by Alice Brown, Lady V, Samantha Potter, Rayne O'Gara, Lei Carol, Hazel Gower
Quivering in fear, Callie was unsure whether she should try to jump up and run or just give in and let the woman kill her. Quickly making the decision to try to run, Callie couldn’t help but think that it was the stupidest decision she had ever made. Jumping up to her feet to spin around, crying out in pain as her right ankle rolled under her just as she felt claws rip into her shoulder.
Screaming in pain as she crashed into the ground once again, she felt the bear grip her shoulder in one paw to roll her over onto her stomach. Callie could only lay there frozen in fear as she stared into the big bear’s yellow eyes as it snarled and growled with its long pointy teeth just inches from her face as its drool ran down her cheeks.
Both so focused on the other, neither noticed until it was too late and they were now surrounded by six other bears. It wasn’t until the biggest of the bears let out the loudest, scariest roar Callie had ever heard, did either of them notice the others.
Trying as hard as she could to keep her fear under control so she didn’t have a full blown panic attack, Callie looked from the bear standing over her whom was growling at the others to the bears that were circled around them. Oh God, I’m gonna die, she thought as the bear leaned its head down to scrape its teeth along her throat.
Whimpering in fear, she twisted her head while waiting for the pain that never came. Opening her eyes to stare into the yellow eyes of another bear whom seemed was being held back by the others as it kept acting like it wanted to lunge but it wasn’t allowed to, even as it started whining, as if begging.
Feeling her eyes get bigger and bigger as she watched that same bear, which was still whining start to shift and change into a man. Not just any man. It was Jayson.
“Oh. My. God.”
Chapter Three
Slowly opening and blinking her eyes, Callie found herself lying in Jayson’s bed once again, trying to force herself to stay awake. She fought the feeling of the dark recesses of sleep trying to pull her back as Callie wondered just what had woken her up and how was it she was back in Jayson’s bed?
Laying there, jerking her eyes open every couple of minutes to stare at the ceiling, as it was getting harder and harder to keep them open. Preparing to give into the feelings of exhaustion, the sound of a whispered conversation caught her attention. Normally she wouldn’t listen in on someone else’s conversation, however, when she heard her name mentioned she had to know just what was being said.
“Mom, stop it. She doesn’t know anything about any of it.” Callie could barely hear Jayson's whispered voice. Unable to hear whatever the whispered back response was, Callie wanted to move closer to the edge of the bed so she could hear more but she was afraid to alert them that she was awake.
Straining to listen she could tell when Jayson started to get frustrated as his voice started to rise, louder and louder, “MOM! She was almost killed tonight, just stop.” Callie was dying of curiosity but refused to move so much as an inch, at least until she heard the sound of the door opening and closing.
Waiting just a couple of minutes, listening to the silence before gaining the courage to roll over onto her side only to let out a gasp as she noticed a woman sitting at the kitchen table staring at her. Taking a gulping breath, trying not to be scared of the woman.
“Come here, child, and let me see you,” the woman called out softly.
Slipping from beneath the warm covers, hissing softly as her bare feet hit the cold floor. Moving across the room, her knees slightly shaking as memories of a weird dream she had flashed in front of her eyes of a different woman changing into a bear and chasing her through the woods.
Taking another deep, gulping breath as she stopped in front of the table, watching as the woman climbed to her feet. Trying to do anything that she could to mask her fear, afraid the woman who looked just like Jayson would be able to smell her fear, especially as the woman approached her.
Callie took in the woman’s long, silky blond hair, her perfect size two body that Callie always longed to have but never quite managed to achieve. After a staring contest that lasted for what felt like forever but was probably only seconds, Callie finally dropped her eyes as she tipped her head to the side, not realizing the significance of her move.
Looking up into the strange woman’s green eyes as the feeling of her warm fingers lifting her chin, “You are a beautiful woman, never fear, child.”
Shivering at the blast of cold air that came through as the door swung open to let the snow and Jayson back into the cabin. It was almost funny at the look of worry and concern that flash through his eyes as he noticed his mother and Callie standing face to face. Watching as he dropped the arm full of wood so he could launch himself across the room to put himself in front of Callie, trying to separate the women from each other.
Growling low in his throat as he snarled just one word, “MOTHER!”
Callie couldn’t understand just what was going on between the two but with just that one snarled word all her fear evaporated, only to be replaced with anger. Smacking Jayson against the arm as she did her own snarling and growling, “I don’t ever want to hear you speak to her like that again. If you do...I will seriously maim you and leave you in the woods for the bears.”
Unable to stop her eyes from filling with tears as both Jayson and his mom started laughing, Callie couldn’t help but feel like she was the butt end of the joke but no one told her what the joke was. Knowing that her lip was quivering as she barely held back her tears from falling down her cheeks, spinning on her heel trying to make it to the bathroom before she completely lost it.
Only to let out a soft whimper when Jayson’s mom grabbed a hold of her arm, spinning her before pulling Callie into her arms, nestling her against her chest. “Oh, oh, oh…sweet girl. Don’t cry, shh...shh...shh. Everything is gonna be alright, Momma Shae is here. I’ve got you, sweet girl.”
For the first time in too many years to count, Callie allowed herself to grieve over the loss of her mom and how many hugs just like this she never had a chance to get from her. After her tears had dried, Callie went to step back away from Jayson’s mom with a soft blush staining her cheeks. “Sorry about that.”
Lifting her eyes at the woman’s insistence only to find her green eyes filled with compassion and the hint of tears, before she whispered, “Don’t you worry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry we made you cry. We didn’t mean too.”
Shaking her head softly, Callie explained, “When I was a little girl, my mom and I used to decorate everything for the holidays. Man did we go overboard too, but it was our thing. Well, when I was a teen my mom died, so whenever I hear someone being rude or disrespectful, I get angry because I would do anything to have my mom back even if it was just for a hug.”
Trying to blink her tears away once again, Callie found herself pulled into Shae’s arms, before the woman whispered, “Oh, sweetheart, anytime you need a hug, you give me a call, okay? I know it’s not the same thing but I will be more than happy to act as a surrogate mom for you, alright?”
Wiping her eyes once again as Shae moved away after softly patting Callie’s cheek. Watching as Shae put her warm looking winter coat only to pause at the door looking back and forth between both Callie and Jayson, “Jayson, let me make this clear. You screw this up and I will disown you. Callie, dear, let’s get together after the holidays for a girls’ spa day.” And with that, she was gone.
Glancing over at Jayson without saying a word, Callie headed into the kitchen, grabbing a paper towel to wipe her face with before grabbing the bottle of whiskey from the counter and two glasses. Pouring herself a full glass of the potent smelling stuff as she sat down, Callie asked, “So…that was your mom, huh?”
Mouth dropping open as Jayson took her glass out of her hand only to swallow it down in one full gulp, Callie could only stare in shock, “Hey, that was mine.”
“Yep. So why aren’t you sleeping?” Jayson asked, his voice rough and scratchy with sleep. There was just enough of a growl in his voice to start
revving the motor to her lustful fantasies. Clamping her legs closed, hoping against hope that it would kill her lustful feelings before they took off, Callie filled her glass once again before taking a big gulp, only to start coughing from the burn of the whiskey going down her throat to pool into her stomach, warming her from the inside out.
“So…” Callie started before pausing, not sure if she should try to figure out what just happened. That was until she looked around the cabin and her eyes landed on the black leather jacket laying over the back of the couch. It was at that moment everything that happened earlier in the day came rushing back.
Feeling her eyes go wide as she swung her gaze back to Jayson before saying, “Oh wow, it wasn’t all a dream, was it? You really are able to shift into a bear. I wasn’t sure if I had dreamed it all or what but now, it’s true isn’t it?”
Trying to process all the different thoughts racing through her mind as she accepted the fact shifters were real and one had wanted to kill her just hours before. It wasn’t until she felt one of Jayson’s hands grip hers while his other one caressed her cheek that her mind slowed down. Unsure when she had closed her eyes, it wasn’t until she felt his touch that she opened them back up to stare into his green depths.
“Callie, honey, you need to slow your breathing otherwise you’re gonna pass out again,” Jayson told her as he breathed deep and slow to get her to copy him. Feeling her racing heart start to slow and the panic induced fog lift away from her mind, she reached for her drink to take a sip while waiting for him to answer her questions.
“So…who was the crazy bitch and why did she want to kill me?”
Watching Jayson take a deep sigh before saying, “The crazy bitch, as you call her, is Jolene Welch. She’s been trying to get in my pants for years but I just wasn’t into her and she wasn’t my mate.”
“You’re mate?”
“A mate is the person who fate has picked to be your soul mate. The person you will love forever.”
As Callie thought over what Jayson had explained so far, she knew that if she had one Christmas wish, it would be to have someone love her and that she could love forever, no matter what. It would be someone who she wouldn’t have to worry about them cheating on her. The longer she thought over what he had said so far, the more questions she came up with.
“What’s it like to shift? Do you only do it during a certain time of the month? Are you born that way or did something happen to you?” Callie asked before swallowing the last of her drink and refilling their glasses.
Feeling her thighs moisten at just the sound of Jayson’s deep chuckles that echoed around the room while he loaded the fire with more wood, Callie kept hoping Jayson wouldn’t be able to notice.
“Shifting… Well, it’s indescribable I guess,” he answered as he moved into the kitchen and pulled out a pumpkin pie with a can of whipped cream. “It doesn’t hurt at all when I shift. Shifters are able to change at any point in time and we are born this way.”
“I didn’t ruin your Christmas plans or anything, did I?” Callie asked, picking up the fork Jayson pushed at her before scooping up a bite of pie, moaning as the flavors exploded across her tongue.
“Actually I should thank you… The last thing I wanted to do was go to my parents’ house for Christmas dinner and watch as they parade a bunch of women in front of me. I am the oldest of six cubs and as such, they want me to be the first to mate.”
“But you didn’t want to?” Callie asked, watching Jayson take another bite of pie, slightly confused about why he was telling her about all of this. Wouldn’t shifters not want humans to know about them? “I guess I am still kind of confused by everything.”
“I’ve always known my mate was out there somewhere and I wanted to wait for her before settling down.”
“Oh…” Filling with embarrassment as she read in between the lines of what Jayson was telling her, Callie couldn’t help but feel horrible because here she sat lusting over this fine specimen of a man, only to be told he has a mate he is waiting for.
Staring down into her lap while blinking her eyes rapidly, trying to clear away the tears, confused as to why she was feeling this way.
“Callie? What’s wrong?”
Shaking her head softly, she rose up from the table to stand in front of the window while trying to wipe her tears away so Jayson wouldn’t notice. Closing her eyes and trying to do everything she could to suck up the emotions, Callie didn’t notice that Jayson had moved from the table until she felt his arms wrap around her stomach as he pressed her back to his chest.
Leaning her head back against his shoulder, she listened to Jayson make soothing noises in the back of his throat. It was nice, very nice. Never had she felt comforted with just a touch. Which reminded her, Jayson wasn’t hers.
Pulling away from his arms, she went to stand in front of the fireplace, watching the flames jump and dance around, wondering just what was she doing here? Why was all of this happening to her? And why did she get so turned on by just the sound of his voice, let alone the touch of his hand on her skin?
“You’re being awfully quiet over there. What are you thinking about?” Jayson asked from behind her.
“Why am I here, Jayson? How did I get here and what is wrong with me?”
Spinning around to stare into his bright green eyes, hoping she would be able to tell if he was lying or not. He sat on the couch and patted the seat next to him. Nibbling on her bottom lip, unsure if she should sit down or continue to stand, it wasn’t until he reached up to grasp her hand to pull her down to the couch, that she relented.
“Callie, what do you remember about the other night at the bar?”
Closing her eyes, she tried to remember what had happened while rubbing her cheek against the palm he had placed against her cheek. It was while she listened to his breathing that it all came back to her. The creepy guy and that loud snapping sound from when he had gripped her arm.
Snapping her eyes open to stare into Jayson’s eyes as she reached to rub her arm, confused as to what had happened and how was it that her arm was healed? “Jayson? Why can’t I remember fully what happened?”
Watching Jayson’s shoulders drop down as if he had the weight of the world on them, Callie couldn’t help but begin to worry. Was whatever he was about to say that bad he couldn’t look at her? It wasn’t until Jayson lifted his head, eyes full of fear and concern, did she release the breath that she didn’t realize she was holding.
“Please understand, it was the only way to heal you,” Jayson whispered softly while his eyes pleaded with her to understand.
Feeling the confusion and fear start to form in the pit of her stomach, Callie had to do something so she jumped up only to slowly back away from Jayson before whispering, “What did you do to me?”
“Callie, it’s not what you’re thinking.”
Unable to control the fear of what had happened, Callie couldn’t help but yell at Jayson, “WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?”
Even seeing the normally strong man flinch when she yelled did nothing to calm the fear that was coursing through her veins as her imagination took control, filling her mind with different horrible options that could have happened.
“Callie, you need to calm down. Breathe, Callie, breathe.”
It wasn’t that she was trying to ignore what Jayson had said—because she wasn’t—but even though she could see his lips moving, she couldn’t hear anything over the rushing wind in her ears.
Feeling her heart start to race with panic and fear, Callie couldn’t help but reach her arms out for Jayson, hoping he would be able to help calm her down. Closing her eyes as she buried her face into his shoulder, gasping for each breath, praying that her heart would quit racing and the chain that seemed to be wrapped around her lungs would loosen so she could breathe again.
*****
Unsure how long they had been sitting on the couch or how long she had been sleeping, the only thought that seemed to circle around her mind was how safe a
nd secure she felt in Jayson’s arms.
Slowly pulling back to smile shyly as she felt Jayson caress her cheek, “I’m sorry, Jayson. I don’t know why I keep having panic attacks and passing out like that.”
Smiling against his neck as he pulled her back down to lay across his chest, letting out a sigh as she snuggled into the warmth that seemed to radiate off his big, muscular chest, Callie still couldn’t get over how safe she felt when he held her like this.
“So… I promise not to freak out this time. What happened at the bar and why don’t I really remember it?” she asked softly, hoping that she wouldn’t freak out again.
As she laid there waiting for him to find the words, she couldn’t help but listen to his breathing while feeling his chest expand with each breath. It was when Callie noticed his heartbeat thumping away that she started giggling and found that she was unable to stop.
Sitting up, unable to control her laughter as it poured forth, echoing around the small cabin. By the time her laughter had calmed down some, wiping the tears from her eyes, Callie glanced up at Jayson only to start laughing uncontrollably again, only this time it was because of the totally confused look on his face.
“Have you ever seen the Christmas movie, The Santa Claus?” Callie managed to ask in between gasps of breath. Waiting until Jayson nodded before continuing, “Do you remember the part where he is at the doctor’s office? His heartbeat?”
Watching as the different emotions crossed over Jayson’s face until he finally said, “Not really. Why? What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?”
Bursting out laughing again, trying to hold her sides from the aches while the tears rolled down her face, Callie finally managed to suck up enough air to be able to say, “In the movie, his heartbeat is the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” but your heartbeat sounds like “Jingle Balls”.”