Alpha Rancher Bear: BWWM Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Bears of Pinerock County Book 3) Read Online Free
intended. "Things have changed a lot. I don't run the clan the way my dad and grandfather did. But you can't change things too much or you end up with anarchy, like your clan, with no defenses when people like Creed come along."
Saffron fell silent at the reminder of her clan's evil alpha, who had dominated their town for generations until her mate, Remy, set her free. And Alec clenched his jaw. He hadn't meant to bring up bad memories for her.
Damn it, for years and years, it had been just him and the other bears on the ranch. The other male bears. They hadn't had any of these complications. Why had he ever said yes to letting his brother Axl bring a mate home? That's what had started the whole thing. Now—
Now he couldn't get Charmian's face out of his head. Couldn't stop thinking about her brown eyes, even when they were snapping with anger at him.
Just let it go. You'll forget about her, and things will go back to how they were before.
Even without the disgruntled rumbling of his bear, he wasn't quite sure if he believed himself.
"Oh, damn!" Saffron said suddenly.
"Is something wrong?" Alec asked, jolted out of his thoughts. "It's not the baby, is it?"
"No, Alec, stop worrying about that." She patted down the pockets of her coat. "I left my gloves in Charmian's office. I guess I put them down somewhere. At least, I hope they didn't fall out in the parking lot."
They were already on the winding road heading up into the hills. "Do you want me to turn around?" Alec asked, not relishing the idea.
"No, there's no point in retracing a half-hour drive just to get a pair of gloves. There are plenty of gloves at the ranch. They're a pair Tara made me for Christmas, though, so I'd like to get them back." She pulled out her phone. "Hang on, I'll call Charmian and ask her if she's seen them."
No, don't call Charmian ... He squashed that line of thinking. Going out of his way to avoid the fiery little midwife would be ridiculous behavior unbecoming an alpha. He should just act normal around her. That would be fine. He could do it.
""Charmian, hi, it's Saffron. I think I left a pair of gloves in your office. They're green knit gloves with white bobbles on the cuffs. Keep an eye out, would you?"
Saffron hung up without waiting for a reply. "Voicemail," she reported to Alec. "She said she was thinking about closing the clinic after my appointment, if no one else came in. She must have gone home."
Home . Alec's rebellious brain, or possibly his rebellious bear, conjured an image for him of what Charmian's house might be like. It would be a cute little house, probably. Pocket-sized, like her.
And there's absolutely no reason why I should care.
Chapter Four
Why was she having so much trouble getting that blue-eyed jerk out of her head, anyway?
After Saffron left, Charmian caught herself peeking out the window, catching a glimpse of the long-limbed figure leaning against his truck, with snowflakes swirling down to settle on his shoulders. Didn't even have the decency to come inside. She shook her head and turned away, firmly setting herself to the task of tidying up the clinic before leaving for the day.
The snow was coming down harder when she came out. The weather report was forecasting snow all week, a big storm system rolling in off the Plains. They hadn't had a lot of really cold winters lately, not like the ones Charmian remembered from when she was a kid, when the snow piled in drifts taller than she was. These days, big blizzards were rare, and snow was almost as much of a treat as it was a pain in the ass.
Still, she was grateful for the four-wheel drive in her Jeep. She also had chains in the back, along with a first-aid kit, road flares, and a blanket. She'd grown up around here—not in Pinerock County itself, but in the next county over. Her dad had been a country veterinarian. He'd since sold his practice and moved to Florida with her mom, but she had grown up traveling all over the tri-county area
Saffron fell silent at the reminder of her clan's evil alpha, who had dominated their town for generations until her mate, Remy, set her free. And Alec clenched his jaw. He hadn't meant to bring up bad memories for her.
Damn it, for years and years, it had been just him and the other bears on the ranch. The other male bears. They hadn't had any of these complications. Why had he ever said yes to letting his brother Axl bring a mate home? That's what had started the whole thing. Now—
Now he couldn't get Charmian's face out of his head. Couldn't stop thinking about her brown eyes, even when they were snapping with anger at him.
Just let it go. You'll forget about her, and things will go back to how they were before.
Even without the disgruntled rumbling of his bear, he wasn't quite sure if he believed himself.
"Oh, damn!" Saffron said suddenly.
"Is something wrong?" Alec asked, jolted out of his thoughts. "It's not the baby, is it?"
"No, Alec, stop worrying about that." She patted down the pockets of her coat. "I left my gloves in Charmian's office. I guess I put them down somewhere. At least, I hope they didn't fall out in the parking lot."
They were already on the winding road heading up into the hills. "Do you want me to turn around?" Alec asked, not relishing the idea.
"No, there's no point in retracing a half-hour drive just to get a pair of gloves. There are plenty of gloves at the ranch. They're a pair Tara made me for Christmas, though, so I'd like to get them back." She pulled out her phone. "Hang on, I'll call Charmian and ask her if she's seen them."
No, don't call Charmian ... He squashed that line of thinking. Going out of his way to avoid the fiery little midwife would be ridiculous behavior unbecoming an alpha. He should just act normal around her. That would be fine. He could do it.
""Charmian, hi, it's Saffron. I think I left a pair of gloves in your office. They're green knit gloves with white bobbles on the cuffs. Keep an eye out, would you?"
Saffron hung up without waiting for a reply. "Voicemail," she reported to Alec. "She said she was thinking about closing the clinic after my appointment, if no one else came in. She must have gone home."
Home . Alec's rebellious brain, or possibly his rebellious bear, conjured an image for him of what Charmian's house might be like. It would be a cute little house, probably. Pocket-sized, like her.
And there's absolutely no reason why I should care.
Chapter Four
Why was she having so much trouble getting that blue-eyed jerk out of her head, anyway?
After Saffron left, Charmian caught herself peeking out the window, catching a glimpse of the long-limbed figure leaning against his truck, with snowflakes swirling down to settle on his shoulders. Didn't even have the decency to come inside. She shook her head and turned away, firmly setting herself to the task of tidying up the clinic before leaving for the day.
The snow was coming down harder when she came out. The weather report was forecasting snow all week, a big storm system rolling in off the Plains. They hadn't had a lot of really cold winters lately, not like the ones Charmian remembered from when she was a kid, when the snow piled in drifts taller than she was. These days, big blizzards were rare, and snow was almost as much of a treat as it was a pain in the ass.
Still, she was grateful for the four-wheel drive in her Jeep. She also had chains in the back, along with a first-aid kit, road flares, and a blanket. She'd grown up around here—not in Pinerock County itself, but in the next county over. Her dad had been a country veterinarian. He'd since sold his practice and moved to Florida with her mom, but she had grown up traveling all over the tri-county area
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