Bear Shifters: Hunt Collection #1

by Ava Hunt

"I haven't given off the best signals, though," Rayner said to the tiled room. He had pulled away from everyone for the last six months, and been incredibly distant. He toweled off and examined his scratched face in the mirror. He'd looked worse. And they wouldn't send him home from his job as an officer at the prison with just a few little scrapes.

  Rayner pulled on a fresh t-shirt and boxers. He sat on the floor between his bed and dresser and reached under the dresser. He pulled out a shoebox, dusty and old. He lifted the lid off the box. It was full of photos, letters, tokens from the past. The picture he saw first was Lorna's lying on the top of the pile. It was the picture he looked at the most. He picked up the photo, examining for the thousandth time that curly dark blond hair, the glittering green eyes, and her gorgeous, new baby bump body. In the picture, she was hugging him and smiling widely, deceitful. They looked so happy. There was the yellowing letter next on the pile that she'd handwritten him, explaining why she cheated on him with the human man and left him. "It's not that I don't love you," Rayner read out loud. "I just want a normal life with a normal man." There were still stains on the ink where his tears had fallen.

  He looked at the photo again, remembering that day they spent eating cotton candy and sugared churros at the nearby amusement park. The next day she went and aborted the 3 month old cubs in her womb. When she didn't come straight home after work that day, he had driven all over town to find her. Three days later, she came back, resolved to leave, her cubs gone. Rayner had been furious. He'd wanted to beat her for betraying him. Instead he shifted into his Bear form, and killed every deer in a ten mile radius. When he returned, all of her things were gone and so was she. The letter had been left on her pillow on their bed. It was the only letter he had from her. Rayner felt his head pound with a familiar pain. He put the letter and photographs away in their box. He didn't want Jeneva to go. He wasn't going to let her abandon him, like Lorna did.

  In the morning, Jeneva had to face the aftermath of the night before. She came out of her bedroom and found Jaime moody and silent, watching television in the living room. She sat beside him amicably for a while, trying to play the good one. But when he didn't acknowledge her presence, she decided she would be better appreciated elsewhere.

  "I'm going out for a while," she said, grabbing her jacket.

  "Mm," Jaime replied.

  The air was clean and fresh after last night's drizzle. The ground was still scarred where the Bears had romped about. She'd have to landscape it again. It was a pain, but pretty normal. The scuffles were what made life fun, she told herself. She threw on her jacket and opened her truck door to find a note on the driver's seat. She unfolded the messy note. It was from Tommy Diaz.

  "I know we didn't get to finish our conversation, Jen," Jeneva read out loud, "But I really would like to be mutual buddies. Call me when you're up." Tommy's mobile number was scrawled underneath his name. Jeneva dialed him up.

  An hour later, she and Tommy were walking along the shore at the Silver Lakes campground inside Reserve Park. They laughed together.

  "Did you see the way he hit me?" Tommy's nose was a glaring black and blue. "He didn't give me a warning! He was probably just looking for a fight, old hot-head Rayner," Tommy laughed.

  "He does that!" Jeneva agreed. "I think he was egging me on, too. He always knows exactly what to say to get under my skin."

  "I'm sort of glad he did, Jen," Tommy entwined his large fingers with Jeneva's. Jeneva clamped him back, appreciatively. "If he hadn't set you off, you wouldn't have joined me out here for our pre-fuck walk."

  "This is nice, Tommy," Jeneva lied. Tommy was really nice. When Rayner had set her off last night, she really did want to feel the passion and warmth of a man. This wasn't it. This was too friendly. Tommy just wasn't her type, either.

  They walked back to his truck, hand-in-hand. Tommy had a four-seater with extra room in the back. Jeneva climbed into the back seat and Tommy followed her.

  "I'll go nice and slow, okay?" Tommy cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers. His lips were nice and soft. He had a gentle kiss. His hand slid down to the side of her neck. Jeneva wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him back. But she was awkward about it, and stiff. She pulled away from his kisses too quickly, and pressed against him when he wasn't ready. Tommy stroked her cheek with his thumb, a cue Jeneva missed completely. He french kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth and pulled back quickly when she bit him on accident.

  "I'm sorry!" Jeneva apologized.

  "Don't worry about it," Tommy said. Jeneva could see that he was trying. "I think we're trying to force it too hard. Want to try again? You lead. I'll follow." Tommy opened up his arms to her. Jeneva moved towards him again. She laid stiff kisses against his cheek and throat. Quickly, she was kissing his collarbone.

  "It's supposed to be fun, there's no rush," Tommy whispered.

  Outside, they heard catcalls. Jeneva jerked up and saw Den members walking by their truck. "Get it, Jen!" yelled Gabriel Hosier, with a flashy fist pump. "Yeah, girl!" laughed Sabina Fleischman. "Wooo!" they hollered.

  Jeneva felt her face go hot. She stopped kissing Tommy Diaz. All of this felt wrong somehow. He was right, she was forcing this with him.

  "I want to stop," she sighed.

  "I figured," Tommy shrugged half-heartedly. "I understand though. You really want to be with Rayner."

  "No!"

  "You do. That's why he hit me," Tommy raised an eyebrow at her.

  Jeneva scowled at him. "Let's have some beers. I need to settle down before I can take you back."

  "Oh," Jeneva noticed the bulge in Tommy's pants.

  "It's okay. I can go back to the farm and work off any frustration caused." He laughed as he handed her a beer, and popped his own. He took a swig, "So, why not Rayner? Why me?"

  "I don't want to be with Rayner!" Jeneva insisted.

  "It's written all over both of you," Tommy said. "It's pretty obvious. He should be the one with you right now. But you're not choosing him."

  "Well, he's been in a vulnerable place..."

  "A vulnerable guy is always made better by a loving woman. Trust me on that one," Tommy chugged the beer, crunched the can, and grabbed another. "It's more than that. I won't tell him. What's up you with you two?"

  "He was the one I wanted," Jeneva said. "But ever since I found out..."

  Tommy nodded, cutting her off, "I'm the safer option. You can't get attached to me. But he can break your heart wide open. And you don't want that if you can't have cubs with him. Does he know that?"

  "How could I tell him that?"

  "Have you tried?"

  "No," Jeneva admitted.

  "Well, you've got to try before you know if you can do something or not," Tommy said. Jeneva was silent. He was right. She had to try, at least, before leaving them forever. Tommy was watching her. "Come on, then," he said. "I'll take you home."

  "Will you be okay to drive?" Jeneva asked.

  "I'm a big guy. I barely feel anything. Except in my pants."

  "Sorry about that," Jeneva said ruefully.

  "You are pretty cute actually," Tommy smiled. "Rayner's a lucky man."

  There was an extra truck in the yard when Tommy got Jeneva home – Rayner's. Tommy didn't comment on it. He kissed Jeneva on the cheek and waved goodbye. Jeneva watched him drive away, feeling pins and needles in her body. Was Rayner here, waiting for her? She started towards the house, and Rayner's form emerged from the side like a ghost.

  "Rayner!" Jeneva jumped. "You startled me!" He stalked towards Jeneva and took her face in his firm hands. When he kissed her it was rough and sudden. Heat rose in Jeneva's body. She melted towards him, all her awkwardness forgotten. Then her senses came back to her. She shoved him. He glared at her, looking dejected and hurt.

  "What the hell are you doing!" Jeneva yelled. The force of his kiss was like a clap of thunder inside her. She was still shaking from it. "I'm your Alpha, Rayner! You can't just jump me like that!"


  Rayner breathed heavily. Feeling her body meet his had sent a jolt of joy through him. He never thought he would feel that again. And it was stronger than it was with Lorna. This was more pure. He struggled to restrain himself from tackling her again. "You and Jaime are my Alphas, that's true," he growled. "That's why as your Second, I'll be the one to fuck you. No one else. I don't trust any of these other guys not to hurt you, Jeneva. And as Second, I get first pick of all pussy."

  The color drained out of Jeneva's face. Rayner wondered if he'd pushed her too far. Instead, she shoved him and started crying.

  "That's not fair, Rayner. You know that I can't be with you like that!"

  "But you can be with Tommy, and that's perfectly okay?" Rayner yelled back at her. "He's a dumbass farm boy, Jeneva! If you're going to fuck someone, do it right!" He grabbed at her again to pull her close, and she pressed her hands between them.

  "No, Rayner, not like this!"

  "Then how, when?" Rayner insisted, holding her tight.

  "Maybe never, I don't know! Don't you realize I'm leaving? What if you ended up mating with me?"

  The realization was slow to come. But it did. Bears couldn't mate unless there was already a deep love between them. "You have feelings for me!" Rayner said, astonished.

  "No, Rayner, I can't have feelings for you. They won't allow me to have feelings for anybody, remember? Let go!"

  Rayner let go, and Jeneva fell to the ground. Rayner went to help her up and she pushed him away. "Why are you being such a brat? Let me help you!"

  "You're making this so awful!" Jeneva brushed her dirty scraped hands on her shirt and stood up on her own. "No one's given me any choices, so I have to make my own. This is the best thing that I can see to do, and my mind is made up, Rayner! Can't you just leave me alone?"

  "You know I can't do that! You're not going to leave me like Lorna did!"

  There it was, out in the open. Jeneva gaped at him, "I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want. Go home!"

  Jeneva stormed to the house. Rayner was on her heels. "Wait. … Do you hear me? Jen!" He grabbed at her wrist. Jeneva turned and scratched him across the chest with claws extended. Rayner clutched his chest. It was shallow, but it stung like hell.

  "Fuck off," Jeneva slammed the door in his face.

  Chapter Five

  A month passed. Jeneva barely left the house, but she bought her ticket for Brazil. There was a Den cookout today and everyone was going to be there. She was dreading it and didn't want to go. Jaime wouldn't let her stay home. "You've been brooding too much," he had told her. "And you have to face Rayner sooner or later." That's what she was scared of. She and Rayner hadn't talked or seen each other since the day he kissed her. She wanted to see him, more than ever.

  It was so unfair of him to force himself on her, knowing what they knew now. She had to get out of Reserve Park as soon as possible. The mission where Jill worked wasn't able to take her for another two weeks. That was two weeks where she had to play it cool around Rayner and try to avoid him as much as she could.

  Right on cue, Jaime was knocking at her door. "Alright, don't make me drag you to the cookout," he called through the bedroom door. Jeneva opened the door reluctantly. Jaime ran his hand through her hair. "Jen, you look like shit. Take a shower. Go change. And comb your hair."

  "Yes sir," Jen relented.

  "I'm only being tough on you because I love you! This black mood has to stop."

  "I know," Jen said.

  They drove to The Big Dipper in Jamie's truck. The cookout was on the grassy back lot behind the bar. Marcus was selling Den members drinks at a discount, and everyone was going to be there. Jeneva balanced a bowl of potato salad on her lap as Jaime pulled into the over-full parking lot and looked for a place to park. The only available space was right next to Rayner's truck.

  "Great," Jeneva sank in her seat.

  "What happened between you two, anyway? You still haven't told me," Jaime asked.

  "That's because it's none of your business," Jeneva got out of the truck and slammed the door.

  She ran into Misty and Alex and their three cubs first. The cubs hugged her legs and pulled at her.

  "Hey kids," Jeneva said. "Hey Misty, Alex."

  "I'll take that potato salad from you," Misty took the bowl to the serving table, which had a full line of Bears holding plates and laughing with each other.

  "You're heading off soon, Jeneva? Jaime told us you got your ticket. Brazil, huh?"

  "Yeah," Jeneva said. She scanned the crowd. No sign of Rayner yet. George and Jaime were helping Marcus with the kegs at the drink station. "It's for the best, Alex."

  "It's going to be an adventure. Misty and I are happy for you, but we are going to miss having you around."

  "I'm going to miss you too," Jeneva smiled. "Excuse me, I'm going to go help George out with that keg, he looks like he needs a hand."

  "Sure, go ahead," Alex said. He pulled the cubs off Jeneva's legs so that she could walk.

  "Hey, George," Jeneva grabbed the other rim of the keg George was trying to move into place alone.

  "Jen!" George said. "Where have you been! You haven't been answering my calls! I haven't seen you for a month."

  "I was in a funk," Jeneva said. "Still feeling like squirrel poop, but Jaime wouldn't let me stay in today."

  "Why have you been avoiding me?" George pouted. "I missed you! Now I just heard you're leaving for Brazil in two weeks? What the hell! Were you going to tell me?"

  "There's been a lot on my mind, that's all," Jeneva finally spotted Rayner, standing out of the way of the crowd and nursing a beer. "Oh no, he's drinking..." She groaned.

  "Who?" George turned to look. "Jen! Rayner's no good for you!"

  Marcus emerged from the back door of the bar, carrying whiskey bottles and cups. "What's wrong with Rayner, now?" He laughed. "That Bear is always getting himself into trouble."

  George shot Marcus a look. He took Jeneva's hand, "Come with me."

  "George," Jeneva protested. George pulled her to a quiet spot next to The Big Dipper.

  "Jeneva, you can't leave me here. Don't you feel the bond between us?"

  "What bond?" Jeneva asked. George was holding her hand tight and his breath was heavy. "George you're acting strange. Why are you holding my hand so hard?"

  "I'm your mate, Jen," George confessed. "I've been trying to tell you. You've dodged all of my calls. There's a deeper connection between us, Jen. Just feel it. You'll see it's there, too."

  "George," Jeneva sighed, frustrated. George was her best friend from childhood. She did care about him, but only as a friend. That was all he would ever be to her. But she couldn't tell him that. The passion in his eyes was too intense. "I don't feel it. I wish I did."

  "You're just not trying hard enough!" George squeezed her hand painfully. Jeneva pulled it away.

  "There's nothing there, George. Stop that. I don't need this from you right now, of all people."

  "Oh, but from Rayner, it's okay? He's in love with you, isn't he? Do you feel the same way?"

  Jeneva clenched her jaw. "George..."

  "Jen, I'm your best friend. If you don't listen to anything else from me, at least listen to me now. He's only going to hurt you! He's so bitter over Lorna, whatever he felt for her, he's going to take it out on you. He's dangerous, Jen! I don't want you going near that guy!"

  "Well, it's not your call, George," Jeneva walked away. She turned and called over her shoulder, "I'm sorry I didn't feel the same."

  Away from George, Jeneva felt her chest tingling and hot. Tears sprang to her eyes that she wiped away before anyone could see. It wasn't right for George to say those things about Rayner. Right on cue, Rayner saw her standing alone, and headed straight for her.

  "How's your little boyfriend doing?" Rayner's words were cutting. "Did you two have a romantic pow-wow over there?"

  "Get off my case, Rayner," Jeneva snarled. "I haven't seen you in a month and that's the first thing you say to me?"

/>   "And whose fault is that? I'm not the one who hasn't been leaving my room, locking herself up like a shut-in. You're the one who's been pushing me away."

  "Look, my mind is made up. I have my ticket and I'm going to Brazil."

  "You don't have a right to!" Rayner was getting dangerously close to her. Heat rose through Jeneva's body. "You belong here with me!"

  "Why do you want me to stay here so much! You know that I could never be your mate!"

  "I don't care about that anymore!" Rayner growled. I just need you to commit to me! Tell me you'll be mine!"

  "Will it get you off my back?" Jeneva was tired of this back-and-forth with him. She felt hot with passion and anger, ready to fight him, or fuck him, whatever would get him to stop. "Fine. Let's do it. Let's go to your place. Let's go now."