Who Bears Wins: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Return To Bear Bluff Book 4)

by Harmony Raines

  Table of Contents

  Copyright

  Foreword

  Chapter One – Caleb

  Chapter Two – Zoe

  Chapter Three – Caleb

  Chapter Four – Zoe

  Chapter Five – Caleb

  Chapter Six – Zoe

  Chapter Seven – Caleb

  Chapter Eight – Zoe

  Chapter Nine – Caleb

  Chapter Ten – Zoe

  Chapter Eleven – Caleb

  Chapter Twelve – Zoe

  Chapter Thirteen – Caleb

  Chapter Fourteen – Zoe

  Chapter Fifteen – Caleb

  Chapter Sixteen – Zoe

  Chapter Seventeen – Caleb

  Chapter Eighteen – Zoe

  Get In Touch

  Also By Harmony Raines

  Who Bears Wins

  Return to Bear Bluff

  (Book Four)

  ***

  All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written consent of the author or publisher.

  This is a work of fiction and is intended for mature audiences only. All characters within are eighteen years of age or older. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or places is purely coincidental.

  © 2016 Harmony Raines

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  Who Bears Wins

  When bear shifter, Caleb, meets Zoe, he realizes returning to Bear Bluff is not a choice, it’s a necessity. One look at his mate and he’s ready to settle down and start a family—with an emphasis on practicing baby making, of course. In fact, he’s willing to start making babies right now…

  But Zoe isn’t sure that’s what she wants. At all. Not when she has her teenage brother, Tony, to keep out of jail.

  Tony is the reason she gave up her old life and move to a town filled with big, broad, bear shifters. Not the ideal place to live when your side is … well … smaller. And fluffier, with a cute bobtail.

  Can Zoe dare to take a chance on Caleb?

  When Caleb takes Dylan’s offer and goes to work at Bear Bluff Construction, just so he can help Tony get himself straight, she begins to think that maybe she can.

  Settling down and starting a family though, that was never part of her plans, not when her own mom was never there for her and Tony. Afraid she might be a terrible mother too, only Caleb can persuade her to take a chance.

  How can she resist her bear? Find out in Who Bears Wins.

  Chapter One – Caleb

  “I’m the best there is when it comes to carpentry,” Caleb said, not wanting to sound obnoxious, but it was true. “That means my time comes at a premium.”

  “Of course it does,” Dylan agreed. “But there are perks to this job that you won’t find anywhere else.”

  “What kind of perks?” Caleb asked. He knew Dylan was a shrewd businessman, but he wasn’t about to be sweet-talked out of the wage he was worth.

  “I’ll show you.” Dylan walked out of his office and then out into the fresh morning air.

  Winter wasn’t far off, Caleb could smell it in the air; the first snows would be with them soon. He was looking forward to being back in Bear Bluff, living here, rather than the short visits he had squeezed in over the years.

  Of course, that was how Dylan was going to sell it. And he had a point.

  “You are a devious man,” Caleb said to Dylan. “Before you start the hard sell, I get it. If I work for you, I get to move back home.”

  Dylan grinned. “You’re a bright guy.” Then he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at the yard, where the day’s activity was well underway. “This is a new venture. It has to be profitable—I’ve invested a lot of my personal fortune in it, and I need it to work. But I also want it to work. We’re taking on young offenders, or those who might not have any proper qualifications, but do have a will to work. It means the payroll is top-heavy. I already have a couple of people working under Jordan, but I need more men like you willing to help train them up, give them a fighting chance in this world.”

  Caleb considered what Dylan was saying. “It’s a good idea, a noble idea. But does it make good business sense? I don’t want to move back to Bear Bluff, and rely on this job, if it’s not going to exist in six months’ time.”

  “I’m an optimist,” Dylan said.

  “And I’m a realist,” Caleb countered.

  “Look, this works out well for all of us. We are training a new workforce, so the business will expand when the kids are fully trained. Right now, I only have four youngsters, three young men and a young lady, who can lay bricks faster than any of her peers. All shifters.” Dylan made a point of saying this, and Caleb understood why. Teenage years, once the onslaught of puberty hit, were difficult enough. Throw in the ability to shift, and things got on the wrong side of interesting.

  “I don’t know, Dylan. I admire you, but I’m not looking to become a babysitter.” Caleb watched two young men loading up a trailer, remembering what it was like to be that age. It was tough, getting that first job, getting someone to believe in you, especially when you had no qualifications. “I’ll give it some thought.”

  “That’s all I’m asking.” Dylan walked back toward the office. “How long are you in town for?”

  “Only five days. A quick visit, with a view to coming back here permanently, if I have the right job offer and can find a place to live.” He surveyed the yard again. It would be so much easier if in five days he was heading back to the city to hand in his notice. His goal was to come back to Bear Bluff, to help look after his mom who was unwell. They were waiting for test results, but whatever happened Caleb had decided to move back here as soon as he could. His dad could manage, but it would be easier all round if he was here too.

  Or maybe it was simply a way of giving himself a reason to come back, to come home. Not that he needed one, but he had a good job, with as much work as he could handle, making bespoke kitchens for the rich city folk who had more money than sense. He would be a fool to walk away from it on a whim.

  However, there was another burning reason he thought the move would be good for him. His need to find a mate. He’d got himself a sizable nest egg. But no nest. Or at least, no female to share his nest with.

  Enough with the bird analogies, he told himself. He should just take Dylan’s job. The money he’d earn would be more than enough to live on. If he sold his house in the city, he would be able to buy a house with some land, and still have a lump sum left over.

  “Let me know what you decide. I’ll keep the job open for you,” Dylan said, and then his attention was pulled away from Caleb and he looked across the yard. “Will you excuse me?”

  Dylan didn’t wait for an answer, walking straight past Caleb and across the yard. Not that Caleb noticed: he was too busy trying to figure out what had come over him. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up on end, and a swirling sensation in his stomach made him wonder if, when he stopped at the diner on the way over here, he had eaten something bad.

&n
bsp; But it had tasted fine, the eggs were cooked, the bacon crispy, and the coffee hot. No, this had to be something else.

  Turning to look around, his attention rested on the car that had driven into the yard. Dylan was going to meet whoever was in the car, and Caleb felt a stab of jealousy in his gut. He had to get over there now. However, the sensations inside him ramped up until he had to stop and lean against the wall of one of the warehouses.

  What was wrong?

  Then he saw her. And she saw him. Their eyes locked, and she stood staring up at Caleb, frozen halfway out of the car, completely ignoring Dylan, who was talking to her.

  His heart hammered in his chest as if he was about to have a seizure.

  She knew. He knew.

  They knew exactly what they were to each other. Only whereas he felt elated, she looked as pissed as hell.

  Chapter Two – Zoe

  “Not now,” she muttered, and then realized Dylan thought she was talking to him. “Sorry. Not you.”

  “Then who?” Dylan asked, his head turning to follow her gaze. “Oh. Oh, wow.”

  “That good?” she asked, her heart beating fast in her chest. If this was another of Dylan’s people who needed a break, walking toward her, she was going to scream. Loudly. It was bad enough she had spent the morning searching for her brother; she did not need someone else to keep in order. Zoe had nothing against second chances—what Dylan was trying to do was amazing, she just couldn’t handle anything else, not right now.

  “Oh, he’s very good.” Dylan hooked his hand under her elbow, and pulled her toward the man who was making her world tilt on its axis. “I’ll introduce you.”

  She should’ve pulled away, but she couldn’t. This man was her mate and there was no way she could run from him, even if she wanted to. However, good man or not, a relationship right now would only complicate her life when all she wanted to do was simplify it.

  “Caleb, this is Zoe. Zoe, Caleb.” Dylan drew her along with him until they were face to face with Caleb, and then he said, “Maybe you may reconsider my offer, under the circumstances.”

  Caleb looked dumbstruck and didn’t answer, which didn’t faze Dylan, who grinned and made his way toward his office. “I’m sure Caleb will be more than willing to help you look for Tony. When you find him, I’d like a word. He needs to be aware he’s on his last chance.” Dylan turned back toward them. “No. I have a better idea. Caleb, if you are taking the job, you can start today, and Tony can be under your skillful hands.”

  Caleb still stood staring at her, before raising his eyes to look at Dylan. “Sure.”

  “Sure? Do you even know what Dylan asked you?” Zoe tried to snap Caleb out of his stupor.

  Caleb shook his head, as if shaking off a dream. “No.”

  She huffed and folded her arms across her chest, if only to stop him staring at her breasts; a woman could hope. “Hey. Up here, buddy.” Caleb’s eyes came back into focus, and he took a step back as if she had struck him. “Listen, I know what this looks like, but I’m sure there’s some mistake.”

  “No mistake,” he said, looking at her intently.

  “We’ll see about that.” She looked him up and down, taking in his broad shoulders, toned thighs, and the six-pack barely concealed under his T-shirt. “You’re a bear, right?”

  “Yes.”

  Great, a dumbass bear. If it had to be one of these guys, could she not have at least been mated with one who had brains? Fate had it in for her, all right.

  “I have to go and find my brother. You can stay here.” She turned to move away, ignoring the pull of him. She was not in the mood to be shackled to some large meathead. Ignoring the sense of being pulled back toward him as if she were stuck in his gravity, she walked back to her car.

  If Tony wasn’t here, then she had to find out where he was. This was the third time in the last week her brother hadn’t come home, and hadn’t made it into work on time. She knew, as did Tony, that they were lucky Dylan had given Tony a chance. It was only because Declan, the sheriff of Bear Bluff, had put in a good word for him that Tony had a job. A job with good prospects, if only he would make an effort.

  “I’ll come with you,” Caleb said, catching her up.

  “I’ll be quicker on my own,” she brushed him off, although she wanted him to come with her. She had looked everywhere she thought Tony might be, but she hadn’t lived in Bear Bluff for long, and was out of ideas.

  “I know Bear Bluff. I know where the kids go,” Caleb said, sounding confident. “Let me help, and if I’m not any help, at least I’ll be company.”

  “OK,” she agreed, simply because it was the easiest thing to do. Ever since she had set eyes on Caleb, her inner self had decided to be strong and insistent, trying to persuade Zoe to let their mate join them on their chase around town for her brother. Most other times, her inner beast—Zoe smiled at that thought—was content to sit in the corner and let Zoe get on with things.

  “Where have you looked so far?” Caleb asked.

  “The diner, the pond, the library—I heard kids sometimes head in there, and dare each other to get locked in at night,” she said, the tiredness in her voice evidence of the worry that seemed to be her constant shadow. She couldn’t seem to get through to her brother; nothing she said made him do the right thing. He must be aware of the consequences of his actions, but he chose to ignore them.

  “Does he sleep over at a friend’s house at all?” Caleb asked.

  “Gee, why didn’t I think of that?” she asked as she pulled out onto the road, then instantly felt bad. “I’m sorry, I have no real idea who his friends are. We only moved here three weeks ago and Tony has kept his new friends secret from me.”

  “Three weeks, that’s not long, your brother’s still finding his feet, and seeing where he fits in.” Caleb paused and then asked, “Why did you move here?”

  “Is it against the law to just move to a new town?” she asked sharply. Zoe looked out of the window, her eyes scanning the mountains all around them. “For all I know, he could be up there.”

  “Let’s go and ask around town. If there’s no sign of him, we can check the lower slopes. Although unless we pick up his scent, it’s going to be impossible to track him.”

  “I know.” She went over the last conversation she had with Tony, trying to figure out if she’d done something or said something to make him run off. “I don’t see why he hasn’t called.”

  “Because he knows he’s in trouble.” Caleb lifted a hand and was about to put it on hers, but he saw her tense and placed it back down in his thigh. “How old is he?”

  “Seventeen.”

  “What’s his story?” Caleb asked, catching her sharp look. “Listen, it would help if I knew what we were dealing with. No offense, but he’s working for Dylan, who is running a program for kids who need a fresh start, and you are new in town. If I got it wrong, I’m sorry, but I’m assuming you moved here so Tony could work for Dylan.”

  “We did.” She looked across at him. “I’m sorry about the way I spoke to you. I can see you are trying to help. I’m not feeling myself.”

  “It’s a shock, I feel it too. When I woke up this morning, I never thought I would find my mate. Not that I’m not ecstatic about finding you,” he added quickly.

  She laughed. “I’m glad one of us is,” she said, parking the car on the street outside the cinema. “Another place I’ve heard the kids sneak into.”

  “Hey, wait a minute, before you get out. Are you saying you aren’t happy we are mates?” He looked confused. “Isn’t this what we spend our whole lives looking for? Our mate, so we can settle down and have a family.”

  “There’s more to life than procreation,” she said, opening the car door and getting out. She’d slammed it closed and was heading for the movie theater entrance before he even had the door open.

  “Hey, wait. You can’t just ignore me,” he said, catching hold of her arm and turning her to him.

  “You know what? Yes, I c
an. I don’t have to have anything to do with you. There is no rule, no law that says I have to be with you.”

  “What exactly has bitten you in the ass?” he asked.

  She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. What was she supposed to say? I want to avoid you because ever since I met you all I can think about is how I want to drag you off to bed and fuck your brains out, but I can’t because I have to find my selfish brother.

  Yeah, that would be truthful, but would not get her closer to finding Tony. “I’m sorry.” Those two words seemed to be her mantra today. “But I have to find Tony.”

  “Then I’ll show you how to sneak in. That way, if he is in there, no one’s going to get into trouble.” He took her hand and she didn’t object when he led her around the back of the building.

  “You aren’t just trying to find somewhere private?” she asked.

  “For what?” Realization spread across his face, and she couldn’t help blushing.

  He chuckled. “Oh, honey, when I claim you for the first time, it is not going to be in some back alley.”

  “Who says you are going to claim me?” she taunted.

  He studied her again and then shrugged. “If you want to do the claiming, that’s fine with me. I’m all for equal opportunities.”

  “That’s not what I meant,” she protested.

  “It’s not what you are ever going to say, but it sure as hell is what you are thinking.” He put his hand up to stop her talking. “Please do not do either of us the disservice of saying it’s not. You want to believe you can ignore this, then fine, I’ll go along with it until we’ve found your brother. After that, well, I think we both know what’s going to happen.”

  “No, we don’t!” But she did: deep down, she knew there was no escaping what was between them. That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to fight it. Even if she was on her own in that battle, since the small furry animal inside of her was in raptures over their newfound mate.