Oli
I didn’t know her, what she looked like, where she was, but I knew my mate was out there. And it was that truth that had me saving myself for her. Only her. If I couldn’t fully give myself over to my fated mate, what kind of worthy male was I?
But staying in town, hidden deep within the forest, wouldn’t bring my mate to me. I had to go and find her.
I had to make her mine.
India
As a former foster child, I never had real family, no roots. I’d always felt like something was missing, so I worked hard on helping others. My mobile medical van was where my passion lay. It’s how I made sure no one else felt helpless.
But when my van was broken into, and my safety compromised, it was a big bear shifting male who came to the rescue.
Oli said I was his. He claimed I was his mate. He seemed certain of it just by looking at me. It was insanity, but I couldn’t deny the pull I felt for him, the way my body craved his.
Pushing him away wasn’t an option, not when he was always there, watching me, making sure I was protected. And it was that need inside of me, the one that grew and consumed me, that finally had me giving in.
I soon realized being mated to a bear shifter meant he was grumpy, protective, possessive, and wanted only one thing.
Me.
Chapter One
Oli
Some would say I was running, escaping my problems in search of a new path, a new future.
But that wasn’t the truth.
My truth was that I had to find my mate or I was going to go fucking insane.
And so, I found myself here.
The sun was bright, intense. I’d never felt anything like it, never heard the sound of waves crashing against the shore, never seen so many people in one area before in my life.
Yet here I was, having traveled from my little mountain town to sunny California, standing on the beach staring at the Pacific Ocean.
My whole life I’d never left home, never left the surrounding protection of the trees. The forest had always been my safe spot, where I’d shifted into my bear form and run free. But I’d left all that behind—temporarily at least—for the chance, the possibility of finding my mate.
I wasn’t going to be like my brothers and wait around, hoping that my mate would show up in town. For all I knew she was on the other side of the world, unaware of my existence, yet feeling that something was missing in her life.
Because even though we had never met, she was destined to be mine. We’d always be drawn to each other. We’d find a way to be together. I was just taking the initiative and speeding things along because I was an impatient bastard.
I closed my eyes and tipped my head back, feeling the sun on my face. The heat out here was unlike anything I’d ever felt before. It penetrated my skin, went deep into my very marrow.
And as much as I liked this change of scenery, the truth was I missed the mountains, the forest. I missed being able to step out onto my back porch and shift, running in the woods instantly. Here there were too many people around, not enough privacy, not enough space for me to even consider shifting and running free, letting my bear out.
Sure, I could go up north, and maybe I would, at least to try and get some of this energy out of me. I wasn’t used to being cooped up in my human form for so long.
As it was it had been weeks since I’d left home, taking a plane, traveling the state, hoping that I’d run into her.
But right now I was at the beach, and I was going to enjoy every minute of it. My bear might be growling at not being able to shift, but he’d shut up once I was on the surfboard.