Unlikely Mate

Copyright © 2023 by Lovestruck Romance. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental. This book is intended for adult readers only. Any sexual activity portrayed in these pages occurs between consenting adults over the age of 18 who are not related by blood. Unlikely Mate Brides for Beasts Candace Ayers Kym Dillon Contents 1. Silas 2. Cait 3. Silas 4. Cait 5. Silas 6. Silas 7. Cait 8. Silas 9. Cait 10. Silas 11. Cait 12. Silas 13. Cait 14. Silas 15. Cait Epilogue: Silas About the Author Off-Limits Mate (Sneak Peek) 1. Baylin Chapter 1 Silas I can hardly believe what I'm reading. I've read it three times already, but it doesn't get any less surreal the fourth time. Glancing out my office window, I catch the sun sinking low over my town—Mystic Hollow, a quaint haven for bear shifters nestled comfortably in the bosom of Mother Nature herself. We’ve got the towering evergreens, houses as charming as gingerbread cottages, rolling green hills, snow-capped mountains, and a crystal-clear river flowing languidly through town. The town square is a hub of community activity, hosting the local farmer's market and annual festivals. It would be absolutely idyllic if it weren't for the curse…or plague…or just plain old bad luck, depending on how one looks at it. No one really knows why the growth of the female population suddenly came to an abrupt standstill, but the Shifter Council, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that humans are the answer to a problem that has been plaguing our bear shifter clan—and several other species of shifters, if rumors are to be believed—for decades. I don't know much about other shifter species, but I do know that for forty years—forty long, dry, dismal years—not a single female shifter has been born in our clan. And now, there are no single female shifters left. Not one. The world isn't exactly short on surprises, though, and today, as I sit at my desk in my humble, yet commanding office, I'm holding one such surprise in my hand. Again I glance down at the parchment, a direct edict from the council, and my door swings open with a thud, disrupting my contemplation as my four officers, who also happen to be my closest friends, step inside. I greet them with a deadpan look. "No need to knock. Just come right on in." "Alpha." Waylon, always with a joke on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, sports his usual carefree grin as he flops onto the leather couch. "You called, we came." There's no point beating around the bush here, so I clear my throat and hold up the parchment like a white flag before handing it over to await their reactions. Xandros, my second in command—the bear would take a bullet for me, no lie—reads aloud. “It is henceforth decreed by the shifter council…blah, blah, blah…longstanding traditions…blah, blah, blah…Brides for Beasts (BfB) program!” A variety of emotions sweep over the men’s faces and Xandros continues, “Among the select few chosen for the first experimental group...significant responsibility…keeping our shifter identities hidden until such time as a matrimonial bond is agreed upon… future survival of our clan.” For several seconds, you could hear a pin drop. Then, as expected, chaos ensues. "No freaking way!" Hernon almost topples over. His face is flushed and his usual easygoing demeanor has been replaced with an expression of shock and excitement. "Human females?" Lake adjusts his glasses and peers at the parchment thoughtfully. "It's an unconventional solution, but it could work. We must maintain our lineage, after all." "Seriously?" Xandros’s eyes are wide and his jaw hangs loose. “Is this for real?” "Well, boys, looks like we might be heading for some interesting times indeed." Waylon rubs his palms together as though he’s about to devour a juicy steak. I cross my arms over my chest, meeting each of their gazes. "I know this is a lot to take in—introducing humans into a world they know nothing about. It's going to be a challenge." "But it's a challenge we're willing to face, amiright?" Hernon’s voice is hopeful as his eyes flit from one of his fellow shifters to the next. I know exactly where Hernon is coming from; we all do. None of us has been with a woman in years. Sure, the men of our clan have responsibilities—jobs and duties to keep us busy and bring us a modicum of fulfillment—but I think I can speak for us all when I say there’s a emptiness that echoes deep within, and the last decade or so has been especially lonely. If this fledgling program works out, it could continue and be expanded to bring joy to a lot of male bear shifters, not to mention revive our dying species. "I know I am." Waylon’s chest puffs out in determination. Xandros nods, his firm agreement lending an air of finality. "The only time we get to be with a female is when we travel to human communities, and even then it's usually only for an hour or so. I don't know about you guys, but my palm could use a break." "I agree." Lake’s usually analytical gaze is softer. "The intellectual and social aspects of adapting humans into our world may prove challenging, but it's certainly worth attempting." Xandros, ever the stoic, raises a brow at that. "Just remember, we're supposed to be marrying these women, not just meeting