Excitement bubbled in her veins. She had never heard of anything like that. “This all sounds surreal. So are they shifters or aliens?”
“Shifters. And they are a lot older than humans.”
“But if they came before humans, how did humans come about?” she asked, completely confused.
“Humans are, in a rare form, descendants from Aurora. Not fully. Aurorans came here and bred with humans. They created shifters. The shifters we know today. Not all breeding ended up in shifters. Some just advanced the human species. Smarter humans.”
She gaped at Gerri. “Holy crap!”
“I’m sure it seems unreal to someone who isn’t used to it, but my question is, do you want to go on a short trip?” Gerri grinned.
“Hell yes!” She’d never really gone anywhere, because she was always so busy working. Her goal in life was to travel the world. Screw that. Now she could change it to the galaxy.
THREE
Alyx Treyvaal slammed his fist on his thick, wooden desk, which had been passed down his family for a few thousand years. The sound reverberated around his chambers, but he didn’t give a shit. He was losing time, time to have been with a mate, all because of his stupid, picky lion. He should have been mated with at least five kids by now. Instead, he was hosting mindless dinners and parties, like this was some kind of fucking storybook romance.
“What do you mean she said she’d think about it?” he growled at Karel. The lack of humanity in his voice didn’t faze his security chief. Karel raised a brow and shrugged.
“You already knew that was a possibility. You’ve been rejecting her help for years, and you expect her to just ignore that and come to your aid?”
“Yes!” He gripped the wood on his desk, grateful tevali trees were stronger than even him. “I am the king!”
Karel shook his head and glanced toward the ceiling. “Will you never learn? Gerri Wilder is not your average matchmaker. She has a gift. She knows things, much like your mother knows things. And because she knows who belongs with whom, she can decide if she wants to help or not. You should not have insulted her the last time she offered to help.”
Alyx glowered at his friend. “She said I was being a spoiled brat.”
“She was right!” Karel sighed, sliding his fingers through his short, white hair. “You’ve completely ignored all common sense and allowed your pride to dictate your actions.”
“I could have found my own mate!” he snapped.
“Oh, yeah?” Karel said sarcastically, raising his brows at the same time. “Doesn’t look like it to me.”
“Get her here. I need her to help me with this. You don’t understand. I’m going to kill the Elder Council if they keep reminding me of my duty to the shifter nation.”
Karel grinned unapologetically. “You knew the rules.”
“Yes. I knew I had to be mated by my hundredth birthday, but this is ridiculous. None of our women have attracted me. Hell, not even the ones from the other clans. They’ve all hosted me to see if they might succeed in placing one of their own in the queen’s seat.”
“Yeah, it's easy to get somebody from another clan. But you know if any of them become your mate, they will feel like they are above the others. We also have our own women who want to be your mate, and you rejecting them and choosing someone else from the other clans would create a big issue here.” Karel sighed and sat. “Not something we need.”
Alyx turned to the bar by his desk. He poured himself and Karel some of their favorite Sidaii wine. “At this point I don't really care if one of our women is my mate or if it’s someone else. I just want to find somebody who is. I am hoping Gerri can help with this. I'm really tired of having to keep meeting people, doing dinners, and not knowing if I'm going to find the one.”
Karel gave him the ‘Really?’ look. “Well, that's your fault for having such a picky lion. You already knew that would be the case when it came to your heritage.”
His parents told him how difficult it was to find the right mate. They suggested Gerri, because she was so good at what she did. His mother told him it would be difficult for him to find the right one in Aurora. Now he knew what she meant. If he didn't find someone soon, not only would he have issues with the other clans, but his own council was giving him headaches.
“Your biggest problem is the fact that if you don’t mate by your birthday, you lose your ability to breed.”
He raised a brow and handed Karel a glass of wine. “Thanks for the reminder. I didn’t really need it.”
“I’m just saying. Hurry your ass up already.”
The royal family needed heirs. Someone had to be available in case something happened to him. Ideally, he needed to have a couple of children to take the throne. That was the main problem. Another problem was all the women visiting and dropping by to see if he’d changed his mind about them. It was getting damn annoying.
“If we can get Gerri to come, I really think you'll have a better chance mating.”
He growled—something he’d been getting really good at. “I don't know what else to do. She thinks I’m some kind of joke. Now I have to wait until she decides if I’m worth her time or not. This is ridiculous. How in the world will I ever get to find a mate if she’s taking her sweet time?”
Karel nodded, his brow puckered in concentration. “Listen, I will give her another call. I will express the urgency of the situation. But I'm pretty sure she already knows that you are, as they say on Earth, ‘up Shit Creek without a paddle.’”
Alyx rolled his eyes. “She taught you that, didn’t she?”
Karel grinned. “She’s fucking awesome!”
Alyx gulped his wine, the fruity drink sliding down his throat to ease some of his anger. “Real fucking funny. All this just to find my queen. How hard can it be to find one woman to spend the rest of my life with? You’d think it would be easier.”
“For most people it is, but you are a stubborn, annoying, pig-headed lion who can't figure out what he wants.”
Alyx stood again, unable to sit still for long. He prowled around his office like a caged animal. “Don’t hold back.”
Karel stood, placed his cup on a tray to be removed later by the staff, and faced Alyx. “You know this is the kind of stuff you get yourself into. All you had to do was let her try her hand at finding you a mate the first time around. Your mother advised you to. Instead of doing what others, who know better, suggested, you had to be the big, macho man.” Karel shrugged. “Okay, now you get to apologize to Gerri. I’m sure she’ll enjoy seeing you go back to her with your tail between your legs asking her for help.”
“I'm pretty sure she'd love to see that, but I’m not going there. She either helps me or she doesn’t. If she doesn’t,” he pressed a key that made a holographic image of Earth pop up in the center of his desk, “I’ll go to Earth and find my own woman. If I can’t find one here, then I’m sure I can find one there. Our people have done it for centuries. Why should I not be allowed the same liberty?”
“The fact that you’re thinking of going to Earth would probably scare the crap out of Gerri. That might be what gets her over here. Either way, I'll remind her she doesn’t want you down there. You'll scare the humans.”
Alyx glanced down at his body. “Not my fault I’m big.”
Karel barked a laugh. “Oh no, my friend, you’re not merely big. You’re huge. I don't think they're used to seeing almost seven feet of pure muscle with hair like yours.”
Alyx glanced at the image of Earth. Maybe he should go there and see if his lion was attracted to any of the humans. “Comes with the territory. I'm a lion.”
“You're more than just a lion. You’re the king. Unfortunately, being king also means you're hardheaded and not willing to compromise, but you will for Gerri. She's coming, and you're going to need to make sure she helps you.”
He did need the matchmaker’s help. Fuck! A relative of his mother’s best friend, Geraldine had a gift. She could sense in ways no one else could
who would be the right match for shifters. When they met, it was usually a done deal. Her last trip to Aurora had gotten at least fifty couples mated, and all it had taken was the fall festival to get them all together. That had been the time she offered to help him find a queen. He’d laughed at her and said finding the right woman would be a piece of cake.
“It’s not so easy to find the right woman,” he mumbled the same words Gerri had said to him.
“What exactly are you looking for? Maybe I can help Gerri search for your woman.”
He doubted it. If he hadn’t met her in all his travels and events, then she was probably not anywhere on the planet. “All I want is someone who will be with me. A woman who is not afraid of taking charge. If she has to get her hands dirty, then so be it. Anything could happen in our kingdom. You know our allies are our friends, but farther south things are rocky. We don’t go down there enough. The tribes in the Ice Mountains dislike pretty much everyone.”
“So what you're saying is you want someone ready to fight? She definitely can't be afraid of you.” Karel gave a long-suffering sigh. “You are very growly, but you're still a good guy.”
“Thanks. I think.”
“No thanks needed, Alyx. You really are a good guy. Stop stressing. We’re going to find you the right woman. I know we are.” He pressed a button on Alyx’s desk, and a map of the southern Ice Mountains popped up. “I’m worried about them.”
Alyx nodded, still pacing his office. “There has been talk that without a solid family, I’m an easy target. Not to mention all I have are my female cousins. Very few want to take over. They don’t want to handle fights or men debating with each other over watering holes. They find it tedious and boring.”
Karel glanced at the first rays of the setting golden sun. “Well, there's very little we can do about that. Getting you mated can make sure you’re established. Your family will be solid, and there's not going to be any question of who's in charge. The Ice Mountain Pack is angry. You gave the Tiger Nation a piece of land that belonged to them, and now they see you as an enemy.”
Alyx always listened to his instincts. He sensed the danger for months now, had his guards on alert and kept everyone watching the Ice Mountains. He should never have declined Gerri’s help. The lion inside him pushed to get out. He sensed danger as well. Fuck it. If it came down to it, he’d call and apologize to the mean old woman if that got her to come. There was no going around it. She had to help him.
“Nadeeya keeps asking about your mate of choice,” Karel said, zooming into the Ice Mountains. Alyx couldn’t figure out how those wolves lived under year-round snowy conditions. It was crazy.
“She keeps offering to help me find someone,” Alyx grumbled. “Even went as far as offering herself if I run out of time.”
Karel made a face of disgust. “Okay, so I know a lot of tribes go as far as mating with family members, but I thought we’d evolved past that.”
Yeah, no kidding. The idea of his own cousin, who was like a sister to him, killed any sexual thoughts. “We have. It’s why I told her to forget about it. I’ll find my own mate.”
“If it’s getting like that, then I’m gonna beg Gerri to get her ass here.”
Alyx would have to call. Dammit! He hated it, but it looked like he’d have to apologize.
FOUR
Bella bounced on her heels in excitement. She’d had asked her best friend, Charlotte, to take care of her little cat while she was gone. According to Gerri, the trip would be short in Aurora time, but in Earth time she’d be gone for weeks, possibly months.
“So you’re saying you’re going away to help Mrs. Wilder match make a king?” Charlotte asked, her hazel eyes wide with surprise. “I didn’t realize she was that popular.”
Bella grinned. “Yes. An Alion king. I bet you he’s stuffy and old, but I’m just excited to get out of town. A whole new world. Literally.”
There was nothing Bella didn’t tell Charlotte. Hiding the fact that Gerri could travel to another planet lasted all of ten seconds.
“I’m so jealous,” Charlotte sighed. Much like Bella, she was a big girl too, with big curves. But Charlotte loved the winter and the snow. She traveled the world to go skiing and hiking in the middle of the winter. It was the only reason Bella questioned her sanity. There was no catching Bella doing anything in the cold. No fucking way.
“Maybe, if things go well, I can get Gerri to take me again, and we can take you.” She grinned. Her face ached from how much she’d been smiling all day. Gerri had been particular. She’d said to bring comfortable summer clothing, but Bella would have the choice to wear whatever the women there did.
Charlotte perked up in her seat. She continued stroking Princess, Bella’s golden munchkin kitty. Bella loved cats. If it weren’t for a rule in her building limiting pets to one per household, she’d totally rock the cat lady title like it was nobody’s business. “I’d love to get away. Instead of spending time with me, like he promised, my dad is once again letting me go on an alone ski trip this fall.”
“I’m sorry, Charlotte. Your dad sucks,” Bella grumbled. Not that her father was much better, but she at least had great cousins like Nita and Tally. They were worth their weight in gold.
“What are you doing about James?” Charlotte asked, stroking Princess’s coat gently. The cat purred and huddled into a little ball on Charlotte’s lap.
“I called it quits. Really, when a man is so boring you fall asleep on dates with him, something’s wrong.”
Charlotte giggled. “I’ll say. I could use him talking to me for a few hours. Maybe then I’d get some sleep. I have been having the worse insomnia: up all night and exhausted all day.”
“You’re lucky you work from home,” Bella said, glancing at the clothes she had strewn around the room. She stopped and gave Charlotte a serious look. “When does your book come out?”
Charlotte shrugged. “In a few weeks.”
“I should be back in time for us to celebrate. Your first Love Your Curves self-help book.” Bella threw her arms around her friend. “I’m so excited for you! The fact you opened up about your childhood to help others who have been fat shamed makes me so proud to call you my friend.”
“Hello? Did you forget the fact you helped write some of it?”
She shook her head. “Five chapters isn’t all that much. And all I did was help give you more info in an area you weren’t sure about.”
“Whatever. You helped. It’s your book, too. Both our names are on the cover.”
Bella sighed and sat next to Charlotte and the pile of clothes. “Yes, but that’s because you kept insisting. I told you I was happy to help.”
“Fuck that! You wrote a lot of words to help me out. The least I could do is give you the credit you deserved.”
“You don’t need to give me credit, but thanks. I appreciate it.”
She’d had some seriously sucky relationships. Thankfully, she was done with all that. Now she’d focus on having a better life and traveling with Gerri—all the while helping to keep the older woman organized. The excitement for her trip returned tenfold.
FIVE
Bella glanced at the passing scenery with excitement. Gerri explained that when she opened a portal, it sucked nearby energy. She didn’t want any undue attention, so they’d go to a friend who worked at a power plant, and it wouldn’t be so weird.
The power plant was far out of the city in a place surrounded by deserted warehouses.
“Do you know if it's going to be cold?” Bella asked.
Gerri grinned. “You're fine. You remind me of a little kid going to a fair.”
She felt like it. She was going to another planet. The idea had yet to settle in her mind. Thank goodness for Charlotte, who would take care of Princess and her bills and apartment.
“Am I dressed okay?”
Gerri nodded, glancing out the other passenger window. Their driver hadn’t said anything since they’d gotten in the car. “In the northern forest, the
temperature is great and stays in the eighties. Even though there are two suns, you'll feel a lot cooler than a summer on the East Coast.”
The car wound through a long dirt road leading up to the power plant.
When they arrived, the driver opened their doors, and both women got out. Gerri wore a long peasant skirt in sky blue that matched her eyes. Her white top was flowy and made out of a stretchy material.
Bella debated for a while before ending up in a pair of loose sweatpants made out of thin cotton and a tank top that read “Curvy Girls Cuddle Better.” The tank showed off the brand-new flower tattoo on her shoulder. She'd gotten it as a gift for her last birthday a few weeks back. A way to celebrate being where she could finally say ‘fuck you, world’ and not care what others thought of her. She'd finally stopped being afraid of trying something new. At thirty-five, she wanted to try new things and stop worrying about consequences so much.
A tall, handsome man came out of the power plant with a huge grin.
“Gerri,” he greeted with a sigh. He lifted Gerri’s hand to his lips and gave her a kiss. “Looking beautiful as usual.”
“Steven, stop,” Gerri laughed. “You do this every time I come.”
“I can't help it. You look beautiful every time I see you.”
Gerri shook her head and turned to face Bella. “Steven, this is my assistant, Bella.”
Steven winked and offered a hand. Bella shook it and smiled. “Welcome, Bella. I assure you that you’ll have a wonderful time on your trip.”
She could tell Steven was used to seeing people come and go all the time from the ease with which he greeted her. “Thank you,” Bella said. “It’s nice to meet you, Steven. And I definitely look forward to seeing new things.”
“Wonderful. I’m glad you’re excited. Aurora is a fantastic place,” he said then glanced down at her shirt. “That shirt is absolutely correct.”
The Alion King: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Paranormal Dating Agency Book 6) Page 2
