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

fallen into a light sleep after she had cooked up a light stew to keep her steady. Her body had definitely caved to a cold, and a fever made her skin feel hot and freezing all at once.
    The door of the cabin slid open without warning, yanking Melissa from her nap into a state of alarm.
    When she saw the figure over the door, she slowly relaxed. Her heart pounded against her chest and the fear of being caught by her step-father nearly choked her, yet the burly and thick figure of the person ahead didn’t belong to that man.
    She almost felt relieved until she saw his eyes fall on her before narrowing into a glare.
    “I thought I told you to leave.” He said.
    “Hello to you too,” Melissa huffed back, her voice scratching roughly against her swollen throat.
    He let out a slow sigh before taking steps into the house.
    The fireplace was alive with flames again, thanks to her efforts (and countless minutes of trying to figure out how to stoke a fire) and when he walked in she was able to take in his appearance with more clarity.
    He was dressed in black and camo. Thick combat pants hugged over his legs before hiding within black combat boots.
    A black and form-fitting sweater hugged his torso, the strap of a weapon clinging to the muscles of his chest. His hair was slightly damp, sticking up in moist spikes.
    Sweat or rain, Melissa couldn’t tell, because she was suddenly meeting his eyes. They were dark, a deep azure that felt piercing in the fading daylight.
    “I made stew…” She said after a particularly tense silence.
    His stare flattened, lips twitching in an unamused frown.
    “You should’ve left.”
    “I have nowhere to go.” Melissa replied, her voice somber even as walked deeper into the living room.
    He turned away from her, pulling out the weapon from behind his back over his head. He let out scoff as he hung the cover over a hook on the wall.
    He began to busy himself with returning weapons over the wall. Daggers, thick serrated knives and even a small machete from a pocket against his leg.
    “That’s not my problem,” he continued, fingers working expertly over the weapons.
    “I helped you survive the night. I have no problem giving you provisions and even a map out of here, but you cannot stay. Go home.”
    “Please,” Melissa begged, pushing herself to her feet and standing to face him.
    “You don’t understand, I cannot go back. I would rather die.”
    He faced her, looking dubious, “Is that why you were out in the woods in the middle of the night?”
    Melissa shrunk back, her hand reaching up to fiddle with her mother’s ring.
    “Please… there is a man… he wants to hurt me. He’s a selfish bastard who drove my mother to death. I cannot go back.”
    “Then go somewhere else.”
    Melissa felt anxiety dig its teeth into her throat. She lifted her eyes to meet his again, wild and frightened.
    “He’ll find me! He’s always been able to find me. Even if I try to run into another city, it would only be a matter of time. I have better luck here, within the forest, than I do out there.”
    The man let out a thin sigh, pressing his hands against the bulk of his hips.
    “Look, I’ve got contacts. People that can help you go into hiding, if that’s what you want. But you can’t stay here.”
    Melissa took several steps close.
    “You don’t know him like I do. He is ruthless. He’s always had connections, always finds a way… please!”
    “What makes you think he won’t look for you here?” He countered, meeting her gaze with a cold one.
    “You honestly think that a bit of wood is going to keep you safe, especially after what you said?”
    Melissa shook her head, blinking back tears, “People always go missing in the forest and never appear…”
    “You’re seriously counting on that?”
    “I have nothing else!”
    He finally took a step forward, encroaching in her space and making her nearly gasp as she took a step away.
    “Listen to me, Melissa. You cannot stay here. At