Annika Sharp has two goals in life. She needs to take back her family business from her evil stepfather, and she has to protect her beloved family home. When the sexy Banks Amana gets all roped into her plans, Annika knows she's in trouble… Then she witnesses a murder, redefining what trouble means.

Banks Amana, an alpha wolf shifter, runs his family's multiple business ventures. He likes order and quiet. He doesn't need to plan for the future. No mate or kids will mess up his peaceful existence. A chance meeting with his mate turns his world upside down, again and again, until he has to make a choice: Annika or peace.

Thrown together by circumstances, Annika and Banks want two very different lives. Will they realize they need each other? Or will the fated mates let their differences tear them apart?

Chapter 1

Banks

I love my family.

Banks Amana repeated over and over as he waited for someone, anyone, to open the door. He stood outside the luxury condo that sat at the very top of the Amana Tower, waiting.

He could hear loud chatter on the other side, but the chances that the Amana pack would actually have heard the doorbell was... well, complicated. As wolf shifters, they had great hearing. They had most definitely heard the doorbell — all four times — but no one was actually going to stop talking long enough to answer it.

Banks started knocking with one hand while using the other to push the bell repeatedly, his patience wearing thin.

His parents, siblings, niece, and nephews were still talking over each other in that loving way loud families have. Banks sighed and continued his strange mix of noise until, finally, the door swung open.

Iver, his youngest brother, stood there with a shit-eating grin. “I was waiting to see how long you'd last.“

“I thought you would just bust the thing down. Huff, puff, and blow it all away, Banks Amana style.“ Navy, the middle brother, was supposedly the shy one, passed a fifty-dollar bill to Iver, who quickly pocketed the cash.

“You assholes were betting on how long I would stay on the doorstep?“ Banks grumbled.

“Little ears are listening,“ his mother called out from the living room.

“It is nothing they haven't heard before,“ Banks pointed out. He made his way into the living room, where the family was assembled. He quickly gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and shook his father's hand. Banks waved to his brother-in-law before hugging his older sister.

Yeah. It was a lot of people. That didn't even count Jewel's three children. Jewel patted her stomach. The still-flat surface hid some news. Banks had sensed it the second he walked inside.

“Well, now that you've finally arrived, I can officially announce it. I'm three months pregnant.“ Jewel shrugged, but tension lines surrounded her eyes. Her last pregnancy hadn't exactly been easy, and at forty-two years old, this one was likely to be just as difficult. Even with her shifter constitution, there's only so much one body can take.

Both Diana and Marco oohed and aahed at the news, excited to be grandparents for the fourth time. All three brothers, Banks, Navy, and Iver, congratulated Jewel and her husband, Takis. Everyone acted excited even though they had all scented the change, but they didn't say anything out of respect. They allowed the couple the moment to share their news when they were ready.

Banks knew what was coming next. It was like clockwork. He counted down the seconds. Ten, nine, eight... He took a deep breath and braced himself for the line of questioning.

“When do you think you will give us grandbabies, Banks?“His mother arched a delicate brow.

“Mom,“ he groaned, “don’t start. You know I can’t give you grandkids without a mate, and seeing as I haven’t found her...“ He let his sentence trail off, but of course, the incomparable Diana Amana wouldn’t be deterred.

She sighed, a long-suffering saint. You’d think the three kids running around the house would be enough to placate her.

It wasn’t.

“Better you than me,” Iver whispered, clapping his brother on the back.

Diana pointed a finger at him. “I heard that. You are thirty-one, Iver Amana. It will be your turn soon.”

“Anyway,” Banks said, “Dad, how was the last day at the office?”

Marco Amana was finally retiring from the family business after forty-four years at the head of Amana Industries. As the eldest son — and the most responsible— Banks was filling his shoes. Marco was taking it hard, but Diana recently retired from her position as a Professor of Economics at New York City University. They had plans of traveling, playing golf on every possible continent, and probably driving all Amana men crazy with talk of mates and babies.

Marco took a long sip of his drink. “It was fine, I suppose. I have to say, it will hit me in the morning when I don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn.”

“Can you imagine? Sleeping in for the first time in… years.” Mom looked pleased. She squeezed her husband's knee, shooting him a loving glance.

“I haven’t slept in since that one,” Jewel cut in, pointing to her eldest child, a snippy and sassy ten-year-old with her face bent over a smartphone.

“You guys are really making this kid thing seem like heaven,” Banks grumbled.

He liked his quiet. He liked his peace, and most of all, he liked a clean house. He couldn’t abide by mess and disorder. It made him mad. Furious, even.

“I have a few wonderful young ladies I can set you up with,” Mom went on. “You can’t find your mate if you’re not looking.”

I agree with Mom, his wolf said with a huff. We should find our mate.

“Oh!” Jewel cried. “I have a few, too, Mom. We should compare notes. Maybe even host a charity event or something and get all three of these idiots to show up.”

“Are they seriously plotting to take over our love lives while we’re sitting right here?” Navy looked slightly green at the idea of dating.

Banks patted him on the back. “Don’t panic. I’ll be sending you to San Diego soon to deal with a merger. You might not even be in town.”

Navy blanched. “Why? Why would you send me to another city?”

“Because I trust your judgment on this, and I’m the boss.” Banks smiled, but really, he needed Navy to shake off whatever was going on with him. He was a smart and savvy businessman, but his habit of staying locked up in his condo wasn’t good for business. He needed to learn how to schmooze. To wine and dine clients. He wouldn’t learn that sitting in front of his television, or whatever the fuck else Navy did with his free time.

“Dinner is ready, Mrs. Amana,” the housekeeper announced before retreating back into the kitchen.

It took some doing — and lots and lots of noise — but the whole family settled at the dining room table. The meal, a fancy sort of pasta, tasted fine, even though what Banks really wanted was a steak. He’d probably grill up a nice cut once he got home... In the peace and quiet.

“Emmy, seriously, put the phone away,” Jewel warned her daughter.

“Uncle Iver says you’re grumpy when you’re pregnant. He’s right.” Emmy stuffed a mouthful of food down her throat without looking up from her device.

Jewel could have killed Iver the way she was looking at him. Banks chuckled under his breath, hiding his smile with his beer. Thank fuck he didn’t have kids. Oh, Jewel’s brood was fine to have around. They were cute as hell, and he loved to spoil them on birthdays and holidays, but at the end of the night, he went back to his blissfully quiet penthouse suite. Alone.

Well, not always alone. Sometimes, there was a very leggy, very naked companion waiting for him.

But Banks did count his lucky stars that he hadn’t met his mate or spawned another living being. That would seriously cut into his work time. Who even needed that?

“I am not grumpy,” Jewel roared. Actually roared. “I am growing a human.”

“I know, dear,” Takis cooed, trying to soothe his wife. “It’s hard work. Would you like me to get you some sparkling water?”

Jewel nodded, her upper lip quivering. She was seconds from crying.

“Thanks,” Takis snapped at Iver on his way to the kitchen. “For that, you’re babysitting all three of them in the very near future.”

“I like Uncle Iver. He’s my favorite grown-up,” Emmy announced.

“Aw,” Iver drawled. “Thanks, sweet pea. You’re my favorite niece.”

“You won’t be able to say that when this one is born.” Jewel pointed to her stomach. “I’m sure it’s a girl.”

The rest of the evening went in much the same way, that is to say, pure chaos.

Why Mom and Jewel wanted to add more mates and kids to the mess boggled Banks’s mind. That was obviously the very last thing they needed. Or at least, the very last thing he needed.

As soon as dessert was over, Banks made his excuses and rushed home, where he poured himself a nice glass of bold red wine, grilled up a thick steak, and watched the news in peace and quiet.

It was bliss.

He also wanted to be up early and go check out this house he’d had his eye on for a long time.  His real estate agent mentioned it was up for sale and there would be an open house tomorrow.  This could be his chance if he got there and put an offer in early.  What Banks wanted in life he usually got, not by luck but by making wise choices and being the early bird.