Bear in the Rough: Bear Shifter Romance (Broken Hill Bears Book 1) (2 page)

As he bounced around the stage, preening and flexing his muscles, he was amazed how easily he slipped back into the role. Acting talent, along with fighting prowess, seemed to run in the family.

Gradually, the chant turned into “Bear! Bear! Bear!” The audience wanted them to shift, of course, as was customary at the end of a match. They never shifted in front of the audience – such a thing was absolutely forbidden in the shifter world, and anyone caught shifting like that would instantly be put down by their own clan – but they usually ran to the changing room and came back in their bear forms. He couldn’t do it today. His bear was very unpredictable at the moment. He hadn’t been able to let it out anything like as much as he needed to during his last deployment, and this had made it very frustrated and hard to keep in check. He was worried that it might try to get to the females in the audience and cause havoc. With a wild snarl, he snatched up the microphone again.

“My bear’s not fucking coming out today!” he roared. “What do you think I am – a fucking performing circus animal?”

He couldn’t have been more rude, but the audience loved it, whooping and screaming louder than ever, and chanting his name.

At last, the venue manager held up a sign indicating that their slot was over, and they gratefully leapt over the ropes and headed for the exit. As they reached the glass-walled tunnel, female yells and screams filled the air, and the audience moved as one, trying to get close to them. Camera phones were pressed against the walls of the tunnel, along with cardboard hearts, flowers, pouting lips and boobs in low-cut shirts. There were banners everywhere: “Maximus I love you!” “Please bear my baby!” ‘Maximus you can wrestle me anytime!” Maximus played up to the hysterical girls, laying his hand flat against the glass, mirroring the splayed fingers of a much smaller female hand, pretending to kiss the pouting lips. 

As Xander followed his brother, a sea of starry eyes gazed at him, full of curiosity and desire. “Xander the Great – come and conquer me!” one banner read, and he shook his head, amazed that the girl holding it had managed to create it so quickly.

“Join in, bro,” Maximus hissed. “The girls are gonna love you.” Xander grinned at the girls, waved, blew a few kisses, but hung back from attaching himself to the delirious mob through the glass. It was too much. As a girl began to pull her top right down to flash her breasts, he turned his head quickly.
Way too much.
He felt like he was being worshipped for something he hadn’t done.

At long last, they were back in the changing rooms, and he let out a breath of relief, which turned to dismay as he saw how many of the clan were waiting there, ready to greet him. There were hugs, handshakes and a million questions. He told everyone the same thing – there’d be a meeting tomorrow of the entire clan, where he’d tell everyone in detail why he was back in Broken Hill.

Maximus was showering, washing the blood and sweat off his skin.

“Let’s go speak to the sponsors and managers now,” he called to Xander when he was done, walking out of the room without waiting for him to follow. Xander snorted as they entered the meeting room. Some things never changed. The meeting room was harshly lit, with hard plastic chairs, and divided in two with more bullet-proof glass. Shifters on one side and humans on the other. Communication was via microphones. The humans all had big grins on their faces as they welcomed him and congratulated Maximus on another great win, but the edges of their lips were twitching, and the rank smell of fear seeped in from their side of the room. Xander sat quietly and listened to his brother negotiating. He’d been out of the game too long to know what the current rates were. But when a figure was mentioned for his own sponsorship deal, he raised an eyebrow. And promptly dropped it again as Maximus dismissed it as being insultingly low.

“We’re accepting bids, starting at twice that figure for a 12-month contract,” Maximus said. “Draw us up a list of applicants, and we’ll let you know who Xander is interested in being associated with.”

“Xander, would you like to share with us what you’ve been doing for the past five years?” a pale, sweating human asked, his voice trembling as he spoke.

“Nope,” he said, folding his arms and fixing him with a look that meant ‘no more questions’. He went beet red and dropped his gaze to the table. He couldn’t resist a small smile.

“Thank you, gentlemen. This meeting is over,” Maximus said in his deep voice, placing his hands on the table and pulling himself to his feet. “You’ve got my cell if there’s anything urgent to discuss.”

“Things are going well,” Xander said, as they left the room.

“Yup. Business has never been better,” Maximus replied shortly.

Out the back of the venue, they piled into their tour bus – a huge, black, bulletproof beast of a vehicle. Xander sat in the front, looking through the wing mirror at the police escort behind them. As they went through the security gates, the police followed them, and continued to follow them all the way to the city limits. Then, they got out of their cars, carrying sub-machine guns, and trained them on the bus until it was out of sight.

Xander sighed.
Welcome back to shifter-land
. The whole five years he’d been in the military, none of his comrades knew that he was a bear, and he was well-liked and respected. Now, those same comrades would probably shoot him on sight if they recognized him as a bear wrestler.

The driver of the bus took some sharp twists and turns, a precaution to shake off any humans who might be trying to tail them, and then he began the long journey back home to their hidden location, deep in the mountains.

Xander settled back in his seat and allowed his eyes to close. The last few hours hadn’t been easy. Maximus was even more hostile toward him than he’d anticipated. He knew Xander hadn’t come back for a social visit. Of course he knew. But it was equally obvious that he didn’t know why their father had called him back either. The thought of seeing his father and hearing the news he had to give him made Xander’s stomach clench. It wasn’t good news; he knew that all the way to his core. If it had been, his father would’ve told him in a message, instead of requesting that he seek discharge from the military. He couldn’t stand the thought that something might be wrong with his father. He loved him dearly; he was the strongest, wisest father a bear could have. It had been so hard being away from him and the rest of the family for the past few years. But he never would’ve done it without his father’s blessing. The clan couldn’t understand why he’d chosen to spend five years in the military, living as a human, with very little opportunity to release his bear. “Your bear will never be the same again,” some of the elders told him. “You’ll kill it.” Only his father had supported him, had understood his son’s passion to fight for his country. He’d worked as an engineer in a special ops deployment, and he’d been highly valued for his amazing technical aptitude. But there had been lots of action and lots of danger, and he’d seen things that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

When the bus reached its destination, Xander jumped out of the cab immediately and headed to his room to drop his bags off, then he made his way to his father’s quarters, doing his best to keep his mind empty. It was a technique he’d learned in the military: be prepared for everything, but don’t waste precious time second-guessing what the future might hold. And it had worked for him so far.

When the door opened and Xander’s massive, powerfully-built father stood there with his arms outstretched, it made the arduous journey home and the sadness of quitting the military all worth it. His father pulled him into a hug, his arms still huge and strong, but when he drew back and Xander looked into his eyes, he saw that he’d aged since they’d seen each other last. The lines in his face were etched a little deeper and his eyes more sunken.

“My son. My favorite second-oldest son,” he said in the deep, booming voice that had sent terror into the hearts of his enemies so many times. “You’ve come back.”

“I’m here, father. Back to stay this time,” Xander replied, as a wave of emotion clogged his throat. They walked into the living room together and settled into two comfy chairs. There was a decanter of scotch sitting on the coffee table. His father filled two glasses and took a long sip of his.

“Tell my why you needed me to come back,” Xander said, unable to wait another second. The stress and apprehension was killing him. As was his bear, which was clawing at his insides, worked up into a frenzy of worry. His father cleared his throat.

“Xander, the time has come for me to relinquish the leadership of the Broken Hill Clan. I’m old –”

“Dad, you’re not –” Xander cut in, but his father held his hand up for silence.

“I’m too old to be the Alpha of a clan that’s constantly at war with another clan. It makes us seem weak. And I know what you’re going to say – that my years of experience count for a lot, and that’s true. But the reality is that the clan needs a leader who can combine a sharp and resourceful mind with an unrivalled fighting ability. That’s the only way that the Black Paw Ridge bears will see that we’re a force to be reckoned with and leave us the hell alone.” Xander stared down at the ground, his hands knotted together and his mind reeling. He couldn’t stand the thought of his father abdicating. His father had been Alpha all his life; he was the Bear King. All the clan adored and respected him. Alphas rarely abdicated. They lived out their natural lifespans, or they were killed by other bears, or occasionally by hunters. “Xander, I appreciate this might be hard to hear,” his father said, breaking into his thoughts, “But there’s some good news too.” Xander looked up and met his father’s steady gaze.

“I want you to be Alpha.” Xander bit back a gasp.

“But I’m not the oldest,” he said when he was capable of speech once again. “That honor rightfully belongs to Maximus.” His father blew out a long breath through his nostrils.

“Xander, Maximus is a very strong fighter. He’s very loyal to the clan and fiercely protective. But he doesn’t share your analytical and intellectual abilities. It has become very obvious to me that we can no longer rule by brute force. We need strategy and cool heads. Fighting is all well and good for our human audiences, but when it comes to the important things, we need to conduct ourselves calmly. We need to maintain our relations with the human world as well. That’s why I was happy for you to go into the military – so you could live among humans and understand how they operate.” Xander swallowed hard.

“Do you realize how Maximus is going to react to this news?” he said in a tight voice. His father nodded.

“He’s going to feel betrayed. Of course he is. We have to prepare for that, and to help him understand that it was a tactical decision, and not one of favoritism. The strong relationships he has with the clan members are very valuable, and he needs to know that we appreciate him for that. Being an Alpha isn’t easy, not by a long shot. The sense of power wears off very quickly, believe me, and all that remains is the constant responsibility, which never ends. If I’d had a choice in the matter, I’m not sure that I would’ve said yes.” Xander stared at his father, his lips parted. He’d never considered that his father wasn’t born to be an Alpha. That sometimes he might have preferred to be an anonymous member of the clan. “I’m sure that you’re surprised to hear this,” his father continued. “And it’s not something I’ve allowed myself to dwell on over the years.” He gave a short laugh. “I’ve never had the time. It’s only now that I look back over my life that I find myself wondering whether I made the right decisions along the way. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Don’t forget that, Xander. But also don’t forget that leading a clan, and being a good and strong and fair leader can be a wonderful thing,” he finished and fell silent.

Xander waited for him to say something more. When he didn’t, he realized that he was waiting for an answer. He was being given an opportunity to say no.
No, I don’t want to be the leader of one of the two most feuding clans in the country. I’ll pass the baton on to my brother instead.
But hadn’t his father had been preparing him for this moment his entire life? Getting him the best education money could buy, encouraging him to specialize and go to a top school, enroll in the military? He met his father’s eyes briefly before tearing his gaze away again. Those bright black eyes were so full of expectation that he couldn’t stand it. He imagined his disappointment when he said no. It’d break him.
And what about the future of the clan?
He agreed with his father’s opinion. With Maximus as Alpha, there would just be more fighting, more bloodshed. Fighting was fine when it earned them money, allowing the clan to live in the crazy, elaborate homes they loved to create for themselves, and purchase all the latest gadgets. But fighting in their private lives was barbaric and had no place in the 21
st
century. He allowed himself a small smile. It was ironic that five years in the military seemed to have turned him into a pacifist. 

“Xander, I feel like I’m watching a movie of your thoughts, projected onto your face,” his father boomed.

“I’m sorry, father. Deep down, I guess I’ve always known that it’d come to this one day, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Thank you for making me Alpha. Of course I accept the honor and the responsibility,” he said.

With a deep rumble of pleasure, his father got to his feet and gave him another fierce bear hug.

“I knew you’d accept,” he said, his voice cracking a little and his eyes glassy. He drew back. “And I know you’ll do me, your mother and the whole clan proud. Now, I’ve already told the clan to assemble tomorrow morning because I have something important to communicate with them. I’d appreciate it if you could prepare a few words. Say something to get them excited about the transfer of power. You understand?” Xander nodded dumbly. He’d try to come up with something later. Right now, it was all too much to take in.

The door opened and his mom came into the room.

“Xander!” she exclaimed, and hugged and kissed him all over his face. “You’re back!”

“And he’s about to become the new Alpha,” his father said.

“Oh, I’m so glad.” She sat down beside him, grasping his hand in her own smaller one, and demanded to hear all his news.

Xander stayed for another hour chatting, then said goodnight, eager to go back to his cabin. As always when he was faced with difficult news, he longed to be alone, to give himself the opportunity to process it.

*

But of course Maximus didn’t wait until the following day to hear the news along with everybody else.

As soon as Xander was inside his cabin, he stripped his clothes off, eager to let his bear out. He was mid-way through his shift, half-man, half animal, all fur, skin and cracking joints, when the door burst open and Maximus threw himself on top of him. Xander collapsed onto the ground with a terrible crash and lay there gasping. Bears were at their absolute weakest and most vulnerable when they were in the process of shifting, and Xander could’ve been overpowered by a human just then.

“Get the fuck off me!” he managed to say through a throat that was expanding into its bear form. His human vocal cords had all but stopped functioning.

“Not until you tell me what you’re doing back here,” Maximus spat, his pale blue eyes filled with rage. Xander struggled, but in his current hybrid form, he was powerless. He was in agony too; his joints were all on the point of snapping, his skin bursting, and he felt like one giant fireball. He couldn’t take it any more.

“Father asked me to be Alpha,” he choked out at last. Maximus’ face went pale and his pupils contracted to pinpoints.

“And have you accepted?” he said through teeth that were sharpening into points.

“Yes,” Xander replied and Maximus released him immediately. Then he got to his feet, turned around and stalked out of the cabin. Immediately, Xander’s bear exploded out of him, and he stood, huge and fearsome on all four feet, gasping for breath. His bear made for the door, ready to fight Maximus, to even things out. But Xander used every ounce of his strength to stop it. Ambushing him like that was a lowdown dirty trick, there was no doubt about it. But ultimately, he couldn’t blame Maximus for being angry. He was the oldest son, and by rights should have been first in line to be Alpha. In his position, Xander would’ve been furious too.
But who knows what he’s planning to do right now? Whatever it is, it’s not going to be subtle
, he thought grimly.

Xander gave Maximus enough time to get far away from the cabin. His brother wasn’t stupid. He would have known that if Xander didn’t come after him right away, it was because he was forcing his bear under control, and that him staying in the woods nearby would make that impossible. After ten minutes had elapsed, he burst out of the cabin, tearing up the door with his razor-sharp claws as he went. He let off an unrestrained roar, overjoyed to be back in his home forest again. All the familiar smells of home thrilled his soul, and he felt his bear opening up, inhabiting itself fully again.
Never again
, he told himself. Never again would he restrain his bear, leaving it trapped inside him for days, sometimes even weeks at a time. 

He hunted with enthusiasm, racing after the plentiful prey of the woods, sharp teeth crunching through vulnerable flesh, until he’d taken his fill and more. He roared and snarled and rumbled to his heart’s content, signaling to all the other bears in the forest that he was back. His bear had none of the reticence of his human form. It announced itself unapologetically as the returned son of the Alpha. He picked up the scent of several clan members, none of whom dared approach him, although he knew they’d be brimming over with curiosity.
Just as well.
It would be better for everyone to hear the announcement before the idle questions began.

*

Xander woke up refreshed the following morning, after a whole night’s sleep in his bear form. It was a luxury he’d longed for while cooped up in military tents with so many other men, shivering under their blankets while desert winds whipped back and forth all night long. During those years, the knowledge that he was capable of relieving whatever discomfort he was in by shifting had been almost unbearable.

Dawn hadn’t yet broken, and he still had an hour to figure out what he was going to say to the clan. He was well aware that Maximus wouldn’t be the only one who thought he didn’t have the right to be Alpha. There would be a lot of murmurings of dissent, mainly from Maximus’ contemporaries and some of the elders.

As Xander approached the gathering place two hours later, his nostrils identified a scent he knew all too well, but before he could turn around and locate it, a loud sarcastic voice reached his ears.

“Hey, Brains!” Xander spun around.

“Rocco!” he said, looking into the slyly smiling face of his younger brother. Rocco shrugged coolly.

“Heard you were back,” he said, wrapping his arms around his brother and hugging him hard.

“It’s good to see you, bro,” Xander said.

“You too. It’s been too long.” Rocco was five years his junior, and Xander observed that while he’d been away, he’d become a man. His face had hardened and become more angular, his youthful freckles had faded away into darkly tanned skin, and he’d filled out a lot, transforming into a full-grown bear. The last time they’d seen each other he’d had dreads – a constant source of argument with their parents – but his hair was now cropped short at the back and left messily long on top. Only his blue-green eyes retained their boyish playfulness.

“You’ve grown up,” Xander commented. Rocco shrugged again.

“Responsibilities and all that,” he said carelessly.

“Are you fighting now?”

“Yup. I was the under 20 champion, and I’ve just started competing in the adult division.” Xander gazed at his kid brother with admiration. He’d always been the tearaway, the one his parents worried about. Typical third son. But now he’d evidently grown up and was taking his position in the clan.

“Well done, Roc,” he said. “That’s impressive.”

“Not as impressive as you fighting in special ops, Brains,” Rocco replied, poking him in the ribs. “Did you take down the enemy with your brain power alone, or did you kick some ass?”

“Both,” Xander said with a smirk, ruffling his hair like he used to when they were kids. He was used to being ribbed about his brains. It was a weird thing among the clan. Being book smart wasn’t exactly regarded as a good thing by most of the bears. It was more a curiosity, which set him a little apart from his peers.

“Seriously, did you see any action?”