Big Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (BRIDES Fur BEARS Book 4) Read online

  BIG BEAR

  By

  Natalie Kristen

  For more books set in Shadow Point

  BRIDES fur BEARS

  Bad Bear (Book 1)

  Brave Bear (Book 2)

  Brash Bear (Book 3)

  Big Bear (Book 4)

  GRAY BEARS

  Marrying the Bear (Book 1)

  Loving the Bear (Book 2)

  Mating the Bear (Book 3)

  Tempting the Bear (Book 4)

  Taming the Lion (Book 5)

  Embracing the Lion (Book 6)

  Copyright © 2016 by Natalie Kristen

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously or are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual locales, events, establishments or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  About this Book

  Zoe Riley is passionate about her job and she loves working as a nurse in a small town hospital. To raise funds to upgrade the children's wing, the hospital decides to hold a fun, quirky charity auction.

  Zoe jumps in with both feet to help. It sounded like a great idea at first, but now she's not so sure.

  What if—she's the only one standing on stage without a single bid?

  When Nick Sullivan sees that curvy, beautiful new nurse on stage, he is determined to have her. He never thought he'd meet the woman of his dreams, the mate of his heart, right here in Shadow Point. He has found her and he will never let her go.

  But another man, a stranger in town, seems to have his sights on Zoe as well.

  Zoe finds herself hunted by a powerful, hidden enemy.

  It is a deadly game of cat and mouse, but Zoe is no mouse.

  And no chicken either.

  Zoe will have to access her inner—nah, she's no dragon, she's something else, something as rare and powerful as her ancient enemy—and fight to save and protect all she holds dear...

  *

  CHAPTER ONE

  Zoe Riley stepped away from the examination table and gathered up the bandages. “All done,” she said with a reassuring smile. “Just try to keep your arm dry. And stay away from angry kettles.”

  “Hmph! Angry kettles,” Gramma snorted. “I'll show them who's boss. An angry kettle's got nothing on an angry witch!”

  Shaking her good fist, Gramma hopped nimbly down from the examination table without Ne-ma's help. Even with a heavily bandaged arm, the elderly woman was sprightly and spunky. “Stupid kettle won't listen to instructions! Bad kettle.” Gramma scowled and rounded on Ne-ma. “I told you we should have gotten rid of that bad kettle a long time ago.”

  Ne-ma rolled her eyes and pushed up her glasses. “It's not the kettle that's bad. It's our spell that's wonky. And you know it,” she said, jabbing her finger into Gramma's chest.

  “I don't care. That kettle poured hot water on my arm!” Gramma wailed, holding up her bandaged arm for emphasis.

  Ne-ma patted her shoulder. “Ah, we should have known better. The last time we cast a spell on an electric appliance, we fried the washing machine.”

  Gramma cringed. “Yeah. That short-circuited everything. The whole inn was plunged into darkness. The guests all had a terrible fright.”

  Zoe listened to their banter with curiosity and amusement as she put the things away. The doctor on duty had attended to Gramma when she first came in. After treating her scalded arm, the doctor had instructed Zoe to finish bandaging Gramma's arm before hurrying away to attend to another emergency.

  As an experienced nurse, Zoe could see that Gramma's injury wasn't that serious. But still, there would be some pain and discomfort.

  Zoe had gotten to know Gramma and Ne-ma when they lugged one of their burly grandsons into the hospital's emergency department a few months ago. Their youngest grandson, Jackson Gray, had tumbled off a ladder and broken his leg. Ignoring Jackson's protests, Gramma and Ne-ma had stuffed their beefy grandson into their little car and sped him straight to the hospital.

  Zoe had attended to Jackson together with the doctor on duty that night. Jackson said he had been helping his grandmothers with some repair work at their inn. Gramma and Ne-ma ran Broomstick Inn together, and Jackson and his three elder brothers took turns coming round to help their grandmothers fix a leak or change some light bulbs.

  Zoe had chit-chatted with Jackson to take his mind off the pain as she helped the doctor dress his wound. She learned that Jackson and his brothers were bear shifters, while their two grandmothers were witches. Jackson was a friendly, cheerful guy and he had proudly whipped out his wallet to show her pictures of his wife and son.

  The doctor had allowed Gramma and Ne-ma into the treatment room with their grandson. The two little old ladies hovered behind Zoe, watching her anxiously and peppering her with questions as she worked. Not all their questions were about their grandson's injury though. They asked Zoe about herself, and when they found out that Zoe had only been transferred to the Shadow Point hospital about three months ago, they took it upon themselves to tell her all about the town and everyone in it.

  They were bringing her up to speed, they said.

  It seemed like Gramma and Ne-ma knew almost everyone in the small town of Shadow Point. They made it their business to know everyone's business, but it was clear that they cared deeply about their friends, neighbors and community. They were sociable, active and vivacious, and they reminded Zoe of her own wise, big-hearted Nana.

  She took an instant liking to them, and by the time she ushered Gramma and Ne-ma out of the treatment room that evening, the three of them were chattering and laughing like old friends.

  Working as a nurse allowed Zoe to meet new people constantly. The job also kept her on her toes. A good nurse had to have a quick mind, a sharp eye, and a steady hand. Zoe took very good care of her patients, and she knew just what to say and do to calm her patients down. The job was hectic and demanding, and she had to deal with a lot of people every single day. But she loved it. She loved being a nurse, and she wanted to try every aspect of nursing.

  She had volunteered to be transferred from a big, urban hospital to a rural hospital so she could gain experience dealing with all types of patients, not just human ones. Shadow Point had a large paranormal population, and so far, she had attended to shifters, vampires, fae folk and witches. It was an eye-opener and she was loving her stint here in Shadow Point Hospital.

  And she got to meet lovely people like Gramma and Ne-ma.

  Zoe finished putting the bandages and bottles away and glanced over her shoulder to see Gramma and Ne-ma eyeing her expectantly.

  “Okay, what is it?” She laughed. “What do you want to ask me? I haven't heard any new gossip from the patients though.”

  “Tell us more about the charity auction that the hospital is planning,” Ne-ma blurted out, her eyes shining with excitement behind her glasses. “Please, Zoe!”

  “Ah. So you've heard.” Of course they had. Gramma and Ne-ma kept themselves up to date with everything. The two witches nodded eagerly at her.

  “Well, as you've heard, the hospital is planning to hold a fundraising auction,” Zoe began. “We'll be raising funds to upgrade the children's wing. If we raise enough money, we can get new beds, equipment, renovate the children's wards and make the whole plac
e more comfortable and cheerful for our young patients. The auction...”

  Before she could finish, Gramma and Ne-ma pushed forward and squealed, “We want to help! Sign us up for the auction, Zoe!”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Oh boy, we have to do this!”

  “This sounds like fun!”

  “Do tell us more. What, or who, is being auctioned?” Ne-ma prompted. “We heard some sexy nurses will be on auction.”

  Zoe chuckled and shook her head at Gramma and Ne-ma. These two little old ladies had boundless energy and their excitement was infectious.

  “You're just trying to get me to confirm what you already know!” When Gramma and Ne-ma didn't deny it, she stuck out her tongue at them and went on, “All right, I'll tell you. You'll find out anyway. Most of the nurses and some doctors have signed up for the auction. A few patients who have been discharged have volunteered for the auction as well. In fact, anyone can volunteer for the auction. But I know some people aren't comfortable going up on stage and auctioning themselves.” Like me.

  “We want to do the auction,” Gramma insisted. “Sounds totally fun!”

  “I don't know about the fun part,” Zoe said with a wince. “Honestly, I think it's going to be a nerve-wrecking experience. We'll all be conducting our own auctions. Imagine that, we'll be our own auctioneers! I don't even know how I'm going to do it! I think I'll be too nervous and jittery to have fun.”

  “Don't worry, we'll be with you. And with us around, you won't be nervous at all. It's settled then. We're doing this together!” Gramma and Ne-ma hooted.

  Gramma and Ne-ma were well-known and well-loved in the community. They would definitely be able to raise a significant amount of money for the hospital. Many people would put in their bids just to support and encourage those two irrepressible, bubbly grandmothers. But Zoe always put her patients' safety and welfare first. She stared at Gramma's bandaged arm and frowned. She always advised her patients to have lots of rest and not overexert themselves...

  Ne-ma saw Zoe's look of concern and cut in, “Don't worry. I'll take care of Glynda. Just put us together for the auction. You can count on me, Zoe,” Ne-ma said. “It's all good. Everyone wins! And the highest bidder will be getting two witches for the price of one!”

  Gramma and Ne-ma hi-fived each other and giggled.

  Zoe narrowed her eyes at the two chuckling witches and said sternly, “I'll be keeping an eye on you, Gramma. If I see any sign of pain or discomfort, I will come over and make sure...”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Gramma said, waving her away. “Don't you worry now. I'm fit as a fiddle.”

  “And stubborn as a mule,” Ne-ma quipped.

  “It's just an auction,” Gramma huffed. “Will I be required to do stunts, or somersault across the stage?” Gramma challenged.

  “No,” Zoe answered. “But you should get enough rest and not strain...”

  “Oh, I'll rest when I'm dead,” Gramma declared defiantly. “I'm on! Make sure I'm on. I'm sure we'll attract some of the highest bids at the auction!” Gramma smirked and did a hip bump with Ne-ma.

  After Gramma and Ne-ma left, Zoe took a deep breath and wondered briefly what had possessed her to sign up for the auction in the first place. Why didn't she just volunteer to sing or dance instead? There would be quite a few performances before the auction, and a large crowd was expected.

  Her fellow nurses had all wanted to be part of the auction, so she had just gone along. It sounded like fun at the time, but now, on second thought...what if she was the only one standing on that stage without a single bid?

  Zoe shook away that mortifying thought. This wasn't about her. They were raising money for the children's ward. She was doing this for the children, the patients.

  Surely there would be a kind soul in Shadow Point who would put in a pity bid for her.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “You painted the kitchen the wrong color! The client's going to have a heart attack,” Nick Sullivan snarled at his crew. They were rushing to complete a remodeling job on time, and the smallest mistake could cost them precious time and money. The company had a few projects going on simultaneously, and they were all divided into small, lean teams.

  “It's a small mistake,” Damien said sheepishly. “Geez, I didn't know there're so many shades of gray!”

  “There are fifty shades of gray, don't you know?” Graham snorted.

  There were more snarky comebacks but Nick tuned them all out.

  “Come on, come on, let's fix this. Now!” Nick barked.

  “If we all pitch in, we should be able to fix it in the nick of time,” Damien trilled. “Right, Nick?”

  Nick glared at Damien as the guy chortled and hi-fived his mates, clearly pleased with his clever pun.

  Inhaling deeply, Nick tried to count to ten under his breath. He only made it to five.

  “Move it, people,” he roared. “We'll have to stay back for an hour or so. But let's get this done before the Harrisons come back.”

  The Harrison family had gone to live with an aunt in the next town while their house was being renovated. There was nothing valuable in the house, but Nick made sure he locked up and secured the premises carefully every evening when the guys left. Beck's Builders took pride in their work and took good care of their clients. Their old clients recommended new clients to them, and the business kept growing.

  Beck's Builders had started out as just a two-man odd-job company. Back then, it had just been Nick and his best friend, Marcus Beck. Over the years, the company had expanded and business had boomed. Marcus's two younger brothers, Josh and Jax, had also joined the company. Beck's Builders had come a long way, and it had grown to become one of the largest, most reputable renovation and remodeling companies in Shadow Point.

  A company is only as good as the people it keeps. Nick firmly believed that.

  Most of the guys they hired were shifters, so they were incredibly strong and fast. But strength and speed counted for nothing if the guys didn't have the right attitude. His guys were loud and rowdy, but when there was work to be done and a deadline to beat, every one of those guys pulled his weight and more. They never cut corners, and they always delivered on time.

  After swearing at Damien and making the rascal promise to buy a round of drinks, the guys got right down to work.

  Nick was opening a new can of paint when he heard a sharp whistle behind him.

  His scowl faded when he saw Gramma and Ne-ma beckoning excitedly to him from the street.

  Wiping his hands on his jeans, Nick stood up and went over to them. Those two effervescent grandmothers were always up to something.

  “Gramma, Ne-ma, what can I do for you?” he asked, touching the tip of his hard hat.

  His smile vanished when he saw Gramma's bandaged arm. “What happened? How did you hurt yourself, Gramma?”

  “Bad kettle,” Gramma answered, waving away his question with her good hand.

  Beside her, Ne-ma mouthed, Bad spell.

  Nick gave a barely perceptible nod and carefully maintained a straight, neutral expression.

  Gramma hated to admit that her spells didn't always work. She saw that as a personal failure. Nick could understand that streak of perfectionism in Gramma. She wanted her spell work to be perfect, but sometimes accidents and mistakes happened.

  Gramma and Ne-ma were good witches, but some of their spells didn't exactly work the way they were supposed to. But Gramma and Ne-ma weren't daunted or discouraged by their failures. They loved trying their hand at anything and everything, and they never let anything or anyone stop them.

  “We're here to sell some tickets to you boys,” Ne-ma announced cheerfully.

  “Tickets?”

  “For the hospital's fundraising auction.” Gramma beamed and waved a fistful of tickets enticingly.

  “You don't want to miss this. There will be exciting performances before the auction. The hospital staff have been busy rehearsing. I've seen them. They're good!” Ne-ma gushed.

/>   “And trust me, you won't want to miss the auction! There's going to be something for everyone.” Gramma waggled her brows. “The hospital's hoping to raise enough money from the auction to upgrade the children's wing.”

  “A charity auction? That sounds great! We'll help, of course we'll help. What do they need? Do they need us to donate any items for their auction? We can...” Nick began.

  Gramma and Ne-ma started giggling. “No. It's not that kind of auction.”

  “What do you mean?” Nick asked, puzzled.

  “There won't be any items on auction,” Gramma said.

  Nick frowned at them, not comprehending. But he held his tongue and waited patiently for them to continue.

  The two exuberant, zealous grandmothers could sometimes get ahead of themselves, but when they committed to something, they would get it done, by hook or by crook. They were always the first to volunteer for any community and charity events.

  “Go on, ask us,” Gramma urged, her eyes twinkling in mischief.

  “All right,” Nick said, throwing up his hands. “I'll bite. You're not auctioning items, so—what's on auction then?”

  Gramma and Ne-ma chuckled, obviously delighted at having baited him so successfully. “People!” they hooted together. “Just people!”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  “What?” Nick blinked at them.

  Gramma laughed and tut-tutted at him. “It's not what you're thinking. Get your mind out of the gutter, Nick.”

  “But I wasn't even...” he sputtered in protest.

  “We'll be on auction,” Ne-ma said proudly, jerking her thumb at the two of them. “Together with some of the hospital staff.”

  “Okay,” Nick said slowly. “How does this work?”

  “Well, we put ourselves up for auction and the highest bidder can ask us to do anything for him or her,” Gramma explained happily.