Fast Bear: BBW Shapeshifter BWWM Werebear Paranormal Romance (Wild Alpha Shifters Book 2) by Zola Bird Read Free Book Online

transformed into Jeremy. She wasn’t sure if she should run screaming or hide.
    Bailey was only in the service area because she was looking for Jada. She had been standing in the shadows when Jeremy’s grizzly had wandered in. At first she thought she was seeing things. Wild Summit was a small town in the mountains, but it wasn’t every day you saw a grizzly bear. They were, after all, an endangered species. But here one was, big and beautiful and golden brown, and strangely, Bailey hadn’t been afraid. She was afraid of the Petronis, and she was afraid of what the future held for her outside of Wild Summit. But she hadn’t been afraid of this bear. It was too pure, too proud. Then, however, she saw it shift into a man.
    Bailey hadn’t said anything at first, because she couldn’t. Her heart was in her throat. And when Jeremy had walked back out of the break room in his coveralls and boots, his blond hair slicked back, she wasn’t sure what she should do. Yes, she’d heard of shifters, but actually seeing one was different. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate being chased by criminals and then meeting the man of her dreams to find out that he might well be a criminal himself. And now finding out that he was a grizzly bear. Could her day get any more complicated?
    “Bailey?” Jeremy said. “What are you doing here?”
    Bailey felt a little bit of the courage she used to possess come back to her. “Watching a bear turn into you.”
    Jeremy grimaced uncomfortably. “Yeah. About that.”
    “You’re a shifter,” Bailey said quietly.
    “You’ve heard of us?”
    “Heard, not seen.”
    “I don’t want you to be afraid,” Jeremy said.
    “Then explain it to me.”
    Jeremy approached her, a smile on his face. She felt her insides tingle in spite of the danger. Could she trust him? Why couldn’t the good things in her life just be simple?
    “We’re a different species,” Jeremy said. “We live among you, but we can also transform into animals. In my case, a bear.”
    “Is there more?”
    “There’s a lot more. But it’s going to take a while to tell you everything.”
    “Then tell me something else.”
    “Anything.”
    Bailey glanced around the shop to ensure that they were alone. “The Petronis. You know them. How?”
    Bailey heard a sound behind her. She turned. It was Jada.
    “Hey, Bailey. What are you doing here?”
    Jada looked across the service bay and saw Jeremy. “Oh, all righty then,” she said with a smile on her face. Jada tossed Jeremy the keys. “Lock the bay doors when you leave. I’ll catch up with you two later.”
    “Wait, Jada,” Bailey said.
    “Yeah, hon?”
    Bailey thought on her feet. This was not going as she had planned. Not at all. “If I don’t see you for a couple of days, don’t worry, OK? I’ll call.”
    “Sure,” Jada said with a smile. “Have a fun couple of days, you two.”
    Jada left the garage area, locking the door to the showroom behind her. Bailey checked her watch. Almost six o’clock. It would be dark soon enough. A perfect time to get out of town and keep driving.
    “I should go, too,” Bailey said. She began walking toward the open door.
    “Wait.” Jeremy walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She felt her skin thrill in spite of herself. “I thought you wanted an explanation.”
    Bailey pulled away. “I want to live more.”
    Jeremy looked deep into her eyes. “As long as I’m on this earth, they won’t do anything to you. I won’t allow it.”
    “And how do I know they are the problem?”
    “I’m not sure I get your meaning,” Jeremy said.
    “Even if I forget about the bear thing for the moment, and let me just say, that’s pretty hard to do, I was fine here in Wild Summit. I was fine for a long time. But the minute you show up, so do the Petronis.” Bailey walked over to the roll up door. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go.”
    Jeremy stepped in front of her, his clear hazel eyes imploring her to