Page 35 of Hunny and the Bear (Bearly Yours #1)

Thirty Five

H unny froze at the base of the stairs, startled by the animalistic roar of rage outside. It shook the walls, and the familiarity of it made her heart clench. Was that Tank? What had happened?

She dropped her death grip on the railing, taking a worried step toward the front door. The sound of wolves howling split the air, slightly muffled by the walls of the cabin. Her heart leapt to her throat.

Wolves?

Her mouth dried, panic clawing at her throat as icy tendrils of fear slid down her spine. Her hand flew to her mouth, covering a strangled whimper. Oh, God! They were being attacked, and Tank had stepped outside into the thick of it, completely unaware of the danger lurking just beyond the walls of their cabin.

Who’d even knocked on their door? It must have been someone Tank knew, someone he trusted, otherwise he never would have gone out there. And now he was at the mercy of monsters.

Her mate needed her!

“What the hell was that?” Nessa asked, her voice taking on a higher pitch than usual. Head snapping to the front door, the human took a step closer to Hunny until they were both standing side by side, staring nervously ahead. “Did you hear that roar? And the howling? Why did it sound so close?”

Hunny moved around the couch, on autopilot as she raced toward the front door. “I-I have to go out there. Henry’s outside—”

Nessa grabbed her arm, yanking her backward. Hunny collided into the other woman, who kept a firm hold on her. “Are you out of your mind? No, I’m not letting you rush out into some kind of crazy animal fight. I’m sure Tank’s fine.” Nessa’s heart beat as wildly as Hunny’s as another roar shook the cabin, followed by a wolf’s sharp yelp of pain. “Perfectly fine,” she added tightly.

“You don’t understand. He’s not fine. I-I need my phone!” Hunny exclaimed, stumbling over her words as she dragged Nessa along with her toward the kitchen. Had she left it on the dining room table? “I have to call Murphy.” He’d know what to do.

God, she wished they’d bonded her to the bear clan a week ago. It involved a blood exchange between both herself and Murphy, but Tank had been so distraught over everything, she hadn’t wanted to bring up another instance where she’d end up bleeding. And because of that, her mind wasn’t linked to Murphy’s; she couldn’t contact him through anything other than human means.

What if it was too late? What if, in her attempt to spare her mate’s feelings, she’d doomed him? Doomed them both? The dark thought was too much to take.

“What do you think Murphy is going to do about wolves outside? What is he, some kind of animal whisperer?” Nessa asked incredulously, as they reached the doorway to the kitchen.

Something struck the cabin with a loud bang, and a wolf growled from somewhere behind them. Both women flinched, startled by how close it sounded. It was so close, like it was prowling the porch, searching for a way to come inside. Soon after, they heard a heavy thud, like something had slammed into the ground.

“O-Okay, yeah, maybe we call Murphy,” Nessa agreed immediately. “And like a-a forest ranger, or animal control—”

The front door flew open with a loud smack as it hit the wall, nearly coming off its hinges.

Letting out a yelp of surprise, Hunny spun around, hoping like hell it was Tank rushing into the cabin. Nessa followed her movement, and the stench of the other woman’s sudden fear mixed with her own as they both spotted the male.

It wasn’t Tank standing in the doorway, but Jason, wearing a cocky smirk on his face. More animalistic noises sounded outside, though they seemed further away than they had only seconds before.

“Ah, my darling mate,” Jason crooned, stepping confidently into the house. The door slammed shut behind him, and he slid the deadbolt into place, the sound jarring as silence momentarily descended on them.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Hunny uttered nervously, casting a quick glance around for a weapon. A deterrent. Anything. Nothing was within range, and she didn’t know what she’d use against the shifter anyway. A cushion from the couch? Nessa’s heavy ass purse? Maybe she could swing it around and use it like a flail.

Nessa stiffened, sending a sidelong glance to Hunny. Jason took the rabbit shifter in, ignoring the human altogether, as if she were insignificant. “Is that any way to greet the father of your pups?”

Hunny heard Nessa mumble ‘pups’ questioningly under her breath. Steeling her spine, Hunny shouted, “Get out of here, Jason! You are not welcome.”

The smirk on his face dropped. Eyes narrowing, he took a menacing step forward.

“Quiet,” he hissed, and she felt waves of his dominance crash into her. Her legs trembled, knees nearly buckling under the pressure of his power. “You’re going to come with me, Hunny, and we’ll discuss our future together. Now.”

“No!” Hunny cried, her mind in denial even as she took a step forward, unable to evade his command. She took another step, moving closer. Before she could make any true distance, though, Nessa grabbed her arm again, tugging her backward.

“She told you no, asshole, now back the fuck off!” Nessa yelled, her voice wavering as she pushed Hunny behind her. She stood tall, a protective barrier between them both. Shocked, Hunny could only gape at her friend. Why hadn’t she felt the effects of Jason’s dominance? Even though it had been directed at Hunny, Nessa was human. She should have been cowering in fear, at the very least.

His eyes lit up with surprise, and the control he’d held over Hunny dissolved instantly as he glared at the human. A moment later, hatred replaced his features. Nessa didn’t flinch, but Hunny heard her heart kick up into a frantic rhythm, and she saw a slight tremble run through her body.

Hunny dragged in a shuddering breath, taking in the scent of Nessa’s growing fear and determination at the same time the wolf did. He cocked his head to the side, giving Nessa a cursory glance up and down. “You’re brave for a human. Rebellious, too, but I can beat that out of you in time. Nessa, wasn’t it?”

“I said it once, and I’ll say it again!” Nessa spat. “Fuck off! Tank is going to kick your ass into next week for coming here—” Jason snarled, his eyes flashing an icy, glowing blue. Nessa gasped, backing up so quickly she bumped into Hunny. “What the … what was that? What are you?” she asked faintly.

“Nessa, get back,” Hunny warned, trying to force the human behind her. She didn’t think Jason would hurt her while she was pregnant with what he assumed were pups, but a human? He’d already threatened to beat her into submission. What would he do if she defiantly stood between him and what he wanted?

Something heavy slammed against the front door before landing on the porch with a heavy thud. A pained whimper sounded, and for the briefest second , she looked away from Jason and toward the nearby window, desperate to see if it was Tank who’d made the wounded noise.

There was a flash of movement from the front door. Jason lunged forward, hands outstretched. Reflexes much faster than a human’s, he grabbed Nessa before she even had a chance to react, shoving her roughly out of his way. With a startled scream, she flew into the small living room, hitting the side of the couch and tumbling over it. Hunny heard Nessa’s head hit the coffee table with a sickening crack as she disappeared from view.

Smirking once more, Jason prowled toward Hunny, malevolent energy dogging each step. She stumbled backward to evade him as he herded her into the kitchen. “Now, where were we?”

“Why are you doing this? Just leave, please!” Hunny pleaded, her pretense of bravery fleeing with Nessa. “No one killed Natasha, Jason! Whoever left her body here was setting the bears up!”

He kept moving toward her, a predatory gleam shining in his eyes as she moved around the kitchen island, desperate to keep as much distance between them as possible. She didn’t know if she could outrun him, but if she could stall him, it would give Tank time.

Please, please come back , she wailed in her mind.

“I know all of that, Hunny. Are you really so dense? I killed Natasha for you. For us .”

Hunny’s heart stilled, all of Tank’s words rushing back at her about just how crazy and depraved Jason was. She’d started to realize it on her own after the clinic, but this … this was complete madness. Not to mention the pain he had willingly put himself through.

To kill his own mate … Who could do such a thing? Who would risk possibly killing themselves in the process? Only a psychopath.

“Why would you do that? You rejected me, Jason. You chose her!” Hunny shook her head in denial, sidestepping further around the island, making sure she kept it firmly between the two of them. He followed her until they were caught in an awkward, twisted dance; her running backward and him chasing after, tauntingly, like a cat stalking a mouse.

“I warned her to leave you alone, Hunny. Even though I cast you aside, I didn’t relish the thought of the mother of my pups coming to harm. But Natasha couldn’t obey. She hated the fact that you were carrying my heirs. That you would always hold some advantage over her. So she came back here to kill you. I couldn’t let that happen.”

Bile rose in her throat. “You knew she was here that day in the woods. That wolf we saw wasn’t the only one …”

“ That wolf was monitoring Natasha for me, to ensure she did what she was told. But she didn’t. She came after you,” Jason scoffed, slamming his fists down so hard onto the kitchen island, the countertop cracked. “I wanted Natasha because she was dominant; strong-willed. But ever since you left me, I’ve come to realize just how beneficial it would be to rule with a submissive by my side.” His eyes locked onto hers, staring at her in such a disturbed manner she flinched away from it. “You are who I need.”

“I’m mated to Henry,” Hunny answered with a calmness she didn’t feel. She wanted to scream at Jason that she would never be his again, but he was clearly deranged, and she was afraid of setting him off. What would he do if provoked?

“If I can kill my own mate, I can kill yours just as easily,” Jason said with an abrupt laugh. “In fact, my wolves are taking care of him as we speak.”

Instinctively, her head started to turn toward the doorway, to the last place she’d seen her mate.

Henry—

She only saw the briefest tensing of Jason’s muscles out of the corner of her eye before he launched himself over the kitchen island, heading straight for her. Hunny shrieked in terror, turning toward the doorway leading into the living room with a burst of speed rabbit shifters were known for. She reached for the deadbolt, her fingers brushing against the cool metal.

Jason’s hand wrapped in the hair at the back of her head, a hard arm banding around her chest as he yanked her back and into his arms, pulling her away from the door. “Did you know that Angela, one wolf I’ve gone through great pains to teach obedience, recently discovered her true mate was right here within this very territory?” Jason whispered harshly into her ear, his hot breath blowing free strands of hair into the side of her face.

When she didn’t respond, his grip tightened in her hair and he pulled it roughly. “Answer me,” he hissed.

“I-I didn’t know,” Hunny whimpered, her mind reeling. Jason was too close, his presence a sinister threat. Her mind screamed at her to get away. To protect her kits. To erase his presence from this cabin. From her home. From her life. And the only person who could do that was Tank, but he wasn’t even here.

What was more terrifying than even Jason himself was the knowledge that her mate would be here with her if he could. He’d never let Jason near her, never let him get close enough to breathe her air, let alone touch her. But now, this maniac was all over her.

God, please let Henry be okay .

Unfortunately, the sounds of fighting outside had begun to die down, and he still hadn’t charged inside. Where could he be? Her heart twisted, and it hurt to breathe, but she forced herself to relax. If he were dead, she’d feel the mating bond sever. She’d know he was gone, so she needed to hold on. He was alive. She just had to just buy enough time until he got back here to her.

Jason turned them away from the living room and back toward the kitchen, forcing her to walk ahead until he had her pinned against the farthest wall from escape, covering her back with his rigid body.

“I missed you, Hunny,” Jason crooned, rubbing his groin against her ass.

She nearly gagged, bile rising in her throat. Every instinct demanded she fight, that she raise hell to get him off of her. But what if he hit her? What if he hurt her babies? For that reason alone, she remained still, frozen in place by terror and the unknown.

Desperate to keep his mind focused on anything but her body, Hunny asked the first thing she could think of. “Who’s Angela’s mate?”

“That bear traitor.” Jason licked the side of her face, groaning deeply. “Imagine Dante’s surprise when he intercepted a handful of wolves hunting down Natasha right on these very lands, and then found out that one of them was his mate. Poor bastard didn’t know what to do, and suddenly, I saw the future for us all mapped out.”

Hunny swallowed thickly, ignoring the way her voice shook as she asked, “You did?”

“Yes,” he breathed, rubbing his cheek against the side of her head, like he was determined to remove Tank’s scent and replace it with his own. “I told him I’d rape, torture, and kill Angela if he didn’t do everything I demanded.” Jason spoke nonchalantly, as if rape and murder were normal activities he pursued. It made Hunny even more nauseous.

“He folded easily, especially after I promised I wouldn’t hurt you. Then I forced him to keep Natasha in his home until the time was right to kill her. A few days later, I reached out to that pathetic excuse of an Alpha, claiming my mate was here. Demanding a meeting. I let them play right into my hands, but I have to admit, Hunny, I was furious to see that you’d mated someone else. And so soon, too! Naughty girl. You let some filthy fucking bear put his hands on you, his dick inside you ,” he grated out angrily.

Jason spun her around so fast the back of her head smacked into the wall. She grunted in pain, wheezing when he pushed his body flush against hers. No care or consideration of the pressure he applied to her stomach. Her eyes stung with tears, and she fought back the urge to sob. Terror consumed her at the thought of what he might do to her and her babies.

Jason molded himself to her, grabbing her face in one large hand and squeezing until she cried out in pain. “When we get home, I’ll replace that disgusting mating mark with the right one and get this rancid scent off you. Then I’ll make sure the only dick you remember is mine.”

Hunny slapped him hard across the face, the action so sudden, so surprising, she hadn’t even realized what she’d done until she felt the stinging burn of her palm. Jason dropped his hold on her, taking a startled step back. “Did you just hit me, you ungrateful slut?” he snapped, his eyes wild.

A loud bang exploded through the room, and Jason suddenly bellowed in pain, bending at the waist and clutching his thigh. Not wasting the opportunity, she rushed away from him and toward the exit, desperate to escape.

There, standing frighteningly still just inside the kitchen, a pistol raised in her hand and pointed right at Jason, was Nessa. Her forehead was bleeding, but if she was in pain, she didn’t show it, keeping her eyes trained on Jason. “I believe I told you to fuck off.” She jerked her chin to the side. “Hunny, get behind me.”

“Absolutely.” Relief coursing through her, Hunny did just that, ignoring the acrid scent of gunpowder burning her nose. “When did you learn to shoot a gun?” she murmured, her voice shaking.

“When I was twelve. I’ll tell you about it later.”

“You won’t get a later,” Jason snarled, his eyes glowing blue once more. “I’m going to gut you like a fucking fish—”

Nessa shot him again, the bullet sinking into his shoulder. “I wouldn’t really threaten the person holding the gun, you arrogant prick.”

Jason hunched over and groaned, and for the briefest second, Hunny thought it was in pain. But then she heard it; the sickening sound of bones popping; breaking and snapping as they reformed.

“Shoot him again!” Hunny exclaimed, terror unmistakable in her voice. “He’s a fucking werewolf! Shoot him before he shifts!”

Nessa gasped, her bravado fleeing in an instant. “Are you out of your fucking mind, Hunny? Werewolves don’t … don’t exist.” She trailed off, backing up quickly as Jason’s clothing exploded into tiny chunks of fabric, fur covering his skin entirely as he completed his change. “Oh, holy shit—”

Jason growled.

Nessa took aim again, though she was shaking like a leaf as she fired, missing him as he dodged with an inhuman speed. He rushed her as she fired again, tackling into her with his full weight. The gun left her hand, sliding across the floor. Hunny tried to catch the woman, but Jason rolled his prey away from her, swiping his claws at Nessa with one fierce motion.

Nessa cried out in pain, the scent of her blood filling the air as her skin tore from her shoulder all the way down to her chest. The human went limp, her eyes fluttering closed. Enraged, Hunny screamed, drawing Jason’s attention before he could attack her friend again.

“You want me, you piece of shit?” Hunny yelled, her voice hoarse with terror and a blaze of fierce anger. She looked frantically around at the ground. Where the hell was the gun?! “Then come get me!”

Jason huffed at her antics before looking down at Nessa in contemplation. Hunny could tell the instant he decided to kill her friend; it was in the way his muscles bunched beneath his fur, his maw opening wide to reveal sharp, lethal teeth.

The cabin floor rumbled beneath her feet a second before a bear— Tank —roared. And then the entire front of the cabin split apart, taking the front door with it. Chunks of wood flew in every direction as her big bear, and several more of equal size, filled what remained of the front entrance.