I wasn't sure where to look for another unmated ruby shifter. After driving around for an hour, I couldn't take any more of Merrick's scent without parking and making out with him. He just smelled too damn good.
I parked in front of what looked like a café or diner. The sign overhead was so faded I couldn't read the name of it anymore, but as long as I got some distance from the grizzly's gigantic, warm arms, I didn't care.
He caught up to me in two steps, entering with me. Liv was behind us and I waved her through the door, hoping she could get between me and the bear.
"Be careful in here," Merrick said, the words only for me and Liv. I nodded, gaze sweeping the bar for threats. I felt like I could trust him, but knew there was a good chance that was only because of the True Mate pheromone shit.
There wasn't a hostess or anything, so we walked right in. When I saw the register, I reached into one of my motorcycle boots and tugged out some cash.
Just like I hoped, Liv stepped between me and Merrick. She slung her arm over my shoulder, beaming at the guy at the register. "Hey, handsome." She winked. He stared at her, which she expected; she was fucking gorgeous. "Get me two of the most delicious thing on your menu, and a chocolate milkshake." Tilting her head toward me, she added, "Two of the healthiest thing for her, plus a couple bottles of water." She glanced at Merrick, who looked a bit taken aback by Liv's quick ordering.
Merrick rumbled an order—a gigantic bacon burger with extra fries—and then dropped his own cash on the counter to pay for us. I wanted to tell him to save his money, but didn't want to fight in a café.
We all sat down at a booth in the back corner. I didn't know why he'd warned me to be careful, but I assumed it had something to do with us being in cat territory because of what the cop had said.
"So, what's the plan?" Liv asked, uncapping one of the bottles of water the guy had handed from behind the register and taking a drink.
"I figure if there are any other unmated rubies interested in being my mate, there's a decent chance they might chase us down so I can meet them." I shrugged.
"Why did you turn down the griffin?" Liv checked. I noticed her eyes flick to Merrick and narrowed mine at her. She feigned ignorance, studying her nails like she hadn't just teamed up with the damn grizzly.
"He was a douche." I waved it off. "First thing he did was offer me his dick."
"The first thing he did was sniff your crotch," Liv gestured to Merrick, which made me feel a bit better about her taking his side.
"I needed that reminder." I nodded.
"That was the grizzly." Merrick cleared his throat. "You are the grizzly," I pointed out.
He gave up on arguing his case. His eyes had been fully-shifted, so I actually knew that his beast was at the helm the night before, and understood. Sometimes, our animal sides were stronger than our human ones.
"So if that's not what put you off the griffin, what was it?" Liv asked, her eyes lit with mischief.
"There was no chemistry." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't really the truth, either. I couldn't very well admit that he smelled wrong, or that something inside me was disgusted by the idea of touching him or being touched by him though. It wasn't logical and made absolutely no sense outside of the True Mate thing.
I was still really, really pissed at the griffin for kissing me out of nowhere like he had, and irritated with Merrick for trying to fight my battle. They were my lips, and I hated that someone had stolen my first kiss and I'd hardly gotten to retaliate.
"Do True Mates often choose someone else?" Liv changed the subject. "Rarely. Usually, the female is so drawn by the male's pheromones that they solidify the relationship a few hours after they meet," Merrick said, watching me. I glanced at his nose, remembering the way I'd broken it the night before. I guess if I was a normal girl, I would've been fucking him instead of breaking him. But then, I'd never been normal.
The guy at the register called my name, and Merrick went up to get our food.
Liv leaned toward me. "You can't tell me you're not into him. I mean, just look at the guy. He's like a mix of a caveman, lumberjack, and Magic Mike. You broke his damn nose and he hasn't even mentioned it."
I snorted at her description, biting back a grin. "I'm not against it, but if I'm going to mate with a stranger, I'd like to see my options. Most of my life, I've known I was going to have to give my body to whoever resigned themselves to suffer the trials for me; now I get to choose."
Liv nodded her understanding as Merrick came back with the food. Liv and I both had way more than him, and I wasn't sure why. The night before, I remembered him ordering a ton of food. As far as I remembered though, he hadn't even touched it.
"I thought bears are supposed to pack on the pounds in the summer," Liv spoke around a mouthful of food, having my back like always.
"We usually do, to a lesser-extent than wild bears. But I'm hunting my mate, so I have a different priority right now."
I shoved a bite in my mouth, feeling weird about knowing I was his "different priority". More important than food seemed like overkill.
The bell over the door jingled, and I glanced toward it in time to see the lion shifter from the night before swagger in with two other pink ruby guys behind him. His eyes went right to me.
"Hot damn, I need to sign up for the trials like yesterday," Liv muttered. Merrick stood to meet the guys before they reached our table.
"Easy, teddy bear. We hear the Princess wants to see her op
tions before settling for her True Mate," the cat sneered.