Page 207 of Labor of Love

Then, one night, when I was working security at a random dive bar, I overheard a conversation between two guys. They were talking about a town for shifters, using words like 'alpha' and 'omega' and 'dragons'. It spiked my interest.

I might not have been the sharpest tool in the box, but even I’d heard the news about the dragon that had taken down a building in New York a couple of years earlier.

While the guys seated nearby talked, I learned all about the people who were unknowingly shifters. Apparently, they discovered latent alpha sides when they came into contact with their fated mates, and suddenly they could access the ability to shift and stuff. Additionally, the guys talked about how nice the town itself sounded: that it was inclusive, focused on equality and protecting the rights of omegas —whatever the fuck they were— where it seemed like a lot of shifter kind were against that kind of thing. Or, at least, that was what I took from the conversation I was eavesdropping on.

At the time, a lot of the content had gone over my head, but I'd gotten the gist of it all. The information was enough to pique my curiosity and send me off on my next adventure.

That adventure landed me in the middle of Shifters Sanctuary, where the Alpha, Beckett Smith, had welcomed me without question, even though I was human. My dubious backstory and not knowing a thing about my father probably helped, but he arranged for me to work on the farms and offered me a bed in the large, shared house we all lovingly called Frat House.

In this town, I made connections and friendships which felt more like family than anything I'd felt before.

Then, in June, even if I hadn’t unlocked the abilities naturally, I was vindicated to discover I was an alpha after all

A big grizzly bear.

A big grizzly bear who, ever since he had been revealed, insisted Tim was our mate. My mate? I still wasn't used to thinking of the beast inside me as a part of myself, even though I’d finally felt complete the first time I shifted.

Still, I wasn't surewhymy alpha was so interested in Tim. I mean, sure, we had flirted prior to that fateful party but, after my alpha was revealed, I'd felt increasingly possessive and protective. It was irrational, especially when we hadn’t so much as shaken hands.

But there I go rambling...

Tim was blushing again and looking at his feet, scuffing a worn boot along the gravel. "I know there's nothing wrong with living at home," he replied, reminding me of our conversation, "but I'm an adult. Shouldn't I, like, be independent by now?"

"Just because you're living with your parents doesn't mean you're not independent," I hefted our work tubs into a more comfortable hold and started walking towards the orchard. "There's no sense in moving out if you don't have to."

"Easy for you to say. You've traveled and been on your own since you were, what, eighteen?" He sighed, looking forward as he walked, adding, "I just don't want yo—peopleto see me as a kid."

"Nobody sees you that way," I hid a smile at his slip. I didn't know if his omega had the same intense interest in me as my alpha did in him, but I liked these little reminders of his crush on me all the same. "You're all man to me, sweetheart."

Immediately, I wanted to facepalm.

There was flirting, and then there was whatever the fuck that was.

Clearing my throat, I picked up the pace to the orchard, making Tim trot a little to keep up with me.

"Sorry," I apologized gruffly into the awkward silence which had descended, slowing down as the pear trees came into sight. There were only ten of them, but each was laden with ripe fruit, and it would take a couple of days to pick it all on our own. "I didn't mean to cross a line."

His skin was flushed when I turned to look at him, but he also looked a little woozy. I opened my mouth to ask if he felt okay when he blurted, "I liked it."

"Liked what?"

"What you said." He bent slightly at the waist and braced his hands on his slender thighs, taking deep, measured breaths before letting them out slowly. "Gods, I’m out of shape.”

"I dunno," I risked a step closer, shifting the large tubs to my hip so I could reach out a hand to steady him. "You looked wiped to start with this morning. You sure you're not comin' down with something?"

"More like getting over something," he muttered before confessing, "I was sick a few weeks back. Didn't want to worry Mom and Dad, especially when we were so busy over summer, so I pushed through. I guess this is just my body's way of telling me I'm not fully recovered yet."

Inside me, my alpha demanded I sweep him off his feet and take care of him.

I didn’t think such an action would be appreciated, so I pushed the urge away and said, "We'll take it easy today, then, alright? I'll do all the heavy lifting and stuff. You go for the low-hanging fruit and?—”

His guffaws cut me off. "Low-hanging fruit," he repeated as he caught his breath from laughing. "If I was Martin, I'd make some kind of inappropriate joke out of that. A real sleazy come-on aboutyourlow-hanging fruit."

I snorted. "That'snotwhat that expression means, darlin'."

"I'm not callingyoulow-hanging fruit. That would mean I think you're easy. I don't...I'm not..." Tim stammered and turned red all over again.

"No, you were talkin' about my banana, I know." I winked, my alpha enjoying the increased innuendo very much, even while cursing myself for crossing a line again.

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