Releasing the Bear: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (The Callaghan Clan Book 2)

by Meredith Clarke

  “I assume so.” My phone buzzed again but when I saw the message I rolled my eyes.

  Scarlett saw my reaction and peeked over my shoulder. When she took a look, she laughed. A beautiful laughed that warmed my heart. “Got to love your brother.”

  Bo had sent me a photo message where he’s edited a wolf and a grizzly sitting together under a wedding arch. He’d put our names on it and added in pink floating cartoon hearts. “Well, he knows,” I groaned.

  “Good,” Scarlett said, grabbing her jacket. “Now everyone knows and they can all support us.”

  I loved her smile. And her optimism. Too bad I didn’t share it. “We should go.”

  “And there is the serious Brennan,” she teased.

  I gave her a look as she slapped my butt. It was hard not to love her.

  Twenty minutes later, I parked my truck several blocks away from the warehouse that Derrick said the humans had used as their address. I still didn’t totally understand how he’d found this place, but he was certainly one of the most valuable members of our clan.

  “So what do we do now?” Scarlett asked when I turned off the ignition.

  “I guess we scare them?” She covered her mouth to stifle a laugh forcing me to give her a look. “What?”

  “You just sound funny saying that.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re too nice, Brennan. Sure, you’re huge,” her eyes traveled to my crotch and she wiggled her eyebrows, “but I’m an enforcer. I have to threaten wolves into submission all of the time.”

  “So do you want to take the lead?”

  Her mouth dropped open. “You’d let me do that?”

  I nodded my head. “Of course. If this is your area of expertise, then you take charge.”

  She crawled across the seat and grabbed the sides of my face. “Brennan Callaghan, I think this relationship is going to be just perfect.” After her kiss, she reached across me and opened my door. “Now, let’s go kick some ass.”

  I loved her. I really did. While my bear would forever feel the need to protect her, I relished in the idea of having an equal. A mate that could take care of herself. Even though I’d always be standing by her side.

  This part of the city had already closed shop for the night. Despite the recent sunset, it seemed many knew which areas to avoid after hours. So we passed no one as we walked through several alleyways and hid in the shadows. “That’s it over there,” I said, jerking my chin to one of the divided warehouses across the street.

  “I don’t see any lights, but I can hear them,” Scarlett replied.

  Sure enough, the sounds of a television, cheering fans, and shouts could be heard by our increased senses. Perhaps they were somewhere toward the back of the building. “How many?”

  Scarlett tilted her head and listened. “Two. No, three. Someone else just joined them.”

  “Okay. Let’s go.”

  My mate smiled and pushed by me, taking the lead like she wanted. The building contained several different entrances, each one with a number above a large, metal door. We needed the one on the end. Scarlett tested the handle and shrugged when she found it unlocked. So we stepped inside and started looking for the humans. The buzz of electronics overwhelmed my ears at first, but I soon realized they didn’t really have any more equipment than I’d seen in Derrick’s office.

  “Is this it?” I ask, disappointed that they weren’t a little more high tech.

  “Looks like it,” she whispered. “I think they’re back behind that door.”

  Sure enough, along the side of the cluttered desks filled with soda cans and empty chip bags, was an interior door that had been added as a second thought. But I wanted to look at their computers first. I sent Derrick a quick text.

  “What are you doing?” Scarlett asked.

  “Checking with Derrick to see if we need to do anything with these.” My phone buzzed and I huffed when I saw the message.

  “What did he say?” she looked at the door as though someone might walk through at any moment.

  “He said to smash them.”

  She smiled. “Well, no shit.”

  “Exactly.” I shoved my phone back into my pocket. “Let’s deal with them first and then come back out here.”

  “Okay,” Scarlett agreed but then she grabbed a hard drive on the table next to her. It looked like it was at least ten years old.

  “What’s that for?” I asked.

  She winked and said, “You’ll see. Can you get the door?”

  “Sure.” Stepping in front of her I checked, “Kick it or go in quietly?”

  “Kick it and then get out of my way.”

  I kissed her on the forehead and turned sideways. With one swift kick, the door exploded off its hinges and Scarlett burst into the room. She eyed the large man standing closest to us against the wall who’d dropped his beer can when the door broke. And then she slammed him in the side of the head with the hard drive. He went down. Fast.

  The other two men sat on a worn out leather sofa facing away from the door as they watched a soccer game on the television. Their surprised expressions told me that they had no idea who, or what, we were. One of the men, scrawny but fit, stepped up onto the couch and jumped over the back.

  “What the fu—”

  Scarlett had him on the ground and holding a broken arm before he could ask his question. The remaining man looked at me, then at Scarlett, then back at me again. He wanted to question why this amazing, athletic female was beating them instead of the linebacker-sized man like me. But he stayed silent and lifted his hands up in surrender.

  “Who are you?”

  Scarlett took two steps to reach him and grabbed the man-bun wrapped on the top of his head. She dragged him over the couch and pressed his face into the floor. In seconds, she’d subdued them all. My heart swelled with pride…and arousal.

  She chuckled. “I smell that,” she said, eyes not leaving the man on the ground.

  “Smell what?” he asked while I simply acknowledged her comment.

  “You don’t speak until I ask you to,” she growled in his ear. Her gaze traveled over to the man she’d hit in the head and then to the scrawny one crying like a baby. He’d slid to the far wall but I knew she could still get to him in an instant.

  “Now, which one of you took the video?”

  “The video?” the man underneath her squeaked. “What video—ow!”

  A large chunk of dirty hair fell to the floor when she yanked on it again. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried again. Only this time she looked at the one with the broken arm. “I’ll give you one more chance to come clean. Otherwise you’re going to wish that you only got one broken bone.”

  He swallowed hard. “What are you?”

  Scarlett slammed Man-bun into the ground and stomped to Broken Arm. In one swift movement, she lifted him off the floor and pushed him against the wall. His feet dangled while his eyes bulged wide. “You’re one of them, aren’t you,” he squawked through his narrowed windpipe.

  “I might be. And he might be.” Scarlett jerked her chin toward me.

  For the first time, the man seemed to notice me and I smelled the urine dripping down his leg. Good to know I could still incite some fear when necessary.

  “Now, who took the video?”

  Man-bun looked at the guy on the ground. “He did.” Coughing, Scarlett must have squeezed him harder. “Okay, we all did. We all did!”

  “Who has a copy?”

  “Just us.” Another cough. “I swear. Just us!”

  He wasn’t lying. We could sense it based on common measurements like heartbeat and scent. But that didn’t mean the other two unconscious men hadn’t shared it. Scarlett must have thought the same thing.

  “Did they send it to anyone?” she asked.

  “No. I’m pretty sure they didn’t.”

  “Pretty sure?” I growled and the stench of fear grew. It was hard not to let my bear free. He hated smelling fear.

  “No,
no they didn’t.” Then he focused on Scarlett again. “So does this mean that we aren’t getting our money?”

  He screamed out in pain when Scarlett kicked his shin and it snapped. Still holding him off the ground, she pushed her face up into his. “You will get nothing. And if we get word that this video has been released or that you’ve trespassed on shifter land again, we will find you. We will find you, your family, your friends. Everyone in your life. Do you understand?”

  He only screamed out in pain.

  She pulled him back and slammed him into the wall again. His head hit with a thump. “Do. You. Understand?”

  “Yes!” he shouted. Then he started to cry when she dropped him to the ground.

  Looking at the other two men, she finally made eye contact with me. “What should we do with them?”

  I glanced beyond her at Man-bun. “I think they get the message. Let’s take care of the computers.”

  “What?” Man-bun cried up from the floor, but a single look from Scarlett shut him up instantly.

  “Not a word,” she warned. The hard drive she’d slammed into the guy’s head hand been dented but not damaged. So she stomped on it two times, just twice, and the machine crumbled against her strength. She also happened to do that right next to Man-bun’s head, so I think he got the picture.

  I grabbed a fire extinguisher off the wall and began smashing everything electronic in my sight. Once Scarlett finished with their phones, watches, and television, she joined me in the smash-fest. It was fun. I have to admit. I so rarely let loose like this that I was actually smiling by the time we’d destroyed everything in the room.

  “Feels good, right?” she asked, breathing a little heavy.

  “Sure does,” I agreed.

  Man-bun whimpered and Scarlett walked over to him. He cowered beneath her, but it wasn’t enough, so she punched him in the head and knocked him out.

  “Okay…” I drawled.

  “He needs some time to think about his actions,” she said. “Come on, let’s go.” Grabbing my hand, she pulled me out of the warehouse and onto the street. “Do you think that worked?”

  I smiled down at her. “You smelled them. They were scared shitless.” Wrapping my arms around her waist, I lifted her up into the air and enjoyed the feeling of her arms resting on my shoulders. “I’m pretty sure they’ll have nightmares about you for years.”

  She kissed my nose. “Good.”

  With a laugh, I spun around. “My mate is a badass.”

  “So is mine,” she said. “Now, let’s go eat that seafood.”

  I’m glad I convinced Brennan that the buffet was the way to go. Our hotel had the best seafood I’ve ever eaten in Anchorage and it just so happened that tonight was the buffet. I knew he’d wanted to go somewhere a little fancier, but with the way he was downing the shrimp, it was obvious he was still enjoying himself.

  “I’m so full,” he moaned, resting back in his chair and rubbing his hands on his belly.

  “Another thing I can do better than you.”

  He raised his eyebrows in question, a crooked grin forming on his lips.

  “I can eat more than you,” I clarified.

  He laughed. “Okay, I seriously don’t know how that’s possible. Where do you put it all?” He groaned again when he moved.

  “High metabolism,” I beamed.

  “That’s for sure.” Brennan looked at me with a hunger in his eyes that sent my hormones into a frenzy. “You want to get out of here?”

  I nodded and he waved for the check. It was so nice spending this time alone with him. Kicking myself for being so nervous earlier in the day, it now felt like we’d known each other forever. This relationship was easy…as long as everyone else approved.

  Brennan helped me out of my chair, like a proper gentleman, and I allowed it. I might be a tough chick but it was nice to feel taken care of. I’d never really had that before. He held my hand all of the way to our suite. But when the door clicked open, he quickly scooped me up into his arms and carried me over the threshold. Butterflies danced in my stomach at the thought of what this could possibly symbolize for us someday.

  With a laugh, he nestled against my ear. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” he joked.

  “And I’m the lucky girl, huh?”

  “Oh yeah,” he growled. Setting me down on the bed, he slowly crawled on top of me. “You’re definitely the lucky girl.”

  The deep timbre in his voice trickled over my skin like an aphrodisiac. I felt so connected to Brennan, my mate. Never before had I experienced a relationship like this and I knew, right now, that I would fight to keep it. “Why don’t you show me how lucky I am,” I teased, feeling bold.

  Brennan nipped at my lower lip. Biting in the shifter world had a much greater impact than in the human one. His bite told me that I was his. And when I rubbed my mouth down his neck and scraped my teeth against his soft skin, I told him that he was mine forever. Drawing blood could cause a human to become an animal, but for us—two shifters with different animals—we didn’t need to take it that far. Plus, I wasn’t sure what would actually happen.

  Pulling off my shirt, Brennan gently lowered me back to the bed. The sex so far had been wild and rough and spontaneous. But this…this felt like something different. Something less feral. And I absolutely loved it.

  When he had all of my clothes off, Brennan stood and towered over me with a look only a man can give a woman. “I can’t believe you’re mine,” he whispered.

  “Why?” I asked quietly.

  “Because I never thought this would happen to me,” he confessed. “I’ve never been like my brothers. I’ve never been great with women.”

  I sat up on my elbows, still completely exposed. “I think you’re just perfect and I wouldn’t want my mate to be anything different.”

  His smile stretched wide and a few seconds later, he’d stripped out of his clothes and was back on top of me. His heavy, manly body crushed me against the bed, a feeling I secretly loved. I ran my hands through his hair as he kissed my face, my neck, my ears, and finally my lips. His smooth, sexy movements changed our bond. Increased it. As Brennan’s hands roamed my body, I realized that we were making love. Not just simply fucking like animals. Another first for me and that thought sent my heart into overdrive.

  I loved him so much.

  When Brennan pushed inside of me, I felt like I couldn’t possibly get any closer to another person. His slow thrusts, the way he’d grabbed my ass, and his lips suckling on my hardened nipple…every single move had me melting in his arms. I pulled him closer, wanting him to fill me up in every way imaginable. Calling out his name, I tried to flip him around so I could be on top, but he resisted.

  “Mine,” he growled and then smashed his lips against mine.

  I loved the taste of him. Of his bear. The woods, the pines, the raw man scent appealed to my wolf. He was dominant but not controlling. A protector but not a brute. Brennan was everything my alpha wolf needed to be her mate without losing herself in the process. When the first waves of ecstasy started brewing between my legs, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. This had to work for both of us.

  I lifted my mouth and nipped at Brennan’s ear. He nuzzled my neck. “You shouldn’t do that,” he rumbled.

  “You’re right,” I said, feeling the need to solidify us as a mating pair. “You should do it to me.”

  Brennan stopped moving and met my gaze. His eyes blazed a bright yellow, showing me how close his bear was to the surface and exciting me even more. “Are you sure?”

  “Brennan,” I kissed his lips, “I want you to claim me as your mate.” Tilting my head to the side, I exposed my neck.

  His erection hardened even more inside of me. “Can we do this?” he asked quietly.

  I knew what he meant. Would his bear change my wolf? Would he turn me into a grizzly? I felt pretty confident that we wouldn’t have to face that issue. I had no reason to think that except for following my instincts. With hips pushing
up into him again, I gave him my body. “Claim me, grizzly.”

  He only hesitated a moment longer before I felt his teeth sink into my skin. He hadn’t bit my neck. No. Instead he’d clamped down on the top of my breast and the pain, in combination with his thrusts, sent me over the edge. I cried out with my orgasm, the claiming bite, and Brennan’s wonderful body tensing on top of me. His teeth remained on my skin, the smell of iron filling the air. For several minutes, we were joined as no one else we’d ever been with. When he finished with his last release, Brennan started to lick at my wound. With shifter blood, I would heal fast, but a part of me hoped I’d have a little scar there to remind me, remind us, of what we were now.

  His lips worked their magic and soon enough, I could feel my skin pulling back together. When his fingers brushed my mark, I focus on the crooked grin. “It looks like a smiley face,” he teased.

  “It better not,” I joked. “I don’t do smiley faces.”

  With a kiss on my mark, he said “You do now.”

  I punched at him and we rolled around on the bed, laughing and play fighting, solidifying our bond even more. Once I’d gained the top position again, I rested my head on his chest. “This feels so amazing,” I admitted. “I have a mate.”

  Brennan stroked my hair and removed the braid. He liked playing with my hair. “I know what you mean.”

  “Two people can never be this happy, can they?” I asked.

  “We can.”

  “For how long?” I didn’t want to ruin the mood, but the underlying nagging feeling that something was about to rip us apart kept clawing around in my gut.

  He tensed underneath me. “Forever.”

  I sucked in a deep breath and reveled in his scent. Forever was a long time. And we still had our alphas to deal with. “What if they deny us?” I asked.

  “Then we leave.”

  I snapped my head up. “And go where?”

  He shrugged. “Anywhere we want.”

  “I can’t leave my uncle,” I admitted. “He’s not well.”

  Brennan rubbed his hands over my thighs while I straddled him, naked and having this serious conversation. “When will someone challenge him?”