by C. D. Gorri
Even as he had this little conversation with himself, he noted his Bear sitting up and shaking his head at him from that place in his mind’s eye where his beast waited. Grrr.
Chapter 3
Krissy dusted the flour off her jeans as she stepped around the counter. Dodging the various employees that moved restlessly gathering orders and making smoothies and lattes, she contemplated her options for the day. It was after ten in the morning and she’d been at work since six without breakfast. She was starving.
“Excuse me, Frankie,” she moved past the young freckle-faced girl who smiled nervously at her. She was a freshman at the local community college and a member of their Clan.
She reminded Krissy a lot of herself when she came in for the part-time job. The oldest of two kids from a single-parent home, she helped support her mom and younger brother with her job at Bear Claw.
She smiled now at her decision to hire the girl on the spot, noting how hard Frankie worked. Choosing a pecan crusted honeybun and a large mug of specially brewed dark roast coffee, Krissy sauntered over to an empty table and opened a reading app on her cell phone.
Sometimes she needed a few minutes to just let her mind unwind. A good snack, an even better book, and I’ll be right as rain. Ready to tackle the shit ton of emails waiting for her inside her small office.
The old-fashioned bell above the door rang, but Krissy ignored it as she read, nibbled, and sipped. It wasn’t until someone slid the chair out across from her and sat down that she looked up.
“Uh, hello?” Krissy recognized the blue-eyed blonde with the radiant smile as Marcus’ fiancée.
“Hi! Krissy, right? I’m Leya, we met the other day,” the woman practically overflowed with happiness as she shook Krissy’s hand.
Krissy found herself wanting to squint against such an unabashedly blinding display of joy. How nice to be happily mated, she thought, ignoring her own feelings of melancholy.
“Yes, I remember, is there something I can do for you?” She closed the app and sat straight adopting a formal expression.
“Oh, no, no, please, don’t be so formal. I was just stopping by to invite you to come out with me-”
Another jingle over the door had Krissy’s head swiveling around before she could respond. Why would the bright ball of energy that was Leya Tremayne, soon-to-be-Devlin, want to hang out with her?
Before she could ponder a reason, she spotted the person she’d been hoping to avoid. Taylor Devlin in his very fine flesh. Twice in twenty-four hours. Must be a record.
“Hi Taylor!” Leya gushed and waved him over.
Krissy frowned. He did seem to be looking for someone. She was surprised when his emerald green eyes sparkled in her direction.
What the heck was going on? First, Marcus’ fiancée was here asking her to hang out and talking a mile a minute, then Taylor came in looking for her? Usually, the brothers spent days at a time away from the office, knowing she’d take care of things. This was all highly unusual. Was she being punk’d?
“Anyway, you want to come with?” Leya seemed so earnest, and yet Krissy had no idea what she was talking about.
How could she concentrate when six-and-a-half-feet of blonde god was walking towards her?
“Who’s coming with who?” He asked and realizing what he said was unable to hide the crimson blush staining his cheeks. Krissy could have died right there. Um, me please? No! Bad Bear!
“Why Krissy and I are going out to do some shopping! Right, Krissy?”
Before she could refuse the claim, Krissy watched as Taylor reached over and snagged a piece of her honey bun while guffawing at his almost sister-in-law. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to him. The ass!
“Dimples? Shopping? Yeah, right. She buys her flannels and jeans by bulk, don’t ya, Dimples? Shopping? As if she’d leave work for that,” he chuckled and grinned at them both in a way she used to find irresistibly charming.
Right then, Krissy wanted to kick the big blonde jerk right where it hurts! How dare he!
“Actually, she’s right. Good thing you got here in time Taylor. We’re about to get a huge delivery and it needs to be signed for. You don’t mind, I’m sure. Oh, and put this in the bin,” she handed him her garbage and walked straight out the front door, Leya on her heals.
“But Dimples, I gotta-”
“Well, looks like we’re off! Later, Taylor,” giggled Leya. She jumped up from her seat, a ray of pure sunshine, and gave her almost-brother a squeeze.
“Bye now! Be a good boy and sign for the delivery! Oh and Marcus said to meet us later at The Thirsty Dog for a little party, ‘kay?”
Krissy barely overheard what Leya said to the bane of her existence as she stepped outside into the early spring air! What’s more, she really didn’t care. Is that really what he thought about her?
He spoke as if she was some kind of hopeless workaholic! Like she lived in her flannels and jeans! Like she had no interest in being a woman! How could he?
Cause he’s right, her Bear hated arguing with her human half, but sometimes, the animal had to call it like it is. Krissy scowled as she looked down at her completely inappropriate for the weather attire.
But can’t he see beyond my clothes? To the Bear and the woman underneath? The question threatened to choke her, as did the answer. No. he can’t and he doesn’t want to.
After the kiss they’d shared at the Christmas party, Krissy had been certain that he saw her as a woman now. Maybe not like the women he preferred to date, but still.
I am such a fool. That stupid, fateful night! If only she could go back in time and talk herself out of it! How she’d taken care with her dress and hair. How she’d had more to drink than usual.
Of course, that had been after her mother took a bad tumble on some ice in the grocery store parking lot. Patricia Sposa was getting older and she wasn’t physically well to begin with. The fall had taken a lot out of her.
The stress of her mother’s impending hip replacement and the recent relapse of the ovarian cancer that plagued her was simply too much. Of course, the excellent health care the brothers’ provided completely covered the operation and rehabilitation. But at the time, it seemed impossible.
She’d foolishly tried to drown her troubles away in shot after shot of the delicious RumChata liquor. Literally. She just wanted to be young and carefree for one night.
Of course, Taylor was there. Always something of a playboy, notoriously so, he’d stood like a beacon amongst his employees. The night club they’d rented was beautifully decorated, very upscale and inviting.
She’d worshipped him from afar for years. Hiding right under his nose. For all his supernatural capabilities, the blonde Black Bear Shifter had remained ignorant of her affection for him. She drank, danced, and flirted that night. Trying to forget for just a little while the load of responsibilities she bore every single day.
Surely, the Fates decided to pity her that night. Taylor himself had asked her to dance and spun her round and round the dance floor. And she’d loved every minute of it.
Her heart thudded in her chest, her body heated, falling more and more under the potent spell that was being near Taylor Devlin. The entire time spent in his arms, her Bear had growled the one word she’d gotten used to hearing whenever he was near. Mate.
Then she did the unthinkable. She told him. Spilled her guts to the pussy-hound of a Bear and had to sit there while he politely told her she was mistaken. She’d had too much to drink and Taylor could never be her mate. EVER.
The painful memory was almost too much to bear. She stifled a gasp, not knowing where she was walking, but she slowed her pace when a small hand on her arm had her looking down into the sympathetic eyes of Marcus’ mate.
“Hey now, Krissy, I know my almost bro-in-law can be an insensitive jerk, but don’t let him get you down.”
“Um, I’m sorry, Leya. I think I should go home”
“Wow. You do care about him, don’t you?” Leya’s shock made Kri
ssy laugh through her tears. She wiped them away quickly, allowing herself to be tugged by the smallish woman to her car.
“I, uh, I think I just realized he’s never gonna love me,” Krissy said the word as if it was dirty. A nasty trick the world played on her, making her think she could have him.
“Oh Krissy! Look, I’m so sorry honey. I love Taylor, but he’s a dog! Now, you are not going home."
“I’m not?”
“Nope! We are going shopping! Besides, you know what they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea! Or maybe I should say, bears in the woods?!” She giggled and Krissy found herself responding.
“That is terrible!”
“OMG, you’re right! Don’t tell Marcus!” Leya laughed again and Krissy understood how Marcus could fall for this bright and happy woman.
“Now, the best way to get over any man is to shop till you drop! Are you with me?”
Krissy looked down at her worn jeans and faded shirt. Flannels and jeans by bulk, huh? Fuck that.
“Yeah. I am ready.”
“Great! Jersey girls are so lucky with the whole no sales tax on clothing thing, I’ve lived in the city so long I forgot! Now, I have been dying to get down to the Full Moon Outlets ever since me and Marcus landed after our vacation!”
“Sounds good to me!”
“Yay!”
With an excited squeal of rubber on pavement, Krissy said a mini-prayer as Leya hightailed it onto the highway. Marcus’ little normal mate drove them to what was sure to be the most thorough shopping experience of Krissy Sposa’s life.
Chapter 4
“Where the fuck are you, Taylor?”
“At the bakery! Your mate dragged poor Dimples out the door to do some shopping with her today.”
“So?”
“So? Well someone had to stay and sign for the shipment of new mixers. These fuckers cost fifty grand each! Now, I’m stuck overseeing all thirty of them, plus the extra handles, get divided and sent to the other locations.”
Laughter flowed over from the other end of the line and Taylor frowned. The fucker was laughing at him!
“You know this sucks, Marcus! She shouldn’t be doing this alone. I had to carry like ten boxes of equipment to our vans for distribution myself. Does she normally do this shit?”
“Fuck, Taylor, that’s been part of her job since she was seventeen! She’s a Bear not some delicate freaking flower,” his brother growled, but Taylor didn’t like the implication.
“Marcus, this isn’t right. It’s too hard for her-”
“Oh Jeez! Look, shut the fuck up, alright? We got an issue,” Marcus switched to his Alpha voice and Taylor was all ears.
“What’s up?”
“I was out with Daniel and a few of our guards patrolling the perimeter around the Den,” he paused, and Taylor stiffened. Something had his Alpha worried.
“I scented something strange. A stranger, actually. Ursine, for sure, but it was different.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Like us, but not of our Clan. Still, there was something familiar about the scent.”
“As Keeper, I’ve been studying our laws. Anyone, Shifter or normal, seeking refuge in our territory is required to announce him or herself-”
“It was male.”
“Okay, well still, the laws state he must formally seek permission to be here. Otherwise, we are well within our rights to defend our territory and to hunt him down.”
“Yes, well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. We will give this stranger a few days to announce himself.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“For now. Okay, work and Clan business aside, you’re still meeting us for drinks and wings tonight at The Thirsty Dog, yes?”
“You know it’s Saturday night, right? I mean I have better things to do than to watch my brother and his mate, though if Leya is looking for a little something from your younger and sexier brother for comparison-”
“I’ll rip your damn arms off and feed them to you first, dick. Look, it’s not just us. Daniel’s gonna be there.”
Taylor’s eyebrows rocketed to his hairline. His brother was rarely seen in mixed company these days. Maybe he should go? It was true, he had a date. But the woman he’d promised to take out was more than a casual acquaintance.
A blast from his past, actually. Margot O’Conner, former cheerleader and sometimes fuck buddy, had waylaid him at the pharmacy where he’d gone to restock on some, er, necessary protection.
He was clean as they came, Bear Shifter and all, but he had no intention of making any little Devlin’s by accident! Anyway, he’d taken her hint and asked her out.
Hint meaning the way she’d pressed her body fully into him and grasped onto his forearm. A little trip down memory lane maybe. He’d regretted the decision later and meant to cancel.
She could be a bit much. Her tendency to be possessive and throw tantrums was unappealing, but she still looked good. Maybe he could share a few beers with her and his brothers tonight?
Yeah. She could meet him there. That way if he didn’t feel like scratching that old itch again, he could part ways friendly-like. He was just tapping off the text with the change of plans to Margot when Marcus’ voice brought him back to the present.
“Ok, good, by the way Krissy will be there too and a couple of the guys.” Meaning his brother’s guards would be there as well. The Clan Alpha always had guards with him when he went out amongst normals.
Did he say Dimples was going? Now, why would she do that? Despite her antics during the holidays, she hated drinking. As far as he knew, she liked work, and, well, work. Huh. Odd. He knew so little about her. For some reason, that bothered him. A lot.
“Okay, uh, my date will meet me there. Anyway, I’ll see you later.”
Taylor couldn’t quite erase his frown the rest of the day. He’d meant to stick around for an hour or so, until Krissy got back. Then he’d find out if his brother had just been messing with him.
Surely, she didn’t have any intention of going to that rowdy Werewolf run bar on a Saturday night. She was sure to be harassed by a bunch of half-drunk Shifters, or worse, normals looking for an easy lay.
His growl surprised him, but he controlled himself before anyone else seemed to notice. He cleared his throat and grabbed an iced tea from the cooler in the back.
It was cool outside, low sixties, but he felt as if he was burning up. He breathed in the air, the smells of fresh baking bread and sweets painted the air and his beast reveled in it. It was truly a nice evening. Even if he was sweating balls and felt all antsy.
He checked his phone; it was getting late. She’s not coming back to work. The realization filled him with shock. Shit, maybe she was having car trouble? He dialed her cell phone, worried about her well-being he told himself. It went right to voicemail.
Shit! She could be stuck somewhere on the highway waiting for a tow truck with no gas, no phone! Fuck. Before he got through the door, he remembered she’d left with Leya. If there was an issue with a car or anything else, Marcus would have taken care of it.
Grrr. What is wrong with me? Taylor ran his hands over his face. He felt anxious and unsettled. A weird sort of anticipatory sensation began somewhere in his gut. Completely out of sorts, he grunted.
This was all her fault! Dimples wasn’t supposed to be out gallivanting with his brother’s mate. She was supposed to be here. Tucked away at the bakery, where he knew she was safe! Dammit.
Disgusted with himself Taylor got up from her desk. The scent of jasmine and vanilla hung in the air, too powerful to ignore. Fuck. He needed to get away from there.
He needed space and fresh air. It was only six, he didn’t have to be at The Thirsty Dog for another two hours and it was about a half hour away. He had time for a run!
Fur pushed through his pores and his beast grumbled happily. Wait. He rushed outside and walked past the graveled employee parking lot to the woods that sat behind the bak
ery. The ovens gave off so much heat he felt it burn into his back as he passed the familiar building.
The flour and yeasty scent perfumed the air and drove away the disturbing fragrance of jasmine that had somehow started to make him a little woozy.
Tucking himself behind a close copse of oaks he immediately shucked off his clothing. Within seconds he felt that familiar hum of magic lengthening his muscles and snapping his bones. His beast pushed out from within, flexing and growing, stretching him until he stood on four legs, a huge, off-white Black Bear.
Taylor’s fur was so much lighter than both his brother’s it was almost comical. A blonde Black Bear! He’d had to deal with a lot of shit from his brothers and some of his peers in the Clan when he was younger. Shifters often tested the dominance of others to establish hierarchy in a Pack or Clan.
Because of his white color, he was often targeted. Taylor learned early to use his size and wiry frame to his benefit. He was not as bulky as some male Bears, but he was generally faster. They soon learned that white fur or not, his Black Bear was a force to be reckoned with.
His brothers wouldn’t have allowed him to grow up as anything less. Animalistic tendencies demanded he be able to defend himself, and in time, protect his mate and cubs. So, yeah, he trained.
His parents never coddled their sons, but he recalled his father telling him stories of special white Black Bears when he was a kid. It always soothed his ruffled fur after a round of teasing from his peers. Kids could be jerks sometimes.
His brother Daniel was blonde in his human form, like Taylor, but even his fur was more of a dark brown, lightening on his head and neck to a golden glow. Neither of them had Marcus’ deep black coloring.
Dad had told Taylor that his unique coloring made him a Spirit Bear. Rare in the natural world and even rarer in the supernatural one. Taylor learned to be proud of his uniqueness. And when it was called for, he’d beaten the shit out of anyone who dared taunt him.
Sure, he was more a lover than fighter. He left most of the violence to Daniel nowadays. Go figure. After all, he was the Clan Enforcer.