Edward (BBW Western Bear Shifter Romance) (Rodeo Bears Book 1)

by Becca Fanning

  Lisa was so focused on Dina's sudden shift that she had barely taken in what was happening in the rest of the room, it wasn't until she caught a glimpse of Joel from the corner of her eye, and turned to see that he too had suddenly shifted into his bear form. What the fuck? Lisa ducked out of the way as he barged past her, pushing her back against the door as if trying to shield her from the rest of the chaos in the room. There were four bears now, their enormity and presence taking up almost the entire room, and they soon came up against the rest of the wolves in a vicious clash that was marked by the sound of tearing fur, whimpers, barks, and bites. Lisa was frozen, stock-still, half-praying that she could find a way out of there without being seen, the other bridesmaids had been quickly hustled up the stairs, but she was too far away to make it up with them. She was stuck, the only human in a room full of crazed animals. And then she remembered, remembered the reason she'd come in there in the first place. Tom.

  Her head snapped up, and she scanned the room, narrowing her eyes and trying to locate him. After a moment, she found her brother, like her, he was pressed up against one of the doors, trying his hardest not to be noticed. But his luck had run short, one of the wolves, having successfully wounded it's attacker, had zeroed in on him and wasn't taking no for an answer.

  Lisa lunged towards her brother, praying that everyone was too distracted to notice her, and dragged him below the stairs, slipping into the narrow space and pushing him behind her.

  "Lisa?" He asked, dazed, as if he'd just realized she was there.

  "Shhh," she muttered, peering round the edge of the stairs and noting with relief that the wolf was too busy being accosted by one of the bears too take up chase again. She turned back to Tom, examining him closely, gripping his shoulders as she did so.

  "Are you okay?" She demanded. He didn't look hurt, but surely this must all have come as as much of a shock to him as it did to her. Unless he knew…?"

  "I'm fine," he shook his head, and tried to push past her. "But I have to get out there, Dina, I need to-"

  "The last thing she needs right now is to have to worry about you," Lisa pointed out firmly, barring his way. "Did you know about her? Her…wolf…stuff?"

  "Of course I did," he brushed her off. "We're getting married. She's told me everything."

  "And you're okay with all of that?"

  "Yes," he replied tersely, struggling to push past her once again." Lis, you have to let me out there. We were meant to be getting married today, and if she gets hurt or…"

  He tailed off, as if the thought was horrible to consider. Lisa stared at her brother, it was clear that even the thought of his wife-to-be in danger, just knowing that she was out there alone, terrified him, and she couldn't blame him. She felt a small uptick of fear in her chest when she remembered that Joel was out there, too, she knew that she could do nothing but get in the way of a creature his size, but she found herself subconsciously crossing her fingers and praying he would be alright. And she'd only known him a couple of days, this was the love of her brother's life, the woman he wanted to be with forever. And she was out there, fighting her crazy ex, while the two of them were hiding inside.

  Lisa took a deep breath. She couldn't quite believe that she was about to do this.

  "Okay," she nodded. "We can go out there. But I'm going too, and you've got to promise me you'll do everything you can not to get hurt."

  Tom's eyes widened.

  "I don't want to drag you into this-"

  "Tough luck, you already have, " she shot back briskly, and stepped aside. "Come on. We've got your future wife to save."

  Tom looked at her, and managed a smile, despite the fear in his eyes.

  "Thank you."

  Lisa pulled in close to the stairs, peering round again, trying to locate Dina. They were the only two wolves fighting, so it wasn't hard to pick them out, Dina, the smaller of the two, looked as if she was trying to pull back, but the bigger wolf kept going for her, nipping and tearing and scratching at her, drawing blood. Lisa heard Tom's sharp intake of breath, and knew that he wouldn't be able to hide out there much longer. Before she knew it, he'd pushed by her and was charging towards Dina and her assailant. Lisa sprinted after him. She had never seen her brother like this before, he was far from a scrapper in high school, always a goody two-shoes who never got into an ounce of trouble. But here he was, charging head-on into a fight that he must have known he had little chance of winning.

  Tom managed to take the wolf by surprise, approaching from behind and landing a solid kick to the side of it's head. Dina looked up at the two of them, her eyes burning with an emotion Lisa couldn't quite put her finger on, relief, maybe, or anger? Lisa didn't have time to figure it out, as the wolf quickly turned on them.

  Tom lifted his leg again, kicking the wolf square in the face, there was a crack of teeth and bone, and in a moment, Tom's foot was trapped between the beast's jaws. He let out a yell of pain and attempt to back away, jumping on one foot in the opposite direction, but the wolf had him trapped fast. Lisa stared for a second, watching as the blood began to leak out down the creature's teeth and lips, before she even thought to act. Before she could talk herself out of it, she lunged forward and brought her fist down hard, landing a blow to the side of the creature's face. In it's surprise, it dropped Tom's foot, and Lisa pulled her brother away before it could do any more damage. The wolf rounded on them, it's eyes flashing with a very human anger, and began to stalk towards them, taking it's time, tracking them like prey. Just as it leaned back on it's paws, preparing for an attack, Dina shot forward and sank her teeth deeply into the back of it's neck.

  Lisa could hear Tom's breath, it was coming in short, sharp gasps, panic personified, even over the chaos in the rest of the room. It was all she could focus on. She stared at Dina, watched as she tore her head from side to side, leaving the other wolf doing everything it could to try and get rid of her, but there was nothing it could do. Lisa wasn't sure if Dina was protecting her or Tom or herself or all three of them, but there was a certainty in her eyes that told Lisa this was the end. The wolf let out a long, shrill whimper, the sound echoing off the walls, and slipped back into his human form. Dina immediately let go, dropping him with a heavy thump on to the ground, and standing above him. She didn't shift back as quickly, it was obvious that she didn't trust him, wasn't ready to take her victory until he had handed it to her.

  Two of the other wolves, the ones who had managed to shake free their attackers, scurried over to his side. The bears, twisting around to see what the commotion was about, quickly let go of their prey as soon as they saw that the ringleader had shifted back to human, Lisa felt pulse of relief in her brain when she saw Joel, relatively unharmed, hurrying to dress himself once again. Soon, everyone had crowded round Dina and her ex, who was still crumpled in a naked pile on the floor. The blood that had been oozing from his head was starting to slow, but he still looked terrified. After a long beat, Dina shifted back, and Tom hurried forward with his coat to protect her modesty.

  "Are we done?" She snarled, and Lisa could still see the wolf within her, the passion and danger of it beating in her eyes. Lisa held her breath. Please, please, let this be over now, finally. He didn't answer, and Dina leaned down so she was only a few inches from his ear.

  "Are. We. Done." She repeated, phrasing it less as a question that as an outright threat. Eventually, after a pause that seemed to last a lifetime, the ex drew himself to his feet. And then he nodded.

  "We're done," he agreed, through gritted teeth, and Lisa could tell how much it pained him to admit that.

  "If I ever see you again, I, we, will kill you." Dina continued firmly. And it didn't sound like she was messing around. Lisa was taken aback by her words, but looking around the room, she knew they were true. This fight had become about more than just some territorial ex, it had been a group of shifters, coming together as allies and warriors for the first time. And it wasn't a bond that would be quickly forgotten. The man nodded, and L
isa could have sworn he was trembling slightly. Tom rocked to one side, placing his weight on his good foot, and Lisa hurried to offer him support.

  "You will find a fucking way off this island, all of you, and that will be the last I ever hear from you. Is that clear?" Dina demanded, her eyes flashing. The man, still mute, nodded again.

  "Good," She sounded satisfied. "Now get the fuck out of here. It's my wedding day and I don't want any of you motherfuckers messing it up."

  The man, still looking somewhat cowed, made for the door, not even bothering to pick up the clothes he'd left behind. Dina watched as he and his wolves made their way back across the hills, vanishing into the distance, and then slammed the door. The storm had started to lift outside, turning into something softer, less imposing. Tom swayed back and forth again, and Joel hurried over to them, wrapping an arm around his waist and taking the weight off Lisa.

  "Hey, hey, Tom, you okay?" He asked, examining his face worriedly. Dina strode over to him, glancing down fearfully at his foot.

  "Honey?" She asked, her voice suddenly small and nervous, a complete antithesis to a few moments earlier.

  "I'll be okay," Tom nodded, wincing, and placing his weight back on his foot. He winced, and immediately leaned back on Joel. "Just might need a little help down the aisle, is all."

  He shot a wide grin at Dina, and she threw herself at him, practically knocking him off his feet.

  "I can't believe we're doing this," she mumbled into his hair, just loud enough for Lisa to hear. Joel was standing on the other side of the two of them, and offered her a shy smile. She had almost forgotten about the kiss they shared, but was instantly reminded of the feel of his mouth on her's. Dina pulled back, and looked around.

  "Okay, so…" Her eyebrows shot up, as if she was crunching numbers inside her head."Who wants to help me organise a wedding?"

  There was a ripple of laughter around the room, and it was as if all the tension, all the fear, all the violence had dropped away in an instant. Dina was right, they had come here to see Tom and Dina get married, and they sure as hell weren't giving up on that just because some dumb shifters had tried to ruin their good time. Behind them, the bridesmaids and spare groomsmen came down the stairs, treading carefully as if they were half-expecting the wolves to leap out from behind one of the potted plants at any minute.

  "Okay," Lisa stepped forward and clapped her hands together, getting everyone's attention. "We're going to need all the help we can get."

  The next hour and a half flew by. Lisa knew that it wasn't exactly the wedding that Dina and Tom had envisioned, but, given the circumstances, Lisa thought it had turned out pretty well. With the help of the bridesmaids, she'd managed to clear out the dining hall and set up the seats so that they vaguely resembled an aisle. She'd ducked behind reception and grabbed a set of master keys, wandering round the rooms and scooping up whatever cute plants and ornaments she could find to go with the hotel's quirky-nature décor. She had hustled Dina and Tom upstairs to get themselves ready, sending off a couple of the groomsmen to scavenge some alcohol and something edible from the kitchen for the post-wedding party. And, much to her delight, Lisa had even found out that one of the other bridesmaids, Lorne, had been ordained for a different wedding and was able to marry the two of them. All that was left now was for the bridesmaids and groomsmen to go off and get ready, and the wedding ceremony could begin.

  Lisa stood in front of her mirror, fiddling with her bridesmaid's gown. She hadn't been sure of it when Dina first suggested the cut and color, but the more she looked at it, the more she thought that it was perfect, the washed-out pastels matched perfectly with the sky outside, the cut nipping in around her waist and the draping falling away in long swathes of fabric down to the floor. It was by far the most grown-up dress she'd ever owned, it was beautiful in a way she wasn't used to her clothes being, a proper gown. Maybe she was just grateful that the most she had to worry about was whether or not she looked cute in her dress, but she looked in the mirror and felt a lump form in her throat. This wasn't exactly how she'd envisioned her brother's wedding going down, but he was still getting married, married to a woman who loved him, fiercely, who would fight for him and protect him, just the way he would do for her. And she couldn't ask for much more than that. Quickly fanning her face to ensure that no tears would fall and ruin her perfectly applied make-up, Lisa grinned in the mirror. On a scale of one to nightmare, this wedding had taken a turn for the better. She grabbed some bobby pins and clamped them between her lips, throwing her hair into a quick updo that she hoped would pass muster. As she was finishing up, she heard a knock at her door.

  "Come in!" She called indistinctly, her mouth still full of pins.

  The door opened, and she looked in the mirror to see who it was, Joel. She felt a warmth spreading out over her chest, and quickly pulled the pins from her mouth so she could smile at him

  "You look beautiful," he murmured, and she felt a flush move up her neck.

  "Not so bad yourself," she commented, and she was right, his carefully pressed suit and tie were just on the right side of old-fashioned, and he looked cool as hell. He ran a hand over his head, and grinned shyly. God, he was cute, Lisa hadn't had much time to dwell on it over the last couple of days, but there was something about him. As soon as she patted her hair into place, he walked across to her and offered her his arm.

  "Can I escort you downstairs?"

  "Most certainly," she giggled, feeling almost giddy with excitement. She half-wondered if this reminded him of his own wedding, the doomed one, the one that had failed. But she pushed the thought from her head at once, not allowing herself to get hung up on the serious when there was so much fun to be had. She squeezed his arm beneath his blazer, revelling in the feeling of his muscles below her fingers, and felt a flutter of excitement. If it was someone else's wedding night, did that mean you were obliged to screw as well? She hoped so.

  Before long, they arrived in the lobby, and hurried through to the dining room. All the other groomsmen and bridesmaids were already there, waiting for them, the air bristled with excitement as Lisa and Joel went to take their places, lining along each side of Lorne who looked as if she'd been going over what she was going to say a thousand times in her head. Joel and Lisa exchanged a glance as they positioned themselves in line, and Lisa felt a warmth spread out over her chest.

  A few moments later, the doors opened, and Dina and Tom made their way inside. Lisa had never heard it happen in real life before, but there was an actual intake of breath as everyone turned to look, Dina's dress was beautiful, a short, ballerina-esque cream number with embroidery around the neck, while Tom was dressed to the nines in a handsome tuxedo. They were both beaming, even if Tom had to lean on Dina a little to make it up there with his limp.

  "Well, I didn't expect to be doing this, but here we are," Lorne smiled, her voice a little shaky, with emotion or nerves, Lisa couldn't tell. "So, shall we get started?"

  The ceremony was short, neither Dina nor Tom were religious, so it was mostly just Lorne ticking off the usual "do you take this man" stuff, until they finally got to the exchanging of the rings. There was a panicked pause as Tom tilted his head towards one of the groomsmen, who fumbled hastily in his pocket before jumping forward to hand them over. A giggle rippled over the room, and Lorne shot him a look as Dina and Tom exchanged their rings.

  "So, I guess the last thing is to tell you to kiss your wife," Lorne smiled, and even she couldn't hold back her grin. Dina wrapped an arm around Tom's waist and pulled him in close, and they shared their first kiss as man and wife. Lisa felt another prickling in her eyes, and quickly dabbed at them before she made too much of a scene, God, she was such a sucker for weddings and romance, even though she tried to tell herself that wasn't the case.

  Joel stepped forward, and led the rest of the party in a round of applause as Dina and Tom stared at each other, big, stupid grins plastered across both their faces. It was as if the whole weekend had just begun to
sink in for the two of them, and this wedding was just the latest in a long line of crazy stories they would take back home when all of this was done. Finally, Dina tore her gaze away from Tom, and turned to the small group gathered around them