Read Claim the Bear for Free Online Page A

He hadn’t lied when he’d swatted away Ethan’s apology. His skin was littered with scars just like this one would be. And at least this one he’d received saving someone. The others were just from pissing contests that would hopefully pan out someday.
    He grimaced again when she flinched. Screw this . He couldn’t just stand here and watch her hurt herself. A wiser man would’ve turned his back and let her be, but his bear wasn’t that type of animal. He never had been. His protective streak ran a mile deep and just as wide, and this woman needed his help.
    Awkwardly, he pulled her green cargo pants to her hips so she didn’t have to lean down and stretch her injury.
    “Thanks,” she breathed as he snapped her button.
    He gave her what he hoped was a comforting pat on the hips, then stepped back to a safe-feeling distance again. She was staring at him with eyes so light green, they looked like river moss. He only got a glimpse of the color before she dropped her gaze again. She’d been doing that for two hours, driving him crazy with her inability to look at him.
    She was an anomaly. Every lion he’d ever met was abrasive, dominant, mouthy and didn’t take shit from anyone. But Breshia? Her animal barely dragged a response from his. In fact, his inner bear was basically snoring inside of him.
    “Can you stop doing that?” she asked so softly he leaned closer to better hear her.
    “Stop what?”
    “I don’t think you realize how frightening you are.”
    If she was talking about his bear, she was nuts. He wasn’t even paying attention to her. And it’s not like he was snarling or anything like that. Shaking his head, he turned and held open the cabin door and let her pass. Soon enough, the mysteries that surrounded Breshia the Cowardly Lion wouldn’t be his problem anymore.
    Dillon’s phone trilled from his back pocket, and he took a long, steadying breath before he accepted Bron’s call.
    “I just got an interesting call from Shira,” his alpha said in a voice lower and less human than it probably should’ve been.
    “I’m taking her to her car right now. She’s out of gas, but I’m going to refill her tank and she’ll be gone from our territory in half an hour. Forty-five minutes, tops.”
    “That woman is a danger to us, Dillon. She’s important to Shira’s pride. She’s got the lions ready to go to war for her.”
    “Well, I didn’t invite her, Bron. Don’t get pissed off at me.”
    “Dillon, I swear to all that is holy, if you don’t get her out of there right now, I’m going to bleed you.”
    Fantastic. “I hear you loud and clear, boss man. We’re getting in my truck now. I’ll call you when she’s gone.” He gritted his teeth and glared at the glowing screen as the call disconnected.
    When he looked up, Breshia had gone pale and still. “Shira called?”
    “Yeah, seems they want you back.”
    “Can you tell me if there is a back way through the mountains, away from Portland?”
    “Woman, go face your demons and make things right with your people.”
    “You don’t understand,” she whispered.
    And she was right about that. He didn’t understand, and he didn’t want to. The more she told him, the more he wanted to protect her, and he couldn’t have that. “Bron said you were important to them. Will they kill you?”
    Her delicate jaw clenched. “No.”
    “Then get in the truck.”
    “Please don’t do this,” she begged, grasping his shirt in her fists.
    “Lady,” he barked out, then smiled at a woman who walked by with a backpack and jangling keys in her hand. “Lady,” he said again, lower. “I don’t know what it is you did to piss everyone off, but pride politics aren’t our problem. I have orders to take you back to your car, and I’m not defying my alpha for you or anyone else. Now, if you don’t want me picking you up and shoving you in the front seat, I’d suggest you get in the damned truck.”
    She swallowed hard and nodded, but glistening