Private Eye Bear's Mate: Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance Read online

  Private Eye Bear’s Mate

  by Zoe Chant

  Copyright Zoe Chant 2016

  All Rights Reserved

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  A note from Zoe Chant

  More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant

  If you love Zoe Chant…

  Excerpt from Alpha Bear Detective

  Chapter One

  “It’s five-thirty A.M. on KJAM,” Alison Lawrence crooned into the mic, “and you’re up all night with Alison.”

  She shifted in her chair, swatted at a fly buzzing over her coffee mug, and tried not to yawn. Her legs were falling asleep, and the rest of her wanted to join them. God, she was tired.

  She’d been at the station since six the night before, prepping for her show and doing everyone’s administrative work on top of that. She loved being part of KJAM, but it was hard to sound sexy on air when all you really wanted was to faceplant into a snoring sleep.

  Outside the window, the dark night was starting to warm into shades of lavender and gray. She could see the highway in the distance, the on-ramp beginning to glimmer with early commuter headlights.

  I wonder how many of them are listening to me right now.

  Thirty more minutes and her show would wrap; she could make it that long.

  Then, Alison swore, I’m going to drive straight home— or, ooh, maybe grab an Egg McMuffin on the way— and I’m going to sleep for seven whole hours.

  And then get up and come in to work again. Ugh.

  “Let’s wake things up a little with a sexy single from Taylor Swift. Are you ready for your ‘Wildest Dreams?’” Alison let out a sultry laugh over the opening notes.

  That flirty delivery was her signature, the reason Up All Night did so well in the ratings. Overnight slots were generally considered dead zones in radio, rarely even inhabited by live DJs anymore, but Alison’s show was the exception. Her voice was like magic, the station manager Tom always told her. The perfect combination of sexy and soothing, exactly what people— men— wanted to hear while lying in bed.

  Or sitting in early morning traffic, she supposed.

  The idea didn’t bother her. Alison just wished she had some time to lie in bed with a man of her own. Working nights was rough on relationships. She hadn’t had one since before the show started, more than three years ago.

  At the time she’d been so grateful for the opportunity to break into DJing that the night shift and the hours and extra administrative work hadn’t made a dent in her happiness. But now, though she still loved almost everything about her job, she could feel the burnout creeping up on her.

  Among other things.

  The station line rang, pulsing a red light on her sound mixing board. Alison stared at it apprehensively for a long moment, waiting, but no one else seemed to be around to answer.

  In the past several weeks she’d been receiving calls from a particular guy she and her producer had dubbed “the creeper.” He would call up the request line and when he reached Alison, the things he would say to her were... She shied away from the memory of his words. Disgusting.

  The line kept blinking at her. She bit her lip and pressed the button. “KJAM, this is Alison. Do you have a request?”

  “Alison,” a harsh, burned out voice invaded her headset. “You make me wild. I want you to—”

  She stabbed at the disconnect button, fingers shaking.

  That voice— that thing was creeping up on her, too.

  She shuddered, alone in her glass booth. The gray light outside suddenly seemed chilly and dangerous.

  That was the third time this week he’d called in, and she was starting to feel paranoid about things. Stupid things, like, was that car following her home? Was that man staring at her too intently, in line for her morning coffee? It put her nerves on edge.

  “Alison?”

  She blinked her eyes hard, took a deep breath, and glanced over at the door.

  Her producer, Jess, leaned into the sound booth, giving her a worried look. “Was that—?”

  Alison nodded shortly.

  “Oh God, I’m so sorry.” Jess pressed a fist into her forehead guiltily. “I wasn’t screening. Shaun just texted me about Devin’s dentist appointment later today and I got distracted, and I guess I just let the call slip through...” She trailed off, looking horrified at herself.

  “It’s okay.” Alison tried to muster up a smile. “It’s not your fault. He’s the one who keeps calling.”

  “It’s my job to make sure you don’t have any distractions.” Jess shook her head. “I suck.”

  “You don’t suck.” Alison’s smile warmed. “You’ve just got a busy family. That’s good.”

  Jess’s eyes lit up. “Are you thinking about dating again? I know the perfect guy! He’s my neighbor’s nephew, and oh my Lord, when he mows the lawn!” She mimed a sweltering heat, rolling her eyes back in her head.

  Alison giggled and rolled her own eyes. “I don’t think so.”

  She glanced back at her screen to make sure her playlist was running as queued. Two minutes and she’d be live again.

  “Well, maybe not him,” Jess agreed. “I think he might have a boyfriend, anyway. But you need to get out more. At least promise me you’ll come over soon and see us.”

  “I promise.” Alison grinned. Jess’s kids were entertainingly goofy and her husband was a pretty good cook. “Soon.”

  “Okay,” Jess sighed. “Oh, and before you head home, Tom says he wants to talk to you.”

  Alison nodded, turning back to the screen and feeling slightly more normal. Jess bossing her around felt familiar and comforting. It was how they’d always been. Jess was a bit of a mother hen and Alison needed reminders to take care of herself sometimes. It worked for them.

  “It’s ten to the hour here on KJAM, just about time to rise and shine,” Alison spoke huskily into the mic. “Kevin K and the morning crew will be with you soon, but until then I’m Alison, saying, I’ll see you in your dreams.”

  ***

  Her face in the ladies’ room mirror looked pale and exhausted.

  I look an inch away from death, Alison thought. Well, except for my ass.

  She smoothed her hands down her curvy hips, hugged tightly in black jeans, and straightened her vintage cotton blouse. She liked to wear cute clothes, even if she didn’t plan on seeing anyone who would care. It was more about how she felt in them. It made her confidence perk up a little bit.

  “Okay,” she psyched herself up. “One more meeting. It’ll be quick. Then you can collapse. Just not yet. You can do it.”

  She snapped her fingers, singing under her breath. “You can do it, put your ass into it!” Watching herself bust a move in the mirror, she burst into giggles.

  I’m so exhausted, I’m giddy, she thought. Okay, Lawrence, time to face the music.

  Tripping out into the hallway, she collided head-on with someone. Someone big.

  Alison she looked up... and up.

  “Forgive me. Are you all right?” The big man’s voice rumbled. Like a... warm fire? Was that even possible? He held her arm firmly, heat suffusing her chilled skin.

  “I’m— Yes. No. I mean, thank you,” Alison stumbled. Did that make any sense?
>
  The man’s gorgeous brown eyes beamed at her and he chuckled warmly. “I’m looking for Tom Robertson’s office. Maybe you could escort me?”

  “Tom? Yes, that’s where I’m going. This way.” Alison pointed, still staring at the huge man. He was all muscle. Over six feet of it. Handsome, too, with a carved jawline and somewhat unruly hair. His thick eyebrows slashed an amused, expressive look across his face. Oh my Lord, Alison thought, Jess’s words echoing in her head.

  He smiled down at her. “That way?”

  “Yes. I’ll just... This way,” she said huskily.

  His eyes darkened, focusing in on her mouth.

  Get it together, Lawrence, she told herself. You’re practically drooling!

  She pulled her gaze away from his and tried to walk normally down the hallway. Nothing crazy happening here, no, sir.

  She could feel his warmth behind her, though, like he was tracking her with laser focus.

  “Tom?” Alison called as they rounded the corner. She knocked at his office door and pulled it open, glancing back at her gorgeous shadow. His eyes met hers, then flickered into the office beyond, seeming to scan for something.

  “Come on in,” Tom called. “I’m just waiting for— oh! Hi! You must be…?”

  Gorgeous Shadow stepped past her, holding out a strong hand for Tom to shake. “Gage Thorson. Nice to meet you.”

  “Tom Robertson. I’m the station manager. And this here is Alison Lawrence. Or, did you two already know each other?” Tom’s friendly gaze became confused.

  Alison shook her head, stepping forward. “We just ran into each other in the hall.”

  Gage winked at her, making her flush.

  “Perfect.” Tom gestured for them both to sit down. “Let me just get the door. I think this is more of a private conversation, eh?”

  Alison wrinkled her brow. “Jess said you wanted to talk before I left, but...”

  “Yes, I do.” Tom sank into his worn leather swivel chair, and Alison followed his lead.

  Gage reached out a hand to hold the chair still for her, and then sat as well. Alison gave him a distracted smile of thanks before she turned back to Tom, who was watching her with a worrying scrutiny.

  In the seven years that Alison had worked at KJAM, Tom had always been a rock. He saw the station as a family, knew everyone’s birthdays, and even their kids’ and pets’ names. He’d given Alison a chance at her own show when she was only an administrative assistant. He was nearing retirement age now, his salt and pepper hair thinning, but he was as energetic and enthusiastic as ever. Seeing him so solemn made Alison’s nerves jitter. She clasped her hands in her lap.

  “I’m concerned about you, Alison.” Tom leaned forward over the desk and held her gaze.

  Alison took a deep breath, wondering what she’d done. Was she about to get fired? Was the big guy a security guard?

  Tom frowned. “Last month you promised me that if this creepy caller business got any worse, you’d tell me. But I haven’t heard a peep. And I know it’s still going on. Jess keeps me up to date on any kind of problems; you know that. Yesterday she told me you thought you were followed to work! That’s a big deal.” He gave her a piercing look. “So tell me. What’s going on here?”

  Alison let out her breath slowly. So she wasn’t fired. And not in big trouble, either. Just awkward trouble.

  She cast a glance at Gage Thorson, wondering if he was a cop. But he didn’t give off that vibe. His posture was alert but not formal, and he seemed engaged rather than authoritative.

  He looked back at her, head cocked as though he could read how tense her body felt. “If I could suggest…” Gage began, tone soft and calm.

  Tom leaned back and sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t get my back up.” He rubbed his bristly mustache. “I’m sorry to put you on the spot, Alison. But the station takes the safety of our workers very seriously. You know that. And I’m worried about how long this thing has gone on. So, I’ve hired Gage here to look into it. He’s a private detective.”

  Alison shook her head, glancing at Gage. His expression was hard to read. He probably thought she was some delusional attention seeker.

  “There’s really no need for that,” she said. “I already reported the calls to the police, like you said to. They have a case open. It’s not that big a deal. I can handle it.”

  “It is a big deal,” Tom disagreed. “We need you to feel safe at work. And be safe. That’s that. And Gage comes highly recommended. He’s a shifter, you know, a tracker. He can find this guy.”

  A shifter! Alison eyed Gage curiously. She’d never met one before. Did they all have bodies that amazing? The way his jeans tightened across his muscled thighs was distracting. And the way he seemed to read her mood was intriguing. She wondered what kind of shifter he was.

  Gage gave Tom a nod, then turned serious eyes on Alison. “I respect your feelings, but as a professional, I have to tell you that the police can’t do much to help in situations like this. It’s not fair, but it’s how they function. Detectives like me, on the other hand, have much more latitude to do whatever needs to be done.”

  The look in his dark eyes indicated that he thought some serious detecting needed to be done.

  I might be okay with that, Alison thought, staring down at Gage’s big, strong hands.

  But still, calling in a private eye seemed like overkill. “What exactly would this involve?”

  Gage settled back in his chair, his smile rising like the sun. The warmth of it spread all the way down to Alison’s toes.

  Chapter Two

  Gage inhaled a deep breath and tightened his hands on the steering wheel. This was going to take a hell of a lot of willpower. Alison was irresistible. He’d left the office with a promise to follow her home and check out the safety of her apartment, and that promise was the only thing allowing him to let Alison out of his sight.

  His bear wasn’t happy with that.

  Since they’d collided in the hallway, Gage couldn’t keep his eyes off her. The second he’d scented her, he knew that she was his. Her heart-shaped face turned up to his, and with it came a burst of pheromones she probably didn’t even know she was sending off. He wanted to bury his face in her neck and breathe the smell of honeyed skin, chocolate-deep arousal, and a spike of cayenne.

  But an office hallway was not the place to tell his mate how he felt. Especially since he wasn’t sure how familiar she was with shifters, or whether she knew what it meant to be a mate.

  A mate. I have a mate!

  The thought shook him to the core, but with a kind of joy he’d never known he could feel. He’d been alone for so long. In the past several years he’d built up a clan, a group of shifters who worked with him on investigations, but that was different. His clan provided companionship and a sense of family, but he’d never dreamed he’d be lucky enough to find more than that comfort. The thrill of finding his mate was unlike anything he’d ever felt before.

  And he was about to enter his mate’s den for the first time. His heart pounded.

  Gage let out his breath, opened his truck door, and leapt down.

  ***

  “It’s a mess,” Alison said, fiddling with the key in her lock. “Just to warn you. I’m sorry about that. I don’t have people over a lot, so...” She trailed off with a gorgeous flush in her cheeks.

  Gage shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. We shifters aren’t judgmental. Your den— your home— it’s personal. Inviting people in can be weird. I’m honored that you’re allowing me.”

  You have no idea how honored, he thought.

  Alison smiled up at him tentatively and opened the door. A small dark blur shot past them out into the hallway. Gage tensed automatically, sensing Alison’s dismay.

  “Panda! Panda, come back here!” She sagged against the doorframe. “Not today, please? Just come back.”

  Gage followed her frustrated gaze to see a black cat with white markings skulking around the turn of the hall. His muscle
s relaxed. Not a threat.

  “Sorry.” Alison sighed. “He’s a runner. Now I’ve got to do a whole song-and-dance with him before he’ll come eat his breakfast.”

  Or maybe a bit of a threat, Gage thought. To getting Alison safely settled, anyway.

  “Let me try something,” Gage suggested. “I might know a faster way.”

  Alison raised her eyebrows curiously, eyeing him up and down as if looking for a hidden trick. “Okay.”

  “It’s a shifter thing,” he explained. “Body language, plus alpha dominance. Often domestic animals will respond to it.”

  He approached the cat slowly. The cat tracked his movements, but didn’t budge. Gage could tell it was weighing his intentions. He circled around its back and watched as it lowered itself, hunching into submission. He reached down and carefully scooped it up. It hung in his hands, submissively limp, until he handed it off to Alison.

  She stared down at it, seemingly stunned.

  “Pretty smart cat,” he commented, smiling. “Good instincts.”

  Alison laughed incredulously. “Do you have any idea how many hours I’ve spent trying to lure him back into my apartment? Can you teach me how to do that?”

  Gage grinned, feeling a thrill of accomplishment. It was just a little trick, but Alison’s reaction made him proud in a way he’d never experienced before. “Maybe. Might take a bit to establish your dominance, though.”

  Alison flushed. “Yeah, I’m not the best at that.”

  Gage smiled easily. “We all have our strengths.”

  Alison’s gaze fell to his crossed arms, and he could practically feel their warm caress over his biceps and down his forearms. “You sure do,” she breathed softly.

  Gage fought back an intense urge to push her against the wall, pick her up, and show her exactly how strong and dominant he could be. God, he wanted to rip open that lacy blouse and suck marks on her creamy skin. He wanted to press his hardness against her core and hear her cry for him, for her mate. His body shook with desire as he tensed against his instincts.