Lumberman Werebear (Saw Bears Book 7) by T. S. Joyce Read Free Book Online Page B

Haydan anyday. He had a foot on Carl and fifty pounds of solid muscle, too. And she hadn’t seen his bear yet, but when her new mate was riled up, her inner animal shrank back to almost nothing on terrified instinct. Carl would be grizzly chow if he ever challenged Haydan.
    But registering with the Ashe Crew would tie her to them forever. And as much as she was beginning to want to belong to them, they didn’t know her yet—the real her. The one whose soul was busted, emotions wrecked. The broken side of her.
    As soon as they did, she’d be doomed to ghost the outskirts of the crew, never fitting in, just like the Red Claws. The Ashe Crew would regret her registering with them, and so would she. This was for the best, sitting on the sidelines with the crew humans and supporting Haydan.
    Her heartrate picked up when Haydan came out of the heavy double doors. He looked troubled, but his eyes lit up when he saw her. That man made her feel so funny inside when he was around. It was as if she could suddenly breathe easier. Which of course was silly because breathing was natural, and nothing was wrong with her lungs.
    “Hey,” she said. “How did it go?”
    When he pulled her against him and rested his chin on her head, she was shocked into stillness.
    “Relax, Cas. It’s a hug. I feel like holding you, so just let it happen.”
    “I know what a hug is,” she said, frowning deeply. To prove she did, she wrapped her arms awkwardly around his waist and squeezed once. There.
    Haydan chuckled, and the vibration rattled through his chest and against her cheek. Oh, that was nice. She could hear his heartbeat, too. She smooshed her face harder against him and listened. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Strong and steady, just like Haydan.
    She hugged him close again, slower this time, and didn’t even bite him like she wanted to when he pressed his lips against her hair.
    “You know what you remind me of?” he asked low.
    “A supermodel vixen with a quick wit and hypnotizing eyes?”
    “You remind me of a wild wolf, starving, but scared to eat from the hand of someone trying to help it.”
    “I bite like a wolf.”
    “I don’t doubt it.” His voice went gravelly. “Good thing I’m not afraid to bleed.”
    “Why are you doing this? I know you’re trying to help me in your own way, but why? I’m a stranger. I’m not even a nice person.”
    “Bullshit. I saw you talking to Wyatt and swinging him around. You care more than you let on.”
    “I don’t—”
    “You do, and I like it. Don’t guilt yourself out of having feelings, Cas. It’s sexy when you let your guard down.”
    A subject change was essential. “I want a hot dog.”
    “I want six hot dogs,” Drew said, sauntering up beside them.
    Cassie pulled away from Haydan as if he were a red hot branding iron. Which was ridiculous and unnecessary. She could do what she wanted. No one was making fun of her here, and all the couples in the Ashe Crew were affectionate. Angry at her stupid conflicting feelings, she grabbed Haydan’s hand and held it tight, refusing to look at his face and gauge his reaction.
    “I want seven hot dogs,” Haydan said.
    Drew narrowed his eyes. “Eight.”
    “Oh, dear God,” Riley muttered with an eye roll. “Come on, Cassie. This’ll get ugly before it gets pretty. Let’s go get some food before the boys eat it all.”
    Cassie stifled a smile as she and Haydan followed Drew and Riley out of the courthouse. “What about the others?”
    “Some of them are going to get ice cream with the cubs,” Haydan said. “Kellen is taking Skyler to a diner they like to eat at when they’re in town, and Brighton, Denison, and their mates are going to talk to the owner of Sammy’s bar about a gig they have coming up.”
    “They sing or something?”
    “Sing and play the guitar,” Riley explained. “They’re quite the draw for the locals around these parts. It’s just weekend gigs, but Denison’s bear does best with a routine. We