Bearly Begun (BBW/Bearshifter Romance) (Bachelor Bears of Yakima Ridge Book 1)

by Isadora Montrose

  “You can’t kill people in a dream,” Len reassured the boy.

  Cord put his left arm on the table and pulled up the sleeve of his pajama shirt. From elbow to fingertip it had become a hairy, pale gold forearm and paw with long greyish white claws. He looked at Len in fear. “Do you see it too?”

  “I do. Looks like you’re having your first shift in your sleep.” Len noticed absently that this development had acted like a bucket of cold water on his tender crotch.

  “What do you mean? First shift?” Cord’s eyes were big. He waved his bear arm. “This is nuts.”

  “Not if you’re a bearshifter,” Len assured him.”

  “What’s a bearshifter? Am I turning into a freak?” Cord’s voice rose to a squeak.

  “Not a freak, a bear.” Len paused. “A bearshifter is a man who can take bear form when he wants to.”

  “Like I’m developing superpowers?” Cord’s blue eyes lit up.

  “Sort of. You’re coming into your second form. You’ll be getting some bear power for sure. Strength. Good sense of smell. Stuff like that. Super powers? Not so much. Up to you how you use your bear. First step is learning to control it. A shifter needs self-control.”

  “Huh.”

  “That’s for the future, son. Right this minute, your trouble seems to be that you didn’t return to human form, or not completely. I want you to calm down. Take a deep breath and relax.” Len’s calm bass rumble seemed to relax the agitated youngster.

  “Now think about using your left arm to pick up a cracker. Don’t try it, just think about it.” Len kept his voice level.

  Cord locked his eyes on his furry appendage and thought.

  “Imagine that you want to reach across your plate to that package of crackers. You are going to hold them with your human hand and you need your other hand to be human too. You are going to reach in past the paper and take out just one cracker.” Len’s instructions were clear and calm.

  “Ow!” Cord jumped up and shook his left arm hard. “That hurts.” He danced around in circles howling. But when he looked down at his left arm and hand they were once again human.

  “How did that happen?” he demanded.

  “Same way you turned into a bear,” Lenny said. “It’s not really any different than learning to walk or speak. Some of it just seems to happen, and some of it you control.”

  “How come you know about this weirdness,” Cord asked shrilly, looking at his hands in disbelief.

  Len shrugged. “How do you think I know?”

  Cord’s eyes rounded. He shook his head. “Nah,” he said. “Show me.”

  “Now isn’t the right time, son,” said Lenny easily. “You need to settle down and get some sleep. You have school in the morning.” He smiled reassuringly. “How long have you been having these bear dreams?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Since before Dad got out of jail. Do you think I’m really going to be a bear when I grow up?”

  “Whenever you need to be. Most of the time, it won’t help. You ready to tell Hunter and Joe about your bear, son?”

  “Do I have to?”

  “Up to you. But Hunter is probably dealing with this all on his lonesome. Might be fitting for you to give him a brotherly heads up.”

  “Huh. You really think Hunter is a bearshifter too.” Cord’s eyes were round.

  “I’d guess so,” Len said placidly.

  “Is Mr. Joey a bear too?” Cord asked wonderingly.

  “Runs in families, son.”

  The kitchen light flipped on. “What’s going on?” demanded Hunter in an aggressive voice. He looked suspiciously at Cord and Lenny.

  “Your brother was having trouble sleeping. We’re having a snack. Get yourself a glass and a plate.” Len returned good humoredly.

  Joe’s sleep rumpled form stalked into the kitchen. He was wearing just his jeans and he looked big and impossibly hairy. But his voice was mild. “What’s all the rumpus about?”

  Cord’s face went white. He shot Len a pleading look.

  “Bad dreams. Cord and I thought milk and crackers would help.” Lenny waved a hand at the table. “Want to join us?”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Blow was pissed. That fucking asshole that Pacman wanted him to take out had pretty near busted his knee to hell. It was swollen up the size of a cantaloupe and he had a fucking limp.

  He hoped the bastard had a set of broke ribs from where the pipe got him. Should of used a fucking gun. If he’d of shot the asshole, wouldn’t have done no kicking or nothing then. Next time.

  Pacman thought them boys of his was going to be useful sooner rather than later. They was big enough, and if they learned to handle themselves, they could be worthwhile having around. Made sense if you wanted backup to look to your own family. Pacman’s plan to bring his boys into the business was a good one. What business did that asshole have collaring Pacman’s boys and keeping them from their own dad?

  Pacman thought that the problem was that bitch who had custody of his sons. She was fucking the asshole that was certain. Probably best to do them both. Maybe even see if it could look like the asshole did her and then turned his gun on himself.

  Once those two nosy parkers were taken care of, the twins would get back into line. He would personally see to it. By the time Pacman had parole, they could be defending their own holes, running errands for bagmen, and they’d still be underage.

  The doorbell rang and Blow hobbled to the hall where the screen showed one of his regulars. He unlatched the door handed over a small packet from his pocket and took the customer’s twenty in silence. Then he lurched back into the living room to prop his leg up. Fucking asshole was gonna pay for all the pain he was in.

  * * *

  The boys were asleep. Joe and Len were giving their kitchen a lick and a promise before they too turned in.

  “So you want to explain how you got dirty taking Erin home last night?” Joe enquired softly.

  “Hunter told you about that?”

  “He did. Seemed to think it meant Miss Erin had tussled some with you,” Joe said warningly.

  “I hope you set him straight,” Len said. He looked straight at Joey to be certain his own twin wouldn’t think he would use violence on his mate.

  “I did my best. “ Joe said raising his eyebrows. “You want to tell me what did happen?”

  Len rinsed the sink. “I think Pacey’s pal, Blow, waited for me outside Erin’s place with a length of lead pipe.”

  “You sure?” Joe said.

  “Yeah, pipe’s too heavy to be galvanized steel,” Len informed him drily.

  “Did you ID him, Len?” Joe asked patiently.

  “Well, I smelled the guy with the pipe. So if he comes around again, I’ll know. But I got nothing I could go to the cops with.” Len shrugged.

  “You think he’ll try again?” Joe demanded.

  “I sure hope so,” Len said. “I owe him.”

  “Well now, I had young Cord take me around the corner to Blow’s crib.” Joe said.

  “Huh.”

  “Big three story house, nice wide porch. Three, four broken chairs and an old settee for watching the neighbors,” Joe went on.

  “Sounds right welcoming.”

  “Guess I didn’t mention the bullet holes in the siding? Or the video cameras covering the doors?” Joe said.

  “Must have slipped your mind.” Len hung his cloth neatly over the towel rack. “Think he’s dealing out of there?”

  Joey nodded. “I do indeed. Which means Pacey got caught with that shit the cops claimed to find on him quite legitimately. Wasn’t a setup, brother.”

  “You tell Cord not to go over there again?” Len asked.

  “I believe I impressed upon him the folly of getting anywhere near that particular house. So far I have not had the opportunity to have a similar discussion with Hunter.” Joe stopped and looked hard at his twin. “But Lenny, thing is Blow might go after Miss Erin.”

  “Not if he wants to live.�
� Leonard Benoit’s mighty frame got bigger and broader and his pleasant face became the visage of an infuriated warrior bear.

  “May not know he’s hunting bear, bro.” Joe said.

  * * *

  “You want me to move into your house?” Erin asked in astonishment.

  Len turned redder. What must his mate think of such a plan? “I have a bad feeling about Blow. He tried to take me out on Saturday night. Yesterday afternoon he showed up outside the school yard. Fortunately, the boys were expecting me and Tracker so they just jumped into my truck and missed him altogether.

  “I figure Joe and me can bunk together, and you can have my room.” Len said because he wanted Erin to know he wasn’t asking her to shack up under the eyes of her kid brothers.” Just until Blow is convinced he’s not getting anywhere.”

  “He was waiting for Hunter and Cord?” Erin asked worriedly.

  “In that white van of his. Bold as brass. So he knows those lads normally walk home from school. I’d guess he’s offered them rides before,” Len said baldly.

  “Did you ask them? They know that they’re not supposed to accept rides from strangers.” Erin’s hazel eyes were tense and anxious.

  “Blow is unfortunately no stranger to those two,” Len reminded her. “Pacey introduced them to his pal.”

  “What makes you think he might come after me?” Erin asked.

  “He knows enough that he was waiting outside your place for me on Saturday night. I got to thinking about him waiting for you to get back from work at four in the morning. Man who would try to get boys to do his dirty work, wouldn’t much mind hurting a woman.

  “If he’d hit me upside the head, Erin, like he tried to do, he’d have split me open like a watermelon.” Len put his hands on her arms and drew her against his bulk.

  “I get the shakes thinking about him waiting for you. So it’s either I have to camp outside your building, or you have to sleep here.” Len tightened his arms around his treasure.

  “When you put it like that, how can I refuse?” Erin laid her head on his chest. “I’ll have to go home and pack a bag.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  * * *

  Hunter met Len and Erin at the top of the stairs. He was wearing his most suspicious look. He had been scowling since they had brought Erin’s bag into the house before she went to work and put it in Len’s room.

  “I thought you said you were going to bed,” he said accusingly to Len.

  “Got up when Erin texted she was on Parkhurst. You go on back to bed, Hunter. Goodnight, Erin.” Len kissed her cheek.

  Hunter watched balefully until Len went back into Joe’s room and Erin brushed her teeth and went into Len’s room. He had begun his stay in the house pretty certain that he and Cord were being groomed by a pair of bumfuckers. He had locked the door of the bedroom he shared with Cord from the first night.

  But neither Len nor Joe seemed interested in boys. They had strong views on behavior and soap and water, but they didn’t seem to want to do much more than make sure he and Cord made their beds and put their dirty clothes in the wash. They never ‘accidentally’ opened the bathroom door, or any of the other ploys Hunter had heard kids talking about.

  Gradually he had begun to suspect that Len was really after Erin. Hunter wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Erin didn’t date. At least he didn’t think she did. She never had a boyfriend. He didn’t know if she would sleep with a guy like Len. But he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be right if she did. Unless Len married her.

  Cord thought Len wanted to do just that. That his honorable intentions meant just that. But Lenny hadn’t agreed with him when he said it. And if Erin married Len what would he and Cord do? Dad was in prison. If Erin moved to French Town, or whatever that hillbilly village Len was from was called, where would they live?

  Sure Len seemed to like them sometimes. But in Hunter’s experience guys didn’t get married and expect to have brothers as part of the deal. Particularly not boys who had stolen their stuff. And that probably went double or triple for a boy who could turn into a bear.

  Cord thought that they would go live with Len and Erin. Hunter thought that was castles in the f***ing sky. Erin wouldn’t leave them behind, would she? And if Len left her behind, it was going to break her heart. He didn’t know what he should do in order to keep them apart. But he would think of something.

  * * *

  Erin found it hard to fall asleep in Len’s room. It was the damnedest thing him insisting on her moving into his house, but not as a prelude to them sleeping together. She hoped this was some sort of small town thing, rather than a sign that he wasn’t really courting her as Maddie and Hannah believed. Because her fantasies of forever after seemed to be coming true. But Len had said nothing about loving her. On the other hand, she hadn’t spoken either.

  Her little bear seemed especially heated tonight. She was growing fonder and fonder of the tiny charm. It seemed to belong near her. She kissed it hoping it would bring her luck and tucked it under her pillow, hoping to dream again of her passionate, nocturnal lumberjack.

  * * *

  “I’m going to Caitlyn’s,” Joe told his brother.

  “Oh.” Len was rolling up his sleeping bag and not looking at Joe. “How come?”

  “None. Of. Your. Business.” Which probably meant Joe was finally getting lucky.

  “Watch your back, brother.”

  “You too. And not just because you think Blow may come calling. Hunter is more than a little put out that you moved Erin in,” Joe informed his twin.

  “Yeah, I did notice. I thought he and I were getting along pretty good. But he doesn’t seem to cotton to the idea of me marrying his sister,” Len said.

  “You going to let that hamstring you?” Joe asked.

  “Hell, no. Erin is my mate. She’s worth walking through fire for. What the heck is a couple of kids in comparison?”

  “That’s the spirit. Well, wish me luck.” Joe finished stuffing his clothes into his duffel and slung it over his shoulder. “Be seeing you.”

  * * *

  “Where’s Mr. Joe gone?” Cord asked as he spooned cereal into his mouth.

  “He’s got something to take care of,” Len said. He looked at the two boys hard, ignoring Hunter’s scowl. “That means it’s up to the three of us to look out for your sister. If you catch sight of Blow anywhere at all, let me know.”

  “Blow wouldn’t do anything to Erin,” objected Hunter.

  “Well the man does seem to be a model citizen, dealing drugs out of his house like he does. And trying to turn you guys into thieves.” Len drank coffee.

  “But let’s play it safe, shall we? If you see Blow, assume he means no good to you boys, or to Erin, or to me.” Len looked straight into Hunter’s eyes, and turned to look just as hard at Cord. “Understood?”

  Both boys nodded.

  “Well then, I’ll drop you guys at school. I’ll make sure Erin gets to her car to go to work. And I’ll pick you up at three thirty. Deal? You got your lunches made?”

  “Yeah,” said Cord. “I made ’em last night.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Len was washing up for a late lunch at the kitchen sink when he heard Erin on the stairs. He had heard her wake up and go into the master bath for her shower. He smiled at her as she came into the kitchen followed by Tracker.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said crossing the room to kiss her. He pulled her against his body and enjoyed the feel of her softness against his hardness. “Want some lunch?” He had a fine love sausage that was purely ready for her to eat.

  “Yeah.” She looked around the kitchen. “It looks pretty great in here.”

  “Boys did a great job with the cabinets. Hunter pretty much did the tile work by himself.” Len pulled cold cuts and last night’s cold veggies out of the fridge. He started making sandwiches.

  “They’ve learned a lot. And they’re proud of their skills. Thank you.”

  The tips of Len’s ear
s glowed red. He looked pleased. But all he said was, “Mustard or mayo?”

  “Both, please.”

  He made his move after lunch when Erin was washing up their plates and wiping the counters. He put his hands on either side of her waist, and kissed the back of her neck through the curls that covered it.

  “Want to play?” he growled.

  She turned around and he gave her space to move so they could look at each other. His heart sank when he saw doubt in her face. “Too soon?” he said and swallowed. He could be strong.

  She shook her head. “The boys.” It was a question.

  “Not home for hours. And we don’t do this before them, or while they’re in the house.” Len laid out his ground rules.

  “Okay.” Her cheeks were rosy.

  Len pulled her into his arms for a proper kiss. At last he had time and opportunity to love his mate right. He let his tongue play with hers, chasing it back into her mouth, and coaxing hers to follow his. He learned the taste and texture of her mouth and let her learn his. They were breathing hard when he picked her up and carried her upstairs to the master bedroom.

  Erin felt as though she would explode with love and longing as Len took the stairs two at a time. He was so strong. He tasted like the ultimate male. Musky, sweet and salty. But she had to remember her responsibilities.

  “Do you have condoms?” she asked, blushing a little when he set her on the floor beside the mattress. So sue her, she hadn’t discussed birth control with a man ever. The last time she had done this, she had been on the pill and had kept a box of condoms by the bed. She had thrown them away shortly after the twins had moved in with her.

  “Big box in the linen closet,” he said tenderly. He went into the master bathroom and doors opened and closed. Water ran. He took a long time while she stood waiting self-consciously in the room. But when he came back, Len’s face was smooth and shiny. He had removed his shirt and he held a carton of condoms in one big fist.

  She had known he was a big, burly man, but the sight of that barrel chest and the lush mat of curling hair that grew on it made her skin prickle. His biceps bulged and his back muscles rippled as he tossed the condoms on the sheets and sat down to unlace his boots. He glanced up at her uncertain face and kicking off his socks he stood up with easy athletic grace.