His to Bear [Bear Essentials] (The Stormy Glenn ManLove Collection)

by Stormy Glenn

"You do realize that might not be possible, right?" Oliver asked. "The media is in a frenzy to discover who you are. Eventually someone will figure it out."

  George nodded. "Someone already has. We're just hoping to hold the rest of the world off until I can get all my ducks in a row."

  Oliver grimaced for a moment before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his business card. "If you have any problems, give me a call. I'm used to dealing with this sort of thing and might be able to answer any questions you might have."

  "Thank you," George said as he took the card and tucked it into his pocket. "You've already been a big help."

  "Well, I wish I could do more, but my position here at Mega Lottery prevents me from handing out advice to lottery winners." Oliver's smile was friendly and welcoming, making him seem a little younger. "That does not prevent me from pointing you toward people who can."

  George groaned when the door opened and Detective Watt walked in. He was really hoping never to see the man again. He'd barely spoken more than two words to the guy, but just knowing his life had gotten to the point where he needed a detective in it was enough to put George off.

  "Detective Watt," George said. He refused to be impolite to the guy no matter how much he wished he wasn't here.

  "Mr. Carver," the man said as he glanced around at the others in the room. "Mr. de Oro called and said you had a development in the case?"

  That was one way to describe it.

  George gestured to the lawyer. "Ask him."

  Detective Watt raised one bushy eyebrow as he looked at the man. "And you are?"

  "Christopher Jenkins, attorney at law." He handed over a business card. "I'm not real sure what is going on here, but I have done nothing to warrant the authorities being called in."

  Leon snorted.

  "Mr. Jenkins may actually be telling the truth," George told the detective, "but that's for you to figure out."

  George could have kissed his uncle when he stood and said, "Ford, why don't you take your cousin for a jog so he can clear his head? I'll stay here and explain things to the detective."

  George didn't even wait for anyone else to say anything. He just headed for the doorway. Before he could get there, Harold appeared, a manila envelope in his hand.

  "Are those my papers?" George asked.

  Harold nodded.

  George sent him a small smile as he grabbed the large envelope. "Thank you," he said then continued out the door. Ford and Leon could catch up. He didn't even care if every media outlet in the world was waiting outside the door. He was leaving.

  "George," Leon said from behind him. "Slow down."

  "No." It was that simple.

  "George."

  George growled when Leon grabbed his arm before he could reach the front door.

  "Easy," Leon murmured. "There's a back way out of here, remember?"

  George clenched his jaw when fur sprouted up along his arms again. "I need to go. Now."

  "Okay, just come this way." Leon led him back through reception and down a long corridor.

  When they passed the conference room, Ford joined them, shooting George a glare. George just shrugged. There wasn't a lot he could say. He knew he was acting like an ass, but if he didn't get out of there and run in his fur for a little bit, he was going to bite someone.

  He was a little surprised when they went through a nondescript steel door to a staircase that went down one floor. Another door opened up into the corridor just around the corner from the elevator. He kind of wished he had known about this secret entrance when they arrived. It would have saved him a lot of anxiety.

  They rode the elevator straight down to the parking garage. George didn't start breathing normally again until they were in the car and on the road again, leaving the chaos—and media circus—behind.

  "Tell me where I'm going," Leon said.

  "Take highway thirty out of town," Ford directed. "There's a place for George to run about thirty miles west of town."

  "Will you make it that long, George?" Leon asked.

  George nodded without answering. He was too busy concentrating on keeping it together to reply verbally. He couldn't remember the last time his bear had been this close to the surface when he didn't want him to be.

  George and his bear had been close from a very early age. From what he'd been able to gather from others, they were actually closer than most shifters. They were very in-tune with each other. George couldn't understand how other shifters weren't. His bear was a part of him. Why wouldn't he want them to be as close as possible?

  Unfortunately, that also meant he felt his bear's emotions to a greater degree than others, and right now, his bear wanted out. Part of that was his bear's own agitation, and part of it was the bear feeling George's agitation. It was like a double whammy.

  By the time Leon pulled off onto the dirt road that led back to the clan's running grounds, George was ready to rip the door off to get out of the car. The second Leon brought the vehicle to a stop, George threw open the door and jumped out. He roared as his shift ripped through him, shredding his clothes in the process.

  "Holy shit!"

  Chapter Twelve

  Leon was in awe as he watched George shift into a full-grown bear. Huge bear. Bigger than a bear. Thick fur in cascading shades of brown covered a bear that had to be bigger than any he'd ever seen in a magazine or on TV.

  Damn, he was big.

  Leon closed the door and walked slowly, cautiously, around the front of the car. He knew he needed to be careful when approaching a shifted bear, but his awe at the creature before him was overriding his common sense.

  "Leon," Ford warned, "give him a minute. Let him acclimate to his surroundings before you—shit! George!"

  Leon grunted as he was grabbed and snuggled close to a blanket of soft fur. His heart rate skyrocketed when a wet nose was shoved against his neck and the bear started sniffing him.

  Getting licked was new.

  "Hey, George." Leon let out a nervous laugh. "Let's put the human down, okay?"

  Ford snorted. "Yeah, that isn't going to happen anytime soon. You're his mate, dude, and this is the first time his bear has had a chance to be with you. He isn't going anywhere and neither are you, not until his bear gets his fill."

  Leon slumped. Fucking peachy.

  "Is this normal for bears?" he asked.

  "For newly mated bears, yes."

  The amusement Leon could hear in Ford's voice made him want to strangle the man. "Tell me about being mated to a bear." George hadn't been that forthcoming with information. He had just sort of clammed up. "What's it mean to be George's mate?"

  "I imagine mating is a bit different with every individual, but the basics are the same."

  Jesus! It was like pulling teeth.

  "So, what are the basics?"

  "Well." Ford walked over to lean against the side of the car, crossing his arms over his chest. "When a shifter finds their mate, they bite him or her. It cements the bond between them."

  Leon grimaced as the bear's big tongue swiped over the bite mark George had given him. He had known at the time it was something monumental. He just hadn't known what.

  "And this bond, Leon, it's for all eternity."

  "Don't I get any say in this?"

  "Oh yes. You're human, so the rules are different for you. George, being a bear shifter, will want no other than you for the rest of his life, whether you are there or not. He won't even get hard for another man." Ford shrugged. "Or woman."

  Leon growled, not wanting to hear about George getting hard for anyone.

  "Of course, being human, you can walk away at any time and go on to live your life however you want. You might feel a little depressed for a while after leaving your mate, but you'll eventually get over it. George, on the other hand, will pine for you for the rest of his life."

  Well, no guilt trip there.

  "If you stay and agree to be his mate, he'll be totally devoted to you. Your happiness and wellbeing wi
ll be his top priority. Keeping you safe, making you happy, and ensuring you want for nothing is a mated bear's greatest desire, his ultimate goal in life. He will never be unfaithful, he will never leave you, and he will never let you go without if he can provide it for you. That's what it means to be mated to a bear."

  That actually sounded pretty good, especially when George was involved. He liked George more and more with everything he was learning about the man. There were just a few problems. "Ford, I don't know if I'm ready to settle down right now."

  Ford grimaced and glanced away. "Then George will be waiting here for you when you are."

  "And if I never am?"

  Ford inhaled a slow, deep breath. "Then he'll keep waiting."

  That guilt trip was getting really heavy.

  "Do you think you can get him to go for a run or something? I need to think, and it's kind of hard to do being snuggled like this."

  Ford snickered as he pushed away from the car. "I can try."

  Leon grimaced as George licked another line up the side of his face. "I'd appreciate it."

  It wasn't that he minded being held by the bear so much. George was warm and furry, so it was actually kind of comforting. It was the licking he had an issue with. The entire side of his head had been slobbered on.

  "Hey, George," Ford said, "don't you want to go for a run? I'll bet we can find you some berries."

  George growled when Ford stepped closer. Ford immediately held up his hands and stepped back. "I'm not going to touch your mate. I just need you to put him down."

  George's growl became more threatening.

  "Now, George, you know I would never hurt Leon, but you might. You're very excited right now. I understand that, but you don't want to crush Leon, do you?"

  The bear whimpered, which wasn't something Leon thought bears could do. He slid his hands through George's soft fur, stroking him more than petting him. An agitated bear wasn't something he wanted to face.

  "Hey, big guy." And he was really big. "Do you think you could set me down?" He grunted when George hugged him, squeezing all the air out of Leon's lungs. "Okay, okay." He patted George's furry arms. "Put the nice human down."

  He heard Ford snicker, but couldn't look away from the bear holding him. He heard once that taking his eyes off a dangerous predator could get a person killed, and while he didn't think George would kill him, he was still a dangerous predator.

  "Come on, George, put me down."

  George whimpered again as he brushed his nose over the crook of Leon's neck, sniffing, before gently lowering Leon to the ground. There was something mournful in the bear's brown eyes as he stared down at Leon, something that tugged at Leon's soul and made him want to take his words back. Before he could, George let out a roar that shook the air around them then loped off into the woods.

  Leon watched until the brown bear disappeared among the trees before turning to Ford. "Where's he going?"

  "He's just going for a run. He'll be back."

  Leon might have believed that if Ford had met his eyes, but the man seemed to be doing everything he could to avoid looking directly at him. Leon suspected he knew why. He just didn't know exactly what to do about it.

  He liked George. He liked him a lot. He just didn't know if he was ready to settle down with the shape-shifter. He didn't mind George being a bear. That wasn't even an issue for him. He worked for a shifter.

  It was the whole "till eternity" thing he had a problem with.

  His work was important to him, but more than that, he enjoyed it. The thrill, the danger, the not sitting behind a desk day in and day out. Having a mate was going to make going out on missions for who knew how long almost impossible, and as big as George was, he didn't see being able to take the bear along with him as an option.

  So, where did that leave him?

  Them?

  Leon walked over and leaned back against the car next to Ford. He crossed his arms just like Ford, as well. It looked like a comfortable position, and he was pretty sure they were going to be there for a while. Who knew when George would come back?

  "Tell me what will happen to George if I don't stick around?" For some reason, the idea of the gentle giant being in pain didn't sit well with Leon.

  "No."

  Leon's eyebrows lifted as he turned to look at Ford. "No? Why not?"

  "Because I refuse to guilt you into staying with him. George wouldn't want that. If you decide to stay, it's because you want to stay. Not because of what might happen to George if you leave."

  That was a sound argument, but it also let Leon know that George wouldn't have an easy time of it if he did leave. That didn't exactly lessen the guilt that was starting to swamp him.

  Leon turned when he heard a vehicle coming down the dirt road. "I thought this was private property."

  "It is," Ford insisted.

  "Then who is this?" Leon asked as a large SUV pull up behind his car.

  "Oh shit," Ford said when doors opened and four men climbed out of the vehicles. "That's Raymond Barker."

  "Well, what the hell does he want?" Leon almost snorted at his own question. He knew exactly what Raymond wanted. George's money.

  Wasn't going to happen.

  Leon stayed where he was, but pushed off from the car. Ford did the same, moving over to stand next to him.

  "If trouble starts," Ford whispered, "I'll hold them off. You make a run for it."

  Leon glanced at the man. "Are you insane?"

  "No, I'm a bear shifter, and so are they. You can't win against them."

  Leon fumed. He may be human, but he was also an Army Ranger. He didn't run when things got dicey. "I'm staying."

  "Dude—"

  "I'm staying, Ford."

  Ford's eyes rolled. "I hope you live. George will kick my ass if anything happens to you."

  George. Crap.

  "Does George know how to fight?" Leon asked.

  Ford snorted, but didn't say anything. The incredulous look on his face said it all. George was not a fighter. Leon really hoped he stayed on his run through the woods until this—whatever this was—was over.

  "Hey, Raymond," Ford called out. "I didn't know you guys were planning on going for a run."

  "We're not," Raymond said as he advanced on them. Two of the men with him flanked either side of him. The other one hung back by the car.

  "Then what are you doing out here?"

  "You know why I'm here." Raymond glanced around before his eyes came back to Ford and Leon. "Where is he?"

  Ford frowned. "Who?"

  "Don't be an idiot," Raymond snapped. "Where's your cousin?"

  "I have no idea," Ford replied.

  Leon had to admit Ford was being truthful. They knew which direction George headed off to, but that didn't mean they knew exactly where he was. He wondered if shifters could smell a lie like they did in the movies.

  Raymond's eyes narrowed. "He's here. I know he is. We followed you from lottery headquarters. I want to know where he is."

  Leon cocked his head. "Why would you follow us?"

  And how had he known they had been at lottery headquarters?

  Raymond shot him a small glare, his upper lip curling back. The man clearly did not think much of humans, or maybe it was just Leon he didn't like. Whatever it was, he ignored Leon's question and looked back to Ford.

  "If you don't tell me what I want to know, I will banish you from the clan."

  Ford laughed. "You can't do that. You're not the alpha."

  "No, but I will be. My father is training me to take over for him. When he steps down, the clan will belong to me."

  "Still doesn't make you alpha right now," Ford insisted. "So, until you are, there's nothing you can do."

  Leon did not like the calculating glint in Raymond's eyes as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. He felt as if Raymond knew something they didn't, and that never went well.

  "Father!" Raymond's voice was high-pitched and filled with fear. "Ford and George
have lost their minds. They attacked me. I was just coming out for a run and they told me I couldn't be here, that our running lands belonged to them now and then they attacked me. I don't know what—no!" Raymond screamed. "No, stay away—Father!"

  He smiled evilly as he snapped his phone closed. "You were saying?"

  Leon didn't know about Ford, but he was actually impressed with how diabolical Raymond was. He hoped that Alpha Barker was a little smarter than the average bear and wouldn't take his son's word for what had happened here, but he doubted it. Raymond was the man's son after all.

  Leon's mind worked overtime to see every possible outcome of this situation, and he could only see one. Raymond would have to kill them to keep them quiet. He wouldn't want this getting out. It could ruin him if it did.

  The other direction his mind went was, what was Raymond's end game? What was he after? Leon would have believed it was just the money right up until the man called his father. Now, he was starting to suspect that Raymond wanted more than George's money. He wanted his father's clan, as well, and he wasn't willing to wait until his father stepped down to get it.

  That being the case, Leon knew he and Ford were in for the fight of their lives, and it was two against four. Not good odds. Even armed as he was and with Ford being a bear shifter, Leon was pretty sure they were screwed.

  The only good thing out of all of this was that George had gone for a run and wouldn't be here to have his ass handed to him.

  "Now, tell me where George is."

  Ford crossed his arms and jutted out his chin in an obvious show of defiance. "No."

  Yep, they were going to have their asses handed to them.

  Chapter Thirteen

  George slowly swished his paw back and forth through the cool creek water, not even caring about the fish that darted here and there trying to avoid capture. He wasn't hungry. Well, he was. He was a bear. He was always hungry. He just didn't feel much like eating right now.

  He wanted his mate. He wanted Leon. Leon just didn't want him. His bear had been so overjoyed to hold their mate in his arms for the very first time. It had been exhilarating, and Leon had smelled so good. Maybe even better than honey.