Free River Bear (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Blue Bear Rescue) by Terra Wolf, Holly Eastman Page B

already if it weren’t for me. What am I supposed to do with that?”
    “First, calm the hell down. Breathe,” Nash said, and Jake evil-eyed him. “Right, not helping,” Nash added. He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his blond hair, sending it sprawling in all directions. “I forgot all about that damned vision, so my bad, man. Okay, look. Visions are sketchy things.”
    Jake cut him off. “If you tell me the future is liquid or any of that hippie bullshit,” he warned.
    Nash put up his hands. “Easy, man. First, recognize that your bear is claiming her. That’s why you’re feeling crazy about letting her walk across the street without holding her hand.”
    “Jake’s bear is claiming the PI?” Lucas appeared from the woods; hands thrust in his pockets. He looked back and forth between them, his dark hair ruffled and his cheeks flushed.
    “Dude, you okay?” Nash asked Lucas.
    Lucas shrugged. “Just fighting the urge to bash some heads.”
    “Did you do that chant I taught you?” Nash asked.
    Lucas nodded. “Twice. Very helpful, man,” Lucas said.
    Jake wanted to strangle them both. “You really think my bear’s making a claim?” Jake asked quietly.
    “Dude, for sure,” Nash said.
    Lucas clucked his tongue, cocking his head sympathetically. “Damn, first Xavier, now Jake. Y’all are dropping like flies. Who’s next?”
    Nash snorted. “Please. No ball and chain for me.”
    Jake rolled his eyes. “Not helping.”
    “All right, man, look,” Nash said, sobering. “She’s a tough chick. She’s not going to sit inside and let you beat on your chest and protect her from everything that moves. Accept it.”
    “And the vision?” Jake demanded.
    “The vision is liquid,” Nash began, echoing the very words Jake warned him about. “Ever changing like destiny.”
    Jake growled, not in the mood for Nash’s new age bullshit right now. “What the hell does that even mean? She’s human. Claiming her could kill her!”
    “Nah, that PI is tough as shit,” Lucas said. Jake growled, his frustration running over. He had to bite his tongue to keep from outright snarling at his friends. They weren’t taking this seriously enough.
    Nash sighed. “Stop worrying, Jake. If she’s your mate, it’ll work out.”
    Jake eyed him. “How do you know this?”
    “Because I’ve seen it,” Nash said simply. Jake had no idea if he meant mates in general or another vision of Jake. He wasn’t sure he could even handle the answer right now.
    Before he could ask, Nash thumped Lucas on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go see what Xavier needs from us,” he said. “Delilah can’t get all the cool assignments.”
    Jake watched them go, mulling over Nash’s words. Claiming her. Shit, he’d known he was falling for her, but that was something else. Something a whole lot bigger. Before Xavier’s recent claim on Laurel, he’d never seen a claimed couple. His parents sure hadn’t been. His mom was human, and his dad had been… well, the only thing his dad claimed was the winning pot.
    But he did know claiming a human was serious business. The bite alone could kill her. Not to mention how it was affecting him, and he hadn’t even done it yet. He’d had no idea it would be this intense or even how to recognize the signs. And Nash had already known. Just like he’d known about her—the vision. Fuck.
    He still didn’t know what he was going to do about that. But one thing was for sure. He wasn’t letting Delilah Henry get away. Not if his bear had anything to say about it. His bear intended to claim her. Maybe then, she’d be safe.
    First, he intended to deal with Ray Donovan.

Nine
    D elilah’s feelings for Jake made it hard to concentrate. She’d done all right when he’d stood behind her at the cabin. Out of sight. She was able to talk, to explain to Xavier everything that had happened with the men they’d ran off. Three, including Lyle, who Jake had chased through the front before he’d