Page 6 of Stranded With An Insatiable Shifter

“New York City,” he says with a look that says ‘how about that?’

“Figures,” I grumble.

His eyes narrow as he looks at me more carefully. “Are you okay, Mikey?”

“I’m fine,” I grunt.

He doesn’t look so sure. “I heard your brothers both found their mates.”

“Yeah, what about it?”

He puts his hands up and takes a step back. “Is your grizzly taking it okay?”

I take a deep breath. Earl is an old black bear shifter. He has his mate, but he knows how hard it can be to live without one. I think he was about twenty-seven when he finally found Martha.

I’m thirty and still nothing.

My two younger brothers recently found theirs. I’m happy for them, but it’s been hard. Really hard. Every time I see Tara hugging Leo or Oliver with his arm around Layla, I want to snap.

All this mate activity has been making my bear act up too. He’s constantly restless inside, pacing and growling and keeping me up all damn night. No matter what I do, or how often I let him out, I can’t seem to take the edge off him.

It’s been rough.

I just wish she was here. I wish I could finally see her face and smell her scent.

Everything would be okay if she was here.

All of this intense yearning and burning desire would dissipate like that.

“It was rough for me when I was waiting for Martha to come along,” Earl says as he lights a smoke. “My younger cousin found his mate and it sent me spiraling. I almost bit the head off some poor fuck who cut me off.”

I lean on my car and take a few deep breaths. My temper has been short lately. My fuse is an inch long. It seems like any small thing makes me want to blow.

That’s not me. It’s not the man I want to be, but it’s fucking hard when my inner grizzly bear is determined to torture me every second of the day.

Even now, he’s pacing around and snorting angrily. I try to ignore him, but he always manages to make his presence known.

“She’ll come soon,” I say, not quite believing it. “It’s destiny, right?”

Earl nods as he puffs on his cigarette. “Destiny always delivers.”

Yeah, well destiny is taking her sweet fucking time on this one.

“I heard that Leo’s mate is some fancy romance author?” Earl asks.

We chat about Layla and her new book a bit, but pretty soon, I’m done talking about mates. I just want to put it all out of my mind.

Earl crushes his cigarette and opens the door. “Do you need something?”

“A birthday present,” I say. “For my nephew, Anthony. He’s turning one today. Got anything good?”

“Not unless he drinks craft beer or likes to play with fishing lures.”

I laugh. “I don’t think so.”

“Then you better head into town to that toy shop. Want a cold drink for the road?”

I push off my truck and head to the door. “Why not?”

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