Hunter Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Enforcer Bears Book 2) (13 page)

There was a table with two chairs. There was a shelf with yellowed, battered books, a few boxes—and there, in an alcove, stood a bed.

It had been crafted from lovingly cut and polished wooden planks. Steven, who'd always felt an instinctive love for carpentry and working with his hands, recognized with pleasure the obvious care that had gone into that work.

"This is the bedroom. This is what the symbol on your Grandma's map meant," he said in awe.

Secrets after secrets...

What could this mean? He still didn't quite understand why they'd been led here.

"Steven! Come, look at this!" Cleo breathed.

She stepped towards the wall next to the table. An old petroleum lamp stood there, but she used her flashlight to shine at the wall.

A painting hung there. It was covered in a layer of dust as well, so that they couldn't quite make out what it showed. Carefully, Cleo wiped off the dust with her hands, and then blew against the picture. The disturbed dust rose in a cloud that made her sneeze. When it settled again, it revealed a painting that looked eerily familiar.

"That's my Grandma's work!" Cleo's eyes were wide. Her fingers were trembling a little as she reached out to trace a figure in the center of the painting. "That's... that's my Grandpa, when he was younger!"

Steven didn't recognize the man who stood smiling in the middle of a small pond, surrounded by flowers and bushes bright with white and pink blossoms. He'd never seen a picture of Cleo's grandfather before.

But he knew
what
he was.

"Oh my God," he whispered, disbelief in his voice. "Your grandfather is the bear!"

Cleo's grandmother had painted both man and bear. There, in the clear water of the pond, the man's reflection revealed the bear, both watching them with quiet satisfaction.

Steven recognized the feeling. It was that proud sense of home that had filled his own bear ever since they had started exploring the caves.

There was a wildness in the eyes of Cleo's grandfather, but also a deep-rooted, loving possessiveness. And Steven, who had never met this man who had died long before he had set foot into this forest, felt a sudden kinship.

Here was a guardian of the forest. A bear who had found his territory and claimed it for his own. A bear who had found his home, and who'd give his life to protect it and his family.

Steven exhaled in shock at the revelation. This wasn't what he'd expected when he'd first followed the call of his bear.

It's our home now,
his bear declared smugly.
Though it was his first. We'll take good care of it for him.

Home,
Steven thought again.

It was a strange feeling. It wasn’t at all like the home he remembered from his childhood: cold silence and shouting and doors closed in anger.

Mine,
his bear growled in happiness.
Forever.

Could this be true? Could his brother have been right?

Maybe it hadn’t been his bear who’d run for so long. Maybe Chris had been right, and Steven was the one who’d been running away.

No more running now,
his bear whispered. It was almost a question, although the sound was hopeful.

Steven took a deep breath. He looked at Cleo who was still looking at the painting with awe in her eyes. There was a smudge of dust on her cheek. Her hair gleamed even in the dim sunlight that fell in. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Again he remembered how she’d followed him into the water, trusting him with her own life.

Steven understood now why her Grandpa’s bear had claimed this cave as his home, and built the house by the lake for his family. He’d found everything he needed in life.

And once you’ve found happiness, only a fool would keep running. I’m not a fool.

Cleo still had a hard time believing this new revelation about her grandparents. She’d wondered what sort of secret the map was hiding—but not even in her wildest dreams had she imagined that her grandfather had secretly been a bear shifter.

And yet, it all made sense now! Her grandfather had always loved the forest and the lake. He’d preferred trees to the excitement of cities. He’d lived out here by the lake, where he had the best of both worlds: the family that he loved, and the space for his bear to run and explore.

“I understand why they didn’t tell anyone,” she sighed when she finally stepped away from the portrait. “Still, I wish I could have seen his bear once...”

Her gaze fell onto one of the boxes waiting against the wall, near the table. There was a dusty photo on it that she recognized: an old black and white picture of her mother as a girl, standing before the lake in a dress and with her hair in old-fashioned braids.

Cleo smiled, then took a closer look at the box.

The wood was dusty, but it had a lid that could easily be lifted. Inside, she found a small album with more family pictures. Carefully, she put it aside. Beneath the pictures, there were letters, another album with pressed flowers, and at the bottom of the box, several folders holding documents.

With a frown she began to leaf through them. The folders were dusty too, but no one had disturbed this box in years, and the writing was well conserved.

After a moment, her frown turned to disbelief, and she hastily opened the next folder.

“What is it?” Steven asked, kneeling down next to her.

“I think,” she said, speaking softly even though she knew that no one could overhear, “I think I found the reason Higgins threatened me. The reason Grandma left me this mystery.”

She went back to the first folder and opened it to where it showed an old map.

“It’s the lake,” Steven said immediately.

Cleo nodded and then traced a faded, red line with her fingers. “Look at this.”

She followed the line where it cut the lake into two halves, and then circled around a large part of the forest before it returned to the lake’s shore.

“That’s where your house stands,” Steven said slowly. “And the rest of that land…?”

“My grandfather’s.” Cleo pulled out another document with trembling fingers and pointed to a line of writing. “Th
ere. That must have been what Higgins and my grandfather fought about. Higgins wanted to own the lake and all the land around it. But a large part of it had originally belonged to my Grandpa's family, and he would never sell. But then Grandpa died, and a mysterious fire had burned many of the town’s papers, and my Grandma…”

“She must have been afraid for your family,” Steven mu
rmured. “So she drew a map and left you the truth, in the one spot where she was sure Higgins would never find it.”

Cleo leafed back to the map and shook her head in disbelief. “That’s all the land Higgins has been planning to convert into a luxury resort. Only it’s never been his in the first place! And all those old vacation homes by the lake which he wanted to demolish and rebuild…”

“They’re all yours.” Steven released a shocked breath. “No wonder he was trying to get you to sell and leave! He knew all along that you were the rightful owner!”

“He must have been afraid that if I searched long enough, I’d eventually stumble upon the truth. Well, I did. And I’m not leaving!” Cleo felt the old anger resurface when she thought of Higgins’ threat.

“Let’s call my brother, as soon as we’re back home,” Steven murmured and wrapped his arms around her. “He’ll know how best to proceed.”

Cleo nodded and rested her head against his shoulder as she carefully placed the folders back into the box and closed it.

“And no building artificial islands in the lake now. Because the lake is mine too. And I won’t let anyone destroy it.” She shook her head again, her mind still reeling from the unexpected revelation.

Here she’d thought that she was broke, her career ruined, with only the old house left to her. Instead, she’d found an unexpected treasure.

She laughed and gave Steven a tender smile. “The X really marked the spot. It was a real treasure map after all.”

Steven raised his hand and wiped more dust from the old portrait. "A real treasure. The only treasure that really counts for a bear," he said softly.

For a long moment, Cleo watched him stare at the picture. How strange it was to imagine that a long time ago, her Grandma must have stood here and stared at a bear shifter of her own!

"My Grandma always said the women in our family had impeccable taste," she murmured, smiling at the motes of dust that danced in the dim light.

When Steven turned, she sneezed again from all the dust. He laughed and reached out to brush more dust from her hair.

"Come on, I think there's another exit nearby," he said and grinned. "I can hear water. We can wash this off."

Instead of an answer, Cleo sneezed again. She followed Steven towards where the light was getting brighter. They had to walk through another tunnel—this one wide and bright enough that they could even switch off their flashlights.

"I'm bringing a broom, next time we come back," Cleo declared when she saw that a part of her shirt had been turned gray from all the dust she'd disturbed earlier.

Then they turned a corner, and she stopped, wide-eyed and speechless at the sight that stretched out before them.

There was another pond. It was large, filled by another waterfall that came from somewhere far above. This had to be the curtain of water they'd passed before, higher up, where they'd entered the caves.

The pond was surrounded by natural walls of stone. The water was so clear it mirrored the blue summer sky above them.

All around the pond, flowers grew. They blossomed in all the colors of the rainbow: a carpet of red, yellow, purple and blue that took Cleo's breath away with its beauty. Bushes with blossoms like white clouds grew in the crannies of the rock that encircled this perfect, secret paradise. There was no sound but the rushing of falling water and the singing of birds.

"Oh my God," Cleo breathed. She recognized the pond. "This is the pond from the portrait we found! This is where she painted my Grandpa! It's really real, all of it!"

"That was the final symbol of the map—the pond, and the flower symbol." Steven sounded breathless and disbelieving.

When Cleo turned towards him, his eyes were bright with joy.

"It's all real,” he said. “The documents. Your grandfather's cave. And this. A bear's paradise."

Cleo felt her heart beat faster in her chest. She remembered the conversation she'd had with Sidney.

"Could it be... a bear's home?" she asked softly.

Steven turned towards her—and then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. Cleo gasped with pleased surprise.

"I've been a fool, a real fool! Can you forgive me?" Steven asked urgently. "All this time I was afraid that I’d end up hurting you. That my bear’s desire for freedom would cause you pain, the same way my father hurt our family. But my bear has known from the start that he found his home. And that you are my mate, the only thing I need in this world to be happy. I’m not going to run anymore, Cleo.”

“You’re staying?” Cleo could barely believe what he'd just said. “You’re really staying? Through the winter, and forever?”

“Forever,” Steven whispered into her hair. “Forever and ever! If you’ll have me?”

Cleo bit back a sob that was half laughter. “Of course! Of course I will!”

Steven’s lips trailed over her face, kissing her cheeks, her eyelids, her nose, everywhere he could reach. She found that she was trembling in his embrace. She was overwhelmed. So many good things had happened to her in such a short time that it still didn’t seem real.

“My bear’s found his mate,” Steven said softly. “I’ve found my mate. You’re beautiful and brave and passionate. I knew right from the start that you were special. You’ve seen my soul, the way no one else ever did. Will you marry me, Cleo?”

“Yes,” Cleo breathed, and now she couldn’t hold back the tears anymore, even though she was smiling widely. “Yes, of course!”

Steven’s hands came up into her hair, and then he kissed her. His thumb slid along her cheek in a caress that made her tremble. The air was sweet with the scent of flowers, and she thought about how a long time ago, her grandparents must have found this spot.

Had her Grandma known that her map wouldn’t only lead Cleo to the hidden documents, but also to true happiness?

She gave Steven an overwhelmed smile when he drew back, her cheeks still wet with tears. Then she giggled.

“Careful, now I’ve made you all dusty, too!” She wiped at a dark smudge on his forehead.

“Come,” he said and grabbed her hand, grinning. “Let’s wash this off!”

Hastily, they stripped off their clothes and plunged into the pond together, holding hands and laughing. When they resurface, Cleo splashed water at Steven and then proceeded to flee before he could retaliate. Finally, she allowed herself to be caught, still giggling helplessly as Steven wrapped his strong arms around her and then dragged her with him to where the waterfall came rushing down into the pond.

“Unfair!” she complained, happy and breathless, completely content to squirm in the embrace of those powerful arms.

Steven smirked at her, his eyes alight with excitement. The sunlight reflected in them so that they shone like amber once more, warm and mysterious.

Her bear. Her guardian of the forest.

My mate.

She smoothed her fingers through his wet hair, brushing it away from his face. It was so hot in the sun that the cool water felt pleasant on her skin. When he leaned in to kiss her, she sighed.

Against her thigh, she could feel that he was aroused. His shaft slid against her skin, hot and hard, and she moaned into the kiss as she wrapped her arms around Steven's shoulders, allowing him to keep them both afloat.

His powerful muscles flexed beneath his skin. The water was cool, a tantalizing contrast against the heat that seemed to burn her up from the inside. Her nipples ached where they brushed against Steven's chest, tight and aching for a touch. She felt overwhelmed by her need for him.

When he dropped his mouth to her throat, she gasped and willingly tilted her head back. His tongue was hot where the water had been cold. His teeth scraped her skin until she realized that she was moaning his name, trembling with desire. Everything inside her was ready for him, aching to be joined with him once more.

As if he had read her thoughts, he moved them closer towards the edge of the pond. Here, there was a patch of grass and wildflowers. With the utmost gentleness, he lifted her out of the water and laid her down amid the violets.

Breathless, Cleo watched as he slid out of the water to join her, naked and magnificent. This was how he'd looked that first time she'd seen him. How strange how much had changed since then!

Summer had arrived and nearly passed. The house had been restored and readied for the winter. They'd lifted the secret of the caves, defeated the jaguar, and soon the lake would be saved from Higgins' schemes as well.

But the most important thing that had happened was that she'd found her mate. She'd sensed it the first moment she'd seen him, even if she hadn't known what it meant back then.

Now, when he slid inside her, his iron-hard length filling her until she moaned with overwhelmed need, she could see it again.

His eyes were like open windows. They hid nothing from her. They shone with the ancient power of the bear, the protective instinct that made him hunter and guardian both. And more than that, his love and desire filled him with a light that made her itch for her pencil and some paper.

He was her mate, her muse, her love.

He'd awaken the parts inside her that she'd thought dead. And in return, she'd taught him to see the good in himself and his bear. She'd saved him from the old fear that had made him run.

And now neither of them would ever have to be afraid again, because they'd found the most important thing in the world: each other.

Cleo tightened her grip on Steven's shoulder, arching up as he filled her with a slow thrust. It felt so good it was nearly unbearable. The pleasure sizzled inside her, like flames racing up her spine. Every muscle in her body was tense as he filled her again and again, his thrusts powerful and nearly agonizing in how good they felt.

She was so wet she could take all of him easily. Her inner walls clenched around him, wanting more and more. Helpless, she forced herself to keep her eyes open because she didn't want to miss a single moment of this.

His eyes were alight with pleasure and need, dark and deep like the mysterious heart of the forest. His groans vibrated from somewhere deep inside his chest, almost growls, and she dug her fingers into his skin, her thighs clenching around his waist as she writhed beneath him.

Her climax came pulsing through her like sudden waves crashing against the shore. She trembled, tightening around Steven as he groaned in response. His thrusts gained speed, powerful and relentless as she held on, moaning when the heat inside her didn't abate but increased until it was nearly unbearable.