Read Online I Married a Bear by A. T. Mitchell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: A. T. Mitchell
Ads: Link
letting a low growl slip. She wasn't totally wrong, and it was frustrating that the huge flood prevented us from smelling anything besides the dank, wet earth.
“Probably just black bear or birds. Alaska's waking up this time of year. Folks from Denali rarely venture this far out. We're safe here.”
She nodded, grabbed my hand, and squeezed. I had her trust, no matter how much paranoia nipped at us.
We walked on.
Several more miles, and we were on the half-faded paths leading to Spark's stomping grounds.
A tremendous crash rang out behind us. Laura gasped.
I spun, just in time to see several huge trees flattening. Instant thunder formed in my throat, and all my senses were on alert.
My skin prickled, ready to sprout fur and claws if I needed to defend us. Grizzly attacks from real bears were rare, but nothing was impossible this season, when they were coming out of hibernation.
Especially when I was hauling enough meat any bear could smell for smile.
Laura screamed. I didn't have time to calm her down, standing face to face with six hundred pounds of big, furry bear. My knees bent, ready to fall to the ground and shift, when I saw the flicker of recognition in the animal's eyes.
Not a wild one. This bear's one of mine.
The bear stepped forward slowly. No limp, so I knew it wasn't Spark.
“Whoever the hell you are, you better put your bear away now. Where the fuck do you get off startling us way out here?”
The bear shifted quickly. Soft skin threw itself at me, replacing the furry flesh and sheer size that had been so menacing before.
“What's she doing with you so far out, Alpha? She's up to no good. I can sense it.” A feral growl left Hannah's throat.
She clawed at my chest, completely naked, wet strands of hair tangled over her shoulders. I held her back. Fuck, there was that urge to shift again.
I wanted to go full grizzly and knock her in the mud. Too bad I was like three times her size. It was too easy to do serious damage by accident.
An Alpha only used his full force when he had to, and this dumb creature didn't deserve it, no matter how annoying she was.
Didn't like the way she was looking at Laura over my shoulder, though. Not one fucking bit.
“Stop it!” I growled, grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her a good shake. “What the hell's gotten into you? You really think she brought me all the way out here to kill me?”
Hannah pushed away, still snarling with hatred. “You're an amazing man, but you can't see it like I do. She's nothing but trouble. You were paired with her to keep the clan safe...now she's threatening us all by scrambling your head. Can't you see she's drawing you into something unnatural and evil, James?”
I bared my teeth. Using my name rather than my title wasn't appealing to anything, and more than a little offensive coming from a fellow bear.
No doubt about it – Hannah had completely lost her fucking marbles.
“We came to see the Shaman, actually, and it's none of your business. I'm gonna give you three shakes of the claw to turn around, shift, and head back to Denali village where you belong.”
Laura snickered behind me. I was glad her fear faded, but I was deadly serious.
I held up one hand and threatened to begin the count.
“Gods! You really can't see it, can you?” Hannah pointed an accusatory finger straight through me at Laura. “This stupid cat's going to ruin our clan!”
“One...two...” My fingers went up, one by one.
Hannah's wide eyes bugged out at me. Then her face curled in on itself, a sour sneer, and she jumped into the brush, throwing her hair over shoulders. Her shift came so fast and hard she growled.
I didn't turn back to my girl until I heard the sound of twigs breaking under big bear feet.
“What was that all about?” Laura rubbed my shoulders.
“She's fucking nuts. Jealous. Ever since you showed up. She's wanted me to claim her for years, but Hannah's just not my type. Way too paranoid, for one
“Probably just black bear or birds. Alaska's waking up this time of year. Folks from Denali rarely venture this far out. We're safe here.”
She nodded, grabbed my hand, and squeezed. I had her trust, no matter how much paranoia nipped at us.
We walked on.
Several more miles, and we were on the half-faded paths leading to Spark's stomping grounds.
A tremendous crash rang out behind us. Laura gasped.
I spun, just in time to see several huge trees flattening. Instant thunder formed in my throat, and all my senses were on alert.
My skin prickled, ready to sprout fur and claws if I needed to defend us. Grizzly attacks from real bears were rare, but nothing was impossible this season, when they were coming out of hibernation.
Especially when I was hauling enough meat any bear could smell for smile.
Laura screamed. I didn't have time to calm her down, standing face to face with six hundred pounds of big, furry bear. My knees bent, ready to fall to the ground and shift, when I saw the flicker of recognition in the animal's eyes.
Not a wild one. This bear's one of mine.
The bear stepped forward slowly. No limp, so I knew it wasn't Spark.
“Whoever the hell you are, you better put your bear away now. Where the fuck do you get off startling us way out here?”
The bear shifted quickly. Soft skin threw itself at me, replacing the furry flesh and sheer size that had been so menacing before.
“What's she doing with you so far out, Alpha? She's up to no good. I can sense it.” A feral growl left Hannah's throat.
She clawed at my chest, completely naked, wet strands of hair tangled over her shoulders. I held her back. Fuck, there was that urge to shift again.
I wanted to go full grizzly and knock her in the mud. Too bad I was like three times her size. It was too easy to do serious damage by accident.
An Alpha only used his full force when he had to, and this dumb creature didn't deserve it, no matter how annoying she was.
Didn't like the way she was looking at Laura over my shoulder, though. Not one fucking bit.
“Stop it!” I growled, grabbing her by the shoulders and giving her a good shake. “What the hell's gotten into you? You really think she brought me all the way out here to kill me?”
Hannah pushed away, still snarling with hatred. “You're an amazing man, but you can't see it like I do. She's nothing but trouble. You were paired with her to keep the clan safe...now she's threatening us all by scrambling your head. Can't you see she's drawing you into something unnatural and evil, James?”
I bared my teeth. Using my name rather than my title wasn't appealing to anything, and more than a little offensive coming from a fellow bear.
No doubt about it – Hannah had completely lost her fucking marbles.
“We came to see the Shaman, actually, and it's none of your business. I'm gonna give you three shakes of the claw to turn around, shift, and head back to Denali village where you belong.”
Laura snickered behind me. I was glad her fear faded, but I was deadly serious.
I held up one hand and threatened to begin the count.
“Gods! You really can't see it, can you?” Hannah pointed an accusatory finger straight through me at Laura. “This stupid cat's going to ruin our clan!”
“One...two...” My fingers went up, one by one.
Hannah's wide eyes bugged out at me. Then her face curled in on itself, a sour sneer, and she jumped into the brush, throwing her hair over shoulders. Her shift came so fast and hard she growled.
I didn't turn back to my girl until I heard the sound of twigs breaking under big bear feet.
“What was that all about?” Laura rubbed my shoulders.
“She's fucking nuts. Jealous. Ever since you showed up. She's wanted me to claim her for years, but Hannah's just not my type. Way too paranoid, for one
Similar Books
