by Jenika Snow
Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2013 Jenika Snow
ISBN: 978-1-77130-592-1
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
For my mom who left this world far too soon. Thank you for never judging and always encouraging me to follow my dreams. I love you.
BARED FOR HER BEAR
Wylde Bears, 1
Jenika Snow
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
“I think you should do it, Ary.” She looked over at Melissa and rolled her eyes.
“Of course you do. It isn’t like it’ll be you that’s putting yourself out there for rejection.” February Felina took a long swallow of her Sex on the Beach and glared at Melissa and Candace.
“Why do you think you’ll get rejected?” Candace said right before she sucked her piña colada through the bright pink straw.
“Because that asshole Frank told her she wasn’t any good, which I’ll add I would have been happy to kick him in the balls for that one.” February had to love the way Melissa didn’t mince her words. “Besides, what do you expect from a jackal shifter? Jackals are always assholes if you ask me. You remember Chuck the big old fuck?”
How could any of them forget? Usually Melissa only dated wolf shifters, but she had given the douche-bag a chance, which only ended up in him sleeping with her cousin behind her back at her sister’s wedding.
It was true, though. February had stayed in the verbally abusive relationship with Frank, the jackass jackal according to Melissa, for a year too long. Everything had started out great, but of course nothing in her life could go the way she wanted it. First there had been the subtle hints that she should watch her portions at dinner, and then it escalated to Frank calling her a fat-ass in front of his friends. So what if she was pushing a size twenty? It wasn’t like she hadn’t tried dieting and exercising, but this was how she had been her whole life and had grown to accept that. Maybe she should have just stayed with her own kind, as wrong and closed-minded as that sounded. But to be honest everyone knew male ocelot shifters were too clingy and submissive. February had always wanted a guy who could take control, but apparently she had looked in the wrong place where jackals were concerned. This was her thirtieth birthday after all, and Ary had grown comfortable with her big breasts, wide hips, and rounded tummy. So, she had the last straw with Frank, especially when he continued to make comments about her weight in front of his buddies, who’d laughed like they were high on nitrous oxide. She had broken up with him a week ago, and now she was ready to put his sorry ass behind her and move on. She was big and beautiful, not really the norm for her species, and there would be no man that told her differently. She might have the self-confidence now, but that didn’t mean she still wasn’t a woman worried about rejection from a guy for putting herself out there.
“It isn’t even about Frank, guys.” And it wasn’t, really, but the looks her two wolf shifter best friends gave her told February they didn’t fully believe her. “It’s true. Anyway, you can’t tell me you don’t have a moment of hesitation when confronting a man. In fact, I know you two like to be sniffed at and approached like you’re some kind of prize.” Both looked at each other, and Ary had her answer without them having to say a word. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” They both shrugged, and Melissa leaned forward.
“Okay, then, what are you going to do to celebrate the big three-oh, Ary?”
Oh Lord.
“Can’t we just sit here and enjoy our tropical drinks without you going all sex-crazed?”
Melissa grinned in a purely wolfish way and shook her head. Ary loved these girls like they were her sisters, but sometimes she wanted to wring their necks, especially Melissa. Ary had known them since high school, and when the three of them had stood in the cafeteria that first day of freshman year, each of them looking scared shitless, they had found a friendship like no other that very moment. It was hard enough living in a world where some humans could shift into animals, but tack on the fact she couldn’t find a decent man, and well, that just made it even more frustrating. She was getting older, too, and February would be lying if she said she didn’t look into the future and see herself with a wonderful husband and a handful of children.
“Hell no, we can’t just sit here and drink these frilly-ass drinks. You’re thirty years old now, and let’s all be honest and admit you’re not getting any younger.” Ary glared at Melissa and noticed Candace sitting smartly quieter to her right.
“I’d like to remind you that you’re the same age, bitch.”
Melissa grinned and leaned back in her chair. She gestured for the waiter to bring them another round, which February objected to.
“Melissa, I do have to drive home tonight.”
“Not if I can help it. My goal is to get you in the car with a hot, and safe, male.” She looked around the bar and tapped her perfectly red painted nail on her chin. “Although we are in Sweet Water, so that might be harder than it sounds.”
“If you actually think we will find someone here you’re insane,” Candace said right as their waiter brought them another round of drinks. Ary didn’t miss how the coyote shifter winked at Candace, or the blush that spread across her much quieter friend’s face.
“Why don’t you harass Candace? It looks like she’s more likely to get laid by that coyote shifter than I am of even finding a guy tonight.”
“February, why don’t you just hook up with a human?” Candace said. Melissa made an exaggerated noise, and they both looked at her.
Melissa looked between the two of them with feigned wide eyes. “What?”
“Why did you make that noise?”
Melissa shrugged and scanned the bar. “Who the hell wants a human to fuck?” Ary wasn’t shocked by her friend’s words. That was just how Melissa was. “All I’m saying is if you want to kick thirty in the ass and celebrate like the awesome fucking cat you are, you need to find one hell of a shifter.”
“There isn’t anything wrong with being with a human,” Candace said but quickly drank her colada when they stared at her.
Melissa scoffed. “Yeah right. The few humans I’ve fucked have been pussies. They didn’t even compare to the alpha-ness I require in my men.” Melissa looked at Ary then Candace. “It’s true. If you want a male to really bruise your uterus, you need to go for a bear shifter.” She started fanning herself and leaned back in her chair.
“God, Melissa. Do you have to be so damn vulgar?” Ary said but couldn’t help smiling. Melissa shrugged and lifted her gaze to something behind Ary.
“Now that, right fucking there, is what I’m talking about.”
Ary turned around and felt her mouth part at the men that walked through the door. Big, muscular, and all around badass described them to perfection. Males moved out of their way, and the females all but dropped their panties and grabbed their ankles.
“I would so let those Wylde boys fuck me into next Sunday.”
“God, Melissa,” Candace said, but February was too transfixed on the bear shifters.
February, along with every other breathing female in the town of Sweet Water, knew who the Wylde brothers were. The oversized, dominating al
pha bear shifters that didn’t take shit from anyone, got into far too many fights, and slept with the majority of the women in town, were a force to be reckoned with. The three bears made their way to the bar, and here was February still staring like one of the other horny females that surrounded them. In fact, a horde of them seemed to charge forward like a damn herd of cows. When she finally forced herself to look away it was to see Melissa’s smirk and the wary expression Candace wore. She looked between the two of them.
“What?” February grabbed her drink, sucked it back, and gestured to the waiter for another while coughing from the alcohol going down the wrong pipe.
“I think you should go over there and take one of those hunky bears home.”
“Are you insane?” Their waiter dropped off another drink in front of her, but before she could say her thanks he was facing Candace and flirting heavily with her.
Melissa tossed her curly black hair over her shoulder and glanced at the shifters in question. “I can assure you I am totally sane.” She ran her tongue along her bottom lip, and February groaned aloud. She knew that look, and it was one that everyone should be afraid of.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Melissa scowled over at her, but that expression soon morphed into one of wicked intent.
“I said no.”
Melissa may have not said anything, but February knew her well enough to know she was concocting something.
“Listen, you’re here, it’s your birthday, and we were just talking about finding a kick-ass male.” She pointed over to where Ary knew the bears to be. “What better way to celebrate, and send a big ol’ ‘fuck you’ to the jackass, than to hook up with one of those big boys?” February was shaking her head before Melissa even finished talking.
“No.” She looked over at Candace for a little moral support, but it seemed their timid and quiet little strawberry blonde haired friend was getting cozy with the coyote.
“Give me one good reason why not, Ary.” Melissa threw back her shot and wheezed. Good. Serves her right.
“I can rattle off three.”
Melissa leaned back, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared at her, clearly waiting for her to name them.
“First of all, they have slept with half the town.”
“So? That just means they can fuck good and hard, and believe me, I’ve heard the filthy and ridiculously arousing rumors, but we both know they probably aren’t rumors at all.” Melissa wagged her eyebrows. Yeah, they all had heard the rumors, but that wasn’t the point.
“Secondly, I am so not even in the same league as them.”
A dark mask covered Melissa’s face. “You cut that shit out right now and stop being a bitch. You know damn well you’re hot as fuck.”
“It isn’t even about that, Melissa. I have fine self-confidence.” And she did, but February knew when men were out of her league. Besides, she knew damn well she couldn’t handle even one of them. They were just too big, too muscular, and looked like they would do some serious damage to her vagina, but in a seriously good way. “I don’t really need a one-night stand, and you and I know that is what it would be.” Not that she had never had one before, but that had been so long ago and not really something she wanted to try again. She was a grown-ass woman now. In reality she wanted something stable and meaningful now that she was older. Looking over her shoulder and training her eyes on Charlie, the oldest Wylde brother, she felt her panties become impossibly wet. How desperate and pathetic was she that just looking at all that tanned, hard, bulging, and lick-able flesh encased in a plain white tee and faded denims could have her so needy?
“Girl, you can’t lie and say you don’t want that, especially when I can smell how hot they make you.” Ary felt her face flame with heat at Melissa’s words. She turned back around quickly and chugged the rest of her drink. Already she was feeling the effects of the alcohol zipping through her bloodstream. It was a welcome feeling and one she didn’t want to have end just yet despite her earlier disapproval of more drinks.
“Can I get another?” She held her glass up their waiter, who was still flirting with Candace. “Yo.” The coyote turned and offered her an apologetic smile. “Can I get something stronger, please?”
“Sure thing.” He grabbed her empty glass, asked Candace and Melissa if they wanted anything else, and went back to the bar.
“Looks like someone is getting laid tonight.” Melissa slapped Candace on the back in a congratulatory manner. If Ary wasn’t already sexually frustrated, annoyed with herself and Melissa, she would have joined in on the friendly banter. As it was she was uncomfortably aroused and looking to get drunk, although mixing booze when she was turned-on might not have been the best idea. The coyote waiter, named Chad, came back with three shots of Crown.
“When I said something harder I don’t know if I meant straight up whiskey.” Ary picked up a glass. She didn’t need to bring it to her nose to smell how potent it was.
“These are courtesy of the gentlemen at the bar.” A scowl was on Chad’s face as he set Candace’s shot in front of her. The three of them turned around to see all three Wylde brothers looking at them.
The men watched them with the same stoic expressions. Their appearances were similar, but they each had their own subtle differences. Ary, as well as pretty much every resident in Sweet Water, knew about the bears. Bram, the youngest of the Wylde brothers at thirty-three, had a faux hawk going on with his black hair. His skin was tanned, just like the other two, from working out in the sun, and his light blue eyes added to the striking combination. Ford, the middle Wylde brother, was thirty-five. He had the same striking blue eyes like Bram and dark brown hair that was shaved close to his head. The oldest brother, and the one who was staring directly at February, was Charlie. At forty he wore his age damn well. He had the lightest coloring of hair, and the dirty blond strands were a haphazard mess around his head. They were all built the same: at least six foot three inches of powerful muscle. She knew bear shifters were one of the biggest around, in all aspects, but having them this close to her made her feel wholly feminine. All she could think about was why Charlie seemed interested in her when there was a swarm of half-naked females practically in his lap and vying for his attention.
“Holy fucking shit.”
Ary snapped her attention back to Melissa. Her friend stared at the men with wide eyes before schooling her features and popping her breasts out.
“Ary, you need to get with Charlie, like yesterday. That boy is eye-fucking you like crazy. And I’ll tell you what.” She fluffed her hair out and stood. “I call dibs on Bram.”
“Melissa, don’t push her.” Candace said, but only half-assed because her attention was surprisingly not on the Wylde brothers, but instead on Chad. Melissa scoffed and ignored Candace. She started making her way past the table, and Ary looked at Candace. She knew she shared the same stunned expression as her friend. When Melissa walked by her she reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping Melissa. The wolf looked down at her with one eyebrow cocked in question. “What?”
“You can’t be serious.”
Melissa cocked her other perfectly plucked eyebrow, so now both were dark arches.
“What do you plan on doing?”
“Uh, go over there and thank them for the drinks, which I might add is the polite thing to do.” Instantly February felt like a huge bitch. “Then I’m going to invite Bram back to my place.” She wagged her brows, and February rolled her eyes.
“Just sit back down, Melissa.” Candace spoke up. “Those bears are far more animal than man, and too much for even you to handle.” For a moment no one said anything and the steady beat of music surrounded them, but then Melissa started laughing.
“You guys are such wimps. I’m getting me some tonight, and it’s going to be with a Wylde bear.” She pulled out of Ary’s grasp and sauntered over to Bram. February felt her face heat at the blatant sexuality that poured from Melissa. She was used to this behavior from her frie
nd, but now she was sucking her into her craziness. There was no denying she was attracted to Charlie Wylde, but this certainly wasn’t the way she wanted to go about it.
Turning back around and grabbing her shot, she downed it and let the burn travel straight down her throat and to her stomach. She was half-way to the point of being drunk already, but it wasn’t nearly enough, not when she knew Melissa had some of the biggest balls around and had something up her sleeve concerning the bears.
Chapter Two
Melissa stayed by the bar for a good ten minutes, and as much as Ary didn’t want to check to see what she was doing she found herself doing exactly that. In that short amount of time she managed to throw back another two shots, accompanied by the worried looks cast her way from Candace.
“It’s my birthday,” was all she said and tossed back one more. She would need to be good and trashed tonight, especially when Melissa brought over the bears, which Ary knew was bound to happen soon.
“I didn’t say anything.” Candace looked over her shoulder again at Melissa, but Ary didn’t miss the way her eyes strayed to the coyote waiter. The silent flirting between the two was cute, but maybe that was just because her previous buzz had turned into full-blown intoxicated giddiness.
“Just go over there.” Ary smiled widely, feeling the pleasure of her alcohol induced happiness. Candace cast an unsure expression, and Ary waved her off. “I’ll be fine. Besides, Melissa will no doubt be back soon, and you don’t need to be subjected to her antics.” No doubt their friend would be in she-wolf stalking mode. Candace mouthed “thank you” and scurried off. Someone should at least be excited about picking up a guy, not counting Melissa since she was always excited about meeting a guy. Hell, Melissa had enough of that for the whole damn bar. As Ary sat there and let the alcohol do its magic she felt her worries, unease, and overall uncomfortable feeling that surrounded her wash away. Her eyes strayed to the dance floor, and she watched the crush of bodies move sexually and hypnotically against each other.
