Billionaire Bear’s Human Mate by Alicia Banks

Chapter Two: A New Assignment

Jerren Striar

Jerren Striar stared at his commanding office in disbelief. Surely, he hadn't just heard what he thought he'd heard.

"You want me to do what?"

Commander Xavier chuckled. "You heard me correctly. We need you to go to represent our station in the firefighter games. You're in excellent shape and you work out all the time. You'll be perfect."

"In Vegas?"

"Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes."

"And I just have to perform a few skills, drag a little hose, climb a few ladders? And the rest of the time is mine?"

"Not exactly," Xavier explained. "There will also be photo shoots for a special calendar that will be sold for charity, a meet and greet for all the participants, but all easy tasks."

"You're going to encourage me to go to Vegas to strut in front of a bunch of women?" Jerren couldn't hide his smile. This was way too good to be true.

Xavier sat in his chair behind the desk. "Look. It won't be all fun and games." He sighed. "There's a reason we need you there. Someone is tampering with the whole system. A couple of firefighters have been hurt already. We're basically sending you in to infiltrate the inner circles and figure out what's going on."

"Let me guess. There's an enforcer somewhere around." The evil menaces known as enforcers were nothing but trouble, and danger always lurked when they were anywhere around.

"There's been a rumor."

Jerren rubbed his face. "I knew it was too good to be true. You're sending me on the same kind of mission Dalton went on last year, and he came back with a mate and now has a kid. Am I being set up for something I need to know about?"

Xavier held up his hands. "No, nothing like that. As far as I know. You know we have no control over the whole mate thing. When you meet the one, she's the one. No one can arrange that."

"Except an enforcer. They tried to take Dalton out, remember?"

"Of course. And yes, this situation is similar, but you'll be doing your firefighter brothers a favor. This may have nothing to do with an enforcer. It may be someone who hates the profession or has a beef with someone and is making it universal instead of private. We don't know. Which is why we need eyes on the ground."

Jerren groaned. "Man, this is going to suck. I'm going to Vegas for almost all the right reasons, but there always has to be that catch."

"You're the easiest for me to spare. Your brothers are, well, they're family men now. And you have more flexibility than they do."

"And no one else on the crew can go?" Jerren knew he was fighting a battle already lost, but he tried anyway.

"Tokys specifically requested you." Elder Tokys was the head of the Assembly that governed the island.

"Of course he did." Jerren rose and stretched. "Fine. I'll go. What do I need to take?"

"Only whatever personal gear you want. Everything else is supplied at the tournament. Maybe take your own bunker pants for the calendar shoot so they fit properly."

"I feel like a piece of meat being thrown out to the ladies."

Xavier threw his head back and laughed. "Seriously? You go around bragging about being a ladies' man."

"Not to mention," a voice came from the door, "you go to Vegas all the time just for the ladies."

Jerren's twin brother, Jae, walked in and thumped him on the shoulder. "Didn't you just find your mate there last year? Or was that last week? Your little trysts all run together after a while."

Jerren snorted. "I've found my mate a couple times in Vegas. I'm not complaining about going for that."

"He's afraid he's going to come back hitched and pregnant," Xavier teased.

Jae eyes his brother. "It wouldn't surprise me. If there is an enforcer involved, they might be luring you there because they know your mate is there."

"I thought that ended with Dalton's little adventure," Jerren questioned.

"They could have already known all four mates before the witch was killed. And no one even knows what the situation is, so it may have nothing to do with us directly at all."

Jerren frowned. "How do you know so much about this?"

"I was at Dad's house when Tokys talked to him about it. I may have thrown your name in the hat, knowing how much you love Vegas and all."

Jerren cut his eyes at Xavier. "That's why Tokys specifically requested me to go?"

Xavier shrugged. "I didn't know that Jae set you up, if that's what you're asking."

"Just go," Jae encouraged, "have fun, be careful, figure it out quickly so you have the rest of the time to have a semi-vacation."

"Famous last words."

Xavier grabbed a file. "I have to run, but you leave in the morning. They're just about finished with the first round of events, so we need you there to compete so you can go through to the next round."

"How can you guarantee I will?" Jerren figured there was an inside connection to make it happen.

"Cause you're the best. I have no doubt in my mind that  you'll win the whole competition." Xavier winked at him as he headed out the door. "Good luck. Bring home the trophy."

When the door closed behind him, Jae turned to Jerren. "You have to be careful when you get there. Don't trust anyone."

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Maci and Sona were talking..."

Jerren interrupted. "Always a bad thing for your wife and sister-in-law to do."

"Jer, I'm being serious. They were talking, and Maci sensed something big, and Sona's people were aware of something. But no one knows what that something is."

"So a hunch and a bunch of tiger shifters are worried about...something."

"Laugh all you want. I get that it is pretty vague. But when so many are worried about something, it makes me a little worried about that same something, especially when my brother is involved."

"I'll be fine, bro. It's probably some ex-girlfriend pissed off and causing trouble. I like to believe that the enforcers ended with the last showdown when Dyvana toasted them all."

Jae grinned. "Who'd have thought that a silver dragon could turn into a mirror and reflect back those damned energy blasts that get used against us?" Dyvana, an Elder on the island and the training coordinator, had taken out several enforcers when she caused their building to explode.

Jerren ran a hand through his hair as he went through a mental checklist. "I guess I need my bunker gear and my boots. Probably my helmet. Clothes. Swim shorts." At Jae's questioning glance, he shrugged. "What? I'm sure the hotel will have a pool with a tiki bar. If it doesn't, I'll find one that does."

"Just don't come home married. I can just see you at the twenty-four hour Elvis chapel."

"Really, Jae?" Jerren teased. "As many times as I've been to Vegas, have I ever?"

Jae sobered. "No, but this time feels different. Just can't put my finger on it."

"Something?" Jerren offered, trying to be helpful.

"Something. It all comes back around to something." Jae grew serious. "And if you need me, or all of us, you just make the call."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Jerren reassured him. "But I promise to call if I get in over my head."

"And keep your heart open, you know? Just in case."

Jerren pushed his brother through the door. "Stop that. I'm not going to get hooked up with my life partner. I'm not ready."

"We're the oldest Striar brothers, and you're the only one left. It's time, whether you like it or not."

"I have to be looking, and I'm not."

Jae held up his hands. "You know that's not how it works, but whatever. I'm done. Just be careful, come home safe, and everything else is just details."

Jerren thought about his brother's words as he packed. He knew that finding a mate was by coincidence or fate, not by planning and searching. He also wasn't totally opposed to it if it did happen. The more nieces and nephews that he was around, the more he felt the pull to have one of his own.

"Not that I will ever admit that in front of anyone."

His voice echoed around his bedroom. He lived in a modest house down the street from his parents. Everyone on Isle D'Asile, their hideaway in the middle of nowhere but close to everywhere, lived within a fairly close proximity to each other.

Once he was packed, he shifted into his brilliant sapphire blue colored dragon self and spread his wings. He tucked his bag up under his wing and took to the sky. Xavier may have said the next morning, but Jerren liked to do things his own way.

And why put off until tomorrow what he could do today. Patience had never been one of his virtues.

END OF THE SAMPLE

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