Bear Naked Read online

  “Uh-huh.” Barney’s tone was skeptical. “I think there’s more to it than that.”

  The last thing Ryan needed was to become a Hunter. He had enough on his plate, what with Glory’s missing sister, her stalker and her refusal to let him worship her. “Yeah. You believe what you want to. My only concern is my family and my mate.”

  Barney began firing on the zombies on the screen. “Thanks. I will.”

  Ryan shook his head as he poured himself some juice.

  “You knew it was a shifter.”

  Ryan’s hand jerked, spilling juice on his newly cleaned counter top. “How did you know that?”

  “You also knew it had something to do with Hope Walsh’s disappearance.” The sound of rapid gunfire almost drowned out Barney’s voice.

  “And?” Ryan began making coffee.

  “We need you.”

  “Who is we?” Ryan’s hands were shaking.

  “The Senate.”

  Shit had just gotten real if he’d caught the attention of the shifter Senate already. “You really think I’m some kind of proto-Hunter?”

  Barney turned and stared over the top of the sofa at Ryan. “Proto-Hunter?” He burst out laughing. “Oh, I like that.”

  “I’m an accountant, for fuck’s sake. Gabe’s the one in law enforcement.” Hell, even Bunny would make a better Hunter than Ryan. The man had self-control down to a science now, but he was still a fierce warrior when he needed to be.

  “You went on a Hunt already, Ryan.” Barney paused the game again. “You found the bad guy and administered justice.”

  “He shot my mate and was going to kill her best friend.”

  Barney sighed. “What do you think Hunters do, Ryan? We take down rogue shifters. And like Alphas and Betas and Marshals, they’re born, not made. I can’t make you a Hunter, Ryan. I can only train you, because you already are one.”

  Something in Ryan shifted. His Bear was listening intently, even as his human half denied what the other Hunter was saying.

  Wait. Did I just think of Barney as the other Hunter? Shit. It couldn’t be. Ryan had never intended to become something so lofty as a Hunter. He’d been content working for Bunsun Exteriors.

  “You’d be surprised how little your life will change. You’ll still have your job and your place in your family group.” Barney grinned. “Hell, maybe I’ll be nice and stay in Halle to train you rather than take you home.”

  “I won’t leave my mate.”

  “Did I ask you to?”

  Ryan snorted. “Gabe warned me about you.”

  “Nag, nag, nag. Gabe needs to get over himself. I trained him the way the Senate needed me to. But with you, I can make my own decisions.”

  Ryan poured two cups of coffee. “Then your decision had better be to remain in Halle, because otherwise I won’t become a Hunter.”

  When Barney tried to stare him down, Ryan kept his gaze steady. He didn’t give a flying fuck about Barney and what he wanted from Ryan. All he cared about was fulfilling his promise to never leave his mate.

  “Fine. We’ll play this your way, Ryan. Just be aware, I’ll do what’s best for you and your mate whether you like it or not.”

  Ryan snarled. “You won’t separate us.”

  Barney smiled, turned back to the television and unpaused the game. “We’ll see.”

  “I can’t believe what you guys have done with this place.” Chloe Williams, Ryan’s little sister, was leaning against the wall in Ryan’s bedroom, where Glory was getting ready to have her picture taken for Gabe’s hunt for Hope. She was watching them closely as Cyn adjusted Glory’s wig. “I mean, who knew he had a beige carpet?”

  “Ugh. Don’t remind me.” Glory fluffed out the blonde wig Cyn had managed to dig up. It was as close as they could get to her natural hair color. “How do I look?”

  She stuck her tongue out at her blonde image. Blech. She hated the pale blonde locks she’d been born with. They were so blah, not like her pretty powder blue, or the violet she’d sported in college.

  Maybe it was time to go back to that pale lavender color? While she loved the blue, it was getting a little old. She’d had it for almost two years now.

  Or maybe… Maybe a deep, vampiric red? Her pale skin would really stand out then. And she’d always wanted to be a redhead.

  “It looks fine, Glory.” Cyn carefully brushed bangs over Glory’s forehead. “You look just like you did in high school. Bitch.”

  “Just because some of us got wrinkly and old…” Glory laughed when Cyn growled. “You know you’re hot.”

  “Damn straight.” Cyn sniffed. “You know…”

  “What?”

  Cyn put the brush down. “Have you thought about changing your hair color? It’s been a while, hasn’t it? And I know how you get bored with it after a while.”

  “Oh! Go a darker blue, like midnight blue or something. You’d look cunning.” Chloe picked up the camera she’d offered to use to take the pictures for Gabe, fumbling with it when her damaged hand wouldn’t close completely around it. “Yarn it.”

  Glory smiled at the pretty Fox with the short, pixie-cut red hair. Chloe, Ryan’s sister, was still recovering from the near-fatal beating she’d taken the night Alex claimed Tabby. She still had trouble using one of her hands, and her words got seriously mixed up at times, but she was still the same sweet girl who’d once been a waitress at Frank’s diner. Her dreams of becoming a veterinarian had been shattered, but she still hoped to work with animals in some capacity. The double-tailed kitsune, or fox spirit, she’d had inked on her shoulder was a symbol of her acceptance of her new life. “I was thinking vampire red.”

  Chloe, Cyn and Tabby, who’d just waddled into the bedroom, all stared at her.

  “I think I’d look good!”

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure you have the skin tone for red.” Chloe leaned down and put her head against Glory’s, making sure her red hair was against Glory’s skin. “What do you guys think?”

  “I think her skin matches yours. The red could work, but I kinda love the blue.” Tabby tapped her fingers against her thigh. “What about a rich purple?”

  Glory fluffed the blonde wig, trying to make it look less…boring. “I used to do my hair lavender.”

  Tabby’s eyes went wide. “Ooh. We could totally do different colors.”

  Glory sat up straighter. “Purple, blue, red—or maybe pink, if we’re doing pastels—and a little green?”

  “It would be a lot of work.” But Cyn had that gleam in her eye, the one that said she was already plotting out how to do it without turning Glory into an Easter egg. “If we cut in some layers we could add a different color to each one.”

  Glory winced. “No. No cutting my hair.” She loved her waist-length curls just the way they were. “But…we could frame out my face better.” The blonde bangs were giving her ideas. “We could give me bangs, I suppose.”

  “That could work. Do the area around your face in teal, maybe, then—” The sound of the doorbell interrupted Chloe. “Shut. Let me make sure Ryan’s got the door.” Chloe left the room, her expression irritated. “It’s Julian!”

  Cyn, who’d been puttering around Ryan’s bedroom, instantly went on alert. “I’d better go see how he is. He was talking about visiting the hospital this morning.” And she was gone, her concern for her lover overcoming everything else.

  And she had reason to be worried. Hospitals were the bane of a Kermode Bear. His urge to heal could drive him to literally kill himself for the sake of someone else. If Julian was visiting the hospital, it meant nothing good, especially for him and Cyn.

  “I guess we head out there.” Tabby patted her belly. “Ready to get your picture taken?”

  Glory shrugged. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” She couldn’t wait to get the wig back off. The thing itched.

  “Glory?” Ryan poked his head into his bedroom. “My parents will be here soon. Did you want anything from Frank’s? They’re bringing burgers and fries.�
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  He didn’t even bat an eye at the blonde wig. “What do you think about rainbows?”

  “I like your hair blue. Burger?”

  She rolled her eyes. Of course he’d known why she asked. Ryan was uncannily in tune with her. It was one of the things that kept freaking her out. “Get me the usual. Oh, and a chocolate shake.” He turned to leave the room. “Oh! And some of that apple pie.” She bit her lip. “Make that cherry.”

  “Two double-bacon cheeseburgers, hold the mayo, a basket of fries, a chocolate shake, a slice of apple and a slice of cherry. Got it.”

  “Two?” But Ryan was gone, already holding a phone to his ear and giving her food order. “I’m not eating two burgers. And I’m certainly not eating two things of pie.”

  “Sounds like my kind of lunch.” Tabby licked her lips. “I hope Alex got my order.”

  “That’s because you’re a pig.” Glory patted her hips. “Some of us have to keep our girlish figures.”

  “I hate you, heifer.”

  “Same to you, Miss Piggy.” Glory slid her arm through Tabby’s, taking a deep breath. “What a way to meet the in-laws, huh?”

  Tabby giggled. “Tell me about it. Remember when I met them all? Chloe was in the hospital and Alex had already marked me. And I was Outcast.” She shook her head. “It still amazes me how easily they all accepted me.” She took hold of Glory’s hand and began dragging Glory through the bedroom door. “Trust me. They’re going to love you.”

  “On a ciabatta roll with Dijon mustard, maybe.” When Tabby started laughing, Glory shrugged. “What? I’m an acquired taste.”

  “You certainly are.” Ryan gently tugged Glory away from Tabby and faced the people in the room. “This is Glory. Glory, that’s Raymond and Stacey Allen. They’re the parents of Heather, Keith and Tiffany.”

  The two waved hello. Raymond had his children’s flaming red hair while Stacey had the Williams smile.

  Ray actually got up and gave her a hug. “Thanks for giving Heather a job. How is she working out, really?”

  “Dad!” Heather, her cheeks flaming red, hid her face in her hands.

  “She’s good, but you’d do better asking Tabby and Cyn. She’s a tattoo artist, not a piercer like me.”

  “Ah. I’ll do that, then.” Raymond settled back down next to his wife, chatting quietly with her.

  “Aunt Stacey and my father are twins.” Ryan grinned as he pointed toward the next older couple. “You know Aunt Barb and Uncle Will.”

  The Bunsuns both came and gave her a hug, knocking her wig askew. “It’s good to see you and Ryan working things out.” Barbara Bunsun gave her a sharp, toothy smile. “We want all our kids to be happy.”

  Will pulled his wife away. “Settle down, tiger. I think Glory’s well on the way to accepting Ryan.”

  The doorbell rang again, and Will opened it to allow in…

  Whoa. Big. The guy quietly greeted Will, then made his way to Ryan. “So this is your mate?” A strange, huge blond man walked up to her, eyeing her up and down. “She’s teeny. Forget the roll, I don’t think she’d fit on a cracker.”

  “Heard that, did you?” Ryan laughed.

  “Uh, Ryan?” Glory took a step back, surprised when her over-protective Bear didn’t get in this guy’s face.

  The one who did, the one who surprised them all, was Chloe. She got between the giant man and Glory and snarled. “Leave her alone.”

  The huge man’s expression gentled. “You’re Chloe Williams.”

  Chloe nodded, but didn’t move.

  The man bowed deeply. “The spirits send their regards.”

  One of the people in the room gasped, but Glory couldn’t see who it was.

  “Thanks. I think.” Chloe dropped her arms, her stance relaxing. “Who are you again?”

  “James Barnwell, but you can call me Barney.” The massive blond straightened up. “I’m the Hunter Gabe warned you about.”

  “You’re going to help us find the shifter who’s been stalking me?” Glory wasn’t too sure about this. The guy looked like a cowboy, had the attitude of a New Yorker and spoke with an authority she’d only seen in Gabe Anderson and Max Cannon.

  “Yup. I…” Barney sniffed, then frowned. “Uh. Excuse me for a moment.” He tilted his hat back and stared around the room, finally settling his gaze on Heather. “Crap.”

  Heather tilted her head, a smile slowly rounding her lips. “Hello to you too.”

  “Fuck me with the rotating pineapple attachment.” Barney took a step toward Heather, who got up from her seat and started toward the huge Bear.

  “That might hurt.” Heather’s smile was turning into a frown. She crossed her arms over her chest as Barney sighed. “Is there a problem?”

  “That’s what I want to know.” Ryan put himself between Heather and Barney. “What’s going on?”

  Barney waved a hand toward Heather. “She’s my mate.”

  He sounded as happy as a man told he needed a prostate exam. “Is that a problem?”

  Barney grimaced. “Not a problem, per se.” He put his hand on Heather’s head. “She’ll need climbing gear to check out my knees, though.”

  Heather snarled. “I’m not that short.”

  Barney patted her head. “You’re an Oompa Loompa.”

  “A what?” Glory had to bite back her laughter.

  “You know. Short.”

  “But she’s not orange.” Ryan sounded confused.

  “Are you kidding?” Barney picked up a lock of Heather’s hair. “See?”

  Heather snarled and snapped at Barney’s hand.

  He abruptly let her hair go. “My, what sharp fangs you’ve got.”

  “The better to bite your—” Heather glanced over at her parents, “—behind with.”

  Barney laughed. “You’re cute.” He patted her head again. “I bet your Hobbit hole is filled with ponies and rainbows.”

  Heather snarled again and sat next to her mother, ignoring the Bear completely.

  Ryan’s front door blew open and two more people entered. A man who looked a lot like Stacey Allen, down to the dark hair and blue eyes, was followed by a tiny redhead who bore a striking resemblance to Raymond Allen. The man stopped short, several bags that smelled of meaty goodness in his hands. He stared at Barney, who merely stared back. “Whoa. Honey? I think we need to order some pizzas.”

  “What are you… Oh. You must be Barney.” The small redhead held out her hand. “Laura Williams, Ryan and Chloe’s mother.”

  “Charmed.” Barney kissed the back of Laura’s hand, ignoring the growl that erupted from Steven’s throat. “You have two very interesting children.”

  At that, Laura bristled. “Really?”

  Barney laughed. “I’m a Hunter, ma’am.” He patted her hand gently. “And so is your son.”

  All eyes in the room turned to Ryan. His own rolled. “I’m still not sure I believe him.”

  “Keep telling yourself that, Ryan.” Barney settled on the sofa next to Aunt Stacey. “But we both know what you were born to be.”

  “Can we just get the pictures done and figure out how to keep Glory safe?” Ryan pulled out one of the dinette chairs and settled Glory into it. “Where’s the camera?”

  Chloe handed it over. “Here. Want me to take the picture?”

  “I’ve got it. Thanks, sis.” He held the camera up. “Say cheese.” He snapped off a few shots, then checked the images on the camera’s tiny screen. “Looks good. What do you think?”

  He turned the camera so Glory could see. “They work. Now we just need to email them to Gabe and he can send them out.”

  “I’ll take care of it after lunch.” Ryan and his mother began distributing the food.

  “Have you heard from Jim Woods recently?” Ryan’s mother caressed her daughter’s short hair.

  “Nope. He’s avoiding me like the vague.” Chloe sighed, the burger Ryan had put in front of her remaining untouched. “I understand why, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t flirt.
”

  Glory had begun to notice something. The more upset Chloe was, the worse her speech became. Words became mixed up, exchanged for others that rhymed but did not hold the same meaning. “Maybe we can do something about that? I mean, why is he staying away from you?”

  “My age. He thinks I’m too rung for him.”

  “You’re twenty-three. That’s not too young.”

  “I know that. You know that. Explain it to Dr. Woods.” Chloe slowly unwrapped her burger. “And he probably still thinks I’m carrying a torch for Abe.”

  “Who’s Abe?”

  Chloe winced. Because of her brain injury, she didn’t notice when she misspoke. Most of her family seemed determined not to point out the mistakes, and normally Glory wouldn’t have. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt the fragile Fox’s feelings. “G-abe.”

  “Oh.” Glory smiled her thanks as Ryan handed her one of the bacon cheeseburgers. “Maybe you should hunt him down and bite the shit out of him.”

  The older shifters clapped, while the younger ones shook their heads at her. But it was Ryan who put it into perspective. “Should I do that to you too?”

  Glory, the burger halfway to her mouth, grimaced. “You’re right. Forget I said anything.”

  “I thought so.” But Ryan pulled his chair closer to hers, sharing one of the huge baskets of fries. “As much as it pains me to say it, Jim deserves the same courtesy I’ve given you.”

  For the first time since he’d shown up Julian piped in. “But if he doesn’t accept the mating soon…”

  Every shifter in the room grinned as Alex flexed his fingers. “His ass gets bit.”

  Steven clapped his hands. “All right, people. Enough about Jim Woods. He’ll be dealt with, I promise.”

  “Dad.”

  Chloe’s warning tone was ignored as her father continued. “For now, we need to figure out how to keep Ryan’s mate safe. We’ll handle Jim later.”

  Everyone in the room, including Cyn, stared at Glory. She now knew what the juicy rabbit felt like just before the wolf pounced. “Uh. Hi?”

  Steven Williams smiled warmly. “Don’t worry. We’re just going to watch over you twenty-four seven.” His blue eyes turned dark brown. “We’re not going to allow you to get hurt.”