Page 9 of Delivered to My Fury (Mail-Order Matings #19)

Opal

I stared at my phone over my second cup of coffee. For a thing that didn’t speak or move, it certainly was enticing me to pick it up.

For the third day in a row, I had matches. Not one or two either. I had a dozen or so every morning.

Mostly packs or groups of shifters wanting a mate. They were all gorgeous, and their profiles said all the right things. I’d clicked on some of them, perusing the pictures to see if anything sparked inside me, but nothing had.

Selfishly, I craved that spark. We humans didn’t have the mating instinct hit us in the center of our chests like I understood shifters did or smell our mates like monsters, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t feel something in the presence, even the online presence of my person. They did call it chemistry, after all.

I tried to have some degree of restraint this morning, but it was failing miserably.

I’d done some work in the lab. This cut-off-funding deal was no good. I was using each paper towel and cotton swab as though it were the last in existence. I couldn’t spend a single dime on those things anymore. Even the blinds were open so I could turn some of the lights off to save on electricity.

My life’s passion was now a lesson in misery. And waiting impatiently.

And dealing with men who had control over other’s lives. Ugh. Maybe I shouldn’t look at my phone. Those muscles and carved jawlines were probably a cover for all the selfishness and meanness that lay within.

Although Derek didn’t seem to have a mean bone in his body.

Ceci didn’t think so.

“Fine. Let’s see what matches I have today.” I pulled off my gloves and sighed, tossing them into the trash with regret. There was a time I didn’t fret over those little things. Oh, right, that was last week.

Phone in hand, I scrolled through the matches and accidentally clicked on the last profile that came up.

It was a fury? His name was Shay. He was a bear shifter. I thought bears and wolves were part of dens or packs, but this one said he was a part of a fury. What in the heck was a fury?

I clicked on his pictures, dismissing the definition of his group. His chocolate-brown eyes called to me. Sure, he was hot and built. Had a smile that probably called puppies from far and wide, but there was something about his eyes.

They looked kind and sincere?

Ugh, I was losing it.

His account was linked to two others. I’d seen it before. When a match was connected with a pack, then every account was linked.

The other person in the fury was a wolf shifter. Not as built as the bear shifter. Where Shay looked like he’d never turned down a cookie in his life, Eero, on the other hand, the wolf shifter, was lean. His eyes were blue, gray-blue, from what I could tell.

There was one more account linked and while I’d been exposed to a lot of different species of paranormal people through this app, I gasped when I saw Zyon.

It wasn’t the green skin.

Nor the tusks. Or his pointed ears.

Gosh, all of them had piercing eyes. I put a hand to my chest, feeling a stir inside me.

I dove deep into their profiles.

They owned a brewery. That discovery led me to searching for their brewery online. They had incredible reviews, and there were even social media videos. One woman said she would never drink another kind of ale in her life.

That was one hell of a recommendation.

“That doesn’t look like research, babe.” Ceci came into the lab, laughing.

“It is.” I handed her my phone once she crossed the room. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“It’s lunchtime…we had a date remember?”

Where did the morning go?

But Ceci was looking over my shoulder. “This is the app? These guys are hot. Did you match with them?”

I nodded. “What’s a fury?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know, but I haven’t seen you blush in a while, Opal.”

I lifted a hand to my burning cheek. “They’re gorgeous. What can I say?”

Ceci plopped on the stool across from me. “How do you tell them you like them? Do you have to accept the match or something?”

I hadn’t gotten that far. “I think so. I don’t know what to do. I mean, joining the app was one thing, but following through? I mean, do I even want to be in a reverse harem? What do you call the woman in a reverse harem anyway?” I threw my hands up, overwhelmed by what I was feeling. It was one thing to fantasize about multiple men being with you, but making that a reality?

“It’s called a pivot according to the romance novels.”

A pivot. Huh. “Most women complain about one husband and I’m entertaining the thought of messaging three? What am I thinking? Am I doing this because I’m upset about losing my funding and not knowing what’s coming next?”

Ceci sighed. “Opal. I know you. You wouldn’t do that to yourself or others. Maybe this is a pivotal point in your life. Have you considered that?”

I snorted. “Nice pun. I have, actually. I thought with the loss of the grant and finding this app, well, maybe it’s time for a change.”

“Listen, messaging them doesn’t mean you’re going to be married tomorrow. You’re reaching out and having a conversation. What’s that going to hurt?”

She wasn’t wrong. In fact, she was absolutely right. I got on this app to find love and partnership. Seeing Shay and Eero, and Zyon gave me that spark in my chest, the one I’d been hoping for.

Life was waiting for me on the other side of fear and procrastination.

“I’m messaging them right now.”

Ceci danced in her seat while I typed out the message and hit send. Now, I waited.