{"product_id":"alfa-mates-isbn-9780399585838","title":"A.L.F.A. Mates","description":"\u003cb\u003eTwo A.L.F.A. adventures—\u003ci\u003eElemental Mating\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eMating Needs\u003c\/i\u003e—are available in one volume for the first time and feature two of the hottest shifters agents around.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eELEMENTAL MATING \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eBrilliant scientist Melinda Caster has discovered a new strain of the Zika virus that stimulates synaptic growth in embryos, causing neuron development beyond normal human levels. When her lab is broken into, Melinda realizes that someone has been keeping tabs on her research and wants it for themselves. A.L.F.A. sends in jaguar-shifter Agent Parish Hamel to help Melinda discover who is after the virus and why. But the attraction between Parish and Melinda may be the real discovery. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMATING NEEDS \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eAmerella Capone is the great-grandniece of the infamous Al Capone, and she won't let anyone in the Las Vegas Mafia forget it. When Amerella unintentionally stumbles upon bad family business that she wants no part of, she becomes a star witness for a high-profile government case. A.L.F.A. is called in to keep Amerella safe, but cougar-shifter Agent François Dubois has history with his charge, and the secrets between them might do more damage than any gun pointed at his head.\u003cb\u003ePraise for Milly Taiden and her novels\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Just when I start to think it’s too difficult to find a good shifter romance series that brings back those feelings I used to have when reading these years back, here comes Milly Taiden with the A.L.F.A. series.  And I’m so glad for that!  Light, fun and sexy shifters, yes please.”—Under the Covers Book Blog\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Would I recommend this author? Yes! MillyTiaden does not disappoint with this funny, sexy storytelling! This author should be on all must-read lists!”—Twin Sisters Rockin’ Book Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I can always rely on Milly Taiden to write a fun, quick, sweet and sexy romance.”—Angel’s Guilty Pleasures\u003cb\u003eMilly Taiden\u003c\/b\u003e is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of numerous series, including the Paranormal Dating Agency, the Sassy Mates books, and the Federal Paranormal Unit novels. Milly loves writing sexy stories so hot they sizzle your e-reader. When her curvy humans meet their furry alphas, inhibitions give way to animal instincts—and carnal desire.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMilly lives in Florida with her husband, children, and spunky dogs, Needy Speedy and Stormy. She is addicted to iced caramel lattes.Chapter 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Melinda gaped at the hunk of man standing in the doorway and her      gulp of tea almost came out her nose.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Holy shit. Could a guy be any hotter? Even though he had a plastic      protector in his lab coat's pocket, geeky glasses, and a bow tie,      she'd take him here on the conference table with everyone      watching. Well, not everyone watching, or this table. But she'd      definitely take him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The stranger took a deep breath and his eyes zeroed in on her. She      startled and blushed as the group around the meeting room table      glanced at her. \"What? I don't know him.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mr. Kintu, the senior principal research officer, who everyone      called the senior PRO, smiled. \"Of course, you don't, Miss      Caster.\" He turned toward the man standing in the doorway. \"Dr.      Hamel, please come in.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e More like Dr. Hump-him. Oh, yeah. She'd hump him if she got the      chance. She kept her face tilted down, letting her hair fall      forward to hide her hot cheeks. The man moved effortlessly despite      his tall stature. She noted how the lab coat stretched across his      shoulders. Hot damn! This guy might seem like a nerdy research      scientist on the outside, but she bet when the clothes came off,      things looked quite different. Suddenly the image of him doing the      Magic Mike hand gliding down his chest into his pants move sent      her brain cells into nuclear meltdown.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dr. Hamel took another deep breath and his fingers slightly balled      into a fist before relaxing. That was interesting. Mr. Kintu      greeted him with a handshake then turned to the table. \"Everyone,      this is Dr. Parish Hamel from the government's Oversight      Committee.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e All smiles in the room drooped. Anyone with \"Oversight\" in their      title usually wasn't welcome. Especially to Melinda. The reason      she ended up there in the African country of Uganda at the Uganda      Virus Research Laboratory was because of another male with      \"Oversight\" in his title. More asshole than male.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Good thing he wasn't there to watch over her. Currently, her focus      was on a newly discovered virus that seemed to be related to the      Zika virus. With no outbreaks and no \"cure\" needed, she wasn't      doing much that seemed important to the government.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mr. Kintu laughed at the attendees' reaction to the visiting      doctor's title. \"No worries, everyone. Dr. Hamel is only here for      Miss Caster.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What?\" Melinda sat straight up in her chair. \"What did I do? I'm      not working on anything important.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mr. Kintu raised a brow. \"Didn't you say you were close to a      breakthrough?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Well, shit. She did. That was the last time she opened her mouth      in front of the senior PRO. She nodded. \"Yeah, sorta.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her boss smiled. \"Now Dr. Hamel is here to assist you in the      documentation.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oh, yay. She plastered on a smile. \"Wonderful. I'm always happy to      have overstep, I mean, Oversight helping.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mr. Kintu cast her a veiled glance before turning to the table.      \"The meeting is dismissed. Everyone have a good rest of the week.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Melinda quickly gathered her notes to get the hell out before-\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Miss Caster, would you please remain.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She set her notes down and sighed. Her best friend and colleague      leaned into her. \"Girl, at least he's cute under all that garb.      Maybe you can finally get you some.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mel gasped and playfully smacked Dembe on the arm. \"You did not      just say that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, yes, I did.\" Dembe gave her a huge smile and snuked out of      the room, closing the door behind her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Strange thing was this man was the first to spark her interest in      a couple years. And not just her interest, but her libido. Oh,      god, did she just think that out loud? Her face heated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Sex and everything concerning it was almost taboo for her. Growing      up in a highly religious home where sex was strictly for having      children, and women were not to enjoy it, she had never really      explored that part of herself. Not that she hadn't tried.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her senior year in high school began her rebellion against the      vast chains that strangled her. A little late, but considering it      happened at all was a minor miracle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e During a school-sanctioned event, she'd slipped out with the      boyfriend she wasn't allowed to have. The normal teen hormones      flowed within them. In the backseat, she lay with her head crammed      against the door armrest, the stupid seat belt gouging into her      kidney.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When he finally lay on top of her, she tried to relax, but      couldn't, too worried her parents would somehow find out. Shit      would hit the fan and she'd be grounded for years. Then she'd have      to pull a Carrie at the prom to escape the house. And wouldn't      that be fun-\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her boyfriend flattened on top of her, smashing her neck farther      into the door. He let out a sigh then sat up. Was that it? she      thought. She'd felt him do something down there, but she was      expecting overpowering pain, and blood from a stuck pig and      brimstone and hell. What was the big deal? And why did people keep      doing it?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Soon after, she accepted a full scholarship to an out-of-state      college, which her parents forbade her to take. With a backpack      loaded with all her wanted possessions, she took the bus away from      her home and never ventured back. In the last twelve years, she'd      called a couple times, to let them know she was alive.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The last time, she actually listened to the damnation speech a few      minutes before she hung up. It was nice to know nothing had      changed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her choice of career was also decided by her loving parents. In      second grade, the class learned dinosaurs had lived millions of      years ago. When she told the teacher her mom and dad said the      earth was only several thousand years old, the teacher looked      dismayed. \"I'm sorry, Melinda. I forgot about you. You are      supposed to believe what your mother and father tell you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Even now, she recalled the sarcasm and disdain in her instructor's      words. From that moment on, Melinda decided she'd believe only      what the books in school told her. In her later years, she learned      even her educational materials were not the \"real\" story. She had      to do her own research and make her own decision.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hard, steady, non-negotiable facts. That was where she found her      peace, her way. With facts, no one could tell her she was wrong.      Two plus two equaled four and there was no getting around that.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e So when she was offered a research position with the Centers for      Disease Control, she jumped at the opportunity to work with a      prestigious organization whose mission was to better the world      through finding the truth with science. Then she learned about the      world of politics and how it affected almost everything.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Office politics made as much sense as her zealot parents. If she      wanted to have the perks and money, she had to play the game.      Which she hated. She was into discovery and advancing science to      benefit mankind. All the other things someone else could deal      with.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Two years ago when a position opened at the world-famous Uganda      Virus Research Lab, she couldn't pass up the chance to get away      from a place ruled by money. Certainly the UVRL had its issues, as      all places did, but Melinda doubted they were any worse than she'd      already experienced. At least in Uganda the temperature seldom      rose higher than the seventies, nor fell lower than the sixties.      And there weren't any roads to cause road rage. After being there      for over a year, she'd learned the climate and customs pretty      quickly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Miss Caster.\" She looked at her senior PRO. Oh, right. The hunky,      geeky Oversight guy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With an over-the-top grin, she tilted her head like a star-struck      teen. \"Yes, Mr. Kintu.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her boss rolled his eyes. \"Dr. Hamel, as I warned you earlier,      Miss Caster has a strong . . .\" He paused. Mel raised a brow. What      had he told this guy about her already? \"A strong sense of doing      what she thinks right-\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You'd better believe it. \"Aww, thanks, Mr. Kintu. I didn't know      you cared.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He wasn't finished. \"Whether or not she comes off as a-what do you      call it?-smart-ass.\" Their visitor burst out a laugh. Mel, not so      much. Mr. Kintu winked at her. If she had one person she wanted in      her life in a father role, he would be that man. \"Dr. Hamel,      please have a seat.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Parish sat across the table from her. His glasses didn't look      right. Maybe more like he wasn't used to wearing Coke bottles. Her      sight was horrible as a kid. One of the first things she did when      she'd saved up enough money was have laser surgery done on her      eyes. It was indescribable how much that changed her self-image.      It was the first time she could remember waking and seeing the      clock without having to feel around for her glasses.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dr. Hamel slipped off his own glasses and slid them into his      pocket. Interesting. Maybe he only needed them for driving. Mr.      Kintu turned to Melinda. \"Miss Caster, in no way have you done      anything wrong. I hope I didn't imply that earlier. Dr. Hamel is      here to learn from you-\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Learn from me?\" What the hell? She was a researcher; all she did      was learn, not teach.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mr. Kintu turned to the visitor. \"She also has a tendency to      interrupt.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I do not.\" Her cheeks flooded red.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As I was saying,\" he continued, \"a tendency to interrupt, which      is a sign of a strong, quick mind.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dr. Hamel nodded. \"I am warned. Thank you, Mr. Kintu.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her senior PRO turned to her. \"Now, Miss Caster, Dr. Hamel is here      to assist you. To take notes as you dictate your experiment's      progress. Everything you do concerning this undiscovered virus is      vital to log. We will not be blamed again for 'failing to act'      against a new potential health threat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We discovered the Zika virus in 1947, and seventy years later,      they act as if a nuclear bomb has exploded under our noses. We are      well aware of every disease on this planet. And written records      will continue to prove that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I fully agree, Mr. Kintu,\" Mel said. \"Who's accusing us of not      knowing?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He mumbled under his breath and looked down at papers in front of      him. He might've been blushing, though it was hard to tell with      his dark-colored skin. \"Anyway, Miss Caster, please show Dr. Hamel      around the facility and introduce him to those you work with.\" He      stood, signaling the meeting was over.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He turned to the newcomer and offered a hand. \"Thank you for      coming, Doctor. Your attendance is appreciated.\" He swiveled      toward her. \"Miss Caster, please don't beat him up too much. We      need to return him in one piece.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Melinda set her laptop and notes on a table in her lab. The room      was fairly large for only one person to work in, thus when a piece      of equipment or box needed to be stored someplace, it usually      ended up in her lab.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dr. Hump-him-Hamel-followed her in. He took another deep breath.      What was up with that? Did he smell something strange? She took a      shower this morning. Her little home even had electricity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Actually, most buildings did in Entebbe. The Ugandan town was one      of the larger ones in the small country. It sat on the shore of      Lake Victoria in Africa, much like Chicago butted up to Lake      Michigan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You keep a clean lab, Miss Caster.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yeah, you can't have microbes from lunch floating onto a petri      dish.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Penicillin was discovered in such a way.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Of course; how do you expect a man to discover anything?\" She      eyed him for his reaction. If he could handle her man-bashing,      they'd get along just fine. No woman-bashing, though. Yes, it was      a double standard, but it was her lab. If he didn't like it, he      really was more than welcome to leave.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Agreed, Miss Caster. Men are usually not associated with      cleanliness.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Did he just agree with her? Holy shit. Maybe she'd found a keeper.      Wait, he's Oversight. Never mind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Miss Caster-\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Melinda\"-yes, she interrupted, dammit-\"please call me Melinda.\"      The big guy smiled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As long as you call me Parish, I will.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She inwardly cringed. \"Parish\" reminded her too much of her      parents. \"No offense, Dr. Hamel, but may I call you by your last      name?\" She waited for his indignant reply.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I prefer that, actually,\" he said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Holy double shit! He agreed with her again. This hadn't happened      since the guys on the vaccination floor agreed to move their beer      to another fridge. She would've hated for one of them to      accidently drink a virus. Though, how one could confuse a test      tube for a beer, she didn't know. But she had no doubt, the men      would've found a way.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Hamel it is, then,\" she said. Her eyes glanced around the room      while her brain scrambled for something to say. She was never good      at the whole human-communication thing. That was another nice      thing about being a researcher; they were known to work      constantly, thus excused from social interaction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hamel saved her from herself and spoke first. \"How about we start      from the beginning and you tell me how you came across this new      virus.\" That she could do.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She opened her laptop, logged into the network, then turned to      him. Damn, he was standing close. She hadn't noticed in the      awkward moment spent trying to find something to say. He smelled      different, a good different. Woodsy, fresh, like he just came in      from a run in the forest. Her favorite smells.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e That was another thing she loved about where she lived. Before      when she thought of Africa, two things came to mind: dense jungle      with monster snakes that squeezed you to death, and desert sands      that went on forever, unmercifully killing anyone stupid enough to      get lost.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But surrounding Africa's largest lake, trees and cleared land      dominated the populated areas. Waves gently lapped against the      shore on Entebbe's public beaches. As soon as the narrow swaths of      sand ended, forests sprang, giving shelter from the sun. Town      sidewalks and parks roamed the lake area, letting tourists and      natives alike easily dip their toes into the warm water.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her balcony at home faced the water, always catching the cool      winds. At night, she usually sat outside, listening to the waves      come in. Sometimes a radio played pop hits in the distance, and      happy screams of children chasing the retreating water, only to be      caught by the incoming deluge, floated in the air.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Shit. She realized why he was so close to her. Not because she was      alluring or exotic. No, he was close so he could watch her type in      her network password. Damn. She'd have to change it again. It was      time, anyway. She was sure administration wouldn't be happy if      they found out \"fuckingpassword1\" belonged to their lab      technician. It fit the criteria: more than eight letters, number      included, and she wouldn't forget it. Worked for her.","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46302555701477,"sku":"NP9780399585838","price":7.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780399585838.jpg?v=1767720584","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/alfa-mates-isbn-9780399585838","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}