Bear’s Fated Mate

Chapter 1

Chapter One

The light of the sun was peeking around the skyscrapers when Blake stepped onto the street. He cracked his neck and then his knuckles. It had been two weeks since he had last allowed himself to transform into his other state and his skin was beginning to feel too small for him. Not that his last transformation had been purposeful.

Blake had allowed himself to fall asleep while reading on a park bench. During his waking hours he practiced flawless self-discipline. Maintaining control was more difficult when he was asleep. In his sleep he had fallen from the bench and landed hard on his shoulder. The pain had sparked something primal within his soul and woke the beast. Shouts of terror aroused him from his mid-afternoon slumber.

The NYPD and local wildlife officials had spent days searching for the escaped grizzly bear. While some would laugh it off, Blake had spent the entirety of his search laying low. He knew that if his secret leaked out, the government would send scientists to his door. The medical community wouldn’t rest until they knew exactly how a man could transform at will into the hide of another species.

Careful to keep his long stride in check, Blake walked with the crowd that poured down the sidewalk. In the three years since waking up in a dumpster on the edge of Times Square, Blake blended in perfectly with the river of people that flowed around the city. There were times that he considered moving to the country, but New York was his city. It was his birthplace, or at least, his waking place.

Before he woke up in that dumpster in the early hours of a cold winter morning, Blake had no memories. He didn’t think that he was born fully grown. It was an impossibility, but then so was a man transforming into a bear.

His nose twitched as he followed the flow of people. Each scent was unique. He could smell the people around him, what they carried with them, the colony of feral felines that lived in an alley two blocks to the east, and even the lone stray dog rummaging through the trash three blocks to the north.

A tall leggy blonde to his right smiled at him. He fixed her with a cold stoic gaze. She was attractive to the other male humans, but to Blake her scent was off. Humans always smelled weird. The blonde flipped her hair and winked at him. Blake arched a dark brown brow and looked down at her.

“Don’t worry about him,” the woman next to the leggy blonde whispered. “He’s probably gay. You can’t tell these days, but he’s always walking this way. I’ve never seen him even glance at an attractive woman. Then again I’ve never seen him glance in the direction of a man either. Maybe he’s married.”

Blake made a mental note to change his morning route to the market. It didn’t work in his favor to have other citizens recognizing him. Humans and bears should not interact. Blake had never experienced the want to attack another person while he was transformed, but when provoked bears were often unpredictable.

He turned the corner at the next cross street. It would take him longer to reach the market, but give him more peace of mind. The river of people grew thicker until Blake could barely breathe. He had to get away. Why did humans insist on cramming themselves together in such tiny spaces? They must need less air, he decided.

Blake quickly turned into an alley that he hoped would allow him to find an alternative route to the market. New York City’s markets made fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and meats available to shifters. His one bedroom apartment had a fully equipped kitchen, but the stove and microwave had been barely touched. Cooking food, in Blake’s opinion, destroyed its flavor and ruined the alluring aroma of its previous freshness.

Blake took a deep breath smelling his way through the winding alley. It stank of human waste, trash, and pets that had been tossed aside. He passed a stray dog that perked its ears and snarled at him. His presence rarely disturbed cats, but dogs always knew. Their noses outed him as the imposter he was. Dogs were intelligent creatures. They never believed their eyes, preferring to rely on their sharp sense of smell.

“Shut up,” Blake laughed. “I’m not in the mood to have dog for breakfast!”

The dog snarled again and Blake took longer strides. It felt good to move quickly and allow his muscles to move more in line with their true potential. He turned off into another alley, leaving the snarling dog to return to his morning dumpster-diving.

A breeze danced across Blake’s skin and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He opened his mouth and took in a deep breath. His body screamed to pursue the scent. Nothing had ever smelled so alluring. It was a decidedly female scent. A female bear on the streets of New York City? That was impossible.

In the weeks after waking up that frigid winter morning, Blake scoured the streets searching for any other like himself. There were no others. The scent of the female was too strong to ignore. He shook his head and turned, intent on going back to his apartment. He’d just have to wait it out. The female would eventually move on.

A breeze ruffled his hair and wafted the scent into his nostrils. Blake knew in that moment there would be no escaping the primal instincts of the wild beast that lived within him. Years of self -discipline had done little to prepare him for this possibility. He had to locate the female. There was no other option.

Blake’s long strides weren’t quick enough for the beast. Soon he was running through the twisting, winding alleys. . If he was unlucky enough to be spotted by a human he prayed they would think him a fitness nut. His attire didn’t fit the bill, but he hoped the humans would forgive his fashion failure.

His faded jeans hung at his waist and his black t-shirt clung to the contours of his muscular torso. A primal cry broke loose from his mouth as he ran. The growl echoed in the alley and sent cats running for cover. He was getting closer to the female. The distance was almost covered. Blake stopped in his tracks. What the hell was he going to do when he found her?

A breeze ruffled his thick brown hair and Blake’s feet began to move of their own accord. It didn’t matter what happened when he found her. His instincts were screaming for him to find her and that primal force could not be denied. Suddenly he spotted her across the street. It had to be her. It was undeniable.

The object of his affection stood just over five foot eight and sported a lean muscular figure. She wasn’t a she-bear to be messed with. He ducked back into the alley and watched her from a distance. Her long black hair was pulled back into a high tight pony tail. When the light hit just right he could make out the shiny edge of a short blade hidden in her hair. The she-bear was definitely a fighter.

Her jeans hugged her human form perfectly. Unlike many of the human females walking the streets of New York City, her t-shirt met her waistband perfectly and fell flawlessly over her body. Her feet were clad in practical running shoes. She probably hid a blade on at least one ankle as well.

The she-bear was haggling with a merchant at the open air farmers market. The man stood several inches taller and wider than her, but she had him backed in the corner. A grin tugged at the corners of Blake’s lips. She was feisty and fearless. She would protect her cubs.

Blake shook his head and tried to push the beast’s thoughts away from his own. He had yet to speak to the woman across the street. It was too soon to consider offspring, but still the bear within made that a valid point. In the second Blake had looked away, the she-bear had moved. She was quick. His heart thumped against his chest and a thin layer of perspiration formed on his forehead. Had he lost her already?

Blake darted across the street and wove his way through the crowd. Several yards ahead, he spotted the bobbing of her long black pony tail. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips. His muscles ached to begin the chase of the female.

The she-bear stopped at another merchant stall and he waited. He watched her intently, careful not to look away again. Blake had never met another like himself and he didn’t want to lose the opportunity. Usually the farmers market was an over-stimulating experience to his senses. The scents of food and people would mingle and he would want to dive face first into the baskets, buckets, and shelves of food. Today he didn’t even notice that he was standing next to a stall of fresh raspberries and they were usually his favorite.

The she-bear bent over to examine a basket full of large round melons and her t-shirt inched up, revealing a thin line of flesh just above the waist band of her jeans. Blake’s legs begged him to lurch forward, but he dug his heels into the concrete and observed the she-bear. He knew if he made a sudden move it could ruin the chance of her accepting his advances.

She reached out to examine the fruit more closely and her t-shirt rose higher. On the she-bear’s left side was a round tattoo. Blake inched closer for a better look. Inside the thick ring was the unmistakable inked branding of a bear claw. He looked down at his own arm and pulled up his sleeve. Their tattoos bore unmistakable similarities. In fact they were identical except for size. His was much larger.

“Damn it!” Blake swore under his breath.

The she-bear had moved again while he was examining his own marks. He opened his mouth and drew in a deep breath. A breeze lent its assistance. He turned into an alley just as the she-bear’s pony tail disappeared around the next corner. Away from the prying eyes of humans, Blake gave into his primal instincts. The chase began.

The she-bear moved much quicker than Blake anticipated. She was smaller than him and used her size to her advantage. She could easily weave in and out of large crowds. Her gender aided her as well, when it came to darting across busy intersections. Most humans were more reluctant to harm a female. That common courtesy was something most species shared.

Blake was slowly gaining on her. He panted as he ran, but knew that his efforts would soon be rewarded. This time when he turned into the alley her full form was in view. She glanced at him over her shoulder and flipped him off.

Blake laughed and pushed his aching muscles harder. Faster. He had to move faster. The scent of the she-bear was like an invisible rope pulling him forward. His shirt snagged on a jagged brick that hung loose from the corner of a building. He ripped it off over his head and left it where it fell. Shirts were cheap. Shirts were useless to the bear within.

The she-bear had only made it halfway down the next alley before Blake turned the corner. He grinned when he looked ahead. It was a dead end. The she-bear had cornered herself. He won the chase.

The she-bear turned to face him. She was breathing hard and her face was flushed from running. Her muscles were tensed to spring. The scent of anger and hatred radiated from her. Masking her light odor of fear. Why was she so disturbed by his appearance? Perhaps she thought she was the only one as well.

“Listen here you CASO bastard, if you want to leave with your nuts intact I suggest you just turn around and walk away.”

Blake took a step closer. Who did she think he was? He opened his mouth to explain, but the she-bear pounced. She landed on him with a thud. Caught off-guard, Blake crashed onto the concrete. Before he realized what happened the she-bear pulled the blade from his hair and held it to his throat.

Her nimble fingers entwined in his hair to bare his throat against the sharp metal. She was even more alluring up close and personal. Her large blue eyes pulled him in and the curve of her lips made him want to claim them with his own hungry mouth.

“You sicken me! You’re one of us and you’re working for them! How much are they paying you? How much is your soul worth?” the she-bear spat on him.

“I don’t work for anyone,” Blake said. “I’m an independent contractor.”

“That’s what the last bastard claimed too,” the she-bear growled. “You’re a traitor!”

“Look lady, I didn’t even know there were any other bears in New York City until this morning. I haven’t betrayed anyone!” Blake growled.

“So that’s what CASO calls us? Why bears, though?”

“I don’t know what CASO calls anyone. It’s what I am and it’s what you are too.”

“What?”

She let go of his hair and twisted his right arm until she could plainly see his tattoo.

“What’s this?”

“A tattoo.”

“It’s CASO’s mark.”

“Who the hell is CASO?”

“We don’t know. None of us know who they are. We only know what their badges say. No one seems to have heard of them before, but if you have this mark and you’re not on their side, they want you dead.”

“What side?”

“We don’t know. They never talk to us. The cowards like to stalk us when we’re out alone. Vixa was almost caught yesterday by a thug of your description.”

“Look I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I followed your scent.”

“So you were following me?” she narrowed her eyes and dug the blade into his flesh.

“Yes!” Blake growled. “You smell too good not to follow.”

The she-bear sniffed her shoulder and then the other.

“Stop with the cheesy pickup lines, because they’re not going to work on me, buddy.”

“You smell really good,” Blake said again. “You’re the first she-bear I’ve ever met.”

“Are you on drugs?”

Blake blinked up at her. She really didn’t know. Had she never shifted in her sleep? That’s how he discovered the bear within. When the man sleeps the beast is more likely to wake.

“s**t!” the she-bear whispered under her breath.

Two long shadows blocked out the sun.

“Looks like it’s our lucky day. The bears were out for mating. It’s a twofer today,” the taller man laughed.

“You’re really not with them, are you?” the she-bear whispered.

Blake shook his head.

“Get ready to run.”

The she-bear leaped to her feet and Blake quickly followed suit. The men advanced. Each of them held out a large metal gun. The she-bear threw her blade. It grazed the shoulder of the shorter man and his grip on his weapon faltered. The she-bear’s scent wasn’t as sure as it was before, but she stood before the men with her shoulders squared. They were humans and fortunately were unable to smell her fear.

The scent of her fear made Blake’s stomach boil in rage. Power and anger surged through his powerful body and he lunged forward.

“NO!” the she-bear shouted.

Blake lunged too quickly. The shorter man was distracted by the knife wound, but the larger man had trembling hands fully equipped with a trigger-happy finger. He pulled the trigger and the shot echoed through the alley. The smell of gunpowder filled Blake’s nostrils long before the bullet dug into the flesh of his arm.

He growled in pain, but didn’t stop. Red hot pain surged through him, urging him on. Now that he was wounded it was more important than ever to take down their attackers as quickly as possible. He slammed his powerful uninjured forearm into the smaller man. With a whoosh and a thud he tumbled into the wall and slid onto the concrete.

The man was still breathing, but immobile. It would have to do for now. The larger threat was still standing and taking aim again. This time he aimed the gun not at the charging Blake, but the smaller she-bear. An angry roar echoed from Blake’s stomach and he lunged. This time his reflexes didn’t fail him. He knocked the gunman to the ground. Blake bit into the man’s throat until the metallic taste of blood and flesh filled his mouth.

The gun now lay forgotten on the concrete and the man reached up with trembling fingers to feel his throat. The man’s shouts echoed through the alley. .

“Come on!” the she-bear insisted. “We have to get out of here before the cops show up! A gunshot brings every cop within two miles down on us. They never believe us about the CASO assholes! We think they pay them off or something!”

“You’re beautiful, but I don’t think I should be seeing three of you.”

“What?”

Blake dropped to his knees and growled. He shook his head. The bear within longed to lunge from his skin and attack the man who had robbed him of his senses. He sniffed the air. Blood mingled with the worried scent of the she-bear.

“Come on, we have to go!” the she-bear tugged on him until he finally rose to his feet.

She was even stronger than she appeared to be. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, she half-dragged him from the alley. Sirens shrieked in the distance.

“Come on. It’s not far. We’ll take care of you. I promise,” she cooed to him. “Damn those CASO bastards and their poisons.”

The last thing Blake remembered before the dark void pulled him under was a small wooden door. His nose was filled with the scent of the she-bear. She was safe and for him that was enough.