Bared for Her Bear

by Jenika Snow

  There they stood, jackal to bear, and all Charlie wanted to do was rip into him until blood coated his fur and there was nothing left. Frank made the first move, his actions sloppy and fast. The rage in him was on the verge of insane and manic. A searing pain lanced through Charlie’s side, and he roared. He swung his paw out, connected with Frank’s muzzle and sent him flying against the brick building. For a few seconds Frank was down, but because the asshole was crazier than shit, he got back on all fours and charged at him again. Charlie was done with this. He charged for Frank and met him on a head-on collision. He was three times the size and weight of the jackal, and, rage filling every part of his body because this dick still wanted Ary, he knew there was no chance that he’d lose. Frank might have gotten in a few shots, but that ended now. Tackling Frank to the ground Charlie used one big paw to hold his snapping head down and brought his muzzle close to his. Roaring out as powerfully as he could, he smelled the rotting stench of Frank’s fear finally break through the surface. Maybe he was finally realizing that this wasn’t a fight he was going to win? He struggled beneath Charlie for a few more minutes, and Charlie thought how easy it would be just to clamp his jaw on Frank’s neck and snap the thin bone.

  Finally the fight left the jackal, and Charlie shifted back into his human form. It certainly hadn’t been the longest or most vicious of fights he’d been in, but it had been the most important.

  “I’m only going to say this once, so your crazy ass better be paying attention. February is mine, and will always be mine. I’ll protect her until I can’t breathe any longer, and if I ever see you near her again, or hear that you’ve been talking about her, I’ll hunt you down and finish this. I will not offer you another warning. Do you understand?” His voice was a low rumble of repressed anger. It took Frank a few seconds, but when he finally realized that Charlie spoke the truth he nodded once. Charlie stood and without a backward glance headed to his truck. He saw Bram leaning against the side with a cigarette between his lips.

  “I was wondering if you were going to just beat his ass already, or if you just planned on playing with him for fun,” Bram said. “Was gonna join in the fun when I saw what the hell was going down, but I thought you needed that fight all to yourself.”

  Charlie flipped off Bram and opened the back passenger door to grab an extra set of clothes he always kept. Ford was passed out cold and taking up the entire back seat.

  “You taking your truck back, or are you too drunk to drive?”

  “Nah, man, I had just as many drinks as Ford, but when I knew it was time to call it a night he just kept going. Just bring me back in the morning to get it.”

  Once dressed in jeans and a t-shirt Charlie climbed in and waited for Bram to do the same. Once they were on the road and heading back to his place Charlie decided now was as good a time as any to find out what the hell was up, but before he could talk Bram filled him in.

  “Mina called Ford right before you guys showed up. Told him she is back in town for a wedding.” It wasn’t as bad as Charlie had thought. Yeah, Mina had been the only girl Ford had ever loved. Hell, he had even talked about mating with her and her having his babies. Ford was never the same after they broke it off, and instead gorged himself on females.

  “Okay, well why in the hell would she call him and tell him she’s in town? She trying to hurt him all over again? It’s been ten fucking years.”

  “Charlie, she called to tell him that she is in town for her wedding. She’s getting married to some doctor or some shit like that, and using her folks’ estate to have it on. She wanted him to hear it from her first.”

  Charlie looked over at his brother and felt his heart breaking for Ford all over again. “Shit. No wonder he was all kinds of fucked up.” He should have just let Ford kick someone’s ass. At least that way he would have gotten some of his anguish out. Charlie adjusted his mirror so he could see Ford lying on the backseat. Damn, looks like there are going to be plenty more of these nights in the near future. As long as Mina was in town, Ford would be a fucked-up mess.

  Charlie took his brothers back to his place since he’d have to be driving them back to get Bram’s truck in the morning. After getting Ford settled in the guest room and seeing Bram to his room, Charlie went to the master suite. He needed a shower to wash the fight off of him. He was surprised to see Ary up in bed with the sheets drawn up to her chin. The sight had him chuckling.

  “Baby, you look so damn worried it’s cute.” She eyed him, and he knew the moment she realized he was in different clothes. He held his hand up right when she was about to talk. “I plan on telling you everything, Kitten. Let me just take a shower first, yeah?” She swallowed, and then nodded.

  He took the quickest shower imaginable and stepped back into the room with a towel slung low on his hips. Ary was sitting on the edge of the bed and staring right at him. Exhaling and running his hand over the damp hair at the nape of his neck, he sat down beside her. He supposed he’d start with Ford’s issues, then move on to Frank. “I had to get Ford because his ex-girlfriend is in town and told him she’s getting married.” At her confused look he lifted his hand and smoothed his finger between her eyes. “He was in love with Mina for years, had all these plans of the future with her, but then there was some kind of misunderstanding and they split up. So he got drunk tonight at Slater’s, and I had to smooth things over with the human he was trying to fight. He and Bram are staying overnight so I can take them back to get Bram’s truck in the morning.”

  “Oh God. Is everyone okay?” Bless her heart for thinking of everyone else.

  “Yeah, baby, they’re good.” Shit, how did he now bring up Frank? He didn’t want to upset her further, and knew bringing up that prick’s name would do that. Before he could bring it up she told him what she already knew.

  “You saw Frank at the bar, didn’t you? Fought him, too?” At his nod she looked away and swallowed again. “I smelled him all over you, his blood, too. You’re okay, though?” He smiled when she started running her hands up and down his chest.

  “Yeah, baby.”

  “Did you kill him?” Her voice cracked slightly. There was pure worry in her eyes.

  He shook his head slowly. “No, but he won’t be bothering you again.” She turned her head and looked at the ground.

  “I’m not happy you got into a fight with him, but I don’t doubt he probably instigated the whole thing. Frank was always good at pissing people off.” She sighed heavily and turned to look at him. “I’m glad you’re okay and you didn’t kill him, even though Frank was worthless. But please promise me that we will put him behind us. I don’t want him coming between us again.” Turning her so they were facing each other, he stared into her eyes.

  “February Felina, I would never let anything hurt you. Ever.” He took her hand and placed it over his heart. “Do you feel that?” At her nod he continued. “My heart beat before you came along, but it was for the sole purpose of living. Then you walked into my life, as unconventional as our meeting was, and it beat for a totally different reason. You are why it pumps blood through my body, and you are what makes it keep going.” Tears started to fall down her cheeks, and he leaned down and kissed away the salty remnants of her emotions. “I love you to the end of the earth and back.”

  She smiled at his statement. “I love you, too.” He took her mouth and tasted the flavor of her tears and everything that made up his mate. She was his, he was hers, and there was nothing that would ever change that. His mark may have disappeared from her flesh, but his scent poured off of her, and a low growl of possessiveness left him at that knowledge. From this point forward it was only the future they had to focus on.

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  “Momma!” The tiny wail that came from the living room had Ary dropping the plate she was washing and running out of the kitchen.

  “What?” She looked around the living room and saw Cole standing by the patio doors. “What?” She rushed over to him a
nd scooped up her little boy. Scanning his body for injuries, she breathed out in relief when she saw none. “Why did you cry, Cole? Are you hurt?”

  “No.” A little frown formed between his eyes. He started mumbling unintelligible things and pointing outside.

  “He’s mad that I brought him inside because he wouldn’t listen and kept trying to eat worms.” Charlie came up behind her, pushed her hair off her shoulder, and kissed the exposed skin. A shiver worked through her, a reaction she had when he touched her even two years later. Looking down at Cole’s tiny hands she noticed for the first time they were filthy.

  “Cole Charlie Wylde, were you not listening again?” A fat tear rolled down his chubby little cheek, and she brushed it away and kissed his forehead. Her little man looked just like Charlie, right down to his blue eyes and blond hair. Cole threw his arms up and went tense in the way toddlers did during a temper tantrum. She set him down, and he ran to the corner of the room where his toy box was. Charlie turned her around and framed her swollen belly with his hands.

  “You feeling okay, Kitten?” He kissed her right cheek then her left.

  “I guess. I just feel fatter than usual and ready to have this little girl.” He rubbed her belly, and she swore if he took a needle to her she’d pop like a damn overfilled balloon. He smiled and continued to rub her stomach.

  “You want me to massage your feet?”

  She moaned. “Man, you know the way to a woman’s heart.” He chuckled deeply and led her to the couch. Once she was in position he picked up her bare foot and started kneading the top and then the heel. The baby decided to start kicking like crazy, and she took up where Charlie left off in rubbing her belly. Their daughter was due in just a few weeks, and Ary couldn’t wait. Not only was she having a little girl, but she was also an ocelot shifter. Heaven help her. She would be living with two bear shifters and now another ocelot that probably had a fiery little attitude if her acrobatics in her belly were anything to go by. Charlie looked up at her and did that sexy little half-mouthed grin.

  “Have I told you I love you?”

  “Not since this morning, but I am always willing to hear it a second time, and a third and fourth.” He started massaging her other foot, and not even the sound of Cole banging his toys together, or the tea kettle screaming, could take her away from this one, perfect moment.

  “Well, Mrs. Charlie Wylde, I love you more than a fish loves the water.”

  She threw her head back and started laughing.

  “You are so dang cheesy.”

  He was grinning when he sat beside her on the couch and enveloped her in his big arms.

  “Maybe, but I still mean every word I say.” Resting her head on his chest she listened to his heart beating steady and strong. Yeah, she knew he meant it all, corny or not, and because of that she loved him to the end of the world and back. She couldn’t help smiling at the thought of that phrase. It had been what he told her the night he came back from Slater’s and poured his heart out to her in a poetic way.

  His words might have seemed cheesy in context, but he meant them from the bottom of his heart, and she knew that without a doubt. He had given her a beautiful little boy and soon a little girl, and constantly made her feel like the most cherished woman on the planet. He was soft and gentle with her, but was also fierce and strong and protected her and Cole with every part of his being.

  “You know what, Charlie.” He smoothed his hand up and down her back.

  “What, baby?”

  “I love you more than the flowers love the sun.” He started chuckling, and everything came rushing back to her: the noise of Cole laughing and throwing his toys against the wall, and the sound of the tea kettle still screaming. She went to stand, but Charlie helped her back on the couch and went to the kitchen. Even with her life hectic and boringly domestic at times, she wouldn’t change it for anything the world.

  The End

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  Other Books by Jenika Snow:

  www.evernightpublishing.com/pages/Jenika-Snow.html

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  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com