Page 1 of My Unbearable Mate

Chapter

One

When Trouble Walks In

Bellamy

“A little authority looks good on you, man.” Beau, one of the newest additions at Sawtooth Security, clapped me on the shoulder as he came into the office, coffee in hand, along with Brad, the bear tasked with showing him the ropes.

My bear was more than willing to let the compliment and the slight increase in responsibility go straight to his head. He was a cocky beast and his personality wasn’t anything like how I presented as a human.

“It’s only temporary while Barrett and Tegan are on their mate moon,” I reminded everyone. We’d all come from different clans, and it had been natural for Barrett to take charge of the security operation.

You could’ve been alpha too, my bear loved to remind me. If your mate didn’t?—

Nope. Didn’t need to think about that right now. Or ever.

“I can be your second-in-command,” Beau offered, earning a mix of laughter and groans from the rest of the bears at the table, and turning my focus back to the meeting. “Until Barrett gets back.”

A chorus of ooohs rang out. I was about to lose control of these rowdy bear shifters before my first official day at the helm even started.

Maybe that’s not such a bad idea, my bear said. I’d been about to put Beau in his place, but my bear could be onto something. Bellamy and I had talked about if things would work out with Beau. He was young, eager, but he didn’t know his place in the company. Came in with a head of steam and didn’t want to be told what to do.

He was really good at getting the job done, even if he was unpolished. The kid had potential.

“If you want to be second-in-command, you can start with making sure you bring coffee for everyone. Especially if you’re gonna show up late.”

Beau’s eyes widened, and the guys on either side of him nudged his considerable biceps. We needed muscle, which he had in spades, and it might have been the only reason we hadn’t fired his ass yet.

“The Tegan Reynolds case changed our business. Put Sawtooth Security on the map,” I said, starting the meeting’s official business. She’d called us from the set of a dating reality show after her ex-boss had duped her into a real marriage to keep his dirty dealings under wraps. Barrett had history with the slimeball wolf and putting him out of commission meant Sawtooth Forest was a safer place for all the shifters who lived here.

And he scored a smokin’ hot mate when he’d completely given up, my bear added. Maybe that means you’ve still got a chance.

“Nothing about that case was typical for us,” I added, ignoring my bear. The last thing on my mind was a mate. Especially while I was in charge of the business and working on earning the loyalty of a bunch of rambunctious bears.

“Good.” Beau nodded. “Hollywood doesn’t belong in Sawtooth Forest.”

Brad gave him the side-eye the comment deserved. “Thought you said you wanted to be a contestant on The Real Werewives if they filmed another season here.”

“You have to admit it’s kinda weird, having the cameras everywhere, all those people wanting to know about your life.” Beau shuddered dramatically. “But I wouldn’t mind finding my mate. Or bringing her to the hot tub.”

“If that’s how you feel, you’ll be a good addition to the team. Our work should stay behind the scenes. No one should even know we’ve done it.” I wouldn’t admit to the crew that I was relieved when filming ended. Barrett had been the one in the spotlight, but I hadn’t been comfortable with being on camera.

The mission of Sawtooth Security was helping shifters when their own packs couldn’t or wouldn’t. My job specifically was to find answers.

“Things might feel a little slow right now, but don’t get used to it,” I continued. “Our inboxes are overflowing with requests for help. We’ll be reviewing the cases and determining who’s the best fit. You should’ve gotten a survey about?—”

The door burst open and every head in the room turned to see the woman I thought I’d never lay eyes on again.

Hot damn, my bear said, confirming what I saw was not a figment of my imagination.

Otherwise, I would’ve never believed the woman who’d rejected me in front of my entire clan was standing in the Sawtooth Security office.

Fuck, she looks gorgeous, my bear added.

Couldn’t argue with him there as my gaze locked with the woman who should have been my mate. No, Clover Crowley did not still have a hold over me. Not after she’d torn my heart to pieces and laughed as she threw them up in the air. But somehow, over the last fifteen years, she’d become even more beautiful. Her fiery crimson hair fell almost to her waist, completely untamed. She’d always been curvy, but now she looked downright dangerous. Maybe because I knew the truth about this woman. Everything about her was a red flag, but still I couldn’t force myself to look away.

Her blue eyes narrowed, like she knew exactly what I was thinking. And if she thought she was about to have me eating out of her hand after all these years, she was dead wrong.

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