Free Bear With Me (BBW Paranormal Shifter Romance) by Jasmine White

absurd, Wildgirl. As I said, I have been hearing all about the trouble in my woods, caused by my young cub and a fierce two-legger that has been accompanying him.” Lupion’s demeanour darkened and his wry smile became a silent snarl. “I know that it is your fault that my mate is dead. It is your fault there is a hole in our pack where her place once was. And it is you who must suffer the retribution for that crime.”
    Before my eyes, Lupion rose up onto his hind quarters and began to transform – just as wolf-woman had done before she had died – his whole body shrinking up and stretching out into grotesque shapes before his bones and skin settled into his human form. Lupion was much younger as a man than he seemed as a wolf, but no less intimidating. His eyes were still the startling orange of his wolf form; his hair was still lank and matted, and fell in thick, unkempt dreadlocks over his shoulders; his teeth were still abnormally large, protruding from his mouth and giving him a distinctly vampirish look.
    “Bring the human woman,” he called out to the pack-mate waiting for instruction behind us. “A trial is to be held.”
    “ Trial? ” David gave a roar of anger. “There is nothing to determine! You stole her mother, and she must be returned! The law clearly states that no beast of the forest will harm a two-legger unless the human being has struck first! You told me that! The woman is innocent, and you have no right to her!”
    “ This is my forest,” Lupion responded calmly, folding his stringy arms across his chest. “I can make and break laws as I please. Besides,” His teeth flashed in the sunshine as he bared them a little wider. “The Wildgirl took away my mate. It is only fitting that I take away something of hers. We were going to save her for our Midwinter meal, but,” He gave a casual shrug, his wide eyes never once blinking, “needs must. I am nothing if not fair.”
    I remained mute in the background, struggling to process all that was going on around me. We were completely surrounded on all sides by werewolves in various states of semi-transformation. Even if David were to transform himself and attack, there was no way that we would be able to make it back down the mountain alive. There was only one thought that kept me from breaking down completely  - my mother was alive! Despite all the odds, I would see her alive once more.
    “Nellie…”
    I wheeled around at the sound of her frail voice.
     
    “ Mom!” I broke away from David and ran blindly to her, barely aware of the two guards flanking her on both sides. They yanked her away from my touch as I reached towards her, causing a cry of pain to emit from her dry, cracked lips. I stumbled back, holding my hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay…”
    She was in a bad way; her face was pale and gaunt, with protruding eyes that seemed twice as large as normal; her skin had taken on an unhealthy, waxy quality, and she seemed to be so weak she was unable to stand unaided by her guards.
    So desperately did I want to hug her close to me and promise her that everything was going to be okay. But I couldn’t. With my arms hanging limp by my side, all I could do was look at her, my lips parted and poised to apologise – for bringing her to this place, for being such an ungrateful daughter, for everything that had gone wrong in her life… But I was unable to free the words.
    Even then and there, we had nothing to say to each other.
    Except…
    “ Take me!” I turned and ran towards Lupion, shoving David out of the way and standing squarely before the leader of the pack. “Please… You’re right, it’s my fault your mate died and I should be punished for that. But let her go. Please ,” I begged, desperation taking over completely. “Let her free and I’ll do whatever it takes to answer for the crimes that have been committed.”
    Behind me, I could dimly hear shouts of protest in both my mother’s and David’s voices. But it