Page 9 of The Bear's Fated Mate
Her sister swung her feet to the floor and leaned forward as well. “I’m glad to see you’re interested in expanding your involvement with the family. I’ve been thinking about it as well, only I wanted you to dive in and use your training before getting you involved in more pack business. It’s been good to have you take charge of Midnight Inc.’s security. It’s shown everyone how competent you are.”
Lara held her hands palms up. “That’s me, Ms. Competent. And I do like my role in security, don’t get me wrong, but I feel I’m ready for more.”
Trying to tease out an opening to discover what had been going on in the overheard conversation without poking too hard was a delicate task.
There was a reason Crystal was Alpha of the Orion pack—she was strong, powerful, and she wasn’t stupid. Lara worked hard to keep her lighthearted and eager expression in place. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to suspect she knew something was going on.
A bloodless takeover…
If Midnight Inc.wasplanning a financial attack on their nearest competitor, getting it accomplished without a physical attack was certainly better than the alternative. Businesses run by shifters tended to break out of the mould when it came to best business practices.
That is, sometimes bills and banking errors were disputed with teeth and claws. Not good for so many reasons.
So, yeah, a legal takeover that was quick and conclusive was a positive thing. On the other hand, Lara had ethical standards she refused to cross. Using underhanded or illegal moves to take over Borealis Gems or put them out of business was a solidnoin Lara’s book.
She’d like to think it wasn’t simply because her yet uninformed mate was one of the inheritors to the competition. She’d like to think that it was strictly a moral and upright decision, but Lara realized she was hormonally compromised enough that she couldn’t claim absolutely pure motives.
The truth was shedidn’twant anything to hurt her mate, even if she never got around to telling him what he meant to her.
That he was it. The one and only option, forever and ever. Because wasn’t that just a dandy thing to inform a person?Hey, I know you kind of hate my guts, but if you and I don’t manage to make this work I’m going to pine after you for the rest of my life. Not only will my heart be broken, but I will never have sex again because you’reit.
Nope. No pressure whatsoever.
“I think we’ll be able to use your abilities a little more broadly in the future,” Crystal offered, bringing Lara’s wandering mind back to the topic at hand.
Lara jerked upright. “I’m ready.”
“I’m ready…Alpha,” Crystal prompted before ducking to avoid the pencil Lara tossed at her head. “I have something in mind. It’s a good way to get your feet wet, yet your security training shouldn’t be required. Stay alert, though. While I want you to make a good impression, I also want you to practice stealth. If you know what I mean…”
This open-ended hint, offered with a dramatic wink, bordered on the opening Lara needed.
She spoke slowly in response. “You mean that while I’m taking care of whatever task you assign, I should also take an extra hard look around?”
“If it’s appropriate, yes. Also, I need you to get a little…closer…to people. You need to make sure people trust you. Make friends. That will go a long way at some pivotal moments in the future.”
Lara’s mind raced with conspiracy theories. This soundedsomuch like the early setup for a takeover. Security skills, stealth. Pivotal moments?
Crystal eyed her. “It’s too bad you don’t have a mate yet. It would make it easier to…discuss…projects with certain influential couples.”
What? Oh God, she was not talking about mates with Crystal. Not now. Lara raised a brow as she shoved the conversation down a different line. “Having a mate would also make it difficult for me to getcloserto other individuals. Ahem.”
“Oh. I guess you’re right.” Crystal waved a hand. “Never mind, we’ll worry about that issue later.”
Later, as in much later if Lara had anything to do with it. She schooled her features and nodded briskly. “I’ll do my best.”
5
Lara stood outside the pack house a few hours later, dressed to the teeth. Her fanciest purse was tucked under her arm as she carefully leaned against the wall and peered at her phone.
While she waited to be picked up for the big event Crystal had assigned her to attend, Lara was holding a three-way text message conversation with the two women who had become her best friends since her return to the north.
Different as they could be, Kaylee and Amber were uber-friends, but they’d willingly welcomed Lara into their tight-knit group.
Kaylee was a Northwest Territory–born bobcat shifter who had recently ended up mated with Alex’s younger brother. She was a longtime friend to the Borealis family and now the source of all sorts of interesting polar bear factoids that helped fill a teeny bit of Lara’s unmet cravings for anything remotely personal about her mate.
Amber Myawayan was a Japanese-Canadian human who’d come north a couple years earlier looking for her missing brother. The petite human seemed to have zero issues being surrounded by shifters in her role as admin assistant for Alex’s oldest brother, Cooper, the acting CEO of Borealis Gems.
The three women had originally banded together over their shared interest in stopping anything illegal at their respective companies. Since then they’d added an even bigger aspiration to their list: to discover the best source of chocolate, at least 90 percent pure, in all its varying taste combinations, that was available by three-day delivery to the north.
