Byron_Heartbreaker Bear

by Candace Ayers

  “Bri, you’re my best friend in all the world. I wouldn’t lie to you, and I’m not under any weird psychotic delusions. I’ve been where you are now, and I get what you’re feeling, but it’s all true. We’re going to Firare because Byron has got it in his head that he’d be better off as a full human. He wants to take a cure that will kill off his bear.”

  “Okay, let’s just say for the sake of argument that I believe you,” I was really struggling with this, “and Byron’s half, ahem, bear. Why can’t he take the cure if that’s what he wants to do?”

  Chloe shook her head sadly, “Because his bear is part of who he is. A large part. That bear you saw in the woods, would you want him dead, gone forever?”

  I thought about it. I remembered back to that night. I’d been practically spellbound by the creature. I wanted to lie down next to him and run my hands through his thick fur. No other bear had the same effect on me, just like no other man has had the same effect on me as Byron has. I wanted to be around him, despite everything.

  I was starting to believe Chloe’s insane story. Byron’s eyes, his general presence, had felt strangely familiar the first time I’d seen him in the park. The smirks at the bear sanctuary, and both his and Nathan’s nearly impossibly large, rock-hard physiques.

  “What did you mean about the ‘mate’ thing?” I asked quietly.

  “If you don’t mind, I’ll let Byron explain that part to you. But, I’m Nathan’s mate, and honestly? It’s the most beautiful, incredible feeling in the world,” she sighed dreamily, “I already know you feel the pull toward Byron. Well, it’s natural. Try and let go, just give in to it.”

  How am I supposed to do that?

  My feelings toward Byron were convoluted at best, and if I was completely honest with myself, the intensity of them terrified the crap out of me. Insistent. All-consuming. Could I just follow them blindly, ignoring the fear?

  11

  Are you sure about this?”

  Nathan’s voice drifted over to me as I scanned the horizon. It was a couple of minutes till noon, and I felt watchful and wary as I waited for signs of the Bow Mars arrival.

  “I’m sure. I have to be with Brianna, and this is the only way.”

  “It’s not. I know you think it is, but it’s not. Bonding can change you, make your bear less restless. I promise you that.”

  Maybe he was right, and maybe it was true for his bear. But Nathan had always had a more controllable bear than I’d ever had. The only way to pacify my beast was to put it to rest. Permanently.

  I’d spoken to James Thaddeus Miller. He’d taken the cure, and woke up the next morning feeling like a different man. He was holding down a better job, had a girlfriend, and a regular, normal life. He sounded peaceful. It was his general tone and attitude more than what he’d said that made up my mind. I wanted that. That air of peace and calm, and the freedom with which to enjoy it. Nathan didn’t know how hard it was to struggle with a monster like mine.

  “Nathan, I need to do this. You’ll probably thank me for it later. No more of my messes to clean up. Shit, I’ll probably even accept a job at Varga Corp. and be the best employee you ever had.”

  “Is that what you want though?” He asked, the skepticism evident.

  “I want Brianna. She deserves a good life, with a steady, responsible man. I want to be that for her.”

  I saw two vans drive up in the distance. They’d made us come alone, but they had clearly shown up in full force. I took it as a compliment.

  “You clear on the plan, bro?” I asked.

  “I’m clear. Just don’t take it till it’s all over, okay? I might need your bear.”

  “I won’t.”

  I might have my faults, but disloyalty to my brother or my clan would never be counted among them. I would see this all played out before taking up my new life. I checked my phone subtly.

  “She hasn’t called?” Nathan asked.

  “Nah,” I shrugged it off, “Doesn’t matter though. I can start again tomorrow.”

  I didn’t look over at Nathan. I didn’t want to see the expression of pity I knew he’d be wearing.

  I saw Abacus first. He led an assortment of pack members, the first wave still in human form, the latter as bears. They were ready for a fight, correctly assuming that Nathan Varga wouldn’t come easily.

  “Told you they were growing,” I murmured at Nathan.

  He nodded, “Almost double what they were last time I came across their path.”

  Abacus stopped about a meter away.

  “Nice to see you both,” he remarked snidely, “So glad you could make it.”

  “You too,” I drawled, “Looks like we’re all on a family outing.” I nodded over to the rest of his clan.

  “I like to come prepared,” he replied shortly.

  “So do boy scouts. Anyway, here he is.”

  Nathan gave them a friendly wave, and smirked.

  “You all going to take me on?” He asked.

  “We’re all going to take you down,” sneered Abacus.

  “Cure first,” I extended my palm toward him.

  Abacus scanned the landscape, “I don’t know if I can trust you, Byron…”

  “I’m offended,” I replied, “But Nathan’s all yours. He’s arrogant enough that he thinks he can take you all on. My business here is done.”

  “Take the cure first,” insisted Abacus, holding out a small vial of amber liquid.

  “I kind of wanted to make a bit of a ceremony out of it. You know, bubble bath, light a few candles…”

  “Take it,” Abacus growled at me.

  I took the vial from his hand, and held it in mine. It was warm, and I could practically feel the liquid inside humming with energy. This was no placebo; it was the real deal.

  Hesitating, I turned to look at Nathan. There was a warning in his eyes. I didn’t know if it was a warning not to abandon him by becoming a helpless human when battle was about to go down, or a warning not to take it, full stop.

  “Nah,” I shrugged in an off-hand manner and pocketed the vial, “You can’t really have thought that I’d let you kill my brother, did you?”

  Abacus turned an even paler shade of jaundice yellow and spat on the ground at my feet.

  “You fucking Vargas are all the same.”

  “We are,” Nathan agreed.

  He let out a low whistle, and Abacus frowned in confusion. Then he saw it. Over the hill some twenty of our grizzlies slowly ambling towards us.

  Abacus let out a roar as his clan behind him hissed in anger and fear. We all shifted in rapid succession. The fight was on.

  12

  Chloe slammed her foot down on the breaks screeching the car to a halt. My jaw dropped at the sight before us. An entire field of bears, some fifty or so in number, turned in our direction. I’d never seen anything like it in my life. It was both utterly terrifying, and one of the most awe-inspiring things I’d ever witnessed.

  We both leapt out of the car. Chloe led the way toward the sea of bears, and I followed her willingly, knowing that what I was doing was sheer madness, and doing it anyway.

  I knew right away which one was Byron. I would have recognized him anywhere. He was huge, a great big bulk of muscle and thick, gleaming black fur. He stood next to another bear of the same size, which I presumed was Nathan.

  I caught Byron’s eye. The same human eyes that I’d come to know were in that bear. My bear. That’s when I started running towards him.

  Byron started to approach me too, uncertain and clearly confused as to what I was doing running towards him during what looked like some kind of stand-off.

  “Byron, don’t” I spat out as soon as I was near enough, “Please don’t do it. Don’t kill my bear.”

  I collapsed against him, wrapping my arms around his thick fur and feeling him nuzzle softly against the crook of my neck.

  Chloe had gone to stand beside Nathan, who even in bear form managed to look furious that she’d come. I belatedly caught on
to the fact that we were in great danger.

  It looked like there were two groups of bears, one led by a seedy-looking brown bear, the other were grizzlies, both growling, roaring and pawing angrily at the ground.

  I felt Byron’s great bulk tremble and shiver beneath my fingers, and stepped back. ‘My bear’ transformed back into a man. The process had taken mere seconds, and I stared dumbfounded at him.

  Wow, naked Byron.

  I might have been terrified of the steadily approaching bears now locked in fierce battle, but my body was focused entirely on one thing, the utter male perfection in front of me that was Byron. The hard plains and tight abs of his body were breathtaking, and I could only stare, mouth open.

  “You need to get the hell out of here, now!” He roared at me, “Seriously Brianna. Chloe, take her and run.”

  “I will!” I cried back, already scrambling to my feet, “Promise me first that you won’t take the ‘cure’. Please, just promise me that!”

  “Okay, okay,” he tried to placate me, “I promise, now get the hell out!”

  Chloe rushed past and grabbed my arm, nearly yanking it from my socket as we ran back down to the car.

  Behind me I could hear the sounds of vicious snarls, howls and savage roars. The ground beneath out feet seemed to tremble as fifty bears clashed with a ferocious thunder, claws impaling bodies and open jaws sinking into enemies.

  We ducked down behind the trunk. We didn’t say anything, but I don’t think either of us wanted to leave them.

  Seeing Byron’s bear had caused a lightning bolt of clarity. I had loved that bear ever since I saw it in the forest. It had mesmerized me and I hadn’t wanted to part from its side. I’d spent months hoping and wishing every time I entered the sanctuary, that I would see my bear again.

  I loved him. As a bear. I was starting to fall in love with the man, too, if I were being honest with myself. I couldn’t explain it, and I didn’t even know where to begin to try to rationalize my feelings.

  Now I had to wait as I listened to sounds of destruction, pain and the ripping of flesh ricocheting off the landscape. I wanted to cry. I was terrified that something would happen to Byron. We were so close to finally understanding one another, and it suddenly felt like it could all be cruelly snatched away in an instant.

  I don’t know how long we sat huddled like that, both Chloe and I behind the car, clutching at one another and not daring to look over the trunk. Finally, we heard the sound of thunderous running, and then, whooshing past us, a depleted fleet of brown bears broken and bloodied, ran off out of sight. We could hear roars and howls of victory, coming from the field.

  Tentatively, not knowing what we might find, Chloe and I raised ourselves up and peeked. Then started to run toward the grizzlies.

  Two broke from the group and ambled towards us.

  Byron and Nathan.

  13

  I couldn’t believe she was here. My bear was vicious anyway, a born fighter, but today he’d fought with abandon knowing our mate was only a few yards away.

  Now she stood in front of me, tear tracks down her face, as pale as a ghost, and the most beautiful fucking thing I’d ever seen in my life.

  She wrapped her arms around me, throwing her body at me with force. She buried her head in my shoulder, and I felt my bear calm to stillness instantly. Finally, the beast and I seemed to be at one. Maybe what Nathan said was true for me, too. Maybe my mate would calm me.

  I nuzzled her, letting her hold on a few seconds longer before I shifted back. I needed to talk to her, and the vial of liquid was burning a hole in my conscience, still in the pocket of a pair of ruined jeans.

  Brianna broke away, and I transformed. As soon as I was back in human form, I grabbed her, pulling her tightly toward me and trying to focus on the situation at hand to keep myself from becoming so obviously aroused. It wasn’t working well.

  “Oh, Byron, I was so worried.”

  Her voice was muffled as she spoke into my chest, clinging on tightly. Her words were like a sweet melody to my ears.

  “Bri, you don’t have to worry about me. Ever.”

  “Are you kidding?” she glared up at me, “You were just in a massive bear fight! How could I not worry about you?”

  “I’m good in fights, trust me,” I smirked, trying to joke, but my heart wasn’t in the mood for flippancy. I was only just starting to comprehend that she cared for me, and it was making my insides melt and my dick as hard as stone.

  “I didn’t realize you felt this way,” I whispered softly, “That you liked me at all.”

  “Neither did I,” she smiled, “But I do. Ever since I saw you injured in the forest, I haven’t been able to get you off my mind. Granted, I didn’t know that that was you.”

  She loved my bear?

  “My bear’s a wreck. A crazy, unmanageable wreck. But, once the bear’s gone, I know I can make you happy, Brianna. Me, the man, not the shifter. I will be a better man for you. I promise.”

  I tried to reassure her, but she shook her head angrily.

  “No way. You and your bear are one in the same. I love your bear, and I’m falling in love with you. Please don’t change anything. I want you the way you are, all of you, man and bear.”

  My heart rate galloped at her words.

  “You don’t want me to change?” I asked again, needing to make sure.

  “Not a thing. I’m one hundred percent positive I don’t want you to take that cure,” she smiled. “You wouldn’t be you.”

  “Even with all the temper, the drama, the general fuck-up of a man that I am?” I queried. Part of me just refused to believe that a woman as fine as my mate could genuinely love a man like me.

  “You’re not that big of a disaster, trust me. I can see you. Really see you, now. You’re perfect for me.”

  It was all I needed to hear.

  I couldn’t resist any longer. I slid my mouth over hers. Her lips tasted like cinnamon and salty tears, her mouth warm and inviting as my tongue dove inside to taste more of her.

  My erection pressed against the softness of her stomach and the light fabric of the summer dress that covered it. Her eyes looked up at mine, trusting and heavy-lidded with desire.

  I groaned, muffling the sound in her thick hair that fell in waves around her shoulders and lightly brushed against my chest.

  I glanced over my shoulder at the rest of the clan, and Nathan and Chloe standing a few yards away.

  She nodded, silently understanding, and a slight flush appeared on her cheeks. I scooped her up into my arms, cradling her and heading toward the dense forest on the periphery of the field. My mate wanted me and I’d be damned if I was going to wait until we got home.

  I carried her deep enough that we were hidden from prying eyes, but I couldn’t make it very far. I needed her too badly. I stood her on her feet, up against an aspen tree, and knelt in front of her, bunching her skirt, raising it up to her waist so that I could taste the sweet skin of her inner thighs with open mouthed kisses which I trailed up to her hot, damp center. The fervor of her response, the hitched breath and quivering of her thighs, drove me half-crazed with longing to please this perfect woman that I was so lucky to have as a mate.

  I’d waited for this moment since the day she found me in the forest. Even then, her nearness had brought out something feral in me, a deep primitive longing to touch her and taste her, to possess her in every way.

  I ripped her panties off, unable to wait a second longer, not with the irresistible aroma of her arousal drowning my senses. She was dripping wet.

  “Oh Jesus, Brianna, you’re so beautiful.”

  I ran along the slit of her pussy and brushed over the hard little bud of her clit with my tongue. Brianna whimpered. Making sure she didn’t scrape her back against the bark, I lifted her in the air so that I was standing, her legs wrapped around my shoulders, her fingers clinging to my hair. She half-squealed and half-groaned as I buried my tongue inside her wet folds, pumping in and out and ba
ck up to slowly flick the little bundle of nerves. I continued back and forth till my mouth was awash with her juices. She was fucking delicious! The most delicious thing I’d ever tasted.

  She leaned back against the tree. Using one hand to steady us against it, I inserted one, and then another finger of my other hand into the molten heat of her core. I continued running my tongue over her folds and encircling her clit, feeling her wetness run over my fingers as she gushed greedily against me.

  It was almost my undoing. I wanted to pleasure her, make her cry out from the sensations, make her scream my name. I wished I could draw this out and take my time, but I knew I couldn’t. I needed her so badly.

  “Byron!” She shouted as shuddered and convulsed with the first waves of her orgasm, her hips involuntarily thrusting into my mouth.

  You taste like heaven.

  I kept licking and sucking at her gently as her trembling slowed. Afterwards, I kissed every inch of her that I could, cataloguing every curve and dip as I slowly lowered her down to her feet on the forest floor. My mate.

  I tore the dress off her body, leaving her luscious, ripe breasts to tumble out freely. The nubs of her nipples were hardened into little pebbles and my erection twitched in response to the sight. I hoisted her up onto my waist, and her silken legs wrapped around me. I lowered my head and nibbled on a rose hued nipple, smiling as she gasped. I loved giving her pleasure, I loved how responsive her body was to me, hell, I loved everything about her. I worshipped her body. It was so beautiful, thick and curvy, and unbelievably sexy.

  Her legs squeezed my waist tightly, beckoning me inside. My erection pushed eagerly against the soft lips between her legs, and Brianna started to mew softly with wanting. I took her mouth in another kiss, and the feathery strokes of her tongue in combination with her slick core rubbing against my erection ignited my bear.

  My entire body jolted.

  It fought ferociously, trying to gain control, to push her down and mount her forcefully. The beast wanted to mark her, to take what he believed was rightfully his. I held back. My bear would need to learn to stay under my control, and this was as good as time as any to start schooling him.