Love at First Roar (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Werebear Romance) (Grayslake Book 4) (8 page)

“I would have to be blind to be with him? Isaac?” Kira snorted.

The woman, Vanessa, returned with a vicious laugh. “Of course. I mean, look at him.”

The bitch waved toward him and he rolled his eyes.

“Uh-huh.” Kira didn’t drop Ebenezer’s leash as she propped her hands on her hips.

Tension filled her, tightening her muscles, but not in fear. Nope, she was settling in, and as his mother often said, “getting ready to release a big old ball of hatefire.”

“All right. I admit, I’m fairly blind. I’m a mole, it’s just one of those things.” Kira nodded.

Vanessa scoffed. “So I’m right. That
is
the only way he could get a woman.”

Damn, that made Kira tense even more, and he sidled up to her, ready to step between Vanessa and Kira if needed. If it came to bear versus mole, he knew Vanessa would win.

“The thing about being a mole is that we live and die by our noses.” Kira lifted a hand and tapped her nose. “If you can’t see, you need some way to get around. That means I can scent a hell of a lot more than you. And I do it in stereo. No matter where you stand, no matter the sway of the wind. I can find you.”

“Whatever.” Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re just a blind chick feeling sorry for the clan’s broken bear. Or he’s feeling sorry for you. Either way, you deserve each other.”

Rage suffused him, his bear rushing forward and ready to tear the woman apart for her hateful words. He didn’t care about himself. No, his anger was due to what she flung at the woman he’d quickly come to care about. The only thing that stayed him was the small touch to his hand, her fingertips ghosting over his forearm. She granted the connection just as fast as she removed it, but it was enough to soothe the animal and hold it back. For now.

“Uh-huh. All right. How about I tell you something? Hmm…”

Oh shit. She’d adopted a tone he often had when arguing with his brothers. One that said “I’m about to teach you a lesson and make you feel dumb, shit for brains.”

“Let’s start with the man at your side.” Kira gestured toward Hugh, one of the weaker bears in their clan. “He’s been half hard since I came within ten feet of you. Fully hard just after I passed.”

Isaac glared at the blushing man. There would be a reckoning there. He refused to have competition nearby.

“And I bet you know he’s just shy of coming in his pants. All that arousal clouds the air. From him, it almost made me gag, but whatever.”

Hugh was so dead. Ty would get over losing a bear.

But even when Vanessa gasped and turned her own glare on the man at her side, Kira continued. “As for you… you reacted the same way. You creamed your panties like you were watching God’s gift to pornos with a rabbit vibe in your hoo-ha. Now, you could claim you’re a lesbian and I’m your dream woman or that your arousal is due to the guy next to you, but I’m thinking it’s for Isaac. You want him, except all these other women, their opinions, keep you from going after him. And now it’s too late for two reasons: One, you’re a bitch, and two, I don’t share.” With that parting shot, Kira spun on her heel, snared Isaac’s arm and tugged, silently urging him to lead her away.

He couldn’t withhold the wide smile that blossomed on his lips or the pride that filled his heart. She’d gone after the bitch and won, cutting the woman down with her quiet words. Kira hadn’t said them very loudly, each one mostly whispered, but he knew the story would be spread through the gathering within the hour.

Vanessa’s low growl had him freezing and spinning, but Ebenezer got there before Isaac. The happy, slobbering, goofy puppy transformed before his eyes, quickly becoming a vicious dog more than prepared to take on a werebear bitch. Saliva dripped from his jaws, teeth bared, and fur on end as he released a savage growl.

Vanessa slid to a stop, feet scraping on dirt and damp grass, and the move had her flailing her arms to stay upright. “What the fuck?”

Isaac’s animal shoved against his skin and the slight sting of fur emerging from his pores was quickly followed by a deep ache in his bones. The bear was damn near ready to take over whether he liked it or not.

“Isaac?” Kira’s voice was low, a slight tremble to his name, and the animal fought harder to come forth.

The woman would
dare
frighten Kira? She was his and Vanessa… He took a step forward, edging partially in front of Kira as he faced off with the bitchy female.

Ebenezer kept up his rolling growl, the threat more than evident in the animal’s stance and each step he took toward the she-bitch.

“Itan!” Vanessa released a warbling scream. “Help!”

He suppressed his snort. Barely. Vanessa was pulling Ty in as the official leader of their clan, not as Isaac’s brother. Over what? A dog scaring the shit outta her? Seriously?

Isaac sensed his brother’s approach, Ty’s dominance pushing forward like a bulldozer pounding down everything in his path. Kira leaned into him with a low whimper and the sound had Ebenezer snarling once again, the growl louder than before.

“Kira. Call off Ebenezer, for now. I’ll take care of it.” He turned his head and pressed a kiss to her crown. “I’ll keep you safe.”

“Ebie, come to me.” Kira’s whisper was low, but it had an immediate effect on the dog. His growling threats immediately ceased, and the animal slowly backed toward them, moving until the furry ass brushed Kira’s leg.

Vanessa snorted. “Take care of it? Your brother is gonna kick—”

Isaac leveled a black gaze on the woman and allowed it to transform into an evil smile, one that made his scars stark white against his tanned skin. “The
Itan
is going to make a judgment on one of his bears. A bear who attempted to attack an invited guest.”

He noted his father’s strength and mother’s calm easing close as well. He knew Ty would kick Vanessa out of the gathering, but it was his mother’s opinion that would put the nail in the bitch’s coffin. He reached behind him and eased Kira to his side, Ebenezer shifting his position to match her movement.

“Who invited her? You?” Another snort from Vanessa. “Who are
you
? You might have been somebody, but you’re nothing now.”

Thankfully, Mom burst onto the scene a bare moment before Ty and Dad, and she was sharp as a tack. In one glance and hearing those few words, his mother became the protective Momma Bear he’d grown up with. At six, it’d been stifling, at sixteen it was embarrassing, over thirty it was welcome.

“
I
invited her, you two-bit-hussy of a bear. You are looking at my newest daughter-in-law, and so help me, I will have George put you over his knee if you even
think
about being nasty to her. Your momma raised you better.” Mom advanced on the woman and Isaac almost felt bad for her. Almost. “Just wait until I tell her how you’re acting. You. Just. Wait. Now, get out of here.” Mom waved her hands in a shooing motion. “
Get
.”

“Mom.” Ty’s long-suffering sigh overrode their father’s grunt.

“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me. Vanessa is leaving. I heard enough to know she went after Kira,
our
guest. Look at that poor pup. He’s still got his fur on end.” His mother bent down to Ebenezer. “You’re a good dog, aren’t you? Trying to protect Kira.” Mom straightened. “Your father and I invited her and I
will not
have a guest treated that way. I’m sure as heck not having my daughter-in-law treated that way.” Mom bustled forward, arms outstretched for Kira, and Isaac made sure his grip remained firm. His intention to keep her at his side was reaffirmed by her threading his fingers with hers and squeezing tight. Good, he didn’t want to let her go.

Isaac met Ty’s gaze over her head, his brother’s eyebrow raised in question and Isaac shrugged. His mother had invited them, and well, he wouldn’t be upset to have Kira at his side for the rest of his life.

In fact, his bear thought that was a very, very good idea.

Now he just had to figure out if Kira agreed. And if she didn’t, how hard would he have to work to change her mind?

*

The whole barbeque-meeting-family thing had been a very, very bad idea. Huge. Because if she wasn’t pissing off other bears—
good going Kira
—she was embarrassing herself in front of Isaac’s family. Who, apparently, were her new in-laws-to-be. Which… she wasn’t sure if she was excited, scared, or about to vomit all over Isaac.

Wait, she knew. Vomiting was coming out the winner at the moment.

She should have stayed home in her happy little house with its happy little yard and her happy little garden.

Lots of happy going on there.

Then Isaac squeezed her hand, tightening ever so slightly, and the tension of the confrontation drifted away. The person she identified as Were-bitch quickly vanished after Meg’s tirade, and the male left as well.

Before long, the crowd disbursed, leaving Kira surrounded by a ton of people who smelled related in some way or another. Including Isaac’s mother. She really needed to straighten that woman out. But how could it be clarified after she’d practically shouted it to the clan? Because, really, there was no way a man like Isaac Abrams would ever look at her twice and now the woman had… With the announcing and pronouncing…

She was ready to go home.

Instead of allowing her to escape, Isaac drew her toward the heavy scents of cooking meat and she realized he’d brought her to the grill area. In no time she was settled on a picnic table bench, Isaac at her side. Others lurked nearby but didn’t encroach.

Well, almost. The delicate scent of blooming flowers reached her, and they reminded her of the first hints of spring. That was overlaid by the aromas of dirt and boy.

“Hi, Kira. Mim said I couldn’t say it before, but she’s not here and you smell like prey. Didja know you smell like prey? You do, but Mim said you’re not for eating because you’re
were
prey.” The boy’s voice was a tinkling alto, high-pitched and innocent despite his macabre words.

“Parker!” Mia’s gasp told her the woman was nearby.

“What? That’s what you said.” The child harrumphed and fell silent for a moment. “Can I play with Ebenezer? I’m doing real good with playing and I haven’t eaten Sophia, yet. Hey, how come he got away with going after Vanessa? He’s not a were-anything, and he almost got to eat a werebear.”

“
Parker Abrams,
” Mia, aka the not-very-good organizer of kitchen pans, hissed at Parker. Abrams. As in Isaac Abrams and Ty Abrams and…
Those
Abrams.

Dear God, just days ago in her home, she whined and complained to an Abrams. Hell, she put the woman to work!

An
Abrams.

The boy, obviously Parker, sighed. “Can I play with him? You can’t see me because you’re a little bit blind, but I’ll be good.”

The trembles of Isaac’s body told her the man was shaking with laughter or anger. Considering the sweet-filled scent coming from him, he was amused by Parker’s words and not the least bit worried.

Well, she was worried. Worried as hell. What had the woman shared with the family? Hell, what had Kira shared with
her
?

“Yes, you can play with Ebenezer PalffleSnowfle, but you have to give him back before we leave and you need to remember he’s a real dog. Not a weredog.” Kira smiled widely, the little boy’s whoop of excitement was enough to banish any lingering distress from her confrontation with the woman.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to banish the renewed panic over the fact she was near Mia
Abrams
. The woman who’d helped her unpack became someone else with the knowledge she was an
Abrams.

Isaac’s warmth invaded her, his shoulder brushing hers as he leaned close. “I thought it was Hufflesnuffle.”

She grinned and shrugged, ignoring the mounting worry. “When I rescued him they claimed he was a purebred, and he had a first, last, and middle name. I totally forgot the middle, and most of the last, but he doesn’t seem to mind.”

Listening to the pup’s barks echoed by the tiny roars and squeaks told Kira the dog couldn’t care less.

More warmth surrounded her, shadows blocking out the brightness of the sun and an inhale clued her in on the newcomers and their relation to the man at her side. As did Isaac’s warning, rumbling growl.

“What do you want, Ty? Don’t glare at Kira.”

The tallest of the shadows shifted in place, weight moving from one foot to the other. She didn’t feel any animosity or anger from the male. Which meant… she could be herself. At this point, there wasn’t much more she could do to give them a bad opinion of her, so she didn’t censor herself. Between the confrontation with the were-bitch and whatever she’d shared with Mia…

“Isaac,” she released a faux whisper, lowering her voice a tiny bit and softening her words. “He can glare all he wants.”

A sense of satisfaction from Ty hit her and she inwardly smiled.

“No—”

“Of course, he can. He’s the Itan, right?” Another wave of cocky happiness. “Besides, it’s not like I can see him. He’s just wasting the effort.” She turned her blurred gaze to the Itan. She’d have to find the brass balls she grew when living with Alpha Asshole and dust them off. Fake it ‘til you make it. “You should really try and smell angry. Actually
being
angry would help. Do you want me to show you how? First you—”

A woman’s tinkling laugh overlaid Kira’s words, and the large men were pushed aside by a small, brightly dressed woman. Her joy was palpable and Kira found herself smiling in response.

“Take that, Ty Abrams. Your stares are as effective on her as they are on me.” With that, the woman blew a raspberry. “Pft. Move along now. Women talk and all that.”

The grumbling men backed away, mumbling about interfering women and ruining their fun. She wondered when it’d become fun to frighten females and the words sent a stuttering unease through her.

“Kira?” Isaac leaned toward her, keeping his voice to a murmur.

“Maybe this was a bad idea.” She didn’t give him a reason, didn’t want to get into why his brother’s words upset her.

He stroked her forearm, sliding his fingers over her skin until he twined their fingers together. “Wanna tell me why?”