I think my bear is drawing me to Aubrey, and this pull is becoming stronger and stronger every time I see her. It happened when I saw her at the gym earlier today.
My mate, my bear growled. Mine.
Her presence was electrifying. I wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms, run my fingers through her hair, go hunting with her, make love to her...
Ugh. Get a fucking grip, Mason.
I stepped out of the sauna, my aching muscles sending a jolt of pain through my body with every movement. I grabbed a plush towel and walked into my bathroom. I stared at my flushed and blotchy skin in the antique mirror and reached for my iPhone, which was resting on the Italian marble counter. I started to text Connor to see if he wanted to go for a hike before sundown as a distraction, but I was stopped by an incoming call from Sheriff Andrews.
“Andrews,” I said as I suppressed a groan. I wasn’t too fond of him, as he was very obviously was jealous of my position as head of the Defense Force and as an agent for the Arcane Affairs Agency. Tough luck.
“Alpha Fortescue,” he said, sounding out of breath. “I'm at an emergency council meeting,” but we are on recess right now. I will have to make this call quick.”
“I'm all ears.” I put him on speakerphone as I grabbed an extra towel to dry my hair.
“Councilman Johnson has been murdered. We are launching an official investigation into his death. We suspect that this is related to the murders in Spokane.”
“Jesus,” I said as I shook my head. “Councilman Johnson was in the Moore clan, correct?”
“Yes, that is correct. Is the Agency aware of this?”
“Probably. I'll contact HQ in a bit, as they'll probably have me investigate this on their behalf. Has Alpha Moore been notified?”
“Yes. We tried to talk to her earlier, but she's proving to be...uncooperative.” He cleared his throat. “Perhaps you'll be more agreeable on this matter.”
“We’ll see, I guess,” Doubt it. “What matter are you referring to?”
“I'm going to make this short and sweet, Alpha Fortescue. We need to form a united front against these threats to our safety.”
“Of course, that’s to be expected.” I rolled my eyes as I dabbed my pulse points with cologne. The sandalwood and jasmine notes stung my nostrils –damn, this shit was potent.
“As the two largest clans in Timber Creek, we expect the Fortescue and the Moore clans to collaborate and work together to protect our people. We would like to do more than just collaborate, however. Ideally, we’d like to merge the two–”
I groaned. Sheriff Andrews was a man of many words, but of little substance. “Cut to the chase, Andrews,” I said.
“Our current clan structure– which is unconventional and strange when compared to other shifter groups, let's not fool ourselves – will not be able to survive a string of homicides.” He paused and took a deep breath. “We are beginning the process of merging the clans, and we’d like you and Alpha Moore to form one united clan.”
“As in…?” This was ridiculous. We could technically survive this – it would be difficult, but not impossible. Yes, our clans were much, much larger than other shifter clans were, but that's because most people who came to Timber Creek were escaping dangerous situations and joined existing clans to survive and rebuild themselves. It's the reason why there are only four main clans in the town now.
“As in, you'd be co-alphas. This requires that you marry each other…”
I paused for a second to take everything in. “You've got to be kidding me, Andrews. Are you saying this is a fucking arranged marriage?” Fuck diplomatic decorum and “respecting my elders” – I wasn't going to censor myself. My blood pressure was rapidly increasing and I started to feel dizzy.
“Yes, Alpha Fortescue,” he said, stumbling over his words. “In addition, we request that you two have children within the next two years, which would allow us to complete the merging. We understand that you may–”
Children? I was going to be forced to have children?
No. This went over the line. “Why weren't Alpha Moore and I consulted during this process?” I gripped the cold countertop so hard I thought it would crumble under the pressure. My skin felt flushed and I was starting to develop tunnel vision.
“It is an emergency –”
“Yes, but you're taking our lives into your own hands. What kind of archaic institution is this?”
“Sir, we were desperate –”
“An arranged marriage, seriously? Would you not just take our word when we say we’ll work together?” I let go of the countertop and cracked my knuckles before I started to pace around the room.
“This is what's best for the future of our clans, Alpha.”
“Bullshit.” My nostrils were flaring. “And if I say no?”
“We will be forced to seek asylum elsewhere.”
Fuck. It's either we get married, or get rid of everything you've ever worked for and start fresh somewhere else. “I will consider this proposal, but I can reassure you that I will have a few conditions of my own.”
I hung up and fought the urge to slam my fists into the nearest object. No wonder Aubrey was “uncooperative”. Who wouldn’t be?
My bear, on the other hand, didn’t feel the same way – in fact, he seemed to be ecstatic.
Are you serious right now? We’re in serious trouble, I thought, not knowing whether to fight or flee.
Our mate. She is ours now. He sounded certain about this.
Yeah, right, I scoffed. He let out a low, guttural growl in response. Settle down, bear, or I'll shut you up myself.
***
“An arranged marriage, mom? Really? Shit, what is this, 14th century Europe?” I paced up and down our vast rustic dining room, which was covered in dark oak wood and smooth grey stone that was carved out of Mount Callista. The spotless massive windows allowed us to see the small, man-made lake that rested in the center of our property from our dining table.
“Language, Mason.” My mother pulled her dark brown hair into a tight bun. Her grey and blonde streaks shone under the overhead light as she looked down at her plate of half-eaten food and squeezed her eyes shut. The fireplace that sat behind her crackled and cast a soft glow onto her, which created an orange-gold halo around her head.
“The council thought it best,” she said as she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “I'm a new member, there's no way I could have countered their decision.”
I was struggling to control my temper around my mom – I almost never got angry around her. I could feel my voice rising in volume, becoming more intense. “I don't want to get married. Particularly not to someone I barely even know.” Yeah, that was partially a lie, and I knew it.
“Alpha Moore is a lovely, fierce woman.” She looked up at me, her eyes twinkling. “It could've been much, much worse.”
“That's beside the point, Mom –”
“She'd be a wonderful mother to my grandcubs,” she said as she absentmindedly fiddled with her wedding ring, which she wore on a gold necklace: a trinket from an abusive past. “Not to mention that she'd be an excellent leader of the Fortescue clan.”
I stopped pacing and put my hands on the back of my head. “Shit, grandcubs?” She cringed at my use of profanity. “I’m only 29.”
“Only 29?” She laughed. “Our line is extinct, Mason. You’re the last chance to carry on the Fortescue’s California grizzly lineage.” She reached for my hand as I paced by her. “Lord knows that psychopathic half-brother of yours isn't going to reproduce, God willing…”
I scoffed. Like anyone would be willing to reproduce with Gregory in the first place. “I would've liked to have some choice in this matter.”
“Understandably so,” she sighed. “You do have more of a choice than you think, though.”
“It looks like my only two options are to get married, or force the clan to relocate.”
“You are correct.”
“Not much of
a choice.”
“Give marriage a chance, Mason. Aubrey is quite a catch.”
“Marriage AND fatherhood, can’t forget that,” I said. “It's not Aubrey I'm worried about, anyways.” I sat down in the dark oak dining chair next to her. “What if I turn out like Dad?”
“Nonsense, Mason. Don't even entertain that thought.”
“He was a terrible husband to you, and an equally terrible father. I don’t know if I have the genetic capacity to be even a halfway decent father or husband.”
“Mason…” My mom had an edge to her voice. My father left my mother for another woman when I was around 2 years old. He ended up getting the other woman pregnant with my half-brother and then abandoning them shortly afterward. I haven't seen him since. Even though I was very young, I knew how much my father hurt my mother when he left. While she might say otherwise, I know she's never forgiven him. When he left, the warm, loving light that lit up her eyes became a little dimmer.
“I’m just saying. I can see bits of him in me. My sense of humor, my manner of speech, my inability to keep a relationship –”
“Mason!” Her voice was stern and commanding. “You are nothing like your father. You are honorable, dedicated, and driven.”
I buried my face in my hands. “Of course you’d say that, you’re my mother.”
“You also have his dashing good looks. Everything else, you inherited from me,” she said, suppressing a giggle.
“I don't know,” I mumbled into my hands. “I don't want to hurt Aubrey or our children.”
She peeled my hands away from my face and looked sternly at me with her piercing blue eyes. “Keep thinking that way, and you will.”
***
After my conversation with my mother, I decided to text Connor to see if he wanted to go for a hike. I was in desperate need of a distraction, and a hike would help me clear my head. We decided to hike Mount Callista – the most difficult mountain to climb in the entire Pacific Northwest. Well, it was difficult for humans – shifters, not so much.
“Shit, man, marriage?” Connor said, using a giant tree branch as a walking stick. “That's a big fuckin’ deal.” He stopped, turned toward me, and poked my chest with the stick. “Hey, at least you're going to get with Alpha Moore, you lucky dog.”
“I'm going to break that stick in two if you're not fucking careful,” I said with a laugh as I pushed it out of his hands. “Still, dude, this is a big deal.”
“Yeah,” He ran his hands over his buzzed head and kicked the stick down the trail. “Need me to brief the Timber Creek Defense Force? They're going to be pissed that they didn't get to save Johnson…”
Ugh. I'd forgotten about them. “Yeah, if you could, that'd be great. I don't have time to think about getting married, let alone leading an entire military…”
“Just focus on clan business and on the Agency. I'll take care of whipping the recruit’s asses into shape. Speaking of, did you talk to the Agency already?”
“Yeah, I called my supervisor after talking to my mom. They’re opening up a case on it and want me to investigate what’s going on here.”
Connor nodded and we walked in silence until we reached the top of Mount Callista. The view was breathtaking. I could see the entire town, separated in quadrants by each of the clan compounds, and I saw the Alphas’ mansions, which served as a beacon for their respective compounds. I squinted and looked at Aubrey’s mansion.
“What do you know about Alpha Moore, actually?” I couldn't resist asking. “I mean, you’re fucking her Beta.”
“She's a badass and a hardass, according to her clan members. She don’t take shit from nobody.” He looked up at the stars beginning to shine in the sky. “Why? You interested?”
I kicked a few rocks off the side of the mountain. “Well, she is going to be my wife…”
“You’re avoiding the question.”
I put my hands in my back pocket and shrugged my shoulders. “Yeah, I'm kind of interested.”
“Fuck yeah,” he said, slapping my shoulder. “So, you’re going to go through with the contract?”
“I’m in if she is.” To be honest, the “if” is what was killing me at the moment.
“Nice! This is going to be perfect, dude! You’ll have a hot wife, a huge clan...it’s a dream come true.”
“No, it's not. An arranged marriage was never a ‘dream’ for me. Hell, marriage was never a ‘dream’ for me.”
“Hey, it's better than getting murdered,” he said, digging his heels in the dirt.
“Neither option is ideal, dude.” Why didn’t anyone seem to notice that?
“You'll either be fucked, or you'll get fucked...by Aubrey.” He wiggled his eyebrows and winked at me.
“Jesus, dude. Way to be a supportive Beta.” He was really starting to piss me off. He could at least show a little bit of empathy.
“I'm just being optimistic. Chill, dude.”
Of course I was on edge. I wanted to be with Aubrey, but the thought of marriage was just...I can’t fucking handle it. I don’t know if I ever could.
Chapter 3: Aubrey
God, that council meeting yesterday was worse than I ever could have expected. After I spent the rest of the day crying, I decided to treat myself today by going to the lake near Mount Callista – my little piece of paradise in a sea of chaos. My dad built a small cabin that served as a sort of home-away-from-home. No one knew it existed, so I knew I was going to be all alone. I needed that more than ever today, as I couldn’t even begin to control the thoughts that were racing through my head.
I hated to admit that this arranged marriage made sense from a military standpoint. The Timber Creek Defense Force had lots of soldiers, and I’d be expected to help recruit more. The town would certainly be a lot safer with a larger army. It’d also probably boost morale to have two Alphas lead this army together.
On the other hand, the thought of marriage made me sick. It would require me to open up to Mason in a way that I wouldn’t be comfortable doing in a thousand years. I opened up to Gregory, and he ruined me. I will not let another person do that.
Besides, I can't imagine that being married will be anything but painful…and not just for me, but for Mason. I’m not “wife material” by any stretch of the imagination, and I can absolutely guarantee that I will not be the right fit for him. Someone like Mason deserves someone who isn’t petrified all of the time because of my past trauma. I’m not trying to sell myself short, either – I'm fearless and strong when it comes to leading my clan, but not when it comes to matters of the heart. I don't know if I ever will be. I don’t even know if I ever was in the first place. Also, I’m pretty sure I’m not his type: I’m nothing like the petite, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girls I’ve seen him with in the past. I’m the opposite: I’m on the larger, curvier side, have curly black hair, and dark brown eyes.
Despite all of this, the thought of Mason still made my heart soar. To other women in the town, being engaged to him would be a dream come true. His family name is associated with power, wealth, humility, and honor; marriage is the easiest way to tap into all of that. Almost every woman would kill to be in my position. Hell, every woman in the Pacific Northwest would probably kill to be in my position, regardless of whether they were a bear shifter or not, simply for the money.
I ain’t sayin’ she’s a gold digger...
My bear’s reaction to him was still startling to me. She only came out when I was in danger, or if I do something that fulfills her primal urges (like hunting, or hiking). She has never once expressed happiness at the sight of another person. She said Mason was “mine” – what does that even mean? He did feel like “mine”, as even being in close proximity to him felt like I had found something that I’d lost for many years. The thing is: do I want him to be “mine”, and do I even want to be “his”?
My mother and father told me about how they instantly knew that they were meant for each other. They said they were “fated mates”, and that it was extrem
ely common – if not expected – for shifters to have a fated mate. Was Mason my fated mate? No, he couldn’t be. Besides, if he were, I wouldn’t be so upset about getting married to him. What my bear and I felt toward him had to be no more than a harmless little crush. Right?
I walked to the edge of the lake and looked at my reflection in the crystal-clear water. My eyes were puffy and sore, and I’m sure my face would’ve been blotchy if my dark, mocha-colored skin didn’t conceal it. My hair was frizzy and unkempt, and my fingernails were sore from all of the nervous biting. I decided to step into the lake and let the cold water nearly shock my system. I wanted to silence my thoughts, and let the lake absorb my worries.
***
Emma and I sat on the white sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace in my expansive bedroom. The warmth was soothing to my muscles, which were freezing and sore from floating in the lake for a few hours. The fireplace crackled, and the faint aroma of smoke and firewood drifted through the air. Emma grabbed the bottle of Dom Perignon champagne that sat between us and topped off both of our glasses.
“Do you think you'll go to live with Mason in the Fortescue mansion, or will he live here?” Her eyes twinkled with excitement, and the fire made her scarlet hair glow. Her cheeks were flushed, which always happened when she had a bit too much to drink.
“You're saying that like it's a sure thing,” I said. “I don't even know if I'm going to go through with this contract.”
“Well, it sounds like Mason's going to.” She took another huge sip of champagne. “Looks like you two will have to fight it out.”
Alpha Arrangement: A BBW BWWM Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Arcane Affairs Agency) Page 3
