Free Bear's Claim (Bear Heat Book 3) by Natalie Kristen

Michael and
tossed the emptied syringe aside. “Now, let's see if you are a
match for my creation. The serum was extracted from a bear shifter,
so Michael here will become just like you in a few seconds. A bear,
a killing machine.” Dr. Faizel jerked his head at Thor and
said, “Slide your gun to me. Do it, or that nice young man
will have a bullet through his head.”
    Thor's eyes flew to Luke.
The mercenary had his rifle pressed to the back of Luke's head and
his finger was tightening on the trigger.
    Thor slowly put his gun down
on the floor and slid it to the doctor. With a smirk, Dr. Faizel
picked it up and pointed it at Thor. “Now, I shall observe how
well my prototype fares against a Black Bear.”
    Thor swung his gaze back to
Michael. The man was convulsing as claws stabbed out from his
fingers. He opened his mouth and Thor saw his teeth sharpen to
sharp, lethal points. He roared in agony as he became something no
longer human but not quite animal.
    Dr. Faizel clicked a control
and spoke in a monotone into a transmitter on his wrist. “Kill
him. Kill the intruder. The Black Bear is the enemy. Destroy
him.”
    Michael shook his head and
growled. His eyes were turning feral, and they glowed with an
unearthly, unnatural light.
    Thor put up his hands and
spoke carefully, “Michael, listen to me. I am not the enemy.
You can overcome this. Don't let the drug control you. You can
break free of the commands. You are a police officer. You are
not...”
    Michael's fevered, feral eyes
locked on Thor and he bared his serrated teeth at him. With a roar,
Michael flew at him, his claws and teeth aiming for his throat.
    Thor ducked and Michael
slammed into the wall behind him. But the man didn't seem to feel
any pain. He simply pushed off the wall and attacked again and
again.
    Thor didn't want to hurt
Michael, but he had to defend himself. Michael was going to kill him
if he didn't fight back. There was no trace of the man left in his
glowing, bloodthirsty eyes. Michael's face was contorted in a
beastly rage, and his skin was covered with patches of coarse,
discolored fur. His muscles were bulging and when he reared up, Thor
saw that he had grown in height as well. He had the size and bulk of
a bear, and his features were becoming more and more bearlike.
    Thor let his claws inch out
as Michael took a brutal swipe at him.
    Michael was going to kill
him. That was his command. Thor blocked his blows and pushed back
against Michael's massive, furry frame. Thor dug his claws into
Michael's shoulder but he couldn't stop those jagged teeth from
coming nearer and nearer to his throat.
    Michael opened his mouth wide
and came at Thor with his sharp, deadly teeth. His jaws snapped
inches from Thor's neck. He was going to sink his teeth into Thor's
jugular. His claws were descending towards Thor's stomach, and with
a forceful swipe, he would rip Thor's body open and spill his guts.
    Thor took a sharp breath. He
had no choice.
    He didn't want to kill
Michael, but he didn't want to be killed either.

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

    Thor felt long, sharp claws
rake across his side. If he had still been in human form, that
savage blow would have opened up a gaping gash in his side.
    But his thick black fur
protected his body and prevented those deadly claws from doing much
damage. In the space of a breath, Thor had shifted swiftly into bear
form.
    Thor let out a ferocious roar
but Michael didn't back off. There was no fear, no recognition at
all in those red eyes. Michael attacked madly, relentlessly, going
all out with his teeth and claws. He was gunning for Thor's throat,
snapping his jaws and snarling savagely.
    Thor could hear light, quick
footsteps coming from the tunnel. He knew his clan members had
arrived. Thor had relayed his exact position to his Alpha, and the
Black Bears were always ready to move out at a moment's notice.
    Thor lunged towards the
button at the corner of the wall and slammed his paw against it. The
door slid open and three