by V. Vaughn
She lets out a dry laugh. "Don't bother with the games, Max. What do you want?"
My god, she's sexy as hell, and my balls ache as my dick thickens with my pure instinctual desire. You. I shake my head to clear it from thoughts I need to squash and to act as if I have no idea what she's talking about. "Nothing. I'm waiting for the bathroom."
She squints her eyes at me, and I notice her knees are slightly bent and her arms partially raised as if she's ready to strike. She scans me with her gaze. "I didn't take you for the shy type." She glances down at my crotch. "Is that all you’ve got?”
I let out a snort of surprise and my bear wants me to whip out my cock to show her its long enough to make her scream. And I want to push her up against the wall to kiss her. Taste her. Devour her. Jesus! I rub my hand over my face because I'm acting like she's my true mate.
She makes things worse by reaching out and placing her hand on my arm. I flinch back because the contact is too much, and my skin tingles where she touched me. What the hell? This doesn't happen. At least it shouldn't. I've got to get out of here before I do something I'll regret because I've got two true mates.
The girl laughs and then says, "Josie. Nice to meet you, Max."
11
Josie
I stare up at the wire mesh that supports Madison's mattress on the top bunk, and it reminds me of the fencing that was at the Eradicators’ camp where I trained. Supposedly it was to keep people out, but I wasn't the only one who believed it was to keep us in. I can't believe a little over a week ago I came here expecting to be bored out of my mind while I tried to find the right werebear to mate with so I could infiltrate a clan. The last thing I expected was to find out my roommate was half werebear like me and in love with a true mate.
To complicate things more, I like the girl, and when I should have stayed out of things, I didn't. Not only did I run to her rescue, but I told her I what I was. Now she wants us to enter the world of werebear as besties? What she doesn't know is my plan is to ruin that world. And if she changes, she might as well just slit her wrist because she's going to be dead too.
I tried to sway her. But I could tell she wasn’t buying my lies. It's going to be impossible to keep her from Trent. Unless... I'm certainly trained to kill him without getting caught, but it would devastate Madison. Although it would also keep her alive. If I play my cards right, maybe I could convince her that his death is a sign she should remain human.
I recall the way she spoke about having no family, and she's become attached enough to me that I can also imagine her wanting to become a werebear anyway. I let out a sigh of frustration because killing Trent won’t solve my problem. And I hate that I even care.
"Josie," whispers Madison. "Are you awake?"
"Yep."
"Tonight was wild, right? My mind is racing with what being a werebear is going to be like." She leans her head over her bed and blond hair dangles down. "Do you know anyone who has gone through the change?"
"No, Madison. Maybe nobody's actually survived it."
She gasps and retreats to her bunk. I have a pang of guilt, because of course people have survived it. One in particular comes to mind because she's famous amongst Eradicators. Carly Le Roux. She's the reason the Le Roux werebear were the ones to survive the massacre twenty-five years ago.
"That can't be true," Madison says with conviction. "You wouldn't be trying to be one if it were."
"You're smarter than you look."
Madison jumps off her bed and turns to look at me with her hands on her hips. "Why are you so pissy? Are you jealous I found my true mate?"
I sit up and try to find a way to be nice since my screw-up is hardly her fault. "Sorry. I'm cranky because I can't sleep. All I keep hearing in my head is your scream." Madison lets out a little whimper as if I'm a cute kitten. Not exactly what I was going for, but the lie worked.
Madison puts her hand on her heart. "Josie, do you have any idea how much I appreciate the fact you were so willing to save me you kicked in a door?"
I look down at my lap and mumble. "It was a pretty weak door."
"You're still the most badass woman I've ever known."
I smile because that's the kind of compliment I can take. "I'm hungry." I climb out of bed. "Since we're both up, want to go get something to eat?"
"Great idea. I heard the Pancake Place is open twenty-four hours."
"Sounds good to me," I say as I grab my jeans to pull them on.
Twenty minutes later, Madison parks her Subaru in the lot of the Pancake Place, and we make our way inside. As we walk to a booth Madison says, "I really hope they have chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream. I need sugar in the worst way."
"That'll ensure you don't get any sleep tonight."
She giggles as we sit. "Oh my god," Madison whispers as she peers at me over her menu. “Total hotness at eleven o'clock."
I raise my eyebrows at her as the waitress comes, and I turn my cup over to welcome steaming hot coffee.
Madison chuckles as she turns her cup over too. "Guess you're not getting any sleep either."
After we give the woman our order, Madison leans in close. "I'm serious. The guy is huge like the ones at Axe and Trent's frat. You should check him out."
"Don't you think me turning around to look is a bit obvious?"
She rolls her eyes. "Lift up your phone and take a selfie with him in the background." She shakes her head. "You know what? I'll do it." She lifts her hip to grab her phone and makes a kissy face before snapping a picture. "Okay."
I watch as she widens the photo with her fingers and smiles. Madison places her phone down on the table. "Cropped and ready for viewing."
I take in the guy with dark hair and broad shoulders. "Not bad."
"You should go to the bathroom and walk by him. I'll watch to see if he checks you out."
"What?" I chuckle. "No way."
"Josie, if we’re going to—you know—together then we've got to find you someone."
"Maybe after we eat. I'm too hungry right now to troll for men."
"Fine. But I can already tell this is going to be a lot of work." She winks. "You're so lucky to have me."
I roll my eyes at her. "Don't I know it."
Madison chatters away, happier than usual as we eat our breakfast, and I'm content to let her carry the conversation. As a reward for her keeping off the subject of werebear, I agree to go to the bathroom so she can watch to see if the cute guy notices me. However, as I walk I refrain from swinging my hips or pretending to stumble to draw attention to myself.
The minute I get in the bathroom I get a text from Madison. "He's so into you!"
I’ve just pulled up my jeans when she texts again. "OMG, he's outside the bathroom waiting for you!"
My heart stops, and I place my hands on the edges of the sink and lean on it as I gather my wits. Shit, shit, shit. I’ve been so stupid! That guy isn’t a werebear. My money's on him being an Eradicator sent to check up on me or to pull me back to camp. I let out a noise of frustration. How could I have been so clueless?
I turn on the water to wash my hands, and it’s cold as it rushes over my skin. I close my eyes to focus on what to do. What happened doesn't matter, but what I do next does. I take a deep breath and steel myself for a fight. One that might end up with the man dead because there's no way I'm going back willingly. I open the bathroom door and quickly check for others before asking the guy, "Who the fuck are you?"
His eyes widen in shock, and his nostrils flare. "Max." He gives me a toothy smile I bet he thinks is sexy. And it is, which is a shame because I’m about to kill this guy. "You?" he asks.
"Don't bother with the games, Max. What do you want?"
His expression is a bit pained as if he's working out how to respond. But even his scowl is super-hot. It makes me want to—
He says, "Nothing. I'm waiting for the bathroom."
I don't let my guard down for his flimsy excuse, and I check him out in a way he can recogniz
e. "I didn't take you for the shy type." I look at his groin to see he's got quite an impressive erection. As I wonder why he's attracted to me, I throw out the first insult I can think of and ask, "Is that all you’ve got?"
He lets out a shocked noise before he stares at me as if he knows exactly what's underneath my clothes. It's making my insides melt like butter on a griddle. What is wrong? Oh. Oh! I replay when Trent and Madison first met. Oh, man. I don’t think this guy is an Eradicator after all. He's a werebear. I reach out to touch Max's arm to be sure.
He jerks back. Huh. Flaring nostrils, flinches when he touches me as if I send an electric, true-mate shock through him. I smile because I just found my mark. For real.
I laugh at my good fortune before I say, "Josie. Nice to meet you, Max." There's so much heat in his eyes he's practically smoldering with sexual desire, and I step in close to put my hand on his chest. His heartbeat is rapid like mine is, and I grab his shirt to tug him down before I plant a kiss on his lips. Max is happy to comply, and I press myself up against his body as I try to get as much of the intoxicating taste of him as I can.
But it doesn't last long because he pushes me away. "No." He blows out a whoosh of air as he rakes his hand through his hair. He begins to back away and searches me with his gaze as if he doesn't understand what's happening. Then he turns abruptly away to walk out of the restaurant.
I lick my lips to get the remaining flavor of Max, my true mate, on my tongue. My guess is he is freaking out about a human being his true mate and wondering how it can happen. And now he's running as if that's going to fix things. A grin covers my face because there’s no way in hell I’m going to let that happen. Dear, Max.
Lover, you can't escape me.
Max and Audrey reunite with fireworks while Josie prepares to infiltrate a clan… Loved by the Bear - Part 3
More from V. Vaughn
Check out V.’s world of shifters:
Called by the Bear
Tempted by the Bear
Desired by the Bear
Rocked by the Bear
Bewitched by the Bear
Winter Valley Wolves
Smokey Falls Wolves
More Paranormal Romance:
Witches of Night Meadow
Called by the Vampire
Greenville Alien Mail Order Brides
You can see all her published books at www.violetvaughn.com
About the Author
V. Vaughn lives on an island in Maine and spends as much time outdoors with her two Portuguese Water dogs as she can. She may have seen a bear or two….
www.violetvaughn.com
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