Mated To Magic (Stark Creek Shifters Book 1) by Barb Shuler (free ereaders .TXT) 📕

“Hey, stranger!”

“Oh, come on! It hasn’t been that long since we’ve spoken!”

“No, you’re right. You doing okay?” Heading into my office, I closed the door behind me and moved to sit at my desk.

“I am! It’s quiet here without you, though. Starting to miss you.”

“Aww, I’m sure there’s plenty to keep you busy. Any word on your transfer yet?”

“Nah, just gotta wait for a position to open up there first. You know how it is.”

“We could help with that. Say the word and you will have one missing Chief of Police!”

He chuckled. “Thanks, doll, but it would be a little suspicious, don’t you think?”

I shrugged my shoulders with a grin. “Hey, it was worth a try!”

We spoke for a little bit longer. I heard a knock, then looked up and saw Dalton standing in the door. He let out a growl and my brows knitted together in confusion. I mouthed the word “what,” but he turned and left, leaving me confused. I didn’t want to cut my phone call short, but I wanted to make sure everything was okay. I looked over at the computer screen. Had he seen something and was going to sort it? I looked over to the monitors and watched him move through the hall and into the bar. When Jay put a glass in front of him and poured him a drink, my confusion grew. What the fuck was going on?

“Doll, is everything okay?”

“I’m not sure, Sy, can I call you tomorrow? I need to go and check on things in my bar.”

“Sure, no problem. Call me whenever you can.”

“Thanks! Have a good night!”

“You too!”

I placed my phone down on the desk, pushed myself back, and stood up. Closing the door behind me, I headed for the bar. I reached it just in time for Dalton to walk out the back door. I crossed my arms over my chest. What the fuck was his problem today? I looked over at Jay, who just shook her head. When I got closer to the bar, I went to open my mouth, but she cut me off before I could.

“You two both need to sort your shit out.”

“Me? What the hell did I do?”

“Who were you just on the phone with?”

“How did you know?”

“How do you think?”

Great, so he won’t speak to me, but he’ll talk to Jayden? She was right. She pointed to where he had just disappeared. We had been dancing around each other for too long now. We had known each other for three and a half years, and it only took about six of those months for me to fall in love with him. I had let this go on too long. I should have spoken up sooner, but I didn’t. I pushed open the back door and saw him pacing.

“Oh, good…you’re still here.”

Dalton

Parking my truck in the employee parking lot behind the bar saved me from being bombarded by the line of craziness that was waiting to get inside. I was not a fan of women climbing all over me, whispering in my ears that they wore no panties… It was disturbing. I know some women thrive with that kind of action. Some men like it, I don’t.

The only one I wanted climbing in my lap, kissing on my neck, and whispering she wasn’t wearing panties was my girl.

I groaned at the thought. “Not the thought to have right now, asshole.” I adjusted and let out a long breath before shaking like my wolf would. A full body shake, one that probably had me looking like someone who had just escaped an asylum and was having an episode. I needed to clear out my thoughts before I went inside. This would help. Or I hoped it would at least.

I needed a few minutes to get the growing bulge in my pants to take a chill pill. Focus on something other than Mia. I could do that, right? Yes. I could.

I walked the perimeter of the parking lot and then the building, my nose wrinkling as I made my way down the small alley where the trash bins were. That was not a smell I needed to get up close and personal with. I could smell it a mile away. They really needed to have the city pick this up more often. It was beyond disgusting.

My eyes roamed the building, looking for anything out of the ordinary. I jumped up, pulled on the ladder that would allow us to crawl up to the roof. The safety latch was still engaged, so I jumped back down, wiping my hands on my jeans.

I moved to the back door, turned the handle, and tugged. Locked. Good, the security team seemed to still be on the up and up. Meant I didn’t have to kill anyone tonight. That would make Mia happy. I moved my hand to the keypad, pressed in my code, and when it beeped, I pulled the door open.

The music in the bar was loud to my ears, but at a normal volume for the humans to enjoy. I made my way through the back halls, nodding when I saw one of the bouncers coming out of the locker room.

“How’s it been tonight?” I asked.

“Normal. A crowd in, a few out, vice-versa. If you’re going out in the bar, watch yourself. The slutty Barbie squad is pushing it hard tonight.”

I shook my head and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Stay strong, man, stay strong.”

“Later.”

I looked at my watch before making my way to the hall where Mia’s office was. This old warehouse had been a great find for her. The previous owner was a jackhole. He charged too much to get in the door, had crappy music and even crappier booze. It wasn’t the easiest acquisition and takeover because she had to get rid of a lot of the previous employees for varying reasons.

Some should have never been working in a bar to