Bear My Heart: A Small Town Paranormal Romance by Natalie Kristen

Author:Natalie Kristen [Kristen, Natalie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2016-09-05T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“No,” Dot whispered fiercely, holding Troy by the shoulders. “No. That is not true.”

Troy looked her straight in the eye and said without any inflection or emotion, “I didn't allow my bear to claim you tonight. We had sex. That's all. It's not mating. I won't allow a rogue bear to have a mate.”

“No.” Dot shook him angrily. “You're not a rogue.

Troy's laugh was dark and mirthless.

“What happened to that bear, that driver after...” Dot trailed off.

“I was in too much pain to see clearly, but I saw him shift back into human form and lurch away. He was heading towards the road. I tried to follow him. Then I heard the horrible screech of tires and a deafening crash.”

Dot pressed her hand to her mouth.

“He was crushed under an eighteen-wheeler. He died a human.”

“Oh Troy!”

“I stayed in the hospital for two weeks. But the doctors found nothing wrong with me. My wounds healed quickly, and I went home to my girlfriend. Evelyn and I were living together then, but she moved out soon after I came home. I don't blame her. I was impossible to live with. I was angry all the time, and I refused to talk to anyone.”

“You were living in the city then. Why didn't you approach the other shifters in the city? I know there are communities...”

Troy snarled. “Shifters are the minority, and shifters have equal rights only in theory.”

Dot looked down. Society still had a long way to go. She knew that there were many people who were prejudiced and shifter-phobic. They were suspicious of anyone who wasn't like them, and they tried to shut them out and exclude them. Shifters were hunted and murdered, but in many cases, no one was arrested and prosecuted.

Troy turned to her and said, “No one tolerates a rogue shifter. No one. Not even the shifters themselves.” He paused and said flatly, “I thought of ending my life to rid the world of the evil inside of me.”

“You're not evil. I know evil. I...I've seen it.”

“Dot...”

“Finish your story, Troy,” she said, her eyes glittering. “I...I can't tell you mine just yet. But I will. I promise.”

Troy pulled her to him and murmured, “Don't be alone, Dot. I learned that when people need you, you will find the strength and courage to live a good life. For them.”

Exhaling a long breath, he went on, “Megan called me one night. I could barely make out what she was saying. She was crying so hard. Her husband, Howard, had died suddenly in an accident, and the twins were just a few weeks old. She couldn't cope, and I could hear the babies screaming their heads off in the background.”

“My sister and nephews needed me. So I came to Bear Cove, and I did as much as I could for them. That's how I became a handyman. I did odd jobs for her and her neighbors, and her neighbors recommended me to more neighbors. That's how I became Mister Handyman.”

“And your partner, Brandon?” Dot prompted.

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