“Your sister and your nephew,” he whispered, licking down her neck. “Just. Watch.”
“Stay away from them! You...”
“Tsk, all because of you.” He released her roughly. “Because. Of. You.”
By the time she pushed herself up and whirled round, he had disappeared. But his threat and his taunt continued echoing in the stale, pungent air all around her.
She had called her elder sister, Rachel, immediately, but her sister wasn't picking up her phone. She kept trying but by the time she finally got through to Rachel it was too late.
“Where are you, Rachel? I was so...”
“I'm in the hospital, Ruby. With Mikey.”
“Oh God! What...”
“We were walking home when someone shoved past us. Mikey fell hard and landed badly. He broke his arm.”
Ruby tried to speak, but it felt as though there was a cold fist around her throat.
“I don't know who it was. The person got away. And I got scratched as well,” Rachel was saying quietly. “I should have been more careful, and more alert. I could have lost an eye...”
The phone slipped from Ruby's hand. She knew who it was.
Colton had carried out his threat.
This was just a warning.
The next time, the bastard wouldn't just break her nephew's arm. He would break Mikey's neck. The scratch on Rachel's face was just a warning. He hadn't taken her eye this time. But the next time he went after them...
No!
She had to go. She had to get herself far away from Rachel and Mikey. And she couldn't tell them where she was going.
If they didn't know where she was, Colton would leave them alone, and just come after her.
So she ran.
She ran from Colton, and she ran from her family.
She hoped that one day she would see her sister and nephew again, but she hoped never to see Colton Smith again. She didn't mind that he was a werewolf. She had neighbors and colleagues who were shifters. It wasn't what he was. It was what he did, and who he was.
Colton Smith was a violent, sadistic, vengeful man. He had been banished by his own pack, exiled from Misty Valley. He was bitter, resentful, and harboring a grudge against his Alpha and the world.
She had been so stupid to get involved with him.
Exhaling a tired, shuddering sigh, Ruby raised her head and looked Colton dead in the eye.
It was time to stop running. It was time to end this once and for all.
Flicking out a pocket knife, she threw her bag on the ground and faced Colton squarely.
“Why can't you leave me alone?” she asked. “I'm not worth your time. Stop chasing me! I...”
“But you keep running, Ruby,” Colton said, widening his eyes to effect a pained, innocent look. “If you keep running, I have to keep chasing. Stop running from me, Ruby. You belong to me.”
“No.” She shook her head. “No I don't.”
His eyes glowed and bristling red fur began to ripple up his arms and neck.
“I...I belong to someone else.”
At that, Colton gave her an ugly smile. “Ah Ruby, you never could tell a proper lie.”
Ruby snorted and narrowed her eyes. Unlike you. You even believe your own lies.
“It's no use lying to me.” Colton circled her slowly and stopped to sniff at her neck. She flinched, and he chuckled. “I don't smell any male on you. And there is no mark on you. No one has marked you. In fact, no one has taken you since you left me. Why, Ruby, are you remaining celibate for me?”
She bit down a curt retort.
“I'm going to take you back to Misty Valley with me. After I kill Logan Reed, I will take over as Alpha of the Red Fangs pack. And I want my offspring to guard and defend my position. I want alpha pups,” he snarled into her face. “Alpha pups who will grow up to be alpha wolves. They will kill any challengers and contenders to the alpha position.”
“You want me to breed an army for you,” Ruby said, incredulous. “Your own personal bodyguards and assassins.” She shook her head and inched away from him. “You're...” Mad. Mad and sad.
He gave her a cold, calculating smile.
Ruby shuddered. How could she have been so blind? How in the world could she have ever found this piece of shit attractive? She was never touching vodka again.
Nauseated and revolted, she hissed, “I would rather die. I will never let you touch me again, Colton. Never!”
His eyes gleamed and turned fully wolf at her words.
“I won't let you die, Ruby. I want to hear you beg—for death,” he snarled, shifting suddenly into his wolf form.
Ruby backed away as the huge, red wolf crouched and unsheathed its long claws. She had only seen Colton in his wolf form once before. His fur looked darker and redder tonight, like it was matted with blood. A strange, tight sound rattled from her throat at the sight of his deadly fangs and claws. She remembered the pain she'd felt when he pushed his claws into her flesh, and gripped her neck.
He had attacked her, bloodied her, made a fucking victim out of her.
Ruby inhaled sharply and balled her fists.
Never again.
She was done being the victim.
She would fight back.
The odds were against her, but the least she could do was try. She would try to kill him.
If she died trying, so be it.
There was no shame in dying.
Ruby closed her eyes for an instant and thought of her sister and nephew. “I love you, Rachel and Mikey,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”
CHAPTER TWO
Nate Lawson stood at the street corner and pricked his ears. He thought he'd heard a low, menacing growl coming from a few streets away. Ursa Springs was a shifter town so it wasn't uncommon to hear roars and growls bursting from bedroom windows, especially during the mating season. Female bears were particularly vocal and aggressive when in heat. They were also fiercely protective of their cubs. In some extreme cases, the Sheriff department had to be called in to settle playground disputes.
Nate had been away for ten years and he'd just gotten back to Ursa Springs. He had been back before, but this time he was staying for good. The town hadn't changed all that much in these ten years. The bears were still the same. They were still big, loud and friendly. Many human families had moved into town and started a few excellent eateries and fashion stores. He liked the humans in Ursa Springs. They were a determined, inventive lot. They had to be. Living in a shifter town wasn't easy, but they carved out their own niche and thrived. The coyote packs had grown bigger and more powerful, and the Alpha of the biggest coyote pack had just asked to meet with the new Alpha of the Silvertip clan.
Nate didn't feel like meeting the coyote Alpha, but he couldn't push the task to his brother, Wyatt, now that he was back. Wyatt had agreed to step in as acting Alpha for just a couple of months after their father's death, but he'd made it clear to Nate that he was only doing “this Alpha business” for three months. “I'm not doing your job for you,” Wyatt had warned. “I'll just hold the fort for you. Three months max. Then no more of this Alpha business for me. I'm your Beta, and I'll always have your back, bro.”
His second brother, Wyatt, was always joking and flirting with the other bears, but Nate knew that under that jovial playboy facade, Wyatt was a trustworthy, courageous alpha bear. Their youngest brother, Jack, was not as gregarious and outspoken as Wyatt, but Jack was just as solid and brave. As the firstborn son of Henry Lawson, Nate inherited the Alpha position and all its responsibilities upon his father's death. Wyatt was happy being his Beta. Wyatt was dependable, but he also loved partying. Being Alpha would put a serious damper on his lifestyle.
Nate jerked when he heard a woman's piercing scream. It was a human cry, a cry that was filled with pain and rage.
And there was something in her voice.
It seemed to call to his bear.
Nate rac
ed across the dark, deserted streets, his bear pushing him to go faster as he neared the woman. He could scent her now, her sweat and her blood.
He saw a flash of silver in the distance, and recognized the glint of a blade. At the thought of the human female being hurt, his bear roared and rose fully. Shifting in a matter of seconds, Nate charged towards the screaming woman. There was another shifter with her, a wolf. The red wolf was lunging at her, snarling and snapping its jaws viciously. The woman moved in a blur, rolling and twisting out of its reach.
Nate knocked the wolf away from the woman and stood protectively in front of her. His massive frame blocked her like a wall as he faced the large red wolf.
The human female pushed to her feet behind him and scrambled for the small pocket knife lying on the ground. She held the knife out shakily and commanded, “Go away, Colton! Just leave. Leave me alone!”
Nate saw Colton's eyes glow as he eyed the woman. Keeping those glowing, yellow eyes on the woman, Colton stepped back and shifted from wolf back to human form.
Colton flicked his eyes to Nate and announced, “She's mine.”
Nate growled and advanced towards him.
“She belongs to me,” Colton repeated. “This is just a lover's spat. Stay out of this, bear. I'm not here to create any trouble. I'm just here to take her home.”
“I'm not yours!” the woman shrieked. “I would rather die!”
“I can't let you die, Ruby. I love you too much,” Colton said, but there was no love in his eyes. Just anger, hate and the promise of violence. “Send my love to Rachel, and her little man, Mikey.” His smile stretched wide as he raised one curved claw to the corner of his eye.
“You leave them alone!” Ruby screamed, her voice hoarse and broken. “L-leave them out of this. They don't know where I am...p-please...don't hurt them...” She choked down a sob, and raised her knife shakily. “I'll kill you, I swear...”
Colton smirked and lowered himself to the ground. He kept his yellow eyes on her through his shift. The smirk was still on the wolf's face even after he'd shifted fully back to wolf and started to circle them.
Nate heard the woman swallow a sob behind him. The scent of her fear, rage and pain crashed through his senses, triggering the killer instinct of his beast. The great bear reared up on his hind legs and roared.
He was going to kill this slimy red wolf right now. Right here.
Nate slashed down with his claws, but Colton ducked and spun to the side, dodging the fatal blow by inches.
Nate saw that the wolf was still staring at the woman behind him. Those slitted wolf eyes swung to Nate, and Nate saw both alarm and hate in those glowing eyes.
The wolf knew that it was no match for the bear. The wolf was fighting for its life, but the bear wasn't fighting for himself. He was fighting for her.
With a ferocious roar, Nate lurched towards the red wolf, his jaws ready to clamp down on the bastard's neck. The wolf took one look at the raging bear and decided that he wasn't going to stay around for the fight. He turned tail and ran. But Nate wasn't letting him go. He thundered down the streets after the wolf, his anger rising as he narrowed his eyes at the escaping wolf.
The coward claimed that Ruby belonged to him, yet he wouldn't even face Nate and fight for her.
No shifter would turn and run away from his mate.
The beast would protect and guard its mate with its life, fight to the death for her, bleed and die for her.
His bear would kill and be killed for her.
Nate had always been the calm, cool Lawson brother. His younger brothers, Wyatt and Jack, were more rash and impulsive. Nate was always poised, collected, astute. These were the very qualities that made him such a good businessman, a formidable negotiator, a consummate diplomat and a great leader. His father had always said that Nate would make an excellent Alpha. Nate hardly ever lost it. He always kept his head and his cool, even in the most dire situations.
But right now, his bear was rampaging out of control. His beast was going berserk at the thought of that human female terrified and hurt.
The wolf kept running. It had to. The coward knew that its life was forfeit if Nate caught up with it.
Nate saw the red wolf glance back just once before running out of Ursa Springs and scampering into the surrounding woods. Nate gave chase and prowled at the very edge off the woods.
His bear chuffed angrily as it pawed the ground. He wanted to track the wolf and kill it. But he also hungered to return to his female. He hated that he had left her standing alone in the street, bleeding and defenseless. The scent of her blood would attract other predators, and an injured human woman was easy prey for thugs and muggers.
Nate scanned the dense shadows between the trees one last time. The forest swirled with all kinds of animal scents. If he went after Colton, he might have to track him for hours through the murky forest. And that meant he would be leaving his female all alone, unguarded and unprotected.
He had to get back to her. Now.
Nate turned his back on the woods. He would kill the red wolf, just not tonight. Once he'd made sure that his female was safe, he would hunt Colton down and tear out his throat.
He raced through the streets until he returned to the spot where he'd left her. She was nowhere to be seen.
Growling, he sniffed the air furiously and picked up her scent immediately. The smell of her pain tugged at him like a leash. He barreled down the street after her, and finally caught sight of her stumbling along the sidewalk. He could hear her swearing and sobbing softly as she staggered towards an old walk-up building.
When he growled, she whirled round so fast she lost her footing and toppled sideways with a cry.
Nate dived towards her to break her fall and she screamed.
“No! Get away from me!”
He managed to cushion her back from the cold, hard pavement with his paw, but she scrambled away from him in terror.
“Go, please, go,” she whispered. “Leave me alone. I don't have any money. I...I don't have anything!”
Nate stared into her brown eyes, and saw the stark anger and guilt behind her tears.
She swiped roughly at her eyes and stood up. “What...do you want? Are you going to rob me? Or...rape me?”
Her words shocked and maddened him. Shifting rapidly back to human form, he advanced towards her and snarled, “Rape you? Did he do that? Did that wolf rape you?”
She flicked her eyes down his naked body and backed away, shaking her head and breathing hard.
“Why can't all of you leave me the hell alone?” She let out a small, demented laugh.
“I just...” Nate threw up his hands to show that he meant her no harm. “I'm Nate,” he spoke very slowly and gently. “What's your name?”
“Ruby,” she mumbled, directing her answer to no one in particular. She seemed to be in a daze, her eyes flitting all over the place before finally focusing on him. With a gasp, she whirled round and started to run.
Nate moved forward to grab her arm before she bolted.
It was the wrong thing to do.
With an ear-splitting, soul-tearing scream, she plunged her small pocket knife into his shoulder and kicked and scratched like a wild animal. He tightened his grip on her, refusing to let her go.
Sobbing, she collapsed suddenly in his arms, utterly and completely spent. Her eyelids fluttered and her breathing was labored and irregular. The woman had collapsed from shock and exhaustion.
Nate gathered her in his arms and moved swiftly through the slumbering town. He was taking her back to his place, where she would be safe and protected.
He knew that Colton would be coming back for revenge. He'd seen the festering hate and bitterness in the wolf's eyes.
But Colton wouldn't be coming after him for revenge. Cowards always picked on those who were defenseless and alone, those they deemed weaker and smaller than themselves.
Colton wouldn't come after him, but he woul
d go after Ruby.
Nate snarled through clenched teeth. He would kill that piece of shit with his bare hands.
CHAPTER THREE
Ruby struggled to wake up but her eyelids remained stubbornly closed, and she kept seeing a tall, blond man with the face of an angel and a body made for sin in her mind. The man had sky blue eyes, straight, angular features and a long, rugged body. She kept seeing him naked, and feeling the heat of his rock hard body as he cradled her to him. But just as she reached up to touch his face, she would see his human face contort and grow into the huge head of a bear. His muscular arms and strong hands became furry legs and paws. And she would find herself in the arms of a powerful, deadly bear.
The nightmarish images kept on rolling through her mind. She saw the bear, the wolf, all those fangs and claws, and blood. It was her blood, and the blood of her sister and nephew.
“No! Rachel, Mikey!” Ruby screamed and jerked upright. Her eyes were finally open, but they were wide and unseeing.
She was panting and gulping, and her hair was plastered to her face. She could feel cold sweat trickling down between her breasts, trailing down her body like taunting, icy fingers.
“Hey, it's okay. Don't worry. No one's going to hurt you now. You're safe here.”
With a yelp, she turned towards that deep, soothing voice.
“You.” It came out as a squeak. “The...the bear!”
It was the man from her nightmare. That blond, handsome stranger who kept morphing into a bear in her mind.
She glanced down at herself and saw that she was swathed in soft, thick blankets, but she was fully aware that she was completely naked under all these blankets. She saw that she was lying on a low couch in front of a blazing fireplace. It looked like she was in a wooden cabin, a very cozy, well-furnished cabin with the stranger from her dreams.
“Who are you? Where am I?” She inched to the edge of the couch, farthest away from him. The man was standing by the fireplace, watching her intently with those arresting blue eyes.
“I'm Nate Lawson, and this is my cabin. We're in the middle of Ursa Mountain,” he answered gently. “I had to remove your clothes to check your injuries. The scratches aren't that deep, so I just cleaned them up. I washed your clothes too. They're drying in the bedroom.”
Taken By The Bear: BBW Billionaire Bear Shifter Romance Standalone Page 2