Her Bear Lovers [Werebears of Shatland, Texas 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  “Calm down, baby.”

  “Are you kidding me? How do you expect me to calm down? So? What’d he say?”

  Josh pushed the door all the way open. “How about he tells you himself?”

  Three very attractive men filled the doorway. They were large men, around the same size as her men. All three had blond hair cut short, but not shaved. Like most people she’d seen in the area, they wore faded jeans and simple T-shirts along with boots that had seen long hours working on a ranch. Their green eyes pierced into her, studying her like she was a bug under a microscope.

  “Mayla, this is Liam and his brothers, Finn and Connor.”

  The tallest of the men stuck out his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Mayla. Welcome to Shatland.”

  Liam’s huge hand engulfed hers. “I’m sorry I’ve caused so much trouble.” She thrust out her chin. “Although I’d do it again if it meant staying with the men I love.”

  His green eyes twinkled. “I have to admit, I wasn’t too happy about all the fuss, but I get it. We all do what we have to for love.”

  Was he a romantic? “Thanks for understanding. And I want to thank you more than I can say for talking to my father. I know he couldn’t have made it easy for you.” She summoned her courage. It had to mean something for Liam to finally come and talk to her himself.

  “I have news.”

  She bit her fingernail, then realized what she was doing and jerked her arm to her side. “Yes?”

  “How about you hear it straight from your father?”

  She sucked in a breath, then tried to see past the large man. “Is he here?”

  “No.”

  “Oh.” Her elation died. “I don’t understand.”

  “I asked him if he’d mind recording our conversation this time. At least, the last part of it, and he agreed. I figured it’d be best if you heard this straight from him.” He shrugged. “And since he won’t come here and your men are afraid to let you go there, this was the best way. Next to a phone call or video chatting, that is.”

  He held out a voice recorder. “Just press play whenever you’re ready.”

  Was she ready? What if he told her that it was over? That she wasn’t part of the family any longer? What if this was the last time she’d ever hear his voice?

  She put her fingertip to the button, closed her eyes, and turned it on.

  “Mr. Weaton, what do you want to say to your daughter?” The sound of Liam’s voice was strong, the quality of the recording good.

  The silence, however, that followed tore at her heart. She bit her bottom lip, unable to think coherently enough to send out a prayer.

  “I’d tell her—” Her father sounded so tired. So old.

  “Then do it, Mr. Weaton. You tell her. Talk to her directly. She’ll be listening to this later.”

  Her father cleared his throat, a habit he had before he gave his summations in court. “Mayla, I miss you.”

  She gasped and opened her eyes, tears already burning them.

  “I can’t believe what’s happened between us. Your mother would never have allowed us to part this way.”

  Please don’t use my mother’s memory against me.

  “At any rate, I want, I need to see you. Both John and I do.”

  She clutched at Liam’s arm. Hadn’t he said he wouldn’t visit her?

  “Something’s got to give, Mr. Weaton. As I mentioned last time, you can meet at the cabin again or anywhere else you choose. I promise you that no harm will come to either one of you.”

  “No. I’m not going back there. I can’t. Not yet.”

  She could almost see her father shaking his head.

  “Then what do you suggest?” She marveled at how calm Liam sounded. “Both parties need to compromise. Or are you ready to give your daughter up? If so, tell her. Tell her that she’s as good as dead to you. Set her free to grieve and move on.”

  Another silence deafened her.

  “Is she happy?” Her father cleared his throat again. “Are you happy, sweetie?”

  “Oh, Dad.” She clamped a hand over her mouth. He still cared.

  “She is. Aside from feeling like she’s lost her father and brother. But it doesn’t have to be that way, does it, sir?”

  Another silence came. She wasn’t sure she could stand many more of them.

  “Fine. A compromise then. Tell her she can come to me. I give her my word that we won’t try and keep her here.”

  “And her men? They’ll want to come with her.”

  Oh, God. Not more silence.

  “Fine. But they have to stay outside.”

  Liam clicked off the recorder. “That was the end of it. But it’s good news, right? He wants to see you.”

  She clapped her hands over her mouth. Of all the things she’d expected him to say, had expected her father to say, that wouldn’t have made it on the list.

  Joy had her jumping and wrapping her arms around Liam. “Oh, my God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  “Hey, baby, watch who you’re hugging. He hasn’t found his mate yet.” Josh’s warning wasn’t in his tone.

  She turned Liam loose, still bouncing on her toes. “Did he say when?” Her father always had his days, even his weeks, planned out in advance.

  Again the green eyes sparkled. “Anytime you want.”

  She couldn’t resist. She had to take his forearm that was the size of a good-size tree branch with both hands. She yanked on it like a little girl tugging on her father’s arm to see the gift he’d brought her. “Oh, my God. I’ll go pack right now. Thank you so much.”

  Whirling, she dashed up the first two steps of the stairs, then turned back to him. “I hope you find your mate soon. She’s going to be one lucky lady. Almost as lucky as I am.”

  “The connection willing, I hope you’re right.”

  Taking the stairs as fast as she could, she ran down the hallway and into her bedroom. Throwing open the closet, she yanked her suitcase out and started tossing clothes into it.

  “We’re happy for you, babe.”

  She threw a shirt into the suitcase. Her men watched her, and then it hit her. They were worried. “Really? Because you don’t look like you’re happy for me.”

  Jadon frowned. “No, it’s not that. We are. It’s just that…”

  When it looked like Jadon couldn’t find the right words, Curt helped him out. “Do you want us to come with you?”

  “Are you kidding? Of course. Why aren’t you happy for me? For us?”

  “We are. It’s just that we need to know. You’re coming back, right? You won’t let him talk you into staying, will you?”

  “Of course not. This is my home. With all of you. How could you think otherwise?”

  Josh let out a long, relieved sigh. “Good. We just needed to hear it.”

  These men loved her even when faced with the possibility of getting shot. They loved her with everything they were, everything they had. They even loved her enough to set her free. And she loved them back. Impossibly, fiercely, and forever.

  She saw a different kind of need in them. A need to believe that she loved them as much as they loved her.

  “Then get packing. I want to get on the road like ten minutes ago.” She grinned, happier than she’d ever thought she could be.

  “She’s right, guys.” As usual, Jadon took charge. “I’ll get Liam and some others to handle things around the ranch. You two throw some clothes into a suitcase for all three of us. I’ll meet you all down by the pickup.”

  She squealed and hugged herself. “Yeah. You heard him. Get moving.”

  * * * *

  Her father opened the door to his modest ranch-style home, his large frame blocking the entrance.

  Mayla and her men came to a stop a few feet away. Her heart pounded, even more than the first time she’d seen her men shift into their bear bodies.

  “Only Mayla comes inside.” Her father’s hard expression left no doubt that he meant what he’d said.

&
nbsp; “Sure. No problem.” Josh slid his hand off her shoulder. “As long as she comes back out.”

  “I gave my word.”

  “Please.” She took first Josh’s, then Jadon’s hands and squeezed them, trying to reassure them. Her gaze went to Curt’s worried one. “He always keeps his word. I’ll be fine.”

  “Okay.” Jadon started to give her a kiss on the cheek, glanced at her father, then thought better of it. “Take as long as you need. We’ll wait.”

  She smiled, as much for herself as for them. “Thank you. Whatever happens, thank you.”

  Taking a huge breath, she eased past her father and into the home she’d grown up in. Nothing had changed since she’d moved to Austin. The same classic, stylish furnishings her mother had chosen were still there. Photographs of John, or her, of the entire family decorated the walls and rested on top of the piano her mother had played. A bookshelf spanned one long wall where her mother’s bear figurines nestled among her father’s law books.

  She stood in the middle of the living room and nodded at her brother who sat in one of the armchairs. “Hi, John.”

  “Sis.” He scrutinized her. “You’re looking good.”

  “I feel good. And happy. Especially now that you and Dad are willing to talk.” She followed her father as he moved to stand beside the piano. “I hate what happened before.”

  John’s voice cracked as he spoke, the strain showing on his face. “I’m sorry, sis. You know I’d never …” He struggled, clearing his throat. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I wasn’t aiming at you.”

  “It’s okay. It was an accident.” He’d meant to shoot one of her men. That much was certain. But the past had to be put in the past if their future was to survive.

  She motioned to the sofa. “May I sit down?” It felt funny being so formal with him.

  Her father frowned. “This is still your home. It will always be your home.”

  None of them spoke, as though they all needed a little time to gather their thoughts.

  “I still can’t believe what I saw.”

  She gave her father an understanding smile. “Yeah. It’s a tough one to get your mind around. But it’s real, Dad. They’re werebears. You know. Like werewolves, except they change into bears.”

  “It’s impossible.”

  “A lot of things we thought were impossible are”—she shrugged—“possible.”

  “It would seem so.” Her father pulled back the curtain and peeked outside. “I checked around. I couldn’t find out much about the Barbersons, but what I did says they’re good men.”

  He’d had them investigated. She hated that, but she should’ve guessed that he would. There was nothing she could do about it now. “They are, Dad. They’re wonderful.”

  “But they’re bears, sis. It’s like you’re hooking up with animals.”

  She didn’t want to argue. Doing so would only cause more trouble. “I can see your point, but the men I make love to are men, not animals. And I love them, John. I’m not hooking up with anyone.”

  She leaned toward him, hoping to impress him with both her words and her body language. “Tell me, John. If you fell in love, would it matter to you what she was? What she looked like? Even if she could change into something totally different?”

  He started to answer, then closed his mouth.

  She’d answer for him. “You wouldn’t give a crap and you know it.”

  “So it’s for life? Have they said as much?”

  Her father’s questions meant he’d moved past the fact that they were werebears. It was more important for him to know that they cared for her and weren’t using her as a plaything.

  “They have. Obviously I can’t marry all three of them, but according to their people, we’re mates. That’s as good as being married.”

  “Do you love them? You said you did, but do you? With everything you have?”

  The moisture in his eyes brought her to her feet as she hurried to his side. “Oh, Dad, I do. I swear I do. I can’t explain it. I don’t think anyone can. It’s something you have to experience. There’s this connection, this invisible bond between us. It’s love and so much more.”

  John gave a sharp, bitter laugh. “Love at first again, huh?”

  She spun toward him. “Yes, John. Love at first sight. And it’s strong. Our mother would’ve understood.” She turned back to her father. “She would’ve understood. You know she would’ve.”

  “Your mother was a hopeless romantic.”

  “But I wasn’t, Dad. Shouldn’t that tell you something?”

  He touched her cheek, bringing tears to her eyes as well. “I won’t pretend that I understand. I can, however, tell you that I’ll try.”

  “You will? That’s all I ask.”

  “If you love them, then that makes it important enough for me to try.”

  “I do, Dad. I love them more than I ever thought I could. Can I ask them inside now?”

  He hesitated. Enough to worry her.

  “Only for a moment. You have to give me more time if you want more than that.”

  She tried not to shout her happiness. Or to push him too far. “Of course.”

  “If they really are the men you think they are, then I’ll do my best to accept that other part of them. Get them in here. I need to tell them something. Then you four can be on your way.”

  “You’re the best. You know that, right, Dad?”

  His smile was the best gift she’d ever received. “Your mother used to say that.”

  “And Mom was always right.” She glanced out the window.

  “Go on. Call them in.”

  She dashed to the door and waved at the three men leaning against the pickup. They looked at each other, then strode her way.

  “He wants to talk to you.” She stabbed a finger into Curt’s chest. “Behave. No joking around.”

  They came into her home, three very large men joining with the two that stood side by side in their living room. She felt dwarfed by their sizes and thrilled that five strong men cared so much about her.

  “Mr. Weaton,” Jadon began, then stopped when her father lifted his hand, palm out.

  “I’ll speak first.” His gaze raked the three of them. “My daughter loves you. Do you love her?”

  “We do,” answered Josh. “More than anything.”

  “And you’re going to take care of her? I’m not just talking about living with her and taking care of her basic needs. I’m talking about putting her first, always, no matter what you may want.”

  “We will. You can count on that.

  She smiled at Curt and how serious he was. “I’ve already left my firm in Austin. Once I get settled in, I’m going to start my own law practice in Shatland. They won’t be supporting me. At least not financially.”

  Her father waved her off. John shifted on his feet, his nerves showing.

  “Good.” Her father looked at the gun case in the back of the room. “I’m going to take your word for it. But if I ever hear of you hurting her in any way, I want you to know that I will hunt you down and skin you alive. Am I making myself clear?”

  All three men nodded. Jadon took a step forward and stuck out his hand. “Sir, if we ever hurt her—and that’s not going to happen—I’ll put your gun to my head and pull the trigger for you.”

  “Just make sure you keep your promise. You know I will. Now give me a hug, girl, before you get going.” Her father opened his arms wide.

  She fell into his embrace. Nothing had ever felt so good. Yet when she took in the smiles on her men’s faces, she amended that thought.

  Well. Almost nothing.

  Epilogue

  Two months later

  “Guys, before I get ready to go and visit my father”—she paused and shot them a grin—“would you do me another favor?”

  She’d made it a point to visit her father and brother every other weekend for the past two months. The more she saw them, the more questions she answered, the more comfortable they’d grown
with her relationship with the Barberson men. When she saw them again, she’d convince them to come and visit with them on the ranch.

  “All you have to do is ask.” Josh cleared his throat. “We’d do anything for you.”

  Had anyone ever said such sweet things to her? Never.

  “Could we go into the other bedroom and play?”

  She should’ve known she’d end up getting slung over one of their shoulders. Laughing, she gripped the back of Jadon’s shirt and held on.

  Josh burst the door open while Curt followed them inside. He tossed her on top of the bed, then began undressing. She did the same, but before she could get more than her shoes off, Curt took hold of the front of her dress and tore it away.

  “Damn, but you get sexier every time I see you. We love you, baby. More than we can say.”

  “But don’t let that keep you from trying,” she joked. She didn’t have on any underwear, just like they’d asked her to dress.

  Strong chests were revealed, then the freeing of their cocks drew her attention downward. Even their butts were firm and looked like they were made from marble. They were tan there, too, but not as dark as the rest of them. Her pussy quickened at the sight, ready for whichever one would choose to sink his cock into her first.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman alive. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives making you happy.”

  The sincerity, the passion in Curt’s tone brought tears to her eyes. But now wasn’t the time for crying.

  “You already have.” She scanned the room, taking it all in. “So are we going to play rough?”

  “Is that how you want it, baby?” asked Josh.

  “It sure is.”

  She saw the joy she gave them light up their faces. They were the lovers she’d longed for, the men who were man enough, animal enough to give her what her life had been missing. She wanted to please them as they would please her.