Fairy Tales with a Shift: Complete Collection (5 Bear Shifter Novellas)

by Cara Wylde

  Braden helped her up, kissed her lips gently, then untied the corset and let her long skirt pool around her ankles. They were completely naked, and he could finally admire her amazing curves. Her breasts were round and heavy, with dark, hard nipples that pointed right at him, and her hips were wide and inviting. He could smell the wetness between her legs and he couldn’t hold back any longer. His cock was hard again, the veins throbbing with need. He wanted to be inside her, feel her pussy clench around him as he fucked her hard, but he first wanted to have a taste. He pushed her to the ground and made sure she lay on the cape.

  Scarlett gasped when he knelt between her legs and asked her to spread them for him.

  “I want to see you, my love,” he whispered.

  Her cheeks went red with embarrassment, almost matching the cape she was lying on, but she did what he had asked her. She spread her legs reluctantly, then shivered when she felt his hands on her thighs. He caressed her slowly, then pushed her thighs farther apart until she was entirely exposed. Scarlett had never felt so vulnerable. It was the first time a man saw her naked, and when she stole a glance at Braden’s face, she couldn’t believe the hunger she saw in his dark blue eyes. It was as if he was ready to devour her.

  “Braden… I… I don’t know…”

  “Shh… I’ll take care of you, my love.”

  And with that, he buried his head between her thighs. Her toes curled when his tongue started running up and down her folds, flicked against her hard clit, and dipped inside her untouched entrance.

  “Oh my…”

  She couldn’t believe how good it felt. Now, it was her turn to be at his mercy, a rag doll in his expert hands, a quivering mess begging for more.

  “Oh, right there… please…”

  Scarlett had never thought her body could be capable of such pleasure. Braden started circling her clit with the tip of his tongue, and she soon felt all her muscles tense. The warmth in the pit of her stomach turned to molten lust and poured down her legs as she came. She arched her back, screamed Braden’s name, and shuddered as he kept licking her, kept prolonging her first orgasm with his wicked tongue.

  “Braden…”

  Her hands were on his shoulders, and she started pushing him away when the sensations were too much. Her clit was sensitive, and all she wanted was to be left alone until her brain started functioning again. However, her lover and soul mate had other things in mind. He climbed on top of her, and soon she felt the head of his engorged cock press against her entrance. She opened her eyes only to be taken aback by the love and desire she saw in his eyes.

  “I love you,” he whispered. “You’re so, so wonderful.”

  Scarlett smiled and threw her arms around his neck. “I love you too.” Then, her legs wrapped around his hips, letting him know she was ready. “I want this… I want you so badly. Take me.”

  It was all Braden needed to hear. His bear roared underneath his skin, and he thrust inside her in one swift motion, the length of his cock stretching her and filling her wet passage. She was so soaked that he could easily slip in and out of her, the steady rhythm of their sex sounding wet, and dirty, and oh-so right.

  “That feels so good,” she said. She had been afraid that her first time might be painful all the way to the end, but as soon as his cock was buried inside her to the hilt, the slight pain turned into pure pleasure. “Harder…”

  As he looked into her green eyes, Braden started pounding her hard and fast, just as she wanted it. She looked like a goddess with her long red hair spread all over the cape and her round breasts bouncing in time with his thrusts. He could feel her trembling and shivering underneath him, and the thought that he was doing this to her could almost throw him over the edge. Her legs squeezed him and urged him to go deeper, faster, harder, her pussy throbbed around him, clenching when he hit a particular spot that made her moan and scratch his back.

  “There… right there…”

  And that was where Braden aimed each and every time. Soon, she was screaming his name so loud that he was sure someone might eventually hear her.

  “Oh yes! Yes…”

  They came at the same time, Scarlett grabbing onto his shoulders and pressing her whole body against his as her vision went white, and Braden coating her walls with hot streams of seed. Her pussy clenched and unclenched around his cock, milking him until there was not a single drop left. They stayed like that, embraced and connected for a long time, waiting for the thin sheen of sweat covering their skin to dry in the warm sun.

  “How…?” She wasn’t sure how to ask her question. “I had no idea men could… I mean…”

  Braden laughed when he understood what she wanted to say.

  “Oh, they usually don’t. But I’m a bear-shifter, love. I can go like this for hours. I promise you: every time, it gets even better.”

  Scarlett laughed as well, punching his shoulder playfully. “Stop bragging.” Then: “I think I’m going to need some time to recover.”

  Carefully, he slipped out of her and stood up, not before wrapping her in the red cape. She was tired, and he was pretty sure she was hungry too.

  “Wait here. I’ll go find breakfast.”

  “Breakfast? What breakfast?” She yawned, her body exhausted and her eyes heavy. The lack of sleep was finally starting to take a serious toll on her.

  Braden tucked her in as best as he could, then promised her he wouldn’t be long. With his sharp senses, he would be able to hear her and listen to her surroundings even if he was really far away. Scarlett had no choice but to trust him. Her only other option would have been to go with him, but she was too tired to even sit up, much less stand on her own two feet. As soon as he was out of sight, she fell into a deep sleep and woke up much later, when Braden was already back with a feast of berries, nuts, and some weird roots he swore were perfectly edible.

  “It was the best I could get,” he apologized. “Well, actually, I did come across a cute bunny, but thought berries and nuts can be just as delicious.”

  Scarlett pouted.

  “Oh, how nice of you. I really appreciate your love for cute bunnies, I do, but I’ve been hunting them since I was a kid. My father taught me how to set traps and I became quite an expert. My traps never fail. I think yours did, and you’re simply too proud to admit the truth.” She gave him a playful wink. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell.”

  Braden looked at her in amazement.

  “You are tougher than me, young lady. You certainly are.”

  Scarlett smirked. “Of course I am. That’s why you’re taking me with you. You need to start eating game if you want to fight big, evil shifters. I know how to cook a delicious bunny stew.”

  “Eww! Oh, please, stop talking about your food like that.”

  “You started it!” She laughed. “Cute bunny.”

  Braden waited until she finished eating and making fun of him. She was one of a kind. The mate he had always dreamed he would find. His Scarlett was perfect, and she’d make a great shifter hunter.

  Eventually, sometime before noon, they gathered their things and continued their journey to the village. Braden found the clothes and personal belongings he had stashed the night before and got dressed quickly. He gave Scarlett the red cape, but she refused to put it on. She couldn’t wait to get to the village, tell everyone the werewolf was dead, and burn the red cape as a symbol of their freedom.

  ***

  When they got back to the village, it was nearly noon. It was very quiet. A subdued atmosphere pervaded the whole valley, as it did every year when the tribute was given to the wolf. Scarlett and Braden went straight to Scarlett’s house, which was the closest to the forest anyway.

  They stopped on the small, old porch and Scarlett decided to call out before entering the cottage. She didn’t want to give her mother and grandmother a heart attack, and she wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. She called out once, and there was no answer. She knocked on the door and called again.

  “Mother! Gra
ndmother! It’s me, Scarlett! I’m back! The wolf is dead!”

  The two women eventually emerged from the cottage, arms wrapped tightly around each other, as if to protect themselves and their home from some kind of evil magic.

  “Mom? I’m home.”

  Scarlett smiled widely and spread her arms.

  “But how? Why?” Scarlett’s mother was in shock.

  “It’s a miracle!” her grandmother declared. She was the first who dared to step closer to Scarlett and give her a hug.

  “We’re safe now,” Scarlett said.

  Her mother hugged her too. She was crying, her burnt face soaked in tears. She smoothed down her hair, caressed her cheeks, checked her body to see if she was hurt.

  “How is this possible? Didn’t the wolf want you?”

  Despite the happiness of having her baby girl back, alive and unharmed, the woman was still worried.

  “No, he wanted me alright,” Scarlett said, looking sharply at her mother. “But Braden saved me from him.”

  “Then we are all doomed!” Scarlett’s mother looked over Scarlett’s shoulder at the forest beyond, scanning the tree line in fear. “He’s going to come and kill us all.”

  Her reaction almost made Braden too angry to think straight. Yes, he did know that if the wolf didn’t get his tribute, he went on a rampage and killed most of the boys and men in the five villages, but he still didn’t think this was enough to make a mother almost wish her daughter hadn’t come back.

  “The wolf can no longer kill anyone,” Scarlett said, trying to make everything clear as soon as possible. “Braden killed him, mother. The beast is no more. We are free!”

  “Killed him?” Her mother glanced at Braden, then turned back to Scarlett. She didn’t know this young man. He wasn’t from around here. “Killed him?” she repeated, not fully understanding. “But how? Humans can’t kill such powerful supernatural creatures! Your poor grandfather tried. Oh my… And your father…” She started crying again, and this time her own mother, the old woman who knew better than anyone how it was to lose a husband, hugged her tightly.

  “Mother, Braden is a mighty warrior who hunts down evil shape-shifters. He has freed many villages. Trust me: we’re safe.”

  Scarlett thought it was best not to mention that Braden was also a shifter.

  “The wolf’s body lies in a cave at the edge of the high meadows, at the top of the valley. I’ll go to the Mayor and the elders and let them know. Before dinner, you will all have your proof.”

  ***

  The news of Scarlett’s return spread quickly through the village, and soon the entire population was flocking to her house to see if she had really returned. Scarlett and Braden opened the door and stood on the porch, with Scarlett’s mother and grandmother close behind them.

  The Mayor and the elders pushed their way to the front of the crowd.

  “How is this possible?” asked the Mayor when he set eyes on Scarlett. “Has the wolf returned you?”

  Braden stepped forward and used his loud, booming voice to get everyone’s attention. He was only going to say this once: “The wolf is dead!”

  The villagers stared at him in shock. They weren’t sure if they were supposed to cheer of laugh. Maybe it was a joke. Maybe, this mysterious stranger was making fun of their tragedy. The idea that the wolf-shifter under whose control they had lived for generations was dead was one that simply could not penetrate their consciousness.

  Braden waited for a moment, expecting some kind of reaction. A smile, perhaps, if not outright joy with cheers and celebration, but all he could see was fear and confusion. These people had been under the curse of evil for too long. They had forgotten how to think for themselves, how to be free and enjoy life. He took a deep breath and tried again.

  “Listen to me, good people! The wolf is dead, and you will find his body in a cave, at the edge of the high meadows.”

  “We’ve never… we’ve never gone so far into the woods,” the Mayor said. “It’s not safe.”

  “It is now. Take a group of young, brave hunters with you and go find the beast. Bring his head as trophy and hang it on your wall.”

  The Mayor studied Braden reluctantly for a few more minutes, then he straightened his back and decided he had no choice but to do as suggested. He had to know if this young man was telling the truth. They all had to know. He immediately assembled a small group of hunters and villagers, and told them to follow him into the woods. The rest of the people went back to their homes. They had children to take care of, animals to feed, and vegetables to water. They could very well wait for the verdict while going about their daily routine.

  Scarlett and Braden went back into the cottage and sat down at the small table. Scarlett’s mother had prepared lunch, and now that the villagers had left them alone, they could eat in silence.

  “Mother,” Scarlett began after they had all finished their stew. “I have something to tell you.” She grabbed Braden’s hand and held it tightly. She made sure the two women saw the gesture. “I’ve decided to leave the village and follow my own destiny. Braden saved me, and I love him. I’m his now.”

  To her surprise, the two women nodded. She had expected her mother to be angry or hurt, but, instead, all she saw in her eyes was understanding.

  “I thought as much,” her mother said. “The moment I saw you two together I knew you belonged to each other. It’s only natural…” She took her daughter’s face between her palms and smiled. “I am happy for you, Scarlett. This young man saved your life and gave us all our freedom. He is worthy of you.”

  “Mother…” Tears ran down Scarlett’s cheeks.

  “Thank you,” said Braden. “I will take good care of your daughter.”

  They sat around the table for hours on end, talking about the past and making plans for the future. Even though Scarlett’s mother and grandmother were sad she had to leave, they knew it was for the best. Scarlett needed to be with the man she loved, the man who loved her and would risk his life to keep her safe. Braden had proved himself, and the two women could ask nothing more. Deep down, Scarlett’s mother had known no village boy would be good enough for her daughter, which meant she had to leave at some point. She only hoped Braden was strong enough to defeat every shifter that crossed their path.

  There were great dangers ahead, and they all knew it wouldn’t be easy. However, they also knew nothing truly worth having was ever easy.

  THE END

  BEARLY HUNTED

  A retelling of Snow White

  Nieve has always known her stepmother, the Queen, disliked her. But to go as far as to hire someone to kill her? No, it can’t be true… Even as the stranger who followed her into the woods steps closer to her, even as she begs him to spare her life, she still can’t believe what is happening is real. But it has to be, since the stranger is a bear-shifter. Everyone knows shape-shifters are assassins for hire.

  Hunter has one last job to do, and then he will have enough money to take his sister and her children and run far away from this wretched kingdom and his horrible past. Kill her, the Princess. Why? His job doesn’t involve asking questions. But, as he prepares to strike, their eyes meet and his world is turned upside down. The young woman is his soul mate. The second he realizes this, he needs to make a decision. Tell her the truth? Convince her to run away with him? There’s no time for any of it, so he settles for the only solution he can think of: kidnap her and deal with the consequences later.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Nieve closed her eyes and listened to the sound of flowing water. Sitting on the bank of the river, she could hear the rustle of the gentle breeze in the trees, the hum of insects, and the chirping of birds. It was late spring, and life was all around her, harmonious and natural, following its normal course. But her own life was not so peaceful. Tears were running down her face as she relived memories of the latest fight she had had with her stepmother.

  Her stepmother was such an awful, cruel woman. She was always picking on he
r and calling her out for her behavior. She would constantly criticize Nieve, saying such things as: “That is not how a princess behaves.” “You are of royal blood, don’t do that!” “Have some decorum!”, all in a sharp, criticizing voice.

  It made no difference what Nieve said or did; nothing was ever good enough for her stepmother. And now she had spent all morning telling Nieve that she would never be a true queen, that she did not have that spark of royalty in her, and that she would just end up disappointing the memory of her father, the King, when he died and she took over the kingdom. Nieve didn’t care about becoming queen, but she did care about her lovely father. And the thought of being a disappointment to him was more than she could bear. She knew she was never going to be good enough for her stepmother. In truth, she didn’t even want to.

  Her father, on the other hand, had nothing but love for Nieve. Every time he came into the room, Nieve’s heart would light up. There was always a big smile on his face when he saw her, and he was constantly hugging her and telling her how pretty she was. When her father was there, her stepmother said nothing. But as soon as he was called away on royal business, her stepmother would start bitching on Nieve again.

  “Why, oh why does she hate me so much?” Nieve thought to herself as she sat by the river and cried.

  One might have thought she would be used to her treatment by now. Nieve’s real mother had died at childbirth, so Nieve had never known her. All she knew was that she had inherited her mother’s raven black hair, creamy white skin, and red lips. Also, the fiery, Spanish blood her father had fallen in love with when he had met Nieve’s mother on a visit to Spain. All this she knew from her nanny. The King had been so fascinated with her mother’s country and culture that he had decided to call his first daughter Nieve, which meant “snow” in Spanish. Now, the name had become a burden to her, for the new Queen would spit it bitterly every time she called her, as if it tasted foul in her mouth. Of course it did. Nieve’s name reminded her stepmother how much the King had loved her real mother and first wife, how much he still loved her even though she was no more.