Love at First Roar (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Werebear Romance) (Grayslake Book 4) Read online

  A wet tongue lapped at her, coating her face in dog saliva, and she nudged him away. “Hey, now, quit it.”

  He woofed and paused in his attentions, the animal’s fun loving personality quickly shifting to enraged and protective in an instant.

  A low growl came from her dog, rumbling and vibrating through her, and she took in a deep breath, sorting through the scents. The pup obviously objected to whoever was behind her and she needed to know who she faced.

  The first inhale brought the stink of sweat and unwashed skin coupled with a good dose of anger that was quickly transforming into rage.

  Could her day get any worse?

  Kira pushed to her feet, intent on facing off with the male. God only knew what his problem was, but she wouldn’t face it on her knees.

  Spinning, she came face to chest with one of the males. “Can I help you?”

  “Yeah,” he sniffed, and she bit her tongue. Blatantly scenting someone was just rude. Sure, she did the same, but she was half blind. “Yeah, you can help me.”

  She couldn’t see his expression, but his scent was unmistakable. Lust. She fought back the threatening panic. There was no reason to worry. She was in a crowded neighborhood and the woman across the street was nosy as hell and had been spying on Kira’s house. Well, she assumed it was spying. Otherwise, she merely liked to sit at her front window a lot. Like, all day.

  He sniffed again. “You can help me real good.”

  He reached down and his gesture was unmistakable. The man rubbed his crotch, and she managed to keep her shudder of revulsion under wraps.

  Yeah, she couldn’t help him at all.

  Her dog snarled, darting forward and snapping his teeth.

  “What the fuck is wrong with your fuck—”

  “Tommy Taylor, I know I didn’t hear what I thought I heard.” The feminine voice was quick and sharp, cutting through his words like a knife. “Because by my last count you already owe the swear jar over a thousand dollars.”

  The change in the male was instantaneous. All hints of lust and arousal disappeared in the wake of those words and fear moved into place.

  Fear.

  The man stepped back, putting several feet between their bodies while also allowing Kira to get a look at the newcomer. The woman was short, as short as she was and appeared to be as curvy, as well.

  Kira glanced at the large male easing farther away and deeper into her kitchen as if to put even more distance between him and the newcomer.

  Whoever put that bolt of terror zinging through the man before her was a woman Kira wanted to get to know. How did she do that and was it teachable?

  Inquiring, pussyfooted, cowering minds wanted to know.

  The woman focused on the mover for a moment longer before she turned that attention on Kira. She strode forward, arm outstretched. The aromas of happiness and welcome filled the air. “Hi, I’m Mia. Welcome to Grayslake.”

  For the first time since she’d begun this wild relocation across the country, Kira smiled. And meant it. Because in the wake of the woman’s welcoming words, some of Kira’s old self emerged, the part of her that smiled and laughed and loved life.

  And when Mia hugged her hard, squeezing her until she thought her bones would break, Kira realized she would be okay. That everything would be okay.

  Chapter Two

  Isaac grimaced at the stacks of boxes littering the house. As a Healer who worked in a sterile environment more often than not… this was not okay.

  He’d only been on his own a year, and still he’d managed to collect so much stuff. When he came back to town, the clan den hadn’t been big enough for both him and Ty’s little family. Moving into Mia’s grandfather’s home had been the answer. The place was old, but gorgeous with its hand-carved banister and doorframes. The worn spots on the floor at the bottom of the stairs represented years of running cubs while a large discoloration in the dining room spoke of messy kids eating breakfast.

  It was a house built to be filled with a happy couple and children. Which was good since he’d soon be moving out and leaving it empty for a to-be-found happy couple and children.

  With a shake of his head, he dispelled the pang of loss in his heart. He needed to think positively and not worry about everything he’d be leaving. He had another six weeks of packing and organizing to do before he moved. Between working at the local werebear clinic and volunteering his time at the human hospital, he didn’t have much time to prepare. He needed to snatch every available moment.

  Isaac snared another folded box and opened the stiff square. It took no time to make the appropriate folds and slap tape on the seams. With most of the living room done and the dining room empty, he headed to the kitchen. The worn wood floor was cool beneath his feet, smooth from decades of use.

  History, the house had a truck full of history, and for a moment he wished he weren’t leaving. There was so much to explore, so much to do to restore the old place until it looked almost new. It was always something he’d wanted to do—each time he found a new dent in the plaster or a jiggling step.

  God, when did he become so attached to a house that didn’t even belong to him?

  Probably about the same time he realized he was ready to settle down and have a family. The same time he envisioned raising his family in this house.

  On the heels of those dreams came yet another female’s rejection. He had to accept that Grayslake wasn’t home any longer.

  Huffing, he went into the kitchen and placed the box on the table before moving toward the cabinets. He had so many different pots and pans—it was ridiculous. But he used each one. Maybe not every day, but who knew when he’d have a craving for fresh pasta or homemade marinara? Whenever that happened, he’d have the right tool.

  It didn’t take long for him to get lost in the monotony of packing, wrapping glass pans, and placing packing paper between metal ones. Of course, the whole process would go quicker if he had one of his brothers or their mates at his side. Hell, he’d even take his interfering mother and gruff father.

  Too bad they were all “busy.”

  Busy showing their disapproval.

  Dammit.

  Isaac paused for a moment and breathed deeply, ignoring the small ache in his chest. His inner bear helped soothe the pain. It knew the truth just as his human mind did, and both parts of him were in agreement. They wanted a family, they wanted a mate and cubs and everything that came with being a good mate and father.

  He delved deeper into one of the corner cabinets, cursing the person who’d designed them so deep. Isaac wasn’t a small man and sure as hell wasn’t designed for crawling that far into a wood framed hole. Of course, he was pretty damned sure his favorite cast-iron skillet had wiggled just out of reach.

  Bastard piece of metal.

  “Hello?” A sweet feminine voice drifted to him, sliding through the quiet of his house.

  He jerked in surprise and banged his head on the underside of the drawer above him.

  “Dammit.” He eased back, rubbing his skull the moment he was clear. The bear was quick to heal him and brush away the ache, but it couldn’t banish the owner of the voice.

  “Heellloooo?” The word was drawn out into a faux howl. “I’m speaking, are you listening?”

  He didn’t recognize the voice’s owner, but that didn’t mean much. He kept to himself for the most part and Ty welcomed other bears to the clan here and there. Plus the hyena’s poison hadn’t stopped at his skin. No, it’d dug deeper, stroking his mind and his memory wasn’t what it once was. A beast could only heal so much when faced with the devastating toxin, and he’d been too intent on healing—

  A gasp came from the other room before a heavy thud accompanied by the tinkling of glass reached him. “Shit, that sounds expensive. You’d think you’d pay better attention, Kira.”

  The scrape of shuffling steps reached him and Isaac pushed to his feet, shoving the half-filled box out of his way. It was obvious the woman wasn’t leaving, so he’d giv
e her a reason to. One quick look at his face and then she would scamper back the way she came. He didn’t have a humped back or scarring like the Phantom of the Opera, but it repulsed the women in his clan, so it would get this stranger to run, too.

  He retraced his earlier path, passing the corner where the wallpaper peeled and the spot where it’d faded until pure white. He would have hunted new paper, one original to the age of the house, and redone the smooth surface. The old girl deserved a face-lift.

  Instead…

  Another tumbling crash reached him and he growled, the bear along with him. He didn’t have a lot of expensive belongings, but—cheap or not—they were his, dammit. The least the stranger could do was keep her house-trashing hands to herself.

  Isaac rounded the last corner, striding into the entryway. He passed the open front door and headed into the living room, more smashes reaching out to him.

  “Dammit. Shit. Oh, that one was really expensive,” she muttered. “I am the biggest ass known to ass-dom. Just stop moving and wait. Did you learn anything from your friggin’ movers? Obviously not.”

  Isaac slid to a silent stop, freezing and simply staring at the muttering woman before him. She wasn’t familiar, that much he knew. He would remember that ass, the trim waist that led to wide hips and the sleek line of her back. Deep brown curls nearly reached the top curve of her butt and… damn. Just… damn.

  His bear had a similar reaction, perking up at the sight of this unknown female. His cock half hardened in his worn jeans, slowly easing to attention the longer he stared. She bent over, wiggling her ass as she lowered. Hand outstretched, she reached for one of the boxes that’d tumbled to the ground, only to bump her head on another. At least that one didn’t fall.

  “Ouch.” She rose to her full, short, height. “Hello?” Her voice was raised once again. “It would be helpful if—”

  “You stopped destroying my home.”

  She squeaked and spun to face him, hands pressed to her chest. Her ample, full chest. Her breasts strained against her top, seeming ready to burst past the thin fabric.

  He wouldn’t mind that. Not at all.

  “Oh! There you are.”

  Isaac dragged his attention from her chest, traced the slim line of her neck and finally settled his gaze on her face. Her heart shaped face with her pert nose and full lips. They were spread in a wide smile, the expression pushing away some of his annoyance.

  He only wished he could see her eyes, glimpse them before she focused on his scarring and turned away. Unfortunately, dark sunglasses covered them, keeping them hidden.

  She eased closer, hand outstretched, smile still in place. A sincere smile—not forced and not filled with strain. Huh.

  “Hi, I’m Kira Kolanowski.” She took another two steps and promptly tripped. Her arms pin wheeled as she tipped forward. Isaac was quick to catch her and haul her close. He tried to ignore the feel of her curved body against his hard muscles. He was toned and firm, his bear keeping him fit, but she was a study in soft flesh and sweetness.

  Sweetness. Yes. Blueberries and sweet cream wriggled in his arms, the scents embodied by Kira Kolanowski.

  “Shit. You should really put all this stuff in order. I mean a half-blind someone could—”

  Isaac growled. He should put his stuff in order? Gorgeous or not, she’d come into his home.

  “Look, lady—”

  “Kira. Or KK to some of my friends. Colon to the mean ones, but my best friend Zoey tends to straighten out those guys and now they only whisper real quiet,” she whispered, apparently attempting to mimic the “mean ones” and then she huffed. “They seem to forget I have amazing hearing and can—”

  Kira—or KK—jabbered against his chest, seeming not to care that he held her so close and that his body reacted to her nearness. His cock twitched, interested in the luscious female. It filled and hardened, aching to sink into her heat.

  Did she pull away? Nope, she kept going.

  Isaac tore himself from her and stepped back, pressing a finger to her lips as he did so. He still clung to his frustration at her destruction, but her frown, her bow-shaped mouth tipping down, had it vanishing.

  “What are you doing in my house?” He winced that his voice was rough, but he had his bear to blame. The animal reveled in Kira’s touch, in the way she didn’t pull away and seemed to sink into him. Horny bastard.

  “Well,” she sniffed a quick breath of annoyance, but that turned into a deeper, slower inhale and her frown disappeared. “I came to introduce myself. I moved in next door.” She waved her hand behind herself, actually gesturing toward the park across the street. “And thought I’d come by. Count your house so if I wanna come over I can—”

  “Count my house?”

  “Uh-huh.” She nodded. “You see, my best friend and I—”

  “The one who defends you from…”

  “Oh, yeah.” She flapped her hand as if it was inconsequential. He didn’t think anything was trivial with Kira. “It’s the whole Kolanowski thing. Kolanowski—colon.” She shrugged. “Anyway, so what I do is—”

  A series of rapid, deep barks echoed off the walls a split second before a massive golden retriever bounded into his house. Of course, it knocked over yet another box, sending it crashing to the ground.

  Kira gasped and then yelled at the mangy animal. “Ebenezer Hufflesnuffle, stop that right now.”

  She even stomped, and Isaac wanted her to do it again. Her breasts bounced and stretched the material when she made the jerky motion. Yeah, he wouldn’t mind the beast tearing up his place if it meant she stomped a time, or twenty.

  The dog didn’t listen to her, choosing to sniffle and snuffle Isaac’s belongings. When it paused and slowly lifted its leg, Kira not moving to stop the damned animal, Isaac reacted.

  He hissed and snapped his fingers as he whipped out the pup’s name. “Ebenezer.”

  The dog slowly panned its attention to Isaac, and he could swear the thing glared at him. He opened his mouth to issue another reprimand but got distracted by Kira poking him.

  “Hey, why are you yelling at my dog?” She prodded him again. “You shouldn’t interfere between a guide dog and its owner.”

  “Your dog was about to piss on my stuff. You know, the boxes that managed to survive your entrance.”

  “Oh. Well, I wouldn’t have tripped if you had the lights on in this place.” She quieted and then focused on the dog. Well, in the general direction of the dog. “Ebenezer Snuffletruffle, you shouldn’t pee on people’s things.”

  He ignored her words and instead focused on what she’d said combined with her actions.

  Guide dog.

  Half-blind.

  “You can’t see?”

  That had Kira snapping her hidden gaze to him. “Half-blind. A little bit blind, really.” She raised a hand and brought her pointer finger and thumb near each other. “Just a tiny bit. And it’s more fuzziness than anything.”

  “So tiny, you knocked over three boxes—”

  “No, just two. And it’s dark.”

  “And you need a guide dog?” He crossed his arms over his chest. The vision issues didn’t bother him. She was gorgeous no matter what, and her scent did things to him and his bear. The pissing “guide” dog was an issue.

  “More like a faux guide dog.” She sighed and glanced toward the animal. The animal pissing on his fucking boxes. “Oh, Ebenezer Snoffleblossom, what am I gonna do with you?”

  When the dog moved on to another box and lifted his leg, Isaac had a good idea what she could do with the beast. It involved his bear and a nice run through the forest.

  Two may go in…

  Then the animal flopped and hopped its way toward her, slobbering all over her fingers and bringing out her smile once again.

  Isaac mentally grumbled. He couldn’t eat the thing if it made her smile.

  Dammit.

  *

  Kira could not believe that not only had she sent two boxes—not three—of the h
ottie’s belongings to the ground, but then Ebenezer also tinkled on his things.

  Could. Not. Believe.

  He was never gonna let her count his house. Well, count her steps inside his house and jot things down so she could… She mentally sighed. Hell, he probably wouldn’t let her near him ever, ever again. And he smelled so good. So, so, so, so good.

  A million, gajillion, billion goods.

  Her little twitching nose beastie wanted to snuffle and sniff him. In stereo. Her kind could do that. Her inner animal agreed. It rubbed and rolled, wriggling as if it chased the tastiest worm and this man held it between his fingers.

  She took a deep breath, bringing in more of his scents, and released the air with a sigh. Deep, dark chocolate mixed with fresh turned earth. Utter. Perfection.

  She also sensed a hint of anger coming from the male. Which, if she was honest, was to be expected when she was in the area. It was as if she were a life-size anger-mobile.

  After twenty-nine-ish years, she expected it. Hated the reality, but accepted the truth. She always managed to piss off someone. But she didn’t piss on them. That was Ebenezer’s job.

  Ebenezer slowly inched away from her.

  “Ebenezer Hufflehaffle.” She snapped her fingers. “Get back here, right now.”

  A low whine followed by a doggie huff preceded the clicking plod of the dog approaching. She always had to rely on her other senses, her inner animal’s domination over her sight making it difficult to see. She recognized colors, but everything else existed as blurs and blobs. She’d probably hate the condition if she knew any better. But she didn’t. So… she didn’t.

  “Look, lady. It’s nice to mee—”

  “Kira.” She’d told him her name, hadn’t she? She was pretty sure she had. Post-box tumbling, but pre-dog peeing. She did remember that she’d vomited way too much information about her name.

  “Kira,” he sighed except it wasn’t a dreamy one. Nope, it was filled with frustration. Typical.