Wyatt's Mate (Shifter Nation: Werebears Of Big Bend)

by Meg Ripley

  “Almost there,” came through my walkie.

  “You hear that?” I said to the boy. “Someone is almost here with an ATV to take you back to Mom and Dad. Is that okay?”

  He nodded fervently and ran to hug me. I squeezed him back, trying to shield him from the rain the best I could. Seeing the headlights, I waved to my fellow Rangers, helped the boy into the ATV and jumped in beside him. We took the bumpy road back to the station where his parents waited, and the moment we pulled up, his mother ran to us, grabbing him out of the vehicle and pulled him close to her chest.

  “I was so worried!” She kissed his face and carried him inside the station.

  “Nice work,” the other Ranger said.

  “That’s what we do around here.” I smiled and walked around the station to see Dean, who was now back in human form. “I should’ve known you would find him. Intuition like…well, like a fox.”

  We chuckled.

  “I wanted to tell you that I’m heading back to Big Bend.”

  He raised his eyebrows. Of course, my whole clan knew about Big Bend and all that had happened. When we’d first come to the area to find a clan, we’d had to explain why my father, an Alpha, would have left his clan and moved. It wasn’t usually done, and it concerned them. But, we’d convinced them to let us in and slowly, they trusted us as we became part of the clan. Now, we all felt like family, as most clans did.

  “My best friend from back home is getting married, and I’m in the wedding.”

  “And what about…?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe I’ll run into him. Maybe I won’t. He could be a completely different person now, anyway. I think I am, aren’t I?”

  He tilted his head and inspected me. “I don’t know. You’re still just as stubborn and rebellious as always.”

  “Pfft. Rebellious? Me?”

  “Ha! It was years until I could get you to obey a command without forcing you to it.”

  “And you know how I love that.”

  “But yes,” he said thoughtfully, “you have changed. You’ve grown a lot. Matured. You’re a woman now, not the bratty, grumpy teen you were when you arrived.”

  I shoved his shoulder lightly. “I was heartbroken, remember?”

  “I know. And it’ll be very interesting to see what happens when you return there.”

  “I’ll try to make my experience as entertaining as possible for you,” I joked.

  “I expect nothing less.”

  3

  Wyatt

  I pulled up to the bar and parked my truck. The place looked pretty busy, typical for a Friday night after work, and when I walked in, I saw my clan mates already waiting for me.

  “Finally!” Sawyer said. “Reckoned you got lost.”

  I tucked my thumbs beneath my belt buckle. “Looking this good can’t be rushed.”

  Sawyer slid a beer across the table to me. “You know the rules. You’re last to show; next one is on you.”

  Elijah held up his beer. “This round was on me for missing so many times.”

  “That’s right!” I said. “Having a baby is no excuse. How is the little munchkin anyhow?”

  He let out a long sigh. “He never sleeps, but other than that, he’s good.”

  “Valentina come through it okay?” I wondered.

  Sawyer laughed at my question. “Come through it okay? Just wait until you have your first. Man, you have no idea.”

  Sawyer clinked his beer to Elijah’s.

  Alex hadn’t said much. He seemed extra quiet that night, so I nudged his foot. “What’s eating you?”

  He shook his head absently and muttered, “Two now.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Two what? Hot women checking us out?” I looked around the bar. There were a lot of fine ladies in the room, but none seemed to be looking our way at that moment.

  “No,” Alex corrected. “Two of our clan who have fated mates.”

  I nodded. “Makes you wonder, huh?”

  “I don’t think it’s as rare as we thought,” Sawyer added.

  “Or it is,” Alex challenged. “Like lightning striking twice. Sometimes, it does actually happen.”

  “I guess we’ll have to see if you and Wyatt join the club.” Elijah put his hand on Alex’s shoulder.

  “Does it really matter?” I asked. “Even if you’re not fated, that doesn’t mean you won’t find happiness and love with someone. Millions of people do every day.”

  “But after feeling it…” Alex said.

  “That’s how I knew,” Elijah admitted. “From feeling it when Sawyer went through it.”

  “I’m sure she’s out there,” I said. “Maybe we’ll be a whole clan of fateds.”

  “Unlikely,” Alex said.

  “Well, you don’t see me with anyone, either,” I pointed out.

  “Not true. I see you with someone every week,” Alex said.

  “I mean anyone permanent,” I returned. “I haven’t found my fated, or any kind of mate, for that matter.”

  Yet, as soon as I said the words, one name popped into my mind. Not that I thought we were fated, but Glory was the one who got away. The one I’d never known about. The one that might’ve been the one. Since her, Alex was right; I’d had mostly one-off flings. If anything lasted longer, it wasn’t by much.

  “I’m not sure that’s helpful,” Alex said. “If only two of us are fated, it could be unlikely, but possible. Like lightning striking twice, as I said. If there were three of us, that might indicate it’s not rare. Lightning doesn’t strike three times, ever.”

  “So, if I have one, you have one?” I offered.

  “It would be more likely, yes,” Alex said.

  “Then here’s hoping the one walks in the door tonight!” I lifted my beer then took a long gulp to finish it off.

  The waitress approached our table. She was cute the sort I usually went for, so when she saw me looking, I smiled and grinned back.

  “Hey boys,” she said. “Can I get anything for y’all?”

  “Another round of beers,” I answered. “And your number.”

  “I’ll bring the beers,” she confirmed. “But you have to earn my number.”

  “Oh.” I leaned back in my chair. “I do like a challenge.”

  She winked and walked away.

  “Oh, here we go,” Sawyer said. “You think she’s the one?”

  I shrugged. “Won’t know until I know. How long did it take you to know?”

  “Less than a second,” Sawyer said. “Though it took months to convince myself that’s what it was.”

  “It was pretty instant for me, too,” Elijah added. “The moment I saw her.”

  “So, I just have to look at my fated and then I’ll know?” Alex asked.

  “If it’s always the same,” Sawyer said.

  I looked over to where the waitress leaned over another table. She was hot, but my motivation was gone. The problem was, I didn’t feel anything for her. At all.

  I hadn’t even thought about the waitress again that night. We’d gone on to talk about sports, married life and work, and at the end of the night, when she came back to bring the checks, she handed me a small piece of paper.

  “Use it wisely,” she said, then walked away.

  The guys hooted at me, and I nodded my acceptance. “She may not be the one, but she can be the one for right now.”

  We paid up and headed out to our vehicles together. Alex shifted to run home and I hopped into my truck, alone with my thoughts.

  The piece of paper with the waitress’ number rested in my pocket, but as I drove, I rolled down the window and tossed it out. It was nothing against her. She was pretty and all; worth a call, definitely. But I knew where it would lead.

  We’d go out. We’d sleep together. She’d want a relationship. I’d be done. I’d try to make her happy, and within a month or two, she’d tell me I was distant and afraid of commitment, and she’d end it.

  After seeing how happy Sawyer and Elijah were, I wanted that. I
didn’t want a hot night and a handful of excuses not to have a relationship. The time to settle down had come. With half of my clan married with kids, what was lacking in my life was more obvious. I wanted to find someone.

  My mind wandered back to Glory, as it always did. She was the bar that no one else could touch. My relationship with her had been perfect until that stupid feud between our fathers stole her from me. We were only 16, but what we had was incredible.

  I thought of trying to find her again. I’d done a few searches online, but it’d gone nowhere. I hadn’t dared to find her on social media out of fear I’d see her handsome husband and beautiful kids and see how her life had turned out perfectly without me.

  I wished I could’ve seen her again. Even if she was married, I’d rather know than always wonder. What would have happened if she’d never moved away? And how was it I could still miss her after so many years?

  I turned into my driveway and killed the engine. Enough of thinking like that. Alex was just rubbing off on me with all his sad, “I want a fated mate,” stuff. I couldn’t afford to get down about it. If she was out there, I’d find her sooner or later.

  4

  Glory

  When I stepped out of the airport into the Texas air, it was like leaving one world and entering another. Seattle, my home for the last eight years, was the complete opposite of hot and dry Texas. I closed my eyes to the sun like I’d done a thousand times as a child and basked in the warmth.

  Once I’d gotten my rental car, I had another two and a half hours before I’d get to Marathon, which was another half hour from Big Bend. I enjoyed my ride, singing to the staticky radio with my windows down and hair blowing, ready to let loose and have some fun with my old friends.

  As I neared Marathon, I started to see sights that were more familiar. Certain cliffs and peaks stood out as reminders of how close I was to Big Bend.

  To Wyatt.

  After checking into my hotel room, I called the bride.

  “You’re here!” Belle trilled when she heard my voice. “This is going to be the best bachelorette party ever!”

  “I can’t wait to see you! What time will you be at the park?”

  “In about two hours. If you need more time, there’s no worry. We can get the camp set up.”

  I bit my lip to hold back my laugh. “No, that’s plenty of time. I’ll see you soon!”

  I unpacked my suitcase and then filled my backpack with the gear I would need for a night of camping in the park. My Ranger gear came in handy and my expertise certainly would, as well.

  I headed out a little early. That way, I could get things set up properly before everyone else arrived.

  The closer I got to Big Bend, the faster my heart raced. I saw the rock formations I’d stared at every day of my childhood, and it felt like coming home. When I saw the road I would have taken if I were going to my old house, my throat grew tight. I’d loved living there as a child, riding horses, living the ranch life. Moving to the city had taken serious adjustment, and it was clear to me that right there was where I felt most like me.

  The old anger stirred in my chest. I’d resented my dad for taking us away from our home, even if he’d had good reason and not much choice. What I resented more was that he’d kept me from communicating with Wyatt. That part had seemed unnecessarily cruel to me then, and still did years later. As much as I’d learned to forgive my dad over the years and to move on with life without constantly living in regret and longing, being in Big Bend brought all the feelings back that sixteen-year-old-me had to deal with.

  I let out a long breath. At least I could let loose and unwind. The traveling had me achy and worn out, so the bachelorette party would be the perfect time to refresh and catch up with old friends. I’d known all the ladies who’d be there back in high school. Belle had always been the best of my friends, though, and I missed seeing her every day.

  I pulled up to the campsite we’d booked for the night and unloaded my gear. I still had a solid half hour until the other ladies would arrive. I took a few minutes to prep the area, sweeping debris from the spot I’d put the tent. I moved some bigger pieces of wood into the fire ring for later, and as I finished up and turned to get my backpack, I saw a car pull up next to mine. They had arrived early.

  Belle spilled from the car in a giggle, throwing her hands up and dancing toward me. I ran to meet her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

  “You’re really here!” Belle squealed.

  “I really am!”

  The other ladies climbed out of the car and started pulling backpacks and gear from the trunk.

  “So.” Belle put her arm around my shoulders. “We have an appointment at the dress shop tomorrow. We’ll just have to pray your dress fits well and doesn’t need alterations since you couldn’t try it on sooner.”

  “How early tomorrow is this appointment?”

  She waved her hand at me. “Not until one in the afternoon.”

  “Good thinking. We’ll need our rest after tonight.”

  “Well, we kind of have to meet the guys for breakfast in the morning,” she confessed. “But! I still plan to fully party myself out. After the wedding and honeymoon, it’s time to put on the wife face and get serious. It’ll be baby making time!”

  I laughed and shook my head. “How many drinks have you had so far?”

  She tapped her lip in thought. “I think only two.”

  “Then, we’d better get moving.”

  I helped Jenny pull the cooler from the trunk and walk it over to the site while Savannah and Anna struggled with the tent.

  “I think this is one of the poles,” Savannah said.

  “Or is that for the part that sticks out?” Anna asked.

  We set the cooler in place and I went to them. “Can I help?”

  Anna gave me a look that said, “Obviously,” and Savannah handed me the pole.

  In a matter of minutes, I had the tent structure assembled. “Okay, now you each grab a corner and lift.” They lifted and I popped the remaining poles into place. “There.”

  Belle came to inspect my work. “That took you, like, two seconds.”

  I shrugged. “Ranger skills.”

  “Good,” Jenny said. “Then you can build the fire.” She handed me a lighter and a crumpled piece of paper.

  I took them from her, but added the proper kindling to the fire ring and rearranged the wood pieces. The fire caught quickly and I stood back.

  “See, Glory,” Belle said. “You belong here.”

  Jenny threw her arm around me. “I agree. It’s been much too long.”

  “Maybe if we get you drunk enough, we can convince you to move back,” Savannah added, handing me a fruity malt beverage.

  I took the drink and downed a few gulps. “I’d need to be really drunk for that to happen. I’d better catch up to you all.”

  “Me, too,” Anna said. “I was driving.”

  Savannah handed her a drink and she cracked it open, then tapped it to mine in a toast. “To Belle and her dream man, Noah.”

  They all chimed in and tapped their cans to ours.

  “To us!” Belle added. “Now let’s get drunk and watch the stripper.”

  “The what?” I laughed.

  “We had to do this right,” Anna said. “But he won’t be here until it gets dark.”

  “Boo,” Belle said. She plugged a small speaker into an iPod and hit play. Loud pop tunes blared from the tinny speaker and Belle danced around, singing.

  I checked on the fire and made sure camp was set properly, then joined in the fun. We’d gotten pretty toasty by the time we decided to roast hot dogs and just finished up when a car slowly approached the site.

  Savannah saw it first and jumped to her feet, then dashed to the car. As it parked, she hurried back to us, clapping her hands together excitedly.

  “He’s really hot,” she whispered and took her seat beside Anna.

  The stripper, dressed like a fireman, carried a long hose toward the
half circle we’d formed around the fire.

  “Do you ladies need to have a fire put out?” he asked.

  After many hoots and hollers, the stripper started playing music from his phone and began his act. His uniform came off in pieces as he danced around us, giving each of us our moment of special attention. For me, this involved a lap dance.

  I felt the heat rush up my neck and covered my face with my hands.

  “Aww, she’s shy!” Jenny called out.

  “But she’s the only single one!” Belle added.

  This seemed to be meaningful news to the stripper, who then gave me even more special attention by turning and rubbing his crotch on me.

  Other than the private mini-dance the stripper gave the blushing bride, I’d gotten the most of his shaking and thrusting. He wasn’t a bad-looking guy—in good shape and all—but he just wasn’t for me.

  While he was giving Belle her dance, Jenny scooted her chair closer to me. “You should totally sleep with him,” she whispered.

  “No way!” I smacked her arm.

  “Why not? He’s hot, you’re single, you’re drunk, and it’d be fun! Hell, I’d do him if I weren’t married.”

  “I’m not sleeping with the stripper,” I hissed back.

  When the stripper had finished and received his tips, we all collapsed back into our chairs around the fire.

  “That was interesting,” I said.

  “Oh yeah?” Anna asked. “You like him?”

  “It was… interesting,” I repeated.

  “Well…” Savannah handed me a piece of paper. “I got his number for you.”

  They cheered and clapped.

  “No, no.” I waved my hand. “I’m not interested.”

  “Ugg,” Belle moaned. “How can you not be? Oh wait!” She sat up suddenly. “Did you meet someone? Are you seeing someone?”

  I sighed. “No.”

  “Then why?” Belle whined. “Why are you always single?”

  “I’ve just been focused on my career. Women do that these days, you know.” I chuckled.

  “But in all this time, no one has taken your fancy?” Savannah asked.