Thursday, November 12, 2020

Unwanted Mate #romance #paranormal #alienshifter


 


Blurb:

Mala never expected her mother to force her hand when it came to taking a husband, but that’s what she was doing. The threat hung over her head find a husband or be disinherited. There was no way her mom was going to run her life. She’d show her! The money would come and go, but she didn’t want to live without her family. What could she do?

When she called a number for a new dating site, she didn’t expect much.

Rykiel was placed in cryo thousands of years ago. He never expected to be woken. When he was, it was to be told that his mate was waiting for him. If he accepted her, his new life on earth would begin.

Neither expected to wake up mated. Now they would have to learn how to live together and what it means to be mated for eternity.

The tracker who glorified in evil was making his way to earth. His sights were set on killing Rykiel and destroying the planet before he went to the next one.

Could Mala and Rykiel not only find love but build a relationship that would stand against what was coming their way?

 

Readers 18 and older


Chapter One


“Mom, really? This isn’t the eighteen hundreds, and I don’t need a husband.” Mala slumped in her chair. Her mother and her grandmother didn’t play. When they combined forces, they were deadly. She could see her grandmother’s manipulation in her mother’s words.

“Listen, baby, I am doing this for your own good. You and I both know there are wolves out there, and all they want is your money.”

“Mom, I’ve been living under the radar for years. No one knows I have money.” That was true enough. She lived in a two-bedroom apartment that had seen better days, more like better years. It was rundown, but it allowed her something all her mom’s money didn’t—freedom.

“It’s time for this rebellious streak of yours to end. You’re a princess, my princess.”

“Mom, please, hear me out.”

There was a long drawn out sigh from the other end of the line. “Talk.”

“I want to make it on my own the way grandma did, and you did after her. I can’t do that if I’m spending your money flitting up Rodeo drive or wherever you think I should be. Don’t you want me to be independent? I’m not ready to get married yet; I will eventually.”

“Eventually? Young lady, did you just say you will get married eventually? When? When I’m too old to enjoy my grandkids? When your grandmother is dead? Is that when eventually will come around for you?”

And yep, she lost her mother. She should have left the eventually part and anything to do with a husband off.

  “Mom—”

“Don’t mom me, your grandmother was right. Let me tell you something. Your grandmother worked her fingers to the bone, and I followed in her footsteps to make a better life for you. Now you want to throw it in our faces. You don’t want the money or the heritage you were born into. That’s fine, don’t show up to your cousin's wedding, and we’ll consider this whole thing water under the bridge.”

Mala sat back, knowing she was relaxing too soon.

“If you don’t show up, I’ll know you no longer want to be part of this family. If you show up, then I’ll know you’re ready to be married and live a life that doesn’t have you looking both ways before you leave that sad apartment you stay in.”

“Mom, please, let’s talk about this.”

“I’m done talking. I love you, but…” The phone went silent when she hung up.

She should have known better. Why would she try to have a normal conversation with her mother? Better yet, why was she staying away from the wealth and privilege she was born into? She didn’t want to think about that day when everything changed. It was the first time she understood what real fear was. How long had she lived with it tucked deep inside of her, waiting to burst if she ever let her guard down? Too long.

Now she needed to think about her mom and her grandma. There had to be something she could do to change their minds. The one thing she refused to give up was her family.

She moved from the chair in the kitchen to the couch that needed to be thrown out. It wasn’t in good enough shape to donate, probably because she bought it second hand. With a deep sigh, she stopped avoiding the next phone call she had to make.

“Hello?”

“Gram!” She smiled, even though the situation was tense, she loved talking to her grandma.

“Mala, baby, I’ve missed you.”

“Sorry, I haven’t called more.”

“Are you coming to Tony’s wedding?”

“Maybe, probably, that’s why I’m calling you. I talked to mom. She said if I don’t come, I can kiss the family goodbye. If I do come, then that means I’m ready to get married. Can you talk to her?” She hated the whining tone to her voice, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

“Baby, you know I’m with your mother. It’s time for you to get married.”

“All this is about money and me moving back home.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. One day that money will be yours no matter what; this is about a husband.”

“I will not marry someone you picked out just to make you happy.”

“I see, there is another possibility.”

Mala sat up straight, tension making her head hurt. Slowly she surveyed her living room expecting a lion to jump from behind her couch. Her grandmother didn’t make money in a time when women, especially black women, weren’t respected, without being shrewd. She’d seen more than one person take her grandmother for granted until she ripped out their throats (metaphorically speaking).

“Another possibility?” It was better to be cautious when dealing with her gram.

“I hear your hesitancy, baby. What can I do? I’m just saying there’s another way.”

The lion was sharpening her claws while she scented her prey. When Mala grew up, she would be just like her gram, if she lived long enough.

“I’m listening.”

“Your mother already has a suitable candidate picked out.”

Mala felt herself backing up. Her sense of self-preservation was screaming at her to getaway.

“Who does she have picked out?” Why did she ask?

“Kenny Thompson or a Denny something. Anyway, you went to school with him. He’s interested in you, always has been. I can just see the beautiful children you will have.”

Snap! Mala jumped as the trap closed around her. She was throwing herself at the walls like an angry animal looking for a way out. That would never happen; she wouldn’t let it.

“You said there was an alternative.” She tried to keep the tremble out of her voice, but she knew the lion heard it. Her grandmother would be sitting on her plush chair, the one she held court on when they were all around her. She would be smiling wide as she sharpened her claws about to make her final lunge.

“You could do something unexpected. Something your mother would never think of.”

“Like?”

“You could show up at the wedding with a husband in tow.”

Absolutely not. She’d rather lose the people she loved than fall into line and marry someone she didn’t love. It wasn’t happening. No way.

“I do understand if Kenny or is it Denny, is the man for you. Your mom said you had a crush on him when you were in school. Who knew he felt the same way about you? Is he the one that got away?”

They had laws against the things she wanted to see happen to him. Better not share that thought with her gram.

“As always, gram, you’ve been helpful.”

“Will I see you at the wedding?”

“Maybe, probably, only time will tell.”

“I know your mom can’t wait to see you walk down the aisle. It will be the wedding of the year. The planning, the shopping, the guest list. I can already see the blissful smile on my child’s face.” The sharp claws reach through the bars of the trap going for the throat only to catch an arm.

“I’ll talk to you later, gram.”

“Bye, baby, I need to call your mom.”

Mala paused and listened to dead air before putting the phone down after making sure it was hung up.

She didn’t know how long she sat there before she finally roused herself. What was she going to do? There was no way in hell she would ever marry Kenneth Thompson. Even if she were drugged, she would know the answer to the ‘will you marry me’ question was no. Not her mother, her grandmother, or even God (sorry God) could convince her to marry that man. She wouldn’t touch him with someone else’s hand.

The knock at the door made her jump.

“Who’s there?”

“It’s Isa, were you expecting someone else?”

“Sorry,” she hurried to the door to open it.

“Girl, what happened to you?”

Isa was her best friend; they met at the local weight watchers meeting, which didn’t work for either of them. Everyone speculated it was because neither was concerned about being plus size or fluffy if you were the right man.

“You look like someone shot your dog, and I know you don’t have a dog.”

“But I want one. Stupid apartment rules, no pets. I know the guy upstairs has a dog, and he’s terrifying.”

“That’s why the manager hasn’t thrown him or the dog out. Stop changing the subject. What’s wrong?”

Mala took one of the bags Isa was holding and walked into the kitchen.

“I thought we were cooking.”

“I’m tired, so I stopped for takeout. This way, we can settle down and watch the Avengers: Endgame in peace without being hot and bothered.”

“It would have been cheaper to go see it in the movies. Did you see how much the movie cost?” Mala complained, pulling out plates.

“By the time we both got tickets, drinks, popcorn, and chocolate, you know we would have spent way more than what it cost to buy it.”

“I know you’re right, I’m just...”

“Avoiding the subject of what’s wrong.”

“My mom called.” She gave Isa a recap of her phone calls before they took their plates into the living room.

“What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. Do you know a hot sexy man who’s down for pretending to be my husband?”

“No, but how do you think that’s going to work out? You can’t just take a pretend husband to the wedding and announce a month later that you’re getting a divorce.”

“Did I ask you to be the voice of reason?”

“Nope, I just like messing with you.”

“Seriously, what am I going to do?”

“Get married. What else can you do?”

“I’m not a sex slave or a baby-making machine, and I refuse to even look at the man my mother wants me to marry.”

“Then pick one of your own. You’re thirty-two, I’ve seen you looking at the babies and the women walking around who just happen to flash their rings at everyone they meet.”

“You saw me looking because you were looking too,” Mala grumbled, but Isa was right. She did want to get married; it just wasn’t a pressing matter.

“Wait, I know.” Isa jumped up and did a half skip back to the kitchen. “Someone gave me this," she announced when she sat again. “I snorted and shoved it into the bag with our food, but now I think you can use it.”

It was done in big black letters in some hoity-toity font that she would never pick. Do you need a mate? We’ve been connecting lonely, desperate, and much too fat women with mates for years. The skinny need not apply. Skin color no issue; no matter how fat, we have a mate for you. Skinny people need not apply. Call the number below, and we will be in touch with you.

“Do you think they’re cannibals that prefer to eat fat women?”

“Mala!”

“What? They said twice, skinny women need not apply. Sounds like they are recruiting dinner.”

“If they try to eat you, I will protect you.”

“Girl, you’re not skinny, they’ll eat you too.”

“At least, we’ll die together, friends forever. Now stop stalling and call.”

That was one reason she and Isa were good friends; they called each other out on their BS.

“I’m calling.” Mala picked up her phone, wanting to do anything else but this, but her mom and gram had backed her into a corner. They better watch out. Sometimes it was the young cub that won the day. “It’s ringing like forever.”

She wasn’t expecting a voicemail when one clicked on, but there was no voice message

“Hi, I’m Mala.” The phone hung up. “Rude! I think this must be a prank. I didn’t even have time to give them my number, thank God. I hope they don’t have caller I.D., or they’ll be playing on my phone.”

“That was weird.”

“I know,” she was already putting it behind her. “Come on, we have dinner and sexy superheroes to watch. You think I can convince one of them to marry me?”

“Me first.” They laughed before pushing play.


Are you looking for a read to make you feel good with enough of a bite to keep you on the edge of your seat click below. This is the read for you.


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