Bear Home for Christmas: BBW Holiday Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Christmas Bear Shifter Romance Book 1)

by Ariana Hawkes

  “Ok, an app on a phone is just like a button that helps you access a website real fast. So, I’ve installed Matchmakr for you,” she said, pointing with an immaculately-manicured fingernail to a pink icon with a heart on it. “It’s a good app, and lots of people like it. And there’s definitely a lot of guys on there. And this one – ” She pointed at a blue icon with a white wedding cake on it. “It’s called Find the One. It’s a great one for people who know they’re ready to settle down, and are not just casual dating. I haven’t used it myself, but it does have a good reputation. We can look at both of these, but there’s one I just wanted to show you first.” She pointed at an orange icon featuring what looked like an animal paw print, but the pad of the paw was in the shape of a heart. It was called Shiftr. She glanced sideways at Dina, and Dina noticed that her friend seemed unusually tense. Lauren placed her hand on her chest. “Dina, I know in my heart that this is the perfect app for you. But I need to ask you one thing: please be open-minded about what I’m going to show you. Can you promise me that?” Dina stared at her in confusion.

  “Sure?” she said, shrugging her shoulders. Lauren pressed a purple-tipped finger on the little icon and the app opened. Dina shuffled closer, her curiosity piqued.

  “In a moment, it’s going to ask you to sign up, but first it’ll let you take a sneak peek at a few of the guys.” Lauren selected a couple of options, and suddenly the screen of Dina’s phone was filled with the naked upper body of one of the best looking men she had ever seen.

  “Wow!” Dina breathed. The guy’s torso looked like it had been sculpted from marble, every muscle honed to perfection. He had shaggy brown hair, a strong jawline, and sexy eyes in an unusual amber shade. Lauren broke into a grin.

  “See what I mean already, huh?” Dina nodded, too stunned to speak. Lauren flicked her thumb upwards, and a second guy filled the screen. He was also bare-chested, and his torso was the equal of the first one. He had dark brown hair, and mischievous-looking pale green eyes. Lauren flicked her thumb up again, and a guy with short black hair appeared. He had a lovely, handsome face, with delicious, chocolate-brown eyes, short black hair and a hint of a goatee. He had a sturdier body than their previous two, and his muscles looked powerful and meaty, like he did heavy, manual work for a living. “Girl, you’re practically salivating,” Lauren said, with a wicked cackle.

  “It’s just that I’ve never seen guys this hot in real life before,” Dina said weakly. “But why are you showing them to me? They’re way out of my league.” Lauren shook her head.

  “You are so deluded. Ok, I’m going to show you something else now,” she said, and swiped her thumb left on the phone’s screen.

  “What?” Dina said, frowning in confusion at the large black bear now filling the screen. Ignoring her, Lauren swiped back up to the brown-haired guy. She flicked her thumb to the left and there was now a big cat in his place. It was black, and green-eyed, and it looked coolly at the camera from its position up high in a tree. Was it a jaguar? Dina wondered dazedly, before Lauren swiped up to the first guy. Again, her thumb moved left, and the shaggy-haired guy was replaced by a large gray wolf, with amber eyes.

  “What, so all these guys are nature lovers, or something?” Dina said. Lauren pressed her lips together.

  “In a manner of speaking,” she replied. “Did you notice that all of the guys look a little like the corresponding animals on their profiles?”

  “Yeah! I guess they do, actually. So the photos are included in their profile to demonstrate their wild side?” Dina said.

  “Pretty much. But it’s more than that.” Lauren swallowed. “Dina, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound real crazy, but please bear with me, and don’t freak out.”

  “Ok?”

  “These guys are all shape shifters. This means that they are half human and half animal, and they can shift between their human and animal sides at will.” Dina’s mouth fell open.

  “This is a joke, right?” she said. Lauren shook her head.

  “No, it’s for real. It’s a real site, and these guys are genuine shape shifters.” Dina struggled for words.

  “This is total nonsense!” she managed at last. “Lauren, you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met. How can you take this crap seriously?”

  “I know this site is genuine, because it’s how I met Connor,” Lauren said. “Ok, look.” She rummaged in her purse and pulled out her own phone. Dina watched as she tapped an identical paw print icon on the screen and the app opened. The first thing they saw was a photo of Lauren’s handsome boyfriend. He was posed in a forest, leaning on a tree trunk, and he was also bare chested. Lauren swiped her thumb to the left, and in his place was a dark brown bear. Dina gaped.

  “You’re telling me that Connor is half man, half bear?”

  “Yep!” Lauren said, her voice full of pride.

  “I’m sorry, Lauren, but this is obviously a made-up story. You don’t think he might be a bit of a fantasist?”

  “I know it’s true, because I’ve seen him in his bear form,” Lauren said calmly.

  “But, what? How?” Dina stammered.

  “I knew he was a bear shifter, of course, since we met through the site. And, after a couple of dates, I was dying to see the other side to him. I realized that if I only ever saw him as a man, I was only getting half of him. One day, we went on a picnic in the forest, and he shifted for me. He stripped off his clothes, and one minute there was this hot naked man standing in front of me, and the next minute, there was a huge bear in his place. It was really cool.”

  Dina took Lauren’s phone from her and swiped back to Connor, and then to the bear again, and back to Connor. As with the other guys she’d seen, the bear really did look quite a lot like Connor.

  “This is the craziest thing ever,” she said. “But why haven’t I already heard that there are all these guys everywhere that are half animal?”

  “Because there really aren’t that many, and it’s a closely guarded secret,” Lauren said. “When you sign up to the site, you have to sign a declaration that you won’t tell anyone about shape shifters until you’ve found your match. And then, you’re allowed to tell one person only, once they’ve been pre-approved by the site owners.”

  “You had me pre-approved?”

  “Yes!” Lauren replied, the edges of her lips curving with mischief. “You’re my best friend, and I knew this would be perfect for you, so you were my first choice.”

  “But, how did you get me approved?”

  “I vouched for your character, of course, saying what a sassy, cool, warm-hearted woman you are. And I sent them a photo.” Dina’s heart jumped into her throat. She had a deep aversion to having her photo taken, to the point that she’d never even look at photos of herself.

  “Which photo?” she asked, her voice taut.

  “This one!” Lauren located it on her phone, and Dina forced herself to look. From the long red dress she was wearing, she deduced that it was from the last Hope Valley winter ball. But she had no recollection that the picture had been taken. As usual, she zeroed in on the things she hated about her appearance, like the fact that she was six inches taller than most of the other women there, and her huge boobs and wide hips. But, she had to admit, her hair looked pretty good; her black curls were tumbling around her shoulders, and she was smiling. Her smile was the thing she liked best about her looks.

  “This photo got me approved to the site?” she asked incredulously.

  “Yes! You look stunning,” Lauren said loudly. “Don’t even think about criticizing your appearance!” Lauren pressed another button on her phone. “Look!” she thrust an email message in front of Dina’s face. It said:

  Hi honeybun!

  Thank you so much for sending this beautiful girl to us! She’s so gorgeous and curvy. We’d absolutely love to have her on the site. I can tell the shifters will all be fighting for her the second she sets her profile up, so warn her to be well prepared!

  How are things
going with Connor? I just knew he’d be the perfect match for you!

  Excited to hear from you!

  Love and licks,

  Tamika xoxox

  “Wow!” Dina said, short of anything else to say.

  “Shifters love curvy women like us,” Lauren said. “Connor says it’s the most perfect match imaginable – a rough, rugged shifter, and a strong, voluptuous woman. Kind of makes sense doesn’t it?” she bumped shoulders with Dina. “And I can tell you, hun, my curves have never been worshipped like this before, in all my life!”

  Dina’s head was swimming with all the things she’d just heard. Sense told her the whole thing was crazy. But Lauren was not the kind of person who’d make things up. Was it possible that maybe, just maybe, there were guys out there who would appreciate her body? Who would not see her as second best? A tiny bubble of excitement bounced around inside her at the thought. She picked her phone up and looked at the first guy again. His sexy brown eyes seemed to be imploring her to get in contact with him. She swiped left to see his animal form again, and a message popped up on the screen: Please register to continue locating your perfect match!

  “You’ve got to sign up now to be able to access the profiles,” Lauren said, looking over her shoulder. “Let me help you.” She took the phone out of Dina’s hand. “I want to make sure you describe yourself at your best. Let me see – ” She began typing. “Female. Height – 5’10?” Dina nodded. “Hair – black. Eyes – hazel.” Lauren peered into Dina’s eyes. “Or green, depending on the light. Hobbies?” She looked at Dina expectantly.

  “Tutoring vulnerable kids,” Dina said. “Interior design, dancing, hiking.”

  “Good,” Lauren muttered as she typed. “And eating out.”

  “No, don’t put that,” Dina said.

  “Dina, you love eating out. Your passion for food is a really good quality; don’t be embarrassed about it. These guys aren’t looking for some yoga freak, who exists on a diet of lettuce. They’re looking for real women, with real curves, and real appetites, like us. Connor says my appetite is one of the sexiest things about me!”

  “Ok, I’ll take your word for it,” Dina said, with a sigh.

  “Now, tell me what you’re looking for in a guy.” Dina leaned back on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling.

  “I don’t know. Someone kind, caring, smart, who appreciates an independent woman. Someone who’s passionate about what they do, no matter what it is. It’d be quite cool to be with a guy who works with his hands, but it’d be ok if he worked in an office, I guess.” Lauren chuckled.

  “Shifters aren’t known for spending their lives cooped up in offices. There might be a couple of species that are ok with it, I guess, but most of them have physical jobs, like being craftsmen, lumberjacks, engineers, firefighters etc.” Dina’s eyes went dreamy.

  “I’ve always fantasized about being with a guy who’s a firefighter,” she said. “They’re so brave.”

  “Well, if you like, once we’re done with your profile, we can search by firefighters,” Lauren said, with a laugh. “What else?”

  “A guy who wants a family, eventually,” Dina said.

  “Oh, that’s a given. These shifters are all looking for their lifelong mate.”

  “Mate? What?” Dina yelped. Lauren fixed her deep brown eyes on Dina.

  “If you get together with a shifter, you’re not just boyfriend and girlfriend, or husband and wife, you’re mates, and that’s something really special. It’s a very strong, unbreakable bond, which will unite the two of you on a deeper level than is possible between two mere humans. It guarantees you everlasting love and protection,” she said. Dina shivered.

  “It sounds like the daydreams I used to have when I was a little girl,” she said.

  “Exactly! Who didn’t have those daydreams?” Lauren replied. “It was just a bit of a let-down when we all grew up and discovered that guys were more into lying around watching the game and drinking beer than getting the most out of a relationship. But Connor’s not like that. He’s so caring and attentive, and loves doing things in a couple. Family means everything to him.”

  Lauren had finished typing her latest entry. “Ok. Is there anything else you want to add about what you’re looking for in a guy?”

  “I don’t think so,” Dina said.

  “Is there any species you’re not willing to consider?”

  “Umm, I don’t know?” Lauren laughed.

  “Of course you don’t. This is all new to you. It’s ok, we can add this bit later if you like. Now, you’re supposed to describe yourself in five words, but I’m going to do this bit for you.” Dina tried to grab her phone, but Lauren held it well away from her.

  “Smart, funny, caring, sassy and warm-hearted. Right, that’ll do.” She stood up. “I’m going to use the photo of you in the red dress, but I’m going to take a couple of face shots too. Look at me.” Before Dina could think twice, she was gazing up at her friend, and Lauren snapped several shots. “Perfect!” she said triumphantly. She sat down again, and Dina watched as she hit ‘upload’ and ‘create profile’. An egg timer showed on the screen for a few seconds, and then, bam! There it was – Dina’s complete, brand new profile. The full body shot was the main photo, and all her details were underneath.

  “Where are the other photos?” she asked. Lauren swiped left, and a close-up of Dina’s face appeared. Dina peered at it anxiously. The light from the window was shining right in her eyes, so they looked really green, you could see the scattering of freckles across her nose, and her lips looked nice and full. The way she was looking right up at the camera made her seem a little mysterious, as if she had a secret she was bursting to tell. She actually looked pretty cute, she admitted to herself.

  “Sexy chica!” Lauren said.

  “Not too bad,” Dina said, blushing. Just then, a fluorescent pink heart popped onto the screen. Lauren gave a little scream.

  “Oh my god, you’ve got an alert already! That has to be a record, girl!”

  “What do I do?” Dina said, adrenaline fizzing in her stomach.

  “Tap it, of course!” Dina tapped the heart with her finger, and the graphic burst like a balloon, leaving a message in its place: Want to find out if we’re a match? it said, and it was followed by a happy face and a sad face icon.

  “Ooh, he looks interesting,” Lauren said, frowning at the thumbnail of the guy who’d sent it. “Click on his photo.” Dina tapped again, and a photo of a stocky, muscular guy filled the screen. He had messy, dark brown hair, with the slightest hint of red, and a wide, angular face.

  “He’s really hot, but there’s something a little arrogant about his smile,” Dina said.

  “I agree,” Lauren replied. “It says he plays ice hockey, but when he’s not doing that, he loves lounging around, watching movies. Mmm, I don’t think that’s the kind of guy I’d get on with. Let’s see what kind of shifter he is.” Dina flicked her thumb and a lion appeared, sauntering along a forest trail. “I knew it!” Lauren said. “I’ve heard on the grapevine that lion-shifters don’t have an easy time finding human mates because of their very ‘particular’ personalities.”

  “Yeah,” Dina said, biting her lip. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, because he’s insanely attractive, but I don’t feel like he’s the one for me. But how should I tell him?”

  “Just tap the sad face icon, and he’ll understand.”

  “That seems a little harsh.”

  “No,” Lauren said firmly. “Shifters are very straightforward. One thing they don’t do is play games. They understand that finding someone you’re perfectly suited to is super important.”

  “Ok,” Dina said slowly, and tapped the icon. Immediately, the lion’s profile disappeared.

  “You won’t see him again now,” Lauren said. “That’s what’s so great about this site. You don’t have to scroll past the same old faces again and again. If you say no thanks to someone, they disappear, and if you see a profile you don’t like
when you’re searching, you just swipe right, and they also disappear.”

  “That’s so neat!” Dina said.

  “Ok, this is the fun part. Tap ‘search’ and you’ll start to see the profiles. You can order them by certain criteria, or you can just go random.”

  “I’ll do that,” Dina said, tapping ‘random search’. A photo of a lean, black-haired guy filled the screen. He had powerful shoulders, and a muscular torso with narrow hips, forming a classic triangle shape. His worn blue jeans sat low on his hips, revealing those diagonal grooves of muscle that drove Dina crazy with lust.

  “Wooh, he’s hot!” Dina said. He had a nice face, with a strong jaw and firm lips, but there was something reticent in his eyes.

  “What kind of shifter do you think he is?” Lauren said.

  “Mmm, something canine, definitely. A coyote? Or a wolf?”

  “My guess is wolf,” Lauren said. Dina swiped left, and a wolf appeared, pale gray in color, with blue-green eyes. “Wolves are an interesting one. Because they live in packs, they have this really strict hierarchy. My guess, from the look of him, is that he’s an omega, so will be of low status in his pack.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “No, not at all. It might mean that he’s a very soft and devoted mate. It just depends on what you’re into. Do you feel a connection when you look at him?” Dina shook her head.

  “No. It’s weird, but it’s like I’ve got a voice in my head saying no.”

  “That was my experience when I was on the app too. With shifters, it seems that you just know whether they’re suited to you.”

  “So, I’m going to swipe right, so I don’t see his profile again?” Dina said. Lauren nodded, Dina’s thumb flicked right, and he was gone.

  The next guy had a shock of light blond hair that flowed down to his pecs, an unusual, angular face, and a sensitive, slightly wild look in his eyes. His muscles were long and lean, and his olive skin glistened, as if he’d just gotten home from a run.