Primal Desire: a BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Shadowlands Bear Shifters Book 5)

by Olivia Harp

  They all laughed. Jo taught English and was a bit more tactful than their counterparts.

  "We have to ease ourselves into the conversation first," Marie, the biology teacher said, "then, when she ain't looking..."

  She rose her hands like a lion falling over its prey.

  Audrey shook her head and kept on smirking. These women were ridiculous, in a good way.

  "Nothing serious," she finally replied.

  I guess that's the truth. I mean we get along well and all but we don't really know...

  "Oh, nothing serious!" Darcy said, "looks like you're already having more fun than any of us!"

  "No, I didn't mean that!" Audrey replied, blushed red.

  "Don't worry darling," Darcy continued, "I haven't seen you so happy in months, your 'nothing serious' must be real good at..." she pressed her lips and made a swinging, semi–sexual motion.

  Mary and Jo laughed, "let her be, Darce..."

  "I just wish I was younger, so I could get my 'nothing serious,' too..."

  "What, your boyfriend dumped you?" said Mary.

  Darcy looked at her evenly. Everyone quieted down, "watch your words, Mary."

  "Sorry," she replied, anxiously, "I was joking."

  Darcy laughed, "just kidding, you dork."

  "Darcy!" the rest of the girls yelled in unison.

  "He couldn't leave this," she said wiggling her breasts, "even if he wanted to."

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  "Anyway," Darcy said, "you seem to be doing great, Audrey, you might wanna teach these two a lesson."

  "You're the one who should teach me a lesson," Audrey replied, "but yeah, everything's super great."

  They ordered dessert, conversation livelier than ever. It was great to see the teachers outside of school, without the limitations that work puts on you.

  She didn't know where her relationship was going —or if it was going anywhere. Still, it'd been a while since things were so good.

  She'd wait for his call, didn't want to push it.

  Let's see what happens.

  ***

  The woods were quiet.

  Enzo arrived at the mountain and found none of his crewmates there. He went straight to the forest. There hadn't been an alert in years, but the White Paws never ceased guarding the territory.

  His bear needed to come out. The feeling of soft, wet dirt on its paws was a welcome change to the pavement down in Rosenberg.

  A growl escaped him, he raised his head and sniffed the air for the last time, making sure that everything was safe. No risk of the Shadowlands puncturing reality.

  He only caught a whiff of the morning dew slowly evaporating, leaving behind the promise of life.

  He was happy.

  It took him a bit longer than usual to get back to the HQ, but it was fine, he needed to clear his head after yesterday.

  And what better way to do it than to let the bear take control. To lose himself in its power.

  He got back at the base and put his clothes on. The guys had probably come earlier and carried on with their day.

  All of them had kids now. All of them had found their mates. He had witnessed how much a bear shifter could change if he found his fated mate.

  The bear inside him stirred when he thought of that word.

  Mate.

  He went up to the Comms Tower, turned on the log computer and wrote the usual "all in control."

  He looked out the main window, the trees danced in the wind, the big forest surrounded home. He had always been... content? Happy, he never needed anything or anyone else in his life to be complete.

  But this was something else.

  Being with Audrey made him stronger, quicker... his power over the elements much greater and much more precise.

  For once in his life, he was in complete control of his bear. The forces of nature were strong and unwieldy; it took all of his strength to be able to channel them.

  His bear always came out after he did so.

  But when he healed her... it didn't happen. He couldn't describe why, but everything he wanted was for her to be all right. He couldn't stand watching her suffer.

  The world he knew was slowly crumbling down, but in a good way. She was the strength he never knew he needed.

  "Looking hella freaky there, Enzo," a thin voice said behind him.

  His bear grumbled, but he recognized the voice.

  It was Deeandra, Raiden's daughter. A twelve year old with an attitude he had yet to see in anyone else.

  She smiled brightly, her blonde hair garbled up as if it had just exploded.

  Raiden laughed behind her, walking into the Comms Tower.

  "Don't startle him Dee, you don't wanna mess with the crew's philosopher."

  Enzo chuckled.

  "Shut up, man," he said, then turned to Dee, "what's up?"

  "We're going exploring, wanna join us?"

  "Thanks, Dee. I just came back and still got work to do."

  "Your loss," she said.

  "Where were you this morning?" Raiden said, "I thought you weren't coming."

  Enzo looked at him, and before he could answer Raiden raised his hand, "wait, no, don't say anything, there's a child around."

  "Daaaad!" Deedee said, carrying her words like she'd always done, "I'm not a child!"

  Raiden looked at Enzo and they both shared a smirk.

  "You look weird, Enzo," Dee said.

  "Weird? Weird how?"

  She shrugged and stepped next to her dad.

  "I don't know. Different."

  "He might be a bit tired, Dee," Raiden said with a wink.

  "Where's everybody?" Enzo changed the subject.

  "All the girls went shopping," Dee replied, interrupting her dad, "I stayed."

  "She doesn't want to babysit the kids."

  "Dad! I always watch over them, even though you don't pay me enough to do it."

  "They don't pay me enough to babysit you right now, buddy, but I ain't complaining."

  "Dad!" Dee said, punching his big arm, Raiden jumped back and took the hits, pretending to be hurt.

  Enzo laughed. His old friend, the berserker, the polar bear, talking about kids and shopping and feigning defeat by the hands of a young twelve-year-old girl.

  His mate changed him for the best.

  Dee turned to him, his eyes turned to slits.

  "Don't worry, I know," she whispered to him.

  Raiden put his hand hand around her shoulder, half hugging her, "know what?"

  "You look just like my dad did, back when he met mom."

  Enzo felt as if a bucket of cold water fell over him.

  "Really?" Raiden said with an edge in his voice, "and how exactly is that, D-Tank?"

  "Kind of dumb, of course!" she replied and escaped her father's grip. Raiden ran behind her, yelling "you take it back, child!"

  And just before he walked outside, he turned back to Enzo.

  "You do look kind of dumb, man. Don't tell me you're in love?"

  Enzo chuckled, "don't make me laugh."

  "Why would I? Just asking an honest question."

  Raiden jumped out of the building and chased after his daughter, whose laughter had already turned into the funny roar of a cub.

  Put the thought aside. There's still much work you gotta do.

  Lab work. His favorite kind of work. But not this time. Not if the experiments turned out positive.

  Not if the White Paws mountain was a crossing.

  CHAPTER 35

  Enzo walked into the teacher's lounge and waited for Johanna to finish heating up her lunch.

  Monday went pretty awesome so far: students responded well to the counseling and he could tell by the third appointment he had during the morning, the new approach he'd taken to counseling was working.

  The kids were doing better, their grades improved and their general attitude was much, much more relaxed.

  At least as much as it could be, regarding their situation. They shouldn't
worry about their parents working two or three jobs to stay afloat, poor guys.

  He put his chicken fajita in the microwave and turned around just in time to see Audrey come in with a salad.

  His gut clenched, he had to hide his smile.

  They went out to the movies the day before. "As friends" they said, but it was pretty clear where this was going. They saw an action comedy and actually managed to watch it in its entirety without ending up making out on their seats like a couple of teenagers.

  And they held hands.

  In the dark of the theater, at least. They weren't ready to announce anything to the world, but it was great, in a kind of silly way.

  Audrey nodded her greeting and immediately lowered her eyes, sitting on the big table in the middle of the room.

  "Hi everyone," she said, and the seven teachers that were there replied their hellos.

  Enzo grabbed his lunch and sat right across her. She fixed her eyes on him for a second, but it was kind of a game, where they acted all normal and professional, knowing that no one knew their secret.

  "Dieting?" Enzo asked her.

  She shrugged, "just wanted to eat light for a change."

  Yesterday, she and Enzo wolfed down a hot-dog, a jumbo-sized bag of popcorn, and a diet cola —of course it had to be a diet one. He probably needed to eat lighter too. He chuckled. As if that will ever happen.

  "Hey, guys," said Raul, a young workshop teacher, "you won't believe who I just sent to the principal's office."

  He looked at Enzo, the question was meant especially for him. He did not respond, just waited for Raul to tell him.

  "Cameron."

  His heart began to race.

  Cameron is one of the top performers, about to get into a good university and now this?

  "What happened?" he asked.

  "He sucker-punched Oscar, you know him? He called Cameron a dumbass and he just did it, would you believe that?"

  "Are you kidding me?"

  "You know them?" Audrey interrupted.

  "Yes, he's one of the best students—"

  "I had to suspend them for a week," Audrey continued, "let them cool off."

  "They had it coming," Raul said, taking a sip of his big coffee mug.

  "I'm gonna talk to them, that's not something they'd normally do."

  "You think it's gang related?"

  "Dude," Enzo said curtly, "you've been watching a lot of TV."

  Raul chuckled.

  "I don't know, man. The kids are acting up lately. Maybe they're just stressed."

  Enzo frowned. A shiver ran down his spine. It's a coincidence. Please, let it be just a coincidence.

  "Are they gone?"

  "Yes," said Audrey, "we can't tolerate that kind of behavior."

  Enzo gritted his teeth. I should have known.

  Audrey looked at Enzo but he had to avoid her eyes, he didn't want to worry her.

  "Is everything all right?" she asked.

  Of course. He couldn't hide anything from her. They've been too close. Even his bear learned to stop its bullshit when he was around Audrey.

  "I think so. I'll just pay them a visit, make this right."

  The bear inside him was ready to pounce. Its anger rose, it needed an answer, it needed it now.

  Audrey took another sip of her cup. The teachers around didn't notice but there was this look between them. This way of communicating without words that she was worried, a glance to say is everything all right?

  He calmed down. The beast inside stopped growling like a maniac and let him be. Good. You stay down.

  He nodded at her, making sure she knew everything was fine, stood up and left.

  CHAPTER 36

  Enzo knocked at Cameron's door for the third time and finally someone answered. He could hear the cries of two toddlers behind the door.

  He lived near the school, on the second floor of the Good View apartments. It's always like this. Happy names for bad places. As if that was any help.

  The old building seemed as if it was about to crumble. Badly lit interiors barely showed the faded paint and dirt on the hallway. Bugs crawled on the stairs, a couple was yelling at each other on the floor above. Life was harsh, and this place was the proof of it.

  A young-ish woman answered the door carrying a child no older than three. She looked tired, two giant bags under her eyes, another child was screaming her lungs out a few steps behind her.

  "Knock it off, Iris!" she yelled, "you're bothering your uncle."

  Enzo waited for her to look at him.

  "Yes?" she asked bluntly.

  "Is Cameron home?"

  She looked at him up and down, then looked at the corridor, "who's asking?"

  Enzo smiled, tried to reassure her he was a friend, "Enzo Gallagher, the school counselor?"

  Her eyes widened, "you're Enzo?"

  She looked at him up and down twice, her attitude changing in an instant.

  "Cameron never said you were so young—"

  "That's enough Courtney," Cameron said walking behind her, looking at Enzo, half angry and half embarrassed.

  "Hey," he said, "what do you want?"

  Strange. He never acted this confrontationally. Courtney looked at both of them but didn't move.

  "Just wanted to know what's up. Heard you got susp—"

  "Yeah, so?"

  Silence. Enzo didn't immediately reply. There was desperation in Cameron's voice. Something was missing.

  "May I come in?"

  Cameron opened his mouth to decline but no words came out. He couldn't do it. He was his friend, after all. Or that's what I thought.

  Courtney moved away from the door and Enzo came through. The apartment was as clean as it could be with two toddlers running around. Still, the place looked as if it was about to fall down on everyone at any second. The scent of old, rotten wood permeated the place.

  They walked over to the other side of the unit, towards the kitchen. Cameron picked up some old toys from a worn out sofa just across it, and signaled at Enzo to sit.

  "You want some water or something?" he asked.

  "I'm good."

  Both looked at each other in silence, then Cameron looked at Courtney, who got the hint and took the two kids to the only room in the apartment.

  She turned on the TV, at least she was giving them some privacy.

  "So? What's up?" Cameron asked, standing nervously, glancing outside, avoiding Enzo's gaze.

  "What's up with you, man? You had a fight?"

  Cameron laughed, "that wasn't a fight. The bitch couldn't hit me back."

  "Hey—" Enzo said.

  Both looked at each other. Cameron seemed furious, but why?

  "Spit it out man. What happened?"

  The senior shook his head, licking his lips, then shrugged.

  "I've known you for years, Cameron, come on."

  "So? What does that mean? What the hell do you think you know about me? You don't know shit."

  The bear inside Enzo flared up in anger. He wanted to tear the kid apart, teach him some manners. Every hair on his skin bristled. He stood up, maybe that way he'd be able to calm down.

  "Don't push it, boy."

  "Or what? What are you gonna do?"

  Enzo closed up his fingers, his knuckles turned white.

  "Are you gonna keep spewing shit," Enzo said, "or are you gonna say what you want to say? Be a man."

  Cameron didn't expect that. His eyes widened and he took a step back. There was a glint in them, but he looked away quickly. Is he holding back tears?

  No one spoke. The first one to do so would lose. And Enzo sure as hell wasn't going to lose.

  "You fucked me over," Cameron finally said.

  Enzo frowned, "what?"

  "I told you I had an interview, and we were gonna practice. But you fucked me over."

  Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit.

  "What happened?"

  Cameron looked at him, his eyes reddening.

  "What do you thi
nk? I screwed up."

  "How?"

  Cameron shrugged, "I don't know man! I went there and the man asked about me, my past, my grades, whatever. What do you think? I'm no good at talking."

  "Did you lie?"

  "No, but come on. Look at this place. Who would give a black kid from this neighborhood a scholarship? There were Asians there, waiting to go after me. What would you do?"

  "So you told him the truth, talked about your life and your curricular activities. Where did you fuck up?"

  Cameron fished for an answer. He wasn't sure, really, he just knew. Or thought he knew.

  "I didn't sound smart."

  "You're a fuckin idiot."

  Cameron locked eyes with Enzo. He was a tough kid but Enzo stared him down.

  "They wanted to know you, I don't know what you expected. You're smart, you probably prepared well enough on your own before this, right?"

  He shrugged.

  "I needed help."

  "I'm sorry I wasn't there; it completely went over my head."

  "Yeah, I know. That bitch got you by the balls. You don't even know what's up anymore."

  The bear inside Enzo roared. Its red hot fury engulfed him from head to toe.

  Enzo took a step forward, his steel eyes fixed on Cameron, who a minute before tried to come off tough, now he seemed like a rabbit about to be eaten.

  "Watch your mouth, boy. I'm your friend, but even friends have limits."

  Cameron didn't reply.

  "Understood?"

  He nodded, looking down, "sorry, sir."

  "Sit down."

  Cameron obeyed, regretfully.

  "Two things," Enzo continued, his good attitude gone, Cameron wasn't stupid, he was just frustrated, and the baby screaming in the next room made him understand why. He was desperate. This was his shot at a better life, a way to help his family, and he thought he fucked it up.

  "First, don't worry about it. We'll see what happens. This is life, you can't control everything. Sometimes people fuck up but you have to keep moving. That's part of growing up, so grow the fuck up."

  Cameron didn't reply, his eyes were still of the floor.

  "There are more interviews left, I can help you with those, if you still want to. You don't have to answer me now, you're angry. Just know that I'll be around if you need me."