by Aspen Grey
Bred For Love
Cliffside Wolves Book 3
Aspen Grey
Contents
Scent of the Author
Also by Aspen Grey
1. Alec
2. Paul
3. Alec
4. Paul
5. Alec
6. Alec
7. Alec
8. Paul
9. Alec
10. Paul
11. Paul
12. Alec
13. Paul
14. Alec
Epilogue
Also by Aspen Grey
Bred For Him — Sample
1. Owen
2. Owen
Scent of the Author
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Also by Aspen Grey
Scarlet Mountain Pack Series
Texas Heat Series
Foxes of Scarlet Peak Series
SoCal Cuties Series
Off Limits Omega
Chapter One
Alec
“Wooo, shake that ass!” a boisterous voice exclaimed as the wild omega, drunk out of his skull, did his best to twerk like Nicki Minaj on top of the bar. I had to admit he had the body for it, but sadly, not the moves.
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” the crowd began to chant, glasses in the air as the excitable twink glanced back over his shoulder like he was a superstar.
Yes, this was just a typical Friday night at The Heavy Load, a secret shifter bar in the town of Portland, Maine. The smell of cheap beer and booze was barely even noticeable beneath the scents. Omegas, betas, alphas, all of them horny as Hell and looking for fun. This wasn’t the kind of place you go to find “forever,” it was the kind of place you go to find “tonight...”
…or maybe “this week.”
Unimpressed, I sipped my Old Fashioned and looked around the rest of the crowd for the two omegas who’d been practically throwing themselves at me earlier. One of them was blonde with blue eyes, and despite his innocent face, gave me the impression that he’d been around the block a few times. The other was tall, probably almost six foot as he came right up to my chin, lanky as Hell and gave off a “I’m kinky as fuck,” vibe. He happened to be right behind me.
“That boy needs some booty control,” he shouted over the roar of the crowd.
“Oh, and I guess you’ve got some of that?” I laughed.
“More than you could handle,” he smirked, running his fingers up my thigh. “I can guarantee you that.”
“I dunno, sweet cheeks. I think when you see what I’m packing, you’re gonna be the one worried about what you can handle.”
“Mmm,” he mewed. “When? How about right now?”
“What’d you say your name was?” I asked.
“Does it matter?” he countered.
“Hey!” a voice called out. “Get your hands off my man!”
I turned to see the blonde coming over to us with two Vodka sodas in his hands.
“Your man?” the brunette replied. “I don’t see a sign on him or a ring on his finger!”
“Yeah, well I saw him first,” the blonde snapped. So I’ve got dibs.”
“Dibs?” the brunette laughed, turning to me. “You gonna let him have dibs on you?”
“I don’t see why we can’t all share,” I chuckled, wrapping my arms around both of them. I wasn’t sure if these two would be down for a threesome, but they sure looked like it—at least the brunette did.
But as I pulled them in and their scents became more potent in my nose, a flicker of hesitation ran through me and I started to question myself. I hadn’t always been like this. In fact, until this week I’d been more than happy to just slay “omega booty,” as I called it, and have fun. Live life to the fullest and all that. But after seeing the changes in my friends’ lives recently, that lifestyle was becoming less and less fulfilling.
First, my buddy Trevor had found his fated mate, a guy named Owen and had settled down, built a house and had a couple of kids. Through him, we met a fisherman named Damon who’d done the same thing and had a couple of twin boys he was raising with his mate, also fated, Jordan.
We were all basically a pack now. The Cliffside Wolves of Cliffside, Maine. We helped each other out, worked together and supported each other through everything, and I was finding it harder and harder to live my carefree lifestyle when I saw just how happy they all were. They didn’t have to go out to the club, the bar or whatever. They didn’t need hookups. They had each other. They had children. They had family.
And I wanted that too. But ever since I’d lost him, I wasn’t sure I could find it again.
“Hmmm, if what you say is true, there’s more than likely enough to go around,” the brunette smiled, moving his fingers to my crotch. He turned to the blonde. “As long as you don’t mind sharing.”
“With this hunk of man?” he laughed. “Where do you live, big fella? Far away?”
“My apartment’s just down the road,” the brunette replied.
“There’s also a big bathroom here,” the blonde suggested. “We could just lock the door for a few minutes.”
“Few minutes!” the brunette exclaimed. “What? I’m looking for a marathon with this bad boy. Especially if we’re going to be sharing!”
I started to zone out. There was no denying these two were cuties, but as I looked up at the omega on the bar whose waistband was now stuffed with dollar bills and the lust-filled eyes of the rest of the guys in the bar, I knew that I was going to have to disappoint them.
“Sorry, boys,” I said, removing my arms from around their necks. “Gonna have to excuse myself.”
“What?” the brunette practically snapped, glaring at me. “The fuck? What happened to our plans?”
“Sorry,” I repeated. “It’s not you. It’s me.”
“Oh, fuck!” he blurted out laughing. “What a fucking cliché! What are you pussying out or something? I’ve got some Cialis in my car if you think you can’t keep up.”
A hint of anger flared inside me and my eyes narrowed at him. The blonde understood that he’d taken things a bit too far and stepped back.
“Listen, pal. I don’t need fucking Cialis to dole out dick. You got that?” I snarled, doing my best to contain my anger. “But if I say I’m not feeling it, I’m not fucking feeling it! Okay?”
The brunette recoiled slightly and lowered his eyes. “Okay, man. Relax.”
“Don’t tell me to relax…” I turned away from him and the twerking omega on the bar who had been joined by a beta imitating his moves, and made my way for the door. A beta wearing a mesh tank top stepped in front of me and tried to get my attention.
“Where you going?” he asked.
I brushed right past him, shouldered the door and stepped out into the cool evening air.
Fuck…
I breathed deep and washed the air from the bar out of my lungs and looked up at the stars. There were so many of them, especially compared to back in Miami where the light pollution was so bad you couldn’t see more than a handful.
I’d driven down from my apartment in Cliffside after a nice “family meal” at Trevor’s house with the rest of the pack. We’d had some haddock Damon had caught and Owen and Jordan had made us a meal of the century with cheesecake and strawberries for dessert. But after that, they all went and spent time with their families while I, not having anyone t
o go home to, came down to the bar to distract myself from spending the night alone.
I’d been doing this for years, ever since I first came to Maine, and I guess it had worked well for a while. But it seemed like those days were coming to a close. I saw what having more was like, and now I wanted it too. But how could I? How could I settle for someone after I’d met him?
Paul, my fated mate. He’d swept into my life like a tornado and turned my life upside down. We were meant for each other and we both knew that. It was destiny and we’d had plans. We’d made them together, but before we could make our dreams a reality, Paul had vanished—gone out of my life without even a whisper.
“Hey!” a voice called out from behind me. I turned to see the brunette waving at me from the bar door. “By the way? Go fuck yourself!”
He flipped me the bird then yanked the door shut behind him as he retreated back inside.
“Yeah, that’s nice,” I muttered to myself, more sure than ever that this life was no longer for me. But if I couldn’t have Paul, what was I supposed to do?
“Where are you, baby?” I whispered as I stuffed my hands in my pockets and walked back to my truck. “Where are you…?”
Chapter Two
Paul
Four years ago…
The last day of high school.
I’m fucking free!
I was riding high as I scooted down the sidewalk of downtown Miami on my way to my favorite slushy stand by the beach. I couldn’t believe I was finally out of school. No more homework, no more obnoxious teachers, no more getting yelled at for being two minutes late to class.
I was freeeeeee!
But more importantly than that, I was now away from all the terrible alphas at my school and had free time to look for a boyfriend!
After four years of the same guys every day, the same gossip on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, I was so over it. I don’t know if you’ve ever run into a teenage alpha before, but just picture a stereotypical frat boy doing his best to appear like a tough guy, and you’d probably be pretty close.
It was disgusting how much they cared about looking cool and what the latest fashion was. I mean—I don’t care! Why don’t they understand that? Sure, we omegas like a guy to be well dressed, but if you spend more time thinking about your outfit than the girls do? Well, you can fuck right off!
I was wearing a pair of loose shorts and a tank top as I cruised up to the slushy stand and parked. It was a hot day, so there was a pretty long line, but Sara saw me and instantly waved me over to the side door.
“Hey there, prisoner,” she smiled. “You make your grand escape finally?”
“Made it and never looking back! I’m like Andy Dufrane!”
“Blue raspberry today?”
“You know me,” I replied. She ducked back into the stand and returned with a see-through cup of brilliant blue syrup and chunks of crushed and shaved ice. I’d been coming to the stand for so long that Sara didn’t even charge me anymore. I was VIP! She handed it to me and I took a deep sip, just long enough to not get a brain freeze, and closed my eyes and groaned as the ultra-sweet slushy slid over my tongue and down my throat.
“Still tasty?” she asked.
I nodded and smiled. “Best tasting thing in the world.”
“Well—almost,” she winked. I blushed, knowing what she was referring to. “But I guess you’re on the market now, eh? Any prospects?”
“I just got out, Sara!” I laughed. “Give me time!”
“Lot of eligible alpha bachelors out here,” she whispered, keeping her voice down from the humans. “Don’t wait too long or they’ll be scooped up!”
“Not the right one,” I corrected her. “He won’t be scooped up.”
“Oh, here we go again!”
“No, hear me out!” I protested.
“I know, I know, I know,” she replied. “Your fated mate. It’s a myth, Paul. Something invented by a shifter-Shakespeare to make little boys like you stay virgins for life.”
“It’s not!”
“Speaking of which,” she said. “Are you still…”
“Still what?” I glared.
“You know,” she winked.
“Not that it’s any of your business, Sara! But yes,” I pouted. “I’m still a virgin.”
Sara loved prying into my sex life, or lack thereof. I wasn’t really insulted or offended or anything, I just liked to pretend that I was.
“Awwww, that’s so sweet! It seems to me like everyone your age these days has already done everything there is to do by now.”
“Tell me about it,” I sighed. “High school these days is filled with more debauchery than the Roman Empire.”
It was true. With social media these days, kids would say all kinds of things to each other that they’d never say in person. They’d text each other to meet up to hookup, fuck and a week later be over it. I guess maybe behavior like that explained the lack of real alphaness among the alphas. Why bother growing up and behaving like a man when the omegas will just throw themselves at you anyway?
“So, do you have a plan?” Sara asked. “Hit up one of the shifter bars?”
“Nah, not my scene,” I replied. “I’m just gonna cruise around Miami and wait for love to find me.”
Sara laughed. “Well, I gotta get back to work. But good luck with that! I’d have a better plan in mind though if I were you.”
“All right, Sara. I’ll brainstorm. And thanks for the slushy!”
“Any time.”
I waved goodbye and hopped back on my scooter, piloting it with one hand as I made my way to the beach. It was a humid day and I was pretty sure I wanted to go swimming, but I decided to just people watch while I drank my slushy.
There were people everywhere: girls, guys, shifters, humans, groups and couples and squads of dudes and girls all looking at each other and occasionally approaching one another. I sniffed the air, picking up a few alpha scents, some of which were actually pretty nice, but my fated mate was not among them.
I’d told Sara my theory about finding “the one,” and she’d just shaken her head and basically said what she said today. She’d almost convinced me too, but honestly, after hearing her scoff and repeat herself so many times, I’d actually just believed even harder that one day I’d find him. But as I sat there at the beach until the sun went down and my mom started texting me telling me it was time to come home, I still hadn’t found him.
It won’t be easy, I told myself. But it will be worth it.
I wasn’t interested in something without meaning—something cheap and easy and all about the physical. I wanted that connection, like my mom and dad had, high school sweethearts who’d found each other and settled down and had me. I didn’t want a bunch of alphas, I just wanted one.
The perfect one.
But as I watched the sun go down over the ocean, I felt a drop of sadness in my heart. I knew I was being silly, but I’d had such high hopes for the day after graduation. I’d been so convinced that I’d head down to the beach and at least find the hint of a scent that would be right for me. I was being childish and I knew that, but it didn’t make me feel much better.
I tossed my slushy cup in the trashcan and scooted back up town. It only took about ten minutes to get back home where my mom, Sherry, was waiting for me on the steps.
“Any luck?” she joked. She knew about my plan and asked if I’d had any luck. I shook my head. “Well, maybe that’s a good thing. We don’t really know where life will take us, do we? Maybe it’s good to have your options open?”
“We don’t know?” I groaned as I stepped inside. “This is my life, ma. Forgive me for believing in romance and true love.”
“Paul, can you come in here for a second?” my dad, Clyde, asked from the kitchen.
“I’m really not in the mood to talk,” I replied. I headed to my room and shut the door and slumped down on my bed. It was hot, so I turned on the rotating fan in my window and slid out of my tank top.
/> Don’t pout, I tried telling myself. You can’t expect to find him on day one!
A knock came at my door. “Honey, are you all right?”
“Fine, mom,” I lied.
“Well, can you come downstairs in a few minutes for a family meeting? It’s important.”
I groaned. Family meetings were code for “something shitty we have to talk about.” They usually took place when I’d done something wrong at school or something, but now after they year was over, I couldn’t imagine what they’d have to talk about.
“Kay,” I replied.
“Thanks,” she replied.
I felt like an idiot. I was being a baby, moaning to myself because I hadn’t found my fated mate on the first day out of high school. But I’d been restless all year long and being cooped up with a terrible selection of alphas had only made it worse.
Was it really that much to ask though? For me to find happiness? Or was I just being silly not going the typical route by seeking out a shifter bar or club and putting myself on display for all the horny alphas there? It seemed sleazy, but I’m sure someone found love that way…
…right?
But I wasn’t comfortable in crowds like that. I never was, and the thought of having all those eyes sweeping over me, judging me, and all those noses sniffing my scent…? I got nervous just thinking of it.
No. That wasn’t for me. Even if it took years, I’d hold out. I’d wait. I’d save myself for him, whoever he was.
I groaned again and turned my head towards the window fan as it came around again to blow on my face. And when it did, that’s when it happened.
