“Is that so? What do you think I could help you with? Is it about books? Because I know a thing or two about books.”
“No, it’s about… you know.” He gestured to her person, trying to get the implication across without actually saying shifter. It was asking for trouble to say such a thing in public places.
“Is that so.” Her voice became flat. What should have been a question was a statement, like slamming the door in his face.
Oscar didn’t know what he done to bother her. He wished he could take it back, whatever offense he’d handed her, but all he could do was wait for her to say something. If she wasn’t willing to help him, then he doubted he could reach out to the wild shifter.
“If this is about my good for nothing father, just boot him off your territory and be done with him. I’m not worried.” She spun away from him and waved a hand over her shoulder.
“I’m not sure I follow. What would your father have to do with this?”
“I just assumed…if its about you know, that it’d be about my father. Mom is busy bouncing around the world with her mate. She’s no trouble for anyone.”
Oscar knew so little about Regina. The Hollywood stunner spoke so coldly about her own family, as if they meant nothing to her. She could have spoken of stray animals with more affection than she reserved for her parents. His bear roared and filled his ears with fury. The beast wanted to punish her family for making her hate them the way she did. He wanted to drag them back together and force them to be whatever it was she needed.
It was an odd urge. This woman was neither date nor Pack. She should have been nothing more than an enemy to his beast. Yet, the creature wanted to hand her anything she asked for. It took more effort than he would have liked to pull his beast back from the woman. It would have to learn to live without her, even though it pulled him closer to her.
He left a business card on her desk. It was flat white with only a phone number on it. “Call me if you’d like to know more. I’ll let you get back to your job now.”
Oscar left, even though his beast screamed at him to turn back. It wanted to bask in her presence. The creature was a fool, Oscar decided, trying to distract itself from the disaster looming overhead. Regina was beautiful, but she was not Pack. She wasn’t the woman they’d lost.
At the thought of their lost lover, the bear quieted. It gave a small whimper, angry at Oscar for using her memory against it, and retreated. The thought hurt him, too. No matter how many years passed, it stung. He hadn’t been there when it happened, but he could still hear the sounds of crunching metal in his ears. He heard the jaws of life as they pried open her crumpled car.
He shook his head. Enough was enough. If he allowed himself to wallow, his lingering grief would swallow him whole. He had too much to do before his trip upstate.
Chapter Three
Regina didn’t go home after work. Instead, she retreated to Miles and Lia’s beach house. The coast was quiet, only the sounds of gulls and waves reaching her as she stood on the back patio. They’d given her a key of her own since she showed up as often as she did. Most of the time, she came to the beach to catch some waves before work.
Lately, she came so that she would feel a little less alone. Lia was always grateful to see her. As the bump in her belly grew larger, Lia needed more and more help. Miles offered what he could, but his efforts were always clumsy and half-baked. He was far more interested in protecting his pregnant mate than in doing the dishes.
While she stood on the patio and watched the ocean, her mind drifted back to the encounter at the library. Clearly, Oscar didn’t frequent her job. He lived an hour north in Santa Cruz, the heart of his territory. They had their own library. He’d made it very clear that he came for her.
She turned over the white business card. She was tempted to call Nessa and yell at her. The kitty-shifter was meddling in Regina’s life and she wasn’t having it. Nessa needed to back off. Nothing was going to work, and she didn’t want to further wreck Nessa’s winning streak. She remembered how the kitty-shifter had flailed when Miles used her matchmaking service like a booty-call machine.
“You can come inside, you know.” Miles lingered in the open doorway. Concern was faint, but apparent. It was funny how she’d gone from trying to seduce him to being his friend.
Regina offered a small smile. Her head throbbed from the circles it’d spun her in.
“I’m making dinner tonight. We invited Monica and Nikolai, too.”
“So, what you’re saying is I should go home? I can’t imagine you can cook anything edible if it isn’t on the grill.”
He pushed the door open and stepped out. “That’s not fair. I’m a great cook.”
“Whatever you say, big boy. I’m sure you’re passable, at best.” She paused. “Besides, I don’t need to be a fifth wheel tonight.”
Recognition passed over Miles face and he nodded. “That’s your problem? You don’t want to be the only one without a mate?”
Regina didn’t answer him, her lips pressed tight. His words stung, hitting the issue like an arrow. What could she say to him that would make him leave her be? There’s was nothing she could do other than retreat.
Before she could get far, Miles grabbed her by the arm and dragged her inside. The door slammed shut behind her. Lia looked up with slight alarm on her face. Miles mate looked between Miles and Regina with a question in her eyes.
“She was trying to refuse a free dinner.” Miles said it as if Regina hadn’t mentioned feeling out of place at all.
Lia rolled her eyes. “It’s not exactly free when she’s stuck doing the dishes every time.” Lia mouthed the word sorry at Regina.
“I don’t mind doing the dishes. That’s not the problem. The problem is that Miles is cooking. I can’t believe you would let him into your kitchen.”
Lia laughed. She was only five months along, time flying until her bump seemed bigger than her. Regina couldn’t imagine what Lia would look like in four months, closer to her due date.
“Do you know what you’re having yet? A bear or a selkie?”
Lia shook her head. Regina wasn’t sure how this worked. Both her parents were fox shifters, the vixen blood running strong through them. It had been clear that their only child would be a fox shifter, too. Regina didn’t know if Lia could feel the beast inside the child or if there was some sort of mother’s intuition that let her know.
“I keep saying that it’s going to be a water bear,” Miles said from the kitchen.
“You are not helping!” Lia snapped. When she turned back to Regina, Lia leaned forward and whispered. “He knows damn well that a water bear is a microorganism and not an actual bear. The next time he says it, I might try stabbing him.”
Regina let out a wild laugh. While the war over Lia’s sealskin and the coastal territory hadn’t been pleasant, she was willing to admit that it brought the best friends she could ask for. She could tell that Lia was happier for it, too. Without her pod of selkies, Lia had been a lonely creature as well. There’d been a time when it was only Lia and her sister, Nessa.
Now their circle of friends included Regina and Monica, becoming almost a coven of cackling shifter women each Sunday morning. Lia’s mimosas had become just orange juice in a champagne flute, but they were still just as wild.
“What is he trying to make out there, anyway?”
“Italian, I think. He said something about a basil cream sauce with tomatoes. It might have been sun-dried tomatoes. To be honest, I just let him have at it for now. I’ll wake him in the middle of the night and beg for ice-cream anyway.”
For a little while, Regina could forget that her parents split, abandoning her in the process. There was no gaping hole in her life. The shifter women had filled it, welcoming Regina into their arms. They didn’t scorn her for trying to seduce Miles. They didn’t seethe with jealousy for having slept with Nikolai. They loved her.
It was more than she’d felt in a long time, but she wasn’t sure she coul
d handle a group dinner with the mates present.
“Is Nessa stopping by tonight?” Regina held onto hope that the kitty-shifter would keep her from being an unnecessary fifth wheel.
“No, she missed some hours and she’s trying to make them up at work. She did say something about sending someone in her place.”
Great, Regina thought. While she would miss Nessa’s presence as the only other non-mated shifter at the table, she was grateful at least someone would be there.
Soon enough, Regina and Lia lost themselves in a discussion around a book Regina brought to her a week ago. It seemed that Lia had flown through the contemporary mystery and was already aching for more. Her life had become quiet and peaceful once everyone stopped fighting over her sealskin. Regina didn’t blame her for wanting a bit of action in her life.
Although, Regina was positive there was no lack of a certain kind of action in their household. She knew mates, especially new mates, humped like rabbits. While they discussed the book, Miles made a point of leaving the kitchen every few minutes or so just to touch his mate. Often, it was a hand on the shoulder. Sometimes, it was a chaste kiss on the lips. No matter what, it was as if they craved each other despite the calm that had crept in. Even if it meant letting the pasta boil over a little.
Monica and Nikolai arrived, arm in arm. It seemed, they too, could barely stand even an inch of distance between them. Regina tried to imagine the electric pull between two bodies. She couldn’t stand the thought of being so close to someone all the time. It seemed smothering, as if she might die beneath the oppressive presence.
Even so, the look on their faces made it seem worth it. Regina was trapped between being grateful that she’d never know love and murderously jealous. It made her feet unsteady as she made her way over to the table.
The mated pairs each claimed a corner, the men on either end and the two women sandwiched together on one side. It left Regina sitting next to an empty chair on her side of the table.
“You said Nessa was sending someone in her place. Do you know who she was sending?”
Lia shrugged although Regina could see the faintest quirk on the corner of her friend’s mouth. Jus as she was trying to decipher the secret hidden behind that impassable face, there was a knock at the door. Lia shouted that the door was open, her smirk widening.
Like that, there were three bear shifters in the room.
Regina cussed beneath her breath. Her gaze shifted to Lia as she whispered. “I told that cat of yours that I’m not paying her. I pulled my profile. You can all stop helping her now.”
Lia just smiled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She looked to Oscar. “There’s an open seat next to Regina. Come, join us.”
Oscar nodded. Regina quickly turned away from him. Her hair fell like a veil between them. Her face was warming again, and she didn’t know how to stop it. Maybe she would just need to start wearing thicker foundation around her friends. Clearly, they were going to embarrass her until she died.
“Thank you for having me. It’s been… a while since I’ve gone out.” Oscar was soft spoken. His voice was smoke on the air, warm and gentle even though you knew it came from a place of devastating power.
“You’re telling me,” Monica mumbled, even though there was a soft smile on her lips.
Oscar shared the smile, warmth reaching his dark eyes. Regina found herself staring and her cheeks burned hotter. She quickly looked away, focusing on the plate before her. Long fettucine noodles swam in a slightly green sauce, dotted with jewel-like tomatoes. The smell tickled her nose and pulled her thoughts away from the man sitting beside her.
What was Nessa thinking? There’s no way I could be a match for someone like him!
Oscar was everything Regina avoided in life. He was the strong and silent type. When there was an issue, he solved it with his fists. There was no room for gentle conversation or late-night cuddles. He certainly didn’t look like he’d be up to eating an entire French Silk pie at one in the morning, and she could almost guarantee he wouldn’t want to watch any classic movies in the early afternoon with her. He probably sneered at books, too.
Nessa was out of her mind, trying to pair Regina with Oscar. That much was clear. Regina pulled her head high, offered a small smile, and reassured herself that this was going to go absolutely nowhere. The thought helped ease the tension in her shoulders, and eventually she was laughing alongside her girlfriends.
Nikolai and Oscar both apologized for what they did six months ago. They looked like chastised children as they did, and it was rather charming. Even Oscar’s cheeks darkened as he ducked his head in shame. The fact that he could blush at all captured Regina’s attention. With the brick red color spreading across his face, she felt like she was seeing a whole new side of him, one that smiled and laughed once in a while.
This was a strange situation, she reminded herself. Oscar was performing, acting like the kind of person Lia might want to have at her table. It was all part of the apology. Oscar wanted to be kind in the house of his host and so he was trying to be apologetic about something he probably felt no remorse over.
Regina cut a sidelong glance at him and lost all train of thought. His face was sincere, his eyes flicking from person to person at the table as if in search of acceptance. He was an Alpha. Alphas needed no approval from anyone. To see him silently seeking it seemed to soften the image that he’d built around himself. If anything, Regina wondered if she was seeing a small bit of the curtain pulled back.
Was this the man beneath the reputation? Or, was it the performance she’d thought?
Either way, she wasn’t about to date him. So, she didn’t really care.
“This is delicious,” Oscar offered. “Where did you order it from? Rosa’s?”
Miles’ head shot up. Lia howled with laughter, clutching her baby bump.
“I don’t get it. What’s so funny?” Oscar looked around the table.
Regina smiled, leaning in to whisper. “This is homemade, honey. Miles made it himself.”
Embarrassment spilled over his face. His hands rose to cover the creeping blush that rose up his neck to take over his cheeks. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think about that. I’m so used to ordering food that I often forget others can cook.”
“You don’t cook?” Regina’s jaw dropped.
Oscar peeked out from behind his fingers. It was strangely cute on such a bulky man. Oscar could have lifted a car, and here he was, playing embarrassment peek-a-boo. When he shook his head, she felt her heart thump.
No, she told herself. She would not let herself become attracted to this man. It was out of the question. Her life was fine and dandy without inviting an Alpha from a different pack into it.
“So, you just eat out all the time? Doesn’t that get expensive? Tiring?”
His hands fell away from his face and he shrugged. “It wasn’t bad until I had to replace some windows and furniture.”
Lia laughed again. There was no remorse in the way she met Oscar’s glare. Lia, in her own way, was an Alpha now. She ran the coast of California, even if Miles was the only member in her pack. After what the Alphas put her through, she deserved it. Including Oscar’s botched kidnapping attempt, which ended with Lia putting a standing lamp through his windows.
Regina wished she could have been there to see it. As shifters they were strong, but as women, they still weren’t as strong as their male counterparts. It was satisfying when one of their own found a way to undermine the blunt male strength.
The dinner went on, a tirade of barb trading as everyone joked about the offenses that occurred between them. Eventually, Regina found a reason to excuse herself and drifted back to the patio. Once the door closed behind her and she was out of sight of the glass, her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a breath.
She wanted nothing more than to go home and relax in bed while some old film played in the background. She’d seen all of them, from Bell, Book, and Candle to Casablanca. They were
her nightly serenades, sending her off to dreams about dramatic affairs and unending love.
***
Oscar Torres had called the matchmaker after his meeting with Regina. He hadn’t put his profile into her system, so the fact that she’d matched him with anyone had been intriguing. Over the phone, Nessa assured him that he’d been in her system for several months. She did admit that Monica tried to plant an extra one at one point, which had hadn’t expected at all.
It was just further proof that he was out of touch. He knew so little about his Pack and what they were doing. He knew Monica had been living her own life, nearly solitary. He thought that was how she’d wanted it. When Nessa told him about the extra profile she’d tried to slip in, he realized Monica might have had another reason for staying away.
Bitterness was rolling through Oscar, gnawing at his soul, when Regina pushed back from the table and slipped outside. His thoughts followed her. He was surprised when they left behind all the regret and worry he’d been feeling to track her as she retreated.
Her hips swayed beneath the thin layer of silk she wore. Long, red hair brushed the top of her ass, completely unbound.
Beneath the table, a foot nudged him. Monica grinned from ear to ear when his attention snapped back to the table.
“Go. Follow her.”
He pressed his lips together. He didn’t want a match, had no room in his life for a mate. He should have been smart and turned down Nessa’s offer to take her place at this dinner. Yet, he felt like he owed Monica for the years he’d ignored her presence. Swallowing his sigh, he pushed back from the table. Monica looked happier than he’d ever seen her.
He should have been worried about her plotting, but he only felt regret. How could he have done so wrong by her that only now, once she left his Pack behind, was she truly happy? He knew, as he stalked toward the glass door, that her happiness was from Nikolai. They were mated, a fated pair whose love would know no bounds. The knowledge of that didn’t make it any easier on him.
Her Alpha Mismatch Page 2