He sniffed the air as he pushed through the woods. A low, deadly growl rumbled out of him.
His brain finally connected the dots and reconciled the conflicting notes in the scent. It was the scent of a woman, and the scent of terror.
From her scent, Kyle knew that the woman’s fight-or-flight response had been triggered. This physiological reaction was a direct response to a harmful event, attack or threat to survival.
This female was under threat. She was being attacked and was fighting for her survival. The woman’s scream cut through the woods and reached his ears.
Kyle locked on to the female’s scent and started to run. He could hear voices now.
Male voices and cold, taunting laughter.
A hard, cruel voice barked, “Dan, Ron, hold her down. You can have your turn after I’m done.”
A horrific scene came into view.
Kyle saw a red-haired woman thrashing violently on the ground. Two men were holding her arms and legs, but they were having trouble keeping her down.
The woman refused to be subdued. Her green eyes were flashing with fury as she continued to fight them. She was twisting on the ground, screaming curses at them and trying her darnedest to bite them.
“Let me go!” the woman shrieked at a stocky, beady-eyed man with a buzz cut. “Let me go right now! Do you call yourself a man? You don’t deserve to be the Beta of the pack, Jasper. You’re not a leader or a protector. You’re just a coward and a bully! Get away from me, you piece of shit!”
Jasper gripped the woman’s face and snarled, “I’m going to fuck your filthy mouth to shut you up, Hollie. Pin her down, make sure she stays still for me,” he ordered the other two men.
“I will bite your fucking dick off,” Hollie snarled back.
Jasper drew his fist back to punch her but stopped at the last minute.
“I won’t mess up your face just yet,” he said. “You’re a pretty girl, Hollie. Real pretty.” Jasper smiled as he stroked her red curls. “I don’t want to hurt you. But you’re too stubborn for your own good.”
“Fuck off, Jasper!” Hollie spat.
“If you submit to me, Hollie, I may just spare your life,” Jasper drawled. “You just have to be fucked into obedience.”
“Fuck you, Jasper! Fuck all of you!” Hollie screeched, struggling harder.
With a cruel laugh, Jasper lunged at Hollie and grabbed her. “I’m going to enjoy this. I always knew you’re a feisty, lusty little bitch.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
With a terrible roar, Kyle flew at Jasper and knocked him away from Hollie. He slashed at the other two men with his claws, and they scrambled away in shock.
At her whimper, Kyle spun round and met the woman’s wide, green eyes.
She was scrabbling back in blind terror, trying to get away from the monsters around her.
The panic and horror in her eyes enraged his bear further, but Kyle put a leash on his furious beast and forced the beast down.
He didn’t want to frighten and traumatize her further. By sheer force of will, Kyle pushed his bear down and shifted to human form.
Kyle straightened up and faced Jasper.
“Leave,” he said.
“You are the one who should leave,” Jasper snarled. “This is pack business. Just stay out of our way, bear, and we won’t hurt you.” He gave his men a signal and they drew their weapons.
“Leave the lady alone,” Kyle said.
“Don’t interfere in the affairs of our pack. You don’t want to become an enemy of the Black Blade pack,” Jasper warned. “I’m the Beta, and I can sic the whole pack on you.”
Kyle yawned loudly to show how unimpressed he was.
Jasper barked a command and his soldiers aimed their guns at the woman instead. “Don’t move another inch, Hollie,” Jasper warned. “They’ll blow your head off if you even twitch.”
Hollie froze. She had been inching quietly towards a cluster of trees, and Kyle knew that she was going to try to make a break for it.
“I won’t let you hurt her,” Kyle said as his claws and fangs lengthened. He stepped forward to shield Hollie with his body.
“Hollie is a member of our pack,” Jasper said slowly and deliberately as if he were explaining a complicated concept to a small child. “We are teaching her how to shift into a wolf.”
“By raping her?” Kyle growled.
“Just mind your own fucking business,” Jasper shouted, his veins bulging from his neck and temples.
Kyle arched a brow. This was a guy who didn’t seem to be able to control his temper and appetites. Kyle suspected that Jasper would fly into a rage whenever someone called him out on his bullshit. When he couldn’t explain himself, he would use anger as a defense. It was a common and cheap tactic of abusers.
Jasper snarled. “I can do whatever I want with this whore...”
Kyle moved so quickly that no one had time to react.
Wrapping his huge hand around Jasper’s neck, Kyle slammed Jasper against a tree and held him there.
The other two men immediately aimed their guns at Kyle’s head. “They’ll blow out your brains,” Jasper choked out.
“And I’ll tear out your throat,” Kyle answered, his lips stretching into a knowing smile. “We’ll both be dead.”
Kyle’s smile widened when he saw the flicker of fear in the scumbag’s eyes.
He wasn’t afraid of death, but Jasper was.
Jasper swallowed and looked at his lieutenants. “Put down your guns,” he ordered. “Put them away, now!”
Kyle kept his claws in Jasper’s neck as the men lowered their weapons. “This is silly.” Jasper attempted to laugh. “Why should we kill each other over a mongrel bitch? We’re cool, right? It’s all the bitch’s fault. I’ll see to it that she is punished. Dan, Ron, cuff her and drag her back to the pack house...”
Kyle slammed Jasper’s head against the tree. “Don’t touch her,” he snarled at Dan and Ron. “Let. Her. Go.”
“Hollie belongs to us,” Jasper wheezed. “You have no right to her. She is a member of the Black Blade pack. Unless you’re her Alpha or her mate...”
Kyle snapped his eyes to Hollie. She had scrambled to her feet and was backing away slowly.
Fight or flight.
She had tried to fight, and look where that had gotten her. She now realized that flight was the better option.
Hollie tensed for an instant, coiling and gathering her energy for the sprint. She was going to try to make a run for it.
Kyle held her gaze and shook his head slightly.
Don’t run.
These were wolves. She couldn’t possibly outrun them. If she ran they would chase her down and rip her to shreds.
But the determination and defiance in her flashing green eyes told Kyle that she wasn’t going to change her mind.
He had to stop her.
Stop her from getting herself killed.
They both moved at the same time.
Kyle lunged forward just as she lurched towards the trees.
He grabbed her and yanked her to him. As her fist flew towards his jaw, Kyle roared and bit hard into her shoulder.
CHAPTER NINE
“Did you just...bite me?” Hollie gasped in shock and pain and clamped her hand over her neck.
She shoved the tall, blond, handsome bear shifter away from her. She felt so angry, and betrayed. “Why did you do that?” she whispered. “I...I thought...I wanted...” I wanted you to be the good guy!
When the bear charged out of the shadows and knocked Jasper away from her, Hollie had almost wept with relief and gratitude.
Finally.
Finally someone had come to her aid.
No one had ever stepped forward to speak up for her, or fight for her when she was being bullied and abused in the pack. But here in the wilderness, a big, brave beast had exploded from the darkness that was swiftly closing in on her and saved her.
The fearsome bear had shifted into the most handsome man Ho
llie had ever seen. He was very tall, broad with intelligent blue eyes and chiseled features.
When he ordered Jasper and his lieutenants to let her go, Hollie developed an instant crush on him. He was her hero.
He had come to rescue her.
Not!
Hollie cursed as she glared at her blond, hunky hero. This guy was no hero. He was a jerk. Just like the rest of them.
“You...you bit me! Why did you do that? Who the hell do you think you are!” she yelled at him, blinking back furious tears.
He had the nerve to smirk at her. He stared at the bite mark on her neck and actually looked pleased with himself.
Angry, hurt and humiliated, Hollie marched right up to him and growled, “I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing, mister, but...”
“I marked you,” he answered.
She was about to respond when she heard Jasper and his two lieutenants coming up behind her. Raising her fists, she whirled round to face them.
“Stay away from me,” Hollie warned. “All of you!” The handsome, blond man stepped forward but Hollie yelled, “You too.” She swallowed. “You especially.”
The man put up both hands. “I just wanted to let you know who I am.”
“Why should I care...”
“I’m Kyle Anderson,” he went on smoothly. ‘I’m your mate.”
Kyle flashed her a quick smile and winked. But she read the warning in his eyes.
Hollie sucked in a breath and held her tongue. The fog of rage and confusion began to disperse as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place in her mind.
She still wasn’t sure what Kyle was doing, but she sensed that he was trying to help her.
The question was: how?
By biting her?
It didn’t make any sense to Hollie, but deep in her heart, she trusted Kyle. Her mind argued that she shouldn’t trust anyone. She had learned from bitter experience that no one could be trusted.
Yet...she just knew that Kyle wasn’t the enemy.
Hollie found her eyes trailing down Kyle’s powerful, muscular body and she licked her lips. Something stirred in her and she started when she realized the low growl was coming from somewhere deep inside her.
Mine! He’s mine.
As if he had heard that inexplicable, bizarre thought that had just erupted in her mind, Kyle’s smile widened.
His lethal fangs were on full display and Hollie shuddered. Kyle looked scary as hell...and so hot.
Dragging his heated gaze away from her, Kyle said to Jasper, “I gave her my mate mark. She is my mate. She belongs to me, not the Black Blade pack now.”
“You can’t do that...” Jasper’s face was contorted with fury.
“I just did.” Kyle smirked. “She’s mine.”
“No she’s not!” Jasper screamed and pulled his gun on Kyle.
Kyle grabbed Jasper’s arm just as Jasper squeezed the trigger.
Hollie pressed her hand to her mouth as she watched Dan stagger back. Blood bloomed in the middle of his chest.
The other lieutenant ducked behind a tree to avoid being the next target.
“You shot your own soldier,” Kyle said flatly to Jasper. “It’s your bullet in his chest.”
CHAPTER TEN
Hollie stared at Kyle in both awe, shock and fear. He could move with deadly speed and precision. He could anticipate the enemy’s moves and counter them effectively.
He had just used Jasper’s gun to kill Dan.
Hollie shivered.
“How are you going to explain your soldier’s death to your pack?” Kyle said to Jasper. “They will find your bullet in his chest. You shot your own man.”
“No!” Jasper screeched. “I have a witness. Ron witnessed everything...” He turned to the other lieutenant.
Even before Jasper had turned fully towards Ron, Kyle was flying towards Jasper. He grabbed Jasper’s hand, the hand with the gun, and squeezed the trigger.
Ron slumped to the ground with a hole in his forehead.
Kicking the gun away from Jasper, Kyle said grimly, “Now you’ve killed both your men. Your pack will tear you to shreds.”
Jasper stumbled back. “They can’t do anything to me,” he rasped. “I’m the Beta, the Alpha’s son. You...” He pointed at Kyle. “I’ll find you. You will pay. You will fucking pay for this!”
“I’m here now,” Kyle said, spreading his arms wide. “Come get me.”
But like all bullies, Jasper was a coward. He wouldn’t dare fight Kyle on his own, and Kyle knew that.
Shifting into a black wolf, Jasper threw a venomous look over his shoulder and vanished into the forest.
He could run faster in wolf form. Hollie let out a small derisive laugh. All Jasper could do was run. He didn’t even attempt to fight Kyle. Without his gun, his soldiers, his pack, Jasper had nothing. No courage, no fight, nothing.
Hollie sank to the ground as her legs gave way suddenly. She let out a startled cry when Kyle wrapped his arms around her and supported her.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. It’s over.”
Hollie shook her head. No, it’s not.
The murderous glow in his eyes faded and his blue eyes became human once more.
“I’m sorry I scared you. Are you okay?” he asked softly.
“Y-yeah.” Hollie wiped her hand across her mouth. “Yeah. I’m okay,” she lied.
She pushed herself up and tried to walk but she was shaking too badly. Her legs just refused to work properly.
“Come on, I’ll carry you,” Kyle said.
“No, no...”
“We have to leave,” he said, his tone firm and urgent. “Jasper will be back, and this time, he’ll have the whole pack with him. We need to get out of here quickly.”
Ignoring her feeble protests, Kyle swung her into his arms and moved swiftly through the forest.
Hollie closed her eyes to hold back the wave of nausea. She felt sick to the stomach. She had never ever hunted with the pack, and the sight of Ron and Dan being killed shook her to the core. She realized that even though she had been brought up in a wolf pack, she had never really been part of the pack. She couldn’t shift. She didn’t have the instincts and bloodlust of a predator. She was just a cook.
The pack organized hunts every year, and the whole pack would shift into their wolves and hunt together. They killed small animals and sometimes took down larger wild animals in the forest. Hollie couldn’t shift, so she would stay back in the pack house and cook. She had to make sure that a feast was waiting for the pack when they returned.
Hollie started to shiver, and Kyle held her closer. She leaned her cheek against his broad, powerful shoulder and inhaled the scent of his sweat and blood.
His tanned skin felt feverishly hot, and his chiseled jaw was tightly clenched.
Kyle was a lethal predator and killer. She had seen him kill two well-trained lieutenants of the Black Blade pack cleanly and efficiently.
It was terrifying, chilling and...thrilling.
He had killed for her. To protect her.
She was grateful to him, and wary of him.
She trusted him, yet she was afraid to trust him.
Don’t trust anyone.
That motto had served her well.
Hollie felt so tired all of a sudden. She had been in survival mode all her life. Was she now jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
Was Kyle her ally, or her enemy?
Was he leading her to safety, or luring her to her doom?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As they neared the edge of the forest, Hollie asked Kyle to put her down. She wanted to walk on her own, and if necessary, run away as fast as she could on her own two feet.
She had to be on her guard at all times. Nobody was her friend.
Maybe Kyle had an ulterior motive for saving her…
Hollie gulped and touched her neck. He had bitten her without her consent. That was wrong, yet it felt...right.
; Hollie winced and shook her head. She was not thinking straight. Stay alert, and don’t let your hormones get the better of you! she warned herself.
Kyle was handsome, strong and protective, but...she shouldn’t drop her guard and her panties for him just because he had saved her.
Hollie sucked in a sharp breath, mortified at her own lustful thoughts. Why was she even thinking of dropping her panties? She was really going out of her goddamn mind!
When she stumbled, Kyle held her arm to steady her. His touch was electrifying, and all her nerve endings ignited and sizzled at his touch. She felt the heat bloom in her core and jerked back, embarrassed and shocked at her sudden arousal.
Kyle watched her, his piercing blue eyes glowing faintly in the dark. His nostrils flared and Hollie suspected that he could scent the moisture between her legs.
Blushing, she cleared her throat and looked around. “Where are we going?”
From the route that Kyle had taken through the forest, Hollie knew that they had moved quite a distance away from the territory of the Black Blade pack. The pack house was at the other end of the woods. It was unlikely that they would run into any of her pack mates here.
Unless they were hunting her down.
A strangled sound of distress bubbled from her throat. Kyle immediately reached out and took her hand.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’re safe with me. I won’t let anyone hurt you. The Black Blade pack won’t get past me. I promise you, Hollie. I will protect you with my life.”
She managed a small, grateful smile. “I...thank you, Kyle. You saved my life tonight.” She swallowed and went on, “You risked your life for me, and you’ve made yourself an enemy of the Black Blade pack. I don’t want to drag you down with me. We should part ways here. I...”
“Do you have any friends in town?” Kyle asked, looking intently at her. “People you trust?”
“I trust no one,” she blurted out.
Bear's Curvy Mate: BBW Shape Shifter Paranormal Romance (Nightbrook Book 2) Page 3