Mates, Inc. by Hurri Cosmo

Congratulations! You have a fated mate!

That’s what the card says. Grey, an Alpha wolf shifter, laughs at it, though. Fated mate? What a joke! He has tried enough dating websites in the last month to choke a horse shifter and he’s done with all of them. Besides, having a mate would mean joining a pack, and that will just bring up a past Grey has no intention of doing.

But Mates, Inc. has an agenda that can not be ignored or put off. Grey has a mate, and the powers that be are determined he’s going to meet him come hell or high water...or a past best forgotten...

Genres: Gay/Dark Fantasy/Werewolf/Shapeshifter/Paranormal/Romantic Comedy
Heat Level: 2
Length: Novella (22k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...Not letting out his wolf as often as he wanted to had made those first few moments in his fur awkward and sluggish. Tonight had been no exception. It had been at least a month. Pretty much ever since he started “dating.”

Another reason to stop that insanity.

Next he took a trail that led off the hill and straight toward the river. He had no intention of actually getting to the river, just grab the trail that ran parallel. That particular trail was clearer of obstacles and he could go full out. He simply wanted to run.

But at some point he also had to think as well. That was the real reason he’d come out here.

He slowed as he neared the water and the primitive path alongside it, then let loose and ran. He wasn’t sure for how long, ten minutes maybe. Finally he came to a clearing, shifted back to his human form and flopped down on the grass. This was also one of the things he missed. Lying naked in the grass after a good run under a rising Mating Moon, even if he wasn’t with someone. He sighed.

No, one night stands were not for him. He knew that. Even being the Alpha that he was, it just wasn’t right for him. To find his fated mate would be like finding heaven. Deep down it was what he had always dreamed of.

So what about this Mates, Inc. then?

First question…was he being watched? Had someone from his old pack come to check up on him since his membership had yet to be transferred? It was actually nice to think they would do something like that but, no. He didn’t think so.

Then what?

Okay. In thinking about it, he could understand the website using the terminology “today” because most people would check out something like that card right away. Even he had done it. It had been a logical guess on their part. If he went on the site tomorrow, it would still say the same thing. And in that case he would not have received the card that day.

Even their knowing Grey was gay wasn’t that big of a mystery. It was probably just a coincidence that the card said “he” and that was what he was into. They didn’t “know” anything.

But the Mating Moon wasn’t always just around the corner. That was the real kicker. There were months in the way of that, so their committing to the just in time thing? Shit. That was just crazy.

Okay, Grey, breathe. Even that was explainable. It was a Were mating/dating site, right? The Mating Moon may not always be around the corner like it was right now but it was always on the way. So maybe even that statement worked. He was just tired, that was all. He had simply had some bad experiences ever since coming to Davenshire. With no pack to rely on, no mate in sight, not to mention the bad luck he’d had in the dating department, that had to be what he was really upset over.

Yeah.

Had to be.

Then he heard a rustle in the woods right beside him. He looked over and saw a small, beautiful wolf staring back at him from the bushes and something clicked inside him.

Mate!

He shifted before he gained his feet, and was suddenly in hot pursuit as the little wolf howled a mating call and took off.

Shit, but he was fast!...