by Jenny Brex
When she found out she had to return to Alaska, she ran to the bathroom and got sick. Her past barreled toward her at the speed of light. It didn’t seem to matter that so much time had passed, it still felt like it was only yesterday. Everything bubbled to the surface.
Keyoni knew if she could get through her time there, she’d be free to live wherever and however she wanted. She’d never have to live in Alaska again.
She’d chosen to work with animals, but the choices were limitless. She looked into being a zoologist, but the category was broad. A mammalogist got her closer to her goals, but again she’d have to choose a field of study. Would she research disease, environment, growth, a specific species, or behavior? When she investigated her options, they only grew wider and more overwhelming.
Working with animals could be anything from studying the spread of disease among a particular fish, or the way new species thrived in their environment. If she studied bears would she study polar bears, brown bears, grizzly bears which were a sub-species of brown bears, Kodiak bears which were a sub-species of grizzles, or black bears?
If she studied Asiatic black bears, she’d have to move clear across the world. Then there were the Andean bears in South America. Of course, she couldn’t forget the panda bears, the sloth bears or the sun bears, and lord knows her professors would be horrified if she couldn’t name every single detail about every single bear species.
So why she decided to follow her father’s path and delve into bear research was beyond her with so many other great choices. Somehow, someway, she was back in Alaska to study polar bear behavior. Her first purpose was to study their maternity denning habits, then other behavior amongst the mother and her twin cubs as they first started out. Two years and her debt would be paid. Only then would she be able to focus on her passion. She’d move to Southeast Asia and study sun bears and their behavior.
After all was said and done, she went with a doctoral degree in Zoology with a focus on Mammalogy. The US Fish and Wildlife Service helped pay her way through school in exchange for her knowledge. She’d be studying polar bears on Barter Island, which was part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
***
When Jake sat at her table, it was a slap in the face. Did he really think he could just pop on over after almost twenty years had passed and act like she’d be happy to see him? Seriously? He had some fucking nerve to test her that way.
She needed her past to stay in the past. She’d adapted, moved on, and became an educated, smart, sassy, and strongly independent woman. She didn’t need guys hitting on her, and she didn’t need friends. She’d gone most of her life as a loner, and she’d be happy to continue that way. She’d changed, grown, and got her eyes fixed. Lasik was a life-changer.
The only good thing about coming home was seeing her parents. They came to visit her once a year, twice if they could afford it, but their home was Alaska. She was pretty sure her father had something to do with where her post-school location landed. He swore up and down he had no control over the situation, but it was too much of a coincidence that she ended up on his team of researchers.
She’d gather what she needed, and then join them. Until then, she studied and read everything she could get her hands on. She was certain she’d be heading toward Sun bears with the work she’d accomplished already, but nope, Polar bears it was. They were massive beasts, the largest bear species there was.
At least she’d get to spend time with her mother. She talked to her often, but she’d been getting weaker. Disease was eating away at her. Some things worked better than others, but the medication many used was for humans, not for half-breeds that had weird genetic qualities. Had she known her mother would end up sick, she would have spent all of those years in school studying shifter medicine. There were too few that offered help or even experimental help. Instead, she spent all those years pretending she was only human. Nobody in Hawaii knew about her bear, only her grandmother, and she’d kept the secret with her. Nobody understood grizzly bears in Hawaii. Hell, Kiawe thorns were more of a threat than bears in Hawaii.
Chapter 3
Jake went back to the bar. He held his mug between his hands, trying to clear his mind. “Hey Hank, when you have a minute can I get an order of crab and cream cheese wontons?”
Hank nodded.
Jake studied the girl that ignored him. She refused to look his way. Her body language was closed off, yet it wasn’t for lack of confidence. She seemed to hold her own. She was hardly the mousy girl of the past.
How could she condemn him over his actions as a child? All kids go through rough stages. He just happened to tease her a little bit. A bully? An asshole? The connotation stung. He didn’t see himself that way, but she obviously did.
What child was perfect? Hell, he was going through his own issues. You try going through puberty as a bear shifter. And girls, fuck, if he liked them he either ignored them or made fun of them. He froze up when he tried to talk to girls he liked, unless it was some sarcastic, snotty comment that rolled off of his tongue.
He'd been growing fur, um, human fur in places he didn’t know it should exist. Nobody warned him. Shit, he was worried about keeping his ever-constant erection out of sight. A girl would walk by, and there it went. The wind would blow. Sure, now as an adult it wasn’t a big deal. He was in control, but as a kid? Man, girls were like a foreign species. Suddenly, he was noticing things he’d never noticed before. Like a friend who’d he’d hang out with was suddenly pretty and he couldn’t speak. Or soft curves that did all sorts of things to his brain and body.
And there she sat, judging him based on his puberty-riddled essence. Who holds a grudge that long? That girl had problems as far as he was concerned. It was probably better that he had nothing to do with her. Her brain was misfiring on too many cylinders.
Control. He’d had it, up until she stood and stretched. Jake shifted in his seat. His fat cock engorged and pressed tightly to his jeans. She glanced past him, refusing eye contact and made her way to the bathroom.
He could barely breathe as she walked by. Her full hips swayed and her voluptuous chest… yep, he was in trouble. She was soft, feminine, padded, and curvy. Damn! When she turned to push the door open, he was glued to her round, wide ass.
His goose was cooked.
It did him in. Jake groaned and pressed against his cock, trying to talk it into deflating. Otherwise, he’d need to slip into the men’s room and readjust matters. Fuck. She did something to him that nobody had done before. He was mesmerized waiting on her return.
When she came back out, she slipped her hand under her hair and brushed it behind her shoulder. Long, cascading locks fell perfectly around her face. It was like the sun beamed directly on her. Hell, it was evening and they weren’t even outside!
Jake was screwed. How could he convince a girl that hated him to give him the time of day, let alone spend the rest of her life with him as his one and only? Chemistry was underrated, because what she was doing to him set his circuits haywire. He needed to try again, but as soon as he started to stand, she spun around and glared at him. If looks could kill.
It would be a challenge, but Jake was no quitter.
Chapter 4
Keyoni settled at her table and opened the book she’d been studying. She’d head back to her parents’ house soon enough. As horrible as it was, she couldn’t spend all night there. It was hard to see her mother’s decline. She told them she was going to see an old friend after dinner. She was pretty sure they knew she was lying. She’d never had friends when she lived in Alaska.
Her dad would get her set up for research, but said after she got settled, he was heading back to be with her mother for a while. Her strength was diminishing.
She wouldn’t be alone. They had a small encampment set up for the few that were on the research team. Each was there on a similar but different aspect of study. For Keyoni, she’d be watching the behaviors of the pregnant females that dug out maternity dens in the lat
e fall. She’d stay until early spring, at which time she’d work where the refuge needed her until the mating and denning happened again the following year.
Speaking of mating, Jackass Jake was watching her from the bar. She could feel his eyes on her. It’s not that he was predatory, but the way he looked at her told her there something going on. Not like she hadn’t studied animal science enough, and bear or human, he had all the signs of a horny male. He’d changed the angle he sat at, his shoulders were squared toward her, and he parted his lips and reached up to touch them. Everything was subtle, but added together she knew what he was thinking. He skimmed his fingers along his jaw. She quickly glanced back, not wanting to encourage the goon.
Stupid bear. Stupid man.
Okay, so maybe he wasn’t the only one responsible for her troubled youth, but he was one of the worst. His group of buddies weren’t any better, though King was kind of cute.
As a kid, no matter what she did she couldn’t gain weight. All the other girls were going into puberty with curves and soft padding. Not her. She looked mangy and too thin. Her father said it was fine and perfectly natural, but she wanted to be like the other shifters. Her mother understood. Humans and shifters had different expectations, desires, and body types. She never fit in. She was always opposite of what others longed for.
Keyoni closed her book and waved down the waitress. The sooner she headed home, the better. Guilt was eating her up, knowing she had precious little time with her mom, and here she sat at a bar, grumbling about a guy. A guy she wanted nothing to do with, no matter how hot he’d become. Nobody wants a trophy when the trophy’s a pig, and that’s exactly what Jake was, a pig in disguise. Sure, he looked good on the outside. He had a build that would make the ladies swoon, a chiseled jaw, and hair you want to run your fingers through, but underneath the glossy exterior he was nothing more than a grubby bug.
***
She glanced at the bill the waitress left on the table, then dug through her bag for her wallet. After tossing money on the table, she stood.
The server ran back over to Keyoni’s table. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t supposed to give you that. My apologies. The bartender told me and I forgot. The gentleman at the bar is covering your tab.”
“That’s no gentleman. Don’t let his packaging fool you,” she snapped. “And I don’t let jerks pay my way.”
The waitress wasn’t sure what to say. “Mm, okay? Have a good night.”
Keyoni flashed daggers at Jake, then turned to leave. She flung her book into her backpack and headed out the door. Just as she was about to push through the front door, she turned around and stomped over to her past. “And just for the record, I’ll be leaving Alaska when my research is done, just to get away from you.”
Unprovoked. Yep, he was under her skin. She didn’t have to say anything, just turn and walk away. Instead, she felt the need to talk to him.
Jake nodded. “Okay, good luck.”
He knew how to play the game. If she wanted to be left alone, badger her. If she wanted attention, ignore her. He had nothing more to say.
He took the wind right out of her sails.
“Whatever,” she mumbled and trudged away. She wanted it to slap him across his face and remind him that he was everything she hated. He was what Alaska represented to her.
Jake watched her walk. Her hips swayed with stronger emphasis this time. It was on purpose. She might not know it, but her subconscious was in charge. What he wouldn’t do to wrap his hands around her sweet, soft flesh and squeeze. He let out a long whistle as the door closed behind her. Damn. Reaching down to the python between his legs, he shifted once again. That fucker was hard and wanted out. It would have to wait.
Chapter 5
Research. She’d mentioned something about research. What was it her old man did again? Expeditions? Shit, it was on the tip of his tongue. Polar research, that’s it! It wasn’t a big town, and most everybody knew each other’s business. While a lot of the shifters like his friends King and Denver kept a lower profile, Jake was social. He was careful with trust, but he’d never had an issue until now. He had a bigger issue than he knew how to deal with.
He was itching for a sweet taste of her honey, and needed to find a way to scratch that itch. Jerry! Jerry would know. Jake glanced at his watch. It was late, but he might still be able to catch Jerry at his shop. He dropped cash on the bar and ran out the door. Down the block, he turned the corner, then up to Jerry’s office. He didn’t keep his equipment on site, but a quick hop and you’d find a complete collection of Snow-Crawlers, Ice-Crawlers, and just about every other type of track vehicle or special tired equipment to work in unique conditions. The light was on, but the door was locked.
Jake pounded at the door. “Jerry, are you in there? It’s Jake Marchetti.”
The old man waddled to the door. He looked up over the edge of his glasses and then unlocked the entrance. “Jake, what can I do for you? I was just closing up shop.”
“Late for you,” Jake said, making small talk. “Hey, research, polar research. What’s the deal on equipment?”
“You suddenly interested in science?”
“Nah, just need some information. An old friend is back in town. She mentioned something about research, and I’m pretty sure her father—”
“Yep, the Kalani girl was here. She the one you’re talking about?”
“Yeah, just spent some time catching up at the bar,” he fibbed. “She mentioned research. I figured, with her old man’s history…anyway, I was hoping to surprise her. She getting a ride out to a post?”
He shrugged. “I’d assume so. She’s back for two years, though she didn’t seem as enthused about it as her father. We’re taking the crew back out to the encampment in a couple of days.”
“What would I have to do to be your driver that day?”
Jerry arched an eyebrow. “Where you going with this, kid?”
Jake laughed. “I’m going on thirty. Hardly a kid anymore.”
“Still young to me. You get to be my age, and everyone looks young.”
“So, I’d drive for free.”
“Takes a special license…”
“Which I have, remember,” he said when he’d filled in for Jerry in a pinch the previous year. “If it’s got wheels or tracks, I can drive it.”
“No pay.”
“I wouldn’t ask. I just need a few more minutes of her time.”
“Why don’t you just ask for it,” he said.
“Too easy. You know me,” he said with a grin. “I have to do everything the hard way. Besides, I want it to be a surprise.”
Jerry shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’d sure like to know.”
“I’ll fill you in after,” he promised.
“Fair enough. Sure, you can drive them in. We’re hauling the equipment up north. You can drive the transit van, then jump in the Snow-Crawler up there. Don’t be late. They leave on Tuesday at six in the morning.”
“I’ll be here early to pick up the keys.” He couldn’t stop smiling. “Jerry, thanks.”
“Tell your old man I said hi.”
“Yeah, I will.”
Jake’s folks lived in the area for years, but moved to the east coast when better pay drew them out of Alaska. They’d lived there all their lives, but when his parents went east, Jake stayed put. They’d left no more than five years ago, but Alaska was the only home he knew. His friends were there, and he’d opened an excavating company. He’d worked with a couple of gold miners for a few years, but it wasn’t for him. Instead, he wanted to make his own hours and his own way.
Jake got the call the following day. The ride and rental were canceled. Shit. He thought he had an in. He didn’t think to ask why.
Chapter 6
Keyoni was gutted. While at the bar, her mother had an acute episode. Her father left a note and took off. They were on their way to the regional medical center, farther than they should be driving at this time of night.
She knew what was coming, but wasn’t ready for it.
Only the news came unexpectedly fast, and was something she’d never imagined. Keyoni tried to absorb it. Her mother’s episode was grand, but was due to the latest chemical cocktail they’d been trying. Whatever it was, something changed. While she was reacting to the meds and had an allergic reaction, her bloodwork was cleaner than it had been in ages.
Shock set in. She’d been preparing for her mother’s death, only now it would seem that her life was extended. Keyoni dropped into the kitchen chair. She had her father on speaker phone. “Say it again.”
“I know,” he said, laughing. “I mean, we were scared. I was ready to say good-bye, unwillingly of course. We thought…anyway, she had an allergic reaction to the latest dosing which had been increased about a week ago. So, they ran the usual tests and then ran them again. They couldn’t believe what they saw. Her white blood cells were on the climb, and her numbers were stronger than they’d been.”
“It feels like a dream.”
“You’re telling me. Her doctor was surprised. He warned us it was experimental, and with shifters, well, you know the deal.”
“She’s going to be okay?”
“God, I hope so. But the way her numbers look, yeah, at least for a good while. There’s just no way to know how her genetics play into this. She swears her bear spirit was responsible. It refused to give up.”
“Daddy, I just…” Keyoni cried happy tears. “I’m shaking. When can she come home?”
“Soon,” he said. “They want to monitor her at least overnight. Do me a favor and call Jerry. His number is on the side of the fridge. Let him know we’ll need to reschedule.”
“Sure thing. I can drive up to the hospital,” she said.
