The Bear King's Captive: Curvy Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance by Milly Taiden Read Free Book Online Page A

steel walls and floors surrounded the combined eating area and kitchen. The aroma of fried sausage, eggs, and potatoes hung in the air.
    He glanced to his right at his two muscle clad men. Their polo shirts stretched across tense shoulders. Both gave a curt nod. On his left, the strongest, toughest soldier he ever trained glared down the ten-chair table at the group of Spaniards talking amongst themselves.
    Hannes pondered why the bounty hunting man, who he allowed onboard with the other Spanish men he hired for this mission, would want to kill a young boy. And how could the feisty little lady be a target.
    Was he missing something? He replayed the event in his mind, focusing on details that might be important.
    The evening air on the ship had been wet and cold. Hannes had stood on deck in to the lounge area—umbrellas folded and chairs scattered along the deckhouse exterior. He thought he had heard gunshots, but couldn’t be sure with the crane and forklift noise.
    He was anxious to get to his country and safety. Hands in his bulky coat pockets, he watched Lieutenant Korhonen bark directions to the boarding forklift and smiled. He needed to remind his second-in-command they were disguised as normal cruising passengers, not mercenaries in the midst of returning home. Plus, the ship’s captain wouldn’t take kindly to a stranger ordering the crew around.
    Loading procedures wound down; deckhands traipsed toward the vessel’s housing to briefly meet with their captain before pushing off. His own group was accounted for, except one.
    The last of the crewmembers vacated the area. Hannes stopped his second-in-command at the deckhouse entrance. “Is our equipment stowed and everything good, Lieutenant?”
    “Yes, Commander. All deckhands have been identified. No extra personnel. Our heavy equipment is securely stored."
    “Well done.”
    Squealing wheels entering the harbor caught Hannes’ attention. He glanced over his shoulder as the car skidded to a stop next to the warehouses. “Go on, Lieutenant. I’ll be in shortly.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Hannes hurried off the ramp connecting the boat and dock. The pier security car with two night patrolmen turned the corner at the end of the long stretch of warehouses. They kept a tight schedule with little variation in their routine. He had nine minutes before the route brought the guards back to this side of the warehouses.
    Staying in shadows, he slinked closer to the newly arrived vehicle. As he watched from the port, Diego slinked out the vehicle’s door and pressed his back against the metal building. The commander frowned. The stink of anxiety from the hunter hit him. Something was going down.
    Hannes was promised if he let the bounty hunter get this prey, there would be no issues, everything would remain under the radar, and he wouldn’t even know when the hunter left or returned to the ship. He grunted. So much for that.
    A delicious scent floated in the air. He took in a deeper breath. His insides twisted, awakening a beast he fought to keep hidden. Hannes followed the smell toward the cargo containers stacked on the dock.
    Finding the girl and boy hiding among the containers surprised him. Surely, Diego had nothing to do with them. They seemed as innocuous as children, but the woman smelled heavenly. He wanted more of her. Then he noted the boy and his issue .
    When he had her against the light pole, his animal pulled at his skin. It wanted out. It wanted this woman under them, teeth in her shoulder. Hannes shook his head. Teeth in her shoulder? Why would that thought come into his mind? And what was it about this one woman that brought to the surface something he’d spent years suppressing? Something he refused to recognize within himself. Something that scared the shit out him.
    But damn, she smelled so good; he couldn’t help but breath her in, taking as much of her as he could. Mate. Mate. Mate. The words hammered inside his head and ordered him to take the woman.