“Honey buns, huh, let me guess, your bear got hungry.” She giggled again.
“That is such a nice sound. I think it has become my favorite sound now.” This time she blushed and he smiled. Damn, she was easy to make happy, at least with food and jokes. He pulled out some plastic plates and helped dish her up, then handed her a soda. He would love to have had a beer, but right now, he wanted to be on full alert with her.
“This was nice, Greyson, thank you.” She took a bite of chicken and the juice ran down her chin as she moaned. Suddenly something as normal as eating turned into a whole new game. His cock started to make an appearance, wanting to claim his mate right there, right then. Clearing his throat, she looked at him when he handed her a napkin. He figured she might freak a little if he licked her clean.
“Oh, sorry. Fried foods are a weakness of mine. I don’t have them very much, but when I do, I tend to forget everything around me.” He could only just nod when he took a bite of his food. She was right, the chicken was great. They both ate in silence until he had eaten two pieces of chicken.
“I have just got to say your library is set up weird.” Crap, way to go, idiot. He didn’t intent to blurt that out like that.
“It is? How so?” He watched her cock her head to the side waiting for him to explain.
“Well, I say how you have your educational books, and medical journals located in the back of the store and the children’s books in the front. It would be easier if the kid’s book were in the back with a small reading area, and leave the front for journals and such. At least that’s what I think it should be set up like.” He knew what she was thinking as he mouth hung open. “What did you think, I was just a comic book, He-Man type of person? I may be big, but let me just say that it’s because I’m a bear. Second, I like to read, a lot in fact. So does Sam, we are closet nerds, and please don’t tell anyone, because it would totally ruin our reps,” he said as he playfully puffed out his chest.
Cece let out a full-blown laugh, “Okay that is funny, but I never judge a book by its cover. With my crazy friends, I have learned better. Did you surprise me, yes, actually you did, but it was a nice surprise.” She looked at her watch before talking. “Crap I have five minutes left. Thanks for lunch, but I have to get back to work.”
“What time do you get off?”
“Huh, oh, I get off about five.”
“Good, I’ll pick you up.” He watched her hesitate before she nodded and headed in. He went to walk her back in, but she seemed to practically run. Cleaning up the mess from lunch, he saw her trusting him more, and he planned to head home to find out what Sam found before they both returned to pick her up.
*****
“What do you mean it’s not her brother?” Grey said as he looked at the information that he had found out about her.
“Well, it seemed that this Billy doesn’t exists. If he did, the paperwork is fake, but the birth certificate doesn’t exists. Yes, the woman he claimed was his mother died before he could have been born. It seemed he did some background work to set this in motion, but what makes this sick was how long he has been in their life, or hers. It seemed that right before Cece’s parent’s deaths they changed their will, giving Billy everything. Including the house.” He was waiting for Grey to process all this information before he told him the rest.
“Okay, so why? What is the point in keeping her around if he wanted, what the house, the money?”
“Dude, that’s not the worst part, it seemed that she had been seen at various clinics for the last couple of years. Some from a fall, causing a broken wrist when she was in high school, others were dislocated shoulders, or simply running into something, causing her to be covered in bruises. None at the same doctors. She was smart and made sure to pay cash for each transaction, but it’s still her. I have a bad feeling about this. This Billy wants her for something.”
“And I am determined to find out what.” Sam watched as Grey started to head to the door with him not far behind. They both called Tiny on the way as they headed back to the library. If he had a plan this long for her, and he never did anything sexual with her, but kept a mind control, then she must know something, or she has something he wants.
While they drove, Sam needed to fill Grey in the small details about what he found about this whole prophecy thing and her friends. It seemed their little mate was in deep with some seriously magical people and he was worried. What if they are all connected and it makes Cece a target. The thought made him sick.
Sam went on explaining it as best as he could from Tiny, and even how she helped gather information and worked with some weird fairy queen to save her friend. It seemed their mate was big at risking her life to help save her friend, but where are they now, she is beaten regularly and they don't even notice. What type of friends are they. Tiny said they were good people and the three were connected at the hip, but I think they messed up this time. As they pulled into the library Grey asked, “Do you think she is part of this whole thing? I mean think about it. Each had something about them happen and now he is threatening her friends. He wants to separate them from her. She must be something, I can almost bet my life on that.”
“But are we willing to risk hers?” he asked.
“Fuck no, I say we grab her ass and take her back home and explain everything and then it’s time to bring in her friends.”
“I agree.”
They both took the steps two at a time and opened the door. Sam spotted a short little man with beady eyes and oversized glasses. He looked at him and then Greyson before walking over to both of them.
“Can I help you, gentleman?”
“Yes, sir, actually you can, do you know where Cece is?” Sam said using the manners his momma taught him.
“I told your friend earlier, this is a library and not a local coffee shop. However, since you simply cannot go down to where she is located, I will retrieve her. Wait here one moment while I get her.” The man turned sharply and stalked away.
“Well, he is an ass,” Sam whispered to Grey.
“That’s what Cece said too.” Sam smiled at that, at least they were on the same wavelength. They waited for about five minutes when he came walking over to them.
“Sorry, gentleman, it seems she has gone home for the day. If there isn’t anything else I can help you men with, I must get back to work.” Sam watched as the man walked away again.
“Fuck, that’s not good man,” he told Grey as he headed to the exit.
“I agree, you have the address to her actual house?”
“Yes, I do, but we might need backup. I’m calling Tiny, when we get her, I want to make sure she is unharmed and that it is the last time he ever touches her.” Sam was in total agreed as he pulled out his phone. Time he brought his bear out to play.
Chapter Six
Cece walked into the house and was instantly happy that Billy wasn’t there. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with him right now. Trying to continue her normal routine, as quick as she could be, she cleaned the living room and kitchen. Setting about doing some laundry, she was happy she left Greyson’s shirt at work. If Billy had found it, that would have been devastating. She was lost in thought when she heard the front door open. Trying to calm her nerves, she tried her best to ignore whoever it was. She knew right away it wasn’t Billy, the bastard would have called out to her, and if she didn’t answer, she would pay for it later.
“So, I see the little girl came home from work.” She turned to see Donald the prick from last night standing next to her by the washing machine.
“Oh hi, Billy’s not here. You can wait in the living room for him.” She walked around him, making it to the kitchen.
“Well I can wait for him there, or I can wait for him here.” Again he was right behind her, but this time he moved her hair off her shoulder. “You know, I can take you away from all this. You don’t need him, I heard what he did to you last night. It’s such a waste really.”
“You don’t
know what you’re talking about. I think you should leave.” But all Donald did was chuckle.
“He doesn’t care about you, never did. So why not leave with me. I could make it so much better for you than here.”
“I don’t think so. Like I said, you can wait for him in the living room. I have some work to finish.” She managed to push by him and he stared at her before heading to the living room. Thank God. Making her way to her room, she finally heard Billy’s voice talking to his friend when she shut the door. She would have locked it, but once again Billy changed her doorknob, and it wasn’t worth the fight with him.
Picking up a book, she started reading some information for Becky that she had found about Fairies and how they are used to help locate lost wolves, and hell, any shifter, when her door opened.
“I see you made it home,” Billy sneered.
“Yes, I did, sorry. I had to go to work.”
“Well, you see, your boss called, and said you weren’t in this morning.”
“No, I was there, I was just downstairs. You can check with him, he didn’t know when I got in, but we even talked. I promise I would never lie to you.”
“Damn right you won’t.”
“Is there anything else?” she asked hesitantly.
“No, just stay in your room. I don’t want you to have another one of your accidents like last night,” he spat at her, like the whole beating was her fault. She could only just nod.
He closed her door enough, but didn’t click it completely shut. She knew he only did so he could hear everything she was doing. Reading once again, she made sure to earmark the spots she wanted to double check in a book she saw at the library. Becky had been having some weird abilities and she was now thinking she was manifesting them from her twins. If she read everything correctly, it would be the start of repopulating the shifter race. The thought made her smile because her gut told her that Millie would be next to get pregnant, even though she would bitch about her putting on weight and such.
“Whatcha reading?” She looked up from her book and saw Donald had once again snuck up on her, but this time he was in her room, with her door shut.
“This is my room, get out,” she snapped.
“Oh, I don’t think so, you see, I had a little talk with your brother and it seems he is in agreement that I could take you off his hands for a while.” She blanched at his comments. She would normally say that Billy would never do that, but after hearing him last night, she knew he would.
“I don’t think so.” She closed her book and scrambled back on her bed, trying to put as much distance between him and her. She really wished she had a knife, or gun, or hell, something right now she could protect herself with. Why couldn’t have I have a kick ass power like Lily or Becky and zap his ass?
“Oh, but I do.” And the next few seconds, or minutes flew by in a blur. Donald grabbed her and pushed her down on the bed. She cried out as he ripped her shirt off her body. She was kicking and hitting him as he fumbled with her pants. But being they were hanging loosely, the damn things came off quicker than she liked. She managed to hit him in the side, making his mad as he smacked her across the face before grabbing her throat, cutting off her air. She held onto his arm while he pressed down and she did her best to make him let go. The sound of shouting and yelling started to fill the house as she heard the sound of a zipper. This fucker was going to rape her and there was nothing she could do. She wasn’t strong, but she wasn’t going to let it happen. So much ran through her mind as he leaned on top of her while he licked her tears off her face.
“I am going to fuck you and make you mine, little girl. This is how you should be used.” She wanted to puke, but she was having enough trouble breathing.
“Get the fuck off her.” Suddenly the weight of him was gone. Right before the world around her spun into darkness for the lack of air, she heard noises that sounded like people screaming.
Sam, along with Tiny, and people who Grey assumed where Becky and Millie’s mates, followed him into the room. The house smelled dark and evil. What the hell was happening here. As he walked to the door he was greeted by some punk ass who said she wasn’t there, and shut the door, but suddenly the sound of Cece screaming caught him. His bear came out and everything else went into slow motion. Two men who were twins, busted through grabbing men, beating the crap out of them, while two others and Tiny took off out the back door trying to find the ones who got a head start, but the scream and cry from Cece sounded again before it was cut off. His heart started racing as to why it would do that. Running up the stairs, he followed her scent and a scent of an aroused male.
Kicking the door open, he saw the fucker holding her down on the bed with her clothes ripped from her body, his hand on her throat and pulling his zipper down. She was fighting him, but it seemed she was losing all air and was making slow movements. Not even thinking, he grabbed the guy off her and tossed him to Sam who was entering in Bear form. He didn’t care about the screams he heard behind him, he was worried about his mate who was now unconscious and not breathing.
Leaning over he didn’t feel a pulse. His instincts and training kicked in as he blew into her mouth three short breaths, before starting chest compressions. He had to be careful when he pressed because of her tiny frame, and his bear strength. Soon Tiny came running to him and helped with compressions while he did the breaths.
“Oh fuck.” He didn’t need to know who said that, but he seemed to be calling for a cleanup crew and a witch.
It took some time, but she started coughing and breathing on her own, but she was still unconscious.
“We need to call an ambulance,” Greyson snapped.
“No, we have a witch, or healer of somewhat at our house. She would be able to help more.” Grey remembered that Tiny told him the witch knew a lot. He agreed and helped lift her carefully.
“What the fuck happened to her, Tiny,” one of the other men asked. As they headed out the house, Tiny explained the situation about the prior beating.
“Follow us,” one of the twins said. He didn’t argue, but followed with her in his arms. She looked even smaller than last night. Sam ended up changing back, but covered in blood, and Grey was happy for once that he was there.
Sam jumped into the front seat of the large SUV while Greyson climbed in the back with Cece in his arms. He had never been so scared in all his life when he saw her laying there not breathing and half-naked with some prick trying to rape her. He snapped and his bear took over. He didn’t think they would be able to identify the remains, and he really didn’t give two shits about it either.
“We are almost there. I need you two to try to control your bears around my mate. She is highly emotional and we only told her a little about her friend, oh, and she is pregnant with twins.” Sam didn’t really care, he'd do his best, but he would do anything and everything to protect his mate.
“I will try” is all he said. That seemed to pacify the guy whose name he heard someone say was Dmitri, so that meant the other dude was Nic. Okay, so he knew the twins names.
“We're here. Let’s get her inside.”
He jumped out and held open the door as Grey carried Cece in his arms and into the house. The sounds of gasps and curse words seemed to be heard as he entered.
“Oh my God, Cece, how, who, hell, help her. Damn it, Lily make her wake up.” That must have been Becky.
“Becky, I got it. Bring her to me.” A Lady with dark black hair and bright green eyes stood next to the couch ushering them to lay her down. She seemed to be doing something with herbs and chanting something. He stood guard for almost half an hour while everyone stood in the corner crying, or calling people some very messed up names. But Cece still didn’t wake up.
“She should be fine now. She needs to rest, I can heal the outside, but I cannot change what her mind and soul had been through. I believe she will need you two to help her heal. There is something about her though that is waking. We need to speak with Xandria.” She stood an
d walked over to the pregnant chick and placed her hand on her stomach and smiled. It seemed to calm her down as well.
“Okay, someone better start talking or heads are gonna roll.” He looked over at a woman who reminded him of a movie star or something.
“Millie, chill, we are trying to find that out now.”
“Oh good, okay first and foremost, who the hell are you two?” She pointed to Greyson and himself.
“I’m Greyson Lewis, and this is Samuel York. We are owners of a bar called Grizzlies.”
“Okay, that’s peachy, but how are you all connected to Cece?”
“Oh, didn’t anyone tell you. We are Cece’s mates,” Sam said.
“Well fuck me, this just gets better and better,” Millie snapped.
“So much better, Amelia. Cece is the Keeper.”
Chapter Seven
Sam sat down on the couch holding Cece’s feet while Greyson sat on the floor by her head. Neither of them intended on leaving. The only people in the room they could trust was Tiny and Cece. Sam’s bear was on edge and finding his mate wasn't helping with the tension in the room. His bear was all about protecting what was his.
“Okay, let’s try this again. You know who we are, but who the hell are you people, and how do you know our mate?” He thought it was a reasonable question, but the one with long brown hair and two growly mates seemed to roll her eyes.
“Seriously, you guys need to chill the fuck out, we have known her longer than you two.”
“That may be, but neither of you knew she had a brother, or supposedly a brother, who was beating the shit out of her regularly.”
“Hey, that’s not fair, we love her, we would have done anything and everything to keep her safe,” the blonde said. As Sam looked around the room he noticed they were shocked and all hurt.
Bear it All (The Hidden Pack) Page 4