Page 4 of Bearly Mated

“I’m not taking your money. That’s not why we’re here,” I said firmly. “I’m going to fill out the paperwork to become a breeder. With the money that comes with growing a little bear shifter, I can pay everything off, and have enough left over to fix up my dad’s house.”

“No, Callie.” He leaned over the table, his hands on the surface. The man was so big, most people would’ve felt threatened by the motion. Not me, though. “That’s not the only answer.”

“It’s thebestanswer.”

Hudson growled at me, and I didn’t let myself look around the diner. We had everyone’s attention, without a doubt, and it was far from the first time he’d growled at me. Wouldn’t be the last, either. “I’ll find you another way.”

He stood, taking my papers with him as he stormed out.

He wasn’t going to find anything. I’d paid a lawyer to look through it already. Couldn’t afford not to, in my situation.

I could choose to spend the next two decades struggling with money and barely making ends meet, or I could agree to let a bear shifter breed me, and raise my baby without having to stress.

Considering I’d always wanted to start a family, the second option was clearly better. Sure, it wouldn’t be a traditional family, but I would love my baby enough to make it work.

Hudson had always been protective, so his response was exactly what I expected. There was no way I could’ve gone behind his back and filled out the paperwork without talking to him first, though.

With every eye on me, I grabbed my bag and slipped out of the diner.

An hour later, I was leaving Hudson’s father’s house with a signed contract and a card that listed my upcomingappointment times. There was a bear shifter tailing me, as there would be until the breeding was done.

And though my heart was beating insanely hard, I was still confident I’d made the right choice.

My life was going to change—but it would change for the better.

two

HUDSON

“You should’ve saidno,”I snarled at my father, raking a hand through my hair for the dozenth time. I’d been fighting the urge to shift and let my bear rampage since I left the diner.

I worked for the supernatural government’s security team, so I had access to a damn good demon lawyer. But by the time I got off the phone with him, Callie had already been on clan land and signed away her life.

“She had proof that the debt was inescapable.”

“I could’ve bailed her out,” I said through gritted teeth.

“We both know her well enough to be confident she would never have allowed that.Thisis how we bail her out. Now, tell me which of our males you’d prefer to breed her.” He spread pictures of our unmated clan members over his desk, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

I saw red. “Anyone who touches her loses their fucking head.”

“I could call in one of your friends from the security crew, if you’d prefer.”

I bit back a roar of outrage, clenching my fists as I fought the urge to shift.

My father leaned back in his chair, as if the conversation wasrelaxing. “Or you could admit that you’ve considered her yours since you were a kid.”

My fists clenched tighter. “You know I’ve never wanted to do that to her. Bear shifters don’t stay with their mates.”

“I know you’ve been in love with her and fighting the urge to claim her since you were fifteen. Now, you’ve got one day to decide whether you’ll mate her or let someone else have her.”

“This is bullshit,” I growled.

“It’s life, Hudson.”

I forced myself to leave before I could do something I might regret. As soon as I was free of the building, my fur tore through my skin, and I shifted. Barreling into the trees, I forced my mind to clear.

Bear shifters didn’t live with their mates, and there wasn’t a fucking chance I would let myself hurt Callie by leaving her.

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