do something for me.

I would do that anyway if you needed me to, Reid.

I know, but I won't feel guilty about it this way, Reid explained.

Tyne chuckled. No need to feel guilty. That's what friends are for.

You're a good friend, Tyne.

The following day, he was on an airplane with a group headed to Alaska. He was excited, and his wolf was frisky, although he didn't like flying. This was alright because eventually, the flight would be over, and his feet would be on solid ground. That was what his wolf liked best. He'd ask around a bit and find out Ray and Rita were a great couple who knew about the supernatural world. How many of his fellow security specialists had been to Alaska since the business opened was amazing. The problem the company had was that few stayed. Reid was sure he wouldn't be one of them either.

They were fed a meal and a snack on the flight, and the stop was short. Reid slept most of the way but was on his computer for a while, too. Most of the others on the flight did the same as he did. It wasn't like there were a whole lot of choices on board. Reid supposed he could talk, but he didn't feel like it, and no one else seemed to either. A couple sitting in front of him spoke a little bit about what was going on in Oregon. He knew Duroc and was glad he had beaten the old alpha. That guy was no good. He ran his pack into the ground. Reid knew him as a kid and hadn't liked him then, either.

Reid was in the middle of the plane, and Olivia sat in the front. He liked her, but she seemed to avoid him. However, it wasn't just him she avoided, but all the males hitting on her. He didn't know her well, and she seemed to like it that way. His wolf seemed to run in circles inside him every time he looked at her, so he tried not to. It would be time to land soon, and he was ready to get off the plane.

Tyne told him there was a unique job he might need Reid in before his time was up. He had no idea what that might be unless it was to fill in for one of the managers while they took time off. Alaska was beautiful, but not everyone could handle the weather and the limitations it caused. The short days during the winter were also challenging. The workdays weren't short, but the light didn't hold out for the day.

All the trucks were equipped with the best floodlights and flashlights, so the work went on even when the sun wasn’t putting out light. The further north you went, the shorter the days were. In the area they would be working in the most, the days were a little over six hours. The rest of the time, artificial light was needed to hook up the security systems.

The plane landed, and everyone grabbed their gear to exit. Reid brought the bare minimum with him, and it looked like the others had done the same. Looking around, he saw a few familiar faces, but many were unknown to him.

Reid saw Olivia standing off, away from everyone else. He'd met her shortly before accepting Tyne’s invitation to come about six months ago. She was beautiful but not very friendly. He tried not to think about her, but his mind repeatedly returned.

He doubted she had the same problem when thinking about him. If she did, she hid it well.

Just shake it off. Reid's wolf snapped. We just need time to catch her eye.

That was different. His wolf usually didn't bother to try to tempt females. Maybe because they were typically drawn to him and sometimes didn't want to let go. Reid knew his reputation didn't help. Not just his standing with the females but also his disappearing for months. His personal information was just that, personal, and he never told the ladies where he was going or what he was doing. Sometimes, that was the way he ended a relationship. He just disappeared.

Where did he go? He'd tell Tyne he needed to take a job, and Tyne would send him away. His boss never questioned why he wanted to go, and Reid never asked Tyne where he would send him. He treasured freedom and didn't mind traveling anywhere in the world. Tyne paid him good money, and he managed to save it for whatever the future might bring.

His wolf didn't act like he used to. Reid was afraid he wanted to settle down, but he wasn't ready yet and didn't know why his wolf thought he was. Maybe his wolf would snap out of it, and they would go on as they had gone on for many years. All Reid could do was continue doing what he was doing and hope his wolf let it go.

A bus pulled up, and they all loaded on it. They were taken to the apartments built to house people for the business. Were the apartments cheap? Hell no! But they were reasonable because the company had to make money, too.

Everyone who wanted a place to live was issued an apartment key and a lease to sign and return to the office manager. Six months and many would return to wherever they came from or someplace new.

Reid didn't know Raymond or Rita, but he'd heard they were all right. He would meet them soon, along with all the other people who had come in on the plane.

The bus waited for everyone. Once loaded, they headed to the office. It seemed many people would be working out of a tiny office. There were a few more empty seats when they left for the office. Only some people would be working out of this office or even for Wolf Security.

They headed back toward the office. Everyone would get their assignments in the morning. That was unusual for Reid. He wasn't used to getting his assignment in the morning, but he supposed it made sense with so many people starting the same day.

When they pulled up to the office, he was surprised. Reid's buddy, Tramp, told him the office was small, and he was right. There was really no room for anything. He was sure that must have also been true when Tramp was here, but it wasn't true anymore. It was easy for him to see where their original office with the apartments above it had been, but now ample space was added on that probably held equipment and possibly a meeting room.

Everyone got off the bus. Someone was waiting to lead the new arrivals where they needed to go. It was a guy, so he suspected it was Raymond, but it could have been anyone who worked for them. They followed him to the side of the building with double doors. It was indeed a meeting room. There was a large table and even more chairs for those who would not fit. It looked like they were going to have a slide show.

Tyne liked slideshows. He could get all the information out to a large group simultaneously. If there was ever any place where people needed a lot of information quickly, it was here in Wilde.

Reid lived there briefly when he was much younger, so he had an idea of how things were, but he was sure much had also changed.

As far as the security job went, he had not known how to do that when he had been here before. He'd been a trapper, a logger, and several other things to make a living through the year.

People he knew might still be here. Actually, he knew there were a few like Naqi and some of the other people in the wolf pack. Wilde was a harsh place. Not everyone would last.

The fact the terrorists who attacked Tyne’s people were still out there just made things worse. That was why they would have to work in pairs. It was really not his thing. Reid was a lone wolf, except for a bit of time with the ladies and a few friends that he thought a lot of.

Hello everyone! My name is Raymond, and I am the field manager. This pretty lady next to me is my wife and the office manager. Between the two of us, we can handle any problems you might have. Normally, you would get your information in the morning before you leave the office. Because we have so many people coming in all at once, you will get your information before you leave this meeting. Due to the harsh nature of Alaska and some of its people, everyone will work in pairs. From time to time, those pairings will be switched so everyone can get to know the people they work with. Those of you considered to be trained may occasionally be given a trainee. This is not negotiable. It is part of your job and pays a bonus.

As Raymond pointed out, I am Rita and your office manager. Partners have already been decided, as well as your jobs and what truck you will be operating. Assignments are at the end of the table. Look for your names, and you will know what you are doing tomorrow. I'm sure you noticed this is a huge office. Before long, we will be setting up a satellite office, maybe two, to ease the confusion. For now, we will just have to do our best. If there are any questions, we will do our best to answer them, Rita concluded.

Oh yes, there were questions, some of which were quite stupid and had nothing to do with the job. Reid was sure most of these people prepared the same way he had, and Tyne gave them the same information he received.

"Rita has a book that might help. It provides information on