Swipe Right: Paranormal Mating Bundle

by DJ Bryce

  Katja nodded, and we set about packing up the camp.

  When our bags were packed, the fire pit was doused and all of our trash was in a bag I’d throw out on our way, we headed back toward the car.

  As is always the way, it felt like we got back much faster than it had taken us to get to the camp site, and our adventure was over. As I threw away the trash in the dumpster, and loaded up the Jeep, I looked around the park and realized I’d never be able to come here without thinking of Katja.

  Remembering this trip.

  We drove home, Katja singing along to the music she picked out for the road. Once we got to my house, we unloaded, started laundry, put everything away, and got ourselves cleaned up.

  We decided to order in pizza and watch a movie. Relax.

  Before the movie started, I shifted toward Katja on the couch and said, “I was thinking… on Saturday, I’m going to go up and get Sloane. I know it’s a little early, but I’m confident that you’d be a great addition to our family, and I’m ready for you to meet her. What do you think?”

  Katja put down her slice of pizza and smiled.

  “Really? I’m so happy you feel that way because I totally think this is going to work out, too. I can’t wait to meet her, but do you think she’d be disappointed to leave her uncle’s early?”

  I shook my head.

  “No, she loves spending time with him, but she’ll be happy to come home. Especially when I tell her that you’re here and explain why you’re here. I waited to tell her, since I didn’t know how this week would go. I figure I have enough time on the drive home to give her all the details.”

  “Okay then… great,” Katja said, then her smile dropped. “Is it weird that I’m more nervous to meet her than I was to meet you?”

  I chuckled.

  “No, I get it,” I replied. “But, I promise, things will be great.”

  “Cool,” she said, and we both turned our attention back to the TV and I started the movie.

  In truth, I needed Sloane here as a buffer. I needed the constant reminder of what Katja’s purpose for being here was, because without it, I was afraid I’d lose sight of everything, except the way she made me feel.

  Katja

  Bane took me to the sale at Yonaweti as promised.

  They had some really great deals that I couldn’t pass up, especially if I ended up staying, but I did reel myself in a bit. I had a bit of savings, but it wouldn’t last forever, so I had to be smart about my spending.

  I realized I hadn’t talked to Bane about work. Was he expecting me to be a stay at home mom to take care of Sloane? Obviously, I wasn’t taking a job as a nanny, I’d be his mate, therefore, I wouldn’t get paid.

  I liked working, and having money of my own, so I made a mental note to bring it up later.

  But now we were headed to the pack meeting and barbecue, and I was extremely nervous.

  “Will there be other humans there?” I asked as we drove into town.

  “Uh, yeah, sure. Our community is pretty well integrated. There are humans who were born to inter-species couples, some who grew up in town, side by side with shifters, and there are the humans who married into the pack. Also, it’s not only wolf shifters who attend. Some of our friends are bears, and we’ll get the occasional mountain lion passing through.”

  “Oh, how do you know… uh, who’s who?”

  Bane shrugged.

  “I guess you won’t. Me? I can smell the difference, but unless someone were to shift in front of you, which they won’t do, you’ll never know. Does it matter?”

  I thought about it, then shook my head.

  “No, I’m just curious. I’m not quite sure what to expect and I want to be prepared.”

  “Understandable,” he replied. “Like I said, it’s a good mix of people. Don’t worry, they’re a pretty open and welcoming group, I’m sure tonight will go smoothly.”

  I nodded and remained silent, but as he brought the Jeep to a stop, my stomach fluttered with a flurry of nerves.

  “You okay?” Bane asked, and I turned my head to look at him. “Because if you’ve changed your mind, we don’t have to go. We can turn around and go back home. You can meet the pack later.”

  I smiled, thinking he was the most considerate man on the planet, then shook my head and said, “No, I don’t want to go home. I’m fine.”

  He nodded once, then we both hopped out of the Jeep and headed towards the building where the meeting would be held. Bane had told me that afterwards, everyone would go outside where the barbecue would take place.

  They’d built the facility a few years back when they realized they needed more space.

  Bane held the door open for me and we went inside. Everyone was already seated, and it looked like they were going to start, which was good. It meant I had more time to get myself acclimated before I had to start talking to people and answering questions.

  We went to the back and grabbed a couple seats on the end of the row.

  As a huge, I mean… gigantic, man walked to the microphone, the room got absolutely silent. Then the giant man grinned and said, “Welcome. Who’s ready to party?” and the crowd cheered.

  My nerves eased a bit as the man, who Bane told me was their Alpha and leader, spoke. It was easy to tell that the people loved him and he had their best interest at heart. He talked about what they could expect over the next few months, construction on a new youth center, the state of their council, in need of a new enforcer, whatever that meant, and the fact that they had a new newsletter which would be coming out monthly.

  Once the meeting was adjourned, everyone started filing outside, with Bane and I joining the pack.

  “Bane, long time no see.”

  I looked left to see Bane’s Alpha, the one who’d been running the meeting, walking toward us.

  “Nathan,” Bane said, reaching his hand out.

  Nathan shook his hand and looked at me.

  “And, who’s this lovely lady?” he asked, and I couldn’t help it. I blushed.

  His voice was very deep. Commanding.

  “This is Katja,” Bane said, seemingly unbothered by my reaction to his Alpha. “We’re… dating, I guess you’d say. Trying to see if we suit, and if she’s a good fit with Sloane. If things go well, she’ll become my mate.”

  Nathan looked surprised for a moment, then he grinned easily and said, “How very… scientific, of you.”

  I knew that most paranormals were passionate people, and like Bane with his first mate, Sarah, knew instinctively when they met their predestined, fated, mates. There was a pang in my heart at the reminder that Bane would never feel for me what he felt for Sarah, but I shook it off.

  Bane just nodded, rather than replying to Nathan’s unspoken question.

  Nathan allowed it and asked, “Where is Sloane?”

  “She’s with Grayson.”

  “Ah, and how is your brother doing?”

  “The same. Happy with his farm and solitude,” Bane replied.

  “Yes, well, give him my best next time you see him. Nice to meet you, Katja, I hope to see you again.”

  “Nice to meet you, too,” I replied shyly, then watched him walk away before whispering, “Wow, he’s intense.”

  “Yeah, comes with being the Alpha,” Bane said, then asked, “You hungry?”

  “Of course,” I replied with a small laugh, and we started toward the long table packed with dishes of food.

  Before we could get there, we were stopped again. This time by a pretty woman with long dark hair and caramel skin. She looked nervous and I wondered briefly if she was one of the women Bane had told me about. The ones that threw themselves at him.

  “Hi, Bane,” she said, her voice strong, but soft, as if she was forcing herself to talk to him.

  “Oh, hey Shonda, how are you?” Bane asked, then motioned toward me and said, “This is Katja.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Shonda said, giving me a sweet and friendly smile.

  Probably not o
ne of those women then…

  “You too,” I replied, shaking the hand she offered.

  “Is Sloane here?” she asked Bane.

  “No, she’s with Gray,” he replied, then looked to me and explained, “Shonda watches Sloane sometimes, when I have a tour.”

  I noticed that Shona’s eyes had widened when Bane mentioned his brother’s name, and that she was clutching her drink so hard the plastic cup was scrunching in.

  “How’s Gray doing?” she asked, her voice trembling.

  I looked at Bane’s face, to see if he was catching on to Shonda’s obvious interest in his brother. He wasn’t.

  “The same. Happy being alone,” he replied, not noticing Shonda’s flinch. “I’ll tell Sloane you were asking about her, she’ll be happy. She loves spending time with you.”

  “I love spending time with her, too.”

  “Well, I’d better get Katja some food before she gets hangry,” Bane joked, and I punched him playfully in the arm.

  “Nice to meet you, Shonda, hopefully we’ll see each other again,” I said as Bane practically dragged me to the food.

  Shonda’s smile dropped and she looked down, looking so sad that I wanted to run back and give her a hug.

  Bane let my hand go when we got to the table, and as I reached for a paper plate, I felt a hand on my arm, and another voice. This one, not so welcoming.

  “Who are you?”

  I looked to my right to see a blonde woman standing there, hands on her hips. The thought that she’d be a beautiful woman if she wasn’t sneering at me flitted through my mind, but rather than sneering back, I smiled and said, “I’m Katja, and you are?”

  “I’m someone who belongs here and with him, so why don’t you take your fat ass and get lost?”

  Now, in my rational brain, I knew I no longer had a fat ass. I’d squatted and lunged that sucker down to the toned piece of flesh it was today. But, when you were ridiculed for that ass for years, it tended to be a sore subject.

  I dropped my plate and spun to face my villain head on, but before I could respond, Bane was beside me, his arm wrapped around my waist.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing, Tanzi?” he asked angrily, and her expression went from bitch mode to flirty.

  I didn’t even try to hide my eye roll.

  Bane

  “Hey, Bane,” Tanzi said, flipping her hair back and shooting me a big smile.

  If I hadn’t just heard the way she was talking to Katja, I would have believed the act, that’s how good she was. But, unfortunately for her, I had… and I had no patience for assholes, no matter their gender.

  “You need to apologize to my date,” I informed her, watching as her eyes widened, then shuttered.

  “Date?” she breathed, all pretense gone.

  “Yes, Katja is staying with me while she’s in town, and is my guest here. You have no reason to talk to her that way. Apologize.”

  Tanzi blinked, obviously shocked that I not only had a date, but that she was staying in my house. It was common knowledge that I didn’t date, sleep with women, or have any women sleep in my house. It’s part of what made me so attractive to the single women in the pack.

  I was a challenge. And, women loved a challenge.

  “Sorry,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “No problem,” Katja said sunnily, but I could hear the sarcasm in her tone.

  I turned my head and smiled at her.

  “Now are you ready to eat?” I asked.

  “So ready,” she replied, her eyes twinkling.

  I was momentarily mesmerized by her freckles, then I did something I hadn’t planned on doing that night. I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers.

  I heard Tanzi gasp and when I stood back up and looked toward the sound, I saw her stalking away.

  “That’s one way to get rid of her,” Katja said with a laugh.

  “Mmmm,” was my response, then I turned her back toward the food table. “Let’s get you fed.”

  We filled up our plates. Well, I filled up my plate, while Katja put more sensible portions on hers, then I led us toward an empty table in the back.

  It wasn’t that I wasn’t a social person, I was a pack animal after all, but I knew Katja would be feeling a little awkward not knowing anyone, and I didn’t want her uncomfortable. Especially after Tanzi’s display. Not that most of the pack was like Tanzi, but there were a couple other women who’d been vying for my attention over the years, and I wanted to avoid any further drama.

  “So, what did you think of the meeting?” I asked once we were seated comfortably.

  “Very cool,” Katja said as she pushed her fork into her salad. “I’ve never been involved in a community even remotely like this. I like it.”

  I grinned, pleased.

  Pack life wasn’t for everyone, and although I hadn’t been as active recently as I once was, there were still certain things that were expected when you were part of a pack. It was good that Katja was opening to learning more about what this life entailed.

  I wanted her focus to be on Sloane, and I was coming to realize me, but it would also be beneficial to have her on board with being a member of this community.

  Before I could broach the subject further, we were interrupted by the scraping of a chair and a hand thumping on the table.

  “What’s shakin’, man?”

  “Arch,” I replied in greeting, unenthused.

  Arch used to be one of my brother’s friends back in the day. Although friends may be a stretch. They’d shifted about the same time and had run together, but I always got the feeling that Gray tolerated Arch at best.

  I’d never cared for the guy, personally.

  “And, who’s this gorgeous morsel?” he asked, looking at Katja.

  See? Total douche.

  “This is Katja, my date,” I said, emphasizing the words my and date. “Katja, this is Arch.”

  “Katja,” he said, sounding out her name as if trying it on for size. “Beautiful name for a beautiful lady.”

  “Uh, thanks,” Katja said, clearly uncomfortable by his leering gaze.

  “What can I do for ya, Arch?” I asked, hoping he’d get the hint and leave.

  He leaned back in his chair.

  Arch never had been good at catching hints.

  “Just wanted to meet this lovey and ask after Grayson. How’s the hermit doing?”

  I bit back a sneer. Pack barbecues were supposed to be social and fun. Violence, shifting, and fights were strictly prohibited.

  I knew that, but I was still fighting to keep my wolf in check.

  “My brother is well and happy,” was all I said, not rising to the bait.

  After a few minutes of awkward silence, I looked to Katja, who was pushing food around her plate, but no longer eating and asked, “Ready to get out of here?”

  She looked up with a relieved smile and nodded.

  “I’m going to take my lady home,” I told Arch as I stood. “See you around.”

  I held out my hand for Katja, trying to ignore the fact that Arch’s eyes tracked her every movement.

  “Nice to meet you, Katja,” Arch said in what I’m sure he thought was a suave tone.

  As we started walking away he called out, “Tell the hermit I’m thinking of coming by for a visit.”

  I stopped and turned.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” I warned, then guided Katja out of the party.

  Katja

  Bane had left that morning to pick up Sloane, so I was on my own for a few hours.

  First, I went for a run, then came home to shower and eat, now I was wandering aimlessly around the house, wondering what to do with myself as I began to grow more and more nervous with each passing second.

  Sloane was just a little girl, and I was good with kids, but after spending time with Bane, I realized how much was riding on this introduction. And how much I wanted to like her and for her to like me.

  If we didn�
��t get along, it was a definite deal breaker, and I found that even though it had only been a short time, I didn’t want to leave.

  I wanted to stay here and become Bane’s mate.

  To be claimed by him.

  And, since I was alone and could be honest with myself, I wanted more than a loveless marriage, even if it included marital benefits.

  I wanted it all… and I wanted it with Bane.

  These thoughts probably contributed to my nerves and had me pacing the living room as I bit the skin next to my thumbnail and muttered to myself.

  “You agreed to his terms… if you try and change things, you’ll ruin it and he’ll send you packing… but, if you don’t tell him the truth and go through with the ceremony, you’ll be lying to the man you’re going to spend the rest of your life with… Crap… What should I do?”

  I’d just taken a breath and was about to continue my verbal rant when the doorbell rang.

  My head swung to the door and I stopped mid pace.

  I wasn’t expecting anyone, and this was the first time anyone had dropped by since I’d arrived at Bane’s.

  I went to the door and was surprised to see Shonda standing there waiting, a covered dish in her hands.

  “Hi, Shonda,” I greeted with a smile.

  “Uh, hey,” she replied nervously. “Um, Bane said he was going to pick up Sloane and I should stop by… so, here I am. I, uh, brought banana bread.”

  “Oh, yum, thanks,” I said, stepping aside so she could come in.

  How sweet was it of Bane to ask her to come over so I wasn’t lonely?

  The thought warmed my insides, and I walked into the kitchen with a pleased grin on my face.

  “Would you like coffee to go with the banana bread?” I asked as she set it down on the counter.

  “Sure, that sounds good,” Shonda replied, taking a seat at the island.

  “It was sweet of you to come by,” I said as I put the pod in the Keurig. “I was starting to freak myself out…”

  “About what?” she asked quietly.

  “Oh, you know…wondering if Sloane and I will get along, and what would happen if we don’t… that kind of thing. Do you take cream or sugar?”