Bear with Me (#2, Completed)

21. Jealousy 🌶️

SCARLETT

I had no idea where I was going, but I wanted to get as far away from that cabin as possible before I let my fury out and strangled the bitch that was standing practically naked in Callum's living room. It was not that I wanted to jump to conclusions about what was going on there- for all I knew, maybe he invited her there and planned to fuck her on the sofa. But no matter the reason, the rage that was burning inside me was spreading like a wildfire that was threatening to consume me.

The moment I saw them, I wanted to kick her skanky arse right out of there and tell her never to return, unless she wanted to suffer the consequences of pissing me off and that was not going to be pretty. But I couldn't- it was not like we were in a relationship or anything, and even with all this mates talk, I couldn't just go and piss on him to stake a claim.

A claim to what?

I hadn't even kissed the guy, so I could hardly blame him if he wanted to hook up with someone else. Or at least that was what the little common sense that I still had in my head was telling me.

Yet, the truth was that every part of me screamed at me to claim him, to make him mine and to put an end to any other woman thinking that she could ever have him. Because he was mine and mine alone, as irrational as it sounded.

The ferocity of the feelings storming inside me scared the hell out of me and, truth to be told, that was why I had to get out of there before I did something that I was going to regret...like murdering someone, even if the leggy tramp was most likely a bear shifter who could probably crush my head in one bite.

My legs began to tire as I sprinted through the woods, and that forced me to stop running and to walk instead. I cursed myself for leaving in a rush like that because I left my bicycle close to Callum's cabin, which meant that I had no easy way back to Riley and the Windcrest pack.

Yet, a little ray of hope emerged when I saw three small wooden cabins in the distance- perhaps I could ask one of the owners to give me a lift back?

I headed in that direction but my plans were cut short when I heard a loud, angry bear growl behind me. Shit! I was not sure what was worse- if I turned around to find Mahon there or another bear that was not as friendly as him.

Of course, the stupidest ideas came to my mind as I wondered what to do but it was the only one I had, so I decided to roll with it. And just like that, I kept walking, pretending that I had not heard anything. When another furious roar echoed around me, it was much closer this time. But I was determined not to stop, no matter who was behind me.

I only managed to take a few steps before I heard the now-familiar sound of bones cracking. I wanted to keep going but someone grabbed my hand and spun me around, pulling me in until I found myself pressed against a hard, muscly and very naked male body. The first thing that I noticed were the intricate tribal tattoos. Then the scent that had been embedding itself in my mind and my soul over the last few days hit me, making my knees go weak.

"Oh!" My breath caught in my throat when I finally also noticed that something stiff was pressed against me as well.

The chuckle that my gasp earned me at the same time made me want to punch him and kiss him to shut him up. I was sure that if I looked up, I was going to find him staring at me with a shit-eating grin, so I didn't. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing the conflicting emotions that he spurred in me.

But the damn bear shifter was as stubborn as I was- he placed a knuckle underneath my chin, his touch making my skin erupt in goosebumps, and tilted my head up so that my gaze could finally meet his.