Brother Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Mountain Book 2) Read Free

do I make this feeling go away?”
    The asshole had the nerve to laugh.
    “What the hell are you laughing at? I’m dying over here and you’re fucking laughing. God dammit. Help me, man. How do I get rid of this feeling?”
    “You don’t,” Gage smirked. “That, brother, is the way you should have felt fifty years ago before you asked Elsa to be your bride. It’s the way we shifters react to the woman we want to spend eternity with. Do you think she’s interested?”
    “Yes. Maybe. No. I don’t know,” he leaned over and hung his head between his knees. “How did you cope with this for nearly two years? I feel like I’m going crazy.”
    “You can learn to control it, but it’s difficult. I kept everything I knew about Kate hidden in the back of my mind. I never let her come to the surface, not even for an instant. I don’t think you need to do that though, in fact, I think the sooner you claim her, the sooner you can ensure her safety.”
    Ensure her safety.
    Those three words caused him to focus and he sat up and faced his brother.
    “What do you know?”
    “Not much. She came into town a few days ago and applied for the job at Randy’s. She asked him to pay her daily, in cash, and he agreed. Kate said she arrived on foot carrying a bulky backpack, but she and her clothes were clean. She also didn’t have a place to stay and had asked the location of the nearest hotel. Katie spoke to the Jackson’s and they agreed to rent her their guest apartment for five hundred dollars a month. She paid in cash.”
    “That’s a lot of cash to be carrying around,” Seth commented.
    “Yeah, and there’s more. She says her name is Ana, but she usually doesn’t respond the first time someone calls her name. Randy, Kate and Dave have all tested the theory and she doesn’t answer them until the third try. I’m pretty sure it’s not because of a hearing problem.”
    “What do you think? Do you think she’s running from the law?”
    “She’s running, but I don’t think the law is involved. I can go over to the capitol next week and check the database, but without any information, it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack. I can only view the pictures and see if any of them look like her.”
    “Do you think she’s dangerous? Should we be concerned she’ll hurt someone in town?”
    “What do you think?” Gage asked, clearly not ready to place labels on the newcomer.
    “I think she needs protection. My bear is dying to shield her from the world, and it would make sense given how many times she glanced out the window during my lunch.”
    “I agree. I think someone is after her. If we can get her to confide in us, we may be able to help her as a community. Either way, it will be easier for you to defend her if you know what you’re up against.”
    “I’ll try and get to know her. Maybe she’ll learn to trust me.”
    “Keep me posted, and let me know if you need back up,” Gage said. “For now, I suggest you shift and run. It won’t make them go away, but it will dull some of the stronger urges. At least until tomorrow,” Gage laughed.
    “Ha, ha. You’re a regular comedian,” Seth said as he got up to leave.
    “I’ll be here all week. Stop in anytime,” Gage yelled behind him.
    When he stepped out onto the street, he saw Dave walking up to the building.
    “Everything okay?” The man asked.
    “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks for bugging out for a while.”
    “No problem, man,” Dave said. “See you later.”
    “Yeah, see you.”
    He looked down the street toward the café and ran a hand through his hair. The setting sun reminded him it would soon be dinner time, but as much as he wanted to go back to the café, he decided to take his brother’s advice. He wouldn’t be able to breech her defenses if he acted like a maniac or a sex starved jackass.
    He needed to take the edge off.
    He forced himself to turn in the opposite direction and walk away. He kept walking up the hill of his