Tristian: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Blackbeary Creek Book 2) (5 page)

“No, thanks,” she said, pulling her phone from her purse and waving it in her hand. “I have my phone.”

“Okay.” He took a step forward, leaned down, and kissed her on the cheek because he couldn’t not touch her before he left. “I shouldn’t be too long.”

“Take your time,” she said, sitting in the chair behind his desk. “I’ll be fine.”

The thought of coming back to her as soon as possible was the only thing that made his legs move.

***

“Everything okay?” Tristian asked.

Yes, no…I don’t know
!

It had been an hour since Tristian had left her in his office, and now they were parked outside of her apartment building. Though she hadn’t minded waiting for him, the alone time had given her time to think, and she’d been quiet since he’d returned.

Earlier, as he’d pulled her through the club, Tristian had been in his element. He knew many of the patrons, and those who didn’t know him, wanted to. Especially the women. She wasn’t sure she had enough confidence to be with someone so in demand.

Hell, who am I kidding?

She knew she didn’t, and he deserved so much better.

“I had a great time today,” she started, “and you were right, I loved meeting Tegan, but I’m not sure we should see each other again.”

There. She’d said it.

Pain laced her heart at the sudden loss of not only Tristian, but also his sister. Tegan was wonderful, and with a bit more time, she could easily see the two of them becoming best friends. Now that would never happen.

“What? Why?” he asked, turning in his seat to face her.

She knew if she looked at him, she’d falter, so she kept her gaze forward, and stared out into the darkness through the windshield.

“I don’t think I can make you happy. Not long-term.”

“Where is this coming from?” he asked. “Didn’t you have fun today?”

“I had an amazing day,” she said, finally facing him, “but when we were at the club—”

“The club is only one part of me, and it’s a job, sweetheart, just like anything else.”

“I know, but I don’t fit in there,” she explained, “and I don’t want to hold you back.”

“That’s not possible,” he said. “If I want people to keep coming back to the club, to keep spending money, then I need to make them feel like I want them there. So, on the rare occasions I do slip out of my office, I smile and try to be nice. It’s not easy for me, but I can understand why it seems like it is. I’ve been doing it a long time.”

He flashed her a wary smile.

“I’m no stranger to responsibility,” he added. “I’ve been taking care of Tegan since she was sixteen, and she and the guys depend on me. We’re a family, and the club provides us with more than enough, but honestly, I hate the atmosphere. That’s why Ethan manages out front, and I do almost everything behind the scenes.”

“I still don’t understand how it all works,” she said, cautiously. “Why have you been taking care of Tegan for so long? And why do the guys depend on you?”

“Those explanations will have to wait for another day,” he said. “What’s your schedule like tomorrow?”

“I have the morning shift, so I’ll be home by two.”

“Come to my house instead,” he said. “I’ll get sandwiches from
Sal’s
, and we can have a picnic by the creek. I’ll explain everything, answer all of your questions, and then you can decide if you want to see me again.”

“I want to see you again,” she said, honestly. “I just don’t know if I should.”

“You should,” he replied, simply.

“Why me?” she whispered.

“I like you, Scarlett,” he said, his voice clear and true. “Why is that so hard for you to believe?”

“Because no one ever has,” she admitted.

“As I said before,
good
,” he smiled. “I’d gladly fight for you, but I’m looking forward to spending my life with you, and I’d rather start sooner than later.”

“You can’t know that,” she said. “Not yet. It’s only been a few days.”

“Sometimes you just know,” he said.

“Tristian, I…”

“Give us a chance, sweetheart,” he said. “All I’m asking for is one more day.”

“One day?” she asked, skeptically.

“Well, that and a lifetime,” he winked, flashing her a sexy smile, “but you can make that decision tomorrow.”

“Fine,” she agreed. “I’ll be there tomorrow at two.”

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he said. “I promise you won’t regret it.”

Chapter Five

Tristian watched Graham’s SUV pull out of the driveway and checked his watch. He’d told everyone to leave by three, and not come home until after six because today was the day he was going to tell Scarlett everything. If she ran, he didn’t want anyone, or anything, stopping her.

Please don’t run.

He looked at Scarlett, and willed her to hear his words. It was a wasted effort, he knew, because their magic didn’t work that way, but he couldn’t not send the silent plea.

She was his mate, his other half, his everything…and yet she could find out their secrets and reject him. The latter could mean trouble for his clan, but everyone understood the consequences, and they would cross that bridge if it became necessary.

An alpha needed a mate, and he and his bear wanted Scarlett.

A tiny breeze drifted through the trees, and he inhaled a huge gulp of the cool air.

“It’s beautiful here,” Scarlett said. She placed the uneaten portion of her sandwich back in its container, and closed the lid. “I can see why you like it.”

“You’re beautiful,” he answered. “Thank you for coming today.”

“Thank you for lunch.
Sal’s
is my favorite.”

“I know,” he said, simply. “Do you know why this area is called Blackbeary Creek?”

“Um, yeah,” she laughed. “The pioneers named it for the high black bear population. Apparently, those bears weren’t afraid to show themselves, and there were many sightings here, by the creek. Which reminds me…do we have anything to worry about?”

She looked around, as if suddenly aware she could be in danger even though they’d been sitting together for almost an hour. She might not be aware of it, but she trusted him, and the knowledge gave him courage he didn’t know he needed.

“Not at all,” he laughed. “The bears know this is my land, and most stay away from me and my family.”

“Really?” she asked.

“There’s a little bit more to it, but really,” he confirmed.

“That’s pretty amazing.”

“Yeah, it is.”

A few silent minutes passed before he spoke again.

“When Tegan was sixteen, and I was twenty-two, our parents were murdered.”

“Oh, Tristian…”

She placed her hand on top of his, and he nodded, grateful for her support.

“They owned a tiny diner in our home town, and someone walked in and shot them point blank. Ethan and I were away at school—actually we’d just graduated, but we hadn’t moved back home yet—but Tegan was with them. The only reason she wasn’t killed, too, was because my father saw the assailant coming and told her to hide.”

“Oh my god...”

“When it was safe for her to come out, she stayed with them until help arrived, and even then, she refused to leave them until Ethan’s parents forcibly pulled her away.”

“I’m so sorry, Tristian. Did they ever find the attacker?”

He nodded.

“Because I was so far away, Ethan’s parents hunted him down and killed him.”

“What? They…killed him?” she whispered, pulling her hand away. “Why didn’t they wait for the police.”

“It doesn’t work that way in my world,” he said.

“Your world is this world,” she said, suspiciously, “and that’s the way it works. We can’t go around killing people just because.”

“I know it’s hard to understand, but it wasn’t just because. It was vengeance. I’ve known Ethan since we were born, and his parents and my parents were best friends. When someone hurts our family, we administer justice.”

“Tristian, you’re scaring me. I think I’d better leave.”

“Wait,” he said, grabbing her hand. “I know it sounds bad, but there’s more. Please don’t leave until you hear me out.”

She pulled her hand away and nodded, but he could see the fear in her eyes.

Damn it!

He’d never told anyone about his bear before, and he was fucking it all up. Instead of understanding about his obligations to his sister and clan, she thought he was some kind of murderous freak. She probably painted him as a cult leader, making Tegan and the guys his followers.

Oh hell!

“This is harder than I thought it would be,” he admitted.

“Don’t do it then,” she said, shaking her head. “Whatever it is, keep it to yourself. I don’t need to know everything about you.” 

“Yes, you do,” he said, heatedly.

“Tristian, I…”

She looked around again, and he realized her trust had begun to vanish. She now sought an escape route.

It was now or never.

“I’m a bear,” he blurted.

“Excuse me?” she asked, incredulous. “You’re a…bear?”

The look on her face nearly made him laugh out loud, but he didn’t dare. Stunned silence had replaced her overwhelming fear, and he used it to his advantage.

“Yes, a shapeshifter,” he explained. “A black bear to be exact. It’s the reason most natural bears keep their distance from us. They know we’re different.”

She didn’t say a word, so he continued talking.

“This land is mine, and Ethan and the guys are my clan. I’m their leader—their alpha—and that’s why they live so close and, usually, follow my orders. We’re flexible,” he laughed, “so that part is sometimes debatable. When my parents were murdered, I bought this house so Tegan could have a fresh start. Ethan came with us, and we opened the club a few years later. Over time, Aiden, Zach, and Graham joined us, and at one point, we all lived in the main house together.”

“That must have been…interesting,” she murmured.

She wasn’t running yet, and he took it as a sign to continue.

“Yeah, it was,” he laughed, “but you can understand why I built everyone their own home. I love them all, but I’m happy I can send them all home at the end of the day. Even if home is a walk next door, or across the clearing.”

“You said you met Aiden, Zach and Graham once you moved here. Are there other shifters in town?”

“Not that I know of, but there used to be. The man I bought this house from was a black bear shifter, too, and his family used to live here. When his daughter married, he sold the house and moved to Florida to be closer to his grandchildren.”

“Are there other types of shifters?” 

“I think so, but I’ve only met other types of bears. Bears form friendships and hold onto them for life, so I think we’re a bit different than other animals.”

She nodded, but stayed quiet.

“There’s more,” he said.

When she granted him a tentative smile, he pushed on.

“Unlike full-humans, shifters have the ability to sense their destined mate. That means, if they are lucky enough to meet the one person created just for them, they know it almost instantly. You’re my mate, Scarlett.”

“What? No, there must be some mistake.”

“Both my human and animal sides are in unison, so there can’t be any mistakes.”

“But, I’m so…”

“Beautiful? Kind? Friendly? Smart? Perfect?”

“Inadequate.”

“You’re so much more than you give yourself credit for.”

He took a chance, and leaned forward to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I love you, Scarlett. I’ve loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you, and even though it’s only been a week, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I can’t…eat people,” she said, her fear rising again.

“You would never have to,” he assured her. “We’re not murderers, sweetheart. We have all killed, but in self-defense, and mostly guided by our natural instinct to protect. When you share your body with an animal, sometimes the rules are a little different, but we don’t hunt innocents. If you agreed to be my mate, I would mark you as mine for all to see, but I wouldn’t change you into a bear. Our magic doesn’t work that way.”

“So what would I be?”

“You would be you, but also my mate, and after a very human, very normal ceremony, my wife. You would help me guide our clan, and complete me in a way no one else can. You would be the one person in the world I answer to,” he laughed, “and you would hold my happiness in your hands. You would be my heart. My soul. My everything.”

Tears filled her eyes, and her rejection was written all over her face. He felt an invisible band tighten around his heart, and though he wanted to run, he waited for the inevitable words that would shatter him.

“That sounds…overwhelming,” she said, her voice shaky. “I like you, Tristian, but I can’t be your mate. You deserve someone with the beauty and confidence to fit into your world, and the strength to stand by your side. Someone a little bit wild, who will be happy at home, and at the club.”

“You’re all of those things,” he said.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not,” she said, standing.

He stood, too, but she held her hand out to stop him from coming any closer.

“I’m none of those things,” she continued. “I’m a dull, boring, book nerd with way too many curves and zero confidence. I’m not a leader, and I don’t deserve your faith and trust.”

The fact that she held herself in such low regard saddened him, but he didn’t waver. With a little time, she would learn to see what he saw.

“You’re wrong,” he said, “but I welcome the challenge. In time, you’ll learn to see what I see.”

“Or, you’ll learn to see what I know,” she said, sadly, “and watching you come to that realization would kill me. I’m sorry, Tristian, but I can’t be what you need.”

She turned on her heel, and made a beeline for her car, but he kept his feet firmly planted in the dirt. His bear roared and rammed him from the inside, urging him to chase her down and force the mating, but the man refused.

She’d rejected them, and soon the bear would understand.

When she reached the car, she looked back at him one last time, and then slid into the driver’s seat, turned the ignition, and drove away.

Tristian waited until he saw her car turn onto the main road, and then he let his bear take over.

The animal rose to the surface, shredding his clothes, and he changed in one smooth, painless shift. He roared, releasing all of his pain and agony into the surrounding forest, and then he ran.

Hours later, the voices of his clan rang out in his ears, and for the first time in his life, he turned his back on responsibility, and ignored them.

***

What the hell are you doing?

Scarlett stood in the bathroom of her tiny apartment, and stared at herself in the over-lit mirror. It had been three days since she’d walked away from Tristian, and she’d been miserable and moody ever since.

Her job, which she loved, had become tedious and annoying, she couldn’t sleep, and food had become tasteless. It was as if she’d suddenly become a sad, ghostly, version of herself…the very thing she’d warned Tristian about.

He never saw you that way.

No, he hadn’t.

Tristian had praised her beauty and brains, and spent their time together doing all the things she loved—because he loved them, too. He’d enjoyed their wild sex night, but he’d never pressed her for a repeat performance. He respected her enough to wait until she was ready to get intimate again.

During both nights at the club, though he’d been friendly to the other patrons, he’d never done anything that made her feel inadequate. She’d done that. She’d been the one to let the past infringe on her future.

She hadn’t run from Tristian because he was a shapeshifter—honestly, that part was pretty cool—she’d run because she was afraid of what the future might hold. She’d been so afraid to experience the bad stuff that might happen, she’d forgotten to take a chance on the good stuff.

Tristian had said he loved her. Deep down, she knew she loved him, too. Why wasn’t that enough? If she truly believed in true love, soul mates, and living happily ever after, then why was she knocking her knight off his horse? Bear? No, horse, was correct in this scenario.

She’d read enough paranormal romances to know that a mate meant forever.

Tristian had embraced her perceived flaws, but more important was the fact that he didn’t see her as flawed. He appreciated her love of books and movies, enjoyed staying in on his days off, and thought her curves were sexy.

He liked her…just the way she was.

Even better? She liked him, too.

I’m a freaking idiot!

Another quick glance in the mirror revealed her harried appearance. Her long, wavy locks were piled on top of her head in a haphazard bun, the black yoga pants she wore were slightly faded, and the oversized t-shirt had three tiny holes in the front. None of it mattered.

All that mattered was getting to Tristian as soon as possible.

She ran out of the bathroom, grabbed her purse, slid her feet into the shoes she usually wore to run errands, and raced out of her apartment building.

Candi and Amber were standing in the hall flirting with the mailman, but when she ran by, they stopped long enough to comment on her clothes, her weight, and the fact that they knew she couldn’t keep a man like Tristian.