Bearly Falling

by Ally Summers

  He didn’t even try to deny what his brother said on the phone. The Hawthornes were all in on it. They wanted this property. I was a commodity to them. Something to buy or trade. I felt like I was being attacked by a pride of lions. First the ice rink and now the last scrap of my family inheritance. He was here for one thing. I was foolish to think he wanted me and not what I was worth.

  How was I going to win against them? I was no match for their corporate attorneys. I was an ice skater. Former ice skater. I took another drink.

  I could spend years trying to battle them off. If they found some way to take me to court, I’d use all the money Uncle Seton left me on legal expenses. That was assuming an attorney would take my case. Who would be willing to go up against that family?

  I touched my lips. Despite all of that—I wanted another kiss. I wanted Oliver’s mouth. His hands. He had touched something in me this morning. A craving under my skin I didn’t know was there. I hadn’t felt that alive since I skated. I didn’t know it could come back. That kind of spark. That burst of life in my soul.

  In just a few short minutes, he had made me feel whole. As if my body wasn’t defective. As if every part of me was desirable. The way he touched me was like nothing I’d ever experienced. I felt fire and passion running through me. I’d felt the giddiness I had when I performed. That rush of adrenaline when I landed a jump. Something I knew I’d never do again. Oliver had made me feel as if I’d landed a thousand jumps. I sighed. I missed that feeling. Suddenly, I missed Oliver.

  I heard something rustle in the dark woods and I shuddered. I wasn’t used to all the sounds yet. It was probably a raccoon, or maybe a skunk. I knew there were plenty of both here.

  I reached for the wine bottle on the porch floor for a refill. When I sat upright again, I came face to face with a man.

  I screamed, dropping the bottle and my glass.

  He had an unnaturally wide smile and thick glossy hair.

  “Good evening, Savannah.”

  I had nowhere to go. I was pinned in the chair. Fear coursed through me.

  “Who are you?” I eked. I knew I needed to stay calm, but I was a wreck inside. How had he appeared without a car? Where did he come from?

  “Someone who can give you what you want.”

  “What are you talking about?” I didn’t like that he was here, and especially how close he was to me. “Get off my porch.” I tried to muster defiance. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  He laughed. “I know you have no interest in selling your land to Hawthorne Global. I have a way to make that all go away. I have a real offer for you.”

  “What? How do you know about that?”

  “It’s not exactly a secret.”

  “I haven’t told anyone.” It didn’t make sense. No one other than the Hawthornes knew about our communications.

  “I have a proposal for you.”

  My phone was inside the cabin. There was no way for me to make a call. I could scream for hours and no one would hear me. My closest neighbor was five miles away. I spotted Oliver’s tools at the opposite end of the porch. They were the only defense I might have if this guy was as nefarious as he looked.

  He wore a sneer on his face.

  “What do you mean? What kind of proposal?” I asked. I needed to find a way to skirt to the other side of the porch. The crowbar rested against the unfinished work.

  If I could grab it, it might be enough of a threat that I could back my way into the house, lock the door, and call the police.

  “You seem like the kind of woman who likes to get to the point.” He stood back and I was able to rise from the chair slowly.

  “Yes, I am. What is your point, exactly?”

  “I can help you protect this land. All of it.”

  “Let me guess. You have a great plan for it.” I hadn’t meant to sound sarcastic.

  He nodded, grabbing my face in his clutches. He squeezed my lips until I gargled a scream. “I do. I’d like you to join me. And we can protect it together. As alphas, Savannah.”

  He dropped my cheeks. I rubbed the tender spot scared as hell.

  “As what?” I didn’t think I had heard him correctly.

  He reached a hand toward me, snagging my hip and drawing me to him. I screamed again, but he snarled in response.

  “Stop screaming. I want you to be my mate, not Oliver Hawthorne’s.” I stared at him in horror. “I’m going to convince you to choose me and not him.”

  I shook my head. “What in the hell are you talking about? I’m no one’s mate.”

  His fingers dug into my flesh, but I couldn’t tear away from his grip. A guy with his slender build shouldn’t have this kind of strength.

  The crowbar was far away. I had to get to it.

  “See, Oliver thinks you belong to him. Maybe you do, but clan law says you have a choice in the matter. If you choose someone else to be your mate, say me—then I will be able to protect your land as your alpha.” He slapped my ass roughly. “And I wouldn’t mind having this as much as I wanted either.”

  “Eww.” I looked at him. “That’s not going to happen. Let me go.” I struggled to break free.

  He gripped my wrists, pinching them together.

  “I don’t think you understand what I’m saying, Savannah. I’m going to be your mate. You are going to ask that I be your alpha. And then all of this will be mine.”

  “No.” I kicked at him. “You are a raving lunatic. Clans? Mates? Alphas? You are drunk. You need to get off my land.”

  He laughed. “I didn’t realize Oliver hadn’t told you about his bear. How at night he can roam the woods in big burly form.” I listened, but the words didn’t make sense. This guy had to be mad. “Oliver wants you to be his. For him only. He’s part of the Ashe Peak Clan of Promise Lake and his older brother Grayson is the dynast of that clan. They are all bears, honey. The whole family.”

  “And you?” I found my voice. “Are you a bear too? Are you going to tell me you’re a part of this folklore?” His grip started to slide as I stopped struggling as much.

  “No. Hell no. I’m full-blooded wolf.”

  “Wolf?” My voice shook. The grin suddenly made sense, if I believed a word out of his mouth.

  “My pack is on the other side of Promise Lake, but with our lands joined, we would surround it, and have the power to control the dynast and the rest of his clan. They would be under our control once we attacked. We would be in control of all the shifters.”

  “Attack Promise Lake?”

  “Why not? Sounds fun to me. Running my pack is getting a little stale. I need a challenge. Something to stimulate me. And a sexy submissive mate would be a bonus.”

  He made my stomach turn.

  I felt his hold loosen even more. This might be the only chance I had. It had been a long time since I had sprinted off the thrust of my thigh, but if there was ever a time to use the power of my legs, now was it.

  I shoved off the wolf man and darted for the end of the porch. It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to think. I didn’t execute a great plan. I didn’t think about what would happen afterward. I forgot I was only trying to barricade myself in the house. I reached for the crowbar and started spinning, whirling in cyclone motion as he charged toward me. The end of the iron met his skull with a solid thud. His eyes rolled back before he fell to the porch with a thud.

  I stared at his lifeless body, realizing the porch was filling with blood. It pooled under his head and along his shoulder.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God.” I dropped the crowbar. It bounced at my feet, landing in the wolf’s blood.

  I ran inside and did the first thing that came to my mind. The only thing I could think of.

  Eleven

  Oliver

  I had held my mate in my arms. Touched her. Kissed her. And somehow I had lost her. My bear was in pain. I nursed another bourbon.

  I knew going back in the morning wasn’t a good idea. Savannah needed time. She felt betrayed. When she finally opened
herself up to me and was vulnerable, she thought I had used her. Grayson’s timing couldn’t have been worse.

  I looked out of my office window.

  I knew something about the Hawthornes bothered her. I had no idea that Hawthorne Financial had taken her dream business away from her. That I could fix. I could buy her a rink of her own. Hell, I’d get her doctors and specialists. I’d make sure she skated again if I had to build her a bionic leg. I’d do whatever it took.

  My phone rang. If it was my brother, I didn’t know if I could hold off on telling him to fuck off this time.

  I pulled the phone to my ear.

  “Hello.”

  “Oliver—I don’t know…Oliver I didn’t mean to.”

  It was Savannah.

  “Slow down. What’s wrong?” I could barely make out her words. She was frantic. Something wasn’t right.

  “He’s dead. On my porch dead.”

  “Whoa. Whoa. Ok. Who’s dead?”

  “He said he was a wolf. But he can’t be, can he? I mean no one is actually a wolf, right? That’s crazy. He was crazy. He just kept saying all this stuff and he grabbed me and I didn’t know what to do.”

  I cut her off. “Stay where you are. Lock the doors. I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes. I can’t stay on the phone in the chopper. But I’m on my way, can you do that? Can you stay inside and don’t let anyone in until I get there?” There was silence on the other end. “Savi? Can you do that?”

  “Y-yes. I can.”

  “Good.”

  I sent a text to the pilot while I steadied her. I doubted Charles was prepared to fly this late at night, but it was why we paid him so much to be on-call. I kept talking to her until he texted back.

  “Hold tight. I’m on the way. Charles said we could be airborne in minutes.” I wanted to stay on the phone with her as long as I could.

  I climbed the stairs to the roof, so I didn’t lose our signal. I took the steps two at a time.

  “Was there anyone else there?” I asked. “Did you see anyone?”

  “No.”

  “Ok. That’s good. Are the doors locked?”

  “Yes. I locked them.”

  Charles was on the roof. He pointed to the door of the helicopter. I was pleased he had responded so quickly. The guy deserved a bonus when this was all over.

  “I’m getting on the chopper now. I’ll be there soon.”

  “Please hurry.” Her voice cut through me.

  “I will. I promise.”

  I hung up, grabbing the headset and securing it to my ears. “As fast as she’ll go, Charles.”

  “Yes sir.” He fired up the chopper.

  My heart was about to explode. My bear was clawing at me under my skin. He wanted to tear the wolf’s head off. I had to get to Savannah. She had to be terrified. Her story didn’t make sense. Whatever had happened, it was strong enough to make her forget everything that happened this morning.

  I approached the cabin slowly. I didn’t know what I was walking into. The smell of iron hit my nose. There was blood nearby, and lots of it.

  I moved closer to the porch and I saw him. The body of a wolf was sprawled across the floor and a few feet away was my crowbar. Shit. Everything was splattered with his blood.

  I inched toward him, placing my fingers on his neck. There was no pulse. He was dead. Part of what Savannah said on the phone started to come together. She had been attacked by a wolf shifter. But why? I needed to know exactly what he said to her.

  I beat on the door. “Savannah, I’m here. It’s Oliver.”

  The door whipped open and Savannah pushed the screen out of her way before falling into my arms. She sobbed into my chest.

  I ran my hands through her hair. “Shh. You’re ok. I’ve got you. You’re ok.”

  I walked her inside and sat her on the couch. “Are you hurt?”

  She shook her head. “No, not really. I don’t understand. Nothing makes any sense, Oliver.”

  “I know it doesn’t.” I brushed the tears from her cheeks. “I need to take care of that situation outside. Are you going to be ok in here for a little while? I won’t be long.”

  She looked alarmed. “You mean his body?”

  I nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “Shouldn’t we call the police?” Her eyes darted frantically.

  “I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry. He was never here.”

  “But I killed him.”

  “With good reason, I’m sure.” She was still in shock.

  “You trust me?” she asked. “You don’t even know what happened and you believe me?”

  I rose from the couch, tipping her chin upward with my finger. “I do. I believe anything you say.”

  “It should be that easy for me,” she whispered. “You came for me.”

  “Of course I did. You called me.”

  “Oliver, what I said this morning…”

  “Don’t.” I eyed her. “It’s over. Stay here and lock the door behind me. I’ll be back.”

  I didn’t want to leave her now that I was here, but I couldn’t leave that guy’s body on her porch. What if his pack came looking for him? I had to protect her. No matter what it cost.

  Twelve

  Savannah

  The shaking was so violent at first I could feel it all the way through the core of my teeth. They rattled in my head. I tried drinking water. I turned on the TV. I paced in circles. I didn’t know how long it was before Oliver returned.

  When he beat against the door, I rushed to let him in.

  Just having him inside gave me instant security and warmth. He put his arms around me and the shaking stopped. The world felt calm again, as if I hadn’t just killed someone.

  “Everything’s ok. He’s gone.”

  “Gone? Like you buried the family dog?”

  He cleared his throat. “He did return to animal form if that makes you feel any better.”

  I stared at him.

  “You’re saying I left a wolf on my porch?” Had I hallucinated the entire counter? Did the wine make me think a wolf could speak to me?

  He nodded. “Come on, we can talk about this later. Let’s get you in the shower,” Oliver suggested.

  “Why?” Answers seemed more important.

  He put a strong arm under my legs and scooped me up in one sweep. “I’ll take care of it. I’m going to make this right.”

  I looked down and saw the blood splatter on my shirt. “Oh God. I’m covered in it.”

  “It’s ok. I’ll get you cleaned up.”

  “I have wolf’s blood on me? Actual wolf?” The tears surfaced, but they were mixed with anger. “He said I had to be his mate.” I sobbed into the warmth of Oliver’s broad chest. “And that he was going to take me from you. I couldn’t let him do that. I couldn’t.”

  “No, you couldn’t.” His voice was soothing over my ears. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  I looked in his eyes as he rounded the corner for my room. “I did. I shouldn’t have hit him like that.”

  Oliver nudged the door open to the hall bathroom. “And what was your other option? Let him hurt you? Let him force you to do something you didn’t want to do?”

  I shuddered despite the warmth.

  “See? There was no other choice. You had to protect yourself. It was self-defense, Savi. You did what you had to do.”

  “When you say it, it seems so normal.”

  My feet touched the tile floor. I didn’t know how Oliver had found his way to the bathroom without my direction. It wasn’t a huge upstairs, but I had never let him inside the house before. I had put walls between us. I regretted every single one of them.

  “I didn’t say it was normal. I don’t want you to blame yourself. You got caught in a shifter territory war tonight. That never should have happened.”

  My eyes shot to his. “Are you saying what he said was true?” The fog of the night seemed to evaporate in that one instant.

  “I don’t know everything
he told you.” Oliver reached to turn on the hot water. He closed the door and within seconds the small bathroom was filled with steam.

  “He said he was a wolf. An actual wolf. And that you were a bear. All the Hawthornes are bears. He wanted me for my land so we could overpower Promise Lake.” I recounted everything I could remember from the threatening conversation. “Is that true? Are you part of a bear clan?” I pushed him. I wanted the answer.

  “Savi, this wasn’t how you were supposed to find out. I swear, I was going to tell you in a better setting. I can still make it better than this.”

  I thought I would be angry. I thought I’d be livid with fury for the secret he had kept from me.

  I raised my hands in the air as he peeled the bloody shirt over my head. I reached behind my back and unclasped my bra. It fell to the floor. Oliver’s chest rose with a heavy breath. His fingers worked the button on my jeans. He knelt as he wiggled them off my hips, drawing a groan from his throat as he became eye level with my heated sex. I obediently stepped out so he could peel them off my legs.

  He rose from his knees and I bent to take off my panties next. The same lacy ones he had teased me with this morning. I kicked them off my ankles.

  I stood before him naked.

  He nodded toward the shower. “I think it’s hot enough.”

  “Hot is good,” I replied.

  I stepped under the stream of scalding water and let it wash over my guilt and remorse.

  “I’ll wait outside for you,” Oliver called through the curtain. “I can lock the door if you want me to.”

  “Don’t,” I answered. “Please stay.”

  “All right. I won’t leave.”

  I smiled. Having him here changed everything. I reached for the soap and lathered my body. The bubbles disappeared down the drain. I somehow felt renewed and rejuvenated. The nearness of him gave me the kind of calm and steadiness I needed.