Caging Her Bear Lovers [Werebears of Shatland, Texas 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Jane Jamison

  Please, just say it. “Yes?”

  “We want you for our own.” He rolled onto his side and caressed her cheek. “We’ve waited a long time for you to come along. You’re the woman we want to share for the rest of our lives.” His usual cocky grin was replaced with a softer one, one filled with insecurity. “If that’s what you want.”

  “I–I don’t know. I mean, it’s happened so fast.” His words thrilled her, filling a hole that had grown darker with each passing year of missed love. She’d longed to hear those words from one man. But to have three? That was three times as wonderful.

  “Do you feel the connection between us? With Connor and Liam, too?”

  She bit her lower lip and tried to put it into words. “I feel something that I’m not sure I can explain. It’s like…”

  “A nest of bees got inside you, flying and buzzing around, and all you can think of is us? Like if you don’t touch us, you’re going to explode? Like someone put your finger into a light socket and the shock is hitting you hard, but instead of killing you, it just makes you feel more alive than you’ve ever felt?”

  “Yeah. That’s it. I didn’t know how to explain it, but yes to all the above. How’d you know? I’ve never heard anyone explain falling in love that way.”

  Falling in love? Why had she said it that way? Had he noticed?

  “Maybe it’s because most people don’t get that feeling. It’s so much more intense. It’s called the connection and it’s what brings a man, or men, and their future ma—um, their future wife together.”

  “Wife?” She sat up, stunned. “We just met and you’re already talking about me becoming your wife?”

  He took her hand. “I know it’s hard to understand, but that’s how it goes sometimes. It’s like ‘love at first sight’ on steroids.”

  “But it’s so fast.” Her mind spun with questions, and yet, when she tried to grasp them, she was lucky to find just one that became clear. “How can I become a wife to more than one man? Isn’t that polygamy?”

  Was she ready for such a huge commitment? Thinking about being with them was wonderful, but saying the words that would bind them together, promising to love them forever, was unnerving.

  He bent and placed a sweet kiss on her shoulder. “We don’t get married legally. At least not all three of us men to you. If you want, you can choose one lucky man and marry him. It’s the emotional commitment, the connection that binds us together. Not some piece of paper.” He grinned, back to his usual cocky one. “I sound like I’m on some relationship talk show. Hell, if Connor hears me talking this way, he’ll burn my man card.”

  He turned to stare straight at her. “You said you feel it, Brynn, but do you believe what I’m saying?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never believed in love at first sight, so how can I believe in a quicker version of it? And with more than one man? I’m really confused.”

  He lowered his gaze, and once again, she had the impression that he wasn’t telling her everything she needed to know.

  “What is it, Finn? What else do you want to say? Just say it.”

  “If I do, then Liam really will want to kill me.”

  She imitated his cocky grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

  Surprisingly, he didn’t laugh. “I bet you could.” He kissed her on the lips, quick and tender. “Here it is.”

  She waited, breath held as he took so long to speak.

  “What you need to know is—”

  “Sis, are you all right?”

  Both of them startled, with him pulling away from her to jump out of the bed.

  “Lizzy, I’m fine.”

  Damn, damn, damn. If her sister didn’t have bad timing, she wouldn’t have any timing at all.

  “Oh. Okay. I just needed to check. After all the screaming, I was afraid someone was murdering you.”

  Finn started getting dressed. She motioned for him to stop, but he shook his head and kept on going.

  “Wait. You heard me screaming and you’re just now checking to see if I’m being murdered?”

  “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, sis. It was a joke. I can tell the difference between a scream for help and a scream of climax. So who’s in there with you, anyway? Connor? Liam? Someone else?”

  “Go away, Lizzy.”

  Her sister’s laughter echoed in the narrow hallway as she left them alone.

  “No, Finn. Don’t leave. You were about to tell me something.” She wrapped the top sheet around her and scrambled out of bed.

  He had the door open before she could reach him. “No. That was a mistake. Don’t worry, though. We’ll tell you everything soon enough. Until then, though, I’m not going to have Liam bite my head off.” He winked and hurried down the hall.

  What the hell?

  She plopped down on the edge of the bed.

  Fine, Finn McGarrett, leave me hanging. But come tomorrow, I’m getting the answers to all my questions.

  Chapter Six

  Brynn pushed open the door to the other bedroom to find Lizzy on the phone. She slapped a hand over her mouth, cutting off her first question.

  After Finn had gone, she’d returned to the barn to find him and Liam. Yet as hard as she tried, and with neither of them in a talking mood, she’d finally given up on trying to get them to discuss anything more than superficial things. Her chance to get Finn to talk had come and gone. Either he’d decided on his own, or Liam had changed his mind. Either way, they acted as morose as the bear.

  She’d tried a few more times afterwards, but had finally given up and gone to sleep. But it wasn’t a restful sleep. She’d never had any man sleep over, but her body yearned to have them near her. If they hadn’t seemed in such foul moods, she would’ve seduced them right in the barn. With the bear, shifter, or whatever he was looking on.

  “Uh-huh, Bobby. I understand.” Lizzy paused, listening. “I’m not sure. Yeah, okay. Yes, yes. I’ll get it done.” Lizzy’s gaze flitted to her, then down again. “Listen, Brynn just walked in. I think she’s about to blow her top with news of some kind. Call when”—she paused, then went on—“you know.”

  Lizzy ended the call, then tossed her phone on top of her bed. “What’s up? Is everything okay?”

  “Talking to Bobby, huh?” She felt like she needed a good fight. Anything to get some of the frustration out.

  “Yes. He is my fiancé, you know.”

  “Don’t remind me.”

  “I don’t get why you don’t like him.”

  “I told you why.”

  “Don’t go there, Brynn. I won’t accuse him of cheating.”

  “If you won’t believe me about that either, it doesn’t matter if I like him.” When would she get her to believe her about Bobby or the werebear? Her lack of trust hurt her more than she could ever tell Lizzy. “What matters is that you love him.” She arched a telling eyebrow. “And that you can trust him.”

  “Bynn. Stop.”

  “Fine. Never mind.” What was she doing? She didn’t really want to argue and Lizzy didn’t deserve it. Besides, she needed her sister. “I don’t want to get into it right now anyway. I need to talk to you about the McGarrett men.”

  She didn’t want to talk about Bobby any more than Lizzy did. If she did, especially in her present state of mind, she might just lose it and tell her how many times the jerk had hit on her. If she hadn’t kicked him in the balls when he’d cornered her in the kitchen at Lizzy’s apartment the night before they’d come to Shatland, he’d have had her on her back and taken what he’d wanted from her. As it was, Lizzy had walked in a moment later and he’d had to blame his moans of pain and the way he was bent over on a groin cramp.

  Why couldn’t her intelligent sister realize what a creep he was?

  Lizzy’s failure to notice his all-too-transparent lie, not to mention the way he covered his groin, had irritated her. She’d known at that point that her sister would never believe her until she had definite proof. Was that what people meant by
love being blind?

  It was a coward’s way out, but she kept hoping Lizzy would see him as the asshole he was before they got married. Once they were at the altar, however, she’d finally have to step up and make her sister believe. Even if it meant possibly losing Lizzy.

  “Okay. Go on. What about them?”

  “I had sex with them.” There it was, blurted out without thinking.

  Lizzy was on her feet and taking her by the arms. “I knew it! But wait! With all of three of them? Holy shit! Hell, no wonder you were screaming.”

  “Yes and no. I’ve slept with all three of them but not at the same time. I was with Finn yesterday. And with both Connor and Liam before that.”

  “You slut!”

  “Lizzy!”

  “Oh, come on. You know I’m kidding. And jealous as all get out. Oh, my God. Three hot men.”

  “That’s not really what I wanted to talk to you about.” She sat down on the end of the bed with Lizzy beside her.

  “Then what is it?”

  She was still stuck on the sex part. And what Finn had said. “Finn mentioned that they wanted one woman to share. Like one woman they’d all consider to be their wife.”

  “Didn’t Liam say as much at dinner? Or was that Connor?” Lizzy’s hand flew to cover her mouth. At least for a moment. “Hold on. Their wife? He said the W word? Already?”

  Maybe that was what was bugging her. “Yeah. He said the W word, but not the L word. Who does that?”

  Lizzy’s high spirits deflated. “Yeah. That is weird.”

  “It is, right? Even weirder than how fast things are moving. But there’s something else.”

  “Wow. You really did have a wild day yesterday.”

  “I sure did. But something’s bothering me. I keep thinking that they’re not telling me the truth.”

  “About what, sis?”

  “About the bear. About shifters. I think they know that they exist.”

  It hurt when her sister moved away and averted her gaze.

  “Brynn, don’t go blowing things between you four with your…suspicions.”

  She’d started to say “with your delusions.” She had no doubt about it. “I’m sure of it, Lizzy. And I’m going to get answers today, one way or the other.”

  Lizzy bit her lower lip. It was a habit they’d both picked up after their mother had passed on. “Just keep it pleasant, okay? Try to think about where they’re coming from.”

  “And screw how I feel?”

  Her sister was beside her again. “No, that’s not what I meant. I’m trying to save your feelings. Just take it easy, okay? Ease into the conversation. Don’t try and beat them over the head until they spit out whatever you want to hear. They might tell you what you want to hear without really meaning it. You don’t want that.”

  How many times had Bobby done the same thing? But she wouldn’t bring him into it.

  She stood, unable to stay close to someone who didn’t have confidence in what she said. “I’ve been patient long enough. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the connection, I would’ve made them tell me sooner.”

  “The connection?”

  “I’ll explain that later.” She pivoted, heading for the door and determined to get one or all of the men to talk. Hopefully, Connor would be back today.

  “Sis?”

  “Yeah?” Lizzy’s expression only made her more anxious.

  “That call was from Bobby.”

  “I assumed as much.”

  “I told him why we’re here.”

  “Aw, Lizzy, you promised you wouldn’t. Why did you? He’s just going to call me crazy, too.”

  “I’m sorry. I talked to him last night. That’s when I first told him. I also told him you’d caught a bear and that you think it’s a shifter.”

  “And?” Her stomach clenched, recognizing bad news was coming.

  “And that it was a grizzly bear.”

  “Will you get to the point?” Her sister didn’t deserve her angry tone, but she couldn’t help it.

  “Bobby called to tell me about a friend with the Grizzly Bear Preservation Society of North America.” She lifted her tear-blurred gaze to hers. “I’m sorry I told him. But you have to know. He’s coming, Brynn.”

  “He’s coming? Here? Why?” Her stomach tightened even more.

  “They want to take the bear into custody and deliver it to the zoo. From there, his friend is hoping to return it to its natural habit.”

  “After what? After they tranquilize it and run some tests? After they tag it so they can track it?” How could Lizzy do that to her? To the shifter? “And if it really is a werebear? Then what?”

  Short of the bear changing in front of her, she doubted Lizzy would ever come around. Could she get him to change soon enough? If so, she’d turn him loose before Bobby and his friend arrived.

  “I don’t know, sis.” Lizzy stood and faced her. “You’re the one who thinks a man can change into a bear, not me. It’s just a wild animal. That’s all.”

  “No. It’s not. And I’ll prove it.” She had to talk him into doing it. Nothing else would work.

  “Okay, then prove it. But you’d better get to it because they’ll be here soon.”

  Brynn raced out of the house and into the barn, her determination to make the bear shift utmost on her mind. And yet, once she’d entered the dimly lit barn, she slammed to a stop.

  Holy shit.

  * * * *

  Crap.

  The pain of the shift warped through Connor as he concentrated on changing faster. Brynn stood just inside the barn. Her eyes were wide, her jaw slack, her body stiff. But why? She’d known werebears existed. And yet, seeing one change was still sending her for a loop. Liam had been right. Believing werebears existed didn’t make it easier to see one in real life. Especially when he was in the middle of changing. Would she run? Or had they spent enough time with her as men to keep her near?

  “Shit. Brynn, it’s okay. It’s Connor.” Liam was by her side, but she pushed him away.

  He finished the shift, ignoring the ache the fast transformation had left. He pushed the open cage door wider and moved toward her. When she stepped back, pushing Liam away again, he was torn apart.

  She’s afraid.

  “It’s real. You’re a shifter.”

  Finn took the other side of her as his brothers closed in, ready to grab her in case she ran. They couldn’t let her go before getting a chance to calm her down. Running in terror would put her in danger of hurting herself.

  “It’s okay, baby.” Finn took her arm and she jerked it away just as she’d done with Liam.

  “I knew it. I knew you were hiding something from me.” She glared at him, then at his brothers. “I should’ve guessed. All of you were never together at one time.”

  “You’re right.” Liam’s voice was low and tender as he tried to calm her. “We’re sorry we lied, but we couldn’t tell you the truth until we knew you’d felt the connection like we did. Even after that, you needed time to get to know us.”

  “And in one day. That’s all it took?” She laughed with a hysterical edge to the sound. “I’ve had sex with shifters. Oh, my God.”

  “Shifters who are still men.” Connor inched toward her. “Men who care about you.”

  He was naked, and slightly erect just from the sight of her, but he had to help her understand. If she didn’t accept what they were, she might leave them for good. It took a strong woman to accept a shifter as her lover. Was she strong enough?

  “He’s right, baby.” Although Finn didn’t try to hold her again, he didn’t move away, either. “It’s like I told you, you’re the one we’ve waited for.”

  “What do you mean, like you told her?”

  Connor managed to get a little closer, bolstering his confidence. “Forget it, Liam. That doesn’t matter. And maybe it’ll help.”

  Finn kept going. Connor hoped her silence was a good sign. At least she was listening.

  “You remember about the c
onnection? You can feel it right now, can’t you?”

  “You lied to me.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I trusted you more than I’ve ever trusted any man. You could have told me. I knew shifters existed, so why’d you hide it from me?”

  “We were afraid.”

  Connor heard the pain in Liam’s voice. He felt the same ache.

  “Afraid? Of what? Of me exposing you to the world? I said I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Yes, we were afraid. Telling you too soon, even with you already knowing that werebears existed, could’ve sent you running. It’s happened to others and we couldn’t risk it. We were going to tell you. Soon, too. But we wanted you to get to know us as the men we are first. Before you met our animals.”

  Connor sniffed, picking up the scent of her fear. It was there, but another scent overpowered it. More than afraid, she was angry and hurt.

  “Forgive us, Brynn.” He was close now. Close enough to touch her if he dared. “We lied, but only because we thought we had to. I can see now that it was wrong and I swear we’ll never lie again.”

  “Is there anything more?” She waited, giving any one of them time to answer. “Tell me now or I really will leave and never come back.”

  Connor searched his memory, not because he thought there was anything more to tell her. But he didn’t want to make another mistake. For once in their lives, he should’ve listened to Finn instead of Liam when his younger brother had wanted to tell her everything.

  “No.” Liam glanced at them, making sure. “There’s nothing more.”

  “Yes, there is.”

  Fuck! He almost snarled at Finn.

  “Remember when I said we wanted you as our wife?”

  “Our wife?”

  “Shut up, Liam, and let Finn talk.”

  She nodded. “Was that a lie, too?”

  “No. Except that I used the wrong word. Or at least another word to describe it better.” Finn risked pulling her into his arms. As soon as he’d touched her, she leaned against him and sighed. “I should’ve said mate, not wife.”

  She jerked back just far enough to search his face. “Mate?”