Big Bad Academy

“The dreams aren’t going to stop,” the big guy speaks again.

“Dad...”

Wait, dad?

This guy is Flynn’s dad?

Okay, I can see the resemblance now. They’re both tall and have the same nose. I probably should have seen that before. This guy seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, though, and Flynn...well, Flynn seems a little freer.

“No, she needs to know this, Flynn,” Alpha Dad says.

“What do I need to know?” I whisper. Suddenly, I have a sinking feeling that I’m not going to like whatever he says next. A feeling of dread settles in the pit of my stomach, and I silently remind myself that no matter what he says, it’s going to be fine.

After all, I’m a successful, independent author.

I’m a successful, independent woman.

I’m a successful, independent mother to two beautiful cats.

I’m totally fine.

“The dreams aren’t going to stop until you find your mate.” This time, it’s Maxwell who speaks. He looks at the alpha. “I’m sorry, Gerald. I should have let you tell her.”

“It’s fine.”

“Uh, Gerald? Alpha? I mean, what are you saying?”

“The dreams are going to get stronger,” Gerald says. “Have they been worse recently?”

So much worse.

When I was a teenager, they only came sporadically. In fact, sometimes the dreams were so faint I couldn’t remember them. Now, though, I often wake up screaming, crying, or in a cold sweat. Sometimes I wake up feeling so scared that I’m shaking.

They aren’t all bad, though.

Sometimes I wake up in the throes of an orgasm.

Ignoring Gerald’s question, I ask one of my own.

“What do you mean they’re going to get worse?”

“Mating dreams are designed to lead you to your one true mate,” he tells me. “Both you and the person you’re destined to be with will have these dreams. The secret is going to be to find who your mate is before it’s too late.”

“Too late?”

For what?

My fertility?

“Since you’re human, I don’t know how the dreams are going to affect you long-term,” he warns me. “But wolves aren’t designed to have these dreams forever. The dreams are simply a guide: a resource for finding one’s true mate. The dreams will grow stronger and stronger until they completely take over the shifter’s life.”

Ah, now I understand what he’s saying.

“You want me to mate one of your wolves.”

“It’s fated.”

“I think I should have a choice in who I love. I’m not interested in some sort of weird arranged marriage,” I snap.