Catching Her Bear

by Vella Day

  “Yes, are you?”

  He had come in for a present, but he could always say he’d purchased the gift because he couldn’t make it. “I’m hoping to. I work long hours, and I get called into work all the time.”

  He didn’t want Elana to think he was looking to hook up. Given she was Izzy’s best friend, he wouldn’t even chance asking her out, not even to the movies. It could only end in disaster.

  She set the bouquet and wolf on the counter. “Here you go. We’re open Saturday until noon. If you stop in, I’ll give you a helium balloon to attach to the vase.”

  Elana was too nice. “If I have time, I will, thanks.”

  Kalan couldn’t wait to leave. He was battling this unwanted attraction again, and if he shifted in a public place, the world would never be the same. As soon as he signed his name, he swiped the vase of flowers and wolf off the counter and rushed out. Just he reached the door, the stuffed animal slipped from his fingers and dropped. He fumbled to pick it up and then bumped his head on the door handle as he stood up. Damn. He swore Elana giggled.

  Face heating, he tucked the wolf under his arm while he opened the door and hurried out. No way in hell he was going to that party and subject himself to being near her again.

  Chapter Two

  ‡

  Elana sat alone in a booth at McKinnon’s Pub and Pool waiting for her friends to arrive for happy hour. The floor was littered with peanut shells, but that was what gave the place the cozy, family-friendly vibe, or else it was the polished bar and the spotless mirror above that made her feel the pub was clean and safe.

  Even though it wasn’t too noisy yet, she’d picked a booth in the back of the main area, far away from the pool room, as shouts occasionally came from there.

  Elana couldn’t wait to share her hot news with her friends. Her body was still zinging from being in Kalan Murdoch’s presence for so long yesterday. At least she hadn’t made a fool of herself, though she must have done something to make the hunky man so nervous.

  The whole time he’d been standing there, she’d tried to keep her fingers from shaking as she arranged the flowers, when what she really wanted to do was run her fingers through those dirty blond curls of his. The shoulder-length locks made him look rugged and romantic. Coupled with the slight scruff on his face and those full, kissable lips, Kalan was her dream man.

  Since Izzy would be at happy hour this time, Elana would have to alter her story a bit as to why Kalan had come into her store. She’d have to say he was there to buy some roses for his mom or something, though the truth would come out as soon as her friend saw the wild flowers and stuffed wolf at her party.

  Since sitting alone made her a bit self-conscious, Elana checked out the menu, her mouth watering at the pictures of the juicy hamburgers, fries, and thick steaks. It didn’t matter she’d already eaten.

  Elana probably shouldn’t have come so early, but she’d wanted to make sure they had a booth. She’d only been to McKinnon’s Pub once before and didn’t know how busy it would be on a Thursday night. She, Missy, and Teagan used to meet down the street at the Lake Steakhouse bar, but now that Izzy was back in town, she wanted to come here, probably because Rye’s uncle owned the place.

  The door opened and her three friends came in, lowering her anxiety level. Elana smiled and waved as they all rushed over. One by one, they hugged her. Izzy and Missy sat across from her and Teagan slid in next to her.

  Within seconds, their waitress, a girl she’d known slightly in high school, came over asking for their drink orders. Elana wasn’t much of a drinker. Not only did one or two glasses make her tipsy, she couldn’t afford the weight gain from the alcohol. If she had any hope of ever catching Kalan Murdoch’s eye, she’d have to slim down, though that was the story of her life. It seemed like she’d been on an endless diet for the last ten years.

  “Elana?” asked Izzy.

  She looked up. “What?”

  The girls chuckled. “Molly just asked what you’d like to drink.”

  Oh, crap. She’d been daydreaming about Kalan. “I’ll have your house Merlot, please.” Damn, and here she was just telling herself not to drink. Oh, well. She’d give up dessert tomorrow.

  Molly nodded and left. Apparently, her friends had given her their order already. Sheesh. Elana inhaled, needing to share her news and ask for advice. “You’ll never guess who came into my flower shop.”

  The girls exchanged glances. “Who?” Missy asked.

  “Kalan Murdoch.”

  Izzy leaned forward then flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “Kalan came to the flower shop? Why?”

  She let loose her little fib. “He was buying something for his mom. I think it was her birthday.”

  “Aw, that is sweet. He’s coming over on Saturday to my birthday party, you know,” Izzy said.

  She shook her head. “He said he might have to work.”

  One brow rose. “He said that?”

  Elana didn’t like her tone. Oh, shit. If they were discussing Izzy’s party, she might think he was in the store to buy something for her. “Yes.”

  Izzy shook her head. “He’ll be there. He’s Rye’s best friend, and I don’t think Rye would forgive him if he didn’t come.”

  “I hope so.” Elana tried not to let the relief show, but a grin crept up on her face anyway. “What are you all wearing?”

  Missy shrugged. “I’m just wearing jeans and a T-shirt. It’s more or less an outside affair.”

  Darn. “I guess heels are out then. I hate being the shortest one around.”

  Teagan clasped her hand. “Don’t tell me you’re interested in Kalan?”

  She didn’t know why Teagan sounded so surprised. Elana twisted in her seat. “I admit he’s a little older, but he’s so fucking hot!” The group laughed and she slumped against her seat. “He’s out of my league, isn’t he? I’m stupid for thinking about him.”

  “No,” they all said in unison.

  Their drinks arrived—her red wine, Izzy’s white one, and two colorful Mojitos, full of mint and lime, for Missy and Teagan. Elana tipped back half her glass. Fortunately, no one commented.

  Izzy waved a hand. “Forget him. Kalan doesn’t deserve you. When he’s not on the job, he plays around—or so Rye said. You can do better.”

  “That’s sweet of you to say, but I want to give him a chance.” She’d watched him for years now but never had the nerve to speak with him. When she ran into him at the hospital after checking up on Rye, he’d seemed out of sorts. When he suddenly said he had to leave right away and then ran right into the door, it almost looked like he was trying to get away from her as quickly as possible. She hoped there had been another explanation.

  Missy lifted her refreshing looking drink. “I have a kickass top you can borrow, if you want. It will really show off your tits.”

  Elana almost spit out her wine. “I don’t want to lure him in like that.”

  Missy shook her head. “It’s called advertising. You have to get him to look first before buying. Then he’ll find out how incredible you are.”

  “Real incredible.” Not.

  Teagan chimed in. “How many women have started a business? Huh?”

  “My parents are the consummate entrepreneurs. I learned from them.”

  Izzy glanced to the ceiling. “You barely saw them. It’s not like they took you anywhere to show you what they did for a living.”

  A sharp pain stabbed her just below her heart. “I heard all about their adventures when they came home.” She would have learned more if her parents had taken her on even one of their worldwide jaunts.

  “Where did they go this last time?” Izzy asked.

  Clearly, her best friend had read the longing on Elana’s face and felt bad about it. Understandably, Izzy never had any use for her mom and dad since they often neglected her. “India.”

  Teagan sipped her drink. “How exotic. Were they there to buy stuff for their import-export company?”

  How sad th
at they hadn’t discussed anything with her in the last few years. “I don’t know, but that’s what I’m guessing.” Elana didn’t want this get together to be about her. “Anyone else have news?”

  Izzy’s face brightened, clearly knowing why Elana wanted to change the subject. When they were in school, Izzy had been furious that Elana’s parents left for weeks on end, leaving her with just the hired help.

  Izzy waved a hand. “I do. I have a teaching job!”

  From Missy and Teagan’s expression, they already knew this piece of information. “When did you hear?”

  “About an hour ago. I wanted to surprise you.”

  “You did.” Her spirits rose with excitement for her best friend. “Are you teaching Chemistry?”

  “Yes, at Hanerford’s Private School.”

  The girls oohed at hearing the name of the prestigious place. She and Izzy had attended the local public school. Then they discussed what Izzy knew about her class size and the course content and details. When she’d told them as much as she knew, the talk returned to the upcoming birthday bash.

  Elana turned to Teagan. “Are you bringing Kip to the party?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t think so.”

  Elana waited for her to elaborate, but she didn’t. Kip worked for Rye’s brother, so there was no reason not to go, unless…

  Not wanting to touch that topic, she glanced at a group of rowdy men who’d just waltzed in, seemingly fresh off some construction site. Elana sighed, loving how so many people came just to hang out with friends. She had a lonely childhood until she started school and met Izzy, and then eventually became friends with Missy and Teagan. She was thankful every day for having her best friends.

  For the rest of their get together, they focused on good news, like about how happy Izzy was with Rye. “Because of my talents,” Izzy explained, “I kept to myself a lot. For the longest time, I never thought I’d want to settle down with one person. Then I met Rye.”

  That was so sweet. Elana had dreamed of being with one man her whole life. At twenty-seven, she wasn’t certain she’d ever find anyone who wanted her as much as she wanted him.

  Before they had the chance to order a second round, Izzy said she needed to return home and help clean up for the party. Elana suspected it was because her urges were acting up again. She’d confided in Elana that once she and Rye had mated, her sex drive had been out of control.

  Elana wondered if their weekly time together would soon become a once a month and then an every other month thing. At least Missy was single with no boyfriend in sight.

  They waved for their checks and paid. These girls were lucky. They had special powers—something any man would be attracted to. Elana didn’t even have any money in the bank. Everything she earned, she plowed back into the business.

  In the parking lot, they said their goodbyes saying they’d see each other at the party. As the three of them drove away, a feeling of melancholy descended at being alone. In a way, Elana had done it to herself by spending all her time working and building her flower business. But that was going to change. After the way her heart beat so hard when she spoke with Kalan at the hospital and again at the store, she had a new mission—to land Kalan Murdoch.

  *

  Kalan entered Rye’s house on Saturday a little bit before the party was to begin and was pleased Izzy wasn’t in sight. Wanting to keep the present a surprise, he hid it behind one of the chairs in the living room. Kalan had casually mentioned to Rye that he might not be able to attend Izzy’s party as there was a lot going on at work. Unfortunately, his best friend told him that was a bullshit excuse, that if he wanted to remain the Beta of the Clan, he needed to show up. Sometimes it sucked that Rye saw through his lame excuses.

  Kalan stepped into the backyard where four tables were covered with colorful cloths, and each had a candle and crystal on top. “Need help?”

  “I’m good. Watch this.” He turned on the gas in the grill, and when he held out his hand, a small flame shot from his palm, igniting it.

  “Good goddess. You’re getting a lot better. Last time, you could only do sparks.”

  Rye grinned. “I know. Still can’t make a blade of grass grow, but with enough concentration, I can manage to move a few papers by forcing air under them.”

  “Perhaps I should hook up with a Wendayan. I wouldn’t mind some extra skills.”

  When he and Izzy, a Wendayan, had mated, she’d inherited his ability to shift, and Rye had been gifted with some of her skills, only on a much smaller scale.

  His best friend laughed. “Did it slip your mind that you have to mate with this person first—for life? And you don’t get to choose who it is.”

  Instantly the image of Elana surfaced, but he immediately suppressed it. Not having a choice was the scariest part of this whole mating thing. Even his dad had never been able to explain how or why people were paired.

  “There you are.” Izzy stepped onto the back patio looking lovely in a white sundress that accentuated her auburn hair. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

  “Happy birthday,” Kalan said.

  “Thank you. Just as a reminder, you two need to be on your best behavior—or at least you do, Kalan. Our resident human, Elana, will be here.”

  “She knows Rye is a shifter, right?”

  “Yes, but not that anyone else is. I’ve never even said that bears can shift.”

  Well, that sucked. So much for cutting loose tonight. The front door bell rang, and Izzy excused herself. Kalan probably should tell Rye about the strange way his body reacted around Elana, but a party wasn’t the time or place.

  His plan for the party was to spend his time talking to everyone but her. The last thing he needed was for his eyes to glow amber and the hair on his body to sprout. Everyone except Elana would recognize the signs as that of sexual excitement. She’d probably conclude he had some kind of medical condition.

  Two women stepped onto the patio along with Izzy’s parents. A few months back, Kalan had an aura cleansing from Katherine Berta, so he knew her, but he didn’t recognize the others. Izzy introduced them. The one with auburn hair was Missy Berta, Izzy’s sister, and the blonde was their cousin Teagan Pompley. Both were attractive girls, but they weren’t really his type. He liked his women flashy and sexy with some womanly curves.

  The image of Elana’s shape blasted through his mind once more, but he shook it off. Did he want to delve into her sweetness? Hell, yeah, but that was all. Love ’em and leave ’em was his motto, but Elana was off limits, plain and simple. Being Izzy’s best friend sucked, the fallout if they dated wouldn’t be worth it. Keeping it secret from Rye would be impossible too.

  Someone pressed a cold beer in his hand. When he focused, he was looking into two beautiful blue eyes—Elana’s—and his heart thumped.

  “You look like someone died so I thought you could use a drink,” she said with just the right mix of humor and sympathy.

  He grinned, but inside his gut was doing a tumbling act. His bear wanted to stroke her face and kiss her, but his human had enough sense to know that was totally out of the question. “Thanks. I didn’t see you come in.”

  How hadn’t he? She had on a clingy top in the exact color blue as her eyes and smelled like flowers after a soft rain. That alone was making him crazy.

  Just being around Elana for the two short times was enough to suspect she wore black jeans to make herself look slimmer. Little did she know that she didn’t have to wear a sexy outfit to attract him.

  I’ll take her just the way she is, his bear commented.

  Shut up. Kalan needed to find a way to silent the horny animal clawing his way to get out.

  She’d pulled her hair back from her face with some kind of clip, and the overall impression made every inch of his body stand up and take notice. Damn cock. He twisted to help correct the discomfort.

  “I’m stealthy like that.” She lifted her chin, looking defiant, but most likely it was to meet his gaze.


  “Good comeback.” He liked Elana and didn’t want to hurt her, so he wouldn’t make up some lame excuse why he had to step away and help Rye with dinner.

  His gaze then left her lovely face and traced a path down to her large breasts. He had no control over his expression. His eyes widened on their own and then a few of his bones cracked. Crap. Kalan looked to the side and chugged a good portion of his beer, searching for control. If his bear didn’t get a grip, something bad might happen.

  Elana placed a hand on his arm and things went from passable to worse. “Are you okay?”

  This time he didn’t lie. “I’m not feeling all that well. Can you excuse me?” He touched his face and it appeared warm, though that could be from the summer temperature.

  “Sure.”

  He hadn’t meant to bail, but if he shifted in front of a human, it might jeopardize the Clans’ peaceful existence. Kalan tossed back the rest of his drink, dashed inside, and headed to the fridge for another one, passing the coffee table that was laden with gifts for Izzy.

  Something was going on with him, but he wasn’t about to ask Rye what it might be. Because Rye had just found his mate, he’d claim Elana was his. Right, a human. No way.

  Mate, mate.

  He refused to listen. All he could think of was that Naliana was bored and wanted to fuck with him. Welcome to being a Beta. I’ve thrown a hot chick your way to see what you would do. It’s a test to see if you can resist her. I’ll make her totally desirable to ensure that you’re made of sterner stuff.

  Naliana could take her test and shove it up her ass—no disrespect meant. Kalan wasn’t going to let his dick rule and ruin his good life.

  A few more people arrived and he greeted them, happy his body had finally calmed down. Most were wolf shifters, but a few of the bears had shown up too. Izzy had been out of the country for so long that her roots weren’t deep anymore, so none of her old high school friends had been invited, which was probably for the best. They didn’t need anyone to slip and mention shifters.