Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
I close my eyes and curse under my breath when they stop to make-out.
It’s only Monday morning and I’m already dealing with this shit.
I don’t have the patience or the energy to be dealing with another starry-eyed shifter couple giggling about getting matching runes or infinity symbols or his-and-hers paw prints. Kill me now.
Julian is at the doctor’s with Lainey and their new little cub Angelica. It’s just a routine checkup for the adorable little girl. My younger brother is a father now, and I can’t even keep my bear from trying to claw his way out every damn day.
“Are those customers I hear?” Victoria says as she walks in from the back, adjusting her top. Her black hair is a mess. Adrian follows her out a few seconds later, holding a box of bandages, his lips all red and puffy, his eyes a little glazed. Fucking newlymates. I’m surrounded by them.
My bear starts grumbling like the bitter beast he is as the couple walks in, looking so happy it should be illegal.
I slink back as Victoria and Adrian take over, greeting the couple and making fast friends. I watch them as my grizzly bear burns with hatred and jealousy.
I hate this. This is not me. I’m not the bitter and jealous type. I like to build people up and bring joy to the world, but it’s hard when all that negativity is radiating out of your core.
“How did it happen?” Victoria says, pulling their first encounter story out of them.
They both smile at each other like they’re reliving it all over again. My bear snarls in disgust.
“We were at the waterslides,” the pretty young girl says, bouncing on her feet, she’s so excited.
The big brute beside her nods eagerly. “I saw her whizzing down a slide and I just knew.”
“He climbed up the slide and jumped in after me,” she continues, smiling and giggling.
“I just couldn’t let her get away,” he says. “I panicked.”
“I landed in the pool,” she says, laughing, “and like three seconds later, this big handsome man slammed into my back.”
“I was terrified I’d crushed her!”
“But he didn’t,” she says as she wraps her arms around his hip and looks up into his brown eyes like she’s falling in love all over again. “And it was the best moment of my life.”
Victoria is gushing over the story as I slink into the back, muttering something about coffee. I refill my mug and then take a deep breath, my big broad shoulders rising and falling like boulders. I close my eyes, trying to calm my agitated bear.
He was a bit better this morning, but that story got him going again. Shit. What am I going to do?
Go to the waterslides maybe?
Nah. What’s the point? She’s not going to be there…
I sigh as I take my mug and head back into the shop.
Julian and Adrian are helping the happy couple choose their designs. They’re getting matching tattoos—so goddamn original. I roll my eyes as they all start talking about going out for sushi after on a double date.
My grizzly bear growls so loud they all suddenly stop and turn my way.
“Magnus,” Victoria says, looking concerned. “You okay?”
“Just need some air,” I say as I grip my mug and head outside.
I walk around to the side of the shop, feeling the cool morning breeze on my clammy face. I close my eyes and breathe in the crisp mountain air.
A hawk circles overhead, a squirrel runs across the parking lot, the trees sway in the breeze. Everything is so calm out here, which feels so damn strange with the furry storm brewing in my gut. My bear is getting himself all worked up again.
You taking a damn temper tantrum isn’t going to get her here any faster, I shout at him.
He snarls back, like he doesn’t give a fuck what I think.
Stop, I warn him when I feel the tantrum coming on like a tremor in the ground. It rumbles through my body—ominous and violent. Unavoidable and imminent. The kind of outburst that ends with me waking up three states over with blood on my hands.
Where is she? he roars inside me, outraged. Where the fuck is she?
My bear doesn’t say words, but I can tell what he’s saying from his growls and snarls. Sometimes I wish I couldn’t.
I don’t know, bro. What do you want from me?
He doesn’t like that answer and charges for the surface. I grit my teeth, flex my body and push him back with all I got. My hand clenches around the mug and it shatters, sending coffee flying everywhere.
That was my favorite mug, asshole, I hiss when he’s pushed back down, pacing in fury.
Now he’s really angry. He lets out a bloodthirsty growl as he circles inside, getting ready to force his way out.
Come and try, dickhead.