Bear Cop: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant Read Free Book Online Page B

seem to feel that something had changed. She knelt by the side of the pond, watching a tiny lizard that clung to a branch there. Once again, Chris regretted that he had not told her yet. If only he could shift now. His bear might be able to scent if danger was nearby.
    The lizard plunged into the pond, creating tiny ripples, and he tensed once more as he wondered if a snake was near. There were no large predators in these parts; he had looked into that before he had moved to Linden Creek. And there were no shifters that he knew of.
    Something rustled behind them.
    In alarm, he turned, half expecting to see a wolf stare at him—but there was nothing to be seen. A second later, a bird rose with an annoyed trill and flew away, and Chris took a deep breath, trying to calm his suddenly racing heart. There was no danger here, he told himself again. It was just a bird. His bear was unsettled because they had only just found their mate and were out in the forest cut off from all roads, but there was no—
    Somewhere to the east, a howl arose.
    No, not a howl. It was a horrible cry, shrill and rough at once, filled with an animal fury that made the bear inside him roar at the challenge.
    Down , he thought at it, even as he ran to Eve’s side and pulled her up.
    She gave him a questioning look, but there was no time for explanations now. His heart was pumping furiously. The bear inside him bristled with anger and protectiveness.
    Defend our mate , it roared.
    He had to fight down the overwhelming need to shift, to use the muscles and the bulk of his bear to keep her safe.
    “What’s wrong?” she asked.
    He was silent for a moment, watching their surroundings. He could not see any movement. And the sound had come from further east.
    “We need to be silent now, and very quick,” he said, leading her back the way they had come. “That was a jaguar. Or some great cat, but—”
    “A jaguar? Here?” She clearly did not believe him, but she kept her voice low and hastened back along the creek by his side.
    He kept scanning their surroundings. The sense of danger he had felt suddenly fell into place, because Eve was right: a jaguar here made no sense. Which could mean only one thing.
    A shifter. A shifter on the hunt. And there was nothing to hunt here but the two of them. It still made no sense, but there were the rare occurrences of shifters gone mad, no longer satisfied by hunting down deer or other game. A shifter who had gotten lost in his animal or in his rage. All of that was possible. All of it meant danger.
    “I’ll explain once we’re back at the cabin,” he whispered, still listening for the sound of paws. If only he’d used his chance to tell Eve yesterday… “You need to believe me. It’s very real. And very dangerous. Trust me, Eve, please.”
    “I trust you,” she whispered back.
    He could hear the fear in her voice, but her hand tightened around his. She kept very close as they turned away from the creek at last. Only a few minutes to the cabin now. Before them stretched a hollow filled with dry leaves, and beyond rose the slender trunks of birches, their silver bark a welcome sign that they had almost made it back to safety. They only had to make it up the slope now, and then Eve would be safe…
    The jaguar attacked when they crossed the hollow. It exploded out of the brushes to their left with a snarling sound of fury, and there was no more time to think.
    “Run!” Chris shouted and shoved Eve forward, just in time before the large, spotted cat landed where they had stood a moment ago.
    Lips pulled back as it turned its head to look at him, showing off sharp fangs. There was intelligence in its eyes, and a great deal of anger.
    Shifter , Chris thought again even as the bear within him roared and took over at last, his uniform pants stretching and ripping along with his shirt as the change came over him.
    Then all that was left was his own rage at the threat to his mate, and the scent of his adversary