Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23289 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
I grin as he looks through his desk for the card.
I’m heading to El Nicanduras for an exclusive interview with Hector Contreras…
I can’t believe it!
CHAPTER THREE
Ryker
“Will you fucking stop?” I hiss as my damn inner grizzly bear snarls in my ear. He’s been out of control lately—growling ferociously, pacing nonstop, and keeping me up all night with his bullshit.
He’s always been a temperamental prick, but it’s never been this bad.
“I’m driving,” I snarl back as he tries to claw and hack his way out. I flex my arms, grit my teeth, and grunt as I force him back down. My truck swerves off the road, kicking up a cloud of dirt as I yank it back onto the concrete. The place I’m driving to is a secluded spot on some Montana farm, so there are no cars around, but still. I’d rather not wrap my new truck around a fucking tree because this furry asshole is having a temper tantrum.
My grizzly growls in frustration as he paces around, probably waiting for another chance to try and break free. He better not try that shit during my job interview. That’s the last thing I need. I’ll kill him if he blows this for us.
“If you chill out for the next two hours,” I tell him, “I’ll let you roam through the forest when we get home.” I’m not sure if he understands, but he grumbles and settles down a little.
I look at the GPS now that he’s not snarling in my ear. Eight minutes away.
I have a job interview at Spartan Shield Corp with a guy named Cerberus. My uncle Maddox hooked me up with a meeting after I told him I’d been having some trouble lately. He’s worked with the company in the past and has made some good money as a bodyguard.
But it’s not really the money I need. It’s the action. I need a fight. I need to get my blood pumping. My bear is constantly on edge and I need something to keep him distracted. I need something to help burn through all of this adrenaline-fused aggression, and my uncle suggested this.
“Finally,” I whisper when my bear settles down. His angry snarls turn into sad pathetic whimpers. I close my eyes and shake my head. I can’t win with this fucking bear.
He’s desperate to find our mate. It’s driving him mad.
We’ve always had the intense longing and the unquenchable need to find her, but since I turned thirty-four last week, it’s gone into overdrive. He’s become overly obsessed with finding her.
I’ve tried. Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve been looking for this girl for decades, but I’ve never even gotten a whiff of her scent.
Maybe she’s just not out there. Maybe I don’t need her…
A heaviness settles into my limbs and I let out a deep sigh.
“Stop,” I say to myself. This is not the time to get into this. I have an interview in six minutes.
I turn the radio on and ignore my whimpering grizzly as I drive down the secluded road.
As I’m getting closer, my phone rings. It’s my uncle Maddox.
“You almost there?” he asks.
“Yeah, I think so,” I say as I turn the bend and a ranch comes into view. It’s a large sprawling house with a wraparound porch. There’s a huge barn in the back with cattle and horses grazing in the fields. It’s a beautiful place surrounded by the spectacular Montana mountains. I want a place like this someday.
“How’s your bear?”
“Cranky.”
He chuckles. “Just remember what I told you about Cerberus and the coffee.”
I roll my eyes as I pull onto the long dirt road that leads to the house. Apparently, Cerberus roasts his own coffee and he gets pissed if you don’t fawn over it enough.
“What the fuck kind of name is Cerberus anyway?”
“It comes from Greek Mythology,” Maddox says. “You remember that three-headed dog who guards the Underworld?”
“Wasn’t that from Harry Potter?”
“Never read it,” Maddox says. “Everyone calls him Cerberus because he’s always got three dogs following him around. They don’t like shifters, so careful.”
They’re the ones who have to be careful, not me. My grizzly would be thrilled to get into a brawl with three vicious dogs.
“I’m pulling up now,” I say as I park my truck beside the other cars.
“Okay, well good luck,” Maddox says. “I think this is going to be good for you. Believe me, I know it’s hard not to have your mate. This is going to be a nice little distraction and you’ll earn some good money too.”
“Yeah,” I say, hoping he’s right. I need a big distraction from all of these intense swirling emotions. I need to get out of the house for a while. I need a break from the bitterness and frustration. Hopefully, this can get my mind on something else for a change.