Page 16 of Bear Boss’s Mate (Pleasantville Shifter #1)
AUSTIN STALKED OVER to Sheila’s desk with clenched fists. “I want to speak with you. In my office,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Just one sec, I have—” she began.
“Now,” he snarled.
He walked off, with Sheila trying to keep up with his long strides.
When they reached his office, he sat at his desk and told her to close the door behind her.
“Wha... what’s wrong?” she asked, fidgeting.
“You have no business interfering in my personal life. I told you point-blank that I wasn’t interested in you. You had no business saying anything to Marcy.”
“I didn’t,” she croaked.
Austin was having a hard time containing his disgust for the woman who may well have cost him a future with Marcy. “Do not lie to me. You need to mind your own business and stay the hell away from us both, understand?”
“Yes.” She nodded.
Austin narrowed his eyes at Sheila. His body was tense with anger. “Get out.”
She hurried out of his office, not looking back.
Moments later, Austin left his office and headed for home.
He needed to let his bear out and release some of his pent-up anger and frustration.
The intense ache in him was only worsened by the fact that he might have lost his mate.
His chest hurt to the point he could hardly breathe. An intense sadness washed over him.
As soon as he got home, he stripped off his clothing and stepped out onto his back deck. The November air was cold and goosebumps rose on his naked flesh. Letting out a deep roar, he shifted, allowing the bear to take control, running through the trees at high speed.
About ten minutes into his run through the forest, his ears perked, and he stopped. The sound reached him once again. It sounded as though it was coming from near the forest’s edge. Austin-bear lifted his nose to sniff the air.
A human. A female. She was terrified and crying out for help. Coupled with her scent were a few others. Men. Danger. Help her.
He bolted toward the humans, peering through the trees as he ran. His eyes landed on a woman being beaten by two men. He picked up his pace and ran at full speed toward the men, leaping at them and knocking them backwards. They fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Austin-bear clawed at them and roared as the men tried to get away. With one swipe of his powerful paw, he knocked both of the men out.
He turned his large head toward the woman that lay on the ground, cowering and bloodied. Austin recognized her from the café. She was going out with a cougar shifter in town.
For a moment, she recoiled, yet he had made no move toward her. With a gentle rumble and tilt of his head, he watched as her face changed. “You’re... you’re a shifter?” she said through tears as she managed to stand.
He moved his head up and down.
“Thank you.” She brought her hands to her face as she cried.
Austin-bear tilted his head toward her, filled with compassion that had replaced his former rage. This woman was guilty of nothing except dating a shifter, and these men could have killed her.
She continued to cry, but remained standing. Austin let out a low growl so she would look at him.
When their eyes met, Austin-bear motioned with his head for her to run. She nodded and turned to run in the opposite direction, toward the road.
Shifting back to his human form, and with the men still unconscious, he searched them for a cell phone. Finding one, he called his friend Jake, a police officer.
“It’s Austin. I’ve found two men attacking a woman. She is safe, but the men are at the edge of the forest near the highway.”
“Yeah. I think she is on the phone with one of our guys right now. Called a few seconds ago. We are on our way,” said Jake.
Austin hung up the phone and ran a hand through his hair. It was safer for Marcy to stay away from him. He couldn’t bear the thought of his mate being hurt by guys like this.
Austin was going to keep a close eye on her without her knowing, to make sure it didn’t happen. He would keep her safe. And in doing so, it meant he would have to leave her alone so she wouldn’t become a target.