Beret Bear (Rogue Bear Series 3) by Meredith Clarke, Ally Summers Page B

certainly erased them when you threw me against the wall.” She glared.
    Paul shrugged. “You know he’s a bear, right? A big, nasty bear who’s going to want to do all kind of things to you, Avery.” He paused, snickering. “Oh, you didn’t know? He didn’t tell you about all the cubs? What about the part where you’re claimed? How he’s going to take you like a wild animal? No? Hmm.”
    Paul stepped to the side, watching the aftershocks of the bomb he had dropped.
    “You’re a fucking fox,” Gage snarled. “Get out! Get out of here before I rip you to shreds.”
    “See? Bears have a nasty temper.” He waggled his finger in front of Gage’s nose.
    Avery staggered backward, her legs hitting the bear. “Bear? Fox?”
    Paul walked to the bedside table and snatched the ring from its case. “I might be a fox, but at least with me you wouldn’t have to have a den full of cubs. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He shoved the ring in his pocket, and walked out of the door.
    Gage had to lock up his bear or he would run after Paul and tear his limbs from his body without a second thought. He had possibly just destroyed the best thing he had in his life.
    “Avery?” He turned to her, but face was frozen with fright. He reached toward her, but she shrank.
    “Don’t touch me.” She ran toward the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
    Fuck.

19

Avery
    H er hands trembled . “Go away,” she shouted through the door. “Get out of my room.”
    “I’m not going to hurt you.” She could hear Gage pacing on the other side of the bathroom.
    “I don’t know who to trust. Please go.”
    She looked at the unfolded pile of clean clothes in the laundry basket. At least she could put on something to wear. She threw the silk nightie in her hamper and reached for a rust colored sweater and a pair of jeans.
    “Gage?” she called, wondering if the silence meant he had left.
    “Yeah?”
    She sighed. He was still there. But who was he? What was he?
    She had seen the look in his eyes when he barged in and found Paul holding her to the wall. There was a sense of utter protection and devotion emanating from his body. She had felt safe the instant she saw him. Somehow she knew Paul wouldn’t hurt her with Gage in the room.
    She cracked the door. “I’m coming out.”
    “Good.”
    She stood in front of him, not sure what to say. When she awoke in his arms this morning she had felt as if they were tied together. She knew his secrets. Only, there were more he hadn’t shared.
    “I swear I won’t hurt you.” His eyes pleaded with her.
    “I didn’t think Paul would hurt me either, but he just tried to strangle me.” She could still feel where his fingers had pressed into her throat.
    Gage grunted. “He’s a damn fox. I wouldn’t expect much.”
    Her eyes shot to him. “What does that even mean? Why did he say that? What were you two talking about?”
    He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’ve been with that asshole two years and he never told you.”
    “Tell me what?”
    “That he’s an animal shifter. We both are, Avery.” He pulled his shoulders back, and she marveled at just how wide his chest was. Gage was an enormous, powerful man.
    She shook her head. “That’s not even possible.”
    “It is. He’s from a line of fox shifters.”
    “And you’re a bear?”
    He nodded. “I am.”
    “Oh my God.” She sat on the bed, searching for something to keep her from falling.
    “He shouldn’t have told you about me. It wasn’t his place, but foxes might as well be weasels.” Gage sat next to her. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
    “Is any of it true? Anything you told me?”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Last night? The nightmares. Razastan. Was it all just a ploy to get me to fall for you?”
    “What? No. Hell no.” His eyes blazed. “I was in the Army. I was in Special Forces. Every bit of what I’ve said to you is true. I just hadn’t gotten to the bear shifter