Bearly Breathing (Werebears of New Hampshire #1)(14)

The bear circled and was coming closer to Rebecca. Connor leaped in between them and faced down the bear. “No,” he said.

Connor’s back ballooned as horrible popping and snapping sounds made Rebecca’s skin crawl. His body was swelling up as it shook. She gasped as long brown hairs sprung out of his skin. His head was expanding, his ears stretching up and turning brown. His bathing suit ripped as his hips expanded. It fell to the ground in shreds. A loud tearing sound made her cringe, and a Kodiak bear burst out of Connor’s body.

Rebecca’s heart stopped, her body froze. What the f*ck?!? That bear was Connor.

The black bear reared up on his hind legs and roared louder than before. He was so tall. Taller than Rebecca. His paws were even bigger than Sidney’s head.

Connor lunged forward and smashed into him with a force that Rebecca could feel in her chest.

They wrestled on the ground, snapping and snarling in a gnash of teeth and claws. It was happening so fast. Rebecca couldn’t tell who was winning.

A tree shook as the two bears crashed into it. Leaves rained down on the savage bears.

She glanced behind her to the open forest and thought of running. A loud snarl ripped through the forest and she turned back. The black bear was retreating into the forest, limping with his head down.

The remaining bear turned and watched her with tender brown eyes. It was Connor. She could recognize him in those eyes.


He was bleeding. Bad. He had a gash along his shoulder. The fur around it was sticky and matted together. Blood was flowing down his leg and pooling around his paw, turning the dirt into a red mud.

The bear lowered its head and the long brown hairs began to retreat back into its body. It turned pink as it shrunk. His body shook and Rebecca gasped when Connor was back, lying naked on the ground.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position with a grimace. Blood poured down his arm from the deep, jagged cut on his shoulder.

Rebecca rushed over and dropped to her knees. “Oh no,” she whispered, inspecting the wound. She didn’t have anything to clean it or cover it with. A cut like that was sure to get infected throughout the night without the proper care.

“I’m fine,” he said, cupping her cheek with his hand. He was comforting her. “Watch.”

She held her breath in shock as the wound closed on its own and fused together. “How is that possible?” she asked in disbelief. The laceration looked like it was healing in a time-lapse video.

“I heal a little faster,” he said.

Rebecca’s eyes trailed down his body. His abs were flexed in his extended position. They always seemed to be flexed. She lowered her gaze down the perfect V of his pelvis to his exposed package. She inhaled hard as she watched him. He began to harden under her stare.

“Sorry,” she said, closing her eyes tight and shaking her head. “I didn’t mean-” she got up, flustered and tripped.

She opened her eyes and turned away as he picked up the shreds of his bathing suit and slipped them back on.

“Let me know when you’re-” Rebecca said. She felt her cheeks getting hot. She couldn’t erase the image of his naked body from her mind.

“Alright,” he said after a minute.

Rebecca glanced down and laughed. His bathing suit was destroyed. It was covered in knots, barely holding itself together. It lifted high up on his left leg, showing off his thick quads. It hung low on his waist and his mouth watering V thrust out in full view. The top of his pubic hair peeked out of his waistband. Rebecca turned away and gulped.

“Wait,” she said, suddenly remembering the events. “Did you just turn into a f*cking bear?”

“Lets find somewhere to sleep first,” he said, “and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Rebecca felt her panties moisten.

“Right,” she mumbled to herself. “Sleep.”





Connor cracked a thick stick over his knee and tossed it into the fire. He had built a lean-to out of branches and leaves for them to sleep under, a roaring campfire and even built two chairs with some thick sticks that he held together with vines. They weren’t the most comfortable seats but it was better than sitting on the damp ground.

“And werebears can only bond with one person?” Rebecca asked from over his shoulder. She had been peppering him with questions for the last hour. He answered them all honestly, holding nothing back.

He nodded. Connor held the root over the fire with a stick. They softened a bit when they were cooked. Not much, but a bit.

“Do you have a mate?” she asked.

He glanced back at her, the glow of the fire lighting up her eyes into a brilliant orange. “Yes.”

She looked away, her face dropping. “Oh.”

He squeezed the root with his fingers. It was still too tough. He placed it back over the fire.

“Is she a werebear too?”

Connor shook his head. “No.”

“What is she like?”

“Amazing,” he said. “I haven’t known her for very long but I feel like I’ve known her forever. Every time I look at her she takes my breath away.” He turned and gazed into her eyes. “She’s beautiful. Smart. Funny.”

“She’s a very lucky girl,” she said, backing away from him. She sat down in the chair and gazed into the fire.

Connor sighed and poked a black log with the stick. Little roused, sparks jumped off the wood. What was he supposed to say? He couldn’t just come out and tell her. Could he?