Daisy sat on the edge of her seat waiting for Gerri to answer. She wanted to shout in frustration, anxious to hear the answers. But that would be rude, crass, and uncalled-for, so she sat patiently waiting as Gerri slowly sipped at her coffee before answering.
“Well, for starters, most of my clients have tried the standard dating scene and weren’t impressed by it. They are tired of the games and run-around. These people are focused on finding the one person they are destined to spend their lives with—a.k.a. their mate. Think of a mate as your soulmate. The one person that you’re supposed to be with, forever.”
“That’s pretty heavy stuff.”
“Indeed it is. But shifters know immediately when they meet their mate. It’s kind of like an instant sensation, a recognition that tells them the person they just met is the one they are meant to be with.”
“That’s kind of odd.” Daisy couldn’t imagine meeting someone and knowing immediately that they were the person she’d spend the rest of her life with. “What happened to becoming friends, and falling in love?” Not that she’d had much experience with love, but whatever. She was an old-fashioned girl with old-fashioned dating ideas. Like actually leaving the house to go on dates, courting, the guy bringing the girl flowers—the formerly standard, but now very outdated, romantic ideas.
“You’d be surprised how attentive male shifters can be in a relationship.”
“Really?” Gerri’s simple statement had Daisy fully intrigued.
“Absolutely. The old-school courting usually doesn’t happen because a shifter male is very intense when it comes to claiming his mate, but he will always make up for it in other areas. Would you ever consider dating a shifter?”
Daisy thought about the question. Would she? “I’m not sure. Maybe? I’d be so nervous. I’d have no idea how to act around a shifter.”
“Sure you would. You’ve been wonderful company the entire time we’ve been together.” Gerri smiled as she revealed the truth.
“You mean you’re…?”
“Have been all my life. I tell you what, I have to run. I have a meeting with a client this morning. Why don’t you think about it and give me a call? We can set something up if you’re interested.”
Chapter Three
“What do you mean I have thirty days to find a mate? Who came up with this fucking law?” Calder slammed his fist against his desk, outraged by the ridiculous demand that had been forced on him.
Alex ran his fingers through his shaggy blond hair. “Bastards. I knew they were going to try to find some way to keep you from being Alpha.”
“Calder, I’m sorry. The Council should have known this was a requirement, but we didn’t. The last copy of Twisted Tail laws we had on hand were outdated, and many of them predate Griffin’s reign—not that this law isn’t archaic. It is, but unfortunately, it exists. And now that it’s been brought up as a challenge to the legitimacy of you being Alpha, there’s no escaping it. It’s pack law. The Alpha must uphold the rules of the pack. Especially the ones that pertain to mating.”
Calder saw the sadness in his dear friend’s eyes. Gus Eklund—or ‘old man,’ as he often teasingly called him—was more than just a friend, more than a mentor. The older man had watched over him for years, acting as an informal uncle with whom he’d enjoyed a close relationship. It was Gus who had lead the charge for Calder to take the reins at Twisted Tail after the death of their former Alpha Griffin Engle.
“I know Gus. I just don’t know how it’s possible. Thirty days isn’t a lot of time to find your true mate.”
“No, it’s not. But I don’t think it’s impossible. I think it can be done. You’re just going to need a little bit of help.”
Calder laughed at the thought of someone helping him to find his mate. “I think you’ve finally lost it, old man. I’m not so sure that’s how it works in this day and age. I don’t think I can send a proxy to find or claim my mate, and Odin knows I can’t leave pack territory right now. Not with all the work that needs to be done around here. Besides, I haven’t named a second-in-command yet. I’m quite literally stuck here until I set up a proper chain of command.”
Gus pulled a large manila envelope from his briefcase and handed it to Calder. “I want you to know the Council is dedicated to helping you succeed, and to helping everyone here at Twisted Tail. We’ve set up a trust that you may use as you see fit to rebuild the pack. This should help when it comes to hiring people to make the needed repairs across the territory, and any other maintenance work that needs to be done. I’m sure it will help motivate those within the pack to get back to work as well, if they are able-bodied. Our hope was to provide the necessary means to get the work done; that way we could free up your time, so you can focus on rebuilding and strengthening the pack itself, not just the buildings and structures.”
Calder sucked in a deep breath and opened the envelope, unsure of the extent of what Gus’s statement meant. A volley of emotions bounded through him. “Thank you, Odin,” Calder said to his wolf.
The old man had come through for him, big time, in ways he’d never envisioned. Money was nothing to the Council. Having been around for thousands of years with the ability to operate in complete secrecy, they had more than they’d ever need, more than they could ever hope to spend. But to a struggling pack like Twisted Tail it meant their continued survival. Not only had the Council made sure they would survive—if Calder played his cards right, they would now have an opportunity to thrive.
“I don’t know what to say. This is—” Calder’s words tumbled out of his mouth.
“It’s nothing. Get your pack together and on its feet again. It’s the least we can do for the people here, after failing them by believing everything Griffin told us and not following through when we had doubts or questions. The hardships this pack has had to endure are over. I know if anyone can lead this pack into a new era, it’s you.”
“Thank you, but I’m afraid none of it will do much good if I don’t find my mate before I run out of time.”
“That’s what they’re counting on.” Alex, who had been silent during the exchange between Gus and Calder, finally spoke up.
“What do you know about this?” Gus asked.
“Not enough. They tend to zip their lips around me these days. But from what I’ve been able to figure out, Jason and a few others—who lived pretty comfortably under Griffin—are pissed the money and drugs are gone, and so is their way of life. They thrived under Griffin because they were a bunch of thugs. Now that they have to get out there and work—well, they’re not too happy about it. What they’re too stupid to see is how much better off we’ve been since Griffin’s death. People are no longer afraid to let their kids outside to play. Women can walk around town without being bombarded with crude comments or fearing for their safety. The difference is night and day.”
“The transformation in the last few weeks has been pretty amazing,” Calder said. “It’s nice to see people learning to trust each other again and kicking the fears they carried for so long to the curb. We can’t slow the progress that’s been made, and if I leave for any amount of time to run off and search for a mate, I expect it’ll be like taking ten steps backward. Not exactly what we want to happen.”
Gus nodded in agreement. “Right. So you have to find your mate in thirty days, and you can’t leave pack territory.”
“Exactly.” Calder rubbed his forehead, a stress-induced habit he had picked up long ago.
“So we do the only thing we can do.” Gus pulled a business card from his wallet and handed it to Calder.
“Paranormal Dating Agency? What’s this?”
“If anyone can find your mate by the deadline, it’s Gerri Wilder. She’s the best of the best, and you need to give her a call.”
“You can’t be serious.” Calder laughed at his friend’s suggestion.
“As a heart attack, kid.”
“A dating agency? How the hell is that supposed to help? It’s not like I can run out and m
eet up with however many women they have on their list.”
“She’s the only one who can help you right now.” Gus reiterated his point.
“Great. I’m going to end up with a weird mail-order bride or a psycho or something.” Calder picked up the phone and shooed everyone out of the room. “This is embarrassing enough. I don’t need an audience.”
Chapter Four
I wonder what it would be like to date a shifter? Daisy thought about the conversation she’d had with Gerri the previous morning. Could she actually go through with it? Pacing around her living room contemplating the question was pointless and she knew it, but the truth was Gerri had sparked Daisy’s interest in dating—an interest she hadn’t felt in forever.
Gerri had reminded her that she was alone. She woke up alone. Ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner alone. Went to the movies alone. After her last relationship, Daisy had decided to take a break from dating. She had needed time to find her footing in the world again, and she did just that. Grabbing the bull by the horns, she packed up her shit and moved, taking the first job she was offered, far away from the tiny town in Wisconsin she had grown up in.
The relationship ended the day her boyfriend had said, “As soon as you lose some weight, I’ll take you home to meet my parents.” Yeah, that was enough for her to end it right there, on the spot. Afterwards she’d cried for weeks, vowing never to put herself in that position again.
She’d sworn off dating until she shed some pounds. And she had. She had gotten into the habit of walking daily, and eating healthier, but she was still curvy. Her confidence had risen, but was it enough to put herself out there again?
A few of the guys she worked with at the hospital had asked her out on dates. She smiled politely and turned each of them down, too afraid to feel the sting of rejection once again. But maybe this time would be different. Maybe Gerri was right. Maybe she needed to date a different kind of guy.
Before Daisy lost her nerve, she grabbed Gerri’s business card and her phone from her purse. Here goes nothing.
“Daisy, I’m so glad to hear from you.”
Daisy’s heart pounded. Butterflies—and not the good ones—danced in her belly. “Hi, Gerri. I—uhh… umm.” Daisy cleared her throat.
“Are you okay, dear?”
She sucked in a deep breath, hoping like hell it would calm her nerves. It didn’t. “Yes, just nervous.” Opting for honesty, she forged ahead. “I want to know more about your dating service.”
“Wonderful! I have just the person I’d like you to meet. You said you were on vacation from work, right?”
“Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?” Daisy asked, confused by Gerri’s line of questioning. What did being on vacation have to do with meeting someone? All she had asked for in the first place was more information. Talk about speedy service!
“The man who I think would be perfect for you is in a bit of a quandary. He’s the new Alpha of Twisted Tail pack, and he’s looking for someone to meet him there. You would spend a few days together, getting to know one another.”
“Umm, that’s a bit more than I had bargained for right off the bat. I was expecting maybe dinner or something easy like that. You know, a standard date.”
Gerri laughed. “Nothing is standard when it comes to dating a shifter, dear. Think of it this way. Lodging will be provided. You’ll have a chance to get out of town for a few days to clear your head. When’s the last time you got out of the city for a long weekend? And if you guys hit it off, great. If not, no big deal. You had some time away from everyone and everything in the fresh country air. If nothing else, you’ll be recharged and ready to go back to work when you get back.”
Daisy’s pacing resumed. Panic crept through her veins. A date was one thing. Going to spend several days with a complete stranger was something that she found scary as hell. “Is that safe to do? I don’t want to end up trapped in someone’s well in their basement or something.”
Gerri laughed at her response. “Sure it is, dear. All of my clients are thoroughly vetted. I run full background checks and contact each reference they provide, personally. Not only that, but shifters, especially wolves, are extremely protective of their women—annoyingly so, at times. Once you cross over into pack land, you’ll be safer than anywhere in the world.”
Without letting another thought pass through her mind, Daisy agreed. “I’ll do it.”
“Great! Do you have a pen? I’ll give you the address and directions.”
Daisy’s heart sped up as she grabbed a pen and paper. “Ready.”
I can’t believe I’m going to go through with this!
After the call, Daisy felt a sense of excitement—and a bit of fear—as she rushed around the house to pack a suitcase for her trip. She’d never done anything so crazy in all her well-thought-out, well-planned life.
Doubt began to creep into her mind with each outfit she selected and packed. What if she didn’t get along with Calder? What if he didn’t like her? What if he was as ugly as homemade sin?
She pushed back against the thoughts, refusing to give into her fears. She had committed to going. Come hell or high water, she was bound and determined to hold up her end of the bargain. Closing the lid on her suitcase, Daisy swallowed the nervousness dancing in her belly and headed for her car, knowing it was now or never.
The road trip to Twisted Tail gave her a lot of time to think about exactly what she was doing. Too much time. All the bad decisions Daisy had made in her previous relationships ran through her mind, reminding her exactly why she’d taken a hiatus from dating. She had been tempted to turn the car around several times, but she gritted her teeth and continued on. It was almost as if some unseen force urged her to continue on her journey toward the unknown.
Chapter Five
The lack of sleep over the past few weeks had finally caught up with Calder. He was dead on his feet, and thankfully headed home for the night. The assistance from Gus, his workload had been eased drastically. Having enough money to hire contractors to do the maintenance and repair work around Twisted Tail was a godsend. The old man had really come through for him, and just when he had needed help the most.
In all honesty, he would have thought that he’d have a little bit of breathing room now that there was less construction work he had to do personally. Wrong. Calder was more stressed than ever thanks to the rising pack tensions—and then there was the whole ‘finding a mate’ issue.
He wasn’t sure what to make of his conversation with Gerri. On one hand it had sounded promising, she’d told him that finding his mate and sending her to Twisted Tail would be a piece of cake, but he wasn’t holding his breath waiting for a damn miracle that, in his mind, was unlikely to occur. Keeping the sarcasm out of his voice after her statement had taken effort, but somehow he’d managed. After all, Gus had assured him that Gerri Wilder was the best in the business and swore she could find a mate for Satan himself, should he ever be on the market.
Calder pulled up to the wrought iron gate in front of the Alpha’s well-kept home. There was no doubt the log home was stunning, with its high peaked roof and wrap-around porch. Griffin had spared no expense when it came to the home’s construction, surrounding himself with every possible luxury. It was totally out of place compared to the rest of the modest homes situated on pack lands.
Living there for the past few weeks had left Calder feeling out of sorts, knowing his pack lived in such dilapidated houses. That’s why his first priority had been working feverishly on the desperately needed repairs and long-overdue updates around the territory.
Calder got out of his truck and opened the gate. Out of habit he sniffed the air, searching for any threats. “We really need to get our second in place so we can start appointing enforcers,” Calder said to his wolf.
“I would trust Alex with our lives. As for the rest of them, the jury’s still out.”
“Agreed.”
Calder pulled his truck through the gate and exited the veh
icle once more, this time to close the gate back up. He was tired of looking over his shoulder every second of every day, waiting for the inevitable attack to come, thanks to the few bad seeds left over from the previous Alpha. He knew exactly who they were, and while Alex didn’t think they would challenge his position, Calder knew they would. It was only a matter of time. One way or another, they’d come. “And I’d damn well better be ready when they do,” he thought.
Scenting no immediate danger, Calder climbed back in his truck and headed down the long wooded driveway. His stomach grumbled, reminding him the sandwich he’d had for lunch hadn’t quite cut it, and it was long past dinner time. But first things first. A nice hot shower.
“Someone’s here.” His wolf sounded the alarm in his mind.
Rolling down the window he drew in a deep breath, trying to identify the threat his wolf had detected. The smell of fresh-cut wildflowers filled Calder’s nose. His wolf whined at the scent as it filtered down to him.
Wary of who might be waiting for him, Calder slowly rounded the last curve in the driveway to see a bright yellow Camaro with black racing stripes parked in front of his house. Coming to a quick stop, he hopped out of his truck, ready to confront the person who had trespassed on his land—but the car was empty. Calder glanced around the property before noticing several lights on in the house—lights he was certain he had turned off.
His wolf spurred him on, pushing him to sprint up the steps then through the front door. The animal didn’t seem upset by the intruder. Not in the least. It was much more of an immense curiosity that filled the animal. Calder tried to figure out what his wolf was up to, but he had no idea why that particular scent had his beast so intrigued.
The smell of fresh roasted meat set off a new round of grumbling from his stomach. The man may have been distracted by the thought of a home-cooked meal, but not the wolf. He had smelled something much more inviting. As much as Calder wanted to investigate the tantalizing aroma coming from the kitchen, his legs seemed to move of their own volition, demanding he locate the source of the fresh wildflowers that had his wolf all worked up.
His Twisted Tail Page 2