Bear Lake- Book Two

by A. B Lee

  It was like a circus performer without the high wire…

  “The only way to make it stop is…” He rolled his eyes upwards and shook his head. “Nope, even that won’t make it stop for long.” He growled at the thought of having her and as he dropped his eyes to hers she swallow down hard again.

  “It’s kind of disconcerting.” She scowled again.

  “Because…?”

  “It’s waving at me.” She hissed back at him.

  “It wants to meet you.” Reece’s grin spread across his face and lit his eyes with humour. Suzanna bit down on what she was going to say and just closed her eyes for a moment. The trouble was it was imprinted on her memory and she could even see it on the backs of her eyelids.

  “Unlike you.” Suzanna tossed back at him and saw his smile quickly fade.

  “That’s not…” He shook his head in denial. “There are reasons…”

  “Not good ones.” She snapped back.

  “Being eaten by a bear isn’t a good damn reason to you, woman?” Reece growled back at her and saw her eyes widen in annoyance.

  “I met your bear and I’m still here.” She tossed back.

  “Unfortunately.” Reece knew where she was going with this and he needed to head her off at the pass.

  “Just say the word and I’m gone.”

  “Go.” He growled at her. Now it was his temper that had gotten the better of him and the look of complete shock on her face made him feel like a complete shit.

  Suzanna’s mind hit a wall at that one word. What could she say to that? He didn’t want her.

  “Fine.” She nodded just once and turned on her heels away from him. The sound of his deep growl rumbled through to her very bones. “Fuck you.” She aimed that parting gift over her shoulder as she stormed away.

  “If only.” Reece muttered under his breath as he watched his mate stomping away from him. His bear growled and tried to push forward to stop her leaving but Reece had the kind of hold over the beast that he’d never managed before.

  She was better off without them.

  Suzanna’s eyes locked onto Alex as she stood up on the porch of her own cabin watching them. She stormed in that general direction. When she was near enough she called to her.

  “I’m ready to go now.”

  “I thought you were in a fighting mood…?” Alex shouted back.

  “He doesn’t want me.”

  “That’s not damn true.” Reece growled out from behind her. She hadn’t even realised that the man had been keeping time with her as she vented her anger on every patch of ground that she tried stomping to death.

  Suzanna jumped at the sound of his deep voice being so close, and twisted her body around towards him. Her foot got lodged in a divot of earth and she pitched sideways. Just her luck that she was going to face plant the damn ground now of all times, she told herself as she readied her body for the hard impact, but it was Reece’s arms that she fell into as he rushed forwards and scooped her against his hard body.

  Suzanna felt the strong heat envelope her and she started to melt against him when her mind reminded her that she was pissed off at him. His growl was like nothing that she’d ever heard before as he pressed her against the length of him and she felt the thick length of his cock against her stomach.

  She heard him take a long, deep breath against her neck and knew what it was that he was doing, taking her scent, and then her hands found the naked flesh of his chest and she pressed her palms against it.

  A part of her wanted to stay right where she was in his arms and another part wanted to kick him in the shin or maybe higher for what he’d said. Her body was flushed with the heat of excitement at having him so close and yet she felt a coldness inside of her at knowing that he didn’t want her the way that she wanted him.

  “Get your damn hands off me.” She ground out between clenched teeth. Her emotions were running rampant inside of her and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or cry.

  Reece heard her words and reluctantly set her free. Standing her back from him and making sure that she had a foothold on the ground; he scowled down at her, but she wasn’t looking, her head was down and her eyes were holding against the urge to lift them to his. She shucked off the last of his touch and turned on her heels, storming away on fast feet.

  His beast growled and protested with every step that she took away from him. But Reece held firm. He had to allow her to think that she was unwanted, it was the only way to let her go, and he had to let her go.

  ~^~

  Reece had managed to last a few hours of pacing and growling at everything around him before the frustration took a hold of him so badly that he couldn’t contain it a moment longer. He’d stalked up to Marcus’s door and rattled the walls and windows with the kind of knock that couldn’t be ignored. When Marcus pulled open the front door Reece was scowling like a madman.

  “Keys to your truck.” He demanded. Marcus turned on his heels and lifted them from the side.

  “Where’s your damn truck?” Marcus growled. He wasn’t about to stand in the way of Reece and his mate, and he knew damned well that was where he was going. How could it not be?

  “I left it at the library.” Reece snatched the keys and stormed off.

  “What damn library?” Marcus called after him, but Reece was in no mood for a conversation.

  Reece needed to see his mate. Just see that she was alright and then his bear might settle within him. But he wasn’t about to shift into his bear to run two towns over only to find that he couldn’t force the shift back.

  He revved the engine and the wheels spun on the gravel driveway. Small stones flicked up behind him as he tooled the truck up the winding roadway. He didn’t have to see her face to face, he just had to see her; he told himself as he started to count down the miles until he was there.

  ~^~

  Suzanna had called in sick and all hell broke loose at the library. It was probably due to the fact that she’d never taken a day off before in the whole time that she been working there. Once she’d assured the rest of the staff that she wasn’t dying of anything major, they had left her in peace, but it was peace that she just couldn’t find no matter how hard she looked for it.

  Shifters were supposed to pursue their mates, woo them if necessary, not take no for an answer, but in a good way. Her mate had denied her. Sent her packing without a backwards glance with some crap excuse about his bear hurting her…

  Well, she’d met his damn bear and it wasn’t that bad arse.

  She tossed the television remote across the room and gave up pretending that she was watching anything. The damn thing hit the wall and made a spectacular show of showering the floor with cheap plastic and a loud thud, and she found some satisfaction in that.

  The hammering on the door was enough to replace that satisfaction with annoyance.

  When she yanked open the door; she came face to chest with her big old bear. He was scowling down at her in a way she had come to expect now. Hope poked its head above the parapet.

  “What are you doing here?” Suzanna bit out. She couldn’t help herself; he’d wounded her.

  “I wanted to make sure you were alright.” Reece growled out as he tried to look around her into the house. Hope died a miserable death.

  “This is how alright I am.” She tossed the door closed in his face and heard the long deep growl that rumbled against the glass and wood.

  Now that was satisfying.

  “Suzanna…” He growled out, but she’d already turned on her heels and was walking away.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve moved on. I already have a date tonight.” She tossed over her shoulder and heard another long and far more dangerous growl.

  “I’ll kill the bastard.” Those words sent a shaft of anger right through her mind and body. She turned back towards the front door and yanked it open. His eyes were black and he looked fit to kill, and yet she ignored all of that because he didn’t scare her.

  “So you don
’t want me but nobody else can have me?” She demanded with an acid tone that made him think twice.

  “Suzanna…” He warned her.

  “Well screw you, Reece. I’ll fuck who I want, when I want, and you can go to hell…”

  Her back was against the opposite wall of the hallway before she could even think to protest. There was no pain just a gentle thud that was like a wakeup call to her system. Reece used his whole body to cage her in, and with one hand; he had fisted her hair and dragged her head backwards so his lips could claim hers…

  It wasn’t a sweet or teasing kiss. His lips came down on hers with enough pressure to make her gasp as a jolt hit her right in the womb, and his tongue slid inside when she did. He didn’t taste; he devoured her with a fevered passion that had them both gasping for air when he released her lips…

  “I warned you…” Reece growled against her lips. The man was barely holding on by a thread and yet it both excited and enticed her to new highs…

  “You can’t stop me, Reece…” She breathed out a challenge. In her mind it had gotten her the response that she needed from him and now she was going back to that same well to drink.

  “I can and I will.” Reece sounded dangerously close to losing his bear.

  She’d poked and he’d responded, and now she knew that she should back off and yet she couldn’t do it. She wanted this response from him. She needed to know that he wanted her more than anything.

  “Fuck me or kill me, Reece, those are your choices.”

  He couldn’t believe that those words came out of the mouth of his little mouse librarian. He’d seen a new side to her over the last twenty four hours and he liked it. Damn, did he like it.

  “And what if I kill you while I’m fucking you, Suzanna?” Reece growled.

  She was just about to answer him when the sound of footsteps outside her door drew his attention and then hers. He turned his head to sniff the air. There was a low, warning growl that rumbled through his chest and brought her attention back to him.

  “You were expecting a man.” He growled out. “Get rid of him before my bear tears him limb from limb.”

  “What?” Her eyes flicked back towards the open front door and she started to shake her head in protest; just as her workmate Robert appeared.

  “Suzanna. I came to see…” Robert’s eyes were locked onto Reece’s back. There was a frown on his forehead as he took the size and stature of the man in. He’d seen him before…

  “Are you alright?” Robert demanded.

  Reece could feel his bear start to push forward. His claws pushed down and he fisted them in his palm. The pain as they entered his flesh did little to take his mind off the fact that he wanted to kill the bastard…

  “I’m fine, Robert…” She didn’t just feel the low rumble of a warning growl go through Reece’s body; she felt it go through hers as well. Robert’s eyes narrowed on them…

  “Suzanna…” Robert started but Reece spun in his direction and his words were lost on the sight of Reece’s black eyes glaring at him. A heartbeat later and Reece had the man pinned up against the wall by his throat. One giant hand locked around his neck and crushing his windpipe…

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Reece, no!” Suzanna cried out.

  This was wrong on so many levels that Suzanna couldn’t even file her thoughts in any specific order. She feared for Robert and what Reece might do to him, and yet she feared for Reece too. The man had already told her that he didn’t have full control over his bear, and Marcus had told her that too…

  What if Reece killed Robert?

  “I warned you, Suzanna…” Reece scented the man’s fear and his bear snorted its disgust. This was no man for his mate. A coward couldn’t protect her after he was dead and gone…

  “He’s a co-worker.” She grabbed two hands around Reece’s thick wrist and tried to pull his hand away from Robert’s throat.

  Robert’s neck and face were turning a bright red colour and his eyes were practically bulging in his head. Suzanna rushed to panic within her for all of their sake. She’d lied and pushed Reece into this and now she had to make him understand before it was too late.

  “I swear he’s not my date…” Suzanna’s words slowly sank in. “I work with him, Reece…” Robert was trying to speak his own denial and yet he couldn’t force the words out past the death grip on his throat…

  “Reece…” Suzanna stopped trying to yank his arm down and started to pound her fists against his shoulder, his neck, anywhere that her punches could land…

  Reece roared out and the windows shook. His hand released Robert’s throat and the man dropped down a foot to the floor. Gasping for air, Robert slid down the wall to his backside on the floor. Reece took one long step back and reached for Suzanna’s wrists and he yanked her up against his body…

  “I told you my bear is uncontrollable. Now do you see?” Reece growled down at her.

  All at once he let her go. Pushing past her; Reece stormed out of the open doorway before she could say another word. Her eyes snapped down to Robert and she was on her knees on the floor beside him in a heartbeat…

  “Robert, I’m so sorry…” Suzanna’s hands were trying to peel Robert’s from his neck so that she could check the damage for herself.

  “I’m o-k…” Robert was still trying to draw in as much oxygen as he could. “What the hell…?”

  “Long story…” She dropped back onto her knees. “And you deserve every word of it.” She lifted her hands and ran them through her hair, fisting handfuls as she shook her head and took in a long calming breath…

  “Suzanna, start talking.” Robert demanded.

  ~^~

  Reece skidded the truck to a dead stop and kicked open the door. He knew what he had to do and he would make sure that the job got done. He was a danger to his mate and that couldn’t be allowed to continue.

  For all he knew the police could be headed to clan land right at that very moment and he wouldn’t allow his clan to go down because of him. He needed his alpha to kill him and there was only one way to ensure that happened. He roared out to get the alpha’s attention and it worked; Jackson appeared from his cabin…

  “Fight me, Jackson.” Reece bellowed across the way.

  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Marcus come out onto his deck. The big man shook his head in dismay. Chance appeared from nowhere and stood between him and Jackson’s cabin.

  “Reece.” Chance’s tone was full of his bear. Always up for a fight, he was ready to take Reece on.

  “Get out of my way, Chance. This doesn’t concern you.” Reece bit out as he started forward. He was determined to get to Jackson and if he needed to go through Chance then he would. Although the second might just do him a favour and end his life if Jackson didn’t stop the fight in time.

  “What’s going on, Reece?” Jackson padded down the stairs.

  “I challenge you for the clan.” Reece growled out with all the anger and menace that was running through his veins.

  “Jesus, Reece…” Marcus bit out on a deep growl that rattled his windows.

  “That’s not going to happen.” Jackson knew his clan and he knew that Reece had no taste for leadership. He also knew that once his bear accepted the challenge that it would be unlikely to back down until he killed the threat.

  Chance held in place. A challenge had been thrown out and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. This was his alpha’s fight to the death should Jackson choose to accept it or should Reece push that point. He growled in anger…

  “Death by alpha.” Marcus ground his teeth together as tension worked his jaw.

  “Fight me, Jackson. Unless you’re afraid of the result.” Reece kept going until Chance had to step out of the way. The man growled his annoyance as Reece carried on past him.

  “I’m not going to kill you, Reece.” Jackson heard the door to his cabin open and his mate step outside. His bear pushed forward protectively. If Reece became out of hand or pushed the
point then he’d have to take him down, but the hell was he going to kill him unless he had no other choice.

  “I challenge you, Jackson. You have to fight…” Reece snarled.

  “What the hell are you doing, Reece?” Alex started towards the stairs and Jackson turned to warn her off.

  “Stay out of this, Alex.” Jackson’s voice was full of his bear.

  “The hell I will.” Alex snapped as her eyes took Reece in. “Where’s Suzanna, Reece? What did you do?”

  “Suzanna’s not here. This isn’t about her, it’s between me and Jackson…” Reece’s bear took offence that Alex had asked after his mate. She was the reason that he was here. Her safety was the reason that he was doing this…

  “Did you hurt your mate?” Alex stopped at the base of the stairs when Reece roared in rage.

  “Not yet…” His eyes were jet black and she could see that his fangs were pushing down and his claws were out. “Fight me, Jackson…” He gained more ground on the alpha.

  “Cars coming…” Marcus growled out. His ears had picked up the sound of the engine in the distance.

  “Now!” Reece roared as he started to run towards Jackson.

  “Stand down, Reece…” Jackson had started forward. If he couldn’t stop Reece from this path then he didn’t want his mate anywhere near the fight. Alex was too headstrong and he wouldn’t put her in harm’s way.

  “Fight me!” Reece growled with everything that he had inside of him. All the hurt, the pain, and the rage. He’d never be normal, even for a shifter…

  “Jackson?” Marcus warned.

  Jackson made the split second decision. He could have taken on the challenge and fought the man, his friend… But Reece posed no real threat to his bear at that moment in time… Jackson took a long step backwards…