Claimed By The Military Bear: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Standalone (Paranormal Shifter Romance, BBW Shifter Romance, WereBear Romance) Read Free Page A

didn’t feel like a home… it felt more like a post.
    There was nothing personal on the walls, no pictures, or anything confirming she was in a place with another human being. The rug was soft beneath her toes and as she moved, Melissa couldn’t help but feel a bit wary about exploring.
    Still, it’s not like it would hurt to find out a bit more… right?
    With that in mind, the young brunette moved through the threshold and into a hallway. To her right, Melissa could see the end and the soft light of a small kitchen. To her left, there was another small window, high up near the ceiling and a couple of doors.
    More curious about the promise of food and maybe something to drink, Melissa followed the direction of the kitchen.
    The light was pale but bright enough to show her more of what was in. There was a fridge, a gas stove, a sink, and a counter with a single chair in front of it. A window was settled over the sink, covered in thin blinds that hardly did the job in blocking the sunlight from entering the area.
    Still, it was fairly dim, if not for the kitchen light. Over the stove was a single pan, covered with a lid and a note.
    This made Melissa intrigued and she limped ahead. The smell of food reached her nose easier now that she wasn’t separated by walls of wood and weapons. Mouth watering, she gathered the note in one hand and the lid of the pan in another.
    She flipped the note open just as she exposed the meal waiting for her. Eggs and two pieces of toast rimmed with orange wedges.
    She grabbed an orange wedge and bit down. The citrus juice exploded into her taste buds, making her let out a soft moan of gratitude.
    The liquid ran down her throat, making her throat feel somewhat refreshed.
    Her eyes landed back on the note, tongue working on the pulp of the orange as she read.
    Melissa.
    Here’s some food. There’s water in the fridge. Eat and then leave.
    The writing made her pause over her meal. Eat and then leave? A dark foreboding filled her stomach, made her shiver beneath the blanket.
    And go where? She had nowhere to go, no other safe place to stay. She couldn’t just leave…
    But, even so… she didn’t know who this man was. He didn’t even leave a name on the letter. She wanted to at least thank him for housing her and caring for her wounds…
    With a sigh, Melissa placed the note down and flicked on the stove to a low heat. Her mind struggled to formulate a plan while she waited for her meal to warm back up.
    The orange wedges suddenly tasted bitter in her mouth, filling her with an abrupt sadness.

 
    Chapter 3
     
    Several hours of waiting had passed and Melissa had scoured the space of the small cabin. It was cozy and only had one bedroom, yet the door of the bedroom was locked and Melissa didn’t want to push her luck trying to break in.
    She searched throughout the cabin for something to do and when she found only a few books with nothing of interest to her, she settled on the only thing she could do to pass the time.
    She cleaned.
    Years of being told to clean and keep a good house made her hands work even while her mind drifted. Dishes and plates were washed and dried, the furniture was then cleaned with a moist rag…
    She even cleaned out the fireplace—overburdened with ash and broken wood. The very least she could do was make this small place clean after her abrupt appearance. It would be the only way she could thank her savior.
    If and when he showed up, Melissa felt concerned she wouldn’t be able to convince her to let her stay. He didn’t seem like the kind of person to be swayed judging by the brusqueness in the note.
    Still…
    Melissa didn’t have anywhere else to go and she wasn’t sure she wanted to try her luck in the forest, even if she did want to escape from that man’s grip.
    She had one thing up her sleeve, and when her savior returned, Melissa was just going to have to hope that he listened.
    --

He showed up in the late afternoon. At that point, Melissa had