Read Online Bear in the Rough: Bear Shifter Romance (Broken Hill Bears Book 1) by Ariana Hawkes - Free Book Online Page A

coming to life. Freya clasped her hands together, waiting. Hoping. He looked a little stunned, but he was up. He wiped his arm across his face and waved, letting everyone know he was good to continue. Troy didn’t give him a second to recover, launching himself at him again, both fists blazing. With an expression of disbelief on his face, Xander aimed a high kick, which connected with his jaw, sending him spinning. Freya cheered. The bell rang. Xander slumped down in his corner.
    Freya discovered that she was trembling with nerves. In this moment, she wanted this big, strong man to win more than anything. He was a decent being; she felt that strongly. He hadn’t resorted to any dirty tricks, despite the constant onslaught from Troy. He just fought hard and fair. She looked hard into his face and saw the strain; recognized that he was dying for the fight to be over.
    As the bell rang, he got to his feet, his huge shoulders bunched and his fists up high. Troy looked lazy in comparison. He thought he was winning; that he just had to fend his opponent off for a couple more rounds. He was wrong. Xander strode over to him, drew his arm right back, and landed a massive punch right in Troy’s face. Troy’s head snapped back, a spray of blood burst from his face, following the trajectory of the blow, and he staggered. The stadium went silent again. He took two steps backward, held his arms out to the side for balance, then, with an almighty crash, he fell to the ground.
    He didn’t move, for the full ten seconds of the count.
    The referee bounded into the ring and seized Xander’s arm.
    “The fight is over. I declare Xander the Great, of The Broken Hill Bears, the winner, and new Bear Wrestling Champion!” he bellowed, and pulled Xander’s arm up high in the air. Xander’s tired face lit with a grin, and the crowd went wild. Freya realized that her cheeks were damp with tears. It had been the most tense, emotional few minutes of her life. And she was so proud of this man-bear fighter.
    As Troy continued to lie unconscious on the mat, Xander paraded around the ring, massive fists raised in victory.
    “Xander, are you going to let the audience know how you feel?” the compère shouted over the screaming of the crowd. With a broad grin, Xander snatched the mike that was offered to him.
    “I guess Troy’s parents should’ve researched his name before they gave it to him,” Xander bellowed. “Because – do you know what it means? It means a town that fell. It fell because its occupants were as dumb as shit and they let themselves get tricked.” He paused as the crowd roared their approval. “Well, I’m telling you, I didn’t have to trick this motherfucker tonight! I just beat him fair and square. Because that’s what Xander the Great does! And if any more of those losers from the Black Paws want to fight me, I’ll conquer all your asses too!” The volume of screams and whoops doubled again, and Freya joined in with the rest. There was something so compelling about this man’s words. He was smart, she could tell. He knew stuff.
    Xander handed the mike back, gave a final victory salute, and climbed out of the ring. But, instead of walking toward the tunnel, he exited on the other side, the side closest to Freya. He jumped down from the platform, and suddenly, he was standing right in front of her. Only a pane of glass separating them. Up close, he was even more huge and muscular than he’d seemed on stage. His skin was deeply tanned and streaked with blood and sweat, and his eyes were two dark pools of intensity. Freya drank in the sight of him, unable to believe that he was almost within touching distance. And then he came right up to the glass. Those dark eyes looked into her own, with such soulfulness. His lips parted and he mouthed the words, “thank you”. He laid his hand flat on the glass, long, thick fingers spread. Her heart fluttering in her chest, Freya instinctively reached out with her own hand and