Reforming the Bear

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “You have to promise me that what I’m about to reveal to you will stay with you and only you?”

  “I’ve kept my brother’s secret, so yes, you can count on me.”

  ****

  Liam stood and walked back and forth across the floor a few times. He ran his hands through his hair.

  “Shit, this isn’t easy. I don’t know how the other guys have managed to handle this.”

  He went on his knees in front of her and held both her hands.

  “I’m not what you think I am.”

  “I think you’re a really nice guy … so you’re saying that isn’t true, or what?”

  “I’m only a guy half the time.”

  Fuck, that hadn’t come out liked he hoped. She probably thought he dressed up in woman’s clothing or something. The corners of her mouth turned upward. Shit, she was about to laugh.

  “That didn’t sound right. I’m a man and I’m also … a bear.”

  Oh god, he was digging himself in deeper. This did sound totally ridiculous.

  “You definitely are when you’re in bed.”

  No, no, no, she was taking this like a joke when it wasn’t. Damn.

  “And it’s not only me. My brother Danny was a bear. Aiden, Christopher, Dane, Trent, Ash, and Bear are bears too.”

  “Bear’s a bear?”

  “Please, Lucy, I’m being serious here. We’re not from here … I don’t mean Montana, but from Earth.”

  She pulled her hands from his. “Liam, if you don’t want to be in a relationship with me you don’t have to go to these extremes to put me off getting involved, okay.”

  “I’m not trying to put you off being with me. I am from another planet and I’m a bear. Sam’s half a bear because Hannah is human. Charlotte, Emily, Lilly and Melanie are all human.”

  “And what about Nick, Lucas, Maisey?”

  “Wolves.”

  “Wolves?”

  “And Ava?”

  “She’s human. Look, if you don’t believe me you’re going to have to come along with me and see for yourself.”

  He pulled her up and out of the door and they walked past the living room.

  “Sam, turn the TV off because you and I are going to show Lucy how we run,” he said.

  ****

  Why she’d even agreed to get into the truck with him she didn’t know. She’d play along. Maybe he was mentally ill. He hadn’t come across that way but perhaps he stopped taking his medication.

  “You sit on the bench here and we’ll see you in a minute,” Liam had told her before he and Sam had walked into the woods.

  She looked at her watch. Ten minutes and they weren’t back. Lucy looked to her left when she heard what sounded like leaves and twigs snapping. She expected to see Liam and Sam walking back toward her but instead it was a grizzly bear and a cub.

  Oh my god … no, it couldn’t be. Surely by pure coincidence two bears had shown up. Lucy stood and started to back away as they got closer. You couldn’t outrun a bear, right?

  She stood frozen, every nerve in her body going on alert, and her heart beat faster as they quickened their pace.

  Please let this really be Liam and Sam … now I’m talking crazy too.

  She looked at the two bears and into their eyes. She recognized the souls residing in those bodies. How weird was that?

  Lucy took a risk and held out her hand, letting the bears come up to her. They both let her run her fingers through their fur.

  She’d always thought bear fur was soft, when in fact it was coarse and dense.

  The large bear brushed against her and she detected the odor she had the first time she’d kissed Liam. Sam lifted his right front paw up and offered it to her. She took it, shook it and then he nudged her as she stroked his head.

  Liam nudged Sam and the two of them walked back into the woods.

  Had she been dreaming? She looked at her hand. No, she had actually stroked two bears and they hadn’t hurt her.

  More rustling and then she saw Liam and Sam emerge from the woods.

  “Did you think I was cute?” asked Sam.

  She looked at Liam and without realizing it, fainted.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Liam watched as Lucy’s eyelids fluttered. He hadn’t taken any chances. He’d carried her back to the car and he and Sam had driven to the hospital where Ash had been standing in for the vacationing Bear.

  “Hi, Lucy, can you hear me?” asked Ash.

  Lucy opened her eyes, looking all around, first at Ash and then Liam. She was about sit up but then flinched.

  “It’ll be okay, Lucy, just take it easy … you bumped your head when you fell to the ground,” said Ash.

  “I’ve never fainted in my life,” said Lucy.

  Liam stroked the back of her hand. That was probably his fault for throwing so much at her at once.

  “Did I dream we were by the woods?” she asked.

  “Nope. That was real,” said Liam.

  “I’d like to keep you in overnight just to make sure you don’t have a concussion,” said Ash.

  “Can I stay with her?” asked Liam.

  “You don’t have to. You have Sam to take care of,” said Lucy.

  “He wouldn’t mind staying here too. He’s used to the hospital,” said Liam.

  “I’m going to let you two visit … call me if you need anything,” said Ash.

  Ash walked out of the room.

  “What are you thinking?” asked Liam.

  “That I fell for a guy who’s the most wonderful person in the world and he just so happens to be a bear?”

  Liam smiled and kissed her hand. “Anyone will tell you that before I met you I didn’t want anything to do with humans. Guess you’ve reformed me.”

  “Reforming the bear.”

  “Uncle Liam, the cellphone keeps vibrating and it won’t stop.”

  Liam looked around to see Sam carrying in the phone that had been in Lucy’s bag.

  “It’s my brother. He said he’d call when he wanted me to take the evidence back home.”

  Was this it? Lucy would be leaving. She’d promised to come back, but would she? As of a few months ago before he knew that Sam existed he would have gladly pulled up roots and gone back to the East Coast. In fact, it might have been a good thing, getting away from the memories of Danny. However, now he had a nephew, Danny’s son, to keep watch over. He’d watch Sam grow into the fine young bear he was destined to be. He never wanted to be torn between two things he loved.

  Sam handed Lucy the phone. She pressed the button.

  “Hello, Mike,” she said, a tear running down her face. She clearly loved her brother like he’d loved Danny. Yeah, he would have done the same thing for Danny, traveled cross-country like her if he had to.

  “Who is this?”

  Liam saw the color drain from her face.

  “No, no, please don’t hurt them. Yes, I have everything and I can…”

  Something wasn’t right. Liam snatched the phone from her. He’d deal with this now.

  “Liam, what are you doing?”

  “Who the hell is this?” asked Liam.

  The voice on the other end spoke gruffly. “I’ve no idea who you are but the young lady has something belonging to us. If she returns it, her brother and his two children will be perfectly safe.” It was a man’s voice.

  Liam didn’t like the set-up of this. Lucy could walk into a trap and all four of them could be killed. If they wanted the evidence returned they’d have to come to his neck of the woods and play by his rules. A bear always kept his mate safe.

  “If you want your stuff back then you’re going to need to bring her brother and his children here to me, and when I know they’re safe then you’ll get what belongs to you.”

  Lucy waved her hands in front of him and shook her head.

  Liam lifted his hand and nodded.

  The man laughed. “You think we’re coming out to the middle of nowhere?”

  “You want your stu
ff or not?” asked Liam, standing and walking over to the window.

  “Okay, you give me a place and time and no tricks or you’re all dead.”

  “No tricks on our part.”

  Bears always played fair … well, sometimes.

  ****

  Lucy couldn’t believe that Liam had done what he had.

  “Your brother and his kids are going to be fine. You were going to walk into a trap, Lucy, and I couldn’t let that happen.”

  He was probably right but she didn’t like that he’d put himself in the crossfire too. He’d arranged to meet near Maureen’s place and enlisted the help of most of the other shifters.

  “I want you to stay with Sam and I’ll call you as soon as I have your brother and the children. I’ll call you and I’ll have them home before you know it.”

  “No! Liam, I don’t want you doing this.”

  “Lucy, you’re now my mate and that means I have to keep you safe.”

  ****

  Liam had sent Maureen away despite her wanting to stand guard with her shotgun. He’d hesitated over letting Trent know about the whole thing, but had finally given in and now two cops were waiting at the end of the road. Once Liam gave the signal, they’d know to move in and arrest whoever the bastard was that was holding a man and his two children hostage.

  Liam heard a car approaching and dust swirling in the air. This was it. He looked at the bag that Lucy had been guarding so well.

  Liam stepped outside and onto the driveway as the man got out and so did another man. Yeah, you couldn’t trust humans to play fair.

  “I told you to come on your own,” shouted Liam.

  “Some extra insurance for me. You ready to trade?” asked the man.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  The man signaled for the other one to open the car door. He pulled out who Liam knew was Lucy’s brother by the similar facial structure and color of his hair. A boy about Sam’s age and a younger girl stood holding onto their father.

  Liam carried the bag over to the car. As he got closer he could see that Mike had obviously been beaten because his eye was swollen and almost closed shut, his cheek was cut and his lips distorted. He had to stop himself from beating the shit out of these two guys.

  Instead he pushed the bag into the man’s chest. “Take this and go before I have to hurt you.”

  The man took it just as gunfire rang out. Liam dived in front of the children but saw Mike go down beside him. The two children screamed, and the next thing Liam knew, the car was speeding away.

  “Daddy,” sobbed the little girl leaning into her father.

  Liam saw blood on her.

  “Honey, are you hurt?” he asked.

  “No, it’s my daddy, the bad man shot him.”

  Liam glanced at Mike. He wasn’t moving and the front of his shirt was covered in blood.

  This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was meant to be the hero, saving her brother and his children. No one was supposed to get hurt. If she lost her brother then he’d know her pain, just like when he’d lost Danny. It would destroy her and it would be the end of the beautiful relationship they’d formed.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lucy knew something wasn’t right when she saw Liam getting out of the car with only her niece and nephew. All three had blood on their clothing. Where was Mike? Where was her brother?

  She ran outside, Susie and Alex both running full speed toward her.

  “Auntie Lucy! Daddy got shot,” cried Susie.

  Lucy looked over at Liam. She’d trusted him. Put her faith in him to deal with this and keep everyone safe. She’d started out this journey to help her brother all by herself. She’d been doing fine and then she’d put her faith in the man she’d fallen in love with. Now it looked like she’d made the wrong choice.

  Without thinking, without even asking what happened, Lucy ran over to Liam and slapped his face. Her hand stung. “You promised me my brother would be safe,” she sobbed.

  “Lucy, I’m so sorry. It all happened so quickly. He’s getting the best care at the hospital. I’m going to take you to him right now. Lilly’s on her way to look after Alex and Susie while we’re gone.”

  She fell to her knees and put her arms around the children. Right now she was all they had. Liam put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. It was a gesture that she’d not so long ago loved so much. Now his touch made her angry. She was angry with herself, more than anything. Lucy flicked it away and then looked up at Liam. “If anything happens to my brother, I will hate you for the rest of my life.”

  ****

  “Uncle Liam, you haven’t eaten anything for two days, and you haven’t said anything to me for a long time,” said Sam, pulling on his arm. Liam remained lying on the couch. Despite Mike being out of danger and able to head home, he’d broken his promise to Lucy. He’d hurt her and she’d never trust him again. The relationship was over and he was wallowing in self-pity like he had when Danny had died.

  He was back to acting selfish again. He was selfish, period. Nothing had changed. She hadn’t reformed the bear. He’d insisted on doing things his way because he was afraid of her getting hurt or even worse, she’d die which meant he’d be all on his own again. Liam Ahern had put his needs and wants before the safety of Mike Hunt. That was wrong … so wrong. He’d lost Lucy.

  Now he was back to being the not-so-fun to be around bear that everyone avoided. He could never go back to being him because playing that part wasn’t who he really was. However, without Lucy’s love, without her being part of his life, that’s who he was. He’d lost Danny and now Lucy too.

  “I’m sorry, Sam. I’ve let so many people down.”

  “When’s Lucy coming back?”

  Liam shook his head. Bottom line was she’d told him she wasn’t ever coming back to Montana and wouldn’t ever see him again. When she’d left to fly home with Mike and the kids, she hadn’t even said the word goodbye.

  “But I want her to live here. She’s my new friend.”

  Liam patted his nephew on the head. At least he still had Sam.

  “Uncle Liam, why isn’t she coming back?”

  He was about to tell him that he was too young to understand but he never wanted to patronize his nephew like that.

  “I put myself and my needs before hers. That’s wrong. The old Liam would have done that, but not the new me.”

  “But … Uncle Liam, you love Lucy.”

  Shit, Danny’s son was just as smart as he’d been.

  “I know, but she doesn’t love me.” Liam rolled over on his side, tears rolling down his face.

  Sam pulled on his arm again. “You have to get up because I’m feeling sort of funny and I think I’m going to need to shift into my bear and run.”

  Liam took a deep breath. Once again in his selfishness, wallowing in his own self -pity, he’d forgotten about Sam and what he needed to do to stay well. Liam had been left in charge of Sam’s welfare and if anything happened to him, well, two more people would hate him.

  “Okay, let’s head out to the car and we’ll run.”

  Liam got off the couch and grabbed the car keys. Sam ran ahead of him out of the door. Once outside he spotted Lucy’s car. She’d told him she’d send someone to come pick it up in the next week or so. However, he had a better idea. Once Bear and Hannah were back and he didn’t need to look after Sam he was going to drive to Philly and deliver the car in person. He planned to use all his bear charm to try and win her back.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Lucy wiped her eyes. It sounded like her car pulling up outside on the driveway but that was impossible. It wasn’t due to be delivered back until next week. However, she’d know the purr of that engine anywhere. She got out of bed and pulled the drapes back and suddenly panicked. It was her car and Liam was getting out of it.

  She had in fact, cooled down a lot since getting home and had reflected on what had happened and what she’d said. But the bottom line was she wasn’t ready to
see him. Wasn’t ready to talk to him. She’d said some harsh words. Words she didn’t really mean about blaming him for what happened to Mike. He was going to be fine, he’d recover but Liam had been pig-headed and he needed to know that. Love was too precious to give up on so easily.

  Shit, her hair was a mess. Her t-shirt had a hole in it, and…

  The pinging of the doorbell rang out throughout the house. She looked at the clock: Just a few minutes past seven in the morning. If she knew Liam as well as she thought, he’d driven non-stop, probably all through the night to get to Philly.

  She ran her hands through her hair. When the doorbell sounded again, she hurried to the door and opened it without thinking about what she was going to say. And then when she saw the hunk of man standing on her doorstep it happened all over again. Her heart flipped just like it had the first time she’d seen him when he’d saved by the roadside that night.

  He hadn’t shaved and he looked dead on his feet. Neither of them said anything for a few seconds, but then he reached out and pulled her into his body.

  “I’ve missed you and I’ve missed doing this,” he whispered in her ear.

  Before she could say anything he’d swooped her up in his arms, also like he had that night when he’d carried her to the car.

  “Bedroom?” he asked.

  She pointed to the left.

  ****

  Lucy hadn’t believed that make-up sex was the way to settle your differences but when Liam’s cock vibrated against the walls of her pussy, she knew she might have to rethink such an old-fashioned notion.

  She rubbed her hands along his biceps, feeling the tip of his shaft tickle the back wall of her channel. They rubbed noses before he picked up his tempo again and started thrusting hard and deep.

  As if they were one, both of them climaxed together, lifting their heads and crying out. He stayed inside her while he kissed her.

  “You know how to win a girl over,” she said.

  “It’s what we bears do.”

  “Liam, I should apologize for the hasty…”