Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
A werebear is just a cute name for what Brandon Ranger really is — a berserker. Beneath his skin lies a warrior driven by pure, brutal emotion. Which was fine when he was at war.
But at home, nothing’s so easy. Especially not when prickly sheriff’s deputy Samantha Green just wants to be friends. Because a berserker’s emotions never sit quiet—and when Brandon’s need comes roaring to the surface, there’s only one way to save her:
Run.
So he did.
A year later, he’s back and his berserker’s under control. Except it’s too late. Because if Brandon wanted to win her heart…running is the worst thing he could have done.
Good thing a berserker never gives up.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
PROLOGUE
SAMANTHA
Nine months ago, if a giant grizzly bear had meandered its way across my back field and into my barn just before midnight, my reaction then would probably have been a whole lot different than it is now.
For one, I wouldn’t have remained sitting on this old bench swing, with my boots propped atop the wooden railing on the back porch. I probably wouldn’t have run screaming into the house—or I like to think that I wouldn’t have—but I’d have made sure my feet were flat on the ground so that I could run.
Two, I’d have stopped dicking around with Animal Crossing on my phone and started taking a video. Because a bear coming up from the river and onto my farm would have made a hell of a story, but not a single person I know would have believed me without evidence. There are bears around in this part of Oregon. Black bears only, though. There sure aren’t any giant fucking grizzly bears.
Three, seeing the bear wouldn’t have started a hot little ache down low. Wouldn’t have made me bite my lip as I watched him. Wouldn’t have made me so damn aware of every inch of my skin.
At least, I don’t think so. After all, I’ve always thought Belle got a shitty deal when her animated Beast turned back into a prince. So, I don’t know. It’s hard to say how I’d have felt when a bear crossed my path—except that I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been even a bit horny for him.
That was before the whole world went sideways, though. Before my sister and I went on a vacation into the Colorado mountains last winter, where a werewolf attacked Alicia under a full moon and infected her with the same curse. Before Travis Ranger showed up here in town, already in love with Alicia, and announced that Hey, I’m a werewolf, too, and I can help you control your beast. Then he tacked on a Here’s my brother, Brandon, who’s a berserker. Which is just a fancy term for a raging warrior in a grizzly bear suit.
Or, whenever Brandon feels like it—just a grizzly bear. One who’s more likely to roll around in a field of wildflowers and laze in the afternoon sun scratching his furry belly than bust into raging warrior mode.
Also more likely to irritate the hell out of me…then make me laugh until I cry.
Bear or not, Brandon’s a good friend to have.
Which is why I put away that tingly pussy nonsense before he comes out of the barn. Or I try to. Because he strips off his clothes in there before shapeshifting into a bear and ambling around. Then he puts them back on before coming into the house.
Except he doesn’t put them all on in the barn. Nuh-uh. Instead he strides out into the moonlight, six feet seven inches of solid, heavy flesh in nothing but a pair of low slung jeans and with his shirt dangling from his hand. Like he got distracted in the middle of putting clothes on and just walked out like that. Or he’s in a hurry, so he decided to finish dressing as he went.
But one thing I know about Brandon: he’s never in a hurry. So this whole show, with the Oops, I guess Samantha just got an eyeful of my massive hairy chest and shoulders broad enough to support a bulldozer, not to mention the happy trail that runs straight down to the bulge behind my zipper that suggests what’s behind there will grow into a damn hefty piece of equipment—it’s no mistake. Brandon wants me to see him.
Then he wants to get naked and nasty with me. If it wouldn’t mean saying bye-bye to our friendship, I’d want it, too.
A fuck just isn’t worth it, though. Even a really amazing fuck. So I do my best to put that tingly shit away.
Halfway across the back yard, Brandon finally drags his shirt on over his head. His brown hair is cut military-short even though he’s been out of the service for a few months. I’m not sure what he’s doing next. He’ll get around to figuring it out in his own sweet time, I guess. For now, he’s living here at the farmhouse with me—an arrangement that came about when Ranger came down from Alaska with Brandon tagging along…mostly to bug the fuck out of Ranger, he told me. But when they found Alicia suffering from her curse, Ranger promptly moved in. Since Brandon was here, we invited him to stay, too. And it worked out for everyone, because with Ranger and Brandon living with us, for the first time Alicia began to see herself as something other than a monster. Ranger and Brandon were just people. People who could pop out claws and teeth and superpowers, true—but experiencing everyday life with them showed Alicia that the beast inside her was nothing to fear.