My Bear to Heal (Cypress Valley Shifters #3)

1. Tyler

“ B abe, are you almost ready?” Snapping the black velvet box shut, I tuck it in the pocket of my suit pants. Tonight’s the night. Sweat beads on my brow, my heart threatening to pound out of my chest. Breathe, man. She’s gonna say yes.

Stumbling to our bedroom, my vision flickers, white spots dancing at the edges. Fuck, dizzy spells and vision changes have been happening more and more the last few days. Must be the start of a cold.

Pushing the thought from my mind, I lean against the bathroom door frame, eyes trailing a path over my girlfriend—soon to be fiancée.

Amber stands in front of the mirror. My eyes fix on a coil of bleach-blonde hair as it falls free from the curling iron in her hand.

“Hi, baby.” Her voice is breathy and sensual, much like everything about her. Amber is a knockout, built like a porn star: tiny, with big boobs and big blue eyes to match. We met at a party during college, the tattooed bad boy and the blonde party girl. Pretty cliché.

There was no denying the chemistry between us.

We’ve dated and lived together for most of our early twenties, so now seems like an appropriate time to pop the question.

After a big promotion at work, I finally had enough money to buy an engagement ring. One I hope will be big enough to live up to the luxurious lifestyle she grew up with.

“Do you feel alright? Baby?” Turning to face me, she places a hand on my clammy forehead and winces. “You’re a little warm. Are you sure you want to go out tonight? We can always pick a different night.”

Tugging at the collar of my dress shirt, I push the ball of nerves swirling in my stomach down. A wave of dizziness washes over me. Letting the door frame support the bulk of my weight, I clear my throat. It’s probably just nerves, but I really hope I don’t pass out. “I’m fine, babe. It’s our anniversary, let’s go celebrate. Yeah?”

She flashes me a weak smile, worry pooling in her eyes. “Okay. If you’re sure. Give me ten more minutes and I’ll be ready. Promise.” Popping onto her toes, she kisses my cheek before turning to finish her hair.

T he restaurant buzzes around us, waitstaff hurrying to get patrons their food as lively conversation fills the air. Setting my wine glass on the table, I clear my throat. “Amber, baby, I wanted to ask you something.”

She looks over, wide eyes searching my face. A grimace etches into her delicate features. Do I really look that bad? Sweat drips down my back, causing my dress shirt to cling to my tattooed skin. Why is it so damn hot in here?

The room spins as I push to a stand, black spots flickering in the periphery of my vision. But I push through the dizzy spell, dropping to one knee next to Amber’s chair. A gasp sneaks from her lips, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

The soft hum of restaurant patrons around us fills my ears, along with the whooshing of my blood.

“Amber, I-I love you.” My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth as I swallow, throat dry and rough like sandpaper. “We’ve been together for so long, you’ve become my family. My future. I can’t picture my life without you. Will you marry me, baby?” The last word barely makes it out of my mouth before lightning shoots through my bloodstream. With a scream, I tip sideways, curling in on myself, praying the pain subsides as my eyes squeeze shut.

But it doesn’t. The pain intensifies and my skin grows tighter, ready to split at the seams. Opening my mouth to scream again, a foreign sound comes out… an animalistic roar.

Commotion breaks out; staff and patrons surrounding me as Amber screams beside me. The excruciating pain ebbs to a low burn as I peel my eyes open.

What the fuck? My eyes meet two giant fur-covered paws, tipped with the biggest claws I’ve ever seen. Swinging my head to the side, a massive grizzly bear reflects back in the restaurant windows. Rolling to a stand, I lumber closer, until my breath fogs up the glass.

Tipping my head to the side, the bear mirrors my movements.

Holy fuck! I’m a fucking bear!

Frightened screams draw my attention as patrons and staff flee the restaurant. Heart in my throat, my eyes scan the room for Amber. What if she was trampled in all the chaos or needs help?

Spotting her near the bar, I run to her, tripping over my feet, not used to four paws.

Her blood-curdling scream rips through the air as I approach. “Get away from me! Don’t hurt me!”

What? Why would I hurt you? I try to speak the words out loud, but a strangled whine leaves my throat instead.

I take a step closer and bend my head, but she shrieks and scuttles across the tile floor before curling into a ball. My heart sinks with every inch she puts between us.

Tremors wrack through her small frame as she slams her eyes shut, burying her face in her arms. “Don’t kill me, please!”

The fear laced in her plea has me doing a double take, but before I can try to reach her again, sirens ring through the air.

With heavy steps, cops invade the restaurant, drawing their guns and pointing them at me .

Fuck, I’m not sticking around . I spot double doors leading to what I assume is the kitchen. There’s gotta be an emergency exit back there.

Spinning on my paws, Amber’s scream echoes behind me.

Bullets whiz by my ears as I charge through the doors, and burst into the empty kitchen, paws skidding on the tile flooring. Exit— the sign flashes bright red, like a mirage in the desert. Not wasting another second, I ram my enormous body into the door and scramble into the back alley.

The cool evening air does little to calm my frantic heartbeat and frayed nerves. Swinging my head from side to side, I spot the entrance to the alley.

Getting the hang of running on four feet instead of two, I take off at full speed, not sure where I’m going or if I’m stuck as a bear from now on. All I know is I need to not be here!

“ H ey! You can’t sleep here.”

Groaning, I blink my gritty eyes open, the sun beating down from high in the sky. “W-what? Where am I?” My throat is on fire like I haven’t had water in years. Swishing my tongue around my mouth, I try to get the saliva flowing.

A foot connects with my leg, and I jolt to a sitting position.

“Hey, you hear me, kid? You can’t sleep here.” A middle-aged man jostles my leg again. The white writing on his black polo catches my attention. Security.

“Sorry. I’m going,” I murmur, glancing down at my body. I’m naked… on a park bench.

What the fuck happened last night?

I scrub a hand through my hair, the long strands wild and tangled, falling around my shoulders .

“Here.” The man tosses me a t-shirt and sweatpants. “I had my gym clothes in my backpack.” He points to a bike and backpack in the middle of the path. “If you get gone now, I won’t report you. Alright, kid? I don’t want any trouble.” He raises his hands in surrender and takes a step back.

“Thanks.” My muscles scream, like I did an intense weight training session yesterday, as I pull on the clothes. They’re definitely too small for my six-foot-two muscular frame. The elastic cuffs of the pants hit the middle of my shin and the sleeves of the shirt nearly cut off circulation in my arms. It’ll have to do until I get home and figure out what the hell is going on.

Running a hand down the back of my neck, my gaze slices over to the security guard. “Um, where am I? What time is it?”

His whistle catches me off guard. The shrill sound adds to my already ringing ears. Cupping my ears, I wince.

“Must have been a wild night, huh? You’re in Loring Park. It’s—” he glances down at his watch “—a little after nine.”

I mutter a quick “thanks” before standing from the bench on wobbly legs and heading in the direction of my apartment.

Twenty minutes and a handful of weird looks later, I limp to my apartment door on dirt-crusted feet.

Knock. Knock.

My knuckles rap against the metal door. “Amber, it’s me. Please open the door.” Sighing, I rest my forehead against the cool metal and wait. My head is fucking pounding, a herd of elephants having their own little party in my brain. It’s impossible to think straight, let alone remember anything from last night .

The door swings open, revealing a disheveled Amber. Tears stream down her cheeks, blonde hair thrown haphazardly into a messy bun. A threadbare t-shirt hangs off her tiny frame, nearly covering her sleep shorts.

Her eyes widen when they land on me. “Y-you can’t be here.”

“What?” I boom, a low growl sounding in my head. What was that? Amber jumps, and I instantly regret raising my voice. “I’m sorry. It’s been a rough morning. Can I come in… please?”

I shouldn’t have to ask permission to enter my own damn apartment, but I would never put my hands on Amber.

Tear-filled eyes search my face. I can only imagine I look like shit. I feel like shit. My mouth tastes like someone stubbed out a pack of cigarettes on my tongue. And my skin is itchy like a million mosquitos bit me last night.

Hesitantly, Amber steps back, swinging the door wider for me to enter our apartment.

Heading straight to the bedroom for fresh clothes, I stop dead in my tracks. A duffel bag lays on the bed, my clothes and belongings overflowing the black canvas fabric.

“What’s this?” I point to the bag in question, brows rising as I stare down the girl I love. The one I thought loved me, too, no matter what life threw at us.

Hugging her arms around her narrow waist, she won’t meet my gaze. “You’re dangerous, Ty. What if that bear attacks someone?”

“Bear? What are you—” All at once, images of last night flash in my mind. Amber getting ready. Me dropping to one knee in front of her. The static electricity that had been buzzing under my skin for days. Every weird symptom from the past few days coming to a head as I turned into a fucking grizzly bear in the middle of proposing to Amber.

Somehow, I ran to the park without law enforcement or anyone else finding me. The memories turn hazy after that. My body must have collapsed from the trauma and exhaustion of the night’s events.

Bottom line, I am the grizzly bear—a shifter. They’ve been all over the news recently.

“That bear? Babe, it’s still me. I’m still the same Ty. I’ll learn to control it. Please, Amber. I love you.” There’s a pleading edge to my voice.

She sniffles, but still won’t meet my eyes, tossing more of my clothes into the duffel bag. “I can’t, Ty. You’ve seen the news stories about shifter attacks. They’re killers. I-I can’t trust you anymore.”

Pain squeezes in my chest. It’s like she drove a knife straight through my fucking heart and twisted the handle. She’s all I’ve known since we were twenty. We’ve built a life together.

I thought we were forever.

Guess I was wrong.

“You’d throw away the past six years like that?” I snap my fingers, tears stinging the backs of my eyes.

“It’s in your DNA. The news said you won’t be able to control the bear.” Red-rimmed blue eyes finally meet mine, last night’s black mascara streaking down her face. “I’m afraid, Ty. Please, just leave. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” Her voice drops to a whisper, filled with regret .

I shake my head. “I’m scared, too, baby. But we can figure this out.” My eyes catch on the black velvet box on top of my wallet. “I would never hurt you, Amber. You know that.”

She sniffles, eyes dropping to the carpet. “Daddy would never be okay with this. You know how he is.”

Daddy .

And there it is. I huff a breath, pressing my fingers into my eyes. It grates on my nerves every time she refers to her father, and my boss, by that term.

Amber was raised in a wealthy, conservative household. Her father has been vocal about the need to segregate humans from the “violent shifter population”. Something I wholly disagree with.

Tentatively, I step forward and gently grasp her hands as they twist in one of my t-shirts. “Fuck the news and fuck your dad, Amber,” I whisper, leaning down so she’ll meet my gaze.

“Wh-what?” Confusion swirls across her face, delicate brows scrunching together.

“Yeah, baby, it’s always been you and me. We can leave the city. I’ll figure out how to control my bear and we can get married. This doesn’t have to change anything.” Hope rises in my voice. This is the perfect plan. I can get out from under her dad’s thumb and still have the girl I love.

“Tyler, I-I can’t leave. What about my friends, the apartment, work? A-and Daddy would cut me off.”

My stomach drops. She cares more about money and status than me. “I love you, Amber. Please.”

Ripping her hands from mine, she throws the shirt in the bag and zips it. “I’m really sorry, Tyler. Please, just give me tonight to think things over.” But her detached tone tells me she won’t be changing her mind.

With a huff, I resist the urge to look back at Amber, grabbing the bag and a few final items before leaving my home.

I ’ve given Amber twenty-four hours to make up her mind. Entering our apartment building, I dial her number for what must be the hundredth time this morning. “The number you have reached is no longer in service,” the helpful voice recites into my ear.

Slamming my thumb against the screen to end the call, the glass splinters. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Did she fucking block me? Did she change her number? What the fuck?

Anger simmers under my skin, tension coiling in my muscles like I’ve never experienced before. All the hair on my arms stands on end and a low growl echoes in my head.

My bear.

I’m still not used to this beast lurking beneath the surface. Unsure how to control him so I don’t shift again. I can’t afford to hurt anyone. Blowing out a cleansing breath, I murmur, “Calm down.”

Slotting my key in the lock, I turn it and push the apartment door open to find everything cleared out. The furniture, the frivolous decorations, even the fucking hideous curtains—gone. Going to the kitchen, I open cabinets and drawers— all empty. This can’t be happening. She ghosted me! Like the last six years never happened?

My phone vibrates in my hand, an unknown number on the now cracked display. “Amber?” Blood whooshes in my ears as my heart picks up speed.

“Try again, Tyler.” Mr. Scott’s deep voice fills the line.

“Where’s Amber?”

He tsks. “Sorry, son. In light of our current situation, I’ve decided it’s best for my daughter to cut ties with you.”

What the— “You can’t do this! You can’t control her, she’s a grown adult! I love her!”

“That’s where you’re wrong, son. I provide for my daughter more than you’ll ever be able to. Especially now that your true nature has been revealed. My family will not be tainted by shifter blood.” I can picture the sneer lining his face as he spits his bigoted words. “Do not contact Amber again. As of this moment, consider yourself no longer employed by Scott & Associates. I’d highly suggest leaving the city unless you want to end up behind bars.” With that chilling threat, he hangs up, leaving my mind reeling.

In the span of a few days, I’ve lost everything. My job. My home. My future with the love of my life.

But if Amber would so easily choose her father over me, maybe it’s for the best.

Still, my body vibrates with anger. Although, there’s something more, a foreign sensation clawing at the back of my brain. Slamming my eyes shut, visions of a snarling grizzly bear fill the backs of my lids. Fuck. There really is a bear inside me .

His growls ripple through me until they resonate as a physical sound escaping from my mouth.

Blindly reaching for anything within my grasp, my hand wraps around a forgotten plate in the back of the cupboard. Hurling it across the room, it shatters into a million tiny pieces as it collides with the wall.

Ironic, that’s exactly how my heart would look if someone removed it from my chest at this very moment.

“Fuck this!” I roar, stomping to the bedroom, hoping Amber at least had the kindness to leave my belongings behind.

Stalking into the ostentatious closet, I find my camping supplies still on the floor near the back. Grabbing what I can, my eyes sweep over the empty apartment one final time, trying to only remember the good times I had here with Amber.

But it’s no use.

Everything is tainted by the last day and a half, and her father’s spiteful words.

Once I make it to the parking garage, I strap the camping gear, and everything I own, to the back of my motorcycle. Swinging a leg over the black bike, I settle on the seat and let the familiar rumble of the engine calm the raging inferno in my chest.

“Just you and me, girl. The world is our oyster and all that, I guess.”

With my tattooed hands wrapped around the handlebars, I swing north and head as far away from the city, and this nightmare, as possible.