Read Online Bear With Me (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance) by Jasmine White - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jasmine White
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could see nothing ahead of me and nothing behind me; all I could do was to trust my feet to carry me back into the world of light and fresh air. Even worse than the thought of what was to come was imagining myself trapped in here, suffocating and claustrophobic. If I could have one wish before I died, I thought fervently, it would be to taste fresh air just once more.
Around just one more corner, my wish came true.
I grimaced as bright white light glared down on us and a soft breeze floated down and caressed my cheek, drawing us back up to the surface like blooming flowers. David’s hand squeezed mine and, together, we raced up the rest of the steps and out onto the mountain’s ridge.
We were on top of the world. Around us, was an ocean of trees – pale, ragged figures who had been stripped of their foliage clothing – whilst far away on the ledge of the horizon was the faintest silhouette of a city. I could see everywhere I had been – my whole life’s journey – and behind me lay the ending to my story.
I swallowed hard, the enormity of the moment almost overwhelming me.
“Come.” David drew me close, his arm slipping around my waist. “We’re almost there. We’ll find your mother soon.”
My mother … And in what state would we find her?
I shook the thought out of my mind. It was irrelevant. The point was, I would know. The point was I would be with her once more. For one, final time.
“Okay,” I said, my voice fiercer than I felt. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
*
We heard them long before we saw them. The shadow of a low, throaty growl rose and multiplied behind us, becoming louder and louder as new voices were added to the harmony until it reached such a crescendo that the blood in my veins felt like ice and my skin was prickling with static-like energy. My hand, clasped tightly in David’s, was cold and clammy.
Every flickering shadow of a figure made me flinch, whether it was a low, loping, four-legged form, or the slinking shape of a two-legged beast. Each one caused a shudder to run down my spine and my breath to catch in my throat.
But not a single one suggested a threat. We were left well alone. Our passage to the peak was unhindered.
Winding our way along the ridge that spiralled upwards, we passed numerous caves imbedded in the mountainside at regular, frequent intervals. They were too dark and we passed by them too briefly to be able to see inside, but every now and then a pair of bright amber eyes, narrowed in suspicion, would follow us and the sunlight would glint off a set of shining sharp teeth. Behind us I could hear the distinctive pad pad pad of innumerable sets of paws dogging our steps and blocking off any chance of escape we might have considered.
I kept my own eyes firmly on the path ahead of us, refusing to allow myself to becoming scared. I had come too far to be a coward now.
By the time the very top of the mountain was in sight, we had acquired quite the crowd of followers at our heels, all eager to see how this would play out. Closest to us, practically under our feet, were pups and barely clothed children who ran between our legs, trying to catch the attention of these strangers. The older members of the pack hung a little way back as though fearful of coming too close.
Their fear gave me strength and I raised my chin defiantly, ready to face whatever was awaiting us.
“David.”
We froze instantly at the sound of the low rasping voice coming from somewhere above us. David drew me close to his side protectively, his head turning this way and that, searching for the source of the voice.
“Come out!” he commanded. I hoped that I was the only one who could hear the tremor in voice. “Come out, Lupion!”
“As you wish.”
I jumped with a startled cry as a huge, dark figure landed with a thump less than a metre in front us. The wolf looked up at us, its lips drawn back in an unnaturally human smile. It was a lank and ragged creature who had
Around just one more corner, my wish came true.
I grimaced as bright white light glared down on us and a soft breeze floated down and caressed my cheek, drawing us back up to the surface like blooming flowers. David’s hand squeezed mine and, together, we raced up the rest of the steps and out onto the mountain’s ridge.
We were on top of the world. Around us, was an ocean of trees – pale, ragged figures who had been stripped of their foliage clothing – whilst far away on the ledge of the horizon was the faintest silhouette of a city. I could see everywhere I had been – my whole life’s journey – and behind me lay the ending to my story.
I swallowed hard, the enormity of the moment almost overwhelming me.
“Come.” David drew me close, his arm slipping around my waist. “We’re almost there. We’ll find your mother soon.”
My mother … And in what state would we find her?
I shook the thought out of my mind. It was irrelevant. The point was, I would know. The point was I would be with her once more. For one, final time.
“Okay,” I said, my voice fiercer than I felt. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
*
We heard them long before we saw them. The shadow of a low, throaty growl rose and multiplied behind us, becoming louder and louder as new voices were added to the harmony until it reached such a crescendo that the blood in my veins felt like ice and my skin was prickling with static-like energy. My hand, clasped tightly in David’s, was cold and clammy.
Every flickering shadow of a figure made me flinch, whether it was a low, loping, four-legged form, or the slinking shape of a two-legged beast. Each one caused a shudder to run down my spine and my breath to catch in my throat.
But not a single one suggested a threat. We were left well alone. Our passage to the peak was unhindered.
Winding our way along the ridge that spiralled upwards, we passed numerous caves imbedded in the mountainside at regular, frequent intervals. They were too dark and we passed by them too briefly to be able to see inside, but every now and then a pair of bright amber eyes, narrowed in suspicion, would follow us and the sunlight would glint off a set of shining sharp teeth. Behind us I could hear the distinctive pad pad pad of innumerable sets of paws dogging our steps and blocking off any chance of escape we might have considered.
I kept my own eyes firmly on the path ahead of us, refusing to allow myself to becoming scared. I had come too far to be a coward now.
By the time the very top of the mountain was in sight, we had acquired quite the crowd of followers at our heels, all eager to see how this would play out. Closest to us, practically under our feet, were pups and barely clothed children who ran between our legs, trying to catch the attention of these strangers. The older members of the pack hung a little way back as though fearful of coming too close.
Their fear gave me strength and I raised my chin defiantly, ready to face whatever was awaiting us.
“David.”
We froze instantly at the sound of the low rasping voice coming from somewhere above us. David drew me close to his side protectively, his head turning this way and that, searching for the source of the voice.
“Come out!” he commanded. I hoped that I was the only one who could hear the tremor in voice. “Come out, Lupion!”
“As you wish.”
I jumped with a startled cry as a huge, dark figure landed with a thump less than a metre in front us. The wolf looked up at us, its lips drawn back in an unnaturally human smile. It was a lank and ragged creature who had
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