Taming the Bear Collection (7 page)

      
"Can we help you?" a voice asked, breaking through her sex-induced coma.

      
Rain snapped to attention, finally seeing the world in front of her. She was standing beside the bear, nearly straddling one of his beefy legs as he glanced up at her. His expression remained unchanged, as if he was completely nonplussed by her overture. Thorn was leaning back in his chair, one eyebrow cocked as his bright white teeth gleamed in the low light. If he was annoyed, he was hiding it very well.

      
"I'm sorry," Rain said, taking a step away from the bear. "I'm Rain. I belong to Rowan. Well, no, I didn't mean it like that, he's my father. Wait, wait, he's not my father, but he raised me. He....hi, I'm Rain! I live across the street from Rowan!"

      
Smooth, you idiot,
she thought.

      
"I know who you are, sweetie," Thorn said, drawing an internal growl from Rain. She didn't enjoy pet names at all. "You know who I am, too, I assume?"

      
"Yes," she said. "You're Thorn. Everyone knows Thorn."

      
"Well, then, let me introduce you to Beorn," Thorn said, sweeping his hand in a grand gesture as if he was revealing his friend from behind a curtain.

      
Rain's eyes fell on the mysterious Wizard of Oz who had just been introduced, hoping for just a second that she could register some sort of pleasure and approval in those black pools that right now wouldn't reveal a thing.

      
"Another wolf," he finally replied gruffly. "I didn't know Rowan was in the business of raising wolves. I thought he was too busy killing people who piss him off and sleeping with his human."

      
Rain started to feel her heart dropping, but then she perked up as she remembered Eva telling her what an asshole this guy was. Nothing was going to be easy with him; it would take everything she had just to draw his favor. He didn't like wolves and she was a wolf, but she hated wolves too.

      
"Yeah, he's kind of a jackass," Rain said, flashing what she hoped was a seductive smile at Beorn. "Most wolves are, though."

      
The slightest hint of a smile played under Beorn's beard as he regarded her words. "They
are
pretty full of themselves."

      
"It's not like they're special," Rain continued. "Every one of them thinks he's some hot-shot alpha dog who's going to bang the chick, knock her up and then lord over his house like a castle."

      
"Maybe you're not all foolish," Beorn said, glancing back at Thorn.

      
"At least we aren't reclusive old codgers who live alone in the forest," he replied.

      
"Why shouldn't we?" Rain asked, drawing surprise from both men. "We're animals, dammit, and our place is in the forest. Right now we're all playing house here in the city. None of us are true wolves anymore. Sure, we have an alpha council and packs, but those are just meaningless words. You guys can put your furs on all you want and try to look like primitive cavemen, but in the end you'll go back to your modern American homes and plop your asses down in front of the television, watching football and eating a TV dinner. That's not what wolves do. Wolves shift. Wolves hunt. Wolves are animals."

      
Rain couldn't believe the words that had just spilled out of her mouth. She had never had these thoughts before, and she loved her little modern American home. Why was she saying this now? Was it her speaking? Or had the wolf inside her figured out how to verbalize its words? The thought made her stomach immediately twist into a knot. This wasn't good news at all. Fear began to rack her body as both men regarded her words. She had to leave now and talk to Rowan. He was the only one who would understand, since Eva had been sharing the same thoughts about their nature with him.

      
"I have to go," Rain said suddenly. She turned to leave the table, but a catcher's mitt of a hand clamped down on her wrist, stopping her cold.

      
"You make a lot of good points there, girl," Beorn said, his face still emotionless except for the smallest hint of smile behind his beard. "But talking like that is dangerous these days. Watch yourself."

      
Rain didn't know what she had said, but she instantly realized that whatever it was had been a major slip-up. Thorn was eyeing her suspiciously now, his violet eyes trying to drill right through to her heart. The smile had vanished from Beorn's face and his eyes were fixed on the table. The pressure she felt on her wrist released and his hand returned to the glass of whiskey in front of him.

      
"I'll remember that," Rain said, turning to leave. She wasn't sure what she'd done, but she didn't want to stick around to find out.

      
Motherfucker,
she thought as she quickly made a beeline for Eva.
Why the hell did I say all that? I'm not a wild wolf; I'm domesticated like the rest. Fuck. I really liked him too.

      
Rain had to admit she hadn't felt so much heat and arousal in her body in a long time. Beorn was definitely what she needed right now, but it looked like he didn't need her. She'd be going home alone again.

      
After the strange young girl wandered away, Beorn returned to chatting with Thorn. The girl had broken their concentration and alleviated the seriousness of the situation. Thorn didn't mention visiting Abaddon anymore, but Beorn knew he was still thinking about it—most likely planning all the details out in his head.

      
Thorn wasn't devious like Crow was, or brutally strong like Aster, or feared like Forrest, but he was probably the most logical and level-headed of all the alphas. He would think up a plan and then execute it with precision and excellence. All Beorn had to do was be there and follow directions; it was much easier than if another wolf had planned the damn thing.

      
Beorn didn't want to bring up the meeting with Abaddon anymore. In the back of his mind he hoped Thorn would forget about it, but that was essentially a pipe dream. There was no way in hell Thorn would forget his plan—they were going to meet the demon wolf face to face come hell or high water.

      
What would they even say to Abaddon when they met him? The conversation played over in Beorn's head repeatedly with him changing small details here and there, but every time he imagined it it ended the same: with Abaddon killing them all and kidnapping Leena back, even though she didn't want to return. It was still a fucking mess, one that Beorn was now finding himself in the middle of thanks to his friendship with an alpha.

      
He's just trying to help,
Beorn thought as Thorn rambled on about a new road construction project he'd managed to get approved. He was always trying to better Bucklin, taking his civic duty just as seriously as his pack duty.
But these aren't your people. You don't care about these wolves and if their city lives or dies. When Satan's Angels show up you'll be long gone to your home. When they kill the wolves they'll move on and you'll still be golden. Everyone will die, even...

      
Beorn's thoughts returned to the female who had come to his table earlier. Why was he thinking about her? Why did he care if she lived or died? Every time he tried to return his attention to Thorn, he found his mind wandering back to the beauty that was Rain.

      
Everything about the female stood out to him in a way no other had. Her long black hair was so silky and so smooth; it wasn't a wild mess like a lot of the other wolves he had seen. Her eyes were full of passion and intelligence, two qualities he had trouble finding in conjunction with one another. She was also young, something he wasn't normally used to. She had to be at least twelve to fifteen years his junior, but at the same time something about that turned him on. It wasn't because he liked the look of younger girls; it was because her mind hadn't yet been spoiled by the propaganda machine of Aster and his wolves. She was still young enough to form her own opinions about life and it was obvious she had some very strong ones.

      
She spoke with such fire when discussing how wolves should act. There was an underlying growl to her voice, one that only the keenest of ears could pick up. It was almost as if the wolf inside was speaking those words, crying to be let out and to be free. Beorn could free her—he could free her and show her a better way of life if she'd let him.

      
No. These thoughts were dangerous. He didn't need to shack up with a wolf, especially a younger one. His time was valuable and wolves were trouble. They brought pack politics with them, something Beorn had no interest in.

      
He looked up across the table and tried to focus back on Thorn. He was a hypocrite of the worst kind. He wasn't interested in pack politics, but here he was discussing them with a political master. What the hell was wrong with him? He had lost his way somewhere during this journey and now he was caught up with the wolves.

      
"Are you listening?" Thorn asked.

      
Beorn realized he hadn't been. All he could think about was Rain and her body. It was long and sleek, reminding him more of a panther coiled and ready for attack than a wolf. Every line, every edge, was perfectly crafted around her slight frame. Her dress had been short and the long, smooth, perfectly tanned legs that it exposed were dancing across his brain right now, causing the sleeping giant in his pants to begin to stir. It had been so long since a woman had had the ability to even cause a passing tingle in his pants, but now thinking of those perfect little B-cups was bringing heat to an area he had previously thought was dormant.

      
"I'm sorry," Beorn said, standing up from the table. "I have to go, Thorn. I'll get a hotel tonight and call you tomorrow. I'm suddenly not feeling very well."

      
"You look flushed," Thorn said, reaching up to grab Beorn by the wrist. "You don't feel hot, but you look terrible."

      
"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Beorn said, feeling the need to get away now. Everyone in the bar made a bee-line to get out of the stampeding bear's way. In several strides he was out the front door, letting the cool night air slap him in the face. He just needed to calm down and get the earth-shattering beauty out of his mind.

      
He looked around at the parking lot, finding nothing but rows of cars staring back at him. There was nobody amongst them; it was just him and silent machinery. Beorn fumbled in his pocket for his keys before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He would get through this; the wolf had no power over him or his baser desires.

      
Beorn ignored the world as he made his way to his truck, reaching up to open the door and climb in to finally end this nightmare of a trip. Unfortunately it was just beginning. He knew she was there before she even appeared, because he could smell her arousal. Was she as turned on by him as he was by her? It certainly smelled that way.

      
"Excuse me," she said, walking from the front of his truck. "I wanted to talk to you."

      
Beorn shut the heavy truck door and turned towards the sight of five feet eight inches of pure sexual desire. She was so cute, so sultry, so perfect. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, causing him to reach into his pocket, frantically looking for a handkerchief. He settled for his forearm, hoping his body's onslaught would end before she got too much closer.

      
"Can I help you?" he asked, trying to put up his usual tough exterior. Generally being the biggest asshole on the planet kept people away, but this one was determined to break through that wall anyway. She boldly stepped forward until she was a few feet from him, staring straight at his burly chest. She had no fear. He felt the blood stirring in his cock again; everything about her was a turn-on.

      
"I wanted to apologize for earlier," she said. "I didn't mean to go off like that."

      
"It's okay," he reassured her. "You didn't say anything wrong. I agreed with you, as a matter of fact."

      
"Well, okay, then," she said, but her face still appeared worried. He was ready to get in the truck, to leave before he lost his mind and ravaged the poor thing right against his truck. However, she lingered, looking at him while biting her bottom lip—so fucking sexy.

      
"Was there something else?" he asked.

      
"It was something you said about it being dangerous for me to talk like that. What did you mean? What do you know?"

      
This girl had a relationship with Rowan, he knew that much. She knew more than she was letting on, so he couldn't spill the beans to her. Not yet.

      
"It's just not a good sentiment to express in a town run by domesticated wolves."

      
"Domesticated." She thought about it and laughed, like it was a brand-new word that she had never heard before.

      
"Well, I can't help but speak the truth. I have to go. Good night, Rain."

      
"Wait," she said, grabbing his arm with surprising strength.

      
That was a bold move; nobody put their hands on Beorn like that. He knew shock was registering on his face, but that didn't stop her from getting two inches from him, rising on her toes to try and get close to his face.

      
"What do you know?" she asked.

      
"Nothing."

      
"What are you?" she asked, looking him over again.

      
It was a curious question; she knew damn good and well what kind of shifter he was. "A bear."