Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 93(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 93(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
When Kodi is hired to protect Briella, a newcomer with no knowledge of the forest’s magical power, his life is turned upside down. The vibrant and alluring female is under threat from a mysterious stalker intent on claiming the gorgeous librarian for himself.
One look and Kodi realizes there’s a connection between them that goes beyond mere protector and protectee––Briella is his fated mate. This revelation not only heightens the stakes but also ignites a torrent of emotions in Kodi, making him more determined to thwart the danger lurking in the shadows.
Between keeping his headstrong mate out of trouble and battling the forces that threaten to tear them apart, Kodi must summon both the strength of the bear within and the tenderness of the man he is, to protect the woman destined to be by his side. Forever.
If you like over-the-top, growly bear shifter, curvy girl instalove with a ton of humor, and a little bit of drama this short story is perfect for you.
Once Upon A Time ... a coven of romance authors cast a spell on your favorite fairy tales.
You've met the Monsters Between the Sheets in Screaming Woods, now meet the enchanted townsfolk in Fable Forest, where love and magic collide.
Thieves and witches and creatures that fly.
Wolves and demons and bears ... oh my!
Filthy Fairy Tales create magic on your Kindles.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter 1
Kodi
I stand in the threshold of Kolson's office, the gentle hum of the fan on the edge of his desk a comforting undertone to the charged silence between us. The office is dimly lit, just the way Kolson likes it.
Ten computer monitors fill the entire back wall, each screen flashing a different code that only Kolson can decipher. The weight of my responsibility as a protector—not just as the owner of Enchanted Security, Inc., but as a bear shifter with an instinctual drive to shield the vulnerable—presses down on me.
"Kolson, I need a moment of your time," I start, my voice steady though my mind races with concern. My inner bear rears his head, attempting to gain control, but I push the fucker back into his place and concentrate on the problem at hand.
He turns away from the computer screens, giving me his full attention. That's Kolson—always focused, always ready. "Fucking hell. You used my full name so this must be bad. Tell me what's going on.” He reaches for his coffee cup and takes a big swig.
"It's a new case," I say, moving deeper into the room and closing the door behind me. Everyone in this office has security clearance, but I want to discuss something with my second-in-command before making it known to everyone. The moment I laid eyes on Briella Lowe’s photograph, I knew my life would never be the same. "We've been approached to protect a human who’s being stalked. She's terrified, barely sleeps, and she’s reached out to us on recommendation." When I answered the phone to Briella Lowe’s smoky voice, I felt like I’d taken a hammer right to the skull. For the first time in my life, I found myself tongue-tied. “And she’s my mate,” I add under my breath, but the Orc hears me.
“Fuck me.” He rubs the back of his neck. “That really adds to the complexity of this case.” My second-in-command pulls himself together after my shocking announcement and goes into work mode. “What makes her think it’s a shifter?” He sits back in his chair and waits for my answer. His multi-colored amber and green eyes and the large brown tusks protruding from each side of his mouth with his green-tinted skin reflect his Orc heritage.
“Her older sister is mated to a wolf shifter.” It’s rare for shifters to choose humans for their mates but not unheard of. “The brother-in-law investigated when she started worrying someone was following her, and he picked up the scent of a jackal.”
“Well, that’s just fucking great.” The Orc rubs the back of his neck as frustration colors his deep voice. “Those slimy bastards won’t give up easily.”
“No fucking shit,” I growl as my inner bear inserts his unbiased opinion.
"Do we know the brother-in-law?” Kolson Arch doesn’t need to take notes. His eidetic memory insures he remembers absolutely everything. The Orc isn’t just my employee, he’s my best friend. We met when I moved to Fable Forest to open up my security firm. When he applied for a security position, I hired him on the spot. My security firm is a mishmash of mythical creatures. I have a tiger shifter as my Head of IT, and a dragon-wolf hybrid and his wolf shifter best friend are my top two security agents. And appropriately enough, my lawyer is a vampire.