Billionaire Bear Shifters A Paranormal Romance Complete Series Boxset - Brittany White Page 0,186

moonlight, tearing up the ground as he raced by her side. Bears had always appeared slow and sluggish to her, but Connor moved with a sort of grace she’d never truly appreciated before. He was captivating.

They reached a stream side and they ended up in the water, the cold water splashing over her fur. Connor watched her as she dunked her head underwater before rearing back and diving at her, knocking her flat on her back in the river bed. Brooke spluttered, snarling playfully and tackling him onto his back.

She hadn’t played like this since she was a cub, racing her friends through the woods. He could imagine Connor and his brothers playing together like this when they were young. She looked down, huffing a laugh as Connor shook water out of his eyes. She was almost comically small where she lay on his chest. She shifted. Connor cocked his head at her but shifted too, not bothering to toss her off.

“What do you think your brothers would think if me?” She asked, moving his wet hair off of his face. Connor blinked then thought for a moment, and Brooke appreciated his wanting to give her an honest answer.

“I think it would take them some time to get used to the idea,” he said finally. “We were brought up to be wary of other predators…” Brooke nodded sadly. If they could get over their prejudices for other species, maybe they could have had whatever this was much sooner. “But,” he continued, fingers sneaking under the damp fabric of her shirt. “I’m certain you could beat most of them in a fight.”

Brooke preened, leaning in to kiss him. “You’re damn right I could.”

They climbed out of the river, settling down onto the bank to dry off. Connor took her hand in his, playing with her fingers as they looked up at the moon where it peeked through the treetops.

“What are your parents like?” he asked. “You know about my family.”

“They both died when I was quite young,” she shrugged. She could remember bits and pieces: the way her mother called her name when it was time for dinner, the way her father’s arms felt when they wrapped around her. “We were already part of the pack when they died. Our pack helped me get by when they passed.”

Connor rubbed a hand over her arm. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged. “Don’t be. It was a long time ago and I have an amazing family to look after me.”

They lay together and Brooke could feel herself drifting off, safe in the circle of his arms, when she felt Connor stiffen under her.

“What’s wrong?” she whispered, unwilling to break the peaceful silence.

“I thought I saw something…” he trailed off, sitting up and tipping her gently off of him. Brooke groaned in protest but sat up as well. She followed his line of sight and saw something shining among the trees a little way away from the stream's edge.

It was a bear, lying in a pool of blood. Brooke could smell it as they neared, the metallic stench making her gag. It’s belly had been ripped out. She didn’t know if it was a shifter or not but, one glance at the look on Connor’s face told her it was. She bent to get a closer look at the wound, gaping and horrid as it was, and recoiled. They were wolf bites. She could tell by the shape of the wounds. Ice shot through her veins. Someone from her pack was responsible for this.

Connor turned away, face ashen, and Brooke hurried to his side, supporting him as he leaned heavily on a tree trunk.

“Connor, I’m-”

“I knew him,” he whispered. “He works security at the lodge.” He looked like he was going to throw up. Brooke didn’t blame him but when he looked up at her she couldn’t hide her guilt. His face hardened and he stood up straighter, hiding his grimace. “It’s okay, I know it wasn’t your fault.” He was trying to be strong for her. Brooke’s heart ached. This man.

Brooke saw red. She was livid; this isn't something she thought her pack was capable of doing… killing an innocent shifter broke every rule they had. There would be hell to pay for this. She vowed it.

She walked with Connor back to the lodge, unsure what else she could do to help him. Connor kept insisting he was fine, but she could see the way his knuckles tensed as they moved. He was definitely not fine.