Bear Shifters: Hunt Collection #1

by Ava Hunt

  Ember had always felt second best, and Ash knew it. There were many times the brother gave in to Ember's wishes, just to give him some security. He never really understood where this sense of inadequacy came from with Ember, but it was there nonetheless.

  "No rules. Whoever gets there first wins and loser has to do the dishes for a week." Ember replied, his mouth wide in a grin.

  Not only did Ash and Ember share careers, they shared a house together as well. If there was one chore that Ember hated the most, it was the dishes. You'd think with all their money, they'd have a maid, but Ash kept most of their money tied in investments and retirement portfolios. They each lived off a small stipend set up at the beginning of each month, while the remainder went toward bills and savings.

  While they were well off at the moment, they were still young enough to realize it could all fade in an instant. Coming in first in this race could be a dual win for Ember; time away from dishes and the one thing he could say he beat Ash in.

  "Deal. We will go on three. Ready? One.... two.... THREE." Ash yelled before taking off in a hurry toward the station. Three time all track winner back in school, Ash was still in good shape despite his corporate lifestyle.

  The two brothers tore off in a blind rush, neck and neck for the majority of the race. Ash kept a close eye on his brother, as well as far up in the distance to check for any problems.

  It was only a few minutes into the sprint that Ember fell behind clasping his calf. Knowing he was bound to lose the race if he stayed in human form, he shifted to his bear and made up his time. All four paws hit the ground as his brawn beat into the earth. He was so close to the platform. Ember shifted back before he got to the point where he'd be around people again and was nearly at the ledge of the train's station when Ash slipped in front of him and won. Worst of it all, Ash had remained in human form the entire race. Ember did nothing, said nothing, just shook his head and started back to the offices of Reese Systems.

  "It was a good race, Ember." Ash called after him, but Ember was already making his way back to their company building with just a wave of the hand.

  One day Ash, one day you will not be the winner. You'll come in second and you'll get to taste what that feels like.

  ****

  Shelby Creek stood at the dusty train station that brisk Spring day, waiting on her cab to arrive. She had just come from a short vacation to see her family out West. This proved to be both relaxing and therapeutic; a great way to get away from the troubles she faced at home. She did not look forward to restarting her life back in the city. Newly single again and stuck in a dead-end job, Shelby was in a never-ending cycle of monotony. Nothing ever changed in her life and it seemed like nothing ever would. She was scheduled down to her bathroom breaks it seemed.

  The only fun thing about her coming back to her home city was this ridiculous race she had witnessed at the train station. Two grown men running like they were in some zombie apocalypse movie. Too bad she was too far away to see much about it; she couldn't even tell what they looked like. Still, it was the highlight of her day, which didn't account for much. She hailed a cab and tried to forget about the humdrum of going back to work tomorrow morning.

  While there in the back seat of the cab, she absently thumbed through her phone, playing a few games on her way. Every so often she'd look out the dirty window to catch a glimpse of the town around her. When the driver pulled in front of her apartment, she tipped him generously and then lugged her bags up three flights of stairs to her door. This is where a man would come in very handy, she thought.

  Home, she thought to herself, in all its glory. She looked around the room. No plants, no pets, and no one to share her life with. She exhaled, shook her head and retreated to the back of the apartment, started a load of laundry and then drew herself a bath. After disrobing, she caught sight of herself in the mirror that hung on the bathroom door. Rounded waist, ample cleavage, full hips and ass...she liked to refer to herself as curvy. After years of trying every weight loss product on the market, she finally just started eating healthy and made peace with her curves. It was who she was going to be and perhaps one day a man would see her for the beauty she knew herself to be.

  She slipped into the warm water and thought back to her latest string of bad decisions. Kaiser was a local bartender with a flair for the dramatic. Everything was about him, including his constant need to supplement the relationship with side chicks. She remembered what he told her, "It's not my fault that I have low self esteem, Shelby. You should understand my pain and not be so selfish."

  She also remembered how she had finally put her foot down, packed all his belongings, and sent him on his way. It'd been three short months ago and she still felt a familiar tug of nostalgia whenever she passed by The Crabtree Bar and Grill where he worked.

  One day I'll be able to put all this behind me and trust again, she thought as the water began to cool around her, one day I'll have a man willing to give up anything to be with me.

  Chapter Two

  The next morning, Shelby's alarm clock signaled the beginning of a new day as a courier for the city of Jacobville. It's constant high-pitch wail reminded her again of the ending of her sweet country vacation. There she would have been awake to the sound of crickets and bullfrogs, smelling the rich mixture of her family's morning pot of coffee and the stream that ran near her opened window. Here, she was awake to the blaring alarm, and the stale smell of exhaust fumes out her window.

  It wasn't a glamorous job, the life of a courier in the city, but it paid the bills and gave her plenty of exercise time on her bicycle. A quick shower, teeth brushing, and pull on of her uniform and she was down the flights of stairs with speed. She hopped on her red Schwinn and peddled her way to her dispatch unit. It was early in the morning, and the gentle rise of the steam from the city's vents provided a nice backdrop to the sun's rising.

  Once there, she quickly started to look at her route for the day. Nothing major ahead of her, it seemed, as she glanced down the list. There were some personal deliveries such as flowers and express packages, with a few commercial items scattered in. Her last delivery of the day would take her to Reese Systems, to deliver some delicate computer components to an Ash Reese. She rolled her eyes after seeing the special memo: must be signed, dated, and video stamped. She hated packages that had to have more than a signature because clients never liked to stick around that long. Ah well, she thought, better get the day started so that it can end, as she got back on her now package-laden bike.

  Through the traffic and the road construction, the day slipped by slowly for Shelby. Finally, about half an hour later than her normal time for deliveries, she arrived at the front desk of Reese Systems. The receptionist took one quick up and down overview of her and buzzed her right through. Her dark hair clung to her face and neck while her polyester uniform sat snug against her frame. Add to that the knowledge that she reeked of exhaust fumes and she knew she wasn't a pleasant sight. While she knew she looked a hot mess, she still didn't appreciate the disapproving glare.

  Once inside the doorway, she waited in a small corridor in front of Mr. Reese's office. She looked around at the fine art that was displayed on the walls that didn't seem like the decor for a computer security firm. After a bit, she was buzzed in, and greeted by a tall man dressed in a gray tailored suit that clung to every defining muscle he had. Dark hair, darker eyes, and with just a bit of facial hair, Mr. Reese was a sinfully attractive man. For a brief moment, Shelby was struck speechless, but recovered in time to hand the package over and request all the authorizations for transference.

  "I know it's a lot of things to do for a package, sorry about that. The company that sends these always wants to cover their ass." She said, before realizing she just cursed in front of a customer. Damn, it's been a long day.

  "I mean...." she tried to correct, before seeing him already laughing at her.

  "No worries, Miss. I get these packages all the time." He replied, with a smooth
er than caramel voice. The man simply oozed sex appeal and for a brief moment Shelby wondered how that voice would moan her name.

  "Well I appreciate it, Mr. Reese." She smiled up at him. He could have been an ass about it, but wasn't, which went light-years into helping her day improve.

  "Please, call me Ash. And you are?" He asked of her, writing more on the manifest sheet.

  "Shelby, Sir." She felt herself blush right down to her toes as she answered. His eyes peering into hers felt more intimate than the last sexual encounter her and Kaiser had. Pull it together, Shelby, she chastised herself, this is so unprofessional of you.

  "Well, thank you Shelby for delivering this so timely. I appreciate it. I hope you have a wonderful day." He said, still smiling at her. Seconds later she heard the buzz of the door, signaling her time to go. Well that was abrupt, she thought as she walked out of the office, through the building, and back into the city. She peddled just to the corner before realizing she had forgot to check the manifest to make sure it was properly signed. It was then she saw it, in the special tear-off section labeled "For Deliveryman":

  I'd love to have dinner with you, Shelby. Call me. Ash 555-450-9833.

  It took Shelby a moment as she tried to recount everything that was said during the delivery. While he was nice, up until he buzzed her out of the office, there were no hints that he was interested in her. Or perhaps she had been out of the dating pool long enough to miss them. She had been with Kaiser for years off and on. Interesting.

  She was lost in thought the entire ride back to the courier's hub in the central part of town. Once there, she walked through the doors in a haze.

  Shelby handed off all her paperwork, sans the note Ash had written her, and climbed back onto her bike to start her trip back home. While it was the exact same static route that she had taken numerous times in the past, she couldn't help feel a bit better than she did going into work that morning. Even circling the block in front of her apartment, she saw the crumbling brownstone in better light. Taking the stairs slowly, she dug into her pocket and fished out the crumpled bit of paper. She looked at it again, taking in the simple message and all the possibilities that it could open. He was devastatingly handsome and she knew he was richer than anyone she'd ever met. However, those two things weren't what interested her. She wondered what made Ash tick. She wondered how that razor stubble would feel brushing against her face and thighs. She found herself curious as to what layers of his personality may unfurl should she take him up on his dinner invitation. By the time her key was in the lock, she knew the decision she'd make as to whether to contact Ash or let it pass.

  It was time Shelby Creek got back on the horse again.

  ****

  Ember Reese sat in his padded black leather seat and adjusted the ergonomic lumbar supports. The tension he held in every crease and crevice of his body screamed out whenever the weather was starting to change. He could sense not only when a storm was coming, but how bad it would be. And if feels like one is headed our way, he thought.

  His eyes closed as he thought back to his first days there at Reese Systems. He and Ash were fresh from college graduation and each had their own thoughts on creating the business. Ember wanted to create a software based system where the clients had to update their programs each year. He believed that the money from subscriptions plus the new installations would make them flush with money. Ash wanted to go with consultations, installing hardware based computer systems to oversee security, and provide a one-time payment option. Ash believed that having a higher moral code would pay out best in the long run than a quick money grab.

  Like everything in their life, they focused on putting the decision to a competition. Ember had insisted on an IQ test so that neither of them could cheat. When the forms were filed, Ash had inched out Ember by three points, and Reese Systems was born.

  Not that it's been a bad life but hell it's just one more thing that I've come in second in.

  Chapter Three

  Shelby woke fresh from a full night's sleep; dreaming of a weeding a garden. Such an odd dream, I've not gardened since I left home when I was 17. She climbed into the hot shower, letting the water pour over her, readying her for the day. Her uniform laid there on the bed, next to her boots and satchel. Well not exactly regulation for her company, the satchel helped provide her a better way to carry small items around without chance of dropping them.

  Shelby texted Ash to see about meeting for lunch. She'd have an hour and a half in the middle of the day to kill, and it seemed like the perfect middle ground. If it went well, they could see each other again, but if it didn't it would only last 90 minutes. He readily agreed and suggested Alfredo's, which was a quaint little Italian bistro that was in a lower level of his building. A man of convenience, it seems.

  "Hey Charlotte," Shelby acknowledged as she walked into the courier service and grabbed her manifest for her day's route. Her eyes instinctively scanned to check on where she was headed.

  "Hey girl, how are you?" Charlotte had been with the company since it's inception and had always overseen the dispatch. She'd become almost like family to Shelby since she started there years ago.

  "Same old, same old. Well, actually that's not quite true."

  "Dish!" Charlotte spun around and gave Shelby her full attention.

  "A client wants to take me out," she said shyly.

  "And are you going to go?"

  "I texted him this morning to see about lunch. I figure it's less pressure than dinner, and that way we can feel each other out."

  "Good idea, nothing worse than stuck in a dinner date with a bore."

  "Oh I doubt he's boring, but I've been out of the dating game for a while now, you know..." Shelby started to trail off, thinking of how long she devoted herself to Kaiser.

  "And now you need to get out there and have some fun. Just because Kaiser was a shit to you, doesn't mean they'll all be. Go, enjoy yourself, and remember to smile."

  Shelby couldn't help feel the corners of her mouth pull back in a smile as Charlotte spoke. She just needed to get through a few hours and then she'd be able to see how her and Ash would interact together.

  ****

  Ash arrived first and sat down on the padded dining chair to wait for her. He thought back to meeting her the day before and how she seemed to radiate positive energy, and if there was one thing he desperately needed in his life it was positive energy. It was as if no bad thoughts or moods could share the same space as her. Covered in grime and sweat, looking like the day was her worst enemy, her smile spoke to him. She still looked more beautiful in her uniform and make-up free than any of his exes did in their fanciest gowns and perfectly coifed hair. He wanted to know everything about her from her favorite color to the sounds she makes when properly pleased.

  She came through the door and found him there, waving up at her. It had been a simple day so far for Shelby, and she didn't look quite so battered in her royal blue uniform with the Calvary Courier emblems. As she waved back, she was glad she made the decision to take a chance on him; he seemed genuinely happy to see her.

  "Hey, sorry if I'm late, I came from across town." She smiled at him as he pulled her chair out for her. She was pretty sure no one had ever done that for her since her father died. Chivalry apparently isn't dead it seems.

  "No worries at all, Shelby. I was glad you texted. It's good to see you again." He replied, while signaling for the waiter.

  "I went ahead and ordered. I hope that is okay with you. I had them bring some servings of a few of their noted dishes; some lasagna, ravioli, and some baked ziti. Dessert will be canoli, it's to die for here and you'll love it."

  "It all sounds wonderful, thank you." She said, stretching the napkin across her lap as the waiter poured her water glass full.

  "So, tell me everything about you," he said, only half joking.

  "Everything? Oh my dear Mr. Reese I'm afraid that would bore you to tears," she laughed.

  "Okay then, where are
you from and what brings you here. And please, no more Mr. Reese, I'm Ash."

  "Okay then, Ash, I came here from Arizona. Small step for employment, huge leap for freedom," Shelby mused, a small laugh escaping her, "as it turns out the job I moved here for was downsized a few weeks later and I ended up a courier. Been that ever since, but it pays the rent."

  Ash's lips curled into a smirk, one she couldn't help but notice.

  "What's so funny?" she wondered.

  "The irony. I too moved here from Arizona, fresh from college. Wanted to see about the job market, ended up with a few good years, rented a space at a steal and the real estate around the firm skyrocketed and I've been there ever since with the computer security thing. Wasn't what I wanted to do, but it -as you put so eloquently- pays the rent."

  "I enjoyed the peace and quiet of Arizona. The countryside, the ability to slip away into nature. Something you have to search for here, unfortunately." She seemed distant after those words, as if her soul were seeking trees and forest.

  "I completely understand, far more than you know on that one," he said, remembering all the times his bear ran through woods, roaming free. Something he could only do after many miles of concrete and pavement were behind me now.

  The lunch date was over too soon and Ash had to head back for a client briefing. "I'll call you tonight after work, okay?" he asked her, hopeful.

  "Sounds fine Ash. It was a lovely afternoon."

  He bent over and kissed her lightly on the lips, pausing for a moment to just look into her eyes. "It was indeed, but not nearly as lovely as my lunch date."

  For a moment, Shelby was struck silent, before recovering enough to make her way out of the bistro and say another goodbye to Ash as she headed out to her bike and he headed back up to Reese Systems.