Free ROMANCE : PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Unwanted mate (BBW Pregnancy Werebear Shifter Romance) (New Adult Paranormal Romance) by Brittany White

not need to find his mate in a room of pumped up testosterone and alphas or alpha wannabees. That’s just a recipe for disaster.
    As he tossed the card aside, he flipped over, and he noticed a message on the back.
    Maxwell, your pride encourages you to attend.
    His eyes widened. The barstool hit the floor as he lunged to his phone. It only took two seconds for his father to pick up. “Before you say anything,” Charles said mildly.
    “Are you fucking kidding me?” Max hissed. “Is this a threat?”
    His father had obviously been waiting for the phone call. “Maxwell, the stipulations for being an alpha are clear. You have to mate. You’re pushing thirty-five and the pride is getting nervous. If you don’t take a wife soon, they’re going to be forced to place Jerome as alpha, and nobody wants that.”
    Max gripped the phone. His father wasn’t wrong. The Torrent family had been the alphas of the local tribe for several generations, and it would continue as long as the pride was happy and the alpha took a mate and continued the line. If an alpha died without an heir, the strongest male took over, and while Jerome was the strongest, he was also the most temperamental and unpredictable. It was a recipe for disaster.
    “But a Hairy and Fluffy party?” he said as his anger escaped him. He leaned against the counter and dropped his head. “That’s degrading.”
    “It’s hardly degrading. That agency has the best reputation in the shifter community. I know you’re busy. They do all the work for you. Just give it a shot.”
    Charles had been a great leader, and had he not fallen ill several years ago, he would still be alpha. But the community feared he would not make it, so Max, as the oldest son, took over. Charles recovered, and he had no issues with his son taking over. Max wanted to earn the pride’s respect like his father had earned it.
    He wanted his father to proud of him as well.
    “Fine,” he muttered. “I’ll go. But we’re going to have some words about personal space at the next meeting,” he snapped.
    “Good luck with that,” Charles snorted.
    Max hung up the phone and sighed. Shrugging his shoulders to ease the tension, he stripped out of his business clothes and put on his jogging gear. He had quite a bit of frustrations to burn before he tried to take on the dating agency.
    Even the pounding of his heels hitting the ground didn’t do anything to release the anxiety he had about potentially meeting his mate. It made him anxious to think that he was meant to be with one person. What if he got it wrong and he picked the wrong woman? What if his woman didn’t like him?
    So he ran harder and farther, but before he could completely escape the situation, he turned back around to take a shower and get ready for the damn party.
     
     
     

Chapter Three
    Cassie checked everything in her bag. She had her recorder for longer interviews, her notebook, a couple of pens, and her camera. She stepped into her strappy sandals and hung her press badge around her neck. She didn’t want any of the shifters to get any ideas.
    “Why are you taking the badge?” her friend asked with a mouth full of ice cream. In her third trimester, Sara was usually found munching on something.
    “Because I’m writing an article,” Cassie said as she rolled her eyes.
    “But you’re single,” Sara said.
    “Uh huh.”
    “And you haven’t gotten laid in over a year.”
    Cassie narrowed her eyes. “Your point?”
    “My point is that there are going to be many hunky men at that party. So ditch the press badge and relax. Even if you don’t find Mr. Right, you can still enjoy Mr. Incredible One Night Stand.”
    “I didn’t pick the assignment, Sara. You did,” Cassie pointed out.
    Her friend and editor smiled. “You were the one who said dating agencies set women back to an age where looks and profits were all that mattered in a marriage. I’m just trying to save your column. But more than that, I also wanted you