SNOW AND THE BEAR
By
Natalie Kristen
PARANORMAL ROMANCES by NATALIE KRISTEN
GRIMM BEARS
Red and the Bear (Book 1)
Snow and the Bear (Book 2)
GRAY BEARS series
Marrying The Bear (Book 1)
Loving The Bear (Book 2)
Mating The Bear (Book 3)
Tempting The Bear (Book 4)
Taming The Lion (Book 5)
Embracing The Lion (Book 6)
BEAR HEAT series
Bear's Bride (Book 1)
Bear's Kiss (Book 2)
Bear's Claim (Book 3)
Bear's Baby (Book 4)
Bear's Heart (Book 5)
Bear's Match (Book 6)
DRAGON HEAT
Taken by the Billionaire Dragon (Book 1)
Desired by the Billionaire Dragon (Book 2)
Bear Brides
A Bride For The Bear
A Date For The Bear
A Wife For The Bear
A Mate For The Bear
Billionaire Bear Shifters Romance
Taken By The Bear
Owned By The Bear
Saved By The Bear
MISTY VALLEY SHIFTERS
Growl For Me
Fight For Me
Purrfect For Me
MATE series
Alpha Mate
Bear Mate
Vampire Mate
Wolf Mate
Wild Mate
Dark Mate
Blood Mate
NORTH WOLVES
To Kill A Wolf
Copyright © 2016 Natalie Kristen
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously or are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual locales, events, establishments or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
About this Book
The last thing Whitney Snow remembers is plunging down the steep side of a mountain.
She was supposed to die in the crash.
Whitney comes to with the terrible knowledge that someone is trying to kill her.
She cannot trust anyone, except that gorgeous, gentle stranger who saved her from the fiery wreck of her car.
When Hans Grimm pulls a brave, beautiful woman from the burning wreckage, he is amazed to find that she is his mate.
Hans vows to protect Whitney and what is rightfully hers. There is more to Whitney Snow than she remembers. Much, much more.
Someone wants to destroy Whitney and silence her forever.
What are the secrets that Whitney is hiding, secrets that she seems to have forgotten?
* * * * *
CHAPTER ONE
Whitney drummed her nails on the steering wheel and glanced at her watch. Shit, she was going to be late.
She couldn't afford to be late. Not for this meeting.
She had started out early and given herself plenty of time to get to the head office of Snow White Cosmetics. The research department of Snow White Cosmetics was housed in a remote, run-down industrial park, far away from the city center where the swanky head office was located.
Whitney blew out a long breath. Twelve years.
She had been working in the overloaded and often overlooked research department for twelve long but fulfilling years. She had learned so much for her fellow researchers and scientists. The research department really was the heart of Snow White Cosmetics. The department was responsible for coming up with new and innovative products for the company. Her colleagues in the department were mostly quiet and introverted, but they had the most brilliant, creative and scientific minds.
The researchers were all long-serving, loyal staff of Snow White Cosmetics. Some of them had been with the company for decades. They took pride in their work and were dedicated to coming up with quality beauty products for the company.
Snow White Cosmetics had grown from a small cosmetic shop to a well-known global brand.
It was Whitney's grandmother who had founded Snow White Cosmetics. Margaret White had started by concocting creams and lotions from all-natural ingredients right in her little kitchen. She had given the jars of fragrant lotions to friends and neighbors, and before long, she had a long line of customers on the waiting list. And Snow White Cosmetics was born.
When Margaret White retired, she handed the business over to her son, Whitney's father. Whitney's father was an astute businessman and he set up the research department and recruited the best researchers and chemists. The company became famous for its quality beauty products and exquisite perfumes. From a thriving family business, Snow White Cosmetics grew into a multi-million dollar cosmetics empire.
But her father died when Whitney was eighteen. Her stepmother, Queenie Snow, took over as Chairman of the company. Whitney wasn't allowed to step foot in the head office. Instead, she was relegated to the dim and distant research department, far away from the head office where important decisions were made and lucrative deals were signed.
But Whitney had inherited her grandmother's talent for coming up with wonderful, delightful lotions, powders and perfumes. Whitney knew her stepmother didn't want her in the large house, so she moved out and rented a modest apartment near her workplace. She was paid very little as a junior researcher but Whitney had never been a spendthrift. She had her savings and she bought herself a neat little hatchback.
Her colleagues in the research department knew that she was the daughter of their late Chairman and the granddaughter of the founder of the company. But they treated her as just a fellow researcher. If they knew of her troubles with her stepmother, they never mentioned it or asked her about it. They were generous with their knowledge and they mentored her well, but they weren't gossips and busybodies. They just kept their mouths shut and worked.
Whitney tooted her horn again.
Damn! This meeting was important. It was very, very important, and she couldn't afford to be late. It took more than an hour to drive from the far-flung research building to the head office. Time was ticking away. She had fifty, no, forty minutes left to get to the city center.
The mammoth truck in front of her belched out a thick plume of smoke and lurched to a sudden stop. Whitney slapped her hand to her forehead and cursed when she saw the hazard lights come on.
“Nooooo...” She glanced at her watch and swore through gritted teeth. “Not now, damn it! Don't you break down now!”
Whitney twisted in the driver's seat to stare at the empty road behind her. She was on a very narrow, winding mountain road. It was the only way to get from the industrial park to the highway leading to the city.
There was only one lane for vehicles going up and one lane for vehicles coming down. At the moment, it looked like only her car and the big, broken-down truck were stuck on the mountain but she couldn’t be sure. She couldn't see the cars coming round the bend.
Whitney grabbed her phone, scowled and threw it down on the passenger seat. All the directors of the company would be there. She had to get there on time. She couldn't be late for this meeting. She had to try to find a way to get off this mountain road and get on the highway.
CHAPTER TWO
Turning her head, Whitney stared at the guardrail snaking
along the side of the road. Beyond the guardrail was a very steep drop. Whitney whistled nervously through her teeth. If someone were to lose control round the bend and veer off the road, the guardrail wasn't going to stop the car from crashing to the bottom of the deep ravine.
There had been a few accidents over the years. A billionaire who was being investigated for fraud and was reportedly on the brink of bankruptcy had driven his Porsche over the edge. His body had never been found. There was wild animals in the forest, and some speculated that his body had either been eaten by scavengers, or he had never been in the car in the first place. It was just an elaborate hoax to escape his creditors and a long prison term.
Whitney's eyes drifted to the warning sign at the side of the road. Large signs had been put up at regular intervals to warn drivers of the hazardous terrain and reminding them to slow down.
Whitney swore under her breath. How long was she going to be stuck behind the truck? She was just about to get out of the car when she saw the truck driver's arm stick out of his window and wave at her. There was a strange-looking tattoo on his beefy forearm.
Whitney squinted at the tattoo. It showed an ornate mirror reflecting a distorted, leering face. The face seemed to be laughing at her. Curving around the mirror were the words “Magic Mirror” in cursive script.
Whitney forced her eyes away from the bizarre tattoo and frowned. She couldn't see the truck driver's face, but he was waving his large, meaty hand in a forward motion that every motorist recognized. He was telling her to overtake him.
Whitney sat up straight in her seat and craned her neck. She couldn't see any cars coming up the road in the opposite direction. If she drove quickly, she could zoom past the huge, stalled truck and be on her way.
She looked at the waving arm and saw the driver give her the thumbs-up sign. From his position, the truck driver had a much clearer view of the road ahead. Surely he would warn her if there were cars heading her way. He probably knew he would be stuck here for quite some time and he didn't want to hold her up. They were the only two vehicles on the road, and well, he clearly didn't need her help. He was giving her the signal to go, go, go.
Taking a deep breath, Whitney released the brake and put her car in gear. The road behind and in front of her looked clear. Carefully, she edged her car out from behind the truck and accelerated. She had to be quick or she might just collide head on with an oncoming vehicle that was driving too fast up the mountain. And it would be her fault, since she was the one on the wrong side of the road.
Whitney turned her head slightly so she could wave an acknowledgment to the truck driver.
But she never had the chance to see his face.
The truck roared to life suddenly and swerved sharply towards Whitney's car.
Whitney stomped on the brake and wrenched the steering wheel forcefully, trying to regain control of her car. Her scream was choked off as the big, screeching truck smashed into the side of her car and sent her little car skidding towards the guardrail.
The truck didn't stop. It slammed into her car and kept moving. It was trying to run her off the road.
“Stop!” Whitney screamed. “What the hell! Stop! Help!”
There was a screech of tires and the terrible sound of metal being crushed. Whitney kept screaming as she tried to reverse and get her car back on the road.
She twisted round and stared straight at the truck driver as he gunned the engine of his monstrous vehicle. His eyes seemed to glow and turn feral as he prepared to ram into the back of her car once more. Whitney shook her head in horror. She could see claws jutting from the tips of his fingers, and fangs seemed to be protruding from his snarling mouth. Was he turning into...an animal, a beast, a monster?
The truck smashed violently into her car and she lurched forward. “No!”
Her eyes widened in terror and disbelief as she stared at the precipitous drop before her. Her little car swayed like a see-saw as it clung to the edge of the sharp incline.
She heard the roar of the truck engine, followed by a deafening, screaming crash.
Whitney opened her mouth but no sound escaped as her car hurtled from the edge and plummeted headlong into the deep, forested ravine.
I don't want to die, was her last defiant thought. Not like this.
CHAPTER THREE
Hans Grimm wandered off the hiking trail and ventured deeper into the forest. The terrain was treacherous and very dangerous. The slope of the mountain was very steep, and one wrong step would mean hurtling to his death. But Hans relished the challenge. He liked pushing himself, testing his limits and conquering new heights.
He inched past some thorns and continued his ascent. If he continued climbing, he would reach the mountain road. He would haul himself up over the guardrail and hike down the nicely paved road. There was just a narrow path for cyclists, but hardly anyone cycled up the steep, winding mountain road. He could just walk along the cycling path and head back to town for dinner.
Other people went to the gym at the end of the work week. But every Friday, Hans headed outdoors and took a hike. Hans would finish his work early on Fridays and be out of the office by the afternoon. He usually spent his weekends working so Friday afternoon was the only time he could get out of the office and head out to the great outdoors.
His brothers thought he took extreme sports to the extreme. Even Derek, who was younger and supposedly fitter than him, refused to join him on his weekly nature walks. “It's not a walk,” Derek had spluttered. “It's mountain trekking, rock climbing and a triathlon all rolled into one afternoon!”
Hans's foot slipped on a loose rock and instinctively, his claws stabbed out and dug into the bark of a nearby tree to anchor him. His bear would always rise when the human was in danger. His animal lurked just below the surface even when he was in human form. His brothers, Jack and Derek, were bear shifters like him. But they didn't shift often into bear form. The Grimm brothers ran one of the largest corporate groups in the country, the Grimm Group, and well, let's just say that sprouting fur and growling at everyone across the meeting table wasn't the best way to win over clients and business partners.
Hans was the Chief Operating Officer of the Grimm Group, and he had a good head for dates and details. He was always on time, on target, and he always planned ahead. He even planned his hiking route, so that he would know exactly where he would end up.
Hans squinted up against the afternoon sun and pricked his ears. There was a loud boom and he thought he heard a woman screaming. Very few cars traveled along the mountain road, and he hadn't heard much traffic sounds during the last hour.
Hans jerked at the sound of a louder crash. He heard the explosion and there was the acrid smell of smoke and petrol.
Hans scrambled down the slope, following the terrible burning smell. He could see the orange glow of flames flickering between the trees some distance away.
His claws pushed out as he ran, and his form became broader and bigger as his bear rose to give him strength and speed. Hans reached the burning wreckage and roared.
There was a woman trapped inside the overturned car. She was bleeding and groaning. She must be in terrible pain yet she was still struggling to free herself. She didn't give up and she didn't just lie there helplessly waiting for death. Her hands were tugging weakly at her seat belt and her body was jerking and twitching, as though she were trying to wriggle out of the driver's seat.
Hans shifted fully into bear and ripped the car door away. He used his claws to slash at her seat belt. The woman's upper body tumbled out but her legs were trapped.
The fire was spreading fast. Almost the whole car was engulfed in flames. Hans punched through the windscreen and tore the steering wheel out. He shredded the car seat and ripped away metal, plastic and fabric to free the woman's legs.
He managed to drag the woman out just as the car erupted into a furious ball of flames. Hans threw himself over the woman to shield her. He could feel the fire
singeing his fur, but he didn't move away. He crouched over the unconscious woman, covering her with his own body.
Glancing quickly over his shoulder, Hans choked on the suffocating black smoke and quickly threw the woman onto his back. He headed downhill, carrying her away from the fire as fast as he could. He finally found a clear spot by a meandering stream and laid her down.
Shifting back to human form, Hans cradled the woman's head gently as he scooped up the cool stream water in his large palm. He dripped the water onto her lips and into her mouth. When he tried to smooth her hair away from the gash on her forehead, she flinched and opened her eyes.
“You're safe,” Hans told her in a clear, firm voice. “I'll get you to the hospital...”
“No! No...” She gripped his hand with surprising strength. Her eyes were wild and fierce. “No...hospital...”
“You're hurt. You need medical attention. You were in an accident...”
“It wasn't an accident,” she whispered angrily, her nails digging painfully into his arm. “Don't let them find me, please...don't let anyone know I'm alive...”
Hans stared into her blazing, feverish eyes. Her bloodshot eyes were shining with passion and conviction. “I won't go to the hospital,” she repeated fervently.
“What's your name?”
“Snow...”
Hans frowned at her. “Snow,” he said slowly. “Is there somewhere safe I can take you? Is there someone you trust, a doctor…?”
“Don't...trust...anyone,” she snarled, tightening her grip on his arm. “Don't take me to anyone! Don't let anyone know I'm alive...”
Snow coughed and clawed desperately at him. “Do you understand? Please...”
“Shhh,” Hans said soothingly. “I understand, I promise I won't tell anyone about you. I'll help you. I will keep you safe, Snow. Trust me. I won't hurt you, and I won't let anyone hurt you.”
Snow and the Bear: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Grimm Bears Book 2) Page 1
