Bearly Ever: An Alpha Werebear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Arcadia Knights Book 1) (6 page)

Ever crawled backwards over the ground, eyes never leaving Aidan’s naked form. Her hands and feet slipped on the wet grass but that didn’t stop her.

“Wait, we need to talk.”

Fuck that!
Jumping to her feet, she turned tail and bolted sideways into the forest.

“Ever!”

She ignored Aidan’s yell, too caught up with running. The trees weren’t dense here, but brambles and undergrowth was dense in places. Ever ran blindly, not caring at the twigs and branches that pulled at her clothes and scratched her skin.

There was no way what she saw was real. No way. And yet, she’d seen it with her own eyes. She’d freaking
felt
the fur and claws.

Oh yeah, running like hell seemed a perfectly viable option.

She didn’t know she was being pursued until an arm wrapped around her belly, pulling her up short. Ever screamed again, expecting to feel that same furred claws, but only found a very human arm. She kicked backwards, thrashing in Aidan’s grasp, but he was like a rock. Nothing she did seemed to make a dent.

“I’m not your enemy,” he said in a low voice, grunting when one of her elbows connected with his ribs. “I’d never hurt you, I promise.”

Ever stopped fighting, but couldn’t control the trembling in her body. She refused to look at him as he set her back onto her feet, but neither did she run away again. “What the
hell
are you?” she asked in a low voice, staring at a nearby bush.

Aidan sighed. “You know what a werewolf is?”

This time she finally looked at him incredulously. “That wasn’t a wolf,” she said, pointing back the way they’d come. At least, she thought that was the right direction. Her voice sounded shrill to her ears but she didn’t care. “Whatever that was…you were
not
a wolf, you were…FUCK.”

He didn’t answer her and Ever started to pace. She had too much nervous energy to stay still now that she wasn’t running, the adrenaline still flooding her system. Her thoughts were too jumbled to form any coherent words so she gestured wildly, indicating size and shape and
teeth
, and pointing at Aidan.

But it was insane. Completely, and utterly, insane. He’d said werewolf, which didn’t exist, and yet… “Tell me I’m not hallucinating,” she murmured, sinking to a crouch and covering her eyes with shaky fists.

“You’re not insane.”

Aidan’s voice was gentle, but the words did nothing to calm her nerves. “So I really saw you change from a bear back there,” Ever said, still not quite believing the words coming out of her mouth.

Beside her, the man sighed. “Yes.”

“Oh, lovely.” Ever’s voice cracked on the second word. Aidan’s words weren’t a comfort, but at least she wasn’t alone in her delusion. Or, maybe it was delusional for her to believe the delusion, when both her eyes
and
the man in question had told her otherwise.

Gah. So confusing.

“Okay,” she said, blinking her eyes open, “so you’re saying that you changed into a bear…” Her words trailed off as she just stared. “Um, you’re naked.”

“It’s a side effect of the Change, especially as a bear.” Aidan cocked his head to the side, watching her curiously. “Clothing doesn’t usually make it.”

Well.
So apparently modesty wasn’t high on his list of priorities. Noted. Clearing her throat, Ever stood quickly, tearing her eyes off his junk and looking back into his face.

It was a very human face. So hard to believe it had been a bear at one point.

“So.” She didn’t know what to say. Either she believed him, or she didn’t. Right then, she wasn’t sure
what
she believed, but there were other things to worry about. “You need clothes.”

Aidan looked down at him self, utterly unabashed, and shrugged. “Probably.”

It was something mundane that Ever’s mind could latch onto. “You have any in the car?”

She didn’t realize what she’d said until she saw his cringe and remembered the twisted, explody wreck. So much for that.

Easier to think about a wreck than…yeah. The wreck, think about that. “Okay, then,” she said, moving toward the road. “I’ll find somebody while you stay hidden in the trees. Then we can get you covered and hopefully on our way.”

“Ever.”

She paused and looked backwards. Aidan hadn’t moved, and pointed his finger the opposite direction. “Car’s that way.”

Lovely.
Ever said nothing, just turned around and marched the other direction.

Damn him, if he wasn’t right.

*

Ever managed to flag down a passing motorist and borrow a cellphone to call for help. Neither of their phones had made it; Ever’s had fallen into the car during the crash, and Aidan’s had been crushed. Fortunately, help wasn’t too far away.

“Wow, you certainly know how to go out with a bang.” The female deputy stared at the wreckage, whistling appreciatively. “That’s not gonna buff out.”

The flames had been put out quickly enough once the fire department truck had arrived. The officer, who Aidan had introduced as Deputy Mackenzie, had arrived first, and given Aidan a blanket to cover himself with.

Good. Because Ever hadn’t liked the idea of anyone but her seeing the Sheriff’s junk.

Which was beyond silly. He wasn’t hers or anything.

Mine.

She was really going to need to get her head checked after this.

Aidan moved towards the wreckage, bypassing the firemen to check the trunk. He rattled it but it wouldn’t budge, then he hunkered down and, with one arm, snapped the lock and bent the thinner metal back from the bumper.

Just like that. Smooth as butter.

“You okay, sweetie? You’re looking really pale all of a sudden.”

Ever indeed felt lightheaded, and looked over at the female officer. The other woman was short and curvy, with blonde hair cropped close to her face and inquisitive blue eyes. They stared at Ever with some concern before looking over at Aidan. “Not many people would have survived something like this.”

“I know.” Ever’s words were shaky, but heartfelt.

“You were lucky to have him with you.”

She could feel the deputy’s eyes on her, but Ever didn’t look back, just watching as Aidan rummaged through the wreck then pulled out a pair of pants. He checked them over quickly, then lifted out a pair of boots from the wreckage before pulling them both on and shedding the blanket he’d been holding around himself.

She drew appreciative eyes down his lean frame. Now,
there
was something Ever could stare at all day. God, she wished her glasses hadn’t been lost with the car; the devil was in the details here, and she remembered the feel of him beneath her only that morning.

That pleasant memory became sharp when a female firefighter turned her head to watch him as he passed. Ever’s lip curled, a low growl rumbling in her chest.

Oh hell no, bitch.

“Well now.” The surprised, and pleased, exclamation from the deputy drew Ever’s attention back to the woman beside her. The toothy smile on the other woman’s face was genuine, like she’d been holding back before. She clapped Ever on the back with one hand good-naturedly, sending the girl forward a few steps. “I think you and I will get along just fine.”

Ever stared at the deputy with bemusement as Aidan strode up. “Mac, I need your car.”

“Aw, man!” The blonde woman’s shoulders slumped. “I just had it detailed, I don’t want your smokey ass inside it.”

The woman sounded less like an employee and more like a sibling. Aidan, for his part, just held out his hand, waiting, and with a groan Mac gave him the keys. “One scratch though,” she warned, “and I’m taking it out of your sorry hide.”

“Noted. Let me know if you find anything out about that truck.”

Both of them had already given their statements as the fire was put out, and the paramedics had checked out and released Ever. Aidan seemed anxious to get back on the road, an emotion that Ever appreciated. Her sister was still out there somewhere, and she needed to find her quick.

If this “accident” had been related to the other girl’s disappearance, she needed to find Sonya even sooner.

“You didn’t give me much,” Mac said, her mouth twisting ruefully, “but I’ll see what I can find out. Here.” She tossed him a cellphone, then unclipped and handed him her radio. “I’ll pick up another when I get to the office.”

“Thanks.” He turned to look at Ever as the woman moved off. “Come on, let’s go find your sister.”

She’d seen him. She knew.

But he had no idea what she was thinking.

Aidan found it difficult to keep his eyes on the road, too intent on the woman beside him. His nose told him she’d calmed down, but he couldn’t get anything else from her scent. She’d spoken to Mac, and he’d wanted to grill the deputy about what all had been said, but not with Ever standing right there.

At least she wasn’t freaking out any more.

No, that was Aidan’s department now, it seemed.

He’d never intended to break the news to her like that, but now the cat was out of the bag. She’d seemed unwilling to believe her own eyes, but that would pass. She’d want to know more.

Then she’d want to go back to her world. Except, that option was closed to her now.

God
dammit.

The silence was eating at him. He’d expected questions, anger, fear—the nothing he received was alternately worrying and confusing. Finally, he couldn’t take it. “So, what are you thinking?”

She looked over at him inquisitively. “About what?”

“Anything. Life. Arcadia.”
How about me?
It would kill him if he made her afraid. The bear growled in his head at the thought, warning him that Aidan had better fix the problem.

Trouble was, he didn’t know where to begin.

Ever cocked her head sideways, thinking. “It really is a cute little town.”

She wanted to talk about his home town? Well, he
had
brought it up as an option, but, really? “Okay,” he said slowly, “I’m glad you approve of where I live.”

Something in his tone must have betrayed his thoughts because Ever made an exasperated noise. “What do you want me to say? That you going shirtless is distracting? That a bear-man saved my life? That I don’t know what to think about anything that’s happened so far today?”

Aidan’s bear chuffed with approval at her words. She found him attractive.

Figures that would be what it would focus on.

Okay, so she didn’t want to ask him any questions. Then he’d turn the tables. “Where did you and your sister grow up?”

That got him a narrow-eyed look but he kept his eyes on the road, waiting for her answer. Finally, she sighed. “We grew up in Florida, down around Pensacola.”

“Any family?” he asked when she lapsed back into silence. He was being nosy but wanted answers.

“A mom, probably a dad if my biology class was right. Why?”

He’d clearly touched a nerve. She was stiff, annoyance coming off her in waves. It was on the tip of his tongue to apologize but he bit it back, with no small amount of guilt. He didn’t want her uncomfortable, and yet he wanted to know more.

His silence paid off finally. “My mom raised me and my sister alone. She’s my half-sister actually, but neither of our dads was ever in the picture. Mom was, is still, kind of flighty. She means well, but she finds it hard to take care of herself, let alone two extra mouths to feed.”

“What happened?”

She hitched one shoulder, staring out the window. “The state eventually got involved, and she signed us over to them. Put us into foster care believing that would give us a better chance at life. Maybe it did for my sister; she eventually got adopted by the first family she stayed with. Me, though, I just drifted around, until I reached eighteen and said my goodbyes with a note.”

“You never found a real home?”

She flinched ever so slightly, and Aidan immediately regretted his words. “No,” she said, still not looking at him. “The various families I lived with were nice enough; I didn’t get abused like you hear about in some stories. It’s just, there was never any permanence or, well, love. I lived there, ate their food, slept in their bed, but was always the Other Child. After I left, I never really got back in touch with any of them.”

“So what do you do now?”

“Travel. See the world, or what I can of it. I was between trips when my sister called, so it was easy enough for me to uproot and come here.” Ever looked over at him. “What about you? What’s it like to grow up as…” She trailed off, indicating him with one hand.

Her gesture made his lips tip up. She was taking the whole situation really well, so Aidan decided to tell the truth. “Not much different than as a human. Being the Brahm’s son made life a little harder for me, but we live and love just like you do.”

“Brahm?”

“Our leader. My father is one of the most powerful Shifters in the world. Arcadia was founded to keep the Shifter population in this area safe, and it’s his duty to oversee those in his care. We still have a Mayor, and I handle the police department and smaller matters, but he deals with the larger threats, sometimes singlehandedly.”

“Sounds like a scary man.”

“He can be. Usually he only steps in when violence is the last resort, but he keeps his fingers in all the pots. You saw the surveillance system at the house; there aren’t too many secrets in town that he doesn’t know about. People, in return, are allowed their safety.” He saw the dubiousness on her face. “It may not be the best system, but it’s worked for decades.”

“How do you keep from being noticed by the rest of the world?”

“Stay away, mostly. It’s gotten more difficult in recent years with all the technology, but we manage. We still get amenities like electricity, cellphones and internet from your world, but for the most part live by ourselves. As long as we don’t draw attention,

“And those that draw attention?”

“My father takes care of them.”

She shivered, looking back out her window. “I don’t looking forward to meeting him.”

Aidan coughed. “You already have, actually.”

Ever looked at him quizzically, then her eyes widened to saucers. “No,” she breathed, and Aidan nodded, anticipating her answer. “But he was the same age as you!”

“Not by a long shot.” He looked at Ever. “How old do you think I am?”

Her jaw snapped shut on whatever she was going to say first. Aidan could see the wheels turning in her head, but her eyes still held incredulity. “One hundred?”

“Close. Eighty-seven.”

The exclamation of denial he was expecting didn’t come, and Aidan approved. She looked like she was trying to process that, and kept looking at him. “I have two older brothers, Warren and Logan,” he continued at her silence, “both born before the turn of the twentieth century.”

“Lovely,” Ever said in a high voice, and Aidan just grinned. “What about humans that find you guys?”

“Like you?” he asked bluntly, and she colored. “It depends on what they intend to do, but we try to be reasonable. We take care of our own, but you should know that there are quite a few humans living in our town, including your landlady. We’re not running a prison here, despite what it sounds like. There are towns like Arcadia across the world, just trying to survive and blend in.”

It was obvious she had more questions, but they were coming up on their destination. Aidan turned down a gravel driveway and pulled up slowly toward the dilapidated house, scanning the area. He’d told Mac where they were going but now regretted not bringing backup, as he had no idea what to expect.

“Do you think she’s here?” Ever murmured as Aidan rolled down the window, trying to get smells.

“No idea.” There had definitely been shifters on the property; from the crisscrossing scents, quite a few, and recently too. Now though it looked deserted, and he couldn’t smell anybody nearby.

That didn’t mean they weren’t there, however.

“Stay in the car,” he said in a low voice, then got out before he got an answer. He really should have waited for one of the deputies to bring him a work shirt. He’d been in a rush to leave the accident, and now felt stupid standing beside the cop car wearing only a pair of battered slacks and boots without socks. There was no way he could make this seem like an official visit as he’d lost his badge with the rest of his clothes in the fire.

All right then. Social call it was.

“Mr. Avery,” he called, using the name of the person who’d been on the deed. The name hadn’t been familiar to Aidan but, even though Arcadia wasn’t a huge town, he didn’t know all the people who lived there. He left that up to his father, but now he wished he had more information, especially with his mate in the car. “Mr. Avery, we need to talk with you.”

There was the click of a car door opening, and Aidan looked over to see Ever step out. Her jaw had a stubborn set. “I want to help.”

“Get back inside, I don’t know what might be—”

A shot rang out, and a bullet pinged off the hood of the car with a discordant clang. Ever screamed, and Aidan all but leaped over the car to get to her. “Down, now,” he yelled, gathering her in his arms and pulling her to the ground as bullets whizzed past their heads.