Taken By The Bear: BBW Billionaire Bear Shifter Romance Standalone

by Natalie Kristen

  Nate collapsed on top of her, his claws slowly retracting as he eased reluctantly out of her hot, tight body.

  “Ruby,” he panted, kissing up the valley between her breasts to her neck. “You are just...so amazing.” He kissed her forehead tenderly. “You are so beautiful, and perfect, and you are mine.” He kissed her eyelids and the tip of her nose. “I love you,” he whispered, stroking her cheek with a finger. “I love you, Ruby.”

  Nate bent down to kiss away the tear at the corner of her eye. “Stay with me, Ruby. I want you to move in with me, and live with me. I want you, and I will always want you, you are mine. And I am yours, Ruby. But...I won't force you. ” Nate closed his eyes in pain. Taking a ragged breath, he said hoarsely, “Do you want me, Ruby? You have the choice, the freedom.”

  Unlike me. There will be no one else for me.

  Ruby looked up into his eyes and slowly reached her hand up to his face. Cupping the side of his face with one hand, she traced his features with her fingers, as if committing every line and angle of his face to memory.

  Her eyes shone with tears as she gazed up at him. “Yes, Nate,” she whispered at last. “I want you. I want you always.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Ruby unbuckled her seat belt and turned to Nate. “I won't take long. I don't have many things, so I'll just stuff everything into my suitcase and that's it! I'll be back down in ten minutes.”

  Nate frowned. “You sure you don't need me to help you? I don't want you to be lugging your heavy suitcase down the stairs...”

  “My suitcase ain't heavy. I've learned to travel light. When you're constantly on the move, you can't afford to take too many things with you.”

  He scowled at her words, but Ruby leaned over and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Stop being such a bear. I won't be long. Just wait in the car for me. Okay?”

  “Fine,” he grumbled under his breath, but not before grabbing her and kissing her passionately on the lips.

  Ruby got out of the Bentley, and squinted against the glare of the early morning sun. She glanced back at Nate and smiled coyly. He simply took her breath away, every time, all the time.

  Last night as she lay in his bed, Nate had told her that he would pay her landlady two months' rent in lieu of notice. He would drive her to her apartment first thing in the morning, so she could pack her things and move out straight away. He wanted her to live with him in his house, as his mate, his wife. Besides, with Colton lurking around, it just wasn't safe for her to be living in her dingy rented apartment all by herself.

  Nate had also told her that even though they were well and truly mated, he was fine with donning a tuxedo and having a human wedding as well, if that was what she wanted.

  Ruby had been moved to tears at his words. Nate was so protective, and sweet and considerate. Her safety was his priority, but he considered her well-being and feelings as well. He truly wanted her to be safe and happy with him. And despite what she said, she did like him being a bear around her. It showed that he cared a great deal about her.

  Ruby trudged up the dim staircase to her apartment on the second floor. She pushed into her tiny apartment and closed the door behind her. She didn't bother opening the windows. She would pack quickly and be out in less than ten minutes.

  Hurrying to the bedroom, Ruby pulled her battered suitcase out from under the bed and gathered her toiletries and make-up from the bathroom counter. She dumped them into the suitcase and went to the cupboard to yank her clothes off the hangers. She didn't have many clothes. She was a careful shopper and she only bought items that were of good quality and reasonably priced. Of course it would be fun to go on a shopping spree and just indulge herself at the mall but she just couldn't afford it. Every minute was spent working, rushing, cleaning, and looking over her shoulder.

  Ruby slammed her suitcase shut and hauled it off the creaky bed. As she glanced around the room one last time, she heard a soft knock on her front door.

  Frowning, she went to the living room and pressed her ear against the door.

  “R-Ruby?”

  She started. It was her landlady's voice.

  “It's me, Mrs Raine. Can you...open the door?”

  “Oh.” Ruby slid the lock back. She had left a message on Mrs Raine's phone last night, telling her that she would be moving out today, and she would put the keys and two months' rent into an envelope and slide it under her door if she wasn't home.

  She opened the door a crack to see Mrs Raine's tensed face. The woman seemed to have grown a few more white hairs at the temples since the last time she saw her.

  Mrs Raine swallowed and licked her lips nervously. Her eyes darted from side to side and the corner of her mouth twitched as she tried to speak. The woman was wheezing noisily as sweat beaded on her upper lip.

  “Mrs Raine, are you okay?” Ruby asked in concern. “What's the...”

  “Help,” her landlady squeaked at last, flicking her eyes over her shoulder. “Help, please,” she said in a panicked whisper. “He's going to...”

  Ruby caught Mrs Raine as the woman was shoved forward roughly. A shadow fell across her door.

  “Hello Ruby,” Colton said, stepping into the apartment and locking the door behind him. He tipped an imaginary hat at Mrs Raine and smiled, “Thank you, Ma'am. You've been most helpful. Now go sit in a corner and don't make a sound, or you'll feel my claw in your back again.”

  He flicked a long, glinting claw in her direction, and the terrified woman stuffed her fist in her mouth to stifle a shriek.

  Ruby backed away as Colton stalked silently towards her. She saw that his eyes had gone wolf, and his fangs and claws had lengthened and sharpened.

  He wrinkled his nose as he sniffed the air around her. “I can smell him on you,” he spat. “And I see that he has marked you. Slut! You run from me, and refuse me. But you take a bear into your bed, and your body. You would rather be the whore of a bear than be with me!” Colton roared and lunged at her. “You slut!”

  Ruby screamed and twisted away as Colton crashed into the wall behind her. Deep claw marks were gouged into the wall, and cracks snaked up to the low ceiling.

  Ruby glanced at Mrs Raine, who was huddled in a corner behind a chair. She gave the woman a quick nod. Stay there. Don't move.

  Ruby faced Colton squarely and balled her fists. “Just leave, Colton. It's over. It's been over a long time,” she snarled. “I'm not your mate. You've never marked me. Your wolf wouldn't mark me. You know that I'm not yours, Colton. You are not mine, either. We were both in a bad place when we met. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong person. But it's over. In fact, it never really started. You were never in love with me, Colton. Face it. There's too much hate in your heart. You never loved me.”

  Colton slammed her against the wall and gripped her chin hard. “How dare you! You're mine. But you chose to run from me! You. Belong. To. Me!”

  She forced herself not to flinch. Staring up steadily into his crazed yellow eyes, she managed to speak in a calm, cold voice, “You stalked me, terrorized me, threatened me. You hurt the people closest to me. You hurt my sister and my nephew. You broke Mikey's arm and you disfigured Rachel. Does that sound like love to you? What did they ever do to you?” Her anger boiled and erupted suddenly and violently as she saw her nephew's cute, cheeky face and her sister's gentle smile in her mind. Mikey's arm had mended nicely but Rachel would always have that jagged scar on the side of her face. Because of her.

  “Why did you have to hurt them?” Her vision blurred and she hated the hot tears that were streaming down her face. “They're innocent, kind, and beautiful! They're my family. You!” She spat in his face. “You hurt them so bad. You made me afraid for them. I had to run and hide, and not tell them where I was. I couldn't even contact my family. How dare you! Who the hell do you think you are? You ruined Rachel's beautiful face! You fractured a little boy's arm! You piece of shit!”

  With a screech, she shoved him back forcefully and grabbe
d a vase off the table. Smashing the vase against the side of the table, she held out the broken neck of the vase and aimed it at Colton.

  “I'll kill you, you monster!” she shrieked. “I'll kill you right now!”

  Colton stared at her, his lips slowly curving in a taunting, leering smile.

  “You won't kill me,” he drawled.

  “Oh I will,” she promised, swiping away her tears and snot. “I'll do it. For Rachel and Mikey,” she whispered.

  “You won't. Because I'll kill you first.” His eyes flashed and glowed.

  Ruby let out a demented laugh.

  “Maybe. Maybe not.” She waved the broken vase in front of her and shrugged. “Either way, you'll never have me.” She smirked and added, “You never did.”

  Bellowing and screaming, Colton charged at her. Ruby lashed out wildly, desperately and the vase connected with his face. She sliced his cheek open and almost severed his nose from his face. Colton staggered back and snarled in rage and pain.

  He spat the blood from his mouth, and locked his glowing eyes on her. Ruby held the broken vase with both hands and brandished her weapon in front of her.

  Her breaths were coming in short, hard spurts, and she could hear her heart thundering in her chest. Her hands were cold and clammy, and her legs felt like they would give out on her anytime.

  She had acted purely on instinct. She was no fighter. She was clearly no match for a crazed, rogue werewolf.

  She had just been lucky. He had made a wrong move and she had managed to wound him. But luck wouldn't keep her alive.

  Ruby ground her teeth to keep them from chattering. She gulped and tried to steady her breathing. Colton was growling as he circled her. She pivoted to keep him in her sights. She might not be a fighter, but she would fight him all the way.

  Blow for blow, bite for bite.

  Colton's stance relaxed a little and he stepped back. Ruby forced herself not to lower her arm. She kept the broken vase pointed at him, her eyes wild and unblinking.

  His thin lips twisted, and he lurched suddenly to the side.

  “No!”

  Ruby stumbled forward, but he was faster. He reached Mrs Raine before her and wrapped his arm around her neck.

  Mrs Raine was shivering so hard she could hardly stand but Colton dragged her violently to her feet and tapped a claw against her forehead.

  “No, no! Leave her alone, Colton,” Ruby rasped, jerking forward.

  “Shall I cut her face open as well?” Colton asked in a stiff, formal voice. “Your sister, and now your landlady.” He tut-tutted. “How many more people do you have to hurt, Ruby? This is all your fault, you know. These nice women are all disfigured, because of you.”

  He began to move his claw slowly down the side of Mrs Raine's face, clamping his furry hand over her mouth to muffle the woman's frantic screams and sobs.

  “Let her go,” Ruby choked out. “Don't hurt her.”

  Colton laughed and dug his claw deeper into Mrs Raine's skin. A thin line of blood flowed down the side of her face as she thrashed and kicked out. Her screams were muffled by his large, furry hand, and she seemed to be struggling to breathe.

  “No! No, please, let her go! I...I'll go with you.”

  “What did you say?” Colton raised a brow. “I couldn't hear you above the din she's making.”

  Ruby swallowed painfully. She couldn't just stand and watch another woman be disfigured. He was hurting them, to hurt her. She couldn't let him hurt another innocent woman.

  Slowly, she lowered the broken vase to the floor. “I...I'll go with you. I'll do whatever you want. Just...don't hurt her.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Ruby forced her gaze away from the trickle of blood on Mrs Raine's pale face. For just an instant, her landlady's face shimmered and transformed into her sister's sweet, smiling face. She saw Rachel's loving smile, and she saw the courage and grit in her sister's deep brown eyes as a jagged scar appeared down her beautiful face.

  “No,” Ruby whispered, fighting back a sob. She blinked rapidly, and her sister's face vanished. She saw Mrs Raine in front of her, whimpering and trembling as Colton twined her hair through his claws and breathed down her neck.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and said, “I won't run from you, Colton. I'll stay with you. Please, just let her go. I...I've packed my stuff, so I can leave with you. Right now.”

  Colton smiled and released his grip on Mrs Raine. The woman collapsed on the floor, and Ruby scrambled to help her out. With her back to Colton, she mouthed to Mrs Raine, go!

  The frightened woman blinked and started to inch silently towards the door as Ruby stood up and faced Colton. “Let's go then.” She gestured towards the bedroom. “My suitcase is in there. Will you help me carry it?”

  Colton lifted a brow at her request. She saw disbelief, distrust and disgust in his eyes. He stalked her, hunted her like an animal but he wouldn't lift a finger to help her carry her suitcase.

  Ruby smiled when she saw the resentment and fury in Colton's eyes. He thought that he had won, and she was submitting to him at last. He was going to insult her, abuse her, and probably throw the damn suitcase right at her to teach her a lesson. Ruby didn't wait for the insults to come.

  Once Mrs Raine was at the door, she snatched up the broken vase at her feet and hurled it at the window. The window shattered, and she screamed at the top of her lungs, “Nate!”

  A part of her hoped that Nate could hear her. But her heart knew. In her heart, she knew that Nate would definitely come for her.

  She could always count on him. And she trusted him to have her back. Always.

  She heard a roar and managed to shout out a warning to Mrs Raine, “Move! Now!”

  Mrs Raine screamed and scrambled away from the door, covering her head with both arms as the door flew off the hinges and smashed into the far wall. It splintered upon impact and sawdust swirled around the room.

  A ferocious, golden bear was tearing into Colton, its massive paws delivering blow after blow. Colton didn't even have time to shift into wolf form to fight back. Nate struck again and again, his jaws and claws shredding Colton into bits. His attack was relentless, brutal, powerful, and Colton didn't stand a chance against the enraged bear. The bear had heard his mate's cry, and had scented her fear and pain. He would avenge her, and take out the enemy once and for all. Nothing would hurt his mate again. The bear and the man would never allow her to be hurt again.

  Colton's gurgling faded as Nate tore out his throat and ripped him from limb to limb. Ruby had dragged Mrs Raine out of the apartment as soon as Colton's blood splashed across the broken sofa. The woman was hysterical enough. She didn't need to see the ceiling and walls being drenched red with a rogue wolf's blood.

  Ruby ushered Mrs Raine into her own apartment on the top floor of the building and ran back down to Nate.

  Nate was back in human form, his bare, muscular body dripping with blood and gore. Colton's mangled body lay at his feet, half shifted so that wolf and human parts lay strewn all over the bloodied floor.

  “Nate,” she said, stepping softly behind him and laying a trembling hand on his shoulder.

  He whirled round, his eyes still blazing with fury and bloodlust.

  At the sight of her, he growled and made a fierce grab for her. Crushing her against his chest, he inhaled raggedly and snarled her name, “Ruby.”

  Just that one word said it all.

  She heard his worry, his anger, his pain, his love in his voice. The way he said her name, raw, real, naked, told her everything she needed to know.

  “Nate,” she whispered. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. She was never going to let him go. Ever.

  She heard Nate's strong, powerful heartbeats, and knew without a doubt that his heart belonged to her. He was hers. And she was his. Forever.

  After a long while, she pulled out of his embrace and glanced at the carcass behind them. “That...” she began sha
kily.

  “Don't worry about that. Isabelle and Tania will take care of that,” Nate answered. “I called them just before I shifted. They'll be here any second now.”

  “Isabelle and Tania?” Her eyes bugged and she blanched. “You're sending those sweet, young girls to...”

  At that, Nate barked out a short laugh. “Sweet, young girls? Baby, those girls are two of my most lethal fighters. This is nothing to them.”

  She stared at him, shaking her head. “No way. They're so sweet and nice, polite and all, to my customers...”

  Before she could finish, she heard footsteps at the door. She peered over Nate's shoulder to see Isabelle and Tania strolling into the apartment. They were both dressed in black fatigues and swinging bulging field packs from their shoulders. She was about to hurry over to shield the grisly sight from their young eyes when Isabelle grinned at her. “Hi, Ruby. We got your call Alpha. We're ready.” Isabelle snapped on rubber gloves with practiced efficiency and pulled out several large black plastic bags from her field pack.

  “Leave this to us.” Tania jerked her thumb at Colton's remains. “We'll get rid of all the blood as well. There won't be a single stain in the apartment.”

  Ruby could only gape at them. The two female werebears were unfazed at their Alpha's nudity. They simply nodded at Nate and got right down to work.

  Whistling while they worked, Isabelle and Tania picked up the limbs and bones as easily as if they were picking up cupcakes and coffee cups. They threw the body parts into several large plastic bags, and tied them up securely. Still whistling, Tania simply hauled the bags out the front door and loped down the stairs. She looked for all intents and purposes like she was just taking out the trash. Isabelle pulled out several thick rags from her bag and began wiping away the blood. From her cheerful demeanor, she could just as well have been wiping down the counter and the tables in the cafe.

  Tania returned to the apartment with mops and buckets. “You still here?” she asked Nate and Ruby.