Taming the Bear Collection Read Free Page B

think of what an actual den in the wild would look like with this one at the helm. By comparison Rowan's house was clean and clutter free, except for the layer of dust on everything. That was a man thing, though; Eva had always noticed men couldn't dust to save their lives. They were also really bad at sweeping for some reason. She made another mental note to inspect the kitchen floor when she got home.
           "Just leave me alone," Rain said, looking up from the pillow. Her beautiful, soft features were marred by the puffy redness that remained after someone had just finished bawling their eyes out.
           "It's okay, girly," Eva said, sitting down on the end of the bed. "I'm just here to check on you."
           "I'm fine," Rain said, sitting up and sniffing. "I just made a complete ass of myself in front of everyone important to me."
           "Hawk and his girlfriend are important to you?" Eva asked, cocking one eyebrow.
           "Oh, screw him and his hussy," Rain said, flipping her hand dismissively. "I'm talking about Rowan and you."
           "Rowan will get over it," Eva said. "And I'm already over it. I was eighteen once too, you know. Not that long ago, actually."
           "I know," Rain said, finally calming down. "It's not that, though. I saw Rowan hugging another woman and it just woke something up inside of me, something deep in me that demanded I right the wrong I was seeing."
           Eva stiffened and tried to keep her facial expression neutral, but it was hard. A lot of her suspicions were being confirmed the more she observed the wolves around her. This wasn't good at all.
           "Was it your wolf that was bothering you?" Eva asked, trying to sound casual.
           Rain perked up and looked at Eva like she'd just revealed a long-hidden secret. "Yes, actually it was. How did you know?"
           "Just a hunch," Eva said. "Why do you think your wolf is being so impulsive and pushing you so hard?"
           "I don't fucking know!" Rain cried, throwing her hands up in defeat. "She's a moody bitch."
           "She's you, though, Rain," Eva said. "I had this same talk with Rowan. You can't think of your wolf as a different person. It's you."
           "I guess you're right," Rain said.
           "I don't think you understand," Eva said. "You can't deny your wolf. It's a part of you; you can't lock part of yourself up. This is how some humans go crazy. They find out something about themselves they don't like and they bury it deep inside without seeking help or talking about it. It festers for years and eventually they go insane and murder twenty people."
           Rain looked at Eva like she was crazy while pondering her words. "That's a giant leap to make."
           "Yes, I'm using hyperbole, but it's true. Maybe if some people who are mentally ill would seek help earlier in life, they wouldn't snap one day."
           "Are you saying being a wolf is being mentally ill?"
           "No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm just saying the wolf is a part of you, a very big part. If you treat it like it's a different personality and try to ignore it, eventually it's going to bite you in the ass. It's already bit Rowan several times when he's lost his temper and killed on account of needing to protect me."
           "That was good of Rowan to do, though."
           "No, it wasn't, Rain. Nobody deserves to die and nobody has the right to take another's life. Even Aster understood what Rowan did was wrong."
           "Aster would have killed those men too. He was just upset that Rowan did it so publicly and in a place he could easily be caught."
           "Okay, well, this is all beside the point. If Rowan had embraced his wild side more and let it have more of a say, it wouldn't have taken over in such a blind rage like that."
           "So you're saying my wolf is starting to control me against my