Runaway Bear Read online

  Copyright 2016 Alana Sapphire

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or deceased is entirely coincidental. Names, places, and characters are fictitious or, if real, used fictitiously. The author recognizes the trademarks and copyrights of all registered products or works mentioned.

  Thank you for purchasing this eBook. This eBook remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. This eBook, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review.

  Cover designed by Alana Sapphire © 2016

  Cover image from Shutterstock

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Other Books By Alana

  About The Author

  Beneath The Blue Moon Excerpt

  ***Zax***

  Fate. I scoff at the thought. A man’s destiny is what he makes of it, not the work of three chicks wearing bed sheets. And love? I don’t believe it exists, either. Whatever chemicals in the body are responsible for thinking it does, I don’t have them. I enjoy women as much as the next bear—probably more—but why settle for just one? Bears aren’t monogamous creatures, especially black bears like me. We like our solitude. Why fight what Mother Nature intended? Why tie myself to one flavor for the rest of my life, when there are so many others out there to sample? True mates… what a joke. Anyone who believes there’s one special bear out there for them, one they’ll spend forever with, is out of their mind. At least that’s what I tell myself to get through each day. The purpose of the endless parade of women is to keep my mind off the one that got away. Works for shit, though. After five years, I still can’t get Callie Masters out of my head.

  It was one night; one amazing night that haunts my thoughts and dreams. I remember every curve of her body, every moan and whimper, every time she called out my name or sunk her nails into my back. I can still taste her skin, smell her luscious scent. She was surprisingly shy—given she was the one who approached me—but she opened up the moment I touched her. Bloomed for me like a fucking flower; most beautiful one I’ve ever seen. She had the body built for a man like me—soft but strong enough to withstand a proper fuck. Although, it wasn’t like that with her. I took my time, because I was her first. The next day, I woke up hoping to be her last, but she wasn’t in my bed. There was no note, no phone call, no nothing; except the scent of her hair on my pillows, which told me she really had been there. She was just gone. For weeks I tried to find her without rousing suspicion. I had a bad reputation, and I didn’t want her to have one, too. I couldn’t exactly walk up to her door, either, because I’m pretty sure her mother wouldn’t have told me anything. Who’d want their daughter associating with me? Callie left Fall Valley without a backward glance, me standing in the wake of her dust. I guess I can’t blame her. All she did was give me a dose of the medicine I’ve been prescribing since I discovered the wonder of women.

  That’s what I get for thinking I could be anyone’s mate. I’m the late night booty call, or the bear women sneak out to see when their husbands or boyfriends aren’t home; the ones who aren’t “in love” with their mates, anyway. That’s me—Zax Knight, the dirty little secret. I don’t mind. It works great because no one expects anything more from me. After the deed is done, everyone goes their separate ways until the next time an itch needs to be scratched. I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I’m one hell of a scratcher. Well, I guess I just did. Toot motherfucking toot.

  My phone beeps, and I roll from under the truck I’m working on to retrieve it from the hood. It’s a text from Laurie, wanting to hook up tonight. She’s not exactly one of my favorites, but shit, I have nothing better to do. Besides, she abides by the rule with no questions—always out before the sun. No exceptions. I don’t do sleepovers. I reply with the time she should be at my place, then return to changing the truck’s oil.

  After a long, hard day, I toss my oil-stained rag aside and head home. I’m so tired, I don’t think I can manage my work-out tonight; so tired I’m actually thinking about cancelling on Laurie. I’m not in the mood, either, which is strange. I’m always in the mood. Maybe it’s because Callie’s been on my mind today. I swear the woman has spoiled me for any other. When I walk through my door, I give in to my gut and text Laurie.

  Zax: Change of plans. Can’t do tonight.

  Turning the phone off, I toss it on the couch and make my way to the kitchen to find some food. I stand before the open fridge, staring at the contents—leftover Chinese and a six-pack of beer. Guess that’s dinner tonight. I scarf down the cold rice, and pop the cap on a beer as I walk to the bathroom. Glancing through the open door of the spare room, I think of all the women who’ve been in there. Damn. There have been a lot. Never in my bedroom, though. Callie was the only one, and now I have to live with that reality every time I go to sleep. Every day, I relive that morning when I woke up to an empty bed. Every. Fucking. Day. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t shake her.

  After my shower, I drop down in my huge, empty California king-sized bed and knock the hell out.

  ***

  Cracking one eye open, I find the midday sun shining in through the blinds. Shit. I overslept. Again. Good thing I’m the boss and don’t have to worry about getting fired. I opened the shop when I moved here seven years ago. It’s the only one around for miles, so work’s pretty steady. Right now, I have one guy working with me—Scott. He’s a good guy, great mechanic, and probably the closest thing I have to a friend.

  With a yawn, I stretch my body to work out the kinks in my back. Growling at the day ahead, I hop in the shower, then get dressed.

  Mrs. Nixon waves to me as I walk to my pickup truck. I’ve lived next to her for six years, and I doubt our conversations have gotten past “Good morning.” I answer her with a grunt because I haven’t had my coffee yet. I need to remember to stop and get some groceries. A nagging voice in the back of my mind grumbles that if I had a mate, I wouldn’t need to do that, but I shut it up with a firm shake of my head. What the fuck am I going to do with a mate? Fuck? I can do that with any woman. I hop in my truck and turn up the radio, blasting Zeppelin on my way to the diner.

  When I walk through the doors, all eyes turn to me. As usual. The men sneer. The women stare with unrestrained lust, half of them averting their gazes in embarrassment after getting an eyeful. Smirking to myself, I approach the counter. The girl at the register smiles, ringing up my order before I even get there. I hand her the money and my thermos, waiting until she fills it.

  “Here you go, Mr. Knight.”

  I acknowledge her with a grunt and a chin lift as I turn to leave. Then, a scent wafts its way into my nose and I freeze. I’d know that aroma anywhere—strawberries and cream clinging to a sweet half-werebear woman with curves I’d kill to touch again. But it can’t be her. It can’t. Completing my turn, I come chest to face with Callie fucking Masters. My bear rushes to the surface, wanting to go to her. Yeah, we both missed her.

  She stands there awkwardly, staring up at me and biting into her red bottom lip. I know exactly how that lip tastes, and wouldn’t mind getting a nibble right now. She’s the one who fucking left. She doesn’t want us. I push my bear back, walking by her as if she wasn’t there. Stomping to my truck, I wonder why the hell she’s back. I know it’s not for me, because I haven’t heard a peep from her in year
s. I hope she won’t be here for long. Liar.

  “Zax, wait!”

  I pause, curling my fingers around the open door of the truck. Her voice. All I can hear now is the sound of it as she screamed my name when she came. All three times. Taking a deep breath, I prepare to face her once more.

  “Yeah?”

  She approaches nervously, still chewing on that lip. Fuck. She’s still as gorgeous as the last time I saw her. Even more so. Her expressive grey eyes that look like God placed two stars in them, flick between me and the pavement as the wind whips her dark hair into her face. She tucks it behind her ears, and I remember how much she liked when I kissed that spot just below the lobe. My dick twitches, and my bear tries to make a come-back, black fur pushing its way through the skin on my arms. Her lips part as she watches my reaction, licking them as her gaze travels south—to my rapidly hardening dick.

  “What do you want?” I growl.

  My tone startles her, but she quickly recovers.

  “I… I just wanted to say—”

  “Oh, now you have something to say?”

  “Why are you angry with me?” she asks, her confused gaze boring through me.

  “Why am I…? Fuckin’ unbelievable!”

  I hop in my truck, slam the door and peel out of the parking lot. The fucking nerve of the woman. She walks out on me after the best night of my life, and wants to know why I’m angry? I’m angry because she should have stayed. I’m angry because I fooled myself by thinking she could be mine. I’m fucking angry because, seeing her now, I still want her to be mine.

  ***Callie***

  “Callie, I’m so glad you’re home, sweetheart.”

  Yeah. You’re the only one.

  “Me, too, Mom.”

  I give her the biggest smile I can muster, then shovel a forkful of pie into my mouth. I’ve been thinking about Zax’s reaction all day. I mean, I didn’t expect open arms, but I didn’t think he’d be… livid. I just wanted to say hi, for Christ’s sake. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried to talk to him in public. If he’s still the same bear he was five years ago, then talking to a woman in public isn’t his thing.

  I stare down at my slice of pie begrudgingly. Food like this is one of the reasons my body is like it is—soft and squishy. For a long time, I thought the way I look is the reason why Zax wouldn’t be caught dead with me. Then I realized it wasn’t me; it was him. He’s the one with issues. Anyway, I love food more than I care about other people’s opinions of me. Plus, I’m half werebear. The body comes with the territory.

  Taking another bite, I remember the first time I saw Zax Knight. I was sixteen. My friend Michelle and I were walking home from school when he rode into town on his motorcycle. He first caught our eyes because he was huge. We watched him approach until he stopped right at our feet. He removed his shades, and the most beautiful brown eyes I’d ever seen stared back at me. I remember licking my lips as I watched his curl up in a smirk. I remember my eyes wandering over his broad shoulders and muscular arms on display in his black tank, his powerful thighs encased in jeans ripped at the knees; the way he’d run his fingers through his thick, wavy, shoulder-length dark hair, and his sexy, scruffy beard. He’d climbed off his bike, nodded, and said, “Ladies.”

  It was fate. I knew right then and there he was my true mate and would hold my heart forever.

  I dedicated all my time to finding out everything I could about him. He was twenty-one, single—thank God—and a mechanic, meaning he was good with his hands. There was only one problem. He wouldn’t give me the time of day. I was too young, I know, but it didn’t hurt any less. I watched him day after day as countless women fell all over him. No one actually saw him with any of them, but it’s a small town. You can’t really do anything without anyone knowing. So I heard. I heard about each and every woman he bedded, and each time my heart broke a little bit more.

  On my eighteenth birthday, I decided I’d had enough. I went to his garage right before closing, and I made him a proposition—one night, no questions, no commitment; exactly what he offered all the other women. It was bullshit on my part, but a piece of me thought once he was with me, he’d feel it, too; he’d know we were meant for each other. But just in case he didn’t, I told him I was free that Friday—the day before I would leave for college. He simply looked me up and down, then told me to be at his place by ten. I showed up at 9:30 p. m., and an hour later he was punching my V-card. I have to admit, it was wonderful, despite the fact that he didn’t declare his undying love afterward. He was sweet and gentle and not what I expected. However, it was exactly how I imagined my first time. I left when he fell asleep, and cried my eyes out into my pillow all night. Then I left Fall Valley and never looked back. Until now.

  He’s still as gorgeous as I remember; bigger, more muscular, but still the best looking male I’ve ever met. He may have been angry when I saw him today, but at least one part of him was happy to see me. Or maybe that’s why he was mad? That he wanted me? God knows I wanted to jump him right then and there.

  The memory of our one night together replays in my mind every day. Seeing him again has only made it more vivid.

  5 years ago

  Nervously, I knock on Zax’s door. It’s so soft, I doubt he’ll hear it. I want to run away. What was I thinking? This whole plan is just a daydream. What will I do when he tosses me out just like the rest? I turn to leave, but freeze when the door opens.

  “Having second thoughts?”

  His voice is low and deep behind me. Taking a breath for courage, I face him.

  “I understand if you are. You can go, but I’d really like you to stay.”

  My little heart flutters. If I leave, he could have another woman here with a snap of his fingers, but he wants me to stay. “Okay.” I nod, stepping inside when he moves out of the way. “Sorry. I’ve never done this before.”

  I stand awkwardly by the door, waiting for him to say, or do something. He stands before me, and the mere closeness of his body to mine, sends a shiver down my spine.

  “Are you cold?”

  “A little,” I lie.

  Taking my hand, he leads me to the living room, motioning for me to sit. He grabs a blanket from the back of the couch, and spreads it over my legs.

  “Stay here. I’ll get you some coffee.”

  I adjust the plush blanket, taking in the room. It’s not what I expected for a man like Zax—huge TV, sports paraphernalia, sound system. There’s an AC/DC T-shirt thrown over the back of a recliner. I thought it would be a pimp’s paradise in here.

  “Here we go,” he announces as he walks back into the room.

  “Thank you.”

  I take the mug, gasping as our fingers touch. He notices it, but doesn’t say a word. Instead, he sits quietly next to me. I grimace after the first sip, and he takes the mug from me, placing it on the coffee table.

  “Sorry. I sometimes forget not everyone likes it as strong as I do.”

  I concentrate on the blank TV screen when he shuffles closer. His fingers graze my ear as he tucks my hair behind it. I shiver again, but this time he knows it’s not because I’m cold.

  “I guess I should have asked this before, but how old are you, baby?”

  “Eighteen,” I answer.

  “Good. Now, tell me how you like it.”

  Confused, I finally turn my head to look at him.

  “Sex,” he clarifies. “Hard, soft, fast, slow…?”

  “Oh.” I drop my gaze, blushing furiously. “I… I don’t know. I told you, I haven’t done this before.”

  “Callie, look at me.”

  I meet his stare, biting into my bottom lip.

  “I thought you meant a one night stand, not… Are you saying you’re a virgin?”

  I nod, waiting for his reaction. His eyes widen in surprise, which then gives way to curiosity.

  “Why me? Why this way?”

  I wasn’t expecting much conversation, so dropping my head, I quickly think of something to tell him.
I can’t exactly say, “I’m in love with you, and hope you’ll fall in love with me after tonight.”

  “I… um… I’ve heard things… about you.”

  “What have you heard?” He raises a brow.

  “That you…” God, I can’t believe we’re talking about this. “That you know what you’re doing. I just wanted my first time to be good.”

  Placing his finger under my chin, he tips my face up to his. His thumb brushes against my bottom lip.

  “It’ll be good, baby. After tonight, you’ll think about me every time another man is inside you.”

  My breathing stops. Another man? You’re the only one I want. The moment the words leave his lips, a cloud crosses his features. His eyes are still focused on me, but he seems lost in thought.

  “Zax?”

  My voice pulls him back to the moment, and his gaze moves to my lips.

  “How many boys have you kissed?”

  “Two.”

  “Well, now it’s time for you to be kissed by a man.”

  He’s gentle at first, slowly coaxing me out of my shell. When his tongue glides along my lips, I moan, parting them for him. It’s the sign he was waiting for. Gentleness is forgotten as he kisses me within an inch of my life. I’m clinging to him, defenseless as his tongue explores and conquers. I block out the world, unaware of even moving until I’m sliding down his body to the floor. Fireworks can’t even describe what I’m feeling. I knew it. He’s the one. He breaks our kiss, and I realize he carried me to his bedroom. Backing away, he sits on the edge of the bed, his eyes wandering over my body.

  “Take off your clothes. I want to see you,” he says, turning on the lamp by his bed.

  Closing my eyes, I slowly remove my top, dropping it on the floor. He groans in approval, giving me courage to continue. I wiggle out of my jeans, kicking them aside. Thank God I at least had the presence of mind to buy the sexy matching bra and panties.