Heat Wave (California Bears #1) Page 3

  Marlow stayed close to the ground, straying towards Callie so she could untie her. She, too, noticed the two bears circling around her best friend and keeping watch. An idea came to Marlow’s head. She scooped up a few rocks and then tossed them out in the dirt.

  The bears’ ears twitched. And one of them quickly nodded to the other, giving the bear permission to check out the noise. In that second, Marlow hoisted up a rock and hurled it at the back of the remaining bear’s soft furry head.

  The bear collapsed over on its side—out like a light.

  “Marlow...” Callie started to shout, but her voice softened when she saw her best friend press her finger against her lips.

  “You’ve got to keep quiet, okay? We’ll get you out of this...” Marlow whispered untying Callie’s ropes.

  Meanwhile, Charge and forced Rogue on his back, thundering all of his weight on Rogue’s chest.

  “Guess, this is one stunt you won’t be able to fight your way out of?” Charge growled with a wicked grin spreading across his wet hot muzzle.

  Slowly, Charge lifted his heavy paw. Again, he moved to lash Rogue one last time across the face.

  Rogue rammed his back legs into Charge’s low hanging belly. Charge crashed onto the ground, and then Rogue attacked him. He clamped down mercilessly on Charge’s neck.

  The more Charge tried to struggle free from Rogue’s jaws. The less air he could breathe in his lungs. Rogue held on fiercely, unwilling to let go knowing that in a few seconds Charge would run out of breath. Charge’s hulking limbs started to jerk and he moved much more slowly now. Until, his body went stiff and cold. Rogue stepped back, and saw Charge lying there—lifeless.

  Rogue shifted back into his human form and desperately looked around for his mate Callie.

  “Callie!” he roared hot into the dark night. “Callie!” he called again.

  Marlow ushered Callie forward, they both hid low to the ground for safety.

  Rogue prowled forward as Callie rushed to see if he was okay.

  Callie gasped when Rogue collapsed to the ground.

  “Rogue!” she cried, grabbing up by his bare shoulders. “Are you okay?” she asked, staring deeply into his amber-red eyes.

  Rogue grunted in pain. “I’m always okay as long as I know you’re safe.”

  *

  When they all managed to get back to Marlow’s loft, Callie had a lot of explaining to do. Marlow, up until this point, had been blissfully unaware of the existence of shifters. It took her some time to wrap her head around it, but she thought it was cool more than scary.

  Marlow swerved out of the living room to give Callie and Rogue some privacy.

  Callie stroked through Rogue’s hair, he lay on the couch with a blanket covering his naked waist.

  “I bet you’re regretting the day you met me...” Callie said half aloud, feeling like Rogue’s pain was somehow her fault.

  Rogue brushed her cheek, taking in the sight of his curvy lover.

  “Before I met you, I didn’t have much to live for. Now, that we’re together, I have everything to live for.”

  Callie softly smirked. She never had a man confess his undying love to her. She didn’t think girls like her had “happily ever afters.”

  “What about your stunts?” She genuinely wondered, still not comfortable with Rogue’s love of the adrenaline high.

  “I’m done. That part of my life is over...” he grunted.

  Rogue didn’t feel the need anymore to finish off the legacy his brother started. He realized he already started a legacy of his own.

  “So, what are you going to do now?” Callie asked.

  “I’m thinking of racing motorcycles...” Rogue seriously considered.

  Callie arched a brow. “Y’know, that’s not any less dangerous?”

  Callie was about to say more, but Rogue sat upright and kissed her deeply, eager to taste her again.

  Rogue shrugged then said, “Besides it’s L.A., we can do anything we want here!”

  Callie lay forward on Rogue’s hot chest, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. Never in a million years, would she have thought she’d snag a werebear biker with a daredevil streak. And she couldn’t be happier for it. She looked forward to what else she would discover in the city of dreams.

  “You know, Marlow’s gone...” Callie cheekily said. “What should we do now?”

  A perverted grin stretched across Rogue’s cheek, he snatched the blanket away from his naked waist and pinned Callie underneath him.

  “I think I’ve got a good idea...” he growled.

  ––––––––

  Thank you, dear reader, for making it all the way through 'till the end! I hope you enjoyed the story. If you did, please consider writing a review. Without reviews, an independently published author's books are virtually invisible on the retail sites. Let other readers know what you thought!

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  More Books by Rachel Real

  Bayside Tigers Series

  Surf n’ Turf (1)

  Furry Fling (2)

  Wet N’ Wild (3)

  Purrfect Paradise (4)

  Roaring Waves (5)

  Jungle Fever (6)

  California Bears Series

  Heat Wave (1)

  Bear Mates (2)

  Bear Bound (3)

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  Also, I want to thank Lord F and Nattu for the cover photo! The creative commons is so important for the creation of art.