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  She wanted to be out of the diner, along with the other waitresses.

  Rushing toward the staffroom, she quickly untied her shoes, grabbing her bag where her clothes were kept. Joe didn’t like it when his waitresses took his property, meaning his uniforms. They had to stay on the premises and on a Saturday evening, he always took them, washed them, and they were neatly presented to them the next shift.

  She hated handing her clothes over to him. Even though he wasn’t a creep, well, not too much of one.

  Just as she’d pulled her sneakers on and was about to head out, Joe cleared his throat. “I want a word with you, Bethany,” he said.

  The waitresses gave her a sympathetic smile. Joe didn’t pay them any attention.

  All she wished to do was work, earn her pay, and leave. No drama.

  “What is it, Joe?” she asked.

  “Come back to my office. I want to talk to you about something.”

  Her heart raced.

  He stared down the length of her body. There was no revulsion in his eyes. She’d filled out with large hips, big tits, a small waist, and thick thighs that rubbed together if she wore a skirt without some shorts beneath it. She didn’t mind her body, content with how she looked, even if she wasn’t cover model material.

  Grabbing her bag, she hoped whatever Joe had to say wouldn’t make her uncomfortable. This job had grown on her and she wanted to start a new life where maybe she’d meet a man who didn’t want to give her up.

  She tried not to dream but there was still a smidge of fairy tales inside her.

  Chapter Two

  “Where we going?” asked Reese.

  “Home,” said Caleb. He had no intention of heading home just yet, but he wasn’t going to lurk around the diner like a stalker. His pack was too anxious for him to mate—to the point they could blow this for him. For them. They needed to remember he was dealing with a human female, not a wolf. She had to be treated differently, and he had to bide his time if he wanted to win her over. In his forty years, he’d learned a lot about the human culture and they made a huge ordeal when it came to courting a female—dating, engagements, gifts of jewels, and a slew of other hoops to jump through. The rituals could stretch out needlessly, sometimes over years, until they finally married and consummated the relationship.

  Wolves relied solely on the mating call. Shifters went from strangers to life mates within hours. No games, no hoops. This was so different. He wasn’t sure he could even win Bethany over.

  Caleb had to believe fate had things right, and it would be only a matter of time until he claimed Bethany as his mate. Otherwise, he’d drive himself crazy. After a lifetime, he’d finally felt the call. And there was no denying it. Just thinking about her name made his cock stir.

  “We can’t just leave now. You didn’t even make a move,” said David. “Don’t try to tell me you felt nothing because that’s bullshit.”

  He turned and glared at his packmate, reminding him who was in charge. “This is my concern, not yours. I’ll handle things my way.”

  David clenched his jaw, likely craving an argument, but he kept his mouth shut. Caleb didn’t need to be reminded that he had to be the first to mate. It was a responsibility, or curse, that had followed him for over decades.

  “Boss…” Brian trailed after him.

  He was tempted to shift and leave them all behind for the night. They wouldn’t be able to follow without the power of the full moon. Instead, he tried to keep a level head, attempting to put himself in their shoes.

  Caleb stopped dead and turned to his men. “Listen, we have the same argument almost every day. This time it’s different. Now, stop being whining bitches because it’s grating on my nerves. I will be claiming Bethany. I don’t know how or when, but that’s a fact.”

  Smiles began to appear, and they kept silent.

  Even though they could drive him crazy, he loved his little pack.

  “She’s a human. If I move too fast, I’ll lose her,” said Caleb.

  “So, what’s your plan?” asked Reese.

  “I don’t have one,” he said. “But I’ll figure it out. Now drive home. I need to clear my head for a while.

  This time, they didn’t argue. He tossed Reese the truck keys and kept walking down the main street. The truth was his wolf demanded he stay near her. His mind wasn’t in a fog. In fact, he’d never been more certain of anything in his life. He was deeply drawn to Bethany, a woman he’d known for only a few minutes.

  He envisioned her in his mind’s eye. Green eyes to get lost in, reminiscent of the forest at sunrise. A pure heart. And curves for fucking miles. Fate got things right because, mating call or not, Bethany was exactly the kind of female he’d want.

  Caleb’s mouth salivated as he thought of her, and he found himself heading in the direction of the diner without realizing it. He blamed his wolf.

  As he neared, he noted the diner was closed with most of the lights turned off. A couple of waitresses talked near a navy-blue car in the small parking lot, then one got behind the driver’s seat and the other walked toward the other end of the lot. He watched from the near distance until they were both gone, the sounds of their engines fading to silence. The drone of crickets from the surrounding fields took over. Dark shadows from the forest would normally be an invitation to split his skin, to experience the thrill of running wild. Not tonight.

  Where was Bethany?

  His hackles rose, and he moved in closer. There was a faint light on somewhere in the back of the diner. He was tempted to shift into his wolf so he could experience his enhanced senses, but it wasn’t necessary. As he neared, the acrid scent of her fear hit him like a punch to the gut.

  Instincts dormant before today came rushing to the surface. An unrelenting need to protect his mate blurred all logic as he rushed to the building. The front door was unlocked, so he burst inside. If it had been locked, he wouldn’t have hesitated in breaking it down into splinters.

  He used one hand to leap over the counter and made his way down the narrow hallway where he found a beam of light under the last door.

  She was in there.

  Caleb didn’t think. He acted. Pushing open the door, ready to kill for his mate, he came face-to-face with the owner of the diner. He hadn’t paid attention before, too focused on Bethany, but this asshole was a bear. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d come across a bear shifter in these woods.

  “Looking for Bethany?” he asked.

  “Move,” said Caleb.

  Yeah, the bear was fucking big, but not bigger than Caleb. He was a freak of nature, a powerhouse of pure alpha wolf.

  The bear stepped to the side and opened one arm in invitation. Caleb moved farther into the room, finally making eye contact with Bethany sitting in a chair facing a large desk.

  “Caleb? What are you doing here?” she asked.

  How was he supposed to explain himself? He expected to find her in distress or injured. Adrenaline already coursed through his veins in anticipation of a fight.

  The bear chuckled, a deep, annoying sound. “I knew you’d show up. I saw the look in your eyes when you were in here earlier.”

  “You touch her?”

  “Not a finger.” The bastard smirked, and Caleb had to hold back a growl.

  “What’s going on, Joe?” Bethany asked.

  Joe? Caleb wanted to wipe him off the face of the planet for being alone in the room with his mate. And he didn’t like hearing his name on Bethany’s lips.

  “Nothing, sweetheart. You can go,” said Joe.

  Bethany squeezed out behind him. Neither of them moved as they faced off. Once she was gone and out of earshot, he dropped his façade.

  “What fucking game are you playing, bear?”

  “I should ask you the same. A wolf pack right under my nose?”

  “You don’t own the forest. And I promise I don’t bend over for anyone trying to move in on my territory. Not for a wolf, a coyote … or a bear.”

&n
bsp; Joe shrugged. “Interesting.” He chuckled again.

  Caleb clenched his jaw. “Something funny?”

  “You’re making threats, but your mate works for me. I don’t see that changing either, not when I just gave her a nice big raise.”

  Of course, he did. So, the bear was going to play dirty and try to blackmail him. He knew getting out of this wasn’t so simple as telling Bethany the truth. The conversation about shifters wasn’t one he needed to have when he’d just met her. “You planned all of this—Bethany, the raise, this little encounter.”

  “I’m not a cub. I knew you wouldn’t wander far from her,” said Joe.

  “Give her a raise, fire her, it makes no difference to me. I’ll be taking care of her from now on. She doesn’t need your money anymore.”

  “Bethany’s independent to a fault. She doesn’t even know you. From the brief time she’s worked here, I can tell you she’s built walls of steel around herself. That girl’s been through the wringer, and she won’t be running to warm your bed, wolf.”

  “I don’t know bear pack dynamics, and I honestly don’t give a shit, but I’m not looking to fuck her. I’m not an animal.” He winked, but it was anything but friendly.

  Caleb wanted to claim Bethany, to mate for life. She wasn’t a one-night stand, but the future of the entire pack. Without her, even his men would be doomed to loneliness.

  “Unless you plan on moving out of state and out of our territory, I’ll be getting real friendly with my curvy little waitress. By the way, did you see the size of those tits?”

  His fist was in the bear’s face so fast, he didn’t have time to think. Joe stumbled back against the wall. “Try me!” Caleb roared. “You so much as breathe down her neck, I’ll fucking gut you.”

  The power of the alpha couldn’t be denied. Even the bear shifter backed off. “Just teasing,” Joe said.

  He wasn’t. It was a clear threat, and Caleb knew it. Until he claimed her and told her what he really was, she was in danger working at the diner. The bear pack would use her against him and his pack like a disposable pawn. And he’d be losing sleep over this.

  “Be careful who you choose to pick a battle with. Threatening a man’s mate could end up bringing a firestorm of pain on your pack. And your profitable little business here.” Caleb grinned, showing his fangs.

  He wasn’t beneath playing dirty. And collateral damage wasn’t a concern, not when it came to protecting Bethany.

  ****

  Bethany paced back and forth. The sun had set, leaving only one spotlight out front to fend off the darkness. What was going on inside the diner?

  Her hero from earlier was facing off with Joe—a man nobody dared to cross. Caleb had been furious, acting like a possessive beast. It was surreal. His intensity made him even more ruggedly handsome. The regular bushmen who frequented the diner were nothing like Caleb and his friends. They were another level of outdoorsmen—solid muscle and sexy as hell.

  She wished she knew all the details of the confrontation. Did Caleb know Joe? Was there a woman they were fighting over? Her mind was full of questions. Of course, she wanted to believe he was there for her, but she’d only just met him.

  Bethany took a deep breath of evening air. It was rich and clean, nothing like what she’d left behind in the city. This place put her soul at ease. It was only a five-minute walk to the boarding house she was staying at, but she needed to stick around. Any excuse to run into Caleb again was a worthy one. She’d been thinking of him since he left earlier, wondering if there had been a spark for him. Could he even be interested in a girl like her?

  When the chimes on the front door jingled, she whirled around to face the diner. Caleb stepped out. He didn’t look like he’d been in a fight. Was Joe dead?

  So many crazy thoughts swirled in her head, but one thing for certain, she wasn’t afraid of Caleb. Maybe she should be. She took several tentative steps closer, hoping she wasn’t making a mistake sticking around.

  “Where’s Joe?” she called out.

  He faced her but stopped dead. “You’re worried about him?”

  Was that jealousy in his tone?

  “Well, you look pretty good. I don’t see him around.”

  Caleb shrugged. “Your boss is fine.” He began to move toward her. “But I’d be careful around him.”

  “Why?” She hugged herself from the evening chill. Bethany wanted answers. Being new to town, everything was still a guessing game. She didn’t want to move again. For once, she wanted to put down roots and really belong.

  “He’s not everything he seems to be.”

  She knew very little about her boss but often got a creepy vibe from him. Her instincts had probably been right all along, but there was a huge difference between being an asshole boss and being dangerous. She needed to know what she was dealing with.

  When she’d been called into his office earlier, she’d been terrified. She wasn’t sure what to expect but was certain it would end up with her running from the building. The last thing she needed was to be forced to quit her job because he put her in an uncomfortable position—or worse. Instead, the guy had offered her a raise. She’d been dumbfounded. And suspicious. Bethany wasn’t exactly employee of the month.

  “What made you come here?” she asked.

  He stepped even closer, almost in her personal space. “I wanted to protect you. I don’t trust that man.”

  When he was closer, she realized just how big the guy was. He towered over her with strong shoulders and biceps that strained the plaid jacket he wore. His voice was deep and gruff, the sound soothing and arousing simultaneously.

  “Protect me from what?” she whispered. His presence had a profound effect on her. She wanted him to protect her from everything—Joe, the world, her own insecurities.

  “You were afraid. Not like earlier when you tripped. Afraid.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “How could you know that? Did my friends say something?”

  He bit his lower lip, looking down at her. Bethany’s body thrummed to life, distracting her from logical thought. “Yeah. Your friends were worried.”

  “What did they say?”

  “It’s not important.” He reached out to touch her hair, but she flinched away. “Don’t be skittish. I won’t hurt you, Bethany.”

  He spoke her name slowly, deliciously. “I don’t know you.”

  Although she could envision numerous X-rated scenarios with Caleb, she was completely inexperienced when it came to men and didn’t know where to start. One of her lifelong fears was being dumped and rejected, so guys looking for a one-night stand were not her type. No matter how irresistible. She wouldn’t be able to handle the emotional aftermath.

  Caleb raised an eyebrow. “I saved your life. Or don’t you remember?”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “Right. How could I forget.”

  The entire world faded away, leaving just the two of them, the lone light from the diner and a connection she hoped wasn’t one-sided. He looked into her eyes like she was something special, and she started to believe it. It was a high she’d never experienced. Maybe the whole love-at-first-sight thing wasn’t so farfetched because, right now, she felt like fate had brought them together.

  “Let me buy you jewels.”

  Bethany snorted then stopped herself when he didn’t laugh along. His shoulders were squared, his jaw strong. The man was serious.

  “Is that how men around here flirt?” Maybe it was. This town was so far off the grid, it was nothing like she’d ever experienced.

  “Sorry, I meant, let me date you. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I had you in my arms.”

  She wouldn’t waste a chance to date a man like Caleb. He was raw, untapped masculinity. He probably had no clue how beautiful he was. She hated the conceited pretty boys in the city.

  “A date?”

  “Well, a second date. I considered the coffee you bought me to be the first one.” Now he smirked, a barely-there smirk, but
it made her pussy clench. Something devilish swirled in those gray eyes, and she hoped she was making the right decision.

  “I can see that.” She bit her bottom lip, impossibly attracted to this man.

  “Tell me what you want, and I’ll do it,” he said. “I’m new to dating.”

  “You’re new to dating?”

  “Why is that surprising?”

  She shrugged. “Never mind.”

  “No, really, please tell me,” he said.

  Bethany would probably embarrass herself at some point if they went on a date. Better for him to see what he was getting into before they made plans. “Well, you’re like a nine and I’m more like a three.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “A nine and a three…”

  She waited for him to say something, preferably to make her feel better. It seemed to take forever until he spoke again.

  “Sorry, I’ve got nothing. Is it a riddle?”

  She couldn’t help but giggle, trying her best not to let it out. This town was something else. It was refreshing to be around a down-to-earth man not tainted by the world.

  “I mean you’re a nine out of ten, and I’m a three out of ten. You could do a lot better, so I can’t help but feel suspicious.”

  “In that case, you’re a ten out of ten, Bethany. I’ve never seen a woman more beautiful or desirable in my forty years. I’ll do everything in my power to make this work.”

  Her breath caught. She’d been good at gauging fake people in her life, and he sounded sincere. Should she mention the huge age gap? She wouldn’t offer that she was only twenty-five just yet.

  “Is there even anything to do in this little town?” From what she knew, there was nothing to do but stare at the trees—no theatre, decent restaurants, or entertainment of any sort.

  “You’re new here. I can show you around. I rarely come into town, but the off-beaten areas are pristine. I can show you a lot of hidden treasures.”

  Bethany nodded her head. She wanted to run off with this man right now, no looking back. But she had to be smart. “Maybe we should have coffee or something first. You know, to get to know each other.”