Free Claimed By The Military Bear: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance Standalone (Paranormal Shifter Romance, BBW Shifter Romance, WereBear Romance) by Alicia Wild

Chapter 1
     
    In her youth, the woods had been a scary place. Trees that stood tall, loomed with gnarled branches, twisting through the air and giving off intimidating shadows, such imagery only left feelings of foreboding in a young girl’s heart.
    Only now… they didn’t frighten her. Instead, they offered a strange promise of protection and so, when her heart was breaking and her body was shaking, Melissa rushed into the gloom.
    It was late afternoon, the sky was a gray overcast that made the chill of the air all the more prominent. It didn’t matter much to her at the moment, she wanted to escape and the cold helped numb the pain in a way.
    Darting through trees and thickening foliage, Melissa choked back tears, feeling her throat throb painfully with every gasp of icy air. She didn’t know where she was going, just that she needed to run and hope that that man didn’t follow.
    Even while she cried and while tears flew from her eyes to leave biting rivers down her cheeks, Melissa felt a fierce rage spur her blood hot beneath her skin. This rage, this betrayal, only mixed with the lack of surprise—the disgusting twist of met expectations—that jaded her and made her toss what good thoughts she had used as a shield away.
    Years. She had dealt with mistreatment for years. For nearly twenty years, Melissa had lowered her head in obedience, kept her eyes evenly on the floor as the man who demanded she call ‘father’ insulted her.
    He demeaned her, snarled vile things at her and slapped her when she refused to speak. Silent, that little girl had taken it all, because she had nothing else but a mother who insisted that she just do as she was told to avoid getting beaten. She had stayed for years because even while she had suffered, she still had moments of happiness.
    Moments with a mother who protected her with fairytales and stories and promises that one day they will escape and find happiness in a land under a bright sun. Melissa had believed her with all her might. Her mother had been strong. So strong.
    And it all fell apart when that beautiful woman had died. She knew it was because of him . Melissa had no doubt because when they had watched her pass in the hospital and Melissa had been sobbing in agony, that man grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her away.
    “Quit your sniveling, bitch.” He had grunted as she tried to break away.
    “We’re heading home and you’re staying with me. You belong to no one else now.”
    Melissa had no other choice but to stay. Fear choking her at the thought of running off, watching the only boyfriend she ever had got beaten until he bled when her stepfather had found out they were planning on eloping. Aaron never returned after that.
    The years passed and Melissa found herself wearing down. She adapted. Melissa learned early to never talk back, always come home before he did, and make sure everything in the house looked… presentable.
    Food had to be cooked, clothes needed to be cleaned, and if anything was out of place…well, she learned from her mistakes.
    When Melissa was eighteen, she was allowed one birthday gift. It was a strange act of kindness from that man, the man who insisted she call ‘Father.’
    It was a small little thing, and while she knew she would not want anything from him, it was the only little thing that kept her close to her mother. It was a ring. This ring had been special.
    In her youth, when her mother snuck into her room to tell her stories of the outside world and adventures waiting for the both of them to enjoy, Melissa would drift off to sleep, her eyes focused on that little band of silver and green on her mother’s pinky finger.
    When that man gifted her with this ring, Melissa felt her heart swell with hope, even though he had said that every time she wore it, it would show the world who she belonged to. He had given it to her as a brand.
    She received it as an anchor to remind her of the strength that ran in her blood.
    A small chain