The Bear’s Arranged Mate

The Bear’s arranged mate Enemies to Lovers Bear Shifter Romance Beaufort Creek Shifters Book 4 Layla Silver Copyright © 2023 by Layla Silver. All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of the book only. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form, including recording, without prior written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations in a book review. Contents Chapter 1 - Jermaine Chapter 2 - Elva Chapter 3 - Jermaine Chapter 4 - Elva Chapter 5 - Jermaine Chapter 6 - Elva Chapter 7 - Jermaine Chapter 8 - Elva Chapter 9 - Jermaine Chapter 10 - Elva Chapter 11 - Jermaine Chapter 12 - Elva Chapter 13 - Jermaine Chapter 14 - Elva Chapter 15 - Jermaine Chapter 16 - Elva Chapter 17 - Jermaine About the Author Books by Layla Silver Chapter 1 - Jermaine The rec center had never been so packed. Mating rituals were usually the largest draw for a crowd with public trials right behind. But meetings had never been a particularly big hit with the Beaufort Creek Pack. It wasn’t a lack of interest. It was simple logic. Pack hive mind had always agreed: This could have been an email. True. Beyond true. No truer words could have been spoken in such a setting. Anyone could have tasted those words in the air. Too easily. But that was something that only ever happened with Nathan. Our previous alpha had often complained that people complained. But they were right to complain. Nathan had been a verbose guy. Blake wasn’t. That was the striking difference between those two men. This could have been an email became a quickly generated vibe that infected even those most skilled at protecting their energy. Shifters like me. Yet today, Blake was proving to be as eloquent a speaker as he was a leader. With Veronica standing proudly by his side and his team seated to the left of the stage, he had his audience captivated. Sure, it could have just as easily been an email. But then we would have missed this show. Shit, he could have been doing magic tricks and they would still want to hear him speak. That was just his nature. That and the bad boy look. He had a charismatic way about him that both intimidated and intrigued. And he did it without shifting. His speech, despite its enticing nature, sifted through one ear and out the other. I wasn’t disinterested. I was just focused on other things. More attacks. More danger. More of the same, generally speaking, I thought. My eyebrows couldn’t have twisted together any more tightly. This is such a huge mess. Nearly six months had passed since Blake had become alpha, and he sported the same leather jacket with torn jeans that he’d worn during the mate trials. Whatever his mother thought wasn’t apparent. Her nails had stolen her attention today. No complaints from me either. My focus was on security. In particular, the windows above the heads of my pack, the entrance as well as the two emergency exits, and each door leading into an adjacent room. Those were more important than anything else. My ears would capture anything important spoken in my direction. Each year proved harder than the last as far as training my senses, but I was always up for the challenge, improving my abilities enough to surpass those around me. It wasn’t for sport. It was for protection. I was the bear. The protector. I kept watch over every area where my pack loomed, providing shelter as the right hand of my alpha. It was my one and only job. It was my purpose. Nothing could ever stop me from fulfilling my purpose. “...more bonds means more protection.” My right ear tingled as the crowd in front of the stage gave a varied reaction. Some groaned with irritation, some straightened up with excitement, and some seemed to be bored by the pack proceedings going in the same direction all over again. For me, it wasn’t boring to see my friends and pack members join with their fated mates. Bonds—those were what kept us going. The very nature of those bonds provided a blanket of security that even I couldn’t compete with. If I hadn’t squandered all my years on video games, combat training, and tactical gear, then maybe I would have had a bond by now. Or maybe Blake would have found one for me. All I knew was my duty. My calling would never be interrupted. “I’m proud to announce our next bonds,” Blake continued. “I’ve made a list.” The room groaned in unison. Surely Blake didn’t think lists were going to get anything done. If we struck the Gilbert Pack now, then we would be able to avoid a great deal of pain in the future. Then, this ancient ritual of announcing bonds would be a thing of the past. People bonded better when they were able to choose their mates. It was all about choice. At least, it would feel better if I was able to do the same. It’s not like I need a mate, I reminded myself. I’ve been doing just fine on my own. A horrific feeling swirled to the surface and then retreated just as quickly. It was a mere thought, a shabby murmur of the heart. My gaze settled on my alpha. Nothing to see here. I’m not thinking about anything that would make me feel weird about the mating ritual. Blake focused on me. As always, the attention of my alpha drew my attention. It was amazing how much platonic bonds strengthened over time. Though many humans tended to emphasize their romantic connections, shifters valued every connection from blood ties to friendships and even acquaintances. Bonds were essential to life. We couldn’t live without them. Blake bowed his head reverently. “And I’m proud to announce the coupling of my right hand and