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  Israel

  By

  Avery Gale

  ISRAEL

  Copyright © 2020 by Avery Gale™

  ISBN: 978-1-944472-86-3

  EPUB Edition

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Avery Gale™

  averygale.com

  The Adlers

  The siblings. Their occupations and ages at the beginning of the series:

  Austin – 31 – CEO of the family oil conglomerate based in Austin, TX. Married to magical, Charlotte.

  Asia – 30 – Ruthless legal eagle for the family business. Married to Franklin Cordesi.

  Bronx – 29 – Owns a string of car dealerships in partnership with brother, Cleveland.

  Cleveland – 28 – Race car driver. Astral traveler. Married to Vienna Quan.

  Brooklyn – 27 – Retrieval expert for big insurance companies. Semi-retired in subsequent books. Security consultant. Married to Luke Grayson, lives in New Mexico. Daughter, Crystal.

  Catalina – 26 – Freelance intelligent agent working with the CIA, MI6, Mossad, and others. Travels the world as a successful jewelry designer.

  Israel – 25 – Security expert and tracker.

  Kensington – 24 – Actor. Married to Denali West.

  London – 23 – Chemist/Researcher. Married to shifters, Elijah & Evan Monroe. They live outside Boston and have twin sons.

  Paris – 22 – Recent College Graduate. Mated with Sheriff Trinity Stone. School Administrator and teacher.

  Watch this page for updates in subsequent books in this series.

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Adlers

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Other Books by Avery Gale

  Chapter One

  It’s her.

  She’s here.

  Finally.

  Israel couldn’t believe he’d finally found his mate. Well, found wasn’t entirely accurate, but she was nearby. That had to count for something. Watching his younger siblings find their mates was past the point of discouraging. If you’d asked him two years ago, he’d have said he didn’t plan to settle down before he was thirty, but with his brothers and sisters finding their mates, finding his own seemed more and more appealing. And to be honest, he was pushing closer to the age milestone than he wanted to admit.

  “Did you say something? What’s wrong?” As the oldest of ten, Austin Adler was usually tuned in to his younger brothers and sisters, and today was no exception. Even though Israel hadn’t said anything out loud, it wasn’t a surprise his brother heard him. As shifters, they communicated telepathically, and the habit often slipped into their everyday lives without any of them taking notice.

  “My mate. She’s here. I don’t know where, but she’s close.” Turning his head in an attempt to follow the scent, Israel zeroed in on a nearby group of women who were busy setting out enough food to feed an army. The invitation to Kensington and Denali’s wedding had been limited to a select group of family and friends, but the reception was going to be much larger.

  “At the rate people are streaming into this place, you’d better get a move on before she gets lost in the damned crowd. I need to head out, anyway. I want to find my own lovely mate, and she’d better be sitting down with her feet up, or it’s not going to go well for her. Did you know babies could get their days and nights confused? How does that happen when they are supposed to sleep all the damned time? Holy hell, you won’t believe the paraphernalia they require, and if our sisters don’t stop sending Charlotte ‘you must have this gadget’ suggestions, I’m going to go postal.”

  Israel was only half-listening to his brother’s crazed ranting. With a rapidly growing number of nieces and nephews, he’d learned new parents tended to occasionally tip over the edge of sanity. He didn’t have any children of his own, so it was a mystery to Israel why they all seemed to think he could help, so he usually turned a deaf ear to the chatter. He planned to play the hell out of the uncle card once the kiddos were old enough to spoil properly, without any remote chance, he’d be roped into anything involving diapers.

  “Who is the woman on the right?” Israel didn’t take his eyes off her. He wasn’t close enough to confirm she was his one, but there was something about her…

  “The blonde? Dr. Bristol Banks. She is Charlotte’s obstetrician. Well, not just hers, she’s the OB for our pack and many of the club members as well.” Knowing she was the preferred doctor for those two groups told Israel a lot, but not enough. “I’m surprised you didn’t scent her when you took Charlotte for her appointment.”

  Early in her pregnancy, Israel intercepted Austin’s wayward wife when she’d tried to sneak out of the building without an escort. Unfortunately for Charlotte, when any of the Adlers were in danger or experiencing a health crisis, they were immediately subject to extra security protections. By the time Israel was alerted the little minx had left the penthouse, she was already in the elevator on her way to the garage. He’d had to hustle but managed to be waiting for her.

  “Are you kidding? I didn’t go in with her. I escorted her to the door and waited in my car. Way too much estrogen in there for me—although in hindsight, that might have been a bad call.” Without waiting for Austin to respond, Israel started across the slate-lined pavilion between the small Forum Shops. He saw the moment she realized he was headed her way—her body stiffened, her bright blue eyes going impossibly wide.

  Oh, fuck me six ways to… No. No. Just frick-fracking, No. I don’t have time for this shit.

  Well, well. It doesn’t seem my fated mate is thrilled with my appearance. Interesting. The wind was in his favor, the breeze bringing her tantalizing scent to him in fragrant waves of temptation, but it hadn’t kept her from recognizing him. In the few seconds it took him to close the distance between them, Israel realized two things. First, Bristol Banks was his mate. Second, she was not pleased. Whether it was him personally or being mated in general, remained to be seen.

  Dr. Bristol Banks was enjoying the break in her regular routine. Two years ago, she’d vowed to scale back her workload, fearing fate would saddle her with a mate before she’d had enough time to enjoy the life she’d worked so hard to establish. It took her over a year to find a physician she felt confident bringing into her specialized practice.

  With fewer medical professionals opting for obstetrics and gynecology, due to the astronomical liability insurance costs, the options were limited. Further narrowing the field to a shifter who understood kink made finding a partner almost impossible. It hadn’t been easy, but she didn’t have a choice. Bristol had been forced to admit, operating the clinic was more than she could handle alone.

  Shaking off her concerns about work, Bristol set the doctor side of her life aside. Today was all about having fun and celebrating love. It was particularly wonderful since
she wasn’t the one who was now tied down to one man for the rest of her life. It wasn’t as though Bristol enjoyed a plethora of men and a kick-ass sex life, but if the tide turned, she wanted to be ready.

  Since shifters mated for life, Bristol planned to delay mating as long as possible. The extended lifespan of magicals was a mixed blessing, in her opinion. Shit, what if she ended up mated to an asshole? She wouldn’t even be able to throw his hairy ass off a bridge… damn that pesky Hippocratic Oath, anyway! Rolling her eyes at the bizarre direction her thoughts had taken, Bristol carried out the last tray of sandwiches from the makeshift kitchen. Laughing with the other club submissives who’d been asked to help with the reception was good for her soul.

  “Damn, I’m so excited. I was honored when Master Kyle called. It’s always nice to be trusted… I didn’t care who was getting married. Nope, it didn’t matter because Tobi’s parties are always the best.” Anna Griffin was practically dancing in place.

  “True, but holy freaking hippos on holiday… we got to attend Kensington Adler’s wedding reception. That is pretty amazing.” Bristol had to agree, Tobi was a ton of fun, but being able to attend a movie star’s wedding was beyond cool.

  “I’m putting it on my resume. Not the details—hell, just attending a star-studded event is enough to set me apart from the others.” They all laughed, but Bristol thought there was a strong possibility the young coed was serious. Lindy Timish was in her final semester of graduate law school and was supposed to take the bar exam in a few months. Everyone was taking bets on whether Cameron Barnes found some way to stop her from moving out.

  “You’re assuming Master Barnes lets you out of the house to take the bar.” Kim Salter, a senior in economics, planned to stay in Austin. The Wests had helped her secure a job with one of the biggest banks in Texas. From what Bristol had seen, Kim was as brilliant as she was beautiful.

  “He’ll let me out for the test, but I’m not sure he’ll let me move out if I pass and find a job anywhere other than Austin—at least until his Chloe and Phillip leave for college.” The slender beauty rolled her green eyes and laughed, “I swear CeCe is going to miss me more than the kids. For the most part, I’ve transitioned to household manager and chauffeur. Let’s face it, the kids don’t really need a nanny, but adult supervision is a plus anytime Kodi is home.”

  Bristol met Cameron and Dr. CeCe Barnes at Prairie Winds not long after she moved to Austin, but she’d only recently met their spirited young daughter. Cecelia Barnes was one of the most widely respected pediatric surgeons in the world, and her husband was a retired CIA intelligence officer. According to club gossip, the retired part of that description was questionable at best and more likely, a gross exaggeration.

  “Who. Is. That? I’m telling you, that man is damned hot.” Anna was fanning herself, but Bristol wasn’t sure who she was referring to.

  “Bronx Adler. It has to be genetics. All the Adler men are good looking. This is the first time I’ve seen him. His sisters told me he works all the time.” Living with the Barnes meant Lindy always knew who was who in the zoo.

  “To heck with that. Who wants a man who’s all work and no play?”

  Bristol understood the young woman’s sentiment, but having a man who was driven held a lot of appeal. The men she’d met recently were more interested in their sports cars, boats, and jet skis than they were setting themselves up for the future.

  Anna shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t know if he’s a Dom, but I could probably do vanilla for a few months… maybe.”

  “Who are you kidding? You wouldn’t last a month.” Kim was probably right. Anna was a masochist. It was doubtful she would ever be satisfied with vanilla sex.

  Bristol shook her head, laughing at the three women she considered friends. After fast-tracking through school, it was often hard to remember these women were all her age.

  “Bronx and Israel are the only Adler men who are still single.” Anna fanned herself and grinned. “Master Israel is drool-worthy and pure magic with a flogger. He doesn’t like to leave marks that will last more than a few hours. I have to negotiate like a wild woman anytime I want to scene with him, but it’s worth it.”

  “I’d never reached subspace before my scene with him. Too bad he’s such a commitment-phobe.” Kim had obviously understood her scene with the gifted Master Israel was nothing more than mutual play.

  Flogger? Subspace? Hell, how had she missed meeting Israel Adler? She’d met various members of his family, but for some reason, their paths had never crossed.

  “Don’t look now, but he’s headed this way.” Anna nudged Kim, nodding her head toward a man stalking across the courtyard.

  “Damn, he is in full-on Dom mode and lasered in on you, Dr. B.” Lindy’s warning was unnecessary—the hair on the back of Bristol’s neck was already standing on end. She tried to pull in a deep breath but suddenly felt as though all the air had been sucked away from where she stood. The panic of not being able to breathe only lasted a few seconds, but it was long enough to make her heart skip a couple of beats. The combination deprived her brain of enough oxygen for her legs to get the message to run. Fucking hell, I don’t need this. He was close… much too close by the time she pulled her head out of her ass and turned to retreat. No. No….

  “Stop.” One word, but it was enough for her to freeze. Shit, shit, shit. What a lousy time for her naturally submissive nature to surface. A warm hand wrapped around her upper arm, and she felt herself being propelled forward. “Come. We need to talk.” The words were spoken softly, the warmth of his breath brushing the shell of her ear, making her shiver as goosebumps raced over the surface of her exposed skin. Of course, she’d chosen today, of all days, to wear her sexiest halter dress. The material of the full skirt floated around her full hips, hiding the curves she could never seem to lose, no matter how much time she spent at the gym. The halter left her back exposed all the way to her waist—it was the sexiest piece of clothing she owned. There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d miss her reaction to his touch.

  “I wouldn’t be a very good Dom if I missed such a telling response to my touch, would I?” Bristol fought the urge to roll her eyes—a move trained submissives knew was a sure ticket to a punishment scene. Nope, not going to fall into that trap. “Pity. I think we’d both enjoy your spanking more than you’re willing to admit.”

  Bristol was a shifter and understood telepathic communication, but she was shocked by his ability to tap into her thoughts. She needed to research ways to block the intrusion. Fuck it, let him figure out this isn’t happening. I have no desire to be tied down.

  “Watch your language, Beautiful. This wasn’t on my agenda for today, either, but you know what? If I’ve learned one thing about fate, it’s the Universal Force operates on its own timeline. What you or I might have had planned just flew out the window, Sweetheart.” He rounded the corner of a tall hedge, turning her so quickly, she stumbled against him.

  Damn sky-high heels. She was much more comfortable in the athletic shoes she wore to work. A lot of medical professionals wore clogs, but Bristol had never been able to keep the damned things on while sprinting between patients who always seemed to go into labor at the same time.

  The sudden contact of her body pressed against his brought her up short, making her suck in a deep breath. Mistake. Huge error. Monumental blunder. Prior to their physical contact, his scent only been teasing her senses—now, it overwhelmed her. For several seconds, Bristol was lost in a fog of desire so strong, she felt herself sway. The haze of lust was a lure, making her worry her knees were going to fold out from under her. Cream flooded her pussy lips in preparation for mating as her labia swelled with blood rushing into the tender tissues. She had a split second to send up a silent prayer, he wouldn’t notice her body’s autonomic changes, but her hope was dashed when his pupils dilated, and his nostrils flared.

  Fucking hell.

  Chapter Two

  Israel had never had a woman respond physically
as perfectly as Bristol. Her reaction was especially significant since he sensed she was fighting the attraction with every fiber of her being. He suddenly wished he’d spent more than the few minutes reviewing the background check his company did for Austin when Charlotte chose Dr. Banks as her obstetrician. The only detail he remembered from the security clearance was she’d graduated from every educational level early and was one of the most respected OB/GYNs in the southern half of the country.

  Israel’s hand spanned the width of her bare back, holding her against his chest after she stumbled into him, the contact sending a surge of blood to his cock. He was pleased when the enticing scent of her arousal surrounded him—nice to know he wasn’t the only one affected. The lovely doctor stayed pressed against him for several seconds, the temptation building to the point, he wasn’t sure he could hold it back. He wanted nothing more than to pull aside whatever scrap of nothing she was wearing under the loose flowing skirt and plunge himself as deep as her delectable body would allow.

  Tucked behind a hedge during his brother and new sister-in-law’s wedding reception was not the time or place to claim his mate, no matter how tempting. Israel didn’t try to mask his interest. She had every right to know how much he wanted her. It was damned satisfying to watch her blue eyes widen as the pulse at the base of her throat pounded so fast, he knew she’d begin to feel lightheaded if she didn’t rein it in soon. Her breasts pressed against his torso, peaked nipples poking into his chest, the invitation rocketing his desire into the stratosphere. Soon he wouldn’t be able to resist taking her—propriety would no longer be enough of a deterrent.

  “I want you, Beautiful. Your scent is imprinting itself on my very soul, but you deserve more from me than to be claimed this way.” She took a half step back, paused long enough to pull in a deep breath, then moved back another step. She was still close enough to touch, but the small distance between them gave the two of them enough space to catch their breath.