His to Bear

His to Bear

The Holloways

By Lacey Thorn

Resplendence Publishing

R·>♦<·P

www.resplendencepublishing.com

Gems of Romantic Fiction

Copyright

His to Bear

Copyright © 2015, Lacey Thorn

Edited by DELANEY SULLIVAN and LIZA GREEN

Cover Art by LES BYERLEY

Published by Resplendence Publishing, LLC

1093 A1A Beach Blvd, #146

St. Augustine, FL 32080

Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-892-3

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Electronic Release: August 2015

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

Jaeda is all alone, desperate to find safety, and there’s only one place she can go.

She’ll have to run for the Holloway land and hope they’ll help her and not force her

into a mating she doesn’t want. With hunters hot on her tail, she isn’t sure she’ll make it. Until something carries to her across the breeze, and she meets the bluest eyes she’s ever seen.

Holt never planned to stay with the Holloways. He was only there to offer temporary

help. Then a dream ran to him and threw herself into his arms. Her fear was palpable,

and when she begged him to protect her, he knew he wasn’t leaving.

He’d protect her, see to all her needs, and keep her right by his side. From the moment

she sought his help, she became
his to bear.

This one goes out to all my thorns! Thank you for being there for me through every

book and series. Your love and support mean everything.

Chapter One

Jaeda hit the tree line at a full run, ignoring the increasing cramps in her sides

and legs. Safety was her only concern, and she knew her best chance lay in getting to

the Holloways before the hunters caught up with her. She knew all about the

Holloway brothers and both feared and admired them. She only hoped she wouldn’t

be trading one danger for another.

Uncle Emmett was dead.

She shook away the thought, focusing on reaching her destination and the help

she hoped to find there. She was close—so damn close she could taste it. A shout

behind her gave her a much-needed burst of speed and a gentle reminder that she

wasn’t there, yet.

She’d been awake for close to forty-eight hours, and exhaustion was taking a

toll. The hunting party never should have picked up her trail. She’d waited, hidden

beneath their very feet while they’d searched for her. Then she’d stolen away in the

night. Somehow, they’d known where she would head and had done their best to

block every route to the Holloway land.

She’d hoped to lose the group following her by cutting through the National

Park, but they’d proved tenacious. Instead, they’d taken out her back tires, almost

making her flip the damn vehicle before she’d regained control. She’d had to ditch the

Jeep and go the rest of the way on foot.

They’d hit her with a dart as she’d taken off. Fear had clawed at her until she’d

realized it wasn’t to knock her out. It’d only prevented her from shifting as she’d

intended. That’s when she’d realized their intent. They were playing with her. They

didn’t see her as a threat. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was female or because

they didn’t know what she was. Was it possible even the hunters didn’t realize she

existed?

Uncle Emmett had kept her secluded, stating over and over again it was the only

way to protect her. It wasn’t just the groups of hunters she had to fear. The males of

her species would pursue her just as voraciously if they knew she existed. Her uncle

had made her promise to head to the Holloways if anything ever happened to him.

They were a family that would be able to protect her. They’d keep her, and most

likely, press her to mate with one of them. Still, they were the lesser of two evils at the moment.

Her throat burned almost as badly as her legs, but still, she kept going, jumping

fallen trees and jagged rocks as she closed in on her destination—five more miles,

maybe less. If memory served, there would be a brief clearing she’d need to cross.

She’d be the perfect target then. Nothing to hide behind save some tall grass that

would offer little in the way of shelter.

She was a few feet away when the sharp crack of a rifle filled the air. Jaeda gave

a startled yelp as she waited for the burn of a bullet to pierce through the aches and

pains already holding her hostage. Instead, a grunt sounded behind her. Her mind

worked as her feet flew. Someone was shooting at the hunters pursuing her. It had to

be the Holloways.

Three more cracks of gunfire popped nearby as she hit the clearing. She was

almost to the trees when a dart struck high on her shoulder. This one was laced with a

drug to knock her out. She stumbled then she saw him. He stood just in front of her.

His feet were spread wide, hooded gaze glued to her. Not bear. Not Holloway. Still, a

connection forged between them as she launched herself at him.

She noticed the surprise in his clear blue eyes seconds before he caught her,

looping one arm beneath her knees and lifting her high against his chest. She wanted

to feel his hair, and she strained her heavy limb to reach out to touch his locks. It was just as soft as she’d imagined it would be. So deep and dark, it reminded her of the fur of her bear.

“She’s been hit.”

Lancing fire followed the loud voice as someone pulled the dart from her skin.

She forced her stare away from the one holding her and took in the man beside them.

He had red hair and fierce green eyes. Shifter, but not bear. She saw kindness there,

and she wasn’t afraid. Not until the giant stepped from behind him. It was easy to see

the grizzly in the human’s skin. The third man was a Holloway. With one deep inhale,

she knew he understood what she was. A shiver racked her as she fought to hold onto

consciousness as his face showed disbelief. He stepped toward them.

She flicked her gaze back to her savior. “Help me,” she whispered, desperate to

make him understand and agree.

“I’ve got you,” he said, dipping his head so he could speak closer to her ear.

“You’re safe, now.”

She tried to shake her head, but nothing cooperated. It was just a matter of time

before she passed out.

“Don’t let them take me,” she begged.

“I won’t.” His voice was deep, husky and sent shivers of desire skating along

her skin. “The hunters won’t get you. I promise.”

She managed to give her head a jerk.

“What?” He bent closer, lifting her so her lips brushed his ear.

“Don’t let them take me,” she said again. “Holloways.”

He pulled back, confusion in his eyes.

“They won’t hurt you,” he vowed.

“You,” she whispered, eyes drooping.

“What are you trying to say?” he asked quietly.

“Give her to me, Holt.” It was the Holloway, stepping to them and reaching to

take her.

Jaeda gave a soft cry, more of a whimper, as she tried to curl into Holt’s chest.

Holt. She liked his name.

“I’ve got her, Koby,” Holt stated, turning away and heading into the trees.

“You don’t understand,” Koby Holloway argued.

“Holt.” She forced out his name and his gaze dropped once more to hers.

“Protect me.”

She didn’t catch his reply, only felt the strength in his arms as he held her. His

scent offered her a sense of security she didn’t question. She felt the truth in the

animal inside her. This man, Holt, was hers. She had no doubt he would protect her as

fiercely as she would him.

* * * *

Holt moved through the trees as quickly as he could with the woman secured in

his arms. He was sure Koby would have continued to argue if Murphy hadn’t

interfered.

“He’s got her,” Murphy stated. “Now help me make sure no one else gets across

to Holloway land. Besides, I know you heard what she whispered as well as I did. She

asked Holt to protect her.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Koby argued. “Not with what she is.”

“I know what she is,” Murphy replied. “I’m much more interested in who she is,

where she came from and why she has a group of hunters hot on her ass.”

There were times Holt hated not having the acute senses of a shifter. He’d never

wanted to be anything other than what he was until his life had been turned upside

down by one woman—Kenzie Marshall. She’d been different from the moment they’d

met, and he’d fallen helplessly in love with her. It hadn’t mattered in the long run.

They weren’t meant to be. Even now, she was in Oklahoma with the rest of their

group, happily mated to another man. It was part of the reason Holt had volunteered to

come to Wyoming and offer assistance to the Holloway brothers. It was also the

reason he didn’t plan on returning any time soon.

“I still think you should give her to me,” Koby said with a hint of growl to his

voice.

Holt wasn’t concerned. Hell, at this point, he could growl with the best of them,

no animal side required. He took in the still rising sun and wondered how long the

woman had been running before she’d reached them.

“Not happening so just concentrate on covering my ass until we get back to the

truck,” Holt ordered.

He didn’t mention he planned to keep the woman with him. She’d asked him to

protect her, to not let anyone take her, and she’d included the Holloways in that.

Whatever her reasons, they’d all find out when she woke up.

“If any of them step foot on our land, they’ll be ripped apart,” Koby told them.

“They know it. We know it. Let them come.”

“That’s all well and good,” Murphy said. “I agree with you, but we have the lass

to worry about right now. Let’s get her back without any unneeded complications.

Then we can rip and tear away.”

Koby grunted, and for the first time, Holt felt animosity from the other man. He

wanted the woman. Holt didn’t know exactly why, but obviously, it had to do with

what she was. He was with Murphy, though. He was more concerned with who she

was and why she was being hunted. The fear in her eyes had pierced his heart. She felt

good in his arms, too good. He’d held himself together until she’d trailed her fingers

through his hair. He swore he’d felt a zap similar to static shock that seemed to travel from her fingers straight to his cock, leaving it stone hard and aching.

They made it to the truck, and Koby reluctantly got behind the wheel. He was

even more pissed when Holt slid into the back seat of the extended cab and left

Murphy to ride shotgun.

“What is it you both think she is?” Holt asked as he stared down at her.

She was beautiful. Long, black curls spilled around her shoulders and over her

chest. Though her eyes were currently closed, he’d be hard pressed to forget the deep-

green color. They’d seemed enormous against her pale skin. Full breasts swelled

against her T-shirt, making his mouth water. She was slim but muscular. He saw it in

the tone of her arms, felt it where her thighs draped over his forearm.

He finally looked up when he realized neither Koby nor Murphy had answered