Loving The Bear Read online

  “If I remember correctly, your promises are pretty empty.”

  Her cell phone rang. She could get help, tell whoever it was to call the police, but Matt snatched it away before she could press the button.

  “Hello,” he said.

  “Who’s this?” She could hear that it was Christopher’s voice.

  “I’m Lilly’s husband. Who the fuck are you?”

  “Put Lilly on the phone to me.”

  “I guess you’re the new guy in her life. Well, sorry buddy, she won’t be seeing you again.”

  She had another idea. It was her last and only hope.

  “Matt please, just let me say goodbye to Christopher and I promise you I’ll go with you wherever you want me to.”

  “You know what will happen if you lie again.”

  She nodded and he handed her the phone.

  Here was her last chance.

  “Hi Christopher. I just wanted to say goodbye and that Katlin and I enjoyed the picnic by the lake the other day.”

  Would he know what she meant?

  Matt snatched the phone from her, threw it on the ground, and then jumped on it, breaking it in half.

  ****

  Christopher heard the line go dead. He’d sensed something was wrong when she hadn’t called him back, and the reason he’d called again. Lilly was in trouble but she was smart. She’d given him a clue to where she was. The picnic area. He dashed out of the condo, took the stairs three at a time, and then got in his car.

  If he took the back way to the lake, there was less chance of a cop picking him up for speeding or Matt seeing him approaching.

  Shit, what if he’d already taken them away. Would he ever find Lilly again?

  He put his foot down and took every back road he knew. He slowed down when he saw the picnic area up ahead. He pulled in, leaving the car door open and ran toward the small beach area where they’d sat. Lilly…she was on the ground, blood coming from her head. A bulky looking guy was standing over her, fists covered in blood. Katlin was screaming, tears running down her face.

  Christopher couldn’t control his inner bear. He’d killed Lilly and terrified Katlin. Matt would pay big time.

  His transformation into his bear half was swift, he went down on all fours and pounded toward Matt.

  “Jesus, what the hell?” shouted Matt.

  Christopher swiped him across the face with the back of his paw, sending him to the ground.

  He glanced over at Lilly’s battered body. He’d killed the woman he loved.

  Christopher growled and hit Matt harder than he’d intended opening up a large piece of his skull. Dear God, he’d killed him. He’d only intended to injure him.

  Christopher pounded over to Lilly. He nudged her with his nose. The blood. It was overwhelming. He could smell it and it almost choked him. He put his nose closer to her face. She was breathing.

  Lilly was still alive. He could get her to the hospital quicker running with her in his bear form than he could in the car because he could take a shortcut through the woods.

  Katlin pointed at him.

  “Bear, bear. Big bear.”

  One thing bear shifters could do that regular ones couldn’t, was walk on their back legs for long periods of time. He could pick Lilly up in his arms, hoping he didn’t hurt her, and have Katlin ride on his back.

  Christopher went over to her, lifting her and swinging her up. She clung to his neck, tugging on his fur.

  “Bear, give me a ride Mr. Bear.”

  He picked Lilly up, hoping no one was around to see all this, and he could get her help as soon as possible.

  If she died, he would too.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Lilly woke up to see Christopher sitting beside her.

  The last thing she remembered was Matt beating her over and over again and she’d finally blacked out with the pain. Then she’d woken to the strangest dream that she was being carried through some woods and a bear was looking down at her.

  “Hi, welcome back to the world,” said Christopher.

  She looked around. She was in the hospital.

  “What happened?”

  “I brought you to the hospital and you’ve been here for four days. You were unconscious the whole time.”

  She tried to sit up, but the pain in her back and ribs hurt too much.

  “Just relax because you’ve got a couple of broken ribs and a fractured cheekbone.”

  “Matt?”

  “He was the victim of a bear attack,” said Christopher.

  “Bear…you.”

  Christopher put his finger to his lips. “He’s okay. He’s in bad shape in intensive care and I don’t think he’ll be bothering you again. He broke his parole and after the beating he gave you, once he’s out of the hospital he’s going straight back to prison.”

  She closed her eyes. It had been a nightmare but Christopher had saved her. “It was you who carried me through the woods.”

  He rubbed her hand. “Now you can say you’ve seen me in my bear form.”

  “You’re just as handsome with fur and claws. Katlin, what did he do with Katlin?”

  “She’s okay. Your mom and stepdad arrived as soon as they heard what happened and they’ve been taking care of her while I’ve been here with you. She’s also been spending time with Charlotte at the clinic. Eddie’s been their patient.”

  Lilly smiled. “You saved me.”

  “It’s what a bear does for his mate.”

  “How can I ever thank you?”

  “By spending forever and ever with me.”

  “As a bear’s mate?”

  “No, as a bear’s wife.”

  “Sounds like fun. I guess it’s not just Katlin who really loves bears.”

  “Yeah, it must run in your family,” said Christopher leaning over to kiss her.

  The End

  www.vanessadevereaux.com

  Other Books by Vanessa Devereaux:

  www.evernightpublishing.com/vanessa-devereaux

  If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:

  Damaged by Erin M. Leaf

  Enchanting Eilagh by Khloe Wren

  Virgin Wolf by Lynde Lakes

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com