Lone Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Mountain Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

pick up anything while I’m there?”
    “Could you bring me a change of clothes and a sweater? Everything is in my dresser.”
    “Okay. While I’m gone, you stay here. I’m setting the alarm, so you’ll be safe inside. Don’t open any doors or windows for any reason, do you understand? Otherwise, make yourself at home. When I get back, we need to talk.”
    She nodded in agreement and he pressed a kiss to her lips.
    “Good. I’ll be back soon.”
    He opened the door, secured the alarm and stepped out into the brisk evening. The temperature had dropped rapidly, but he didn’t feel it. All of his senses rested on one thing.
    He would avenge his mate.

Chapter Three
     
    Gage maneuvered his truck down the snowy hill with the precision gained from driving in snow for nearly three centuries. He raced across town on the darkened, lonely street, fueled by rage. Even without the poor weather, the late hour meant most of the town had turned in for the night, but he had a feeling the sheriff would be in his office.
    He noticed the deputy’s squad car parked in front of the café and realized Randy would be wondering about Kate, too. She’d never returned his car. He made a note to talk to the man after he confronted her attacker.
    He hastily made his way inside the sheriff’s office and found the man at his desk. The contents of Kate’s purse lay spread out over the surface and a handled paper bag, labeled with one of the mall store’s names, sat in a chair next to the desk.
    “What the hell are you doing?” Gage roared when he saw her things spread out.
    The sheriff had a cast around his left hand and Gage couldn’t help the predatory smile that crossed his lips. His mate had broken the man’s hand when she slammed the truck door and made her escape. It had to be the reason he hadn’t followed her up the mountain. Her survival instincts rivaled any bear’s.
    The deputy and Randy came running inside the office and Dave approached him carefully.
    “Kate’s gone missing, Gage. Tom found her things on the side of the road, along with Randy’s car,” the deputy explained.
    Gage glanced at the deputy, and then at Randy and realized the elderly man believed this story and thought Katie had disappeared. He’d always treated her like a father and his pain at the horrifying news was evident.
    “Are you kidding me?” Gage roared at the sheriff. “What were you going to say when Kate showed up and told the truth? That she’s lying? No one in this town would ever believe you, you sick bastard.”
    “What do you mean, Gage?” Randy asked.
    “Katherine won’t remember clearly what happened to her,” the sheriff said as if Randy hadn’t spoken. “She’s been through an emotional evening and though her attacker looked a lot like me, he wasn’t me.” The man relayed the words calmly, with no hint of remorse or deception. He believed his lies, which meant he was far more dangerous than Gage had originally thought.
    “Randy, Katie is safe. She’s at my house right now.”
    “Oh, thank goodness,” the grabbed his chest. “Thank you for taking care of her.” The man’s approval meant more than he could let on.
    He turned his attention to the deputy. “Are you in on this, too?”
    “In on what? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dave answered. “Wait, how did Kate end up with you?”
    “She ran up the mountain to get away from him,” Gage seethed, and pointed at the sheriff. “How did he tell you he hurt his hand?”
    “He said he got drunk last night and hit a tree messing around with one of his friends in the next town over.”
    “He’s lying. He tried to rape Kate and she slammed the truck door on his hand.”
    “What?” Dave asked at the same time Randy expressed his concern.
    “Is she okay, Gage?”
    “She’s shaken up, but she’s okay. Our girl is strong,” he reassured Randy.
    “Did you try to hurt that girl, Tom?” Dave asked the sheriff, but the man didn’t respond.
    The