Her Alpha Bear (Thorne Bears Book 2) Read online

  She stopped and bent over, looking at the ground. My bear stirred at the sight. She had a great ass. Pert and round. Generous hips. Very generous. An ass a bear could really sink his teeth into…along with other things. I forced those thoughts away, despite what the animal in me felt. First, I’d find out what she was up to, then I could admire her ass.

  I was coming up to her when I stepped on a stick, making it snap. She jumped with a startled gasp as she turned to look at me. Surprise turned to anger in a split-second. “What the hell! You don’t just sneak up on a person like that!”

  God damn, she was beautiful. I gave my head a shake, forcing my mind to refocus on what was important. “Sneak? I walked across an open field!” What was I doing explaining myself to her? “Besides, you’re on my property, lady.”

  She crossed her arms. “And?”

  I clenched my jaw. “And—just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I noticed she carried a notebook and had a camera hanging from around her neck. The notebook was covered in scribbles. A small pencil sketch of a bear paw was in the margin. My eyes flicked to the ground, where a line of enormous bear tracks lay right next to her feet. Fuck! I reached out, snatching the notes from her hands.

  “Hey!” Her face flared red. “That’s none of your business!”

  “If it’s about something on my land, it sure as hell is my business.” Sure enough, the page was filled with notes about bears and the tracks. “What is this?” I stepped forward. “Who are you? What do you want?”

  She scoffed. “Calm down, Agent Mulder, I’m a researcher. I study birds. Did you know that you have a bear running around out here?” She turned, giving a look around as though just by saying it, she might summon one.

  “A bear?” I shrugged. “Okay. It’s not unlikely. We aren’t far from bear country. What’s your point?”

  She crouched down, her fingers tracing the outer edge of the paw print in the mud. “It’s just so massive. Seems too big to be a black bear.” She was talking more to herself than to me. I could tell by the neutral tone. “It’s been awhile since I saw a bear track, but still, can’t be that big. It’s impossible.” As she leaned over, I got a good look down her vest and blouse. She wore a black, lace bra that pushed up her perfect breasts.

  I swallowed hard. “Didn’t you say you studied birds? What do you care about some random bear?”

  “You obviously don’t know much about scientists.” She seemed to remember I was holding her notebook and stood, robbing me of the sight of her glorious cleavage. “Can I have that back now?” she demanded, holding out her hand. A dark, chestnut brown eyebrow cocked high, as though daring me to defy her. I held it out to her. She took it, her fingers barely grazing mine. The touch felt electric. I could tell she felt it too. I looked down at my hand. Her fingers had left a streak of dirt on my hand.

  “I do study birds,” she said, looking away. “I just…got distracted.”

  “Yeah, well you got distracted right on to my land. Like I said, this is private property. You’re trespassing.”

  “Oh my God, you are like a dog with a bone. I was just walking, okay! Besides, I didn’t see any signs,” she said, crossing her arms. “Aren’t you supposed to post keep-out signs or something?”

  Hot damn, she was sexy when defiant. I couldn’t help but grin. “I’m still putting up the fence.”

  She gave tight smile. “You’d better get on that instead of harassing people that are just out trying to do their jobs.”

  “But you’re not doing your job, are you? As far as I know, you need permission to be doing any kind of research on my land. So, if you were working…”

  The smug look fell from her face.

  “That’s what I thought. You could get in trouble if you’re conducting research, even just taking notes, on private property. Am I right?”

  “Fine,” she said, with a shrug. “I’m leaving. Happy?” She turned, giving me one final look at her gorgeous behind.

  Elise

  Ugh, could this day get any worse? First the nightmare that was Margo, now this guy. All I'd wanted was a little peace and quiet after the shitty day I'd had. Get out and bird watch a little. I'd been walking when I'd seen a falcon swoop down into the river. That's when I got distracted by the enormous bear prints. It was strange that he wasn't more concerned about that. I wouldn't be so flippant if someone told me there was a giant bear hanging around my house. Maybe he's just too stupid to be afraid. He did have that me-Tarzan-you-Jane look about him.

  Okay, so he was also fine as hell and under any other circumstances, I probably would've at least tried to flirt my way out of it, but this one was a total jerk. He wasn't really my type anyway. I preferred someone with a little intelligence to their charm. Not just abs and bulging biceps and…what was I saying?

  I heard a noise from behind me. The big, rough rumble of a four-wheeler. I turned to see the guy barreling towards me, his arms flexed powerfully over the handle bars. A tightness shot through my belly, making it flutter. The wind whipping through his hair didn't hurt the eyes either. Why are the good-looking ones always the jerks? He came to a stop right in front of me. The smell of dirt and engine filled the air, but mixed with his cologne it smelled divine and manly. Instinctively, my tongue shot out to lick my lips—something I regretted almost immediately.

  "Let me give you a ride," he said, his eyes trailing down my body.

  I gave myself a second to imagine that. Riding behind him, my hands around his waist, caressing those glorious abs. Then I shook that thought away and turned from him. "I don't think so."

  "Yeah, well, unfortunately, I'm not really asking. See, I have to go to work soon, and I want to make sure you're gone. Besides, in case you hadn't noticed, there's a storm coming. So, either get on the back now, or—"

  "Or else what? You'll put me there yourself?"

  He grinned. The son-of-a-bitch at the nerve to grin. "No. I'll just follow you the whole way back to your car, wherever that might be. I'd rather not, considering it'll take a hell of a lot longer, but I will." To make his point, he advanced with the four-wheeler, and stopped a bit ahead of me.

  I rolled my eyes and took a few more steps. He advanced again with a jolt. That was going to be really annoying before long. I threw my hands in the air, defeated. "Fine. You win."

  He nodded as if to say I usually do.

  Hmph, jerk, I thought to myself, climbing on the back. The seat wasn't nearly big enough for us both, especially with my sizable behind, and I had to press hard against him to fit on. He sat, nestled in between my thighs. I swallowed hard. Resist the urge to rub his chest, I begged myself.

  "Hold on," he said.

  I wrapped my hands around his muscular stomach, feeling the ridges of his abs. The vehicle underneath rumbled, sending a warm tingle up through my core. I inhaled, my chest practically quivering, and he took off. I reeled back slightly and tightened my grip on his waist, fully aware that my breasts were pressing into his back, but not really caring. If I had to be uncomfortably turned on, so could he.

  We bounced and rolled over small hills and divots in his land as I directed him to where'd I'd parked my car. I hadn't realized just how far I'd gone. It would have taken me forever to walk back. A part of me was thankful that I'd given in and accepted the ride. We pulled up to my car, a small Honda Civic that had once been white and was now crusted with mud and dirt and marred with more than a few scratches and bumps.

  "Wow, you really did a number on your car."

  "I'm a researcher. I work in the field." At least when I could. I climbed off the quad, feeling just a little disappointed at not having him between my legs anymore. It was a pity he was such a tool, because after that ride I was incredibly turned on. I tried not looking at him, afraid he'd see the desire in my eyes.

  "So," he started, killing the engine. It was so quiet without the roar from the four-wheeler, almost eerily quiet. "You're a researcher, huh? You weren’t up to anything else?"

  "Yes," I
said, a hint of annoyance in my voice. What the hell was this guy so paranoid about? What else would I be doing there?

  He rubbed the back of his neck. "All right. In that case, if you should wander onto my property again…I guess I wouldn't mind."

  "You won't shoot me or give me the third degree?"

  "No. But just the birds. Leave the bear thing alone."

  It wasn't a question or a request. "Why?"

  "There are no bears around here, that's why. And the last thing I need is people looking for them."

  “But I saw the tracks, there is—”

  “Maybe there was one passing through, but it’s gone now.”

  "What if there is one?"

  "Then I'll take care of it."

  I shrugged. "Okay, I'll leave it alone," I said, crossing my fingers behind my back. "Thanks for the ride, uh…what's your name?"

  "Jason," he answered, turning the quad back on. "And you're Elise."

  "How'd you know that?"

  He pointed to my bag. "It's written on your notebook." He pulled a u-turn and took off back towards the house. I sighed, watching him, particularly his ass. Maybe he wasn't so awful, after all. Not that it mattered much. I was only here for a week, then I was going back home, and I'd never see Jason again.

  Lucas

  Lucas drummed his fingers on the desk as he stared out the window. Rain drizzled down the glass, obscuring the city’s skyline. His phone rang.

  “What is it, Gina?”

  “I’m at the Thorne place.”

  “And?” It’d better be something good. Something new. Lucas wouldn’t be happy if this was merely another pointless phone call. He had a boss too. One that expected results.

  “There’s a woman here with Jason. It’s not one of his sisters. I’ve never seen her before.”

  Lucas worked his jaw back and forth, turning the information over in his mind. “What makes you think she isn’t just some bar skank he picked up last night?”

  “He didn’t pick anyone up, trust me. They didn’t seem too friendly. Plus, she was parked pretty far away. He took the four-wheeler to drop her off.”

  “Follow her, then. See where she goes. Who she talks with. And Gina?”

  “Yeah, Boss?”

  “Take it easy. I don’t want a repeat of the last time. That was…messy.”

  “I got results, didn’t I?” He could hear the laughter in her voice.

  “Still. Leave her whole, at least.”

  “You’re no fun.” Click.

  Yes, as unstable as she was, she always got results, and he needed those. Staying under the radar wasn’t working anymore. It was time to take more drastic measures. He opened the drawer to his left and pulled out a small purple velvet bag. He opened the drawstring and turned it upside down, letting a small golden ring tumble out onto his palm. Despite it’s size it felt heavy. He closed his fist around it and called out to his body guard outside.

  “We’re going to Wilder Lake.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Elise

  I toured the streets of town, looking for a hotel. Anywhere but my dad’s place. I had planned on staying with my father and Carolyn, but after today, I knew I wouldn’t last a whole night there and made up a story about having sleep apnea and needing my own space. Lunch today had been bad enough, I didn’t want to think about what would happen if I had to spend a whole weekend there.

  I found a small motel just outside of town. It was a seedy road-stop motel meant for truckers and people who wanted to rent by the hour. Inside, it was dim with blinking fluorescent lights and a cold, uneasy feeling seemed to seep from the walls. The hardwood floors creaked under foot as I walked to the reception desk.

  I rang the service bell and an older, heavy woman with stringy brown hair shuffled to the desk. “Can I help you?”

  “I’d like a room, please.”

  They only had one room left. Your lucky day. “It’s the nicest room,” she told me handing the keys over. Oh, I bet. That probably meant it had the least amount of cockroaches, or perhaps the least murder victims. The elevator was old, rusted-looking and smelled like urine. I took the stairs, carrying my duffel bag on my shoulder.

  My room lay at the end of the hallway on the third floor. Everything was blessedly quiet, much quieter than you’d expect in a place like this. But then, the quiet was almost too much. A creepy sort of quiet. I entered my room, which wasn’t as bad as I’d worried and turned on the TV just to have some background noise. My phone rang, vibrating in my pocket.

  It was Dad. “Hi,” I answered, reluctantly.

  “Hi Elise, did I catch you at a bad time?”

  “Uh, no, it’s fine.”

  “Right. Well, I just wanted to say sorry about Margo today. I know she can be a bit—”

  “Bitchy?”

  “I was going to say prickly.”

  Bitchy’s better. Besides, Dad didn’t even know the half of it. As usual, by the time he got back from the office, she was much better behaved. Typical Margo. “It’s nothing I’m not used to by now.”

  “She’s not all that bad, Elise. Don’t be so dramatic.”

  I rolled my eyes. It was just like him to defend her. “Like you’d know. You were hiding away in your office half the time.”

  “I was working. There’s a difference. You should know that.” He sighed. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you, Elise.”

  I crossed my arms. “Okay. Then what did you want?”

  “Believe it or not, I was sorry I didn’t get to spend more time with you today. You left so fast that—nevermind, it doesn’t matter. Why don’t we have dinner together?”

  That really stopped me in my tracks. “You and me?”

  “Yes. Just the two of us.”

  My dad and I hadn’t had a meal alone together since before he married Carolyn. Why now? Maybe he really was trying to reconnect. Maybe Carolyn had finally gotten through to him. “Uh, okay. Sure.” It wasn’t like I had any other plans.

  “Okay. Meet me at The Hole in the Wall. It’s on Main.”

  “Yeah, I saw it already. I know where it is. What time?”

  “Seven o’clock. I have a reservation.”

  Elise

  The Hole in the Wall was probably the chicest restaurant in Wilder Lake. I was surprised that Dad even knew about this place. He wasn’t a man that got out very often. Maybe this was the first place that’d come up in a Google search.

  It was a relatively small, intimate place. The tables had red and white checkered table clothes, but the walls were covered in black and white photographs and some weird, freaky art for sale.

  I found my dad sitting in the corner at a table for two. He greeted me, not bothering to get up, as I sat down. “Nice place,” I said, hanging my purse on the back of the chair.

  “Carolyn comes here with her friends. She made the reservation for me.”

  That explained it. I forced a smile. “The food any good?”

  “No idea. Never been here myself.”

  “Right.” I picked up the menu, giving me an excuse to look away and disengage. Dad seemed relieved. The prices on the menu were ridiculous for what was offered. Fifteen bucks for a baby spinach salad? Fifty dollars for pork medallions and risotto? I glanced around the other tables, where food had been served and it was obvious that the portion sizes weren’t great. It looked like at least a three-courser to me.

  “Ready?” a waiter asked, appearing at my side.

  “Uh, sure,” I said. “You?”

  “I already ordered.” He took a drink of his whiskey, looking bored.

  “I’ll have the cream of mushroom soup to start and the fillet minion with the garlic potatoes on the side.”

  “You’re getting all that?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

  I forced a smile. “Why, Dad, are you worried about me? I’m so touched.”

  The waiter cleared his throat awkwardly. “Very well, ma’am. And to drink?”

  “Red wine, please.”

&n
bsp; “The house okay?”

  “Sure.” I had to admit, I didn’t have a very discerning palate when it came to wine. I was more of a beer drinker.

  When the waiter left, Dad clasped his hands, placing them on the table. It was a gesture I’d seen a few times before. It was his I’m-getting-ready-to-level-with-you look. He usually brought it out right before he became super condescending. I braced myself.

  “I have to be honest, I didn’t invite you here just to catch up.”

  Surprise, surprise. “Okay.”

  “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about, Elise. Now, I could have waited until after dinner, but I respect you too much for that.”

  “Wow, Dad. Thanks.” I supposed that was his idea of a compliment.

  “Now, don’t start like that. We’re in a nice place, can’t we just have a nice dinner together? For once?”

  A nice dinner was exactly what I’d come to this place for, but apparently I was the only one. Like usual, there was something else going on. “Fine, Dad. What is it?”

  “You know your sister Chrissy is applying for universities now, right?”

  I nodded. “She mentioned it.” She neglected to mention that she was still in the applying stage though. Convenient.

  “And you know she had a little…trouble last year.”

  “Trouble?”

  “Wrong crowd at school,” he said, shaking his head. “Or something. She got arrested for drinking and driving, that’s my point. On top of that, her grades weren’t as great as they could have been. She’s having a hard time. Her top schools have already sent rejection letters.”

  I nodded. “It’s really competitive. She can always take the year off and re-apply next year.” In truth, it was hard for me to be terribly sympathetic. Chrissy had thought popularity was more important than school, and now she was suffering the consequences.

  “That won’t work. I know Chrissy. If she takes a year off, she’ll never go back.”