Free The Island Of Bears: A BBW Paranormal Romance by Amira Rain Page B

As scared as I was, I knew I couldn’t just lay down and die. I realized I just didn’t want my life to end like that.
    As I came to a stop, then fought to maintain my position, not wanting to make myself appear vulnerable by continuing to step back even further, the wolves crept out from the jungle and came to a stop as well, no more than seven or eight feet away from me. The biggest one of the two snarled, revealing his sharp fangs, which appeared a silvery blue in the moonlight. Then, suddenly, he pounced. With a yell, I thrust my stick out, hoping to stab him with it. As he flew through the air, I reflexively closed my eyes, cringing, expecting some kind of a massive impact, either from him being stabbed with my stick, or from him knocking the stick away and landing on me.
    The next split-second was the longest of my life, by far. It felt like minutes. Hours. I pictured the wolf ripping my throat out. I pictured myself bleeding to death in the sand. I pictured Holden’s face for some reason, with a pang in my heart because I thought I’d never see him again.
    After the split-second had passed, no great, jarring impact came. I did, however, hear some sort of loud thud, something maybe like the impact of a body falling, or two bodies colliding. Then came growling, snarling, and a single mighty roar. These sounds were mere feet away from me, and I dared to open my eyes, already scuttling away backward on my jelly-like legs.
    I was maybe twenty feet away when I saw clearly what was happening and fully comprehended it, too. A massive black bear was fighting the two silver wolves at once, seemingly enraged. He was slashing at one with a large, sharp-clawed paw while closing his powerful jaws around the other wolf’s throat, instantly drawing blood. Because of the dim light, it appeared black against the wolf’s silvery fur.
    I had a little feeling who the huge black bear was. Stunned, I fell on my butt in the sand, trembling from head to toe. I was far too shocked to even talk to myself anymore. I was truly speechless, feeling as if my brain had short-circuited.
    The fight didn’t last long. Maybe a minute, if that. When both wolves lay motionless in the sand bordering the jungle, the black bear suddenly shifted into Holden within the blink of an eye. He was shirtless but wearing jeans, same as he’d been when he’d left me.
    After rolling his head from side to side, as if to work out some kink in his neck, he looked in my direction. “You okay?”
    My voice came out in a squeak. “Yes.”
    “Good.” After a quick look at the wolf carcasses, he began heading over to me. “Two Forms down, including the one who’s been causing us the most trouble recently, several more to go. I guess I just needed to get really pissed off to finally take those two out for good. Well, pissed off as a direct result of being absolutely terrified. Which is how I felt when I saw them about to hurt you.” Holden reached me, knelt down, and took me in his arms. “Please tell me that you’re really, really okay.”
    I nodded with my face against his chest. “I really am. Quite a bit shaken up, and I’m sure I won’t be able to stand up on my shaky legs for a half-hour or more, but I’m fine. Thanks to you. And right now I just want you to hold me, Holden. Just hold me tight and don’t let go for a while.”
    He did just that, sitting down himself, pulling me onto his lap, and then rocking me in his arms ever-so-gently while the waves crashed against the surf just a few feet away from us. I closed my eyes, reveling in the feeling of being completely safe.
    At least ten minutes went by before Holden spoke, the sound a low, quiet rumble in his chest.
    “Well, what’s the verdict? Are you going to tell yourself that you just hallucinated because I’ve drugged you or something, or are you finally ready to accept the truth, that this is a supernatural island, and I’m a shifter?”
    I opened my eyes and lifted my face. “I believe