Claiming Her Mate by Jess Buffett Page A

I’ve seen every mood now. None of them are going to scare me off. But maybe you could tell me what's wrong and I could help?”
    He sighed, burying his head in the crook of her neck and shoulder. “Just feeling a little helpless I guess.”
    Her delicate, soft hands came up to thread through the short strands of his hair. “I know. It’s hard for me too. But let’s focus on the positive. And besides, you have more things to be worried about.”
    He could hear the smirk in her voice and was hard-pressed to suppress his own. “Why is that?”
    “Because...tonight is the full moon gathering.” She tugged on his hair to bring his head up. “You have to face the entire Pride as I officially present you as my mate.”
    Oh , crap . He’d forgotten about that . “Ah, yay?”
    Summer threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, yes, that was very convincing. How about we try it one more time without it sounding like a question.”
    Evan grunted, swooping down to capture her lips with his, silencing any further remarks. One thing he had certainly learned over the last two weeks, was that Summer was a smartarse. And God, how he loved it. His life had been so serious, so routine for so long. She was just what he needed.
    Breaking the kiss, he reluctantly pulled away. “Have to hurry. Can’t be late again, especially if I want to finish up early for tonight.”
    Summer pouted. “All right, but you better make it up to me after the gathering.”
    “Absolutely,” he promised, dropping another kiss to her lips.
    ****
    Heading to work, with his foul mood completely replaced, Evan walked through the doors of the building his law firm resided in. As he passed the main desk's receptionist, he was stopped by the overly, perky assistant, Olivia.
    “Oh, Mr MacKenzie?” she called, a smile on her round face.
    A sweet, older woman, Olivia was human just like Evan and also knew all about the shifters. In fact, she was mated to one. “Yes, Olivia?”
    “I was looking into Bradley’s past like you had asked, and I found something odd that might interest you.”
    He cocked a brow. “Oh?”
    Olivia nodded. “It seems there are no records of a Bradley Nichols anywhere before he turned up in New Hope Valley. I’m not sure how such a mistake happened, or how he ended up in the Pride if that’s the case, but he’s a ghost.”
    Evan reached for the paper Olivia held out. The forms confirmed that Bradley Nichols didn’t exist on paper before three years ago when he came to their town. What the hell?
    “Thanks for this. Let me know if you find anything else.”
    “Will do, boss.” She nodded. Just before he was about to turn and leave, she added, “Oh, and I never got a chance to say, congratulations on your mating. Summer is a beautiful young woman. You’ll find many perks to being mated.”
    The tiny smirk on her lips had him blushing, no doubt in his mind she was referring to their insatiable appetite in bed. “Oh, I’ve worked that one out.”
    He heard the woman chuckling as he headed for the lift. As the doors slid closed, Evan pondered more on the mystery that was Bradley. And that’s when it hit him. “Holy shit!” he yelled aloud.
    Impatient to track down his new in-laws, he slipped through the doors as soon as they opened, not stopping until he reached Richard’s office. Barely pausing long enough to knock, he pushed open the door to the man’s office, drawing up short when he found Sage sitting opposite his father. The pair seemed to have been in deep discussion.
    “Evan?” Richard asked, clearly surprised at his sudden entrance. “Is everything okay? Summer?”
    “Yes, yes. Well, Summer is okay, but I think I worked something out. And it’s good that you’re here Sage because you need to hear this too,” he babbled.
    “Whoa,” Sage chuckled. “I’ve never seen you like this. What has your panties in a bunch?”
    “Bradley,” he stated.
    Both men tensed, growls erupting from their chests.
    “What about