Page 31 of Bred By the Beast

“It’s him! It’s him!” one shouted.

Wilder slashed the front of his torso, immediately killing him as his bloody body collapsed to the ground. His bear stood on his hind legs, roaring as he targeted the other two men. He dropped back down, the earth seeming to shake. Wilder chased down the third one, grabbing him by the thigh with his teeth, biting down hard as he swung the body like a rag doll into a tree. Before he could get the man in the forest, he heard the UTV’s engine rumble to life.

The last man made his escape, but Wilder’s only focus now was Poppy. He bound over to her. She looked absolutely terrified of him, and it broke his heart. He wished his bear could speak so he could tell her he’d never hurt her. To tell her she could pet his thick fur and find safety in his presence. Now wasn’t the time. She’d been through enough already.

After one more look at her, he disappeared into the forest where he’d left his satchel. Wilder pulled on his jeans. He reappeared shortly after in his skin.

“Wilder!” she shouted. “Be careful!”

He loved that she worried about him.

“Let me untie you,” he said, bending down next to her.

Once her hands were free, she swung her arms around his neck squeezing tightly. She was crying, her stomach convulsing.

“I don’t know what to think anymore,” she said.

“Everything will be okay. Let’s get you home.”

Then she pulled back, her brow furrowed. “No, I can’t.”

“Why?”

“You’re not who I thought you were.”

He froze. Had she figured out the beast of the forest was him? Was she rejecting him even before he had a chance to tell her the truth himself?

“Who am I?”

“Not what you wanted me to believe,” she said. Then she added, “I found your secret room.”

He swallowed hard. That room brought back a lot of unwanted memories. He’d moved on long ago and didn’t want to think about it. But seeing the room shouldn’t have revealed anything to her. It was empty, unused for decades.

“It’s just an old room. I’m the same man I was yesterday and the day before that. The man who loves you.”

She cried into her hands. “I wish I could believe that, Wilder.”

“I’ll explain everything. Answer any questions you have. Just come home with me. This area isn’t safe. More men could return. The authorities could come searching for the beast.”

“It was a bear,” she whispered.

“You saw it?”

She nodded. “He looked right at me. His eyes were dark ... like yours.”

Chapter Twelve

“All bears have dark eyes.”

Poppy had been able to stop shaking, and she looked over to the now resting fawn and wondered why she ever thought Wilder was a monster. After he got her back to his home, he’d gotten her a hot chocolate, and then she watched as he tended the fawn.

His entire manner was that of caring. His movements were slow as not to startle the fawn. He spoke quietly, softly. Such a contrast to his massive, intimidating size. Everything about his actions screamed caring and loving.

Yet, she couldn’t get the vision of that room out of her mind. She lifted her hot chocolate to her lips and took a sip. It tasted so damn good. Must be his honey.

Wilder came out from his bedroom, and he pulled out a chair. He’d changed his clothes and had taken a shower. So much had happened so fast. Poppy wasn’t sure what to think.

For the longest time, he just sat there, and neither of them spoke. Was he hurt she’d run away? Angry? She didn’t want to look at him, because the disappointment just ate away at her.