Jared: Mating Fever (Rocked by the Bear Book 5) (5 page)

I
moan
in pleasure as I hold a bite of smoked salmon in my mouth and savor the flavor. “Oh my God, this is the most amazing breakfast I’ve ever eaten.”

“Told you,” says Olivia. Her mug thumps when she sets it down, and she nods toward my plate. “Try the bacon. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

Jared says, “Last night she almost did.”

Olivia scowls at him. “Be sure to remember that. You should be grateful for what she went through to be with you.”

A protective jealousy for Jared surges in me, and I say, “That wasn’t the only reason I did it. I seem to recall my life being in danger was a reason as well.”

Olivia says, “Whoa. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to attack your mate, but watching you change really hit home for me. I swear women always get the short end of the stick. Mother Nature is a bitch.”

Jax reaches across the table and hands Olivia a pastry. “How about a little sugar to improve your mood?” he asks with a mischievous grin.

I try to imagine what it must have been like to witness the agony I experienced last night. I shake my head, because I’m going to do my best to try to forget that memory. Although it sure is a testament to how strong I am as a werebear. I bite into bacon and sigh as the salty flavor makes my taste buds want to dance with joy. I ask, “When do I start learning to fight?”

“As soon as you’ve healed,” says Jared.

I stretch my leg out under the table and notice the ache I felt when I climbed out of bed has faded. Olivia explained that by tonight I should no longer have any pain. I say, “I think I’ll be ready by tomorrow.”

“I think so too,” says Olivia. “Maybe you could learn to shift today.”

The apprehension I felt about becoming a bear no longer seems to exist, because the idea of morphing into bear form and running in the woods excites me. I say, “I’d like that.” I look at Jared and ask, “Can we try after breakfast?”

“Sure.” He asks Olivia, “Was it hard for you to learn?”

She swallows her mouthful of food with a gulp and replies, “No. But I’m told it’s different for everybody.” She glances at me. “I have a feeling Courtney isn’t going to have any trouble at all. She’s one of the most open-minded people I know, and I think she’ll have a knack for it.”

Jax asks, “Do you mind if I come along?”

I smile at him because I think he’s imagining what this will be like when he finds his true mate. I say, “Not at all.” I hold up a strip of bacon as if I’m toasting him and say, “You gave me bacon.”

Once we finish eating, Jared takes me to the woods behind their house. He, Olivia, and Jax begin to strip off their clothes, and it makes it easier for me to do the same. Jared says, “Olivia, it might be best if you describe how you shift. Jax and I learned when we were teenagers, and I’m not sure my method of wanting to pummel Jax would work.”

She says, “Sure.” A breeze makes me hug myself as Olivia says to me, “Anger is what worked best for me too, but you don’t get mad easily, so maybe we should try focusing on your protectiveness for Jared.”

“Okay. So I think about him in danger?”

She nods. “Remember how you felt when he was about to be shot, and when the feelings begin to surge, focus on the prickling sensation you felt last night.”

“Got it.” I close my eyes and recall Jared jogging by me and the vision of blood I saw. My body tenses at the memory, and when my skin begins to tingle, I imagine a bear inside of me that’s trying to get out. I experience a fraction of the pain I felt last night as something within me swallows up my human form, and I open my eyes just before my front bear paws thump to the ground.

Jared’s voice is full of pride when he says, “You did it!” I glance over at him, and he comes toward me to stroke my fur. A rumble forms in my chest as I lean into his touch. “So beautiful,” he says.

I know as mates we’re supposed to be able to communicate telepathically so I try it by talking in my head.
“What are you waiting for? Let’s run.”

Jared’s laughter rings out, and he replies,
“Your voice is like music to me, Courtney.”

I watch as he morphs into a bear before my eyes, and I recall how he did it before to carry me to safety. This time I enjoy the show as I see what must have just happened to me. Jax and Olivia shift too, and my best friend nuzzles me before she takes off in a sprint. I race after her as the four of us make our way through the forest.

We follow a path and blow by brush and trees with ease until Jax leads us off the trail. Jared is behind me, and he communicates with me.
“Take your time if you want to. I won’t leave you.”

My heart warms at his concern, but I find that keeping up with Olivia and Jax is easy. Each time I dodge something, my body works. It’s as if I’m no longer awkward, and I enjoy my fast reflexes as I weave through the trees. Even though I’m a large being, I seem to have grace with my speed, and as twigs snap under my feet, a breeze ruffles my fur, creating a sensation similar to wind blowing through your hair. If bear smile, then I’m doing it.

I notice Jax slow down as the trees begin to thin, and when we reach a clearing, I realize he has led us to the river. I gaze out at the water as it rushes. A rocky beach is ahead, and the area appears to be deserted. Jared asks,
“Want to try swimming?”

My first thought is that it would be too cold, but then I realize that as a bear, I have fur and a layer of fat designed to keep me warm.
“Lead the way.”

The rocky shoreline should be rough under my feet, and I begin to pick my way down before I realize my animal feet are toughened. I barely notice the pebbles as we make our way to the water. We walk out until it reaches our bellies, and the cold doesn’t seem to seep into my skin at all. I dive forward to begin to swim. Each stroke I take propels me easily, and I marvel at the strength I have in my limbs. Jared moves toward rocks that stand close to the other shore, and when we get there, he climbs up to sit. I join him and let the warmth of the sunbaked granite seep into my belly as I lie down. I bask in the simple pleasure as I say to my mate,
“This is wonderful.”

“I know. Whenever human life becomes too much, I shift so I can dial it all back to this again.”

“Yes.”
A calmness has settled in me, and it’s as if I’ve suddenly got nothing to worry about.
“I feel so free.”

Jared rolls so that our bodies are touching, and I lean against him as I say,
“You were right. I love being a werebear.”

He touches his nose to mine.
“Does that mean you’re glad I bit you? Because once I saw you begin to change I wanted to take it all back. You went through hell for me.”

“I went through hell for me. For us.”

Jared wraps his limbs around me and rolls onto his back so that I’m on top of him. He asks,
“Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

His words make my heart nearly burst as I experience yet another emotion supercharged by my new state. I say,
“If it’s what I feel, yes. Because I can’t imagine anyone could feel more love than I do for you.”

Water splashes, and I lift my head to notice Jax and Olivia watching us. She tosses a fish toward me, and without thinking I open my mouth and move to catch it. When I do, I let out a small roar of excitement. I ask Jared,
“Did you see that? I just caught something!”

His laughter sounds in my head as he jumps off the rock to join them. But I stay to watch my mate fish, and when he tosses them my way, I snap them up and enjoy my new skill. Perhaps letting my bear take over wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

W
hen we return
from our excursion, I discover I’m just as good at shifting back to human as I was becoming a bear. It’s similar to how I felt when I discovered I could paint. Sure, I need to perfect a few of my techniques, but it’s as if I was born to do this. And I suppose with one parent as a werebear, I was.

Jared and I went by my apartment to gather up the rest of my things, and now he’s helping me unload them. He and Jax decided I should set up in a small shed located at the back of the property. Paintbrushes rattle in a glass jar as I set them on the plywood shelves, and I gaze around at the bare walls. So much space to hang things! My blood pumps with excitement at having all my work on display instead of piled against the wall of my old place. My easel creaks as I set it up, and Jared’s feet thump when he approaches with the last load of art supplies.

I smile when he enters, and I ask, “Feel like hammering nails?”

He takes my arms, and his touch, while no longer searing hot, still warms me to my toes. “Does this mean I get to see every one of your paintings?”

I nod as I place my hands on his chest. “You may regret that, but yes.” I press against the firm muscles of his torso and slide my palms down to his abdomen. “I want to hang up all of them if I can.” I don’t stop my movement, and when I get to his waistband, I slide my finger under it and tug him toward me. “And when we’re done, I need to find out what sex as a werebear is like.”

Jared lets out a low growl that makes me giggle before he turns away to get tools. I call out, “And about that biting thing. We should test out Olivia’s theory.”

A roar sounds, and I think he starts to jog. I turn back to a box of paints as a grin covers my face. I don’t think I could be any happier than I am right now. I glance at a blank canvas and grab it. It thuds on my easel when I set it down, and I close my eyes to let the image I want to paint form in my mind.

As I focus on the landscape that I want to capture, a faint noise draws my attention. At first I think I’m hearing myself breathe, but then I realize that it’s someone else. As I focus on the sound, a vision pops into my head. I see a girl about my age hiding behind a tree, and she appears to be frightened. But when I notice she’s holding a rifle with a large scope on it, fear builds in me, too. I stand quickly to glance around the room, but I don’t see anything unusual. I close my eyes quickly with the hope that my vision will return so I can identify where the girl might be.

All I get is woodlands, so I walk over to the doorway and gaze out at the forest behind the shed. The rasp of the girl’s breathing is louder now, and I think she must be close. A rustling noise that no human would ever detect makes me turn quickly to the left, and my new eyesight allows me to notice a sliver of navy-blue fabric that makes me think of a sweatshirt.
I’ve got her.
But what do I do now?

I think the girl is here to kill one of us, and because she’s the only one I can hear, I believe she’s alone. I know from my vision she’s scared, and I call on it again as I walk slowly toward her. She’s not in a position to shoot me with her back against the tree and the rifle lowered, and with all my senses on high alert, I’ll hear her if she moves. That would give me enough time to thwart her attempt to kill me.

Even in human form, I now have my bear’s physical prowess, because I’m able to step slowly and in a way that the girl can’t hear my approach. I’m almost at the tree when I form my plan. I think her reaction to me will be to swing her weapon in my direction and pull the trigger without aiming. I need to grab it first.

I’m so close I can hear her fabric rustle as she shakes with fear. I peer to the right and locate the gun. With my lighting-quick werebear reflexes, I pounce to grab the rifle, and it’s cold in my hand as I shove her against the tree at the same time. The girl cries out, and I release her as I point the gun in her direction. I say, “Don’t move.”

The brunette’s eyes are big as she nods quickly, and I ask, “Were you sent here to kill me?”

I’m surprised when her voice is strong as she answers, “Yes.”

“Why?”

She glares at me and says, “Because you’re an abomination that shouldn’t be allowed to walk this earth.”

She has an accent that reminds me of a girl I know from the Philadelphia area. I raise my eyebrows at her. “Really? So because you don’t understand what I am, you think it’s okay to kill me?”

Her tone is haughty as she says, “Kill or be killed.”

I frown. “Seems to me you and your group are the ones trying to do the killing. We just defend ourselves.”

“Is that what happened to my partner you killed yesterday?”

I tilt my head back and tug my shirt away to show her my neck. “That man tried to strangle me, and I would have died if my boyfriend hadn’t come to save me.” I step closer to her and say, “Your partner attacked me in my apartment. Not the other way around.”

Jared’s footsteps sound in the distance and tell me he’s on his way back to us, and from the careful way he’s walking, I think he’s listening to our conversation.

The girl’s eyes flash with anger, and I’m impressed by her display of bravery when she says, “Doesn’t look like much to me.” I realize that my new healing powers have probably taken care of the bruising that I noticed this morning. The girl spits at me, but I’m not close enough to hit. She snarls as she says, “Nobody will be safe until
your
kind is gone.”

Jared steps out and says, “Guess we missed one.” He reaches for the gun, and I let him take it from me. The girl inhales sharply, and I realize she thinks he’s going to shoot her.

I place my hand on Jared’s arm and speak in his mind.
“Don’t kill her.”

“We can’t let her go.”

“I understand, but—”
I know we should kill her, because that’s exactly what she’ll do to us if she gets the chance. But I can’t let it happen.
“Let’s tie her up.”

Jared says, “You know, maybe it’s because we didn’t invite her in.” He tilts his head toward the house as he keeps the rifle trained on the girl and says, “Right this way.”

I ask,
“Have you ever kept a prisoner before?”

“Nope. But I don’t want to kill her either.”

We walk up to the house, and when we get inside, Jared asks me to get the cuffs. He tells the girl to sit in one of the kitchen chairs, and I detect the stench of her fear when I attach her wrists to the back and her feet around the bottom rung. The leather creaks as I tug the restraints tight enough she can’t wiggle her way free.

The girl glares at me while the gun clicks as Jared unloads it. I seat myself across from her as I ask, “What’s your name?”

“What’s it to you?”

I shrug. “Nothing, I guess.” I imagine what she must be thinking, and the disgust on her face makes me wonder what it must be like to hate so deeply. I ask, “Are you thirsty?”

“What do you plan to do with me?”

Jared speaks in my mind.
“I contacted Tori, my alpha. And she’s sending some warriors down to deal with this. It should be a couple hours.”
I recall that the alpha of each clan can speak telepathically to all members the way bonded mates can.

I ask the girl, “Why do you hate us?”

She curls her lip. “You’re foul creatures that pose as humans, while you’re really just feral animals determined to take over our world.”

I wonder if she’s ever spent time with any werebear, and I point to Jared’s cello case, which is sitting next to Jax’s saxophone. I ask, “Do feral animals play musical instruments?” When she doesn’t answer, I ask, “And do they cook like chefs, play sports like athletes, and go to colleges like Bowdoin? Why we would do all of that if our intention was to kill off all humans? I think you’re misinformed.”

A flicker of doubt crosses her face before she catches herself. She scans me as if she’s trying to figure out if she can believe me. She says, “Sasha.”

“Courtney. I’m going to get you something to drink.”

Water rushes in a glass as I fill it, and I glance over at Jared. I know that he and Jax haven’t had to deal with hunters until lately, and while they grew up knowing about the danger, the actual reality of it is new to them too. Jared’s long, elegant fingers move smoothly over the rifle as he inspects it. I think about my mate’s love for music and appreciation of my paintings.
We’re more human than bear.
And my humanity is determined to find a way to solve the hunter problem without killing.