Bear Naked Truth (Southern Shifters Book 7) (5 page)

C
alder paced
the floor at the bottom of the steps. To call his bear agitated would be the under-fucking-statement of the year. He should have never agreed to leave her with Bhric.

Whatever this situation with the Blackwood pack was concerned him too. She was his mate.

Bear or no bear he already knew for certain. What else could explain this level of frustration? If all he wanted from her was a hook up then he'd be in the bar having drinks and bantering with Niki and Dean while she waited.

Instead, he paced. Back and forth. With no clue what happened up there.

Thanks to their supersonic hearing, Bhric had recently gone to great lengths to soundproof the rooms upstairs. When his brother showed up last year to claim Niki they'd all been headed towards bat shit crazy over the mating.

The scent of the pheromones was one thing. Having to listen to them go at it all night an entirely different story. It had been enough to force Gage out of the house before he began taking the place apart board by board.

He'd thought it funny at the time, but he was beginning to understand it a little bit more now that he'd met Jessa. And the more time he spent with her, the more he realized his bear had been right from the beginning.

"Hey, big guy. You all right."

Calder whirled on Niki, his lip curled in a snarl. As much as he loved this woman, he hated that she had the ability to sneak up on him like that. Her unique engineered breeding in a science lab had made that and so much more possible.

It also made her his friend. He'd sensed her as an outsider from the moment they met. Kind found kind and in that a friendship had been born. Something he didn't want to screw up now because of bad timing.

"You shouldn't be here, Niki."

"Why is that?" she asked, slowly moving closer.

"Because I don't feel very friendly right now."

She laughed. "That makes two of us then. Clearing those idiots tonight was not as much fun as I thought it would be."

"Sorry about that. I had no idea this was going to turn into a clusterfuck."

Niki shrugged. "Not a big deal. I am curious about the girl though. Where is she?"

Calder tipped his head up the stairs. "Bhric's back."

She grinned. "And you left them alone? How evolved of you."

He chuffed, a puffing sound between a growl and a roar. "Only at her adamant request. Although if they don't hurry the hell up I'm not going to be responsible for the bear. He's antsy."

"Just the bear huh? Seems like a lot more than just your animal is aggravated tonight. You want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

She nodded, a slight smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "I didn't think so. How about a beer? I can grab us both one."

Before he could answer the door of the office opened and Jessa's strained voice hit him in the plexus. "Is that kind of protection really necessary? I've got a shotgun and really excellent aim."

Bhric's laugh rumbled down the stairs and scraped along Calder's spine. "I'm sure you do, Miss Baker. But until we know what the Blackwood pack is going to do, I intend to take precautions."

T
he two of
them descended the stairs and he scanned Jessa from head to toe.

"I didn't hurt her," Bhric said.

He shrugged, trying to play off some of the nerves stringing him tight. "Didn't think you would."

The Alpha shook his head. "You've got trust issues."

"Just me?"

"Touché, brother, Touché."

Calder reached for Jessa and she slid her hand into his. Once he pulled her close again some of the edginess waned. But only a little.

"So who's going to fill me in?" He looked at Bhric when he asked the question.

"She's got a pretty intense case with the Blackwoods. She signed a contract and couldn't fulfill it. Now I can only imagine what their real intention was once they finished with her, but I can't imagine it's good. Telling humans about shifters is some pretty serious bullshit. Depending on how they want to play it, it could mean war."

Fuck. He didn't like the sound of that. "What was the contract?"

Bhric's eyes averted down to Jessa and he felt her squirm at his side. "I'm going to let her decide when to share that. Suffice it to say, I'm going to have to have a chat with Kane. The council might get involved."

"Who's Kane?" Jessa asked.

"Security enforcer for our ruling councils. I often consult with him about situations that arise like this. He's more open minded than most of the actual council members."

"Do you often have issues arise like this?"

"From time to time. The treaties amongst the clans are often tenuous. It doesn't take much to throw things off balance.

Niki snorted. "That's an understatement. Nobody around here likes to play nice or share anything."

Bhric returned his gaze to Calder. "I need you to arrange 24/7 security for her. We can't take any chances that the Blackwoods show up out of the blue and catch us off guard."

"I'll take care of it."

"No."

The command from Bhric vibrated the room. So much alpha control went into that one word it took them all by surprise. Niki took a step back and even Jessa, a human, tightened her grip on his hand.

Despite that, Calder didn't back down. His mate. His responsibility. As soon as he got a chance, he and Bhric were going to chat about this.

"I'm taking care of it personally. She knows me. I've already been in her house so my scent is laid. Adding more will only raise suspicions."

"She's off limits," Bhric warned. "Technically she is Blackwood property and until we know more, it's hands off."

The bear rose, sharp and swift. Fur began to coat his arms at Bhric's latest demand. No fucking way. Neither his bear nor the man had any intention of standing for someone telling him he couldn't take care of his mate.

"Calder, stop!" Niki yelled.

He blinked, turning his head to his friend. The alarm in her eyes caught his bear's attention. So much so that he began to back down. His bear had a protective streak for Niki and her daughter too. He couldn't stand to see either of them upset.

"Calder, I get where you're coming from." Bhric touched his shoulder and he immediately calmed. Bhric and Niki were the only two he actually trusted with his bear. And they knew it.

Them double-teaming him with their emotions had the desired effect as the shift stopped and the bear eased up on his mind.

"I'm okay with you taking the watch. However, I mean it when I say off limits. Do you get me?"

He shook his head. "Yeah, I got it."

"I wish someone would explain it to me. Being talked about like I'm not even here or worse as someone's property is for the birds."

She pulled free from his arms and he reluctantly let her go. He still needed to work on reining in his bear.

"Doesn't anyone care what I want?"

"Yes."

"Not particularly."

Both Niki and Bhric spoke at the same time.

Calder rolled his eyes at them both and turned to Jessa. "Sorry, hon. However, we do have rules and protocols here and Bhric is simply communicating to me what needs to be done in your best interest. Trust me. There is no love here for the Blackwood pack."

"I gathered that much. But why? I mean I know why I needed to get away from them, but what did they do to you?"

"That would take too long to explain and I think the two of you need to leave the premises sooner rather than later. There's no telling if any of the troublemakers we ushered out of here earlier will start talking about the human woman who has this place in an uproar."

Bhric turned to Niki. "Apparently I missed more than I knew."

She shrugged and wiped her fingernails on her shirtsleeve. "I took care of them. Bud and a few of his cronies got wind of her though and they got excited."

Bhric ground his teeth and worked his fists opened and closed. "Can I not leave for a couple of days without things going to shit?"

"On that note, we're leaving." Calder grabbed Jessa by the hand and led her through the back again. He'd gotten Bhric's message loud and clear. Not only was he to keep his hands off Jessa, but he had to keep her out of sight as well. The fewer people that knew about her, the better. Shifters liked to gossip just as much as humans and they didn't need word they were guarding a human female to reach the wrong ears before Bhric had a chance to check in with Kane.

This day had been off the charts weird and the evening was shaping up to be worse. The idea of spending the night in the same small cabin as his mate and not being able to touch her was never going to work.

She liked him. He could tell by the way she touched him and leaned into him for comfort. She naturally turned to him for comfort and protection the way a mate should. He smiled into the darkness, glad no one had to see his goofy grin.

Maybe sex was off the table for now, but that didn't mean they couldn't get to know each other with some old fashioned romance.

B
hric watched
Calder and the woman disappear from the back of the house. For a minute he could do nothing but stare at the empty space in front of him as the events of the past few days fought for space in his mind.

The webs being weaved by some of the clans and the council were getting neck deep and more complicated by the minute.

Shifters were all fighting over what to do about their dwindling numbers in the clans and the growing number of hybrids now living on the fringes of their former societies.

As a hybrid himself, he didn't take too kindly to the clan positions. There were days he'd rather claw someone's throat out instead of trying to negotiate peace once again.

And then there were the rogue packs like the Blackwoods. Those fuckers were getting on his last nerve despite some of their resources coming in handy. They certainly caused more problems than they solved.

Case in point the human that just left his bar with the only shifter who could challenge him if he was ever so inclined. A full-blooded bear shifter was rare in these parts and one that came from his lineage even more so.

Grizzlies tended to keep to the western half of the United States, leaving black bears to control the bear population in this region.

The woman seemed like no slouch either. Signing a contract with the Blackwoods took some serious guts or a heaping helping of crazy. Maybe both.

Tired and in desperate need of sleep, Bhric trudged up the stairs and into his apartment suite. What he needed even more was privacy. Niki had disappeared through the kitchen, but that didn't mean she wasn't lingering somewhere nearby.

Talk about a woman who didn't know when to quit. Keeping a secret from someone with her skills took a herculean effort.

He reached into his back pocket and tugged his cell phone out and clicked on the number at the top of his contacts. It was answered on the first ring.

"We've got a problem," he said.

He didn't love keeping secrets from his crew. But he'd agreed it was the best for everyone if no one knew what was going on with Simon and the Blackwood Pack. It was easier to let everyone think they'd abducted him and that he and Rafe were working on a plan to get him back without starting a clan war.

"Yes, she's here and that's usually problematic enough. Of course nothing is ever easy and this is no exception. Calder seems to have taken a liking to her. Nope. Even worse. He's acting like a shifter who has just found his mate."

Bhric almost laughed when there was no response at the other end of the line. Except nothing about this situation was funny. Lately, it was simply one shit storm after another.

"I told him she was off limits but I only have so much control over him. He's a good guy, though. But if she's his mate we don't have a chance in hell he'll let us go through with our plan. We might have to start coming up with other options."

What that would be he had no idea. Well, he did. But it would get ugly.

"I don't know. But you need to think fast. I get the feeling this situation is going to explode real soon." With that, he clicked to end the call and put his phone on silent. He was done with interruptions for the night.

Bhric sat on his black leather sofa and put his feet up on the coffee table. As much as he loved this place, it was beginning to feel a little lonely, despite their added numbers with mates and now a new cub under his roof.

Maybe he just needed some sleep.
And a woman under him.
That thought made him squirm. It had been months since he'd gotten laid. Not for the lack of women trying. The bar was filled with plenty of eager females every night of the week. But none of them were her...

It had only taken him seconds to realize her importance and about the same amount of time to realize it wasn't going to happen. She didn't belong in the neutral zone.

He shook his head. Nope. She had a life in a small human city hours away and that's where she needed to stay.

For now.

J
essa peeled
herself out of her small SUV and headed toward the front door of her cabin. Fatigue had set in on the drive up the mountain and she no longer wanted to deal with any of this anymore.

"Let me go in first and check it out. I'll let you know when it's safe to come in."

She didn't argue, she simply handed over her keys and hung back. The cool night air soothed some of the pent up emotions that had been raging through her from almost the first moment she'd walked into the Dark Moon.

Everything about the place annoyed her now. So much for an escape from the Blackwoods. She'd gone from one prison to another.

Calder popped his head out of the door. "All clear," he said with a smile on his face.

To her surprise, even dog-tired, her body reacted to that smile. Warmth suffused her and she couldn't resist smiling back. She had no defense for a look like that. Beyond the beautiful face and the hard muscles lies a good heart.

Her instincts weren't always the greatest but this one she couldn't deny. She could fall for him and fall hard. There was a good chance it would end in her heart getting shattered. Not a good thing at all.

She needed some time to think. Between the situation with the Blackwoods and now Bhric, things were in too much flux.

Her stomach twisted as her mind wandered through possible outcomes. Simon had reminded her that telling humans about shifters broke some pretty fundamental laws and it made him worry for her when it came to her future.

"You hungry or anything?" Calder asked.

She shook her head. Food was the last thing on her mind. "I'm tired. I just need to go to sleep."

She entered the small cabin and he closed and locked the door behind her. He then wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She sighed into his warmth.

She inhaled deep, letting the warm outdoors of his scent wrap around her senses. One day. That's how long she'd known this bear of a man and already she felt this comfortable.

It seemed unnatural and way too fast. That alone made her pull from his embrace.

"This is all happening too fast."

He nodded. "Shifters can be like that. We're a little overwhelming. But we make decisions quickly and get things done."

"So I see." She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. Not this time. There was simply too much at stake. "I'm afraid I don't switch gears that easily. I'm going to need some time to digest everything that happened today.

"Go to bed, Jessa. Everything will look better under the morning light. At least that's what my aunt used to tell me when I was a kid."

"Was she right?"

"Sometimes." He chuckled. "But her confidence made me sleep better."

"Then I too will believe. Good night, Calder."

She walked into the only bedroom of the small cabin and stripped out of her clothes, grabbing a t-shirt and pajama pants from the foot of the bed. As she shoved one leg into the soft cotton, it dawned on her that she'd left him to fend for himself.

Shit. There were no other rooms for him to sleep in if he was going to keep watch over her and he certainly wouldn't fit on her couch. She finished dressing and rushed to the bedroom door, yanking it open to see what she could do to solve this latest dilemma.

To her surprise, he was no longer standing in her living room. She wandered into the kitchen expecting to find him hunched over the little kitchenette table. He wasn't there either. Confused she walked back into the living room.

The only other room in the house was the bathroom and he'd have to enter that one through her bedroom.

Did he leave?

A strange sense of loss shot through her. It was probably for the best. Still, she couldn't help looking out the window for any signs of his departure. What she found took her breath away.

A giant bear was pacing across her front lawn, pawing at the ground and shaking his head.

She shut the curtains and looked away before he saw her. Holy shit! Was that Calder? He was huge!

The phrase "That's what she said" rushed through her mind. She giggled, covering her mouth to cover any sound.

She turned back to the window and moved the curtains just enough for her to see out again. He was still there and bigger than ever. Any other time the idea of a giant bear standing outside her living room window would have scared the hell out of her.

But she was pretty sure this had to be Calder. He'd promised to take care of her and she highly doubted that meant him leaving her here alone.

With his head turned away for now, she took the time to study him. With nearly a full moon she had plenty of light allowing her to pick up on smaller details. Like the thick fur that covered his entire body. Would it be wiry and coarse or soft and fluffy?

OMG. Don't be an idiot. He's not a freaking teddy bear. He's a predator for God's sake.

His head turned toward the house and she dropped the curtain and turned, pressing her back to the wall. Had he seen her? She felt oddly like a peeping tom even though it was her house and her yard. She had every right to know who or what was in it.

With her breath coming in rapid in and out breaths, she couldn't resist another look. Again, she moved the curtains just enough to see and came face to face with the piercing blue eyes of Calder in a bear's face right outside the window.

She stumbled, dropping the curtain and falling down on her ass with a hard thump.

"Oww!" she cried.

Feeling like a stupid idiot she grabbed the edge of the couch and pulled herself up. Before she got to a standing position her front door crashed open and a very tall, VERY naked Calder rushed toward her.

"Are you all right? I didn't mean to scare you."

He scooped her into big strong arms that banded her against his delectable hard body.

"I—I'm fine." Her mouth had gone bone dry the moment she'd seen him fully naked. It had been quick, only a few seconds but it's all she needed for the image to be seared into her brain for all eternity.

He was huge all right. Everywhere. Moisture pooled between her legs, making her squirm.

A low rumble formed in his chest and vibrated down her spine. Could he tell? Heat filled her face. If the ground could open up and swallow her right now, that would be okay. It would be a lot better than looking him in the eye knowing he knew what she'd been thinking.

"I thought you were going to bed?" he asked.

"I was. I mean I am. I just..." She clamped her mouth shut. Nope. Nope. Nope. She was not going to tell him anything more. "If you could put me down I could finish."

He snorted. A small disbelieving sound. That was okay. She didn't believe anything she said either. Fortunately, he eased her to the floor and she practically ran for the bedroom door.

"Goodnight," she said, without turning back. She slammed the door and fell against it for good measure.

She took a deep breath in, held it for ten seconds and then slowly let it out. How in the hell was she supposed to go to sleep now? After seeing what she saw?

She climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up all the way to her chin anyway. Her body buzzed with need, but she refused to touch it. Shifters heard everything.

What felt like hours passed, although it might have only been minutes until her eyes began to droop. With sleep pulling her under it dawned on her she'd never asked Calder where he'd stay for the night.

Too tired to do anything about it now she hoped he and his beautiful bear found someplace comfortable.

And maybe if she was lucky, she'd get to see them both again soon...