Forbidden Alpha Bear

by Samantha Leal

  “Sean…,” Pamela said as she stared up at him. “What the hell… where have you been?”

  Dean rose to his feet and crossed the room to stand beside her and Ryder, and Sean looked tiny in front of them. He had never appeared to be a small man, but around the shifters, his frame was so tiny, he was almost insignificant.

  He held up his hands slowly and took a deep breath.

  “I know how this looks,” he said. “But I have to explain.”

  Dean snarled and a growl came out from between his lips. Pamela could feel the bear energy in the room rising, and Sean quickly raised his hands in surrender again and tried not to look too panicked.

  “I’m not the bad guy,” Sean said quickly. “I’ve been trying to help you all here. I just had to do it as secretly as possible.”

  Pamela gazed up at Ryder and she could see he was as confused as she was.

  “Speak fast,” Ryder said. “We’re not one for second chances around here.”

  Sean breathed in deeply and began to stammer.

  “I don’t work for the government,” he said quickly, his eyes fixed firmly on Pamela. “But I guess you’ve all figured that out already.”

  Pamela nodded, and Ryder crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw set heavy and his eyes dark.

  “Who do you work for?” Dean asked. “We don’t take kindly to people coming in here and betraying our trust, poking around in our business.”

  “I know,” Sean said genuinely. “And I’m so sorry. But it was the only way it could be done without causing too much panic.”

  “Panic?” Ryder asked with a raised brow. “Do you not think there’s enough of that around here at the moment as it is? Masses of our animals have died off… our land is ravaged… and people are going missing! What else could you drop on us that can top that?”

  Sean sighed and nodded.

  “I know, and I get it. But I had to do what I’d been instructed to do…”

  “And that is?” Ryder asked, his impatience growing more evident by the second.

  “I work for a man called Ernest Smyth,” Sean began. “And I don’t know if any of you remember, but the Smyth family was seriously old money, and one of the original settling families here in Bridge Hollow…”

  Pamela watched as Dean, Ryder, and the rest of the bear shifters all began to exchange glances.

  “We remember,” Dean said ominously as he stepped forward. “But they left a long time ago. Didn’t they own the abandoned mine?”

  Sean nodded slowly.

  Pamela felt a chill roll down her spine. So many people had been telling her about this mine, and now, it looked as if she was going to find out why.

  “They did,” Sean said. “It was Ernest’s grandfather who owned it during the collapse…” he paused. “He hired me to investigate it. He heard of what had been happening here on the mountain with the animals and the weather, and he had a bad feeling because he remembers the stories his grandfather used to tell him about that time…”

  “What stories?” Ryder asked.

  “I don’t know,” Sean said honestly. “All I know is, when Ernest heard the news of what was happening up here, he called me straight away in a panic and said we had to get out here and see what was going on. He thinks it may have something to do with the mine collapsing… and if he’s right… then we all need to be afraid.”

  Pamela looked at Ryder and she cuddled into him. He wrapped his protective arm over her shoulder and kept her there safe.

  “Afraid?” Ryder asked. “And why is that?”

  “Because this is only just the beginning,” Sean said. “Ernest hasn’t told me the full story, but he says it could be big… the weather changing, the animals dying… the shifters having wars…”

  When Dean and Ryder realized that he knew their secret, they instantly snarled and stepped closer.

  “It’s okay,” Sean said as he raised his hands. “You don’t need to fear me. I’m here to help all of you. In fact, I’ve been working behind the scenes, easing tensions between you and the wolves because, trust me, if this thing gets any worse, you’re going to need to fight it together. You can’t be having pack wars when the world is changing before our very eyes and we don’t know how to handle it.”

  Ryder and Dean exchanged another glance.

  “How have you been working away behind the scenes?” Dean asked with contempt.

  “I’ve been speaking with Dash. I told him everything I’m telling you now, and at first, he didn’t believe me. But he knew he and his pack were acting out of sorts, and after the fight last night, he finally saw that it wasn’t like them to behave that way. They would never physically war with you bears like that. He knew something was going on, that there is something in the air or the water making them all act strange.”

  Dean nodded his head slowly and sighed.

  “It hasn’t just been the wolves; our pack has been acting strange too.”

  Some of the men nodded, and Ryder moved back to Pamela and wrapped his arm around her again. She looked up at him and smiled.

  “Ernest hired Pamela because he knew that if it was anything environmental, she would see it straight away… but the second we got into town, it was obvious to both of us that the environment wasn’t at fault.”

  Pamela nodded. Sean was speaking the truth.

  “And that’s why I disappeared,” he sighed. “I had to get to the mine and see what was happening there.”

  “And?” Ryder asked.

  “And I couldn’t get in. There was some kind of strange force around it.”

  Pamela’s blood ran cold.

  “We are up against something serious,” he said. “And now, we all need to come together and find out what that is.”

  The room stayed silent, and the door slowly opened. Pamela watched as Dash and the other wolves in his pack moved slowly into the room and everyone stared at each other.

  She had seen the pack war the night before, and she had now seen the aftermath. Compared to how things had been, she could see that the tension between the two groups had vanished, and they were keen to get along.

  “Okay,” Ryder said as he looked at Dean.

  Dean nodded and then the two groups moved closer together with their hands outstretched. They all began to shake and pat each other on the back, and Pamela watched in awe as two magical tribes bonded over a common threat. It was both exciting and terrifying, as no one knew what they were up against or what was to come. But she knew she had found herself a new home, and whatever was going to come their way, she would be there to fight it alongside them.

  Ryder locked the doors of the bar, and the music came back on lowly. He opened the refrigerators and pulled out bottles of whiskey and bourbon, crates of beer and mixers, and the bears and wolves drank side by side for the first time in years.

  He came to Pamela and took hold of her hand and led her to a booth at the back of the room. They cuddled together as she watched Sean speak with the two packs, and knew, now, that she had been instrumental in bringing them all together. Without her and Sean, none of them would be prepared for what was coming… now, they had fixed their old rivalries, and they were working together for the good of the town and their people.

  “I misjudged Sean,” Ryder said as he kissed her forehead and squeezed her shoulder.

  “I know, so did I,” she admitted.

  She let her hand find his, and they wrapped their fingers up together.

  “There is so much danger here,” she whispered. “But I know I can never leave.”

  Ryder gazed down at her and she saw the gold return to his eyes. She smiled at him and cupped his rough, stubbly cheek in her hand and kissed him longingly on the lips.

  “Thank you for choosing me,” she whispered.

  “No,” he said. “Thank you for choosing me.”

  They slinked out of the bar together and headed to The Hollow Hotel.

  Pamela had come to town for work, she had begun her career in an explosiv
e way, but she had made friends and found family for life. She had stepped into Bridge Hollow after hearing of the legends, but she was now a resident there with a deep knowledge of the magic and mysteries that bound it all together. And for them all, this was only just the beginning.

  She and Ryder had found each other, and they had found love. They weren’t supposed to be together, forbidden by Ryder’s pack and by Pamela’s career-focused ways… but they had both broken down their barriers and learned that their love was stronger than everything around them. And it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.

  As they walked the cold, icy streets of Bridge Hollow, neither of them knew what was coming to them or the town, but they knew that, as long as they were together, they could face it and take on the world.

  For them, love was conquering all. And they had finally found their happily ever after.

  ***

  Rest assured that the next installment in the Bridge Hollow series is in the works!

  Until then perhaps you would like to check out another tale…? ; )

  This comes from another awesome author with Totally Romance Publishing, Cynthia Wilde…

  Preview of Her Keeper Bear

  Burning Falls Shifters

  Cynthia Wilde

  Copyright ©2019 by Cynthia Wilde. All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic of mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Chapter One

  The image in her rear-view mirror reflected the jagged New York skyline fading into the distance. The dim, gray color of the sky mirrored Cindy’s mood, drizzling large spattering rain drops onto her windshield.

  “Good riddance, New York,” she muttered as she sped down the two-lane highway. Her time in the city had done her no favors outside of her professional life. More specifically, Reginald Anderson, though he preferred Reggie.

  Cindy had fallen for his smooth demeanor, and the fact that he was a co-worker did not deter her from a series of toe-curling dalliances after hours. The affair ended badly. As it turned out, smooth-talking Reggie was having a clandestine romance with another colleague as well.

  She found out about his “dalliance” one night when she had to return to work unexpectedly to retrieve a file she needed to go over before a morning meeting. When she got to the office, she spotted his light on down the hall and opted for a surprise pop-in.

  “Hi, Reggie,” Cindy had purred as she opened his door. She found him between the thighs of his personal assistant, her bare backside perched on the shelf of his bookcase which was rattling against the wall as his hips thrust into her with great gusto.

  He had not even tried to pretend an apology. “We never said we were exclusive,” he called out between gritted teeth, not even pausing his machinations. Cindy absorbed the scene in silence, watching them for a few seconds before she spoke.

  “That’s okay,” she demurred. “I wanted to let you know I’d like to submit my resignation, effective at once. Goodbye Reg.”

  In three days’ time, she managed to pare down her belongings enough to fit the remainder into the back of her Prius. What she could not cram into her car, she had dropped, without ceremony, to the nearest thrift store. She could not stop herself from chuckling as she drove past the sign indicating the edge of the small town she had once called home.

  ‘The City of Burning Falls Welcomes You!’ followed by a small clip art picture of a flame beneath a waterfall. The waterfall itself was far more poetic than the sign would show and the only thing which held any sentimental memories for her from her hometown.

  “You are always welcome,” her grandmother said. “For as long as you like.”

  “You might be right, Nan,” she had replied. “New York is wonderful, but the city is so fast paced. I think I need a break.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?” Nan replied with a wry tone.

  “Why do you ask?” Cindy said, trying to evade the second sense her grandmother always had about her.

  “It’s that boy, isn’t it?”

  “Well, Reggie’s thirty-five, so I wouldn’t call him a boy.”

  “I knew he was trouble, being so much older than you. It was not a good match.”

  “Only ten years, Nan. That’s not that much older than me. And besides, I wasn’t looking for a match. Maybe just a flame.”

  “I’d like you to come,” her grandmother said. “I’m not as young as I used to be, you know.”

  “Oh, Nan. You’re only as young as you feel, as you always point out.”

  “That’s the problem. I don’t feel as young as I once did. I’m getting tired more often, these days. It might be nice to have someone else here for a little while. Just in case.”

  “Okay, fine. If only for a little while.”

  Cindy and Nan had always had a unique relationship, much to the chagrin of Cindy’s parents. Nan had encouraged Cindy’s creative endeavors, always asking to see her latest designs, even when she was a child. After high school, she had skipped town as quick as she could blink, taking a job as an intern in New York, which led to a full-time position in the fashion industry. Cindy felt that much of her success came because of Nan’s encouragement.

  A few minutes after passing the welcome sign, houses began to appear at the edge of the two-lane road. Farm houses placed back from the road with large, sweeping yards, gravel drives, and cute little flower gardens adorning the porches.

  “Ah, home,” Cindy said, not without some irony in her tone. “New York, this is not,” she murmured. Soon, she arrived at Nan’s house. The nearest neighbor being about a quarter of a mile away, still visible, but from a distance. Cindy smiled as she pulled into the driveway.

  Her grandmother’s house had always had a certain element of character, compared to the other homes. Besides the lavender hydrangeas planted around the base of the raised porch, she also kept a collection of wind chimes, birdhouses, and painted gourds all over the porch. The house reflected her grandmother’s eclectic personality.

  Cindy exited the car, hearing the light tinkling sounds as the breeze drifted through the décor, the sounds of childhood. She had not even made it to the front step before the door flung open.

  “There you are!” Nan stepped out with arms wide, rushed into the yard and scooped her up into a huge bear hug. “I thought you’d never get here!”

  “Hi, Nan,” Cindy said.

  Nan shuffled her inside before grabbing her suitcase, carrying it as if it were light as a feather, her long flowered skirt swishing around her sandals. Cindy could not keep from smiling as the woman dragged them both into the house.

  “Come in, come in! I’ve got soup in the crock pot waiting for you. It won’t be ready for another hour though. I’ve got tea. Would you like tea? I can put on the kettle in no time at all.” She fluttered around the house, picking and adjusting the already pristine home.

  “Tea would be nice.” Cindy took a seat at the kitchen table, a relic from a bygone era, made of lime green Formica. The room filled with cheery welcoming scents of the rich chicken broth bubbling in the corner. Within moments, the tea kettle hummed on the stove. Nan poured two cups of hot water over the spiced tea satchels.

  “Cream, sugar?” she asked, peering over her shoulder.

  “Oh, both please,” Cindy replied.

  “Ah, it is a ‘both’ sort of day. Isn’t it?” Nan turned and sat down across from her, placing the steaming mug before the young woman. “So, tell me about New York. Is it as glamorous as everyone says?”

  Cindy sipped her tea, relishing in the cinnamon and comforting sweetness of the flavors. “Ugh, I’ve had enough of glamour,” she said. “Though I think you should visit the city sometime. You would love it there. It’s a wonderful place to visit.”

  “’But you wouldn’t want to live there?” Nan laughed.

  “Go
es without saying,” Cindy replied.

  “Maybe so,” Nan said. “Besides, I think I have enough to contend with here in the ‘City of Burning Falls’.”

  The crinkles around her grandmother’s eyes somehow made them appear greener than usual. The only other indicator of her grandmother’s age was the silvery streaks through her long hair. Otherwise, Cindy thought she exuded a vibrant and youthful energy. “And a thriving city it is,” Cindy said with a smirk.

  “Perhaps, one day, I’ll visit New York,” Nan mused, peering out the window. “After an inevitable windfall.”

  “I could show you around,” Cindy mused. “You know what, Nan? I wonder if I could get settled in and unpack? I’d like to get the road dust off me, if that’s okay? Which is my room?”

  “Yes, of course! Let me show you where I’ve got you staying.”

  As they made their way through the living room, Cindy heard the clump sound of the mail being dropped into the box outside the door. Nan pulled open the door, waving and greeting the mailman already halfway down the path. His postal truck idled on the side of the road.

  Nan filtered through the small stack of envelopes. “Bill, bill, junk mail… Oh, what’s this?” She placed the rest on the side table and tore open the small white envelope. Her face went pale. “Oh, those rat bastards!”

  “What is it, Nan?” Cindy said with alarm at her grandmother’s rare outburst. “Is everything okay?”

  Nan collapsed into the chair closest to her, handing the pages over to Cindy, who read the words with a sense of dread.

  Dear Mrs. Sadie Carson,

  This has been our third attempt at contacting you on behalf of Stapleton, Stapleton and Howe Real Estate Company. The land parcel upon which you currently reside had been earmarked as a portion of property containing a good percentage of Berinium, a highly sought-after metal which contains a number of beneficial properties. As such, our client has been trying to reach out to you regarding acquisition of your property.