Jared: Mating Fever (Rocked by the Bear Book 5)

C
opyright
© 2016 by V. Vaughn

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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over by Croco Designs

Editing by Jodi Henley and Red Adept Publishing

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C
ourtney Jennings has had
a crush on Jared Vachon since they first met. She may have painted a few images of him too; so when she sees him jogging she takes a moment to notice his - ahem - artistic lines. The flash of a gun interrupts her muse and makes her take action to save his life, using a side of herself she didn’t know existed. Once Courtney discovers what lurks within, she’s not so sure she wants that part of herself to break free.

J
ared Vachon is
in love with Courtney the human and Courtney the bear. But his true mate fears her animal side will ruin everything, except that’s not the real danger….

“
M
iss Jennings
.”

Principal Cote’s tone is stern, but the sun is warm on my shoulders, and I have plans to enjoy it with my sketch pad at a local park after school today, so I pretend I didn’t hear him.

My first year as the art teacher at Willow Elementary is not what I expected. I came in with grand ideas to keep the kids’ creativity alive, but instead, mine is being killed one rule at a time.

“Miss Jennings!”

I sigh before I turn around to glance at the older man with graying temples and a brow so furrowed it’s no wonder the lines are etched in his forehead permanently. Yup. My boss is not happy. I’m a thorn in his side when it comes to the rules.

I try a diversion tactic. “Good afternoon, Mark. I’ll bet you’re going to tell me how wonderful the mural looks. The children are doing such a wonderful job. I thought we—”

“Courtney, please. You know what this is about.”

“I—” I shake my head because it’s no use. “I’ll have the curriculum proposal on your desk Monday morning.”

“Yours was due today, Miss Jennings.”

I cross my arms as I begin to scowl too. “I’m the only one that has that deadline. Everyone else’s is Monday.”

“That’s because everyone else will actually have a version I can use. I wanted to have the weekend to check yours and make sure you don’t have plans for building a ten-foot sculpture on the front lawn.”

“It was only five feet,” I say. “And it could have doubled as playground equipment. Do you have any idea how amazing that would have been for the children’s sense of worth?”

Mark’s eyes get hard as he crosses his arms.

“Fine,” I say. “I’ll have it ready and email it to you tonight.”

“Thank you.” He offers me his smile, but I can see daggers shoot out of his eyes anyway as he says, “Enjoy your weekend.”

I aim a few laser beams at his heart with my gaze and sweetly say, “You too.” Once I turn back toward my car, I tilt my head up to the sky. The birds are chirping in the trees, and the day is just too beautiful to ignore. I decide since technically I have until midnight, I’m going to the park anyway.

The aroma of this morning’s coffee fills my car when I get inside, and I glance at the travel mug in the holder as I wonder if I want to sip the lukewarm drink. I forgot to take it inside this morning because I was rushing to get to work on time. The first week of school this year, I learned we really are supposed to be present a full hour before the kids arrive, even if you don’t have homework to correct or detailed lesson plans to create. So these days I rush in to make my boss happy and sit in my classroom to work on my comic book illustrations with Principal Cote cast as the evil villain.

If it weren’t for the kids, I don’t think I’d be finishing finished the school year. I crack the windows of my car to enjoy the breeze as it whistles by. I suppose I should begin my search for another job that allows me time to work on my art. I glance at the sexy male running along the side of the road to my right. White earbud cords bounce on his bare shoulders, and muscles ripple as he moves. Once I get past and look in the rearview mirror, I realize it’s Jared Vachon, a guy I know from college.

I met Jared when he and his twin brother transferred to Bowdoin College, but I never got to spend a significant amount of time with him. Since I moved to the next town over when I graduated, it’s not surprising to find him jogging on this road. What’s surprising is my reaction to a guy I haven’t seen in months. My crush comes back to smack me in the face, and I have to force my gaze away to pay attention to the road.

If I’m honest, though, my feelings for Jared never disappeared. I may have stalked him a bit by attending every orchestra presentation I could just to gawk at the sexy cellist as he played. Fortunately, I kept the restraining order at bay by keeping my distance, even if something about that guy makes my heart pound and my body tingle. It reminds me of the way my old roommate, Olivia, reacted to her live-in boyfriend when she first met him. Sometimes you just know. Unfortunately, I’m the only one that does, because as far as I can tell, Jared has no interest in me.

I slow down as I get closer to one of my favorite spots, and I open the window completely to inhale the briny sea air. I stop in a small parking lot and make my way over to a secluded grassy area that overlooks the ocean. It’s just big enough for my camp chair that creaks as I unfold it, and I sink down into it with my sketch pad. The sun sparkles on the water as if it’s been sprinkled with glitter, and I spend a few moments staring at it as I clear my mind.

Something rustles in the nearby woodlands, and I automatically turn to the sound and notice a flash that makes me think a metal object caught the sunlight.
How strange.
Tiny hairs stand up along my neck as if I’m in danger. Intuition has always been my friend, and I listen to my gut. I stand and move quickly to my car as if I forgot something.

The steady thud of feet catches my attention, and I turn toward the noise to see Jared jogging my way. He smiles when he sees me, and in that moment, a scene flashes before my eyes.
A gunshot. Blood. So much blood.

My stomach knots up as a surge of adrenaline pumps into my bloodstream. As Jared passes me, he heads toward my chair, and without thinking I react and race toward him.
The flash of metal was a gun.
Every synapse in my brain fires as I launch myself at Jared to slam him to the ground. An eardrum-shattering crack sounds before we land.

We don’t stop moving as Jared rolls us into the nearby brush. I’m crushed by his weight, and a stick is jamming into my bottom as my shoulder throbs with pain. He whispers, “When I get up, run farther into the woods.”

I open my mouth, and his hand clamps down over it before I can speak. That’s when I notice the odd sensation that floods my body. It’s as if electricity is humming in my veins, and I find it intoxicating, even though I just threw myself in front of a bullet.
A bullet!
I nod as I tense to move quickly.

Jared lifts off me slowly to a low crouch. I scramble up, and when he points toward the thick woods, I take off running in that direction. It’s not easy, and twigs snap as limbs catch on my clothes. I twist my ankle more than once, and my cheek smarts when a branch scratches across my face. But I keep going until my lungs burn with the need for oxygen, and I decide I’ve gone far enough. I stop to bend over and catch my breath.

I notice a rock the size of a car and move behind it to sink to the ground as I listen for anyone that might have followed me. When all I hear are the sounds of birds chirping, I begin to shake. I continue to breathe deeply, and the scent of rotting leaves turns my stomach as my reality sinks in.
What the hell just happened?
Someone tried to kill Jared, and I threw myself in the way. “Oh god.” Acid burns in my throat when I turn my head and vomit up the contents of my stomach.

When I’m done, I lean my head back against the rock, and it’s cold on my back as I close my eyes. I’m not the kind of girl that saves people. I’m oblivious to the world around me and usually end up being the one that needs to be saved. My poor sense of direction is legendary. If I can’t find my way out of a paper bag, how the hell am I going to get out of these woods? My shaking is a strong shiver now, and I wrap my arms around myself as if that can warm me up. Hot moisture rolls down my cheeks as I cry.

I don’t let myself sob, though. Because I’m afraid I might have been followed, and once I gain control of myself, I glance around while I search my memory for survival strategies I learned as a kid.
Shelter.
If I’m going to spend the night out here in nothing more than tattered work slacks, a cotton blouse, and a thin cardigan, I’m going to need to figure out how to stay warm. I wonder how long before someone notices I’m missing... I shake my head, because I need to get moving if I’m going to build a lean-to before it gets dark. I can worry later.

I rise into a crouch and peer around the rock slowly to make sure the coast is clear. The instant warmth of relief rushes through me when I discover Jared walking toward me. I barely register that he’s naked when he opens his arms, and I run to him like a child. His embrace seems to reach inside me, and it makes desire for him burn low in my belly. I gaze up at his emerald-green eyes as I say, “Thank you for finding me.”

J
ared’s body
is so warm that I don’t want to step away. But the massive erection pressing against my belly makes me uncomfortable, and I do. I ask, “How did you find me?”

He frowns. “That’s your first question?”

“I was saving the good ones for later. Like what happened to your shorts?”

Jared glances down at his crotch and then back at me. “They ripped off my body.”

That’s the last answer I expected to hear, and the image of a superhero pops into my head. “So you’re the Incredible Hulk?”

His face flushes as he mumbles, “Something like that.”

I don’t say anything as the severity of what happened settles over me. I hug myself in an attempt to control the shivering that starts up again.

Jared says, “You’re freezing and probably in shock. C’mon. Let’s get you out of here.”

I nod as he begins to walk. We move slowly, and I ask, “Do you know why someone tried to kill you?”

“Yes.”

When he doesn’t say more, I begin to create crazy scenarios in my head. As the drug deal gone bad starts to play out in my mind he says, “You were amazing the way you threw me to the ground. Did you see the gunman?”

“No.” My jaw shakes with my shiver, and my teeth chatter between my phrases as I say, “Before I saw you, I noticed a flash of metal and then—” I stop myself, because nobody ever believes me when I tell them about my visions.

Jared wraps an arm around my waist to pull me against his body. I have no idea how he can be so warm or make me feel so good. He strokes my back, and I want to purr in response. He asks, “Did you just know?”

I jerk in surprise. “Something like that.”

“Courtney, I need to—”

A branch snaps in the distance, and we both tense up. Jared grabs my arms and whispers, “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, and right now I need you to trust me. I’m going to shift, and you’re going to climb on my back and hold on no matter what. Okay?”

I nod as I wonder what Jared means by “shift.” My question is answered when he steps away from me with a finger on his lips and hair begins to poke out of his skin. An odd cracking and stretching noise comes from him as paws with long claws replace his hands. I stumble back.
Oh my god!
Jared has transformed into a bear right before my eyes.

More twigs snap as if someone is running toward us, and even though a bear scares the daylights out of me, I decide he’s safer than the person with a gun. I don’t waste any time climbing onto the bear’s back when he lowers himself in a squat. Fur is slightly oily in my hands when I grab on, and the skin on the animal—Jared—is loose like on a dog, so I grasp some of that too as he begins to run. I bury my face in his back as I press my entire body as close as I can to keep from falling off.

We’re moving faster than I could ever run, and I don’t dare glance up. I squeeze my eyes shut and say a silent prayer that somehow I’m going to survive. My hands ache as they begin to cramp, and my thighs burn as I clench them around Jared. If I weren’t so scared, this would be exciting. It’s definitely insane, and I can’t imagine how I’m ever going to explain this, although I probably can’t anyway.

After what feels like forever, Jared slows down, and we enter a clearing, where he stops. He lowers himself to the ground, and I climb off. I flex my stiff fingers, and my legs tremble so badly that I collapse to the ground. I watch while Jared transforms back into a man. I whisper, “Are we safe now?”

He nods, and my voice sounds distant when I say, “I understand what happened to your pants now,” and a dry laugh comes from me.

“Courtney.” I glance up at the hand he extends and take it to let Jared help me up. I wobble like a drunk before I regain my footing. Jared’s skin is hot, and the warmth creeps up my arm as he says, “I’m sure you have questions, and I’ll answer them all. But right now I need to get you back to my place.”

As we start to walk, I’m still unsteady as I notice he leads me to a path in the woods. I give a delayed response. “Now there’s a line if I ever heard one.”

Jared reaches for my hand and squeezes as he says, “We’ll get to that once I’m sure you’re safe. Are you still cold?”

I discover I’m no longer shaking and wonder if maybe I’m hypothermic at this point, because I’m tired and can’t seem to make sense of my wild ride on the back of a bear.
Jared shifted.
That didn’t really happen, did it?
One glance at the naked guy beside me confirms it did, so I ask, “How far?”

Jared points ahead as he says, “Less than a quarter mile to my backyard.”

“My car?”

“We’ll get it later. It’s not safe for us to do that now.”

Jared and I step onto a lawn, and I notice a blue saltbox-style house that reminds me of a game piece. I think about the curriculum I’m supposed to hand in tonight and guess that when I don’t, I’ll lose my job. It seems trivial considering I barely missed getting shot. A vision of kissing Jared flashes in my mind, and I touch my lips as I decide I’m going to let that happen. When I first realized I could see the future, I also learned that I could change it. I recall the vision of Jared’s blood earlier, and I think maybe I was supposed to be there.

A floodlight illuminates us as we approach the back door, and we enter to the aroma of garlic. My stomach growls as Jared calls out, “Jax!”

Jared’s twin comes around the corner and scans us with his eyes as he asks, “What the hell happened?”

“Hunters,” says Jared.

“Shit.” Jax glances at me. “You okay?”

I nod as Jared says, “Probably not. She saved me from being shot and then had to make a run for it.” He places his hands lightly on my shoulders as he guides me over to a couch, where I sit. “And she witnessed my shift. I think she’s in shock.”

Jax walks over and crouches down in front of me. Jared says, “I’ll go get stuff to clean her cuts.”

“Seeing my brother’s johnson would put anyone in shock,” says Jax as his eyes twinkle in amusement.

I smile at his attempt to make me laugh as he tilts my chin up. “I don’t think you need stitches.” He frowns at me. “You saved Jared, huh?”

Jared is back, and I notice he’s wearing a pair of shorts now as he nudges Jax out of the way. “She’s got magic and—”

Jared pauses and stares at me for a moment before he continues. I marvel at how green his eyes are and wonder if that’s because he’s part bear.

“She’s my true mate.”

I blink as I make sense of his words. True mates in stories love each other forever.

Jax says, “Wow. I wonder what clan she’s from.”

I stare at the two brothers talking about me as if I’m not here. Jared wipes at my face with cotton gauze, and I wince when it stings. I think the pain snaps me out of my shock, because I grab his wrist and pull his hand away as I say, “Slow down. I’m a witch?” My stomach wakes up too and rumbles loudly with hunger.

Jax glances down at me as he says, “I’ll finish up the spaghetti while Jared explains.”

Jared reaches for my hands and takes them in a firm grip. The electric hum I felt earlier rushes through me as he says, “Do you feel our connection?”

“Yes. What is that?” Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wasn’t normal. I see things that are about to happen, and sometimes I can even stop them. I learned to keep it a secret because people never understand, but now... “Are my visions part of that?”

He shakes his head. “The magic is part of what makes you amazing. You’re meant to be so much more than a shifter, Courtney. And I’m in awe that I get to be your true mate.”

I stare at the guy I’ve had a crush on since we first met. Something told me he was the one, and I wonder if maybe the magic in me knew. I look into Jared’s eyes, and the strength of his love fills me as he parts my legs gently to get closer. The searing heat of his touch shouldn’t make me shudder, but the way he sparks my desire does.

Jared’s mouth is so much better than my visions led me to believe. His lips are soft against mine, and his flavor intoxicates me as my mind swims in our connection. When he breaks away, his gaze is intense, and I say, “That was better than I expected.”

Jax’s laugh makes me glance over to him, and he says, “Bro. She’s perfect for you.”

I’m not sure what he means, but I think he’s right, because I’m sure Jared is perfect for me too. I gaze into the face of the man that’s fated to be the love of my life, and Jared stares back as he says, “She sure is. So what do you think about being part bear?”

My brain knows this is something that should freak me out. But finding out that I’m not human is like solving a hard puzzle. The pieces of my life I didn’t understand are clicking into place, and for the first time I don’t feel as if I’m a square peg in a round hole. I say, “I think it’s awesome. Teach me how to shift.”

Jared grins at me. “You’re not ready for that yet. But one day soon.”