Idle Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Mountain Book 4) by Ruby Shae Read Free Book Online Page B

decided to go south. The craft fair was next to this lake, so it’s possible they’ve taken her there,” Seth said.
    “Taken who?” Aaron interrupted.
    The three men turned toward him, and Dave and Seth dispersed, leaving Gage alone behind his desk. Dave went to stand behind his own table and Seth moved to the window.
    “This is police business,” the sheriff said. “It doesn’t concern you.”
    “The hell it doesn’t. Where’s Sara?” Aaron demanded, stepping closer to the sheriff.
    “Again, this doesn’t concern you,” Gage said. “Get out of here, Aaron, and don’t come back.” Gage dismissed him and spoke to his deputy.
    “Dave, have you checked out the Old Mill, yet?”
    Blinding, white-hot rage surged through his body. Something was wrong, and he would not be ignored. Aaron no longer feared releasing his bear, he’d mastered controlling the animal, but he couldn’t say the same for the man.
    He charged the desk and leapt over it, pushing off the center of the wood for more power, and landed in front of Gage. He pinned the sheriff against the wall with his forearm under his throat. Dave and Seth raced over to pull them apart, but Gage stopped them.
    “Don’t,” Gage warned. “It’s between him and me.”
    Both men took a step back, but watched intently. They would protect their leader if necessary.
    “Where is she?” Aaron said, pressing against Gage’s windpipe.
    “What do you care?” Gage taunted, struggling for breath.
    “She’s my mate.”
    “No, she’s a woman you fucked,” Gage said, and pushed him back into the desk. The map, phone and several papers scattered to the floor, and Aaron roared.
    “She’s mine!”
    “No, she’s not,” Gage yelled back. “You pushed her away and left her in pieces. That’s not the way to treat a mate. I wish I knew another shifter I could introduce her to so she’d never think about you again.”
    “Don’t you dare,” Aaron said. He rushed him again and pinned him back against the wall. “I know I fucked up, but I’m back and she belongs to me.”
    “You plan on sticking around this time?” Gage asked, unaffected by his rage.
    “I’m not going anywhere,” Aaron ground out.
    “Good. I’m glad you’re back,” Gage said honestly.
    Aaron stared at his friend and realized the man had been testing him. Though they were both alphas, Gage could take him if he wanted to. The clan leader had let him mend their rift with dignity, and earn his place in clan.
    He pushed away from the sheriff, and laughed.
    “You son of a bitch,” Aaron said.
    “Welcome to Bear Mountain,” Seth laughed with them. He and Dave started picking up the items from the floor, and Dave clapped him on the back.
    “It’s good to see you again, man,” Dave said.
    For a moment, the camaraderie overwhelmed him and he took a few deep breaths.
    “Thank you,” he said. He voiced the sentiment to the group, but he looked pointedly at the sheriff. The man nodded once and moved to stand beside him, gesturing to the map.
    “Okay, now that we’ve got that taken care of, we have a bit of a problem.” Dread filled him as he waited for the sheriff’s next words. “I know it’s difficult, but try to remain calm.”
    “Is she alive?” he asked, unsure whether or not he wanted to hear the answer.
    “Honestly? We don’t know. Seth, Cade, Collin and I have patrolled in bear form, and Dave and I have been on foot. Aaron, we can’t find her.”
    “How long has she been gone?”
    “Three days.”
    “Three days?” he roared. “What the hell happened?”
    “The girls went to a craft fair on Sunday and she had a confrontation with the hunter who shot her. They were selling real pieces of grizzlies—teeth, claws, that kind of thing—and offered her a cut if she helped them. She denied, vowed to report them, and he threatened her. She filed the report that night, and I alerted the game commission, but that’s all we could do. I warned her to be careful, and things