Paranormal Dating Agency: In Dire Straits (Kindle Worlds Novella) (The Cazenovia Pack Book 1)

by MJ Nightingale

  The worst part though, was that Danielle was still sniffing around him. It initially led to some awkwardness between him and his friend. Then just six months ago, they announced their engagement, and that they would be married just as soon as they found an Omega to form a triad with them. Danielle’s glittering brown eyes looked at him and then he’d realized that had been her plan all along. Take control of the pack through them. He wanted no part of that.

  He’d avoided the duo as much as he could in such a small community. But one evening Danielle and Dwayne paid him a surprise visit. She told him she had always loved him and that she and Dwayne thought that he was the one. There were many triads ruling packs though the alpha maintained the most power. He flat out told Danielle he wasn’t interested. Though he loved Dwayne and had respected the hell out of him, he knew it wasn’t in him to share a woman. And definitely not her. But he didn’t say that in Dwayne’s presence even though he seemed to be just going through the motions to please his mate. Something was off about his friend. But he let it go as he didn’t want to hurt Dwayne by implying that his new woman wasn’t worth it. His friend was still the alpha and to make a statement like that was practically calling him out. He couldn’t do that to Dwayne.

  But that hadn’t stopped Danielle. She didn’t take no for an answer very well and soon had others in the small village pushing for a triad also. The easiest thing to do without causing trouble for the pack, Bill had decided, was to venture out on his own. Go rogue for a while. Lone wolf. He explained all of that to Gerri while they enjoyed each other’s company in the suite of her hotel.

  “I hadn’t realized it had gotten that bad,” Gerri stated, pushing the box of sweets across the table she had delivered from a bakery. Other than matchmaking, her second greatest obsession was baking. She couldn’t do that on her semi-quasi working vacation in Clearwater, Florida. But she was enjoying finding new treats to try in the quaint tropical paradise. She discovered a Greek village not far off from there that made excellent pastries, and she hadn’t realized key lime could be so sweet. She was quickly becoming addicted to the sweet and tart fruit.

  Bill let out a long slow sigh. “It’s been pretty rough,” he confessed. “And I would’ve left sooner but I needed to make sure that my folks would be looked after.” His parents weren’t as old as Gerri, but his father, Tony, had been injured when their current pack leader had been challenged by another Alpha wanting to take over their pack. For his service to their pack leader, Darryl Lupine, Dwayne’s father, looked after Bill’s parents as they couldn’t hunt in their wolf form. His father’s injuries during that fight made it hard to get around in the colder climate especially in the bone chilling winters. Yet, his dad was proud and continued to oversee the work on his small onion farm. “Darryl reassured me that my parents would be taken care of in my absence. He wouldn’t say to me directly, but I have a feeling that he is not too happy with his son’s choice either.”

  Gerri got that. She knew Darryl Lupine. A prouder alpha she couldn’t imagine and to have his son, his next in line chase after a piece of trashy tail was embarrassing. He could not call his son out on it. He had to give him the rope and hope he didn’t hang himself with it. “And of course being an alpha who wants his son to rule next, he can’t risk saying something that causes Dwayne to lose face with the pack. Someone will challenge him for leadership for sure if his own father doesn’t have faith in him.”

  “That’s exactly it. The crazy rules we live by!” Bill exclaimed as he plucked his third and final pastry out of the box. “These are really good, Aunt Gerri,” he mumbled as he bit into yet another sweet treat. Though she wasn’t his biological aunt, Gerri Wilder was the closest thing he had to one. She had matched his parents. His dad was a dire wolf from Cazenovia. Dire wolves liked to live in colder climates higher in the mountains. The colder and higher you lived the less likely a chance there would be of human interaction. That’s why the founders had picked the spot over two hundred and fifty years ago. Over time though, humans had moved into the area and now they co-existed peacefully. Most of the seven thousand residents knew of their existence and were trusted friends. They were lucky to have that and be able to live so openly. It wasn’t like that everywhere. Not where he was now in Florida. Here he would have to be more careful. He did not want to risk being caught and exposed. Though many human beings knew of their existence, it was still dangerous and they were cautious about who they told outside of the pack’s immediate communities.

  He thought of his mom, Kathy. She had been human once. She had lived near a village in Tennessee that had one of the largest packs in the county. Her people knew of the wolves and had lived amicably among them. His father had been visiting a friend and they had met when Gerri suggested he go to see a movie. He told her the girl who took tickets was cute and gave his Dad, Tony, a knowing look. That had been it. Once his dad got a whiff of Kathy, he wooed her, and they mated in the ritual way, from behind with him biting her on her neck. Her parents had been thrilled with the match too, though were sad when his mom had chosen to move to Cazenovia to be with her mate’s pack. They’d had a great life there, raising him and his sister. His sister, he thought of sadly, had been shot by a hunter over a decade ago. She’d gone too far down the mountain to hunt in her wolf form. Because he and his sister were dire wolves, they were larger in their wolf form than most, and did not look like your average wolf. When she had gone into a field chasing a buck, a farmer sited her and killed her. It had been a hard loss for them all. Dwayne had taken it hard too. They had been dating then. He hated thinking about the what ifs when it came to his sister, Lola. He still missed her so much. They had been close with only three years separating them.

  “How did your parent’s take this? You moving?” Gerri asked.

  “As well as can be expected. I’m hoping to find a place large enough, maybe three bedrooms, so they can visit.”

  “I’m sure they will come.” Gerri didn’t much like what she had seen of Florida so far, though she was trying to stay inside as much as she could because of the heat wave. “I have heard it is quite comfortable during the winter months.”

  Bill laughed at the disgust on Gerri’s face. He’d noticed the heat too. But he heard living on the beach made it bearable. “Well, I will get a place on the beach. Get the wind coming in from the gulf.”

  Gerri smiled and patted his hand. “More coffee?” she asked.

  “Yes, please.” He held the cup for her to pour. Ever since making the match for his parents, Gerri visited and was a part of his and his sister’s lives. He hadn’t seen much of her these past five years. Her business was booming. But he was very glad she agreed to meet him here in Clearwater, where he decided to relocate. He wanted something very different from Cazenovia. He also wanted to find a mate soon. He was getting close to forty and it was about time he settled down. He didn’t know if he wanted a litter though he was sure his parents would like to have grand pups, but he had never felt very paternal. He’d seen the grief of losing Lola on his parents and didn’t think he could go through that.

  He’d be happy with finding a mate with whom he could live out the rest of his days in comfort. Someone who liked to travel since his business as a dealer of antiquities took him to many interesting places in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It would be nice to have someone by his side. Much of his business was done on the phone and on the computer tracking down what his clients wanted. It was a lucrative business and he enjoyed it immensely.

  “So, why Florida?” Gerri asked. It was so damn hot in Florida, and there weren’t any packs living in the state. There were shifters though. There were some Black Bears living in the northern part of Florida, and a pod of dolphins that lived in the Gulf.

  “I wanted to be someplace warm in case my parents can be convinced to move, or at least come to during the winter months.” He doubted his father would ever leave Cazenovia and his small farm. He was a very proud man and hated having to rely on others. But he knew
his father would eventually succumb to his mother’s wishes to be near her son, and the warmer climate would do them both good.

  “Well I can understand that, but I know your dad and he is not going to roll over too easily. But enough about that. Let’s talk about finding your mate.” This was why she was here. She needed to find Bill his perfect mate. “Tell me. What are you looking for?” Her ice blue eyes twinkled. Gerri was single minded when it came to making the right match. It was why she had started PDA so many years ago.

  Bill took a sip of his coffee and set the cup down. “Excellent. Yes. I’m anxious to get started on that.” He’d been very lonely for quite some time. Even with Danielle, he’d been lonely. But he wanted his mate, his one true mate that every shifter had, but some never found, and he knew once he found her, whoever she might be, it would fill the hole in his heart that he was waiting to fill.

  “Well, that’s why I’m here,” she stated. “Tell me. What do you want?”

  Bill laughed. Though he was nearly forty, he felt like fourteen. “Obviously it has to be somebody I am attracted to. I want a woman who can hold her own around the pack. Someone strong. Beautiful and funny. Independent, but will allow me to take care of her. I do have a preference for blondes, though it’s not a sticking point. Someone who would like to travel. I like curves.”

  Gerri interrupted, “Does she have to be a wolf or shifter?” Her question was pointed and Bill took note of that.

  “No, I mean, my mother wasn’t a shifter at first, so that does not bother me. But obviously I want her to know the truth about me and possibly be willing to become a Dire Wolf someday.” He would be happy with a human by his side, but being a shifter himself, he was allowed to turn a mortal woman to be his mate. But she had to do so willingly. It would make her stronger, safer, more in tune to her sense of smell and sight. These things were important in his world where it could become dangerous at times.

  Gerri had suspected that Annie would be a perfect fit for Bill. She had a hunch on this one as well. Though the girl was human, she seemed to be a modern woman, strong, and accepting. If she did not call after checking out her website, she would have to give her a nudge. She knew once she met Bill the rest of the story would write itself. They would be perfect together. “Wonderful then. I think I already know a woman who meets all of your criteria. You’ll have to meet her first to see if the attraction is there.”

  Bill sat straighter in his chair. He was excited. “Really? So soon? I thought it would take longer.”

  “Sometimes it does, but I have a very good feeling about this woman. I want you to meet soon and I still need to work out those details.”

  “From your earlier question, I gather she is a mortal.”

  “She is, but she is also all those things that you stated. She’s beautiful and smart. Independent, but definitely needs looking after. Incredibly witty. She’s a blonde.”

  His inner wolf wanted to howl at the prospect of meeting his mate. He’d heard that sex with your one true mate was incredibly mind blowing. “Sounds great. When do I get to meet her?” He felt like a randy, impatient teenager.

  The crux. “Well, I’m waiting for her to call me. I gave her some information and need to give her a little time to see if she can accept a shifter as a mate.”

  An alarm bell went off for Bill. “Does she know of our kind at the very least?”

  Gerri did not want to alarm Bill. But she did not lie. “I gave her my card and she knows what I do. I also gave her some information to follow up on. This is something you really won’t have to worry about. I know how to push her in the right direction.”

  Bill was concerned. He’d been with many women. Human and shifter. All of them had known his secret. He wasn’t willing to hide who he was from a perspective mate. But Gerri was the professional, so he would follow her guidance on this. She was the matchmaker after all, and he didn’t want to insult her by questioning her about her methods.

  “I see those wheels turning, Bill. Just give it a few days and I will set up a meeting between you and Miss Annie O.”

  He was feeling anxious. He hoped she was the one. He liked her name. Simple. Sweet. “Annie. I like that.”

  “Please, Bill. Don’t worry about this. I’ll call you in a day or two. It’s not really something you have to worry about.”

  Chapter 3

  Annie perused the rack of dresses. She’d needed some shopping therapy after two grueling work days. She’d showed a dozen houses to a young couple who were expecting their first child. It wasn’t a big commission, but they had been preapproved by their bank. It had just been about finding the right place, in the right neighborhood, and luckily they found something they liked that day. They put in a solid offer and Annie knew the sellers were motivated. Fingers crossed and the happy couple would be buying their first home together.

  To celebrate, she was buying a new dress for a party she had been invited to celebrating a coworker and his wife’s 10 year anniversary. So after taking her dog to the dog park for a good run and some play time, then bringing him back home, she went to one of her favorite boutiques downtown. She still wasn’t sure she was going to go, but just in case she wanted to have something to wear for this special occasion. She didn’t have a date either. She had contemplated calling Gerri, but when she accessed the website she had been a little shocked by what she discovered. This woman had some crazy clientele.

  She had pulled out the card Gerri gave her, put on her glasses, and it was only then that she read the small print on the card. The website suggested that connections were made for shifters. People who could change into animals. The card had said PDA and the website made clear what that stood for. Paranormal Dating Agency. She’d always had a feeling there were other world spirits, but people who could change into animals was something she never considered more than Hollywood magic and fantasy. She looked at pictures of happy couples and read testimonials that promised Gerri had picked the right mate for them. She read one quote from a woman named Talia. “Gerri found me two perfect men. I couldn’t be happier.” The buxom brunette was pictured with two men who looked like they could be fitness models or Magic Mike dancers. The bodies of the men were so hot. Panty melting hot. In her air conditioned condo, she was having a hot flash too soon, or the damn thing was on the brink. She had to fan herself with a sheaf of paper from her printer to cool off. Incredible. Then she read another quote by a girl named Nita. “I found a man who I can’t BEAR to be apart from. He is everything I dreamed of and more.” Wolves, Tigers, and Bears, oh my! She giggled to herself, but kept reading more testimonials. It was fascinating in a weird way. She couldn’t stop herself from ogling all the pictures of the men who had been matched.

  All of the men, every single fucking hot one of them, had a six or eight pack you could bounce nickels off of. They were stunningly handsome. But paranormal? Shifters? What kind of kook was Gerri Wilder? Was this some sort of new fetish? She’d heard about clubs where people pretended to be an animal and dressed up in animal costumes. Fluffies, was it? Was that the type of clientele Gerri worked with? I mean to each their own, she thought, but could she be into that if it got her a hot man like one in the pictures? All of the testimonials were accompanied by pictures of happy couples and threesomes and most had married if the pictures could be believed. Annie knew she had been drunk, but she thought the woman she met a few nights earlier was sane.

  Then again, it took all kinds to make the world go round. She wasn’t one to judge people for their predilections. Hell, she even liked it rough from time to time. A little bondage spiced things up. Her last lover had been incredible, and he introduced to her some things that were quite enjoyable, but she had known from the get-go that he didn’t plan to settle down. That was until he met a woman who was his match. Sadly, it hadn’t been her. But she held no grudges against him. Andreas Marino was a good guy, and had been upfront with her from the very beginning. She respected that.

  Plus, she had not been ready for a c
ommitment for some time. She had come out of a bad relationship that had lasted ten years, and she thought she would marry him. She hadn’t wanted to rush into something else so soon. But once she was ready, the men who had taken her out weren’t relationship material.

  She picked up a stunning aquamarine cocktail dress that would be great with her coloring. It nearly matched her eyes. She was about to ask one of the clerks to let her in the dressing room when a voice distracted her.

  “Fancy meeting you here?” It was none other than Gerri Wilder.

  “Oh. Wow. Yeah, isn’t it?” For a moment Annie was speechless which was totally unlike her. She was known for her barbs, and one liners. In fact, her friends teased her for some of her expressions, and even went so far as to call them, Annie O’isms.

  “I came in looking to get a pretty hat to keep the sun off of me. I saw several in the window display. What have you come for?” Gerri asked after pointing out the display of hats not too far from where they both stood.

  Annie wasn’t in the mood for chit chat, but she also didn’t want to be rude. “One of my co-workers is celebrating his 10 year wedding anniversary. I came in looking for a dress.”

  “Well the one you are holding is very pretty and you will look quite fetching in it.” Gerri indicated the dress Annie still held in her hands.

  “Thank you. I do like the color.” She turned back towards the rack hoping Gerri would move on, but she should have known better. The one thing this woman was not was shy. She’d shown that much of her personality when they met at O’Malley’s.

  “And do you have a date for this occasion?” Gerri asked.

  Annie tried to play dumb. “Um, the date. Well, it’s this weekend.” She heard the woman’s gravelly voice laugh.