Furever Mated (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance) (9 page)

I
stretched
out my shoulders over my head while I sat at my desk. My day had been full with meetings and I was glad to see it over with. Playing was far more fun than working. My days often started early and ended late. Being a CEO of a major real estate company meant that I needed to bust my ass to keep it successful. I had built the empire that I stood on from the ground up. “Work hard, play hard” was my motto in life. And now it was time to start playing.

Being an important man certainly had its advantages: women, wealth and power. Not only was I the CEO of the company but I was also the Alpha for the Washington State clan. We were a pack of black bears that had the ability to shift into human form at our own will. We were tough and feared by many. But recently several of our members started to have trouble shifting. When the numbers reached up to half our clan, our elders decided to hold an emergency meeting. After deliberation they blamed the shifting problem to our members mingling with humans. They determined that all of our interactions with them were causing our human sides to become more prevalent. Of course the entire clan panicked. Several called for us to move back into the woods, and stay out of society, while others, like myself, did not want to give up our current lifestyles.

With the current turmoil, the elders started to pressure me into finding a mate. They claimed by mating, I would help strengthen our clan because the alpha bloodline would be solidified. The problem was, I wasn’t exactly ready to settle down.

Just as I was about to pack up and go, my secretary, Vicki, sauntered into my office. She was wearing a tight yet professional dress that fit her curves very nicely. Too bad she was just a human. Otherwise, I might have some fun with her.

“Need anything else before I head out?” she asked, with a hint of seduction in her voice.

“No, I think I am good for this evening.” I smirked and grabbed my things and left the office. I could see her pout as I walked out my door. I know I could have Vicki any way I wanted, but with our abilities weakening I didn’t want to risk it.

Even though I was actively looking for a mate, I still liked to dip into the local shifters and play around. I wasn't the settling-down type, and the idea of having one mate wasn't very appealing to me. She would have to be someone special indeed to make me want to take her as my mate for life. I had yet to find her, and although I wasn't in a hurry, time to do that was also running out. The elders were on my back daily about whether or not I had found one.

With all of the pressure from the elders I needed to release some pent-up stress and I knew just the place to do that. There was a private club that went by Nocturn that was a shifter bar. It was the perfect place to find some action and get my mind off of finding a mate.

W
alking
up to the club doors the place was intimidating; I almost stopped and stared at the entrance. I had never heard or seen a place like that before. It was evident that it was a member’s only club and I wondered about its secrecy. Who were the people behind a club that went by Hibernation? Zoey avoided the line and went right up to the front where the bouncer was manning the door. I followed right behind, keeping my eyes on my shoes. I had never been to a place like this before.

He took one look at me and shook his head. “She's not getting in.” He crossed his arms over his broad chest and eyeballed me. Well, he knew how to make a girl feel good.

Surprised, I looked down at myself wondering what it was about me that turned him off. I had changed out of my work clothes and squeezed myself into a black club dress that Zoey had been nice enough to loan me. I thought I looked decent, surely good enough to get into the club, and yet the bouncer snubbed me on sight. He didn't even suggest that I get in line, he just denied me altogether. Did he really find me that hideous?

Zoey got right up in the bouncer’s face, which shocked me in place. What is she doing? She pushed herself between the bouncer and I, and stared him down. I let out a nervous laugh.

“Zoey, come on. It’s not that big of a deal. You go in and I can just head home.”

“No, he will let you in,” she said without breaking her intense gaze.

I shrugged my shoulders and continued to watch the strange staring contest her and the bouncer were having. She wasn't a big girl at all, in fact she was kind of petite, she didn't stand a chance against him if he got rough. I ran my eyes over his tall muscular frame. He would crush her in a second if he wanted to. But his size didn't seem to faze her at all as confidence radiated off her body. I admired her courage because I would have skittered off into the night. What would it take for me to have the kind of confidence she had? To walk right up to a bouncer and demand to be let in. I couldn't even imagine what it would take. It just wouldn't happen. That level of confidence just didn't exist for me. I knew that I was a pretty girl, but I couldn't walk into a room and command it in the manner that Zoey seemed to do just naturally.

As I watched them I realized it was the most awkward stare down I had seen in my life. Not that I was privy to many...or any at all, but it was so intense that it started to make me uncomfortable. Zoey was acting so weird, like who did stuff like that? If my friends and I couldn't get into a club we just walked away and maybe flipped the bouncer off as we retreated, but we would never go toe to toe with anyone. There were plenty of clubs to go to, but I guess Zoey was determined to go to that one. I had never seen anything like what was happening before me. Zoey was not behaving as I would have expected, and the bouncer was acting even weirder. I had fully expected him to tell her to beat it or to even push her away from him, but that was not the response he gave at all. In fact, it was almost as if she were mentally breaking him. No...that couldn't be right, but watching the situation, that was what I saw before my eyes.

The longer that Zoey stared at the bouncer the less he was able to meet her eyes. It was the most bizarre thing I had ever seen. Why wasn't she backing off and why wasn't he acting like all the other bouncers in the city? I looked closely and was amazed to see that the bouncer suddenly couldn't even look Zoey in the eyes. He couldn't possibly be scared of her? No. Could he? I felt like I had just walked into the twilight zone. He could have virtually picked Zoey up and carried her away from the club and yet there he was unable to look her in the eyes.

Not only was he unable to look Zoey in the eyes, but also he almost seemed to shrink back away from her as if he was scared of what she would do to him. Yes...he was actually backing away from her. Zoey seemed to have some kind of control or power over him that caused him to do whatever she wanted. Maybe she was the owner of the club. Did she fail to tell me that much? Though was that really how you handled employees? Still, if she was the owner, I doubted he would have given me trouble from the get-go. No, what happened in front of me was more like a power struggle, and yet that didn't make any sense either. There should have been no power struggle, and yet if I had to call a winner it would surely be Zoey.

To my utter disbelief the bouncer straightened up and motioned for us to go ahead into the club. Zoey smiled and motioned for me to follow her.

I turned to Zoey, “What exactly happened out there?”

She smiled, “Oh, the bouncer was just being a jerk. I straightened him out, though.”

I laughed, “Uh, yeah, I see that, but how the hell did you do that? I can't even understand what happened out there. Do you know him or something?”

“Don’t worry about it. He just needed to be reminded of where his place is. We are in and I need a drink. Let’s go.”

And just like that I was following her to the bar, more confused than when I entered. She was so nonchalant about the encounter that it left me speechless. Was this normal behavior for her? Maybe the bouncer and her were an item at some point? But would that really explain the behavior? I didn't think so. She just went around and got whatever she wanted, how did she do that? Maybe she could teach me a thing or two. I got the feeling that Zoey got her own way a lot.

Zoey ordered us both a round of whiskey and I decided to let the encounter go. Zoey clearly didn't want to talk about it, and I just wanted to have a good time. She had been kind enough to let me join in on her adventure when she could have invited anyone else. I didn't want to ruin it, and maybe I was overreacting anyways. The more I thought about it the less it seemed like a big deal. Maybe I didn't really see what I thought I saw.

As I took an appreciative sip of my whiskey I looked around the room. My brow furrowed as I took in my surroundings and the people that were in the room. I was amazed to see how beautiful everyone at the club looked. They all seemed so youthful and energized, they all had a glow, almost a fire inside them. I had never seen anything like it. Every single person in that room looked like they could take on the world with confidence and beauty. Who were these people? An exclusive club was clearly the place to be.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the next. Damn, these heels were killing me. Zoey noticed my fidgeting and laughed.

“Want to go walk around? We might be able to find a table to sit at,[[-=” Zoey asked. I smiled and nodded.

We grabbed our glasses and went about the room to find a table. As we walked through the club I kept hearing tidbits of conversations about a new pack leader. Pack leader....what did they mean? It didn't even sound like a normal sentence. A pack was a term used most often in regards to animals. Like a pack of wolves. That was where I would have heard something like that before. But why were they talking about this pack leader as if he was a man? Maybe I’ve had a bit too much to drink already.

“Zoey, you’ve been here before, right?”

“Of course! It’s the hottest place to be these days.”

I nodded and took another sip of my drink. I must have heard the other people wrong. What else could this place be besides a nightclub? Zoey noticed I had gone silent and she stopped walking to face me.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I guess I just feel a bit out of place here.”

Zoey smiled reassuringly “Quit feeling that way. You belong here because I brought you in. So let’s go have some fun!” I laughed nervously as I watched her turn and shimmy her way into the crowd of people.

As much as I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I didn’t belong here. Something in my gut was telling me to leave, however, Zoey’s enthusiasm was making me want to stay and try and fit in.

Zoey pulled me back up to the bar and ordered us another round. Maybe I just needed to relax and get a little drunk. I could just be imagining the whole ambiance of the room. Suddenly the hairs stood up at the back of my neck and I had the strange feeling that I was being watched. I turned suddenly to see who it was and there was no one. I searched the room, looking for the person who had been boring into my back. I couldn't see anyone and yet the feeling had been so strong. Maybe I was losing my mind. The whole evening had been strange, and I feared that I was just letting all of my nerves get to me.

I took another hesitant sip of my drink and felt the eyes on me again. I shivered a bit and felt as though I had an imaginary target on my back. I spun around again and all I saw was the packed dance floor.

What the hell was going on?

I
watched
the two girls as they sidled up to the bar. One of them was Zoey, but the other one I had never seen before. The dance crowd ahead of me continuously kept blocking my view of the new girl, which I found increasingly frustrating. I could only see glimpses of her at best and only from behind.

Zoey and I had known each other since we were kids. It was rare for her to bring an unknown person into the club. Was there something special about the girl? Zoey wasn't one to go about mingling with new people. She liked to only associate with the shifter crowd, and I knew that she herself was searching for a mate too. She rarely spent time with humans, she just bored of them too quickly. She liked a challenge and she never found humans to be very difficult, so I knew there was no way the girl she was with was human. If I saw her with any, they were typically work friends and it was all just a front. She was never genuinely friends with a human. It was just really hard to be that close to someone without having them discover your secret. I studied them both as I wondered where she’d found this shifter.

Zoey was known as one of the higher ranks of our clan, because of her bloodline. Not only was her family strong, but she was a shifter that many feared. You didn't mess with Zoey unless you wanted to get bit. It had occurred to me on more than one occasion that Zoey would be a great match for me to mate for life with, since we had known each other for so long. We had a natural chemistry and she was the kind of woman I could possibly see myself with. That was the kind of mate I wanted: strong, smart, fearless and sexy as hell. That was Zoey to a tee, and she would make a good mate. I wasn't one to rush into things, however. I wanted to be sure of what I was doing. Some men were stupid enough to just go for looks when it came to a mate, then they were stuck with a girl that made them want to rip out her throat every night. No thank you. I was being very careful in my selection process and I was very aware that the female population was anxious to be the mate to the alpha. Female shifters all over were chomping at the bit to get into my bed with the hopes that I would keep them around.

Zoey as my mate was an interesting thought, though. Maybe I could try her out tonight just to see if the fit made sense. I knew she would be up for it given the seductive glares she had given me as she walked across the room. The thoughts of Zoey disappeared from my mind when another female walked by catching my eye. She was a gorgeous redhead that had the body of a goddess. She took my look as an open invitation and I watched as she sauntered over to me. She looked like sex on a stick and she made her motives known immediately. She would let me have my way with her, in fact she would allow me to do whatever I wanted with her. That was the sort of one-night stand I enjoyed. I liked women who were adventurous and who allowed me to use my animal instincts during sex. This little redhead would be a lot of fun to romp around with for the evening. I could definitely take out my pent-up frustrations on her. She would love every minute of it too, I could just tell.

I chuckled to myself as I watched her approach me.

“Need some company?” she seductively asked.

I looked up and down her body. She would do for tonight, and I nodded, allowing her to sit next to me in my booth. She sat down and got right to work by rubbing my inner thigh. That was the problem with some of these women, the part that made them so boring sometimes was they were so easy. I could snap a finger and she would be mine forever, it was just that easy. A large part of the female population were just so easy to get that it took out all the fun of the hunt. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't complaining. It made for a satisfying evening as bear women were always great lays, but that was about all they were good for. There was just no excitement to any of them any more, they were often very predictable. That was probably why I kept putting off finding a mate. I needed a woman that could spark more than a boner from me. I needed a challenge, someone who would keep me on my toes. Make my daily life exciting, not just the bedroom action. Was there such a woman out there?

I glanced back at Zoey and considered her once again; she would be the more obvious choice for me. She was the kind of challenge I wanted. Given her feistiness I doubt I would bore with her as a life partner. I should probably just make the choice and choose Zoey. She was the perfect person for me and it would please the elders to get on with things.

The dance floor crowd parted, and I could see Zoey and her friend more clearly. When the girl turned around I sucked in a breath harshly. The redhead mistook my reaction for her touch and moved her body closer to mine.

“You like that?” she asked. I nodded quickly to get her to shut up. I couldn’t take my eyes off Zoey’s friend. She had blonde hair that ran down her back and was wearing a black dress that showed off all her curves. I could tell from across the room what perfume she was wearing and it was intoxicating.

My mouth grew dry immediately and I felt as if there was a magnet between us pulling me toward her. I watched as her and Zoey walked over to a nearby table and sat down. I couldn't explain why, but I just felt naturally drawn to her. I felt my pants tighten as she leaned over to adjust her shoes. God, what I wouldn't do to get that girl alone.

She was stunning; she had the most perfect curves and they were in all the right places. The shine of her blonde hair caught my eye. She put the redhead next to me in shame, and I longed to touch her hair and lick her lips. I would do much more to her than that if she would allow it.

Shaking my head, I was unsure of what had come over me. The girl practically had me in a trance. I had never reacted that way towards a woman before, and yet that mystery girl had my thoughts all tangled up. What was it about her that made her so special? Could she be the one? My mate. It had never occurred to me that there could be a connection that would make a mate known to me. No, I had never heard anything about such a thing. This was just some girl that had caught my eye. There was no need to read any more into it. I was getting caught up in the moment, I knew I had to find a mate and that connection was confusing to me. I had to deal with the mate situation logically and not let fantasy aspects get into my head. I had no idea who the girl was, I couldn't allow a spark of interest to cloud my thoughts. But it seemed to be more than just a spark, oh yes, it seemed as if she had possession of my body and refused to let it go. I had no choice but to see her, possibly touch her and see where the connection came from.

I moved my body to the side to see more of the girl but the redheaded shifter was currently latched onto my neck with her hand on my cock. The redhead would have mounted me right there if I had allowed her to. Did she really think I would make her my mate after this? This wasn't the kind of girl that would be my Queen, no... she would only be for fun. She was causing a stir in me but not one that was stronger than the pull Zoey’s friend had on me.

I pried the redhead off me and saw a sullen look come across her face. “What's wrong? Don't you like it? We can go back to my place if you want some privacy.”

I smiled, “Sorry love, I have some business to attend to. I will make it up to you next time, I promise.” I probably wouldn't, but it was the only way to get her off me. In fact, I didn't really care if I ever saw her again.

She sulked and walked away slowly. I watched her for a moment wondering what it would have been like to sink my teeth into her. She stopped and stood up against the wall pouting. She intended on watching where I would go and she would see that my interest lay somewhere else. I ignored her stares and made my way over to Zoey and her friend.

I approached the table where both girls looked up at me. Zoey smiled while her friend looked at me curiously. “Well, hello there Cole.” Although she smiled I could see that my arrival had surprised Zoey. She looked pleased, however, that I had come to see her. Little did she know...

“Zoey, you are looking great tonight. But you always look good, don't you?”

“Why, thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself there.”

“Thank you. Are you ladies having a good time?”

“Of course, it's a busy night,” she said with a laugh.

“That's good to hear. Who’s your friend?” I motioned towards the girl next to her.

Zoey arched an eyebrow and rolled her eyes slightly. “Sure, Cole. This is Avery, we work together. Avery, this is Cole, he's a friend of mine.”

Avery nodded and smiled up at me. She had a beautiful smile. “Oh, it's nice to meet you, Cole.”

I moved in close to Avery, ignoring Zoey, and gently grasped her chin. I looked deeply in her eyes and watched them widen in surprise. “I could not keep my eyes off you from across the room, Avery. It’s nice to meet you.”

She blushed immediately and giggled, looking down into her drink. “Oh wow, thank you. I borrowed the dress from Zoey, actually. It was a last-minute decision to come here.” She looked at Zoey and smiled. Zoey didn't smile back. I could feel the tension rippling off of her.

“Oh was it now? Well you look incredible, that color suits you perfectly.”

Avery blushed, obviously surprised and unaccustomed to such attention. I had to admit that I loved how Avery would blush and giggle from my compliments, she was so unlike any of the other girls I ran into. Most girls, especially shifters, were ready to mount me on sight, they didn't even need the compliments, they were all ready to go. This one, however, she basked in the glow of my compliments and it made me want to smother her in them. She was indeed very special, where had she come from?

Zoey looked annoyed by our conversation and it made me wonder if she had considered being my mate as well. It hadn't occurred to me, however, that Zoey had plans of her own to be my mate. Was I complicating things by talking to Avery?

“Hey Cole, why don't you buy us ladies a drink if you're just gonna stand there and offer up compliments?”

She had a glint in her eyes and I knew she wanted me to either back off from the table or at least back off from Avery. By the look in her eyes, she was practically growling at me. It was actually kind of a turn-on, her aggressiveness. She wasn't about to scare me away, I was the alpha after all.

“Maybe later, Zoey.”

“Come on, Cole, this is a ladies’ night. I was taking my friend out for a good time.”

I was starting to become increasingly frustrated by Zoey and almost silenced her with a growl. I didn't care about ordering drinks or making mundane conversation with either of them. All I wanted was to figure out how to get Avery alone and get her legs wrapped around my waist.