ROMANCE: Lion Protector (Paranormal Shifter BBW Military Romance) (Shapeshifter Alpha Male Short Stories Book 2) (9 page)

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OverBEARING Alpha

Chapter 1

Tamera Williams was adding apps on her tablet and phone. She heard about a new one dedicated for shifters and other supernaturals to find mates, so she decided she wanted to try it out. Even though she was human, she was determined to find a shifter mate. The power, the animal magnetism, drew her.  Where some women ran screaming in the other direction when they found out their boyfriends or husbands were shifters, she ran right into their arms. She shivered at the thought. She hadn’t decided what breed of shifter she liked the most yet, but she’d had some luck finding wolves in her area.

She lived in California, working as a waitress. She liked her job, the excitement of the nightlife, and the interesting people who came to her place.  They came to sober up before going home after a night of partying and drinking. She generally worked the overnight from 8 PM to 5 AM shift.

Meeting lots of interesting people was fun. It’s how she’d learned about this new app she was trying to install. One of the shifters who’d come in the diner, had told her about it. She liked living here and didn’t really miss her family, a bunch of farmers in Montana back home a bunch of farmers in Montana. While she sometimes did miss country life, there were plenty of things in big cities to make up for it.

Finally getting the app installed, she filled out her profile and added a picture. In it, her smiling cherry red lips and curly, blonde hair screamed country girl, especially with her cowgirl hat and boots.

She might live in California these days, but you couldn’t completely take the country out of a girl. Especially one who lived and breathed farms and ranches her whole life. She loved animals, always had. Maybe this was why she preferred shifters over humans. She wasn’t sure. Maybe she’d just been born to the wrong parents.

Finishing her shift, she hung up her apron and took off her name tag, putting it in her pocket to go home with her. The waitresses shared aprons, but each had their own name tag. She was headed out to her little car to drive home when her phone started dinging. She took it out of her back pocket and checked the new app. She had a hit already. The man was good looking, she'd give him that. He was in his mid-thirties. She wondered why a man like him would be interested in a twenty-two-year-old waitress. She hadn't lied about her job in her profile. She wanted people to know what they were getting into with her. He didn't disclose his profession, but he had a clean-cut appearance and could easily have passed for a model.

Texting him back, she smiled. He didn't say what kind of shifter he was, but since she was advertising herself as a human looking for a shifter mate, he already knew she wasn't able to shift.

They texted back and forth a few times, and the guy made it clear he wanted to meet her. He wanted to meet her tonight. Tamera wasn't comfortable meeting him that quickly and tried to play it off. She told him she had just gotten off work and was tired, but she had a day off in a week. She asked if she could meet him then. When he texted her back, the chill she got from his messages irritated her. He was demanding and egotistical, telling her she was a tease and that she was intentionally leading him on with her profile. Getting frustrated, she blocked him. She put her phone back into her pocket and thought that would be the end of that.

Until he messaged her again. She'd blocked him, and yet he'd been unblocked. She knew she hadn't done it. Blocking him again, she put her phone back into her pocket. When he continued to be able to message her, she decided the app had some bugs and made the report. She didn't respond to him, but she couldn't help but read his messages.

He wasn't scary, exactly, but she did feel intimidated by his authority. He didn't apologize for being demanding, he was point blank about his intentions and his interest in her, and he kept pushing it. She tried to block him again.

Over the next couple of weeks, she kept getting messages from him. They weren’t nonstop, just enough to get her upset that the app wasn't keeping her blocked profiles blocked. But the thing was, every time she read another message from him, she was more intrigued. He wasn't scary or rude. He just pestered her and gave her a hard time for trying to avoid him. Mostly she was impressed that he didn’t give up.

After a couple of weeks of her playing hard to get, he finally told her he was done. He had found the game amusing for a while, but now it was time to be honest. Did she find him as interesting as he found her? Would she be willing to meet, or was it time for him to walk away?

He'd grown on her. Tamera wasn't sure meeting him was the best idea, but she agreed.

He offered a public place near her work. He had suggested the boardwalk of the beach during broad daylight to get ice cream. It was a place where no one would notice them but it was still fairly safe.

Agreeing, Tamera arranged to meet him on her next day off and then put her phone down. She couldn't believe she went from trying to block him repeatedly to agreeing to meet him. She had no idea how he'd gotten under her skin like that, despite his arrogance. His attitude that she would love him if she'd give him a chance was oddly hard to resist.

She snorted at her own thoughts.  She wasn't sure if she was walking into a lion's den or if she'd met a man who could actually thrill her, entice her, and keep her on her toes.

One way or another, she would find out soon enough if this man was dangerous or her soul mate. Pausing in her thoughts as she brushed her hair, she wondered if he could be both.

Chapter 2

Tamera sat waiting on a bench. They had seen each other’s pictures on the app, so she assumed they would find each other easily. She was more nervous than she thought she'd be. She was watching joggers and bikers ride by, a guy walking his dog with a red leash, the normal stuff people did on a nice, sunny day.

She knew his first name, and that was it. She wondered if it was stupid to not have more information about him before meeting. She'd gotten carried away with the excitement of it all once she'd gotten over trying to get rid of him.

Julius. It was kind of a nerdy name in Tamera's opinion, but his look told a different story. He was a six foot four hulking bear of a man. If she’d had to take a guess at what kind of shifter he was, she would definitely have said bigger than a wolf.

He had amber-colored eyes and dark, curly hair, and he was dressed like a regular person who wasn't trying to draw any attention. Jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt.  He strolled over to her with his hands in his pocket. She knew the color of his eyes from the picture on his app profile, but right now he was hiding them with his sunglasses.

"Tamera?" he asked as he walked over to her.

She nodded. "Julius, I presume."

"At your service," he said, and sat down next to her on the bench. They sat quietly for a few minutes before Tamera decided to break the ice.

"So, you never did tell me what kind of shifter you are. Should I be worried?" Tamera raised a brow. She was the kind of girl who just said what she was thinking. It chased a lot of people off sometimes, but those who could handle it loved her.

"Bear. And I only bite occasionally," he told her, grinning. He took his sunglasses off and set them on his lap. When he turned his gaze to meet her eyes, Tamera felt lost. He was beautiful, in a ruggedly cowboy-handsome kind of way. He smiled at her and she felt her heart start beating rapidly in her chest. Oh, yes. There was definitely chemistry between the two of them.

"Would you like to get some ice cream and then we can walk around, talk, and get to know one another better." He said it as more of a statement than a question. When he stood, he put his hand out to help her off the bench.

Tamera looked at the hand in front of her for a moment before taking it. She gave him a shy smile as she stood. She was still unsure about this situation, but he'd somehow convinced her to meet him. Why stop now?

"So, who are you really?" she asked him finally, looking at him over the ice cream. "I mean, I know your first name, I know you're a bear shifter, but who are you, Julius? What do you want in life, why are you looking for a mate, and why me?"

"It's complicated. A bear shifter reaches a certain age when he realizes he needs to slow down in life a little and find a mate. We like cubs, but not all bear shifters feel the need to stick around to help raise them. I was careful not to have any because I wanted to wait for the right woman. It took me a while to get to a place in my life where I'm ready to slow down and focus on family. Now that I'm there, I'm looking for a mate." He finished his ice cream cone and then wiped his hands on a napkin before walking down the beach with her. "As for you, well, you seem blunt, and I've always liked a challenge."

"What happens if I don't stay a challenge?" Tamera asked him curiously.

"I have a hard time believing you'll be anything but interesting." Julius smiled at her and winked. "You have the kind of personality that will always leave a man trying to figure out your next move."

"My next move?" She was taken aback. She had no idea what he meant by that. "What is this, a game of chess?"

"Do you play chess?" he asked her, changing the subject.

"I know how to play, but that's not what I was asking." Tamera crossed her arms and looked at him. She didn't know what he was up too, but he seemed to be avoiding her direct question. "Why me?"

"Because you're interesting. What kind of answer are you looking for? I don't want to lie to you and I'm not sure what you are really trying to ask." Julius shrugged. His phone started beeping, and he took it out of his back pocket and looked at it. "I have to go, work emergency. But don't think this conversation is over between us."

He left her standing there. Watching him leave, she felt confused, irritated, and turned on all at once. Something about him just made her want to lick him from head to toe like the ice cream cone she just ate. The other part of her wanted to strangle him for being so evasive with her questions. Yet, another part of her was absolutely fascinated by his confidence and how easily amused he seemed to be.

Shaking her head, she checked her phone and realized she still had time to catch a movie on her day off if she wanted to. Deciding to do that, she put him from her mind for the next couple days. She didn't go out of her way to message him.

Chapter 3

Tamera was working when the bell on the front doors of the diner started to ring as someone opened it and walked through. She was busy putting in orders for her table so she didn't pay any attention to it. Unless they seated the people in her section, she didn't need to worry about them.

"Pssst, Tamera, get a load of the hunk who just walked in. He's in your section, lucky girl," Melody whispered to her as she walked back with her orders and nudged Tamera.

"A hunk, huh?" Tamera asked her and grinned. Melody was always looking for husband number three, though Tamera wasn't sure why since Melody never wanted to keep the same man around for more than a few months. She always thought maybe it was just the chase and the challenge that Melody enjoyed, and once she caught them she lost interest.

Tamera grabbed a new pad for orders from under the counter on her way out to the table. He had his back to her, and all she could see was his dark shirt and slacks from behind. He had wavy hair and she could tell he was well muscled. When she walked over to ask him what he wanted, she stopped mid-sentence, realizing it was Julius sitting there.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed at him, trying not to blush. It was one thing to meet in a public place and banter with each other. It was another entirely for him to show up at her workplace.

"Am I not allowed to buy myself a cup of coffee?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "I do get a menu, right?"

Tamera snorted and handed him a menu and then brought him back a cup of coffee. She gave him an expectant look. "Do you know what you want?"

"You?" Julius grinned at her. "Okay, what's good here?"

"Pies are good. Coffee's acceptable, I would recommend the burgers, but the fries are so-so. I'd consider getting a different side if you eat a burger," she told him honestly. She didn't lie to customers, even customers who looked like they'd rather eat her for lunch than anything on the menu.

"What kind of pies do they have?" he asked her as he browsed the lunch menu further.

"Apple, chocolate, peach, and cherry," she told him, and then added, "We also have homemade donuts, cookies, brownies, and bagels."

"A bagel sounds good actually. Do you have cream cheese?"

Nodding, she wrote down his order, and when she was about to walk away he reached and grabbed her wrist to stop her for a moment.

"What?" she asked him, looking confused.

"I want you to go out with me again tonight. This time something more date-like, something where I can take you out to dinner and maybe enjoy a little mood lighting. We are supposed to get a meteor storm tonight. We should be able to see the shooting stars," Julius told her.

"I never would have pegged you for a science geek," she muttered, but then nodded. "Okay, I'll text you my address and you can pick me up."

As Tamera walked into the back, Melody jumped on her for details.

"You know that man?" Melody asked her. "I'd eat that man for breakfast if given half a chance. Is he single?"

Tamera laughed. "Yes, he's single, sort of. I kind of know him. He just asked me out, again."

"He came here for you?" Melody looked disappointed, but then bounced back. "Well, if you decide you don't want him, send him my way when you are done with him."

"Okay, Melody. If we don't work out, he's all yours," Tamera said as she put in his order.

"Do you like him?" Melody urged.

"I don't know yet. I'm just getting to know him. There's something about him that I can't put my finger on. I feel like I've seen him before, but I don't know where." Tamera shook her head. "Either way, I have agreed to dinner and, I guess, stargazing tonight."

"Do you know what you are going to wear?" Melody asked her, looking excited. Melody loved clothes and make up. If you got her started on fashion it was hard to get her to stop.

"I have a few things in mind. I have to take care of my other tables now. Try not to drool too hard, will you?" Tamera laughed and patted Melody on the shoulder. The woman had a heart of gold and meant well. She just had different priorities in life than Tamera.

Tamera was chasing men in her life, but it was because she wanted to find a mate. The right mate, not just any old mate. Bringing Julius some fresh coffee when she brought his food out, she wondered if he was going to be the right man.

When he smiled at her, she felt like she could lose herself looking at him. The way his lips curved up at the sides and his eyes crinkled. He was relaxed and acted like nothing in the world could faze him. She found that appealing in him.

She wasn't quite sure how she'd handle his bossy, domineering side full time. He wasn't mean about it. It just seemed like he had a take-charge personality. He acted like he was used to getting his way. It's not that she wanted to play hard to get, but she'd never been very good at being told what to do in life.

"Thank you for the meal, Tamera. I will see you tonight," he told her. Tamera nodded and brought him his check. He was gone by the time she got to the register and opened it up realizing he'd left a hundred dollar bill in there. Gasping, she stared at it. His bill had been nine dollars after taxes.

"Whoa," Melody said when she saw the money. "Is that thing real?"

"It sure is," Tamera said as she took a pen to it to test its authenticity. Musing about what kind of job he had that would allow him to drop a hundred dollar bill at her table for a nine dollar meal, she wondered if he was into illegal activities or if he had a legitimate job.

For the first time since she met him, she was really worried that she knew so little about him. She decided she needed to dig further if she was going to get involved with him. Starting with his last name.

Texting him, she was blunt and asked him why he'd left a hundred dollar bill and what his full name was.

He texted the information back. Julius Davenworth was his full name. It was because he didn't have a smaller bill and had to get back to work.

Davenworth
. Where had she heard that name before? Pulling up her phone’s search engine, she put in his name. When Davenworth Enterprises showed up, she just about dropped her phone.

"Are you okay?" Melody asked her, looking concerned when she saw Tamera's face and her shaking hand.

"Do you know who that man really is?" Tamera whispered, feeling suddenly way out of her league. What would a man like him want to do with a woman like her?

"No, do tell though," Melody said, leaning forward on the counter and looking curious.

"You've heard of Davenworth Enterprises, right? That was Julius Davenworth," Tamera informed her as she slid her phone over the counter to show Melody.

"Yes, he owns one of the biggest software companies in the valley right now. He also makes like half the apps that are on the most phones. Why?" Melody looked down at the phone and gasped when she realized what Tamera was telling her. "That man in here, the one who's interested in you? The one who asked you out is
that
Julius Davenworth? Oh my god, honey, you can’t blow this. He's worth billions."

"Why would he want a waitress from Montana?" Tamera asked, feeling suspicious. "I feel like this is a prank. It does explains how he kept getting unblocked when I blocked his profile on that dating app. He had access to everything. I don't know if I'm flattered that he liked me that much, or if this is some awful prank and he's just doing it to mess with me."

"Honey, I think you need to disregard what Julius does for a living, and get to know the man. He may surprise you. Very few men care about our backgrounds, or where we were born. If they find us attractive and interesting, that's enough to spark their desire. It makes them take the time to get to know us. If it goes further, great. If not, just enjoy the ride," Melody said, and then got up to go help her tables. "Just be open minded, you may be surprised at how this turns out. I doubt a man who has women falling all over him constantly would put so much attention into a woman if he didn't actually want her."

"Yes, but what does he intend to do with me if he gets me?" Tamera asked, her left eyebrow arching up as she asked the question.

"What any man would do with a woman, honey. You are a strong, opinionated woman who can hold her own. You didn't know he had money when you started talking, and were interested in him as a man. I would bet that had a lot to do with his interest in you. When women throw themselves at a man for his money, it makes it hard for him to know if the woman likes him for who he is, instead of for the money in his bank account. You met him before knowing who he really was. You probably scored major brownie points in his book."

"You know I'm going to confront him about this," Tamera said as Melody left the counter.

Melody looked over her shoulder and shrugged. "That's up to you, but if I was you, I'd just enjoy the time he's offering and spend it with him like he’s any other man, and worry less about his career, position, or how much money he has."

Tamera nodded, but in the back of her mind, she realized what was bugging her. It wasn't so much that he was one of the richest men she'd ever met, or one of the hottest. It was the fact he didn't tell her the truth from the beginning about who he was. And when asked why he was interested in her, he kept avoiding the question.

She would get answers. Tonight. She wasn't going to take no for an answer. If he wanted to keep seeing her, he had to give her something. She needed to be able to trust him, and trust that this relationship had the chance to be real.