by Maia Starr
The answer was clear. Yes, yes, his growing insanity was to blame for this whole situation. Just days ago Kyle had been searching every nook and cranny in Salem for a human woman to become his mate, someone available and able to handle the truth about his shifter nature. He hadn’t expected it to be easy to find a mate, yet he also didn’t expect it to be impossible. Clearly, Kyle hadn’t planned out his mission as much as he should have, because that failure of a search dropped him into the hands of the alpha wolf of the Gray Rock Wolves. He hadn’t expected to find any wolf shifters in town and definitely didn’t expect to be approached by the alpha.
It had taken every ounce of self-control Kyle had to keep himself from tearing the man’s heart out after the suggestion of kidnapping.
So the rumors about women being kidnapped were true after all...and Kyle was about to become the Gray Rock Wolves’ newest customer. The idea had Kyle torn inside, his heart and mind battling each other in his desperation. The news of Kyle’s new title had spread quickly, and he was paying hard because of it: literally too. Even if the idea of purchasing a woman disgusted some part of him, he still showed up on early at the clearing he and Dax’s pack were supposed to meet in, with a suitcase full of cash.
Desperation. It all started with that one single word. Dammit, Kyle, what the hell are you doing?
While he waited in the darkness, Kyle paced the clearing endlessly, his burly arms crossed and a scowl permanently burned onto his face. Even now he could feel his feral bear bending the bars of its cage inside, and he began to growl to himself. It wouldn’t be long until Kyle lost all control. He needed his mate now rather than later, and that meant he would be in Dax’s hands completely. Kyle made a mental note to add that to his list of reasons to hate wolf shifters.
It wasn’t too long after he began to pace that his ears perked up to the sound of a thrumming engine. Minutes later, the headlights of a car came down the slope of the clearing, forcing Kyle to bring a hand up to block the light from his eyes. He heard wicked laughter as car doors opened, muffled shouting as the trunk popped up and something was dragged out. Dax’s voice was the first to greet Kyle as his eyes finally adjusted to the sudden light.
“Kyle! Alpha of the Woodland Bear Clan! Man, I’m so happy to be getting this little deal of ours underway finally,” the alpha wolf said as came to a stop in front of him. Behind Dax, his pack were carrying a bound and gagged woman into the light, her body wriggling and sparkling tears streaming down her face.
As his eyes settled on the woman, his whole world brightened. Setting the woman on her feet, he found her to be the shortest person in the clearing, her head barely coming up to his neck. He dwarfed her, yet he didn’t care about that fact. After her height, her noticed her shimmering light brown hair; its curls sweeping down to cover her beautiful skin, nearly covering the warm hazel color of her eyes. And her curves...Kyle’s body ached with sexual tension at the sight of her, his inner bear roaring, his blood beginning to boil. He could feel the claws of his insanity immediately begin to recede, leaving his mind alone to focus entirely on the woman.
It was instant, yet Kyle knew she was the one. That bound and gagged woman was his mate; he was sure of it.
Where had she been in Salem when he was looking? Had Dax already snagged her by the time Kyle arrived?
“She’s new in town,” Dax said as if reading his mind. His smile grew as he turned to glance back at her. “Just came in three days ago, and we caught her tonight. Well, for full disclosure’s sake, we were eyeing her even before she arrived. Name’s Tiffany...a beauty, ain’t she?”
Kyle gulped, his mind racing as lust boiled to the surface, and swung his gaze back to Dax. “Well,” he found himself saying. “Hand her over already.” It was already bothering him that Dax’s pack were manhandling her. Even if he was buying her, at least he’d treat her better than Dax and his men were clearly treating her. With his blood heating like crazy, Kyle stepped forward. “Hurry up, Dax.”
Throwing up his hands, Dax’s eyes glittered, something brewing behind those dark green pits. “Woah! Slow down there, champ. Payment first, and then we hand her over...unless you’re unwilling to go through with the deal. You were pretty upset about it the last time we talked.”
Tossing the suitcase forward, Kyle watched Dax startle as it landed with a thud and slid to his feet. Crouching, the alpha wolf unlatched the clasps and opened it, a grin widening on his face as he peered inside. “Well hot damn, you bears are pretty well off, aren’t you?” Kyle simply grunted in response. “Well, whatever, okay let’s get this over with. Boys, bring her forward.”
Kyle observed as the men brought the woman forward and dropped her onto the ground, each of the three shifters quickly backing off as Kyle surged forward to drop to one knee beside the woman. Her hazel gaze met his with an overdose of fear, and Kyle’s hands trembled as he touched her arm. She squirmed at his touch and began her muffled screams once again. Dax and most of his pack laughed as Kyle lifted the woman, her body soft in his arms and threw her head first over his shoulder. Her butt hung next to his face, and he resisted the urge for the time being to simply stare at it in awe and lust.
“And so the deal comes to a close. Hope that bitch helps you, Kyle,” Dax said, waving at him. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have other business to attend to.”
“Wait!” Kyle called, the woman struggling in his arms.
Raising a brow, Dax looked back at the alpha bear. “What? Her name’s Tiffany, by the way, if that’s what you’re stopping me about.”
Kyle frowned. “Know of any of your kind who killed an alpha bear last year?”
Silent, Dax simply stared at him until he opened his mouth and cocked his head, shrugging at the question. “Beats me. Probably from one of the other clans, Kyle.”
Something nagged at the back of Kyle’s mind about Dax’s response, but his desire to indulge in the woman now on his shoulder overrode his senses for the time being, leaving him to forget all about Dax’s familiarity. Nodding, Kyle watched as Dax and his men climbed in the car and drove away, Dax’s wicked grin the last he saw of the shifters.
Tiffany continued to wiggle and moan on his shoulder.
“Quiet down,” he said. “I’ll get those bindings off of you as soon as we’re away from here. Have faith, Tiffany.”
At his words, she went even wilder, but Kyle ignored her as he set off into the forest, racing back as quickly as he could to the Woodland Bear Clan territory.
Chapter Twelve
Tiffany
Tiffany thought she was dreaming again as she was whisked away into the forest on the burly man’s back.
What exactly is happening to me? It was almost too much to think about as she was thrown over the man’s shoulder, his shoulder blades digging deep into her stomach as she bounced around. At first, when that man Dax had picked her up out back of Herbert’s Diner, when he was a wolf, he’d collected her with his teeth and darted off within seconds, her mind reeling to understand what had just happened to her. It hadn’t been until she was dropped down by the campfire, with all those other men, that she’d been allowed to act on her panic.
Men, or were they shapeshifters too? Were shapeshifters real? Is that what I saw Dax do after he dropped me next to that fire?
The questions seemed never to end as she was continually whisked away, now by a man burlier and less talkative, though he was jogging nearly as fast as Dax had. Her head pounded like crazy from the blurring speed, leaving her numb and dazed. Tiffany screamed for the help the first time, though she was sure no one heard her since she’d been whisked away too quickly; now she was simply too tired to scream. Who else would be roaming the forest surrounding Salem this late at night, especially with those rumors about shapeshifters and kidnappings?
The rumors...dammit, I should have listened to you Barny! Jack! Damm it all!
Tiffany had been convinced the rumors held no substance whatsoever, that all her fun little thoughts about shapeshifters
would never have a chance to stand up to the real thing. Who wouldn’t disregard those rumors? Icy fear ran through her veins, leaving Tiffany stunned and sweating as the two began to slow down, her breathing becoming ragged as her mind began to take a deep dive into
She hadn’t gotten a good look at the man, or shapeshifter, who had taken her from Dax. Who bought me, more like. Dax sold me, right? All she’d gotten from the man was the outline of a scowl and dark yet glowing eyes. Like an animal’s, like Dax’s wolf-like gaze. Damn, he really is one of those shapeshifters!
Suddenly, the motion stopped, and Tiffany jerked forward, though the man kept her tightly on his shoulder. Managing to crane her neck upwards, her hazel gaze landed on a tall but thin little shack hidden behind a row of dark trees. Huffing, the man resumed his motion forward, but at a slow walk. To Tiffany, that walk lasted an eternity, his pace like a snail’s compared to the speed from before, vertigo causing her stomach to rise into her throat, though she managed to gulp the bile down.
Shoving open the front door, the man ducked slightly to make sure Tiffany didn’t bump the doorway and switched on the light. The light blinded and stung Tiffany’s eyes, and she shut them as they began to tear up as she was vaulted forward and onto something soft. She heard the man grunt and listened to his heavy footfalls as they trudged away into another part of the house. Fluttering her eyes open, she glanced around to find herself on a couch. Moments later, as she wriggled in place, trying to undo her gagging and binding, the man came back and leaned over her.
Tiffany’s heart nearly stopped.
Stopped, and then began to beat rapidly. This was the first time she’d seen the man who’d bought her, and she had to admit he wasn’t too bad looking. In fact, he was downright gorgeous, hot enough to make her skin heat up. Dark, handsome eyes observed her coolly as he leaned down over her, his shock of short brown hair and a beard matching perfectly to his sculpted jawline. His lips were tight, though she immediately observed how smooth they were. Tiffany almost didn’t notice as he reached down with a small wet cloth to dab at her forehead.
Her cheeks burned bright red as he touched her. “Sorry,” he said quickly. “You got a cut. Don’t know when...probably when we were running through the forest.”
Even if Tiffany weren’t gagged, she wouldn’t have responded, as she was too stunned for a third time that night. She was sure that, having been so close, the man would have heard her heart thump wildly inside of her chest, yet he if he did, he didn’t express that he’d heard.
Stop it, Tiffany! This guy bought you. Bought you! He isn’t a good guy. Look for a way out!
At that moment, her eyes locked with his and he tried a smile, forcing Tiffany to look away, as any longer would have seen her heart explode at the eye contact. So instead, she glanced to the floor, only to see beer cans littered practically everywhere. Frowning, she jerked as the man lifted her head to pull the gag out of her mouth.
“Easy there,” he said in a voice that sent her skin tingling in the best way possible. “Sorry about all that...there didn’t seem to be another way of getting you.”
Tiffany pressed her lips together once the gag was free, unwilling to say a word, sweat rolling down her cheek as she glanced over at the door. Stupidly, the man hadn’t closed it, and alarm bells rang out in her mind. If Tiffany could get the man to cut the rope binding her wrists and ankles, and then leave her alone…
Without even waiting, the man lifted her and turned her over, pressing her stomach into the couch. She wiggled spastically as his meaty hands began to work on the rope, and he grunted in return. “Let up,” he said.
“Hurry up, then,” Tiffany said through clenched teeth. She did her best not to picture his hands suddenly running down her thighs and legs and caressing her back.
In no time, Tiffany was freed, and she sat up slowly, wringing each wrist and caressing her ankles. She refused to look at the man. “Thanks,” she said feebly, as honest as she could make it.
“Yeah, well, I’m sorry about the whole thing, but I needed you, and getting you through Dax was the only way,” the man said, his dark eyes locking with hers once again. “I’m Kyle, by the way. You’re safe here.”
Liar! You’re just like Dax and rest aren’t you? Are you trying to get my guard down to make the suffering worse when you finally force me to be your sex slave or something? “And how exactly am I safe here?” she asked, eyeing him critically. “I was kidnapped, dammit!”
Kyle frowned, his thick eyebrows knitting together rather cutely in Tiffany’s opinion. “Like I said, it was the only way. Besides, you were kidnapped before I made the deal with Dax. I was just buying you to set you free.”
“You bought me to keep me for yourself…” Tiffany murmured.
“I need you,” Kyle said, his voice never wavering. “Whatever you might think, you’re in my care now. Just...rest for now. Take it easy. Want some tea?”
Tiffany blinked at him. “Uh, yeah...tea’s fine.”
Nodding, Kyle rose, and Tiffany got a full view of his v-shaped torso, his muscles bulging beneath his t-shirt, and as he walked away into what she assumed was the kitchen, Tiffany’s gaze lingered on his buttocks.
Once Kyle was out of sight, Tiffany rose to her feet and quietly scurried to the front door, her mind racing and her heart pounding once again. She couldn’t say what had happened to her cell phone, or purse for that matter. Hell, she didn’t even know where she was, yet she knew she had to get away and back to Salem, find Amanda to call the police. Her buyer was fast, so much faster than any normal human should have been...but as long as she wasn’t seen as she left, then Tiffany believed she could get away. She needed to step in between the beer cans at odd angles, carefully, to make sure she didn’t trip or stumble.
Kyle’s head popped back into the living room just as Tiffany reached the door. “Hey, Tiffany, what kind of tea…” She stopped, caught his unblinking gaze, and bolted, tripping over a beer can and rolling on the cold grass outside back up to her feet. She ran, as fast as she could, but her pace wasn’t anywhere quick enough. In moments, Kyle had cursed and caught up to her, wrapping his big burly arms around her, careful not to hurt her. She struggled briefly, but against Kyle’s sheer strength, she had no way of breaking free, and she shouted out in annoyance as Kyle carried her back through the front door.
Chapter Thirteen
Kyle
Kyle liked Tiffany, and not just because his inner bear battered against its cage to mate with her. It was a struggle to keep that inner bear under his control, though at least that struggle wasn’t half as bad as it had been with his past growing insanity. That trouble was nearly entirely gone, thanks to Tiffany. He hadn’t even touched a beer can since he’d picked her up, despite how his taste buds ached for the beverage, unless he counted all the cans on the floor he’d accidentally kicked in his efforts to keep Tiffany from slipping his grasp.
She was feisty, and as stubborn as Emily. For hours, Tiffany had been trying to sneak away, waiting for every opportunity to try to vanish out the front door or squeeze out a window. They both knew, he had realized after the second attempt, that she was never going to be able to get away from him, especially because of how wary he’d become of her attempts. Yet she tried anyway. At the very least it entertained him for a while, taking his mind off of everything else entirely.
I could get used to her; it might take some time for her to get used to me...a human being confronted by an alpha bear. But she’ll be mine. I just need to earn her trust first.
Now they were back in Kyle’s tiny living room, with Tiffany sitting on the edge of his modest couch and Kyle leaning back in a collapsible chair across from her. She rocked on the couch cushion, her curvaceous body drawing Kyle’s eyes as he crossed his arms, waiting for her next move. Any second now, he thought she’d have a go at trying to escape for a twelfth time, but she surprised him by hesitating, her eyes now locked with his.
Tiffany glared at him, her hazel eyes sparkling, her p
ink lips tight and her back hunched over. The unease is killing her, Kyle realized.
Not wanting that unease to continue, Kyle leaned forward, which caused Tiffany to flinch and lean away from him. Sighing, Kyle rubbed his hands together.
“Listen, Tiffany—”
“Don’t act so casual with me!” she said, crossing her arms. “Do you know how frustrating this is?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Liar.”
Kyle shrugged. “You don’t know the half of it, not yet anyhow.”
“‘Don’t know the half...’ Are you kidding me?” Tiffany said, leaning forward once again to put some weight behind her voice. Throwing up a hand, she began to count off on her fingers. “I move to Salem thinking the rumors about shapeshifters and kidnappings are completely bogus. Then I find myself staring down that Dax asshole as wolf, however that works, and suddenly I find myself kidnapped. And then I find out I’m being sold off to you, of all people: another shapeshifter!” she blinked, met his gaze. “You are one, right? A shapeshifter?”
Kyle nodded, smiling. “And I’m not like Dax and his pack either.”
“Oh, really now?” Tiffany said with exaggerated sarcasm. “You, an asshole who bought me like some pet and carried me through the woods, aren’t like the other asshole who kidnapped me, carried me through the woods, and sold me off? Yeah, I can’t see the resemblance.”
Kyle snorted and chuckled, his spirits slowly rising. Just talking with her was fun. “Listen, I’m serious about this. I bought you because it was the only way. I need you.”
“For what? Cleaning up all these beer cans?” Tiffany's body straightened. “Are you an alcoholic? Am I going to be your personal maid?”
Kyle’s smile soured with her observation and he glanced towards the floor. “No...that’s a personal problem. Well, so is the other, but at least that one you can help me with. So all I’m asking is that you hear me out right now.” Settling into her seat, with her arms still crossed, Tiffany peered at Kyle strangely, her eyebrow raised. He thought she’d open her mouth to say something, but to his surprise, she didn’t. “Okay, good. First off, I’m a shifter, specifically a bear. The alpha of a clan of bear shifters that live north of Salem. Those rumors about shifters in Salem are probably because of us, and Dax’s clan, and a few others inhabiting the area around Salem. Not that many people live in Montana, so all us shifters kind of clump together here.” He waited to see if she had any response, but Tiffany didn’t even budge, so he continued. “Basically, shifters go into Salem all the time, sometimes pretending to work, usually to find mates. Recently, though, I guess other shifters like Dax and his pack have been kidnapping people. I’m going to talk to my clan about that...but first, I need you on my side.”