Page 4 of Bah Humbug Mate

“For heaven’s sake, Blitz, where the hell am I supposed to find a comely, female caribou-shifter…” he glanced at the calendar on the wall “…and convince her to marry me before the deadline?”

“Honestly, I don’t know, and there are provisions that will have you tied to this girl for at least ten years.”

Dash plopped down in the chair. “A decade? I have to spend a decade with some girl I don’t even know?”

“I’m sure you know lots of girls,” said the attorney.

“And none of them I’d want to marry.”

“If I wasn’t married, for that kind of money and to save your grandmother’s legacy, I’d marry Godzilla.”

Dash grinned at him, “Do you have her number?”

CHAPTER 2

DASH

Dash shook his head as he left the lawyer’s office. Rudy was waiting for him as he exited out onto the cold and gray Toronto streets.

“Well?” he said without preamble, stepping into Dash’s personal space.

This city caribou had picked the wrong man on the wrong day to try and get intimidating. Dash grabbed him by the lapels of his very expensive suit and put him into the side of the brick building. “Not on my watch, asshole. Come hell or high water, I’ll be married by Christmas Eve. You’ve lost the money and my grandmother’s herd will remain in their homes.”

“And you’ll stay here to ensure that happens?” taunted Rudy.

“No need. There was no stipulation in the will about where I’ll reside. I’ve tasked Blitz with keeping an eye on you and ensuring things go according to plan. Alaska isn’t that far away and if I have to come back to deal with you, I won’t come alone. And my friends are all apex predators.”

“How would you even know?”

“First, as I said, I’ve asked Blitz to make sure you stay in line. And second, I have a good friend who has the most amazing intelligence network. I mean to enlist his help as well. Trust me, asshole, I’ll know, and it won’t go well for you if you try anything. Now get your metrosexual self out of my sight and stay there.”

Dash hailed a cab and headed back to the airport. He pulled a list of names that Nelson had given him from his inside pocket. All of the names were those of herd masters who had eligible females from whom he could pick.

It was going to be a long trip back to Mystic River.

* * *

Mystic River, Alaska

Dash was behind the bar. His regular, and most popular, bartender had cut back her hours. She had a new mate and was deeply involved in the resistance. While he was happy for the arctic fox shifter, it meant he had to cover more of her shifts. Thankfully, Nova could order inventory from home and had agreed to keep up with that for Dash.

He was wiping down the bar, which seemed to be an endless task, but one which was oddly soothing in its mindless simplicity and rhythm. He’d returned from Toronto last night and needed to catch up on the bookwork. Perhaps his new mate, whoever she was, would be able to take that on.

He wondered if he ought to think about buying a nice place here in town or finding a piece of land up in the hills surrounding Mystic River and building something. Perhaps he should just gut the four apartments upstairs and create a grand apartment above the bar. That would be the most convenient in terms of living but on more than one occasion, his business partner, Colby Reynolds, the lynx-shifter alpha, had found the need to stash someone there. Besides, Dash still liked the idea of having places to offer to those who had been displaced for one reason or another.

Maybe it was best to wait until he found a mate and convinced her to throw in with this crazy scheme and elicit her opinion.

Dash listened as patrons of The Workshop engaged in lively conversation and shared an easy camaraderie. It was one of the things he liked best about Mystic River—people cared about one another. There might be petty disputes among them now and again, but for the most part, those who lived here felt a responsibility to look after each other. The vote to join the resistance against the Shadow League had been unanimous. The whole town, and that of Otter Cove over on the mainland, had thrown in and vowed to bring down the dangerous and evil League.

Colby entered the bar, waving to Dash and stopping at various tables to say hello. For years, Colby had been considered the area’s leading gangster, but more and more his layers were being peeled away to reveal the true man. One very few had known existed.

“Dasher,” he called.

“Don’t start,” groaned Dash.

“Oh, come on. ’Tis the season. Can’t you just pretend for the rest of us that you’re a reindeer and you know how to fly?”

“Do I look like I know how to fly? Do I look like I want to?”

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