3. Beatriz

THREE

"You're kidding!" Beatriz tossed back her second shot of tequila and laughed loudly as Karla finished telling a hilarious story about Nate and the first time he changed a diaper. It had been years since she'd had this kind of fun, and she was grateful that Karla, her employer, had allowed her to enjoy time out with her new friends.

Ellie handed her another shot, and Beatriz tossed it back like water. While alcohol couldn't get shifters drunk, it sure could make them happy and giggly. She couldn't remember a time she had so much fun.

The front doors opened, and Caleb, Aric, Nate, and a man Beatriz didn't recognize walked in. In that second, it felt like everything in life had led up to this one moment. Her eyes found his, this man she didn't know, and something otherworldly came over her.

Beatriz froze. Never in her life had she felt anything like this. He was a beautiful man, tall, strong, and sexy, but that wasn't the attraction. It was something innate, something primal.

That's our mate.

Her wolf's voice sounded throughout her head, and Beatriz's eyes found his once more. Despite not knowing him, despite never meeting him, she longed to reach out and touch him. She wanted to hold his hand and feel the warmth of his skin under her fingers.

What would he smell like? Better yet, what would he taste like?

These thoughts ran rampant through her mind, and not once did her gaze falter. She kept her eyes planted firmly on his, even when her friends rose from the table to prevent their mates from crashing their festivities.

"You guys can't be here!" Karla shrieked.

Her voice brought Beatriz back to the present, and Beatriz shook her head to clear it. She realized suddenly that she was sitting alone at the table. She watched Jordan pretend to be angry and refuse the men entry.

Caleb swooped in and picked up his very pregnant wife, spinning her around and planting a kiss on her lips. "Ellie, Mike wanted to see the bar. You can't deny him this one simple pleasure after all he's done for us."

With a dramatic sigh, Ellie turned her doe eyes to Mike. Beatriz, hearing the sound of his name, felt a thrill deep inside. Mike …

Her mate.

"Well, I suppose if Mike wants to see my new bar, he can." Ellie giggled as Caleb swooped down again to kiss her. "Go away, you big oaf," she said affectionately. "Come in, Mike. I'll give you a tour. Do you want to try some wine? I've got some great years here."

Mike's eyes darted from Ellie to Beatriz and back again. "Sure. What are my options?"

Thrilled to show yet another person around her bar, Ellie ushered Mike around the building, offering him various wines to sample.

"Here, try this one."

Beatriz watched Ellie offer Mike a wine glass that she repeatedly poured small amounts of different types of wine into.

"This one is my favorite. It's locally made, but I love the hint of blackberries and vanilla."

"It is good," Mike agreed.

Even the sound of his voice lured Beatriz in. She longed to hear more of it, and every time he spoke, she leaned closer, hoping to hear another word fall from his lips. The draw to him was irrevocable, and she could tell that Mike was equally as tantalized by her as she was by him.

Regularly, she caught his eyes flickering in her direction. Every time she met his gaze, her stomach jumped. The excitement in her gut was building to an unbearable crescendo that made her want to shift and run to release all the pent-up energy.

She was vaguely aware of Aria speaking to her. It wasn't until she felt a sharp poke in her ribs that she returned her attention once more to what was going on around her. Aria was going on about how Trevan had set up their nursery, but when she realized the object of Beatriz's attention, she surmised the situation quickly.

"He's quite a catch, Bea. You're very lucky."

Dumbfounded, Beatriz shook her head. This couldn't possibly be happening. She felt strange, not in a bad way, but everything felt different now.

Aria smiled. Her red lips were a sharp contrast against her pale face. "Be grateful. There is nothing better in the world than finding your mate." Her voice was low, and she leaned in even closer. "He'll do anything for you. In and out of bed."

Beatriz's cheeks flamed with color, and Barbara, who sat across the table, overheard despite Aria's whispered words.

"Mike, eh? He is one good-looking man, I must say. Oh, look. Ellie is bringing him over here to introduce you." Barbara grinned widely, but Beatriz felt waylaid.

Ellie, having no idea what was transpiring, moved as quickly as her advanced pregnancy would allow. In one hand, she held a napkin with cheese. With the other, she pulled Mike merrily along behind her.

"Mike, this is Karla's nanny, Beatriz. She is an absolute marvel when it comes to children. I'm a little jealous that I didn't find her first." Ellie laughed and patted her bulging belly.

Mike extended a large hand in Beatriz's direction. "Nice to meet you, Beatriz."

She swallowed hard and gingerly took his hand in hers. The moment their fingers brushed, it was like an electric current ran through her. She almost fell off the chair.

"P-pleasure," she managed quietly. Beatriz cleared her throat and tucked her hands underneath her to keep everyone from seeing them shake. She felt completely out of her element.

Barbara's hand on her shoulder offered little comfort. "Since the men have crashed our party and it is getting late, perhaps we should call it a night. I guarantee my husband and Kel could use some help with the triplets."

Aria and Karla finished the last of their drinks quickly and stood. They cleared the table just as Wallis came out from the back.

"I'll lock up," she offered, but Ellie shook her head.

"I'll do it. I want to do everything I possibly can before I'm not able to." She looked at her husband and shrugged, the smile on her face making it impossible for Caleb to say no.

"I'll help you," Caleb grumbled good-naturedly.

"So will I," Lael piped up.

"Do you need anything else?" Karla asked.

Ellie shook her head. "Nah, we'll get this. You guys go home and have fun." Her eyes flickered between Mike and Beatriz. The gesture wasn't lost upon either of them.

The front door closed behind them with a resounding thud. As everyone walked to their cars, murmurs followed Beatriz. She realized that her constant staring at Mike gave her position away.

Everyone knew now, and she was certain the women already told their husbands. Even so, she found herself unable to do anything other than follow Mike with her eyes. Every move he made sent a thrill of excitement through her.

She followed Barbara, Aria, Karla, and Jordan out to the parking lot. Mike was leaning against a parked car, talking to Nate and Aric quietly. His long legs were crossed at the ankles, and his arms were folded over his chest.

Whatever was said caused him to toss his head back and laugh. Beatriz, more than anything, wanted to reach for him and find out what was so funny. She felt warm, on edge, almost hyper.

She wanted to run and jump on him, declare to the world that he was hers. She wanted to kiss him. To taste him.

She did none of those things, though. She stood stoically in the parking lot, listening to the group discuss their plans for the evening.

Beatriz took a few steps forward. "I'm going to head home," she said quietly. With as much effort as she could muster, she looked at Mike. "It was nice meeting you."

He nodded at her. "Likewise."

His voice made her shiver, and she quickly got into her car and pulled away. Hoping no one noticed her reaction to the man, she drove toward Tristan and Barbara's property, where she stayed in their guest cabin.

She had spent weeks making the little house a home. She had decorated it the way she wanted, put curtains up that she liked, and purchased a small table from a local thrift store so she'd be able to eat meals somewhere other than the couch. She absolutely loved her little cabin.

However, right now, the thought of going home seemed like an unbearable thought. It sounded like a suffocating prison that would confine her boundless energy.

Not only that, but she wasn't tired. And why, dear God, didn't she say anything else to Mike? It was nice meeting you … Why didn't she strike up more of a conversation? Get to know him better?

She sighed. However, the more she thought about it, she realized that both of them did work for the same people. They would inevitably see each other again. Wouldn't they?

Of course they would, she assured herself. Probably often. There would be plenty of opportunities to get to know him better.

She pulled into the driveway and parked in front of her cabin. She got out of the car and immediately went behind her house and took her clothes off. She was too anxious and wound up to go to bed.

She needed to shift and run. She needed to release some of this pent-up energy.

A moment later, a small, brown wolf stood where Beatriz had been. With a massive leap, she took off into the woods, eager to tire herself out and clear her head.