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  Imperfect Mate

  Copyright © 2014 by Lia Davis

  ISBN: 978-1-61333-730-1

  Cover art by Syneca Featherstone

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

  Look for us online at:

  www.decadentpublishing.com

  ROAR

  Mischief, Mongrels & Mayhem

  Sorority Wolf by Rebecca Royce

  Phoenix Rising by Cara Carnes

  Coming Soon

  Shifted Plans by Brandy Walker

  Tempting her Tiger by Virginia Cavanaugh

  Also by Lia Davis

  Ravished Before Sunrise

  Imperfect Mate

  By

  Lia Davis

  Dear Reader,

  Welcome to autumn, 2014. It’s a time for pumpkin spice lattes, cooling days, and kids heading back to school. I swear it feels like just yesterday that we were doing this last year. You know, I have a deep and abiding love for paranormal romance. I actually fell in love with urban fantasy and by extension paranormals thanks to two authors: Anne Rice and Emma Bull. If you’ve never checked them out, you should.

  Fortunately, in the years since I read those the genre of paranormal romance has grown by leaps, shifts, fangs, and fur. I’ve always had a soft spot for shifter romance, and if you told me a book had wolves or cats or bears in it—well, I was so there. This hasn’t changed, not one bit. I don’t think there’s enough shifter romance in the world, but I did want to see more—what happens when young shifters leave their packs? What if they go off to school? How do they start over? How does a young wolf or cat or bear or any young person really make that final leap to adulthood?

  I am thrilled to introduce Decadent ROAR as an answer to those questions. The line is dedicated to featuring stories about young weres and shifters who have come of age but now must determine the path of the rest of their lives. It's an exciting time of making your own decisions and not having to seek permission, but freedom always comes with a cost. Fortunately for these burgeoning adults, they have the ROAR hotline to reach out to.

  Run by the mysterious siblings Hui and Min, 555-ROAR is a line shifters can text or call for help, whether it’s, What’s the best spot to hunt, or I’m in danger. What should I do? It’s a helpline, and a lifeline in some cases. Growing up is hard—being an adult is harder.

  So what do we have to kick you off as ROAR launches a new school year? How about a mongrel attending college close to home who must contend with a sexy Alpha and his pride moving into her region? That’s the problem Mischief “Missy” Jones faces in Mischief, Mongrels & Mayhem by Heather Long.

  Pledging a sorority can be hell, but is it so bad when you have a demon on your side? Werewolf Alexandra will have to decide when Kieran promises to turn over heaven and hell to help her out in Sorority Wolf by Rebecca Royce.

  Not everyone gets encouragement when they head off into the big, bad world on their own. This couldn’t be more true for fragile and abused Riletta who’s dumped at school with no options, no fallback, and no hope—that is until delicious Macen intervenes in the hot ride that is Phoenix Rising by Cara Carnes.

  Choosing college can be a grueling experience, but, then again, so can diving into adulthood and taking responsibility for your actions. Samira faces s a lot of hard choices, none tougher than accepting human Gavin might be her mate in Lia Davis’ Imperfect Mates.

  Life is what happens when you’re not paying attention, and the best things don’t always occur in the order you expect. They sure don’t for Avery and Declan. Both are busy setting up their lives but the allure of mating throws them for a loop in Brandy Walker’s Shifted Plans.

  Attracting attention from the male species is a hard job, even more so when that male is a shifter. Some lines, though, are hard to cross, and Jordan will fight his attraction to his best friend’s sister, Stacia, with everything he has in Tempting her Tiger by Virginia Cavanaugh.

  Ultimately, the question these six stories must answer is not who will they be as adults, but who are they? How do they reconcile everything they've ever known with what can be? It's a new type of shifter romance, with all the love and passion required to achieve a happily ever after....

  Thank you for joining us as we launch a hot new series—we’ll do our best to make every single tale memorable.

  Happy Reading!

  Heather Long and

  Decadent Publishing

  www.decadentpublishing.com

  ~Dedication~

  To the Imperfect Mate in Us All.

  Chapter One

  Where the hell did it go?

  Samira frantically searched the room, tearing clothes from her dresser drawers and ripping the mound of shoes from the bottom her closet, but couldn’t find the damned tablet. She swore she brought it to her room after sentinel training the night before. “Mom.”

  A moment later, her mother’s soft, powder-like rose scent enveloped her, soothing some of the panic. Her mother had a way of calming her by just entering the room. Sam sighed as the tablet appeared in her line of sight, enclosed in its pink leather case. Taking it from her mother’s grasp, Sam hugged her tight. “Thanks.”

  “It was where you left it.” Her mother pulled back and cupped her face, forehead creasing like it did when she worried. The anxiety drifted off her, mingled with Sam’s empathy, and increased her state of nervousness about leaving home. “Are you sure you’re okay? I mean it’s so far away.”

  Sam’s heart warmed even though her tiger within growled in annoyance. Some would think at nineteen, she would have learned how to balance her human side with her tiger. It wasn’t like she didn’t know how to rein in the animal. Sam liked to let the cat rise to the surface. It gave her the edge she needed to be a good soldier. A sense of power she alone controlled. “Yes, Mom. We’ve talked about this. I need to do this. Dev’s been going to Harmony U for four years and is now working on his master’s. The independence will be good for me. And it’s only a five-hour drive.”

  Her mother, Mary Anderson, was an older, wiser version of Sam with the same straight, thick blonde hair and ice-blue eyes. Unlike her mother, Sam was a dominant female with more energy and aggression than most of the males in the pride. She got her dominant nature from her father’s alpha bloodline.

  “That’s five hours too far.”

  Sam groaned, pulled out of her mother’s arms, and shoved her tablet inside her tote bag. She, as well as others in the den, didn’t need to leave the pride to get degrees. Sam already had her AA in Chemistry through online classes, but she wanted the experience of working next to humans, learning their world. “Mom. I’m in more danger staying here and going through Dev’s brutal sentinel training.”

  Sentinels were above the enforcers—soldiers who enforced pride laws—and served as the personal guards of the alpha and his family. Sam would be the fi
rst female and the youngest sentinel in the history of the Jasper Springs pride—a duty she didn’t take lightly. She welcomed everything Devon threw at her.

  “Not true, dear. Devon would rather cut his own head off than let anything happen to you.”

  Sam laughed as she led her mother down the hall to the living room. She had a point. Dev might be her cousin, but he loved her like a little sister. He was her mentor and trainer. He was also one of her best friends.

  Even though she wasn’t leaving until the next morning, Sam wanted to be prepared when Dev arrived bright and early. Another reason why she’d packed days before.

  Stopping in the middle of the living room, she scanned the area. Her bags and a single box sat beside the door. That was all she was taking to the university with her. Not that she wasn’t allowed to bring a lot of stuff, she simply didn’t have a need for too many things. Plus Dev had said the dorm rooms were smaller than her bedroom, so she’d decided to pack light.

  Over the gray stone fireplace hung a family portrait. Her sixteen-year-old self sat on a high stool and her parents stood behind her, their hands rested on her shoulders. It was a little outdated, and they’d have to take another picture soon. Right after her sister arrived in a month.

  Glancing over, Sam froze and her heart seemed to stop for a second. Bent at the waist, her very pregnant mother started to lift the suitcase as if to move it. She would give Sam a heart attack one day. “Mom. Put that down. It’s fine where it is. Besides, Dev will get it in the morning. Didn’t Asia put you on bed rest?”

  The stubborn woman always insisted on doing things for herself.

  “Samira, don’t be silly. I feel great.”

  “Listen to your daughter, Mary.”

  The deep voice from the doorway sent a jolt of excitement through her. Spinning, she spied her father entering the small foyer. A burst of giddiness lit her inside. His brown hair was tousled like he’d fallen asleep on the flight, or maybe the car ride from the airport. Maybe both.

  “Dad, you made it!” She rushed over, threw her arms around him, and squeezed.

  He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “I wouldn’t have missed your last day home for anything.”

  The anxiety had built up since the day before when he hadn’t shown and made her edgier the closer it got to the time Dev would drive her to Harmony Springs. She considered not going until her father showed. Yes, it was a little childish, but she didn’t care. This was her first time ever leaving the pride. She needed both her parents there to see her go.

  Connor Anderson was the pride’s beta and sometimes assisted his twin brother, Colt, with pride business, such as acting like the alpha when it came to the council. Which was where her father had been for the past week.

  “How was your trip?”

  “Draining. I hate flying.” He released Sam and strode over to his mate. With a swift movement, he lifted her in his arms and bit her ear. Sam blushed and looked away from her parents’ playful display of affection. Their love for one another made her heart swell. They were totally devoted. They could even finish each other’s sentences. It was annoying sometimes.

  Following them to the sofa, she smiled wide. “You two enjoy each other, but not too much. There are still things I don’t want to see.” Her dad waggled his eyebrows, making Sam crinkle her nose up at them. “I’m going to fix dinner. You two behave.”

  Sam sighed. She hoped one day she would find a mate she could be that in love with.

  ***

  “You nervous, kitten?”

  Samira let out a low, playful growl at her cousin’s question. He knew the right buttons to push her impulsive nature. Taking a deep breath, she watched out the car window as he drove through the university campus toward the dorms on the south end. Harmony University wasn’t a large school, but she wouldn’t describe it as small either. It was about four city blocks with three main academic buildings, several smaller buildings in between, and groups of dorms that were either apartments or houses randomly placed throughout the campus.

  “I don’t get nervous.”

  “Of course. I meant, are you excited?”

  Seriously? “Why do you have to be so irritating?”

  A deep chuckle rumbled through the car. “You know you love me.”

  “Not today.” She bit her bottom lip to hide her smile.

  Nervous was an understatement. She was terrified. Mixed feelings on whether she should leave home played over and over in her mind the past few months. She’d established a solid position as a junior soldier, working her way up to a sentinel. Yet, a part of her felt guilty for leaving.

  Everything will be fine. Stop being a baby.

  Devon pulled into a parking lot next to a large three-story brick house. Sam exited the car, mesmerized by the simple, yet beautiful home. It was not at all what she pictured for a dorm. Black shutters accented the windows against the two-tone red brick. A wide porch ran the length of the front of the house with white railing that matched the columns at each end.

  After opening the back door, she removed her large, pink duffel bag and matching cosmetic case. With a bump of her hip, she closed the door and headed toward the house. She climbed the steps to the porch and waited for Dev to get the box from the truck. A swing hung at one end and a few tables and chairs scattered about the rest of the open area.

  “Nice place,” Dev said when he stopped next to her.

  Nodding, she inhaled and sighed. “The forest is near and a stream.”

  Tigers, especially Samira, loved water. She could swim all day without tiring. Dev nudged her arm and opened the door. “The dorm mother is a wolf.”

  Sam froze, staring at the back of her cousin’s head as he entered he dorm. A wolf? It wasn’t just a rumor that cats and dogs didn’t get along. Well, in most cases they didn’t. Sam hadn’t had any experience with wolves, so she didn’t know how her tiger would react to the other female.

  “Are you sure? I mean…well, you know. I’m not….”

  “Diversity is what your too-aggressive tiger needs to learn balance.” He glanced at her over his shoulder, one brow raised in challenge. “Scared?”

  She stuck her tongue out and pushed past him to enter the house. He let out a playful growl as he followed her inside. A laugh escaped her before she could rein it back in. “No.” Lowering her voice, she asked, “How many humans live here?”

  “Three, when the dorm is full.”

  Turning toward the voice, Sam found herself staring at a very dominant she-wolf. She was shorter by at least three inches than Sam. Her long, curly, black hair hung loose around her shoulders, framing her thin, yet beautiful, face. To Sam’s surprise, her tiger didn’t lash out or hiss at the wolf. Instead, the cat cocked her head in curiosity.

  Dev, however, growled beside her, drawing Sam’s attention away from the female. Raw annoyance with a hint of something else she didn’t know how to describe surrounded him before he reined in his emotions, blocking Sam from getting a clear read on them. She was about to ask him what his deal was, but he spoke first. “I was told there were no other dominants in the dorm.”

  Ignoring Dev, the female fixed her attention on Sam and extended her hand. Nothing in the female’s expression betrayed her thoughts or feelings. Her aura seemed equally quiet, not registering any reaction with Sam’s empathy. Intriguing. “I’m Camile, a second-year student, and until they find a replacement, the acting dorm mother. I put you on the third floor with Jesse and me. I stay in the west corner. Jesse, a submissive leopard, is in the middle. You’re at the other end, near the stairs.”

  Next to her, Dev fisted his hands and allowed his mental walls to fracture. Clearly, this female affected her cousin. Sam smiled, her earlier anxiety eased, and decided she liked Camile. Anyone who could put her cousin in his place while putting him on edge at the same time was okay by her. “That’s great.” Glancing at Dev, she crinkled her nose at him. “Isn’t that great?”

  He growled again and leaned into her
. “You’re a brat.”

  She patted his face. “I know.”

  Giving her attention back to Camile, Sam noticed the female’s lips twitch right before she turned away to lead them up the stairs. “Only you and Jesse have arrived so far. You have a little time to familiarize yourself with the house before the others get here.

  “There are three rooms and one common area on each of the second and third floors. We do sometimes eat meals together, but it’s not mandatory. Some will take their meals to their rooms. This is an all-girl dorm, so no boys are allowed to sleep over.”

  Sam bobbed her head as she followed Camile up to the third floor. Once at the top, Camile moved to the room in the middle and gave a light tap. A moment later a small, shy female opened the door. Her brown hair was braided into two pigtails, and she had the most beautiful blue-violet eyes.

  Camile offered her a warm smile. “Jesse, this is Samira. Oh, and her cousin, Devon.”

  The annoyance in Camile’s tone as she said the latter made Sam glance behind her at Dev. He lifted one shoulder but said nothing as he slammed down his shields. No more reading his emotions for her. Figures. He knew her well enough she used her gift to her advantage any time she could. Sam would discover what all the tension was about between Dev and Camile one way or another. Later, though.

  Extending her hand, Sam smiled at Jesse. The female immediately broke the brief eye contact as a spike of nervous fear rose within her, but it quickly eased before she shook Sam’s hand.

  “Hi. Would you like to show me around campus after I get settled?”

  Jesse glanced at her, their gazes connecting briefly. A shy smile formed as warmth surrounded both of them. “I’d like that.”

  Sam’s tiger purred, happy with the small thread of friendship springing up between them. She gave a short wave and followed Camile to the room where she’d be staying. Once inside, she glanced at Dev, who stared at her with a one-sided grin. “What?”