Bears of Burden: WYATT

by Candace Ayers

  “Just wake me up when you pass the town sign. I assume there is one of those, right?”

  He laughed. “Of course. Unless someone got drunk and ripped it down again.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. Burden, Texas was going to be quite the adventure for this city gal.

  CHAPTER 2: Wyatt

  Coming down from the mountain always made my bear restless. Leaving the wilderness to return to a more tamed life made us both a little uncomfortable. Things were better in the wild. As a man or a bear, I could run and swim and do whatever I wanted without any hassles. There were no rules. I’d always found that there were too many rules in town. No shoes, no service. No shirt, no service. No pants, you’re suddenly a criminal.

  Hell, I couldn’t even walk barefoot into my Mom’s house without her yelling about it.

  It wasn’t entirely my fault that I was more bear than man. Being raised at the base of a mountain and given free reign, I’d always done what I wanted. It wasn’t until I was old enough to begin considering females that Mom started the lecturing. She’d raised me to be the way I was, but she was the first to say I needed to act normal. She wanted a daughter-in-law and cubs to fawn over. Neither of which would happen if I didn’t start showering inside and wearing shirts with buttons, she said.

  I focused on the small group of people following me down and gave them each a reassuring nod. I’d known they wouldn’t survive well in the wild. They were too soft. They’d given it a good try, though, and I respected them for that. They all looked rough around the edges, having faced just a little bit of what mother nature and her unyielding terrain could dish out. This group hadn’t had an easy time.

  I’ve had groups that surprised me, and groups that left me wondering why the hell I continued to do what I did. Teaching humans to survive in the woods wasn’t exactly a cake walk. They didn’t come with the proper instincts and most weren’t made to last out here. This group had fought, though, and that was impressive in itself.

  “Wyatt, are we almost there? I don’t think I can make it another step.”

  I looked back at the younger woman named Sarah. She was pretty and I’d noticed her giving me more than a few steamy glances. I knew the trail we were on well. After the rock formation we’d just passed, there was still another half hour before we reached the bottom. “We’re almost there. If you don’t think you can make it, I can carry you.”

  She gave me a coy smile, “I don’t think I can make it.”

  Another job perk. Women sometimes came along on the trip and sometimes I had to play hero and save them. Those same women seemed more than eager to throw their numbers at the man who’d rescued them, and I didn’t see any harm in having a little fun with them. I was healthy and single. I bent over and easily lifted her in a fireman’s carry. She was soft and smelled like flowers, despite having been outside, in the heat, all week long.

  As an unmated bear, I chose to enjoy most of the women who came onto me after these trips. I never mixed business with pleasure, so during the trip it was strictly yes, ma’am and no, ma’am, but afterwards, we were all free to do whatever and whomever we wanted.

  Sarah’s not so subtle come-ons told me she’d be perfect for a little harmless fun. She’d at least help to take the edge off. I’d been wound tighter than usual since my best friend, Thorn, had bonded with his mate. Seeing Thorn and Allie together, I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing out on something amazing. I wanted what Thorn had stumbled into. Everyone did.

  Prospects were few and far between for a guy who spent over half his life in the woods, though. I would just have to settle for quick hook-ups with women like Sarah. Both of us would get happy and then we’d go our separate ways. That was how it worked.

  I bit back a sigh. Lately it felt like more and more work. I glanced back at my group and frowned. I wasn’t sure I’d helped any of them.

  I led them the rest of the way down to their cars and watched them all leave. Sarah had made up some excuse about organizing her car so she could stay behind and it didn’t take any time at all for us to put my office to use. She was frisky, leaving bite marks and scratches that I hadn’t planned on and didn’t want. I tried to drive out that persistent itch that I couldn’t get rid of through her, but when it was done and I was buckling my pants and helping her up from my desk, it was still there. The hair on the back of my neck was even standing on end and my bear was more on edge than ever.

  Sarah left her number on my desk and a lipstick kiss on my neck as she left. She winked and told me she’d see me soon, but I was so damn distracted by whatever it was that had my bear freaking out that I’m not even sure I told her goodbye.

  As soon as Sarah left, I went out behind my office and shifted. I let my bear take over, leading me to whatever had it so worked up. I edged my way through the woods that surrounded the town and took my time, scenting out everything. It didn’t make any sense. I couldn’t smell anything odd. No one had been there who didn’t belong. There was nothing that should’ve been alarming my bear and sending me into such a tailspin.

  By the time I hit the back door of The Cave, Thorn’s bar, I was so restless my bear couldn’t maintain control. He gave a mighty roar that turned into a shout as I shifted back to myself.

  Thorn came out a second later, glaring. “You trying to give my mate a heart attack? Why are you back here screaming and roaring like someone just cut your damn nuts off?”

  I shuddered. “Do you not feel that?”

  He frowned at me and shook his head. “Feel what?”

  “There’s something in the air. My bear is about to claw my insides to shreds.”

  He tipped his head back and took a big breath in. Halfway through, he choked and then laughed. “Wyatt, you smell like you just fucked a flower. Is that what I’m supposed to be smelling? I could have done without that, thank you very much. Go take a damn shower.”

  I nodded, telling myself that it would help. “Sure, sure. I’ll see you later tonight.”

  He shook his head and waved me off. “Get it together, man. We’ve got a game later.”

  I headed towards the river and tried my best to calm my bear down. It wouldn’t do any good if I shifted in the middle of the game and mauled someone because I couldn’t remain in control of my bear.

  CHAPTER 3: Georgia

  “How do I look?” I turned to face the cowboy and did a little spin. I’d woken up a few miles before the Burden sign and touched up my makeup. I’d even hopped in the back and changed from my casual traveling attire to a pretty white sun dress while sexy cowboy kept his eyes on the road—or so he swore.

  “Delicious. Let me buy you a drink inside.”

  I was standing next to his car outside The Cave, eager to reunite with Allie. I didn’t have time for a drink with the guy, but I didn’t want to be rude either. I pulled the scarf from around my head and gave my hair a toss with my fingers. “Sorry, cowboy. You’ve got to get back to the city and I’ve got a meeting with my bestie inside.”

  He frowned and gave a slight eyeroll. “Not interested, huh?”

  I walked around the car and leaned down so I could press a kiss against his cheek. “Thank you for the ride. I put an extra couple of twenties in the envelope for you. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

  His eyes were down my low-cut dress when I pulled back. “You’ve got my number,” he winked, “Don’t be shy about using it.”

  I patted the door of his car and grinned. “That’s one thing I’ve never been called. See you around, cowboy.”

  I grabbed my bags and headed inside. From what I could see of the town and bar, they were both laden with a rustic flavor characteristic of the old west. With wide front porches and buildings that looked like they were from the days of stagecoaches and showdowns at high noon, it wasn’t hard to see why Allie had been so drawn to the place. It had charm, no one could deny that.

  I held my phone in my hand and looked down at it as I pushed inside the bar. Charm, but terrible cell receptio
n. I was just sliding my phone back into my purse when a jarring collision sent me sprawling backwards on my ass.

  I looked up, ready to spit nails, when I realized I was looking into the face of my best friend. Wow, she looked good. Allie was wiping spilled beer, from the smell of it, off of her chest with a scowl. Just as she looked up to toss out a snide comment, her eyes widened and she screamed.

  “Georgia!” Allie dropped to her knees in front of me and smashed me against her chest. “I was so distracted waiting for you to get here I wasn’t watching where I was going! Are you okay?”

  I pushed her away gently and looked down at my white dress. “I was. You’re lucky I love you so much. I just changed into this to show off for you and make a good first impression on the man of your dreams, and look at how you repay me.”

  She laughed and tugged at a piece of my hair. “You look great. A sight for sore eyes.”

  I looked her over and noticed the subtle changes. Her skin glowed bright with happiness and I could see the edges of the bite mark she’d told me about, the one that let the shifter world around here know that she was Thorn’s. “Holy shit, Allie. You look amazing. I thought you were a little cuckoo to move out to the middle of nowhere, but obviously, this place agrees with you!”

  She pulled me up and gave me a proper hug. When she released me, I noticed a huge hulk of a man coming our way. His eyebrows were furrowed like he was worried about something.

  “I heard you scream. You okay?”

  Allie gazed up at him with a look of what had to be true love in her eyes. I wasn’t sure. I’d never really seen it before, but it sure looked good on her. She stretched up and kissed the man before turning to me. “This is Thorn. Thorn, this is Georgia.”

  I smiled up at the man, feeling ridiculously small. I stretched as much as I could, trying to feel a little less vertically challenged. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  He grinned and wrapped his arm around Allie. “All good, I’m sure.”

  “Sure. All good.” I laughed when Allie swatted me. “This is a really nice place.”

  “We do alright.” He kissed Allie and then nodded towards the back. “I’ve got to finish up some work, ladies. Anything you want or need is on the house, Georgia. There’s a football game tonight, too, if you want to stick around the bar. It’s held in the field out back.”

  We both watched him leave and then looked at each other with dreamy looks on our faces. It caused us both to erupt in a fit of laughter that had me holding my side.

  “You bagged the big one, Allie. That man is beautiful.”

  She grinned. “Yeah, he is. His friends are pretty hot, too.” She laughed as a growl came from the back. “Not that I noticed or anything.”

  My mouth fell open. “He can hear you from back there?”

  She nodded. “It makes it really hard to keep secrets.”

  “What secrets?” Thorn shouted from the back.

  I laughed and tugged her with me to a booth. I momentarily forget about my bags while the bar was slow, and just focused on enjoying my reunion with my best friend. “So, tell me about his hot friends.”

  She shook her head. “Hot, but bad news. They’re not exactly known as being one-woman men. They’re good guys, though.”

  “I don’t know. I passed on the chance to do that whole save a horse, ride a cowboy thing earlier. I might be thinking of taking a hiatus or something.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’ve known you for a long time, Georgia. You’ve never truly taken a break from the opposite sex. Why start now?”

  I grimaced. “You heard part of the fighting with that last asshat. I think my taste in men has regressed. It’s worse than ever. They’re all overbearing, difficult to handle, and just not worth the effort.”

  “Not all of them.”

  I glanced towards the door her man had disappeared through and forced a smile for her benefit. “You’re right. Of course, your guy is worth it. Way better than that piece of trash, Eric.”

  She shuddered and I heard another growl from the back. I couldn’t help but giggle. There was going to be a learning curve, being around these man-bears, it seemed.

  CHAPTER 4: Wyatt

  I washed off the floral scent, feeling frustrated at myself for some reason. It’s like there was something in the air, but I couldn’t figure it out. Something was making my skin feel too small for my body, and my lungs too weak to deliver the oxygen I needed. I felt my forehead for the hundredth time but there was still no fever. Was I coming down with something? I wouldn’t know. I’d never been sick. My bear was angry too, but damned if I knew why.

  Long after I was clean, I stayed in the river, letting the cold water soothe me. I let my bear swim around and catch a fish or two before shifting back and rinsing off again. I kept soap at a spot on the river bank and used it to clean up. My Mom wasn’t a fan of my hygiene methods, but I came out clean enough and that was what mattered.

  I let my body air dry as I stretched out on a flat boulder in the sun. On the outside, the picture of relaxation, inside I was crazy mixed-up. I was losing my mind. After a spell, I managed to get dressed and head back into town. I needed a beer or two to settle the insanity in me. Or maybe sixteen. I sighed and forced my bear down. Thorn had a strict no bears inside the bar rule—one more rule I didn’t care to follow.

  I went straight to the bar and waited for Abram, to get to me. When he did, I ordered a double whiskey and shot it straight back.

  He stared at me and then at the table where I normally sat with the guys. “Rough day? I’ve never known you to start off the evening with a stiff double shot like that.”

  I rolled my shoulders. “Did you ever have a day where it felt like your bear is literally trying to crawl through your pores to get out? I think I’m sick or something.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You think getting shit-faced is the best way to handle that?”

  I shrugged. “It’s driving me fucking crazy.”

  Thorn came up to us and gave me a strange look. “You okay?”

  Abram put the bottle up and rapped his knuckles on the bar top. “Thinks he’s sick.”

  “We don’t get sick.”

  I groaned. “I know. I don’t know. I just have chills and my bear is freaking out. Something is wrong.”

  “Bro, take a deep breath in and chill the fuck out. I can’t have you losing it right now. Allie’s best friend is here and Allie will kill us both if we scare her away.”

  As if on cue, the sweetest scent filled my nose and I breathed it in, greedily. Wild berries. The kind you had to know how to identify to avoid eating poison. It was sweet with an edge of something dangerous.

  My bear growled, suddenly wanting to fight everyone, but the sick feeling I’d had promptly settled. I straightened and looked around. “What is that?”

  Thorn frowned. “What is wha— son of a bitch.”

  The aroma was wafting in from the back. I knew for a fact that Thorn had never had anything on the menu that contained the delicious wild berries from the forest behind my house, so it had to be something else. I moved like a man possessed, drawn to the thing I couldn’t identify.

  “Fuck, Wyatt, just hang on.” Thorn grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me to a stop. “You run in there like a fucking bull and you’re going to scare her half to death.”

  I froze and looked back at him. “Her?”

  He nodded slowly like he was dealing with a five-year-old. “Her. Allie’s friend, Georgia.”

  Suddenly if felt as though my bear had taken over my throat and all I could do was utter one word. “Mate.”

  CHAPTER 5: Georgia

  I took a deep breath and tried to settle my nerves. I wasn’t normally the anxiety-laden type, but something had my nerves on edge. Maybe I was just tired. It had been a long trip, first by plane, then car. “Want to show me to my temporary set-up and help me decide what to wear to this game tonight?”

  Allie nodded. “Hey, Brady, will you
let Thorn know we’ll be back soon?”

  The lanky chef nodded and sent a wink my way. “Y’all have fun.”

  I grinned and returned the frisky wink as we headed out the back door. The fresh air helped calm me a little bit and I shrugged off the rest of the uneasy feeling as jetlag. “So, where is this trailer?”

  She led me down the street and through a small patch of trees that opened up to a small camper that was tilting slightly to one side. “It was a perfectly fine trailer until Thorn shifted inside. He was a little too heavy for it. We’re getting it fixed, don’t worry.”

  I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”

  I stepped inside the trailer and laughed at the sloping floor with a dent in the middle. The back room was fine, though, so I went straight to tossing clothes around the bed. “What should we go for? Something more casual?”

  She laughed at the dress I was holding up. “It’s a football game, G. Just wear jeans and a hoodie.”

  I scoffed. “It’s not just any football game. It’s my first impression on this town. You said everyone would be there. I want to look good. Do you like this dress?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine.”

  I tossed it aside and grabbed the next one. “Is this one better?”

  She let out a small laugh and fell onto the bed, rumpling more clothes. “I missed you.”

  I stretched out beside her and grabbed her hand. “I missed you, too. I was mad at you at first for just up and leaving me like that, but I get it now.”

  She rolled to her side and looked at me. “Do you?”

  I nodded, straight faced. “Yeah. It’s the bad cell reception.”

  She snorted and slapped my arm. “You’ll never make it here for longer than a week. That bad cell reception and the lack of any all-night parties will have you running back to the city in no time.”

  I looked up at the emergency exit over our heads. Something settled deep in my bones and I smiled. “I’m not so sure.”