Simply Bears: A Ten Book Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance Collection

by Simply Shifters

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Getting out of bed had always been difficult, but not as difficult as that morning. Walter hit snooze a solid few times before finally giving in and rolling out of bed.

  Every chore that morning, from showering to dressing to eating breakfast, felt painful, like he was slowly easing his way to being executed. And he might as well be, for there was no way that telling Ursula everything would end well.

  His dreams were plagued with all the what ifs that popped into his mind. What if she didn’t believe him? What if she called the cops? What if she just laughed him off? What if she believed him and wanted to run away? What then?

  Walter’s thoughts made him dizzy, and the clock seemed to mock him. Part of him wished time would go slower while the other part just wanted to get everything over with.

  When the time came, he got into his car and drove as slowly as he could to Ursula’s place. Even then, the houses seemed to streak by, and the clock was ticking by too fast.

  He was outside her home before he could really think, parked and out of the car before he could blink. Something caught his eye, and he instantly bared his teeth, feeling a growl build up in his chest.

  The wolves were back outside her house, pawing at the door. But as though sensing the sudden hostility in the air, they turned and, upon seeing him, fled from the house and into the wooded area beside Ursula’s home.

  How desperate would they become? Walter wasn’t sure what their plans were, but he was sure they wouldn’t sit outside of her home until the baby was born. Unless they really were that stupid.

  Walter walked up to the house and hesitated before lifting a finger and pressing the doorbell. A soft song played inside. Soft footsteps echoed through the house and Ursula opened the door.

  Her hair was down for once, some of the strands curling around her face, giving her a pixie-look look. Ursula beamed and stood on her toes, capturing his lips into a kiss.

  “Hey there, stranger. Come on in.”

  She turned and disappeared into the house where he smelt a mix of pasta and cheeses. His stomach growled. Walter stepped in and shut the door behind him.

  He allowed his nose to guide him to the kitchen where Ursula hummed at the stove, mixing a pot of what smelt like homemade Alfredo sauce. He wasn’t much for Italian, pasta and cheese wasn’t something the tribe cooked, and it was pretty foreign to anyone who tried it outside of the tribe.

  “Go ahead and take a seat, lunch should be ready in a sec. How was the doctor appointment?”

  Walter sat down and crossed his legs before fidgeting and uncrossing them. He almost asked her what she meant, but he remembered his lie. “Fine, all is good.”

  “Was it just a regular check up?”

  “I guess you could say that.”

  Ursula peeked over her shoulder and gave him a puzzled look. Walter watched as she poured some of the sauce onto the pasta and set it aside, doing the same with her own plate.

  She placed the pot on the back burner and turned the stove off, taking the two plates and sat across from him, placing his plate in front of him. “Want anything to drink?”

  “Water is fine.” His throat felt dry.

  Ursula nodded, got up and poured two cups of water. “So what exactly did you want to tell me? If it’s not about the doctor, then what is it? You seem really nervous. Is everything okay?”

  Before Walter could open his mouth, fear struck her brown eyes. “Was it because of the night before? I’m sorry, if we’re moving too fast we can slow it down. I really should have thought of that before allowing anything to happen... I’m so sorry Walter I really hope this doesn’t turn you off. I—”

  Walter took her hand in his and laughed. “Ursula, it’s not you at all. Or the other night. You’re fine, I promise. I wouldn’t lie to you about this.” He rubbed his thumb over her hand, and she smiled, relief in her eyes.

  “It’s just... God, I don’t even know how to begin this. I guess a good start is it has to do with your baby.”

  “My baby? What about it?”

  Walter tried swallowing the lump in his throat, but it didn’t go away. “Well, not long ago, I was hard on some cash and decided to donate some sperm to the local sperm bank. But the thing is, I wasn’t supposed to. As you can tell, I’m not from the city. I am from a local tribe, and it’s taboo for any of us to donate anything like that.”

  “That seems so silly.”

  “In a way, yes. However, there’s something about the tribe that the rest of the world doesn’t know about.”

  Walter looked at her closely and Ursula shifted uncomfortably under his stare. She finally said, “And that is...?”

  “Ursula... do you know what a shifter is?”

  “No.”

  “Do you know about werewolves?”

  “Yes, it’s a classic.”

  “That’s what a shifter is, someone who can turn into something like a werewolf, except they can change into an animal rather than an animal/human mix.”

  Ursula stared at him, confusion written all over her face. “I’m sorry, Walter, but what does that have to do with you or the baby?”

  “Well…” He paused and took a shaky breath, hoping she didn’t catch the tremble. “Ursula, I think your baby... is mine.”

  Ursula gave him a long stare.

  “I donated to the same sperm bank. I doubt anyone else from my tribe would have done the same.”

  “Well, okay, if the kid is yours, what does it matter? We’re dating anyways, right? And what does this have to do with Native American mythology?”

  “The reason why it was taboo... is taboo, for me and other tribes-people to donate sperm or anything like that is because we’re shifters. We can shift into the animals that we protect and find sacred, like bears and wolves. I can shift into a bear, and the dogs who have been sniffing outside of your home are—”

  “This is a joke, right?”

  “What?”

  “I get it, you’re joking. Good one, you had me.” Ursula chuckled and took a bite of her pasta.

  Walter stared at her. She took a few bites before looking up at him and wiped at her mouth on her arm. She stared back after a few moments.

  “Walter, tell me that you’re joking.”

  Walter flinched slightly, wanting to break down and say it was all a joke, but he knew he couldn’t.

  After a long moment of painful silence, Ursula slowly stood up. “I think you should leave.”

  Even though he had expected such a reaction, it still hurt. “Ursula?”

  “Walter, leave.”

  Walter continued to sit in his chair, unsure if he should stand his ground or leave and come back later. Would she listen to him then?”

  “Leave.” She made a move for a broom resting against the wall. Walter stood up and reached his hand out to her. Ursula grabbed the broom and swung it at him. “Leave!” Her voice rose into a screech.

  Walter gave her a sad look, dropping his hand away as the broom swept at him. Ursula stood there, her eyes wide . “You’re crazy.”

  “Ursula...”

  “You’re crazy. Please leave... and don’t come back. I really think you need help, Walter. There is no such thing as a shifter, and there is nothing wrong with my baby other than it has a father who believes in such nonsense.”

  “Ursula, you can put the broom down. I’m not going to hurt you... but I’ll leave if that’s what you really want.”

  Walter could have sworn he saw a hint of pain in her eyes, but it was over before it began. He turned his back towards her and left the room, the warm lunch, and a life with so much potential behind. He couldn’t make her believe him, and he couldn’t force himself to stay if she really wanted him gone. He wasn’t sure how he’d handle the situation, but for the moment he knew he should go home, sleep, and think things through . If that was the last time he saw her, he wished he could have had one last good memory with her.

  Walter was out the front door and in his car without a secon
d thought. He gave the house one more look over before taking off, wondering if it would be for the last time or not.

  ***

  The car sped away, and the cold eyes that watched it didn’t dare move until the car was far out of sight. Walter’s smell was fresh, but soon it faded and the grey wolf raised its head, its dark brown eyes narrowing.

  The wolf slowly began to approach the woman’s house, and as it did, it slowly grew until it became a tall, lean woman with hacked short black hair, her dark eyes piercing and cunning.

  Behind her, the brown wolf stood from its hiding spot and walked to her side, growing into a man with the same striking features as the woman beside him.

  “You take the front, I’ll take the back if she tries to run,” the woman said, not taking her eyes from Ursula’s home. She could feel her brother smile beside her . This was going to be fun.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Ursula’s hands had gone white from holding the broom so tightly. Walter had stood up and left her life, probably for good, half an hour before but she couldn’t find the courage or strength to budge from her spot.

  She slowly put the broom back, her hand still shaking badly. Was he really serious about the shifter thing? Was it some kind of weird... tribal deal she didn’t understand?

  Ursula had never been superstitious. She did believe in spirits, but that was pretty much it. As a child, she loved reading about folklore, fairy tales and the like. She loved pretending that unicorns and fairies and witches existed, but she knew it was just made up stuff for kids to enjoy... right?

  She put her hand on her stomach. She was barely showing; it amazed her how

  the baby wasn’t even born yet and already her life was becoming a chaotic hell.

  If Walter really was the father, and the myth was true, what would happen to her child? Why did he even bother telling her? Would it matter? She imagined a healthy child growing up and then turning into an animal, and it made her cringe. She was being absolutely ridiculous. Why would she even consider such a story to be true?

  Ursula contemplated calling Walter and apologizing. She should have heard him out, but he had to understand that it sounded completely ludicrous. Though if he really were crazy, he wouldn’t have calmly walked out of her life.

  Did that make her crazy as well? Wanting him back even though she knew it might not be for the best? The faces of her ex-lovers popped into her mind along with the horrid events she put herself through, believing they were the one for her. Would Walter be just like the rest? It was terrifying to think about. Protect herself or make herself vulnerable to someone she wasn’t even sure was right for her?

  A knock from the front door made her jump. Walter? Ursula felt her heart race. If it was him, what would she say? Would she kick him out again? She had no idea, and panic began to overwhelm her.

  Her feet picked themselves up and walked her to the front door. She hesitated, and shook with a mix of fear and anticipation as she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob and opened it.

  Ursula let out a shaky breath. The man in front of her wasn’t Walter. A scowl covered up her nerves as she laid her eyes on the familiar and unwanted face of the animal control officer who had threatened her about the dogs.

  “What are you doing here? I didn’t call animal control.” As Ursula spoke, she glanced down at his outfit and realized that he wasn’t even wearing the uniform he had on before.

  “Who said this had anything to do about animal control, toots?”

  The man was a large presence in her door. Ursula didn’t remember him being so... tall. It frightened her and she slightly stepped back. “Well then, what do you want? I haven’t seen the dogs, and even if I had, I told you they aren’t mine. So leave. Or I’ll call the cops.”

  The man snorted. “Cute, the little girl thinks I’m here for the dogs. Well, I have news for ya, honey...” The man stepped in, forcing Ursula back as the man began to shrink, his sharp features suddenly intensifying as he closed the door behind him.

  Ursula stared in horror as the stranger changed from a man to a wolf. She turned to run, but the hairy body slammed into her and pinned her to the ground.

  “I’m here for your baby.” The wolf’s lips didn’t move, but Ursula heard the voice perfectly in her head. She kicked him off and tore back down the hall, knocking down items as she did to slow the man down.

  She raced for the back door and flung it open, only to find a woman blocking her only other exit. The woman smirked, leaning against the door-frame Her eyes wandered behind Ursula and she frowned.

  “Tsk, tsk... running, are we? I really thought you would at least cooperate a little...” The woman stepped in just like the man had and shut the door behind her.

  Ursula turned around to find the man standing in his human form behind her.

  “And I expected you to try to talk and reason with her first, Timothy.”

  The man flinched and growled, mocking her tone, “I’ve never been one for talking, Rebecca.” The woman, Rebecca, slammed her hand against the wall, making Ursula jump. “As my brother here said, we’re here for your baby.”

  “How did you know I was pregnant? Who are you? And what do you even want with my baby?”

  “Walter dearest didn’t tell you?”

  “If it’s about the shifter thing, then yes.”

  “So then we can cut to the chase and say that the baby can’t stay with you.”

  “I’m not giving up my child.” Ursula stepped back and pressed herself against the wall. “I don’t care where my child’s ancestry is from, it’s still mine and I will love it no matter if it’s a human or a monster like you.”

  The two siblings exchanged looks, and they both looked back at her in disgust . Ursula inched her hand to the counter and grabbed a kitchen knife from its holder and held it up in front of her, fear and determination sparkling in her eyes.

  In a blink of an eye, the siblings changed into their wolf forms and launched themselves at her. She managed to lightly slice Rebecca, dodging out of the way, and ran.

  When she got to the front door, Timothy slammed his body into the wood and Ursula didn’t think twice before rebounding and running deeper into the house, not caring where she was going as long as she could keep her and her baby safe.

  Behind her, Ursula could hear the clack of running claws, and her heart slammed in her chest. She urged herself to run faster, but she couldn’t. Her muscles ached and she was already running out of breath. Her only motivation left was to keep her child safe in her womb.

  Ursula turned in time to see Rebecca catch up to her. Ursula lifted the knife, fear creeping up her throat like a silent scream. Just then something crashed through the window between her and the she-wolf, slamming right into Rebecca’s pouncing body.

  The she-wolf slammed into the wall and let out a yelp. A bear, huge and black and furious, pinned Rebecca to the wall before grabbing her and tossing her body through the hall.

  Ursula tensed and prepared herself for the bear to attack, but it just looked at her as though to make sure she was okay before turning to Timothy.

  The wolf slid to a stop upon seeing the larger animal. The bear began to run towards Timothy and the wolf turned tail. The bear was by his side before he could dart a few feet, and the bear’s paw slammed into the wolf’s smaller body.

  Ursula heard a cracking noise and a yelp. Ursula looked down as Rebecca’s wolf form changed back to human, blood covering parts of her skin along with scrapes and bruises and a broken nose.

  She looked at Timothy, now in his human form. He was unconscious but she could tell that his arm was broken. Her eyes found the bear, and she flinched when she realized it was staring right at her.

  Ursula shakily held the knife in front of her, tears in her eyes. If it could harm the two hurting her like the way it had... what was it going to do to her? Was it also after her baby?

  The bear took a step forward and Ursula flinched. But the bear began to shrank with each step until Walter s
tood in front of her, his hair a mess and his body badly cut up and bruised, some glass still gleaming in a few of his cuts.

  . The two stared at each other, a peaceful silence vibrating in the air. Ursula wasn’t sure if she was happy to see him or not. She was thankful he saved her... but why? Especially after the way she had treated him.

  Walter gently lifted his hand, and Ursula took it, sliding her small hand into his large palm. She didn’t know what would happen to them or why, but Ursula wanted to hold onto his hand and never let go. She didn’t want to let go of him. She didn’t want him to leave her, or watch him walk out of her life. She had been wrong about him, and she never wanted to make that mistake again.

  He led her past Rebecca and into the living room where Timothy was struggling to sit up. Walter stood in front of him, glaring down, and the shifter flinched under Walter’s gaze.

  “Come back here again, and I guarantee you that you and Rebecca will not see the light of day again. Do you hear?”

  Timothy flinched and nodded.

  “Pick up your sister and leave.”

  Timothy slowly rose and limped to Rebecca, favoring his broken left arm. He bent down and picked her up with his good arm, lifting her and placing her over his shoulder.

  The shifter passed Walter and Ursula, not daring to make eye contact, and disappeared into the kitchen, out of the house, and out of their lives.

  Ursula looked up at Walter. He nodded after a moment, as though satisfied that the siblings were gone. Walter lightly squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

  He led her out of the house, to his car, down the street and away from the terror that came with deciding to keep a child of myth safe in her womb.

  *

  Walter’s home smelled of the woods, a mix of pine with jasmine and sage. Maybe if she breathed in deep enough, she’d smell more than just the simple smells. Maybe if she didn’t think about it, she could feel the dirt beneath the soles of her shoes, feel the gentle breeze on her skin...