Fated Mate

by Juniper Hart

  She closed her eyes, hearing Alex mutter something as Jareth led her away from the tree and pushed her to her knees.

  Obligingly, Ali reached up as he opened his cloak, revealing a startlingly fit muscled form, naked and ready to be serviced. She took him in her mouth as Alex crouched at her back, pressing his own firm frame against hers. Deeper she coaxed Jareth’s member into her wet mouth, her hands following through with solids strokes.

  Ali pushed her bare hips back, desiring Alex’s member between her wet slit, one of his hands encircling her throat. Jareth’s palms lay flat upon her head, his fingers petting her hair as Alex spread her legs apart, entering her in one swift move.

  Her position wasn’t the most comfortable for her to be taken, but Ali only wanted more, moaning around Jareth’s member, the movements of her mouth growing more erratic while Alex plunged into her fast and wild. The werewolf was angry—furious, even, at not having her to himself—releasing his mounting rage on her core.

  Ali could not get enough of them. She was gasping, screaming against Jareth’s tumescent shaft as she allowed him deeper into her wanting mouth.

  Jareth’s sack was growing taut, as was Alex’s against her rear, and Ali knew she was about to release in sweeping waves.

  As if in tune to a song only they could hear, the explosion occurred in unison. The three of them mewled, groaned, and shuddered in a supernatural succulence.

  Ali cautiously slipped Jareth from her mouth and stared up at him while Alex clung to her back, expelling the last of his orgasm inside her.

  Jareth smiled, winking mischievously at her before spinning and disappearing into the night as if he had never been there.

  Ali was not sorry to see him go, but she still felt a melancholic sense of loss when he vanished.

  She fell forward onto all fours, the strength seeping from her body as Alex pulled himself out of her core. Rolling onto her back, she peered at him imploringly, as if seeking an explanation, but he simply shook his head.

  “Rest now,” he murmured, running his hand over her face. “It will make more sense after you rest.”

  Naked and exhausted, Ali obeyed, closing her blue eyes as he watched over her protectively.

  She slept.

  A strange growling woke her, and Ali’s eyes flew open, certain that she and Alex were not alone again.

  “Alex?” she gasped, sitting up.

  Confusion filled her body as she gazed around the tent. On her right lay Christine, half curled in a fetal position, snoring, and Tara was nowhere to be seen.

  Ali ripped her sleeping bag aside, noticing that her clothing was the same as it had been the previous night before her encounter with Alex and Jareth: a purple V-neck shirt and a pair of white shorts.

  Albeit slightly dirty, neither item was ripped, and when she checked, her underwear was also intact.

  No way, she thought, shaking her head. No way I dreamt that.

  Slowly, Ali crawled across her sleeping bag toward the flaps of the tent, unzipping the partition so she could spill into the grey light of dawn.

  Half a dozen people were sprawled about in various states of wakefulness, and Ali couldn’t tell if they were just waking up or going to bed. She stumbled out, running her hand through her unruly mass of hair, looking around for a familiar face.

  As she neared the spot where the bonfire was a smouldering pile of embers, she saw Tara, legs dangling over the side of a folding chair, smoking a cigarette.

  “Well, look who’s alive!” Tara cried, her voice echoing across the moderate silence of the clearing. “Glad to see you made it, Ali.”

  Ali gazed at Tara in disbelief.

  “What happened last night?” she demanded, dropping to her knees. “What happened to me?”

  Tara snorted. “Last night? Nothing. You passed out at like four in the afternoon and didn’t move—until now.” She narrowed her eyes at her.

  “Did you come back and try to wake me?” Ali insisted. “Are you sure I was in the tent all night?”

  Tara cast her a strange look. “No one came to check on you,” she said, “but you were there when Christine went to bed. I made sure she texted me to let me know you were still breathing.”

  No, Ali thought. There’s no way. I went out last night. I saw the bonfire. I…

  “Ali, are you okay?” Tara asked, swinging her legs over and swivelling to stare at her friend. “You look funny.”

  Ali shook her head, unsure of what to believe.

  It was all a dream. Of course it was. Nothing else makes sense. There are no shifters, no immortals. I just drank too much and had a weird, sexy dream.

  “I’m fine,” she muttered. “I’m going to make some coffee.”

  “I could definitely go for coffee,” Tara agreed, rising to join her. “And I haven’t even slept yet. You, on the other hand, look like crap for someone who has slept an entire day away.”

  Ali didn’t answer, but she was suddenly overcome by a deep sense of longing.

  “How did you get leaves in your hair?” Tara commented as they made their way back to their site.

  Ali’s heart began to race. She reached to comb her fingers through her hair, and she barely held back a gasp as she noticed the leaves falling to the ground from her head.

  “Maybe I did stumble out to pee,” she muttered, trying to sound nonchalant when all she wanted was to blurt out the entire bizarre story to her friend.

  And give her and Christine something else to mock me for? she thought grimly. No, thanks. Anyway, what would I even say? Oh, yeah, I think I had a threesome with a vampire and a werewolf last night. Are you sure I was in the tent all night?

  That was not bound to go over well.

  Sighing, Ali flopped down onto a lawn chair as Tara dug around in the food pack for coffee.

  Get that image out of your mind now before you drive yourself crazy. It never happened. Just accept it.

  She turned her head to stare back toward the remnants of the bonfire. A moment later, she saw a tiny figure bounding toward them, and Ali swallowed her amusement.

  “What time did Penelope go down last night?” she asked Tara as the birthday girl made her way over to them.

  “I don’t think she has yet,” Tara replied, following Ali’s gaze.

  “Good morning, darlings!” Penelope sang once she had approached. She then turned to Ali and crossed her arms over her chest. “Shame on you, Ali.”

  Ali hung her head with contrition. “Sorry, Penelope,” she replied apologetically. “I’ll be better tonight, I promise.”

  The smaller girl grinned, already forgiving her friend’s sour mood the previous day.

  “You better!” she exclaimed. “Because we have an entire busload of rivals coming tonight, so you better be on your A game.”

  Ali arched an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

  “I special ordered a CSU sandwich for my birthday. A few of those boys are coming for a visit.”

  Ali’s head jerked up. “What did you just say?” she breathed. “You ordered a what?”

  Penelope scowled. “Oh, don’t be like that, Ali! Threesomes have been around since the beginning of time. And it’s my birthday! Don’t judge me.”

  “No!” Ali shook her head, her thoughts racing. “Of course I’m not judging you. I… I just didn’t hear what you said.”

  The birthday girl eyed her, as if debating whether to believe her explanation. In the end, she seemed to be convinced.

  “Anyway,” Penelope continued, “there’s someone I want you to meet.”

  Ali shuddered. After whatever fantasy she had concocted the previous night, no man was possibly going to measure up to her expectations, but she was in no mood to spark a debate with Penelope, especially after she had been so grumpy the day before.

  “Sounds good,” she said weakly, turning her blue eyes downward.

  “He’s so handsome,” her friend went on, like Ali had shown more enthusiasm for the idea. “Ripped abs, gorgeous eyes…”
>
  “Uh-huh.”

  “His name is Alex. I think you two will hit it off beautifully.”

  The blood drained out of Ali’s face, and she gaped at Penelope.

  “Is this a joke?” she demanded angrily, looking at Tara. “Are you guys toying with me?”

  Both women stared blankly at her.

  Tara stepped closer to her. “Are you okay, Ali? Like, seriously, you’re acting really weird.”

  You are, Ali agreed silently. You’re acting like a lunatic.

  “I think I’m still drunk,” she answered, determined to get herself together. “Sorry. What were you saying?”

  Penelope paused and eyed Tara before continuing. “Anyway, Alex is solid, but there might be one problem.”

  “Is he gay?” Ali asked.

  “No,” said her friend with a thin smile. “But his step-brother Jareth is a real asshole. Come to think of it, that entire family has something odd going on.”

  Ali did not hear anything else. The words Penelope had told her when she had arrived spun through her mind.

  Oh, ye of little faith. You’re going to have an incredible time. Mark my words.

  There’s a rumor about this mountain, but you already know it, don’t you?

  They’re supposed to roam around on nights of the full moon.

  Guess what tonight is?

  So, keep your eyes open, ladies! You never know who you’re gonna meet!”

  Ali stared at Penelope in disbelief.

  She had known all along! She had probably set it up! She had been the reason Ali had even met Alex last night! It hadn’t been a dream!

  “Penelope—” she started, but Penelope winked slowly at her and then turned around to dance away.

  “I have to make my rounds!” she cried. “I’ll see you later, Ali!

  The way she had winked at her and the way she had told specifically Ali that she would see her later carried a different message for only Ali’s ears.

  See you tonight for round two.

  THE END

  Click Here to Read the Entire Shifter Pursuit Series

  3

  Shifter Pursuit: One Wild Night

  The plane dipped through the stormy clouds as they continued their trip toward the Eastern seaboard. Megan, however, barely noticed, her eyes fixated on the computer screen. She gnawed on her lower lip, concentrating intently at the spreadsheet before her, but something wasn’t jiving as it was supposed to.

  What did I do wrong here? she wondered, cocking her head to the side. Her eyes were beginning to burn. She had been peering at the screen since take-off, and she began to develop a headache.

  “Champagne, miss?”

  The attractive air hostess paused at her side, a round tray of goblets perching over her hand as she smiled down at Megan. She blushed and shook her head, eyeing the man seated beside her at the window. She had been so lost in her work, she had almost forgotten about her travel companion, despite their closeness.

  I’ve been blocking out his nearness on purpose, she thought.

  “Uh, no, thanks,” she told the waiting flight attendant. “I’m working.”

  On her left, the man scoffed. “One glass of wine won’t hurt, Megan,” Will said, laughing. “And you’re not getting paid extra for working inflight, you know.”

  He reached across her laptop and winked jokingly, as if to take the sting out from his words, but Megan couldn’t muster a smile. She could hardly breathe as his suit jacket brushed against her.

  Thankfully, Will didn’t seem to notice as he accepted the glass of champagne and sat back, returning to his own work.

  “I won’t tell HR if you have one,” her boss whispered, and Megan managed a grin.

  “That’s okay,” she replied. “I’ll have one when we get to the hotel.”

  “Suit yourself,” he said, shrugging, and she exhaled slowly. Somehow, she felt like she had disappointed him, though she couldn’t exactly tell why.

  Megan had been an employee of Will Travis since her freshman year, working her way up the corporate ladder before she had even finished her degree in business. Her goal had always been to be aptly set up with a job when she graduated, and so far, her plan was going perfectly.

  At this rate, she would have a full-time position with Travis and Associates without question.

  If only my boss wasn’t such a distraction, she thought, biting on the insides of her cheeks.

  “I feel guilty all of a sudden,” Will announced, and Megan tucked a strand of honey-colored hair behind her ear to stare at him with wide, light blue eyes.

  “Why?” she asked in surprise. “Did you forget something?”

  He chuckled and shook his dark head, tinged with distinguished streaks of silver.

  How come men always age so seamlessly? she wondered, carefully studying his handsome physique. She supposed it was because men tended to take things less seriously.

  It seemed that Will became more attractive every time she looked at him, and Megan knew it had more to do with his easy-going personality than anything. For such an important man, he put her at ease without effort, a fact that both troubled and aroused her.

  I wonder how many trips he’s made to the Mile-High Club, she thought. She instantly turned crimson and tried to focus on his words, not his lips.

  “You’re on summer break,” Will said. “I shouldn’t have dragged you to New York with me. You should be home this weekend, enjoying your summer session frat parties.”

  Megan parted her mouth to protest immediately. “Oh, no!” she assured him. “There is nothing I would rather be doing than joining you on this trip. I like working.”

  And she meant it.

  Megan knew the offer to accompany Will to New York was a testament to her merits. The CEO would not have asked just anyone to join him, even for a moderately simple excursion like delivering budget cuts and proposals to the board.

  It pleased and honored her to know that she was considered a valued employee, given her age and experience with the company.

  To her surprise, Will scowled.

  “Did I say something wrong?” she asked, arching an eyebrow, her heart hammering nervously. She did not want to upset him after all. Not as her boss, and not as a man.

  “No—well, yes, you did,” Will grumbled.

  Megan stared at him nervously as she waited for him to finish his thought.

  “What is it?” she asked while he continued to research her face, his brow knitting.

  “What do you do for fun?” he suddenly asked.

  “For fun?” she echoed. “Well… I…” Megan swallowed to dampen her suddenly dry throat. “I mean, I—”

  “I knew it!” Will declared, snapping his fingers like he’d just had a revelation. Before Megan could ask him what he meant, he continued speaking. “You need to enjoy your college years,” he told her, shaking his head. “You should be going to parties and meeting guys and…”

  He trailed off then, his gaze meeting hers for a moment before they both looked away from each other.

  “I go to parties,” Megan insisted. “All the time.”

  Will chuckled. “Why do I find that hard to believe?” he asked, glancing into her guileless blue eyes with a smile on his face.

  Megan felt the need to convince him that her life wasn’t as boring as he was probably making it out to be. “I live in a sorority house, so something fun is always happening.”

  Will seemed shocked by the words. “What? Really?” he gaped. “Which sorority?”

  “Kappa Mu Pi.”

  “Well,” he said, straightening himself up in his chair. “I would never have guessed that.”

  Megan was almost offended by the words. Does he think I’m that boring? she wondered, resisting the urge to ask him.

  “How do you know about my sorority?” she asked instead.

  “I dated a girl who was a member, many years ago. She was a wild one…”

  His dark eyes seemed to glaze over as he recalled the girl
friend he’d had.

  Megan suddenly hated her unknown Kappa Mu sister. Choking back her indignation, Megan forced herself to stare intently at the screen, hoping the conversation was over.

  My boss and the hottest man I know thinks I am boring. Great, she thought bitterly. She pushed the thought of Will Travis out of her mind, trying to ignore his closeness. What difference does it make how he sees me? It’s not like I ever had a chance with him.

  They landed at LaGuardia near dinner time, and rush hour made it impossible to reach their hotel at a decent hour.

  With Megan’s stomach growling so loudly, she was certain that Will would hear it from across the town car limo. His tablet was in his palm, and from what Megan could see, he was scrolling through it.

  How does he do that? she wondered, shaking her head. He’s a multi-millionaire who never sleeps, and yet he manages to always look as if he’s doing nothing.

  Megan knew that this was what made Will such a successful businessman: others did not see him coming. His charming nature and genuine smile were disarming enough for any man, and certainly for any woman.

  “I’m starving!” Will declared, as if reading her mind.

  Megan nodded. “Me too,” she agreed, her heart fluttering nervously for a moment. Would he ask her out for dinner, maybe?

  He’s not going to ask you out, she immediately chided herself. And even if he did, you can’t say yes. He’s your boss. Your sexy, gorgeous boss… Megan sighed. I guess one dinner won’t do any harm…

  “Don’t worry,” Will told her. “The Ritz has room service.”

  Disappointment almost knocked her back against the seat, and Megan had never felt more unattractive in her life.

  The sentiment was ridiculous, though. Few women could claim to have Megan’s appeal—it was more than just her bright blue eyes and soft blonde hair. She possessed a quiet intelligence, which added to her sensual look.

  But in that instance, Megan’s self-esteem had taken a blow, and she was annoyed at herself for feeling so low for such a silly reason.