Polar Opposites

by Ariana McGregor

  Dammit.

  ***

  “She’s a tough one, that girl.”

  Felix turned to see Anna watching him. Sara was across the room talking to her sister.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Anna nodded approvingly. “You’re a polite boy. That’s good. I had hoped that Sara would mate with my son, but I’ll find him someone else.” Her eyes moved to Katie who caught her gaze and flinched. “She’s not going to be easy.”

  “Katie?” he asked.

  “No, Sara,” Anna said. “Katie is my problem, and I’ll deal with her.”

  Felix frowned. Should he be sticking up for his sister? He looked at Katie and she crossed her eyes at him, sticking out her tongue. Nah. Katie was on her own.

  “You’ll have to be patient with Sara,” Anna told him. “It’s not easy to break a mate bond, even for your true mate.”

  Felix stared at her. “Mate bond?” Sara was mated? His lion whined mournfully inside his head.

  Anna flashed him a sharp look. “You didn’t know? How do they expect you to win her over if they don’t tell you what’s happening?” She shook her head.

  “I think they’re trying to respect Sara’s privacy,” he suggested. “They think it’s Sara’s place to tell me.”

  “This is no time for privacy,” Anna said, waving her hand. “You need to know what you’re up against so you can plan. The girl’s wellbeing is much more important than her privacy.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Sara was accidentally mated when she bit the man who attacked her,” Anna said.

  He felt his lion rise within him, snarling and demanding they find the man and kill him. His lion was a lazy beast, refusing to respond to much, but someone hurting his mate was enough to unleash the beast.

  Anna gripped his arm, holding tight. “Knock it off, dear. Save it for when you find the man.”

  Alex realised he was growling softly and pulled himself back under control. Katie shot him a confused look, but no one else seemed to have noticed.

  “That’s the problem,” Anna told him. “Your true mate bond overrides the bond she already has, but it’s not an instant thing. Even though Sara doesn’t want the other man, her polar bear recognises him as her mate and is unhappy that Sara left him. The poor girl is being pulled in two different directions.”

  “What do I do?” he asked.

  Anna patted his arm approvingly. “You need to give her time. Be around her without pushing her for anything. Let her polar bear get used to you. Once the bear comes around, Sara will find it easier to accept you. Particularly with her first mate not being around. Their bond should weaken, and yours will get stronger until it breaks the first one.”

  “I can do that,” he said, nodding. “I’m not easy to push away.”

  Anna eyed him critically and seemed to like what she saw. “Yes, you’ll do, Lion. I think you’re just what she needs.”

  Chapter 4

  Sara browsed the library, picking up books, scanning them and then placing them back on the shelves. Nothing seemed to appeal to her. She wasn’t much of a reader, but she needed to find calming activities to help her keep control.

  It had been so long since she’d had any caffeine that even the withdrawal had passed. Still, she missed her coffee, especially first thing in the morning. She had tried yoga, meditation, and had even had a couple of reiki sessions. Reading should be a calm hobby, right? Except she didn’t really have the patience for it, and none of the books she’d looked at would hold her attention for long.

  Maybe the library would have some books on meditation. So far, her attempts had been a dismal failure. The first time, she had concentrated on her breathing as suggested. She’d concentrated on it so hard that she’d ended up hyperventilating and became dizzy. The second time, she had fallen asleep, which was technically relaxing but not really the point. She’d woken up every bit as tense as before. The third time, she had been so bored that she felt incredibly stressed out. Maybe a book would give her a few pointers.

  As she approached the reference section, she caught a whiff of lion. Her lion. Dammit. Turning the corner, she saw him, flipping through a book. He smiled as he saw her approach.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  He looked at her as though she’d asked the silliest question ever. “Looking for books,” he answered, looking down at the book in his hand. She flipped up the cover to look at it.

  “Origami?” she asked.

  “Yeah, yesterday was fun,” he said. “I thought I’d try to learn a few new things. You ever tried origami?”

  “Other than yesterday?” she asked, pulling a face. “No. I’m hoping to never try it again.”

  “Your loss,” he said, continuing to flip through the book.

  She stared at him, feeling irrationally annoyed at him. He was looking at the book, not her. This was his town, his library, and he had every right to be here. It was probably nothing to do with her. Perversely, she wasn’t sure if that was what upset her. She didn’t want his attention, right?

  Her polar bear grumbled unhappily at her, but she couldn’t tell if it was upset by the man’s presence or by his inattention to her.

  “Well, I can’t find anything I want,” she said. At his amused glance, she added, “To read.” Then she blushed at her need to clarify. It was a little bit defensive.

  “Okay, see ya,” he said, bending his head to look at his book.

  Feeling unreasonably irritated, she turned and stalked from the library.

  ***

  “Stupid trolley.”

  Sara swore under her breath as she attempted to manoeuvre the trolley around the supermarket. She’d managed to pick the one with a dodgy wheel that made the thing hard to steer. Typical.

  She tossed a couple of cereal boxes into the trolley and checked her list. She still needed a few more things. Wrestling her trolley into submission, she managed to reach the bakery section. She loved the smell of this part of the shop, her shifter nose revelling in the scents of baking bread and cookies… and lion?

  There he was, his back to her, examining the packs of freshly baked cookies. He picked up the double chocolate ones, hesitated, and then swapped them for the white chocolate chip ones. The last bag of white chocolate chip cookies. Her bear growled menacingly. Perhaps a small growl escaped, because Felix turned to look at her, eyes widening in surprise that she didn’t believe for one second was genuine.

  “That was the last bag,” she said, scowling at him.

  His eyebrows shot up at her aggression. “I could share them with you,” he suggested.

  Her bear perked up a little, interested, but also considering mauling him and taking all the cookies. It was too close to call.

  “No, thank you,” she said stiffly, grabbing a pack of the milk chocolate ones and tossing them into her trolley. Without another word, she moved away, in search of the dairy section. They were permanently out of cheese in their house with Tara eating it as fast as Sara bought it.

  She looked at the variety of cheeses on display, trying to decide which Tara would appreciate. A delicious aroma tickled her nostrils. Dammit. She looked up to find Felix standing nearby, looking at the yoghurts. He picked up a couple, tossed them in his basket, and then walked off without even looking at her.

  Her mood darkened. If the man was going to stalk her, he should at least attempt to talk to her, show some interest. Not that she wanted him to, she reminded herself. She picked up a few blocks of cheese and then made her way to the frozen food section.

  She looked around but didn’t see her pesky lion anywhere. Why the heck was she disappointed? Grumbling at herself, she picked up a few things and moved onto the tinned section.

  There he was. That was not relief that she felt, it was irritation. It had to be. He stood at the cans of soup, trying to decide which he wanted.

  “Excuse me,” she bit out, leaning past him.

&nb
sp; He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Are you following me?” he asked. “I know I’m irresistible and all, but if you want me, you only have to say so.”

  “What?” she spluttered at him. “You’re the one stalking me. You were at the library and now you’re here as well.”

  “I needed some books and some shopping,” he said reasonably. “Where else would I go?”

  Glaring at him, she stomped off, ready to check out and get away from him. Standing in line, it wasn’t long before she again sensed him next to her. She turned around to confront him.

  “It’s the shortest line,” he said with a shrug before she could yell at him. Looking around, she saw that he was right. It was perfectly reasonable for him to choose this checkout. Still, suspicion nagged at her.

  The whole time she was dealing with her shopping, she was acutely aware of him standing behind her. It made her clumsy, causing her to drop a few things, making her too aware of every movement. Irritation grew.

  She breathed a sigh of relief as she packed the shopping into the car. Taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself, and drove home. Away from the pesky lion.

  Chapter 5

  Felix sipped on his coffee. It was almost time. Sara had plans to drop by the café for coffee with her sister. Smiling, he remembered his earlier success. It was totally worth taking the day off work to spend time shadowing Sara. It was even worth the basket full of shopping he didn’t really need.

  The door opened and Sara stepped in. She hadn’t noticed him yet, the smells from the bakery masking his scent, and he was tucked away in the corner, out of sight.

  “Hey, Tara,” she called. She seemed much more at ease when he wasn’t around. Hopefully someday she’d be equally comfortable with him.

  “I’m taking my break,” Tara called to Dana, making herself and her sister a coffee. Tara steered her sister to a table, conveniently close to where he sat. Spotting him, Sara scowled as she sat down. Smiling back, he gave her a little wave.

  “I thought this place had a zero tolerance policy on stalkers,” Sara said, looking pointedly at Felix.

  “Felix isn’t a stalker,” Tara said, sipping at her coffee. “Mmm… that’s good.”

  “Really?” Sara said, shooting him a nasty glare. “Because he seems to be everywhere I go today.”

  “Maybe you’re everywhere I go,” Felix suggested. “Maybe you’re the stalker.”

  “It is a small town,” Tara suggested with a shrug. “It’s probably just coincidence. Besides, we all know Felix and he’s not a creepy stalker. You’re safe with him.”

  Sara merely glared at them both and went back to her coffee.

  “Why don’t you join us?” Tara asked him, ignoring Sara’s splutter.

  “Don’t mind if I do,” he said, carrying his coffee over to their table. “How’s work today?”

  “Not bad,” Tara said with a shrug. “Busy enough that the shop is doing well, but not so busy that we’re swamped. Plus, I have some cheesecake put by for later.” She looked at him. “Not working today?”

  “He actually works?” Sara mumbled.

  He flashed her a grin. “Yeah, sweetheart, I have my own business and it’s doing really well.” He reached into his pocket and fished out a business card, handing it to her.

  “The Glorious Mane,” she read. “Seriously? You’re a hairdresser?”

  He shrugged. “I used to be a model, but I got tired of being ogled for my pretty face, gorgeous body, and fabulous hair. I’m so much more than that, you know?”

  She stared at him.

  “What?” he asked. “Beautiful people have feelings too. I wanted to actually do something, so I trained as a hairdresser and opened my own salon.”

  “He’s actually pretty good,” Tara said, patting his arm. Felix didn’t miss the way Sara’s eyes narrowed at the contact. “He has people coming here from all over, just for Felix to personally do their hair. He’s making quite a name for himself.”

  Sara remained quiet.

  “Hey, Felix,” Tara said. “I’d been meaning to ask you if you would do my hair for the wedding.”

  “Absolutely,” he agreed. “Who else would you want for your big day? I’d be happy to do it. Have a think about the kind of styles you might like and we can discuss it.”

  “Can you do Sara’s too?”

  Sara choked on her coffee. He reached out and lightly patted her back. “No problem.”

  Sara stared at him, her expression slightly panicked.

  “Breathe, little polar bear,” he soothed her. “It’s just a hair style and you get to choose what you want.”

  “Unlike the dress,” Tara muttered. “What hairstyle goes with the world’s most hideous dresses?”

  “Still haven’t managed to say ‘no’ to Alex’s mum?” he guessed.

  “Could you?” Sara asked.

  He shrugged. “Maybe. She seems to like me. Then again, everyone does.”

  “I don’t,” Sara said.

  “Liar,” he said, smirking at her. She blushed and looked away. Hah, he was right, she did like him.

  “Do you think you could casually mention the dresses to her?” Tara asked hopefully. “She won’t listen to us.”

  “Sure, I’ll give it a shot.” Honestly, he wasn’t sure why everyone was terrified of Alex’s mother. She seemed perfectly nice to him.

  Sara was eyeing him with grudging respect. To have Sara respect him, he would face down Anna Russell in her bear form if he had to.

  ***

  Sara increased the speed of the treadmill, forcing herself to run faster. Her feet thudded as she ran and she began to breathe heavily. Her polar bear was pushing her hard today, and she feared losing her temper. Oddly, the bear was no longer completely focussed on Ryan, instead it was a vague moodiness that made her permanently irritated. The bear didn’t know what it wanted, but it still expected Sara to deliver it anyway.

  After a while, she let the treadmill slow to a walk, letting herself cool down a little. Tempting as it was, she couldn’t stay here all day. She had decisions to make. There was no escape until after her sister’s wedding, but after that? Perhaps it would be best to find somewhere more isolated to lie low. She had stayed here long enough and her savings were dwindling. The future stretched out ahead of her and she had to plan for it.

  She stopped the treadmill and stepped off it.

  “Finally,” an exasperated voice came from behind her. Turning, she saw a muscular man standing there, arms folded, looking impatient. “Other people want to use the machines, you know.”

  She glared at him.

  “Stupid woman,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Get out of the way.” He made to push past her and her polar bear saw red. She shoved at him, her shifter side making her much stronger than she looked. The man’s back hit the wall as he gaped at her in shock. She wrapped a hand around his throat, holding him in place as his face turned red. She applied a little pressure, watching with satisfaction as his expression turned to one of fear.

  “Hey!” One of the trainers walked over. “Let him go.”

  Reluctantly, she prised her fingers from his neck, continuing to glare at him. The man slid down the wall to sit on the floor, his hands rubbing at his throat.

  “I think you should find somewhere else to work out,” the trainer said to her as he crouched next to the man. “We don’t tolerate violence towards staff or other gym members.”

  She glared at him, her fists clenched, trying to suppress the urge to hit the trainer. She needed this place. There were no other gyms nearby, and she needed the exercise to exhaust her polar bear.

  “Sara?” Turning, she saw Ethan walking toward her. “Maybe you should step outside for a moment.”

  She stared at him, the wolf shifter holding eye contact. He reached out and put an arm around her, steering her away. Her polar bear reacted to the unwanted contact, and she tried to break away, but Ethan kept a firm grip on her. As they left
the building, Leo approached and took her other side. Her bear howled with rage. She had just enough control to prevent shifting, and in her human form, she was no match for both Ethan and Leo.

  Shaking with fury, she was led to a nearby bench and pushed onto it.

  “Sit and breathe,” Ethan ordered. “Calm yourself.” He let go and stepped back, staying nearby in case of trouble, but no longer touching her. She concentrated on her breathing, but it wasn’t helping. She was just so angry. Her bear fought for control within her mind.

  She was vaguely aware of Leo talking on his phone, but the words were too quiet for her to hear, even with her shifter hearing. She sat on the bench, trying to regain her control and failing miserably. Her polar bear screamed at her, demanding violence, and she tried to hold it back. It was a stalemate, taking all of her attention and energy to just stay human.

  After a few minutes, she became aware of a familiar scent. Felix. She looked up and saw him approaching her.

  “Hey,” he said softly, crouching in front of her. “I hear your bear is being a bit cranky.”

  She looked at him, unable to answer, beyond speech.

  “You can hit me if you like,” he offered. “My siblings do it all the time, so I’m used to it. I can take it if it’ll make you feel better.”

  She continued to stare at him. Was he crazy? He was offering to let her hit him? A little of the haze cleared. She blinked at him.

  “When was the last time you let the polar bear out?” he asked.

  “Can’t,” she managed to choke out.

  “You know that makes it worse, right?” He frowned at her. “Keeping it inside all the time will eat at your control.”

  “No control,” she said, shaking her head. “She’d try to go back to Ryan. Bastard.” She could feel the rage building again, twisting inside her. “Rather die.” Thoughts of what had happened with Ryan, the rape and the forced mating, had nausea rising fast. Turning quickly, she threw up into the bin next to the bench. Her throat burned, tears streamed from her eyes, and still she continued to be sick.