Shifter Mate Series Three Book Box Set - BBW Paranormal Romance: Includes Bear Boss's Mate, Werebear's Mate, Purrfect Mate (Shifter Series)

by Rayne Reilly

  Jake swallowed and nodded once. He looked happy but confused at the same time. She waited for the information to sink in.

  "I see...And have you accepted the position?" he asked.

  "No. I have to give them my answer by tomorrow morning."

  "So you will leave Pleasantville then?" he asked sadly.

  She nodded. She could see disappointment on his face and she hoped he would be open to what she wanted to ask him. Taking a deep breath she let it out as she delivered her question.

  "I want you to join me in running it. I want you to work with me"

  "Don't you mean work for you?" he joked.

  "No. I mean, with me. We would be a team. The first two members. I can see the kind of man you are, Jake Braeden. You're hardworking and ethical. Just the type of shifter and man I want to work with. Please say you will take the job because I really don't think I can go without you at my side," she announced.

  Jake ran a hand through his hair as he exhaled and smiled at the same time.

  "Wow...I wasn't expecting that...This is a surprise...I thought..." he stumbled with his words and looked down at his glass. Taking a long drink, he looked at her again. This time his face softened as though he was feeling some intense emotions. Dayna began to feel the wind leave her sails. Had she really read him wrong? Did he not feel something for her after all? She went on, hoping to convince him or at least find out how he was feeling about her...and the job offer.

  "We'll make this Task Force great and we'll do what I set out to... To end corruption in law enforcement. Hopefully at the federal and state level with the help of The SAC. Your influence with them will help so much... There are a lot of good officers and agents out there. I don't want them risking their lives with those who would put them in harm's way out of greed. With you on my team I would feel safe. I know you'd have my back."

  "Indeed. I will always have your back."

  He stood and moved his chair closer to her. Putting a hand to her chin, he leaned in to kiss her softly.

  She smiled broadly.

  "Does that mean you'll say yes to moving to Portland with me?"

  "Portland?"

  "Oregon...That's where the task force will be based."

  "Hmm..." He bit his lip as he nodded. "There is a large shifter population there, so I'm not surprised that they'd want it based there. The SAC has a headquarters there too...That's a big move though. Can I think about it?" he winked at her.

  Dayna frowned and looked down at her hands.

  "Well, if you need to. Just remember, I have to give my response by the morning, before Tim leaves."

  Chapter Fourteen

  The last twenty-four hours had taken their toll on Jake. He was feeling tired and a little overwhelmed with all that had happened. He'd prepared himself for Dayna to tell him she would be leaving soon and now she was offering him a new job. This wasn't what he had expected at all. He was happy that she had offered it, but he wasn't so sure he was ready to pick up and move across the country. His cougar's protest reminded him that she was his mate and he should consider the job seriously. As he sat listening to Dayna talk and they enjoyed a few drinks, he remembered what Lincoln had said:

  "When your mate finds ya...you can't walk away from that. You may have to fight for things to work out for you...but you can't deny the pull. It takes you and you can't settle until you embrace it."

  He liked Pleasantville; it was his home. He had never thought about leaving before. The Task Force sounded like just the sort of thing he could sink his teeth into and he had to admit that it seemed like a great career move. So what was the problem?

  As he sat watching Dayna, his heart ached at the thought of losing her when he had only just found her. He would miss everything about her. The way her lips curled at the corner when she looked at him. The way her hands moved animatedly as she spoke. Her soft luscious curves...he couldn't bear the thought of not seeing her again. There was a long silence as he gazed at her. He realized he had stopped listening and was lost in his thoughts. Shaking his head he pressed his lips in a slight grin.

  "You seem distracted. Should we go?" she asked him.

  "I was just sitting here thinking and I got lost in my thoughts, I'm sorry," he apologized.

  "It's okay," she murmured.

  "I have to ask you something...before I give you my answer about the job."

  "Okay," she spoke hesitantly.

  "Do you feel any connection with me? More than a professional one?"

  Dayna chuckled and he realized how silly he must have sounded. She had hugged and kissed him several times now...clearly, she liked him. She beamed as she responded, "I don't want to go to Portland without you...does that answer your question?"

  Jake felt a corner of his mouth curl in a grin. It was time to let the cat out of the bag. "I have something to tell you...I hope you will be open to it..."

  Dayna seemed to be growing impatient with him. She scrunched up her mouth and sighed.

  "You are my mate," he blurted.

  "Is that what those jolts of electricity are?" She laughed loudly as she spoke. She didn't seem surprised at what he had just told her. This woman was incredible. Nothing he said shocked or surprised her. She had felt it too... She had felt the same thing as he did all along. He beamed widely.

  "Yes. I wasn't sure if you felt it too...and I couldn't imagine working with you and not having a relationship with you. It's hard just being around you without wanting to hold you. You have no idea," he said in a low voice.

  He sensed her desire as he spoke the words. She cleared her throat and brought a hand to her face and neck.

  "So...are you saying you...would like the job?" she teased.

  He smiled and winked. "Yes,” he replied. “But under one condition?"

  "Oh? what's that?"

  "You go on a date with me...a proper one? So I can show you how charming I really am."

  She snickered, "I have no complaints...so far."

  She leaned in to put her arms around him and kissed his cheek. He felt his trousers go tight in the crotch as his erection pushed against the fabric.

  Dayna finished her drink and looked at him, "Did you want to get going? I have to feed Max...he's probably going to be pissed that I haven't been around much today."

  Jake nodded but remained seated. She stood and gazed at him.

  "You okay?" she asked.

  "Uh. Yeah. Give me a minute. I'm right behind you," he said grinning.

  She laughed and walked toward the door. Jake watched her ass as she walked away and then quickly diverted his eyes.

  You want the erection to go down...not get worse, he scolded himself.

  ***

  When they arrived back at Jake's, Max wound himself around Jake's leg in protest of Dayna's clear and present neglect of him. Jake let out a laugh as he spoke to the cat.

  "You'll have to learn to share her with me now," he said.

  Max gave a swish of his tail and waltzed toward the kitchen to where Dayna had put down some fresh cat food for him. As she walked toward Jake, he felt himself go hard again. He could finally allow himself to embrace his feelings for her as she could for him.

  Putting his arms around her, he leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

  "I can't believe how things have turned out...I never thought I would leave Pleasantville, but I can't think of a better reason to do it."

  Dayna had placed her arms around Jake and sighed, "Neither can I, but I am so happy you will be working with me."

  Jake pulled her chin to him and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She melted into him, pressing her body against him tightly. As her lips parted slightly, the tip of his tongue tasted hers. Their hands caressed one another's bodies as they embraced. They were finally acknowledging their attraction and feelings for one another.

  Pressing their bodies together, Jake felt his desire for her growing. Dayna began to move her hands over his clothed chest. Running her hands down to his jeans button she undid i
t and unzipped his pants. He let out a low moan as they continued to kiss. She grinned.

  His hands moved smoothly to her ample chest and he stroked her erect nipples with his thumbs. Grabbing her light sweater he tugged it up out of her jeans. She held her arms up for him to pull the sweater over her head revealing a black lace bra. As she stood in front of him, he undid her jeans and eased them down to see that she was wearing matching black panties.

  He licked his lips as she stepped out of her jeans and followed suit. Using her hands against his thighs she slid his pants down his legs, leaving only his boxers on. His cougar growled as she grasped his massive hard-on and stroked it over the fabric. She giggled and got onto her knees.

  Looking up at him with hooded eyes, she licked her lips before easing his boxers down his legs allowing his hardened length to pop down in front of her. She squealed with delight as she grabbed hold of it and licked it hungrily. He had seen the way she glanced at him when he shifted back from cougar form and he felt her desire then. His heart raced now, as she finally touched him the way he had fantasized she would.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jake picked Dayna up and carried her to the bedroom. Placing her on the edge of the bed he began removing her bra. She held her breath as her insides quivered and excited feelings threatened to overwhelm her. She laid back with her feet dangling over the edge of the bed. Her hands fisted the bedsheets. This was the moment she'd dreamed about...it was really going to happen. He was one helluva sexy man and if she did say so herself, a very sexy cougar too. His muscles rippled as he moved and it was so much more apparent now that he was completely naked and bending to take off the last remaining bit of fabric keeping her from feeling him inside her.

  His large warm hands and long fingers found their way to her wet folds and she moaned at his touch. She'd been wet with desire from the moment they had kissed again at the bar. She closed her eyes and bit down hard on her lip when his mouth found the perfect pleasure spot between her legs. She thrust toward him and threaded her fingers through his hair.

  As he continued to pleasure her, a long-awaited orgasm washed over her, leaving her legs trembling. Jake stood and with a sexy curl of the lips, he moved her further onto the center of the bed. Her body felt incredibly sensitive after having already felt such pleasure at his hands and mouth. She couldn't wait to feel him inside of her.

  She didn't have to wait long as he mounted himself between her legs and pushed himself deep inside her, filling her up with his huge hardened length. Both of them moaned in pleasure at the feeling of connecting in this most intimate and passionate way. She scraped her fingernails down his back as he began thrusting into her while leaning down to kiss her. She'd never felt so turned on in her life. This was the man that she had always wanted and needed. She couldn't believe her luck. Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes filled with tears of joy as another orgasm washed over her in waves. Jake held her so perfectly and cupped her face with one hand as he slowed down his thrusting for a moment.

  "Are you okay?" he asked with a tilted smile.

  "Yes...oh god yes....just so happy to have found you....you are incredible...."

  He kissed the tip of nose and then her lips.

  "The feeling is mutual, I assure you," he smiled.

  She could feel him get even harder inside her as he moved to brace himself on his forearms. He began moving in and out of her more quickly as she felt his climax building. She held him tightly as he tensed and then released himself inside her. Their bodies had begun to sweat just a little and she kissed his shoulder tenderly, tasting him. As Jake moved to lie beside her, she closed her eyes and sighed. It hadn't been very long since they'd met and yet it felt as though they had known one another forever.

  "So this is what it is like to find your true mate? I have to say...the wait was worth it," she grinned.

  Jake stroked her hair as they lay facing one another.

  "I wasn't sure I would ever find my mate...but the fates have led you to me. Finally, I know what it's like and couldn't be happier."

  He ran a trail with his fingertips down her arm and back up to her face where he traced her lips gently. Dayna felt a swell of happiness at the way he looked at her when he spoke. As the two grew tired and struggled to keep their eyes open, she was startled when the bed moved unexpectedly. Jake laughed as Max stood staring at them. In what could only be interpreted as a shrug, the cat turned and leapt to the floor in search of another place to sleep.

  "Looks like I'm the cat you are curling up with tonight," Jake said slyly. Dayna let out a snort and hugged Jake.

  "And what a handsome one you are," she whispered.

  ***

  Dayna was reluctant to go back to her own place now that she and Jake were in a relationship and preparing to leave town together. She had enjoyed her time with him in spite of the events that had brought her there. With Tim back to Rochester and Axel on his way to prison, things were looking much brighter for her. She had managed to hold off the Portland, Oregon job just a couple more weeks until Jake was able to wrap up things in Pleasantville with his job and friends there. Both of them would drive out to Portland, with Max the cat in tow. She had packed up her things but still needed to find somewhere for them to live and attend to a multitude of other details out West. She was relieved when Jake suggested that she stay with him until they left.

  She loved curling up with him every night, sharing stories about their work and lives. She had fallen in love with this incredible man whom she respected and admired beyond all others. She couldn't wait to see what was in store for them.

  Epilogue

  Portland, Oregon - Two Months Later

  Upon settling into their new lives across the country, Jake and Dayna found that setting up the task force was a little more challenging than they had originally hoped. Even though many people within law enforcement were aware of shifters and The SAC, many of them did not have the same ideas when it came to having humans and shifters work together. Dayna had welcomed several human agents to the task force based on recommendations from within the FBI’s upper levels.

  However, it was a little more challenging dealing with the SAC. The Shifter Alliance Council preferred to deal strictly with their own kind and fortunately Jake filled that requirement perfectly. He was well liked by the members of The SAC. With his great communication skills, he was able to make the working relationship with the human based FBI less distasteful for the shifters that they interviewed for the team.

  By the end of their second month in Portland, they had managed to hire two shifters to the team and three humans. Dayna and Jake were happy that they were working together to bring a big change to the world of shifter and human law enforcement. Any cases that had a suggestion of shifter involvement were passed over to the task force to investigate. The latest case that had crossed Dayna’s desk involved a report that a warehouse in the industrial area of Portland was being used for making illegal drugs. Examining the file, she wondered what part of it had anything to do with shifters.

  Picking up the file, she strode out of her office to where the other team members were sitting. Jake was chatting with one of the humans as she approached. He looked up when she stopped in front of the group.

  Looking at Jake and the others Dayna spoke, “Do you know anything about this warehouse case? It says activity possibly involving drugs have been reported. It says nothing about shifters,”

  Dayna was puzzled. These sorts of cases were generally dealt with by a different department.

  “I’m aware of it,” a young male voice responded. He stood as he spoke. Xander Bachman, was one of the newest task force members. He was very tall, slender, and dark-haired, and appeared to be in his late twenties. He had been with the FBI for several years and came highly recommended for the team by a senior agent. Jake had expressed his uncertainty about him but Dayna found him charming and liked him. Xander stood tall as he spoke. He was confident and self assured. “It’s been mentioned that they
think a drug that harms shifters is being made there.”

  Gazing at Xander, Jake responded. “This is the first I’ve heard of it as well. Since you seem to be aware of what’s going on, why don’t you enlighten us?”

  Xander cleared his throat. “Sure. I have heard rumors of drugs for shifters since I worked in the organized crime unit. It’s possible that whoever sent us the case believes that this is about shifter drugs or shifters are making the drugs...I am just making an educated guess of course.” He gestured with his hand as he shrugged his shoulders.

  Dayna nodded. It was possible that what Xander said was the case. Regardless, it needed to be investigated.

  “I can go check out the warehouse and let you know what I find,” Xander said before Dayna had a chance to say anything.

  Both Jake and Dayna nodded.

  As Xander took the file and left the office, Jake turned to Dayna and gave her an ominous look that she knew all too well. Jake had already confided in her that there was something troubling him about Xander but he couldn’t put his finger on it. ”It’s his scent. He doesn’t smell like a shifter, but he also doesn’t smell human,” Jake said when they were alone. Dayna didn’t see any reason not to bring Xander onto the team, so long as he did his job. So far, he appeared to be doing just that.

  A couple of hours after leaving the office to check out the warehouse, Xander pulled out his cell phone to call the office. It was Jake who answered.

  “Hi boss,” said Xander in his best businesslike tone. “Just wanted to let you know that I’ve checked out the warehouse...There’s nothing here. It’s been cleared out.”

  “Is there any evidence of drug manufacturing or other activity?”

  “No. Nothing. It’s clean. Maybe the report is old and they’ve moved on from here. I found nothing to link this place to a drug lab or any other kind of illegal activity.”