The Bear King's Captive: Curvy Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (36 page)

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” He walked straight to her bedroom and placed her on the bed.

Dear god, she was going to die. Wetness covered her body. She shut her eyes. Tried to ignore the increasing pain. It was useless. The wolf inside her paced and brushed under the skin. Raine wanted to reassure the animal she would be fine, but even thinking hurt.

“Listen to me.” He cupped her face, gazing into her eyes. “You need to shift.” His tone was urgent. “You’ll heal faster if you do.”

The torture she saw in his stare pushed the tears out. She opened her mouth. Wanted to tell him not to worry, but only a pain-filled moan came out.

“I know, love, but you need to shift.” He wiped the tears away with his thumbs. His calloused fingers felt comforting on her face.

She focused on the wolf. The animal watched her with unease, but pushed at the skin until the shift took over.

* * *

“Your little project may have been destroyed today, doc.” Roman’s chuckle was unexpected.

He hated taking Roman’s calls. The asshole always tried to sound so damn superior. “What are you talking about?”

“Some shifters attacked your girl.”

He gripped the phone. “And?”

“Well, I will admit she tried to hold up. But the men were big. By the time Storm arrived, she had enough injuries to kill the strongest man.”

She was not a regular person! Couldn’t this idiot get it in his pea-sized brain? “What happened then?”

“He’s inside the house with her.”

“She’s not dead. Can’t be. Keep watching. I know she’ll be fine.”

“You know, doc, for something that’s supposed to be so damn special, this chick doesn’t seem like someone the investors will want for their Alpha soldier project.”

He ground his teeth. “Do your job. Leave the thinking to me. Raine is exactly what they want.”

Roman chuckled. “Whatever. Don’t forget I am to eliminate her.”

“Retrieve!” Fucking bastard.

“Later, doc.”

She’d gone up against three shifters. He knew she’d be fine. Her make up would allow her to heal. It may take some time, but she would. His compound was a success. AS-201 could make the weakest man into the ultimate alpha. Raine was his proof. Sweet. Quiet. Shy. She’d been exactly what he’d needed to test the theory. If only he’d gotten to the end of the project with her. The harder drugs. The mind control. It would have been beautiful.

Maybe there was still a chance. He just needed a new specimen. Her offspring.

NINE

Ryder watched Raine shift on the bed. She dropped into deep sleep the minute her wolf was in control. He got on the bed and dug his fingers into her soft, brown coat, caressing her in sleep. Blood seeped from her cuts. They were already closing up. Fury raged inside him after seeing all the injuries she’d suffered. He nuzzled her neck, listening to her soft pants.

He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Theo.

“What’s going on?” The ruckus at the bar sounded in the background. Theo was handling the group that was growing more impatient as their mating heat increased.

“I need you. Marlena and her two brothers attacked Raine.” He struggled to say the words without growling and possibly waking her.

“What?”

Theo’s shock mirrored his own when he’d gotten there. Ryder had wanted immediate retribution for the blood he saw dripping down her arms, face and back. Her tattered, soaking red shirt clung to her.

“Yes, what you just heard. Come and get them. I’m not sure if Marlena and one of the brothers are still alive, but they need to be taken care of.” The wolf inside him snarled. He wanted to go outside and ensure they were dead.

“Don’t worry. I’ll go take care of it myself.”

“If they’re alive, I want them dead,” he said with a flat voice. There was no way they could do what they did to his mate and think they’d live to tell the story.

“I’ll be there soon. Do you need any medics?” Theo’s voice had deepened. Ryder could hear the concern in his second and it helped ease his mind. Without a doubt, Theo always had his back.

“No she’s shifted. I’m with her now and will keep my eye on things. I think the one I got broke her jaw and possibly some ribs, along with multiple deep cuts and bruises.”

“Goddamn!” Theo barked. His anger traveled clear across the line.

Ryder gulped, sliding his fingers through her brown fur. The quick beat under his palms calmed some of his anxiety. “I know, but she’s strong. I think the three tried to take her in one shot and it was too much for her.”

“I’ve seen Marlena’s brothers. They’re huge for any one of us to take on.” Theo’s voice had the edge of concern Ryder knew well. An engine’s roar told him Theo was already on his way.

“She did great, but now she needs to rest.” Thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong, tightened Ryder’s chest. He gritted his teeth and focused on the fact she would be fine.

“You couldn’t have found a better mate, Ryder.”

That was absolute truth. She was braver than any other female he knew. Sure he loved her body and how beautiful she was. Not to mention how fucking amazing sex was between them, but the vulnerability he saw in her eyes, that was what tugged at his heart. He wanted to make this new world better for her—even if she fought him every step of the way.

He continued petting her soft coat. “I know.”

It was long hours before she stirred. The shift took over before she was even fully awake.

He smiled as her naked body, devoid of any bruising or cuts, took shape on the bed. She blinked sleepy eyes open and glanced into his. His gut clenched, warmth spread through him with the smile she gifted him.

“How do you feel?”

“Good.” She frowned and glanced down at her stomach. She slid her small hands up to touch under her breast.

“Are you sure?”

Her gaze shot up to meet his. “How’s that possible? I was in a lot of pain before. It hurt to breathe.”

He clenched his jaw. A knot formed in his throat. Unable to stop himself, he slipped his arms around her, holding her tight in his arms. Her body curled around his in instant compliance. Guilt nagged at him, turning his gut into an acid pit. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when you said she’d be a problem.”

She trailed a finger down his cheek to his lips. “It’s not your fault. She really wanted to be your mate, she said. They’d been planning it for years.”

He kissed her finger. Powerful emotions did crazy stunts in his chest. He didn’t know what it all meant, but he knew he didn’t want to be away from her any more.

She yawned and closed her eyes again.

“Are you still tired?” Concerned, he visually examined her body but didn’t see any external wounds, which only meant whatever was still healing was internal.

“Yes. So tired and my side still hurts.” She groaned.

Ribs did take a while to mend. She drifted off to sleep in his hold again, only now he knew for sure that he needed to claim his mate as soon as possible. They would have to do it before any other females decided to hurt her to get her out of their way.

His pack was tight, but women turned petty, and he wasn’t willing to put Raine’s life on the line because she was still adjusting to their new relationship. If need be, she could figure it out after they were mated.

Focusing on her safety, he listened to every sound from outside her house with precaution. It wasn’t until he heard Theo and his enforcers arrive to clean up, that he lost some of the stiffness from his muscles.

* * *

Ryder gripped her hand in his. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

She bit her lip, looked at the entrance to her parents’ house, and nodded. “Yes. The realtor said she’d start sending people over to see the place, and that I should remove all personal things just to be safe.”

They’d gone back to the place she’d done the sleep study, but no evidence of any kind remained. She didn’t stop asking, daily, for updates on their search for any news.

The hand holding the keys shook. He covered hers with his, pulling her into his arms. “I told you, you don’t have to sell this house.”

“I do. I need to pay their final expenses, and hopefully, figure out what to do with myself.” She rubbed her face into his T-shirt.

“You don’t need money, doll. I have money.”

She patted his cheek. “Thanks, but this is my problem to deal with. I couldn’t take your money. I know what I need to do. I need to figure out where those people who experimented on me went, and I need to get a job.”

It was time to talk to her about their relationship. He’d been good. Given her time to adjust to her new body, even going to the lengths of doing the full human dating thing. But neither he nor his wolf was willing to spend another night without her in his bed. In his home. With the heat so close, he was fighting his animal instincts daily. The instincts that dictated he mate with her, and keep her by his side. The call of the moon was only a few days away. It was getting harder for him to stay away from her. He wanted to protect her all the time.

“Come on. Let’s get this stuff and go. I’m meeting Mandy for dinner, and she’s still upset over her breakup with Joe.” She strolled ahead of him into the house, glancing all around as she went. “I just need to get some personal papers and photos from my room.”

He followed behind her, entranced by the way her long hair swung down her back, bringing focus to the sexy curve of her ass. When they reached her bedroom, he tore his gaze from her backside and glanced around.

A couple of moving boxes sat around the floor. He scented her pain as she picked up framed photos and placed them carefully into a box. His wolf didn’t like seeing her in distress, and Ryder didn’t like knowing he couldn’t fix things for her.

He walked up behind her and cupped her shoulders. She turned in his arms and allowed him to hold her.

“I’m sorry.” It didn’t feel like enough, but he knew how painful it was to lose a loved one.

“Thanks. It hurts coming here. I miss them a lot. I feel so alone.”

Grief for her loss clawed at his gut. “Sweetheart, you’re not alone. You have me.”

Disbelief flashed through her eyes, but quickly disappeared.

He cupped her face in his hands and peered deep into her amber eyes. “Listen to me, Raine. I’ve been trying to give you time, but I want to be with you. You are my mate. The only woman for me.”

Raine’s heart flipped. She swallowed at the knot in her throat. “We don’t even know each other that well.”

That was the weakest excuse she’d ever heard. She’d gotten to know him so much better in the past week, more than any of her previous boyfriends in the months they’d dated. He was caring, generous, and genuine in his interest of her well-being. She’d been fighting her feelings from the minute she’d stepped into that bar and locked gazes with him. Maybe it was time to see where a relationship would lead.

She’d sense his stress every time she stayed home and he had to leave. Some evenings, things got wild, but he always dressed and gave her the space she’d said she needed.

Why keep fighting it when all she wanted was to be with him?

“I know all I need to know, to know I want you.” He kissed her softly on her lips. “You’re mine, Raine. My mate.” His deep voice sent sparks straight to her pussy.

She’d researched the whole mating business, and she couldn’t disagree with him. He was her one. The only man she wanted.

“So what do we do, then?” Her heart overrode her mind and took the decision away from her. “I want to be with you too.”

He kissed her so fast and hard she ended up breathless.

“I know this is still new to you, so why don’t we start with you moving in to my place?” His hopeful smile calmed the fears she’d initially had about moving.

She grinned. Lifted on her toes to touch their lips. “Alright. I can work with that.”

His eyes twinkled. “Perfect. Now I’ll have your body near me all the time.”

“I still need to find a job, so it won’t be all the time.” She giggled.

He kissed with that expert precision she had come to adore. Dipping his tongue into her mouth and drawing hers out to play.

“No.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. Then her cheek. “I’ve thought about this. You’ve worked as an accountant before, so I have a job for you.”

Curious, she lifted her brows. He hadn’t mentioned a job before. “What job?”

“I need someone to keep the books for the bar. That will be your new job.” His hands crawled down her arms, around her waist, and hugged her tight.

“Wait.” She frowned, ready to cease all talk of jobs and focus on the hardness poking at her belly. “Who did it before?”

“I did, but this would give me time to focus on other issues relating to the pack.”

She blinked. “Really?”

“Anything for you, sweetheart.”

If there had been any walls around her heart, they crumbled with that sentence. She saw the sincerity in his gaze. He truly wanted to make her happy. And that was enough to make her forget all about her insecurities.

“Then let’s go move my stuff to your place.” She dropped the photo she’d had in her hand in the box.

“Why the rush now?”

She licked his neck. A grin split her lips when he moaned. “Because I can’t wait to be done with that so we can explore all the rooms your cabin has.”

“Then, by all means, let’s go explore.” He picked up the box of photos. “Is this everything?”

She laughed and picked up the one of papers, rushing after him. The move in would be easy, it was the learning to live together that scared her to death.

* * *

Raine hated driving through the long stretch of road between her parents’ house and the bar. It was too damn quiet. And isolated.

This was the first time she got to do it alone in a while. Someone always drove her to and from. Thankfully, she’d convinced Ryder she could handle something as simple as driving. Took long enough, dammit.

She sighed. Things were getting better. She’d started to control the animal most of the time. Now all they had to do was find Ryder’s cousin, who still hadn’t contacted him. Her stomach clenched, hating that Ryder was so worried. There was nothing she could do.

A glance at the rearview showed a big, black truck speeding up behind her, closing the distance. The hairs on her arms stood on end. She gripped the wheel and moved her rusty old Nissan to the far right to let the truck by.

The truck sped up. Then it stayed level to her left side. She glanced at the towering vehicle. Her breath caught in her chest. Something wasn’t right. The passenger side window opened and a bullet flew straight to her car. She hit the accelerator. Adrenaline pumped through her so fast she swore everything had slowed down.

Glass shattered with each of the flying bullets hitting her poor car. The truck sped up. Slammed into her side. She lost control and went flying into the drop on the right. She screamed. Everything tilted. Repeatedly. The car rolled down a hill. She covered her face from the glass raining in. Her body was held by the seatbelt, but that didn’t stop her from hitting the crunching metal on the door. She hit her head hard. Blood dripped down her face and arm. A large piece of glass had embedded in her right side.

Finally, the car stopped. Upside down. She dangled from her seat.

“Stay here.” A voice said at the distance. “I’ve got this one.”

“What are you going to do?” Another voice asked.

“Eliminate.”

Her enhanced hearing allowed her to hear what was going on while she tried to catch her breath. Hell, they were going to kill her. She unbuckled the seatbelt. Her body slumped over the wheel. Her hand landed over her cell phone. She pressed a button to link her call to Ryder. He’d find her. The man was beyond paranoid. He’d told her if she ever found herself in trouble with shifters again—Marlena had a large family—that she should press his number and leave it. He’d trace it and find her. She struggled out of the car’s window. Her hand went to her side. The piece of glass had to come out.