Fairy Tales with a Shift: Complete Collection (5 Bear Shifter Novellas)

by Cara Wylde

I had chosen with my heart. I was sure of that.

  ***

  The white bear let me ride on his back, with two bags of gold hanging from his sides. Given that I was to become his wife, I figured I could at least call him “he” instead of “it”. When I asked for his name, he remained silent, so I shrugged and forgot about it. We didn’t have to be very close to live together. Before we headed to my parents’ cottage, he asked me to pull the arrow out of his shoulder and clean the wound. It seemed like he was healing incredibly fast because the wound stopped bleeding in a matter of minutes, and he wasn’t even limping.

  He let me dismount at the edge at the forest so my family wouldn’t see him. How would I explain the situation to them, anyway? We agreed to meet in the same place the next morning, when I would surrender my future and my dreams to our unusual union.

  My mother was waiting for me by the chickens’ coop, the only wooden structure left standing besides the cottage. We had turned the old fence into firewood a long time ago. We didn’t need it. People rarely traveled so far outside the town, and if they did and they had evil intentions, they immediately realized there was nothing to steal from us.

  “Where have you been, Brenda? It’s already dark. I can’t sleep knowing that you’re out there, in the woods, and something could have happened to you. You know I can’t send your father to find you. I’ve told you a thousand times: don’t scare us like this!”

  I closed the distance between us and she wrapped me in her arms.

  “What have you got there?”

  “This,” I said, lifting the heavy bags, “is the answer to all our problems. Let’s go inside so I can show you all your future as a wealthy, respected family in town. Hell, with what I have here, you can buy a castle in the capital and buy yourselves one of those fancy noble titles!”

  “What are you saying?”

  I could hear the worry in her voice.

  “You probably haven’t eaten all day. Let’s cook whatever you caught in those bags of yours, and then you’ll come back to reality.”

  I laughed as I entered the crammed room that served as our home.

  “You can’t cook what I have here, Ma!”

  I dropped the bags onto the table, and the rich, jingling sound they made caught everyone’s attention. My father rose from his chair with a grunt of pain and shuffled to the table only to drop down on another chair. My sisters abandoned the rags they were stitching to see what was happening. I untied the piece of rope holding the first bag closed and let the gold coins spill on the table.

  “By all gods…” whispered my mother.

  “Where did you get this treasure?” asked my father. “You didn’t steal it, did you?” He looked at me suspiciously, his eyes narrowed, ready to call me out if I lied. He was just as honest and righteous as he was poor.

  “Of course I didn’t steal it! Why would you even suggest something like that? I’m your daughter! You raised me well!”

  “Then how?” asked my eldest sister, her eyes glued to the shiny coins. No one had dared touch them, least they would vanish in thin air. “I’ve never seen so much gold in my life!”

  “Well, me neither, but I promise you it’s real. There is a catch, though…”

  “What catch?” My mother was suddenly alert. “Those dreadful woods are filled with all kinds of unholy creatures, aren’t they? Listen to me, Brenda: if you made a pact with a witch, troll, sprite, or whatever, you take all this gold back and break it right away.”

  “Hold on, Ma! There are no witches, trolls, sprites, or whatnots. Sheesh, you’ve listened to too many crazy old hags in town.”

  “Don’t kid about this.”

  I took a deep breath, getting ready to tell them the story I had come up with on my way home, riding on my future husband’s back. Oh, the thought alone sounded insane.

  “I met a man.”

  My sisters gasped.

  “He was hunting in the woods. We were after the same deer. I was faster than him and I shot it down first, but then he said it belonged to him because I was trespassing and hunting on his land. I begged him to let me take it, told him we would all starve to death, and this seemed to soften his heart. He told me he would do more than just allow me to take the game: he promised he would make you all rich if only I agreed to marry him. It would’ve been stupid to say no.”

  “He’s ugly, right? He’s filthy rich, but ugly. Otherwise, why would he choose you over any other girl?”

  I had to admit my eldest sister had a point. Mother crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain.

  “No! No, he’s not ugly. I mean… he’s not the most handsome man in the world, but that doesn’t matter, right?”

  “So he’s ugly.”

  “He’s not. But that’s not the point. I agreed to marry him, and he gave me all the gold I could carry to give it to you. It’s a small price to pay. You can finally live a normal life, father can afford ointments for his legs, mother won’t have to do anyone’s laundry anymore, and you two can learn how to sing, dance, or even play an instrument. This way, you will get some fine husbands for yourselves.”

  “And what about you?” asked my mother. “Do you think you could love this man?”

  I really wanted to say “yes”, but it was difficult when the man didn’t even exist. I thought about the white bear, and a chill crept in my bones at the realization that I would probably die without ever knowing a man’s touch.

  “And who is he? Why hasn’t he come with you to meet us? What’s his name?”

  “I can’t tell you. It was part of the bargain to keep his identity secret. You see… he’s very rich and he comes from a noble family. He doesn’t want anyone to know he took a lowly lass as his wife.”

  “So, technically, you won’t even be his wife,” my mother continued. “You’ll be his secret… mistress?”

  “I… I don’t know. And, frankly, I don’t care. All I want is to know that you will never starve or freeze again. I don’t want my sisters to work for that stingy cloth merchant anymore. I will learn to love my husband, and if I won’t be his lawful wife, if he’ll ever have to marry a lady of his status, then I’ll learn to live with it. So, you’re taking this gold. End of discussion.”

  Of course, that was far from being the end of discussion, but at least they understood I wouldn’t back down. My mother insisted almost until morning to reconsider my decision, and my father narrowed his eyes at me more times than I could count. Maybe he knew there was something wrong with my story, something that didn’t fit, but he was wise enough to let it go and accept the future I was offering them. After all, he loved his children. He wanted to see my sisters well fed and healthy. He wanted it so badly that he was willing to let himself deceived by the fantasy I was painting for them, with the luxurious castle and the servants who would give me everything I wanted.

  It was a good fantasy, I had to admit.

  ***

  I woke up early, bid my family farewell, and made them promise they would not follow me into the forest. The white bear was waiting for me.

  “I thought you would change your mind.”

  “I gave you my word.”

  We didn’t talk much on the way to his cave. He probably understood how sad I was for leaving my parents and sisters, so he left me alone with my thoughts. However, when we reached the cave, he didn’t go in. He kept walking , leaving it behind and taking me to the other side of the mountain. It took us an entire day to reach our destination, and when he finally let me dismount so I could follow him inside a cave much bigger than the first one, it was almost midnight.

  We walked along the tall corridors towards the very heart of the mountain, and as we got closer, I noticed how the air grew warmer. We came to a wide gallery that was richly decorated with things one wouldn’t expect to find inside a mountain: expensive furniture, crystal glasses on long tables, bowls filled with fruits I had never tasted in my life, and a tall staircase that led up to the ceiling and disappeared
through a wide opening which probably led to another chamber.

  “This is incredible…” I muttered.

  “It’s where I receive my guests. When I have them. Let me show you to your chambers.”

  The white bear proceeded to climb the stone stair, and it took me a long moment to decide to follow him, since I couldn’t believe those steps could hold his massive weight. If something went wrong and the stair gave in, I would tumble to the ground along with him. I took a deep breath and followed him up. If the first room had blown my mind away, the wonders I saw next made me weak in the knees.

  The whole mountain had been turned into a luxurious inside castle. There were chambers after chambers filled with comfortable sofas, soft pillows, mahogany tables, and exquisite works of art. Statues, paintings, pottery… There were many pieces I didn’t even know what to call. The larger chambers had fireplaces carved in the walls. The whole castle was nicely lit through an ingenious structure of glass and mirrors fixed near the ceiling, which sent the pale moon rays to the smallest corners. I couldn’t wait for morning to come so I would see how my new home looked in the sun. The white bear told me that at the topmost level there were balconies carved in the mountain, and I could go there anytime I wanted to get fresh air. At this moment it wasn’t a good idea, since it was half an hour before midnight and it would be freezing up there.

  “You are tired, so tonight I will let you dine alone and go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning, my wife.”

  I couldn’t believe his words.

  “So, we’re not going to sleep in the same room?”

  “Don’t be silly. How could we? You’re human and I’m a bear.”

  “Then why…?” How could I phrase this? “Why did you even want me to be your wife?”

  The white bear looked at me with those deep, black eyes, but his thoughts didn’t ring in my head for a long minute.

  “Well? How does this make sense?” I pressed.

  “Do you think one takes a maiden to be his wife only because he needs someone to share his bed with?”

  I was at a complete loss. “So, you only need me to spend time with you and read to you in the evening?”

  “Indeed. That’s what I said.”

  “For that you didn’t have to force me into this odd marriage, you know? I could have lived with my family, had a normal life, a human husband and children, and come here to spend time with you whenever you needed me.”

  “No.”

  The white bear’s thought rung like a death sentence in my head.

  “You have to be mine and mine alone. Now I must leave you. I’ll ask a maid to lay out a late dinner for you. Rest well.”

  I didn’t have time to say anything else. He simply turned around and walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of the room. This whole thing was absurd, but I was too tired to dwell on it anymore. Then, three maids came, not one, and they made sure I ate well, took a bath, and snuggled in the most comfortable bed in the castle.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “You’re so beautiful. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen…”

  I moaned in my sleep.

  “Skin so white and soft… lips so red and full…”

  I was having the best dream ever. I had no idea who the man was, and I couldn’t see him, but his voice was mesmerizing. It all seemed so real that I could almost feel his big, strong hands caressing my breasts, his fingers finding my nipples and pinching them into hardness. I squirmed under the sinful touch and muttered in my sleep. My words were probably unintelligible, but in my head they rung clear and demanding: “please go lower”. I had probably figured out how to control my dreams, because the mysterious man did exactly what I wanted. Slowly, tantalizingly, his hands traveled down my stomach, reached my hips, then went under my butt for a nice, firm squeeze. It felt like he was kneeling between my legs, so I thrust my pelvis up, hoping he would get the idea and start doing more interesting things to my body. If he didn’t, then tough luck: I would make him, because this was my dream.

  “You’re so responsive… Your body sings with passion.”

  Oh, forget about the romantic talk, and just do something to alleviate the ache between my thighs! I jerked in my sleep, determined to make the best of my dream. I wanted to touch the man, pull his body over mine and run my hands all over his chest. The sole thought of hard muscles and soft skin under my fingertips made my hands twitch. I clasped and unclasped my fists, then reached for the delicious body hovering over me.

  Something was wrong.

  I sent the command to my stubborn hands again: reach for the man’s chest.

  Nothing. My dream was broken. It was the only explanation for not being able to control it anymore. Stupid dream.

  I moaned again, squirmed in bed, and somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, I tried to move my arms and turn on my side. I couldn’t. What was going on? Why couldn’t I move? And why did I still feel the man’s hands on my hips? I was pretty sure I was waking up. Unless I was still dreaming, this didn’t make any sense.

  “So beautiful… my Brenda.”

  My eyes snapped open when I heard the man’s voice clearer, louder, closer. I gasped when I saw there really was someone hovering over my helpless body, and I tried to lift my arms to hit him, scratch at his face, anything… but I couldn’t. Cold, paralyzing panic rushed through my veins when I realized my hands were tied to the headboard. What was worse, I had no idea who the man was. The room was drowned in complete darkness, which meant someone had covered the entrance to my chamber with the heavy curtain I had left open so the moonlight would make its way to my bed.

  “Who are you? What do you want from me?” I asked him in a chocked, trembling voice. I took a deep breath and struggled to fight my tears.

  “Shh, my beloved, you have nothing to fear,” he said. He had, indeed, the smoothest, most sensual voice I had ever heard. “I’m your husband. The husband who will share your bed.”

  “What?” And I had thought that marrying a white bear who lived in a castle inside a mountain was the most absurd thing in the world. This topped it.

  The stranger caressed my cheek and smoothed down my long, dark hair which covered the entire pillow.

  “We won’t do anything if you don’t want to. I can just sit here and watch you sleep, drink in your perfect curves. I’ll wait for you to be ready, I promise.”

  “What are you talking about? You’re not my husband. The white bear is, and he will not be pleased when he hears of this.”

  “No, you mustn’t tell him.” He pressed his thumb against my lips, and it was all I could do to stop myself from opening my mouth and sucking it in. What was this man doing to me? “If you tell anyone about me, you’ll ruin both of us. The servants, the maids, the cook… the white bear, they mustn’t know.” His hand left my lips and went lower to squeeze my breast.

  “Who are you? And, most importantly, are you insane? Show me your face!”

  “I’m sorry, beloved, I can’t do that.”

  What the hell was going on? Every answer he gave me baffled me, yet my body still responded to his shameless touches. Was he delusional? Did he really think he was my real husband and had every right to touch me like this?

  “Why not? Why can’t you show me your face? Or tell me your name, or how in hell’s name you’re my husband? It doesn’t make any sense and I’m tired of all this absurd mystery!”

  I curled my fingers around the silk scarf and pulled as hard as I could. There was no use. I was tied, sprawled under a man whose face I couldn’t see, my body barely covered by the thin nightgown, completely at his mercy. What now? I wanted my bows and arrows so badly.

  “Please stop struggling, you’ll hurt yourself and I could never live with the guilt. I understand you have questions and this is all new and strange to you, but you must listen to me: I am your husband, not the white bear. I will slip into your chamber every night, lay beside you, and we can do whatever you want. We can talk, or…” His hand traveled
down the plane of my flat stomach and nestled between my quivering thighs. I pursed my lips and swallowed the wonton moan that had almost escaped me. “You want me too,” he continued. “I can smell the arousal on your skin.”

  His thumb started drawing lazy circles above my throbbing nub, barely touching it. It was hard to admit, but at that moment all I wanted was for him to remove my nightgown and let his thumb make direct contact with the most secret part of my body. But no. It was insane. I had to stay focused.

  “Why am I tied up?”

  “I couldn’t risk you touching my face. You’re not allowed to see me, my love. You can only hear my voice and enjoy my body.”

  “What if… What if the bear walks in on us?”

  “He won’t.”

  “What if he finds out about this?”

  “He won’t, unless you tell him. Promise me you won’t tell anyone about us, and I shall give you pleasures you’ve never even dreamed of.”

  “If you’re my husband, then why does this have to be a secret?”

  He was silent.

  “And if you’re my husband, then what is the white bear?”

  “So many questions, such a sharp, curious mind.” He moved his wicked thumb lower and pressed it between my slick folds. “You must know, Brenda, that nothing in this world has only one side. During the day, the sky is light blue and the sun is its only master. At night, the sky is dark and the moon is its mistress. Day and night cannot exist without the other, yet they never meet. Somehow, they create a harmonious whole because they have one thing in common: the sky. It’s the same in your case. You’re the sky, and during the day the white bear is your husband, while at night I am.”

  “This doesn’t make any bloody sense.”

  “Tell me: do I really scare you that badly? Don’t my touches feel right to you? Do you think I’m lying?”

  “I… I don’t know what to think…” The truth was I couldn’t think even if I wanted to. His hands were doing magical things between my legs. When his fingers rubbed my swollen nub like that, any sensible, coherent thought flew out the window. Wait. This castle didn’t have windows.