Bears VS Wolves (A Shifter Dating App Second Chance Romance) (Team Shifter Book 1) Read online

  Contents

  Bears VS Wolves

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Epilogue

  Author

  Books

  Hybrid Academy

  Bears VS Wolves

  Sophie Stern

  Copyright © 2019 by Sophie Stern

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Are you a shifter looking for love? It's time to take your dating to the next step with TEAM SHIFTER: the best dating app for bears, wolves, and yes, even dragons. Start swiping to find someone and get your happily ever after.

  Meredith has lived in Claw Valley her entire life, and she's survived this long by following one rule: don't trust anyone, especially not other shifters, and especially not outsiders. She's not about to let anyone get close to her. Not after what happened to her mother. No, thank you.

  Robert knows that life in a small town will be different, but he wants to help other shifters. When he takes a job as a pediatrician in Claw Valley, he expects there to be an adjustment period. He doesn't expect outright hostility.

  Then one night, everything changes.

  TEAM SHIFTER is the best dating app around, and in a move of desperation, Robert decides to try meeting someone online. Meredith is nothing like he expects, but everything he's hoped for. Is their chemistry going to be enough to overcome years of distrust and pain?

  BEARS VS WOLVES is the first book in Sophie Stern's TEAM SHIFTER series. Each story features a romantic storyline and an HEA.

  “I feel light, even in my darkest hour.”-Tori Amos, Darkest Hour

  Chapter 1

  Meredith

  “Scotch on the rocks.”

  The man in front of me is tall, dark, and wildly handsome. He’s also someone I’ve never seen before.

  “New in town?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. I know everyone in Claw Valley and this guy? He’s not from Claw Valley. A quick glance reveals neatly trimmed fingernails that are clean. Has he had a manicure recently? His haircut looks picture-perfect and it was probably expensive. It probably cost more than I make in a night.

  Well, I’m the best bartender around, so maybe not.

  The man looks at me and cocks his head. He seems to consider me before he gives his answer. That’s fine. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to me. I’m wearing my dark hair down and my bright red corset low. The tips are better that way, and I’m all about the tips. My jeans hug my every curve. Again, this was a conscious decision.

  “Something like that,” he finally says.

  “What brings you around?”

  He leans forward, placing his elbows on the bar and his chin in his hands.

  “What’s it to you?” He asks.

  “It’s my job to keep tabs on this town,” I wink.

  He chuckles and shakes his head.

  “Claw Valley does seem like it’s a very close community.”

  “That’s an understatement,” I mutter. I turn and start pouring his drink. I’m not the biggest fan of outsiders. Most people around here don’t like newbies at all. I’m no exception to that. Ever since my mother was killed by a stranger who moved to town, I’ve been a locals-only kind of girl.

  Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Drinks-Scotch might change my mind, though.

  Finishing his drink, I come back and set it down in front of the man. He looks at me and nods toward the drink.

  “How much do I owe you?”

  “Five. Do you want to start a tab?”

  “Five?” He raises an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

  “It’s a small town bar, sir. I’m not sure what you’re used to paying, but you’re welcome to give me more if you like.”

  He laughs and drops a twenty on the counter.

  I turn to make him change but he stops me.

  “Keep it,” he says.

  “You want to start a tab?”

  “No,” he says. “But consider it a thank-you.”

  “For what?”

  “Keeping me entertained,” he smiles. He raises his glass and lifts it to his mouth. What’s up with this guy? He’s not really what I expect from an outsider. For one, he’s quite the smooth-talker. He didn’t waltz into town and just start demanding information. He didn’t start bossing me around or telling me how things were going to work in my own bar. He’s just sitting here, carefully taking everything in.

  Another patron comes in and before I turn to help them, I smile at the man.

  “Enjoy your drink, and thank you for the tip.”

  It’s a bit much, but it’s definitely going to make sure that I remember this guy. I move down to the end of the bar where there’s a tall, slender woman leaning on the bar. Her bright red hair falls in curls around her face.

  “Foxy,” I say, grinning. “What’ll it be tonight?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she twirls her hair in her fingers and jerks her head toward the man I was just chatting with. “How about a tall glass of that guy?”

  I look over at the stranger. He’s carefully watching us. Why? He’s not looking at us in a creepy or perverted way. He just seems curious.

  “He might be single,” I say. “I have no idea, but he did just give me a $15 tip on a $5 drink.”

  “Damn.”

  “Right?”

  “Um,” she looks at me sheepishly. “Well, I’ll take a rum and Coke, and I’ll tip you one dollar on my five dollar drink.”

  I laugh as she shoves six bucks onto the counter and I turn to make her drink. Foxy is a cool girl. She’s friendly, kind, and sassy: all of the things I like in a friend. She’s an ESL teacher who spends most of her time working with kids who are still learning English. There are a few families who don’t speak English at home, and she does a great job working with those kids and helping them learn the basics. In fact, some kids travel from other communities just to be tutored by Foxy.

  When I hand her drink back, Foxy is looking at her phone.

  “Hot date tonight?”

  “Nah,” she shakes her head and puts the phone down. “I got a new app, though.”

  “Which one?”

  “Team Shifter.”

  “The dating app?”

  She laughs and smiles.

  “Yeah.”

  “How does it compare to the other ones?”

  “Well, it’s specifically for people like us,” she says, gesturing between us. She glances over at the new guy, but he’s reading a book now. Really? He brought a book to a bar? Weird. The rest of the place is empty, so I don’t feel bad leaning over the counter and chatting with Foxy for a few minutes.

  Besides, maybe I could use this app to meet someone myself.

  “He’s a shifter,” I say.

  “How can you tell?” Foxy whispers.

  I look over, but he doesn’t seem to be eavesdropping. The jukebox is on and a 90’s hit song is playing throughout the bar. It’s a relief to know he can’t hear what we’re saying.

  “I smelled him,” I whisper.

  It’s weird.

  It’s weird
that I can smell other people and know whether they’re human or not, but what can I say? Shifters just smell different. I can’t quite explain what the difference is. I can’t always tell whether someone is a wolf like me. I can’t always tell whether someone is a different creature. Claw Valley has plenty of different kinds of shifters: panthers, lions, tigers. Hell, I even heard a rumor that there’s a bear in town, but I’ve never met one.

  I’d never want to meet one.

  Not after Mom.

  “What do you think he is?” Foxy whispers. We look over at the new guy. He’s got deep chocolate skin and beautiful eyes. His focus is totally on the book in front of him. He’s not buried in a phone or anything like that.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe he’s on the app.”

  “Yeah,” I scoff. “Right.”

  She shrugs. “You never know. You want to try?”

  “I don’t know if Team Shifter is right for me.”

  “Suit yourself,” she shrugs. Then she starts swiping.

  “Wait, there are no pictures.”

  “Yeah,” she says. “That’s the point.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The app is designed to match shifters based on their common interests, personality types, and location. It doesn’t show you a picture of the person you’re supposed to meet.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because looks aren’t everything, Meredith.”

  She says this like it’s obvious, like it’s something I should already know, and maybe she’s right. I probably should know, but I’m not perfect. I don’t pretend to be.

  “Yeah, okay. Let me see how it works.”

  “You set up your profile,” Foxy holds her phone out. “You list your interests and you can share your job if you want to.”

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea for me,” I point out.

  “Why? Because you’re the only bartender in town?” She laughs.

  “One of two.”

  “No offense, but I don’t think you and Shannon have the same romantic…type.”

  “Because she likes girl?”

  “Because she only likes girls,” Foxy nods. “And besides, she’s dating someone, and I don’t think her girlfriend is the sharing type.”

  She’s not wrong. Both Shannon and her girlfriend are sweethearts. When Shannon’s working, sometimes Kennedy will come hang out at the bar all night and the two of them will just chat and joke and laugh between customers.

  It’s super cute, and sometimes I wish I had something like that.

  Sometimes.

  But I haven’t dated in a very long time, and I’m not sure if I’m actually ready to. Foxy seems to know what I’m thinking because she looks at me carefully.

  “Look,” she says. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

  “I know that.”

  “But if you want to get out of your comfort zone a little, it’s a fun way to meet people. Besides, you don’t even have to actually go on any dates. You can just chat.”

  I nod and look back over to New Guy. He’s almost done with his glass, so I step away from Foxy to go see if he’s ready for another drink. Something tells me that there’s more to this guy than meets the eye. Either that or I really am going crazy from lack of sex. I make a mental note to download Team Shifter when I get home, and I reach for the bottle of scotch.

  “Another round?” I ask, and he smiles up at me.

  “Please.”

  Chapter 2

  Robert

  The bartender laughs more than she wants to admit. She’s got a ready smile and bright eyes, and her dark hair curls around her cheeks in the loveliest way.

  I don’t really want to admit that I’m smitten, but, well, I am.

  She hands over my second drink and smiles at me. I try to give her more money, but she places her hand on mine.

  “It’s on me,” she says.

  “You should let me pay.”

  “You’re a strange man.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Where are you from? The big city?”

  “Something like that.”

  “How much do you usually pay for a drink where you’re from?”

  “$15. Sometimes more.”

  She lets out a long, low whistle.

  “Shit. That explains it,” she steps back and crosses her arms over her chest. This gesture just pushes her breasts up higher, and for a second, I think they’re going to pop out of the tiny, tight corset she’s wearing. Discreetly, or so I hope, I adjust myself because my cock just went rock hard.

  “Explains what?”

  “The crazy generosity.”

  “I don’t think what I did was that generous.”

  “You can think what you want,” she says. “But it was.”

  “Well, consider it an investment.”

  “In me?”

  I nod slowly and reach for my drink. I lift the glass to my lips and sip it slowly. It’s hard not to down the entire thing in one gulp. I’ve always been a sucker for scotch, and looking at the beautiful woman just makes me want to drink it faster. I want to feel my skin start to warm and my body come alive. I want to just focus on her.

  It’s terrible, but I’m already wondering what it might be like to take her home, to kiss her, to touch her.

  “In you,” I say.

  “And why would you be investing in me?”

  “Well, like you pointed out, I’m new in town.”

  “What does that have to do with me?”

  “Perhaps you could offer me some advice,” I say slowly. A smile spreads across my lips. Yes, advice. That’s what she could give me.

  Not her body.

  I’m not supposed to want women I’ve only just met.

  I’m not supposed to want to lay her down and devour her like a delicious feast.

  I’m not supposed to want to bite and nip at her skin until she’s growling under me.

  She hesitates, but she’s curious. Intrigued.

  “What kind of advice?”

  “Where to go, where to eat, where to play.”

  “Play?”

  “Shifters have to play.”

  “What makes you think I’m a shifter?” She bristles only slightly, but I smile at her, delighted that she’s playing coy. This is going to be fun.

  “I’m sorry love, but you don’t hide it well.”

  “There’s nothing to hide,” she scoffs, pushing her hair back behind her shoulders. I think about what it would feel like to tug on that hair, to pull it while I’m sliding into her from behind. Maybe I shouldn’t be thinking like this, but I just can’t seem to stop myself.

  I sip the scotch again, and I just look at her. There’s something about this woman that draws me to her. She’s a very curious sort of creature. She seems kind and gentle. When her friend walked into the bar, all of her defenses just sort of faded away. With me, though, she’s on guard. Tense. Anxious.

  With me, she doesn’t seem to be able to relax.

  Why not?

  “Well, shifter or not,” I wink at her. “What’s the best place to eat around here?”

  “That’s easy. Bonnie’s.”

  “Bonnie’s?”

  “It’s a little deli,” she says, and her eyes light up when she talks about it. “It’s just around the corner from here.” She jerks her thumb in the direction of the restaurant. I think I remember seeing it earlier. “Tiny place, but the food is good.”

  “I’ll have to check it out.”

  “They only take cash,” she warns me. “I know how you city people can be.”

  “Yes,” I say drily. “City people and their credit cards.” I roll my eyes dramatically, but then I laugh. “I’m not going to lie. Coming to a city that is still primarily cash-based is pretty damn strange.”

  She shrugs. “It’s just how things work around here. Besides, you could hardly call it a city.”

  “You aren’t wrong. You ever go anywhere el
se?” I ask her.

  “Like where? Honeypot?”

  “Strange your first suggestion was a shifter town,” I wink. “You know, for someone who isn’t a shifter.”

  She bristles again and looks away.

  The bell above the door jingles as the front door opens and a group of cowboys come in. The woman looks over at the door and then back at me.

  “Let me know if you need another drink,” she says, and she hurries away. She starts taking drink orders immediately, and I’m amazed and impressed by how well she manages to maneuver around the tiny bar. She does a great job taking everyone’s orders, pouring drinks, and telling jokes in between orders.

  I’m so busy staring at her that I don’t notice the other woman, the redhead, come over and sit next to me.

  “She’s cute, isn’t she?”

  “What? Oh,” I smile. “I suppose so.”

  “I’m Foxy,” the woman holds out a hand.

  “Robert,” I shake her hand with a smile. “And I do believe you’re the first person to willingly introduce themselves to me,” I tell her.

  Foxy laughs. She throws her head back and smiles. Then she shakes her head. Her red curls bounce a little.

  “You’ll get used to it.”

  “I’m not sure that I will,” I tell her honestly. It’s something that bothers me a little bit. In the city, there’s a certain level of politeness that people offer to strangers.

  “People are on guard here,” she tells me. “From what I can tell, you probably understand why.” She raises her eyebrows.

  “Are you asking if I’m human?”

  “I know you aren’t.”

  “The community doesn’t like outsiders?” I ask her. “Not even other shifters?”

  Foxy sighs. She reaches a finger into her drink and stirs. The liquid spins around and she watches it for just a moment before turning back to me.

  “The thing about loss,” she tells me. “Is that it strikes you when you aren’t expecting it. Loss comes and when it does, it steals everything from you. It takes more than you could possibly understand or know. The biggest problem is that when you lose someone, you lose more than that person. You lose a little bit of yourself and sometimes, that takes a really, really long time to get back.”