Bear Temptations Read online

  My feet were aching and sore from struggling and being bitten, though my boots did a good job at protecting my flesh from their teeth. Damn you, parents. Why couldn’t you have looked for Mary? Why couldn’t you have at least come with me? But it was no use cursing them, not only because it wouldn’t change anything, but because they were away at a conference together and couldn’t have come even if they’d wanted to.

  I played the situation out in my head during my journey back towards the camp, turning it in different ways, trying to determine what I could have done differently to not be in this horrid situation. Finally deciding this was the best I could do (unless I wanted to invite another guy to come with me at the last minute, which would’ve looked just a little desperate), I felt a little more at ease, trusting my instincts just a little bit more.

  Then I noticed the small flickering warm light in the distance. Is that a campfire? I squinted my eyes to get a better look, but it didn’t help—it was too dark. What laid beyond the light in the darkness didn’t matter, though: it was my only hope. Picking up my pace to a sprint, I ran toward the light as quickly and quietly as I could. I wanted their help if they seemed like normal people but didn’t want them to know I was there if they seemed weird.

  Approaching the beam, it quickly became obvious that it wasn’t a campfire or anything like that. It was a house. Or rather, it was a small cabin. There were actually no lights lit at all; the moon had just reflected off the windows in such a way that it looked like a gleaming ray of sunshine in this utter darkness.

  Through the windows, I could see that the cabin was completely dark. Nothing was moving in there, and I could only hope and assume that it was abandoned so I’d have somewhere safe to stay for the night. Or, if it wasn’t, then maybe I’d get some help! I pointed the dying flashlight towards the cabin’s porch in search of the door, and my eye caught on the rectangular lantern with a packet of matches tucked neatly under it. Whew! One stroke of luck, at least, since I didn’t bring matches.

  Lighting a match against the wind was harder than I thought it’d be, and after a minute’s struggle, I finally got the lantern going and was able to save the last of the flashlight’s batteries. I held the lantern high above my head and took a step towards the door, trying the doorknob. To my delight, it was unlocked, so I pushed the door open and in I went.

  Chapter 5

  As I stepped into the cabin, I quickly discovered that the light switches didn’t work and that the places was a totally dusty and dirty mess. I guess no one lives here after all. There were twigs and leaves everywhere and, fortunately for me, several more lanterns. Rapidly going and lighting each one, the room filled with light. There wasn’t much in the cabin for me to enjoy—it was certainly no home, and the aging, uncared for wooden walls and floors were evidence of that. And sadly, there was no electricity for me to charge my phone. But at least it was a roof over my head for the night until I could set off and try to find someone for help in the morning.

  Though there wasn’t much in the cabin, I decided to explore it nonetheless. The main living area had a small two-person wooden table (it looked handmade) and two chairs; there wasn’t even a couch for me to sit on. The kitchen was well-stocked with rusty pots, pans, and cutlery. There was a wood stove and, I was surprised to see, an oil refrigerator. Quickly opening it to see what I’d find, I discovered an assortment of berries, mushrooms, fish, and various cuts of meat that I couldn’t identify. In a cupboard, I found seeds and nuts. Yes, snacks! Fuck yes, I won’t starve if I’m stranded here for days, at least.

  Setting off into the next room, there was a single cot and one pair of jeans and a red plaid shirt hung up to dry, presumably. To my dismay, there wasn’t a bathroom or shower. Probably an outhouse around here somewhere.

  Concluding my search around this tiny, mostly empty house, I returned to the living room and sat cross-legged on the floor. My stomach was alerting me that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and, remembering the sandwich in my tote bag, I pulled it out along with my vodka. Nothing to chase it with, but better than nothing.

  Then, thinking better of it, I retrieved the berries from the fridge—chewing on berries after a swig will certainly taste better than swallowing air.

  The first few swigs of vodka went down rough, though it was certainly welcome after the weird day I was just finishing. I still wasn’t able to wrap my head around what had happened out there in the woods. Now, with my stomach filling up from my tuna sandwich and my body thoroughly being heated thanks to the vodka (and my sister’s slightly small cardigan that was snugly wrapped around me now), I finally was able to indulge in thinking and reflecting over what the hell happened tonight.

  I racked my brains to figure out if my parents had told me anything out of the ordinary about Mary’s new boyfriend. They’d apparently met in a bar just a couple of weeks ago and Brad had immediately taken a liking to my sister. My mom thought he was normal enough, but did find it weird how much they were glued to each other those first two weeks and how quickly they’d decided to go on vacation together (even if it was just camping). Especially since my sister was only 19 and Brad apparently constantly had a flock of cheerleaders surrounding him.

  She certainly didn’t tell me about him—I only just found out she even had a boyfriend when I came back home to discover she was missing! Social media and the Internet told me everything I needed to know about him though and he seemed normal enough, but now I can’t help but wonder if he’s involved in some sort of weird gang or cult? This obviously didn’t help me with determining why he’d abduct her, if that’s what happened at all. There were a billion reasons why, ranging from him being crazy to them having run off to elope. Not that this explained why her stuff was trashed while his wasn’t present at all… God damnit, Mary, my mind cried as I raked my fingers through my wavy, dirty blonde curls.

  As my head started getting fuzzy, buzzing nicely from the amount of vodka I’d consumed, it reoccurred to me that I’d just almost gotten killed by wolves. Or at least I thought I had! But they ended up being people, or something? Maybe the wolves belonged to people and the people came out to grope me once I was deemed helpless. But that wouldn’t explain how they returned to wolf form as they were running away from the bear.

  Racking my brain for an explanation, I suddenly remembered reading a headline in the news a few weeks ago that really stuck out: New Virus Makes People Feel Like Animals. After reading the title, I couldn’t help but assume that it was a joke article or just referred to heightened senses or something. Now the regret burned through me with the wish that I’d paid more attention to the article.

  Once my cheeks started becoming numb, I knew it was time to head to bed. It didn’t matter how much I pondered the current situation: it wasn’t going to help me get closer to my sister and certainly wouldn’t give me insight on these wolf shifters, not even if I had an eternity to think about it.

  Staggering up with lantern in hand, it felt like the steps towards the dining table were yards away even though it must’ve only taken me a few steps to reach it. My hair swept some of the dust off the table as the lantern whooshed out with a blow from my lips. And in the corner of my eye, something moved outside the window.

  What the fuck was that?

  Fear filled me once again as it occurred to me that I’d have even less of a chance of protecting myself in this isolated cabin. Quickly, I put out all of the other lanterns except for the one already in my hand, which I held at my legs to try to minimize the light. I leaned against the wall and tried to peer out the window as cautiously as I could, careful to not make myself seen by whatever was out there. It was no use; the view outside the window was pitch black, especially with the lit room I was in. Setting the lantern down on the ground, I decided I’d be able to peer outside more easily now that they had less of a chance of looking inside without the lantern illuminating me. I cupped my hand to look out the window in hopes of catching whatever it was, and then I saw it. It was a bear (maybe
the same bear as before?), pacing back and forth, as if it was troubled by something.

  Well, I’d certainly be safer if I had as many doors separating me from the wild as possible, so I stumbled into the small bedroom and quietly shut the door behind me. Gingerly placing my bag on the ground, I felt my way towards the cot. My fingers brushed against something furry; exploring further, I happily discovered that there was a pelt blanket carelessly tossed to the side of the cot, out of my vision. Won’t be needing these, then, I thought with a giggle as I peeled off my torn, dirty clothes. The booze had really done me good, because otherwise there’d have been no way I’d be able to rest easy tonight. For now, I was filled with happy thoughts in spite of everything that had gone wrong, delighted that I was able to find somewhere warm to sleep, had food in the fridge, and apparently a bear that cared about my well-being. The last thought released another one of my giggles, and I dozed off with a smile.

  Chapter 6

  The creaking of the wooden boards is what woke me up. I had no idea what time it was as I used my phone for time rather than a watch; what I knew was that I was still exhausted and very much still drunk rather than hungover. So it must have only been a few hours, probably sometime between midnight and 3 a.m. as I had no idea what time I discovered this cabin in the midst of all the craziness. There it was again, the creaking of the floorboards. Was someone in here? Then it all clicked into place: of course someone lived here. Who else would keep the fridge stocked or have clothes hanging to dry? It didn’t hang itself.

  I was wide awake now and pulled the pelt higher over my body up to my neck, hugging it to me with clenched fists. My eyes were straining against the dark, trying to make out shapes to determine if the person was already in the room with me. There were certainly no breathing noises in the room, that’s for sure. Hugging my knees to my chest as I sat up, horror struck me as the memory flooded back of me stripping naked before crawling into bed. I had no idea where I’d flung the clothes and the lantern was off; I could only feel around with my hands to try to determine where my clothes had gone and tried my hardest to do it from the comfort of the uncomfortable cot. It felt as if things would get a lot realer if I were to walk around the room naked. Especially if, god forbid, the resident of this cabin entered the room to find me like that. Who knew what they’d do. Whoever lived here certainly wasn’t normal, considering the location of their residence and the scarcity of belongings.

  Yes! Perfect! My hands finally grasped the denim fabric of my skirt right next to my tote bag, which was full of my sister’s untattered tops. As I began pulling it towards me, the door swung open with a slam, causing me to hurl my back into bed and drop my belongings at once. “Fuck,” I swore aloud.

  Looking up, the person’s body loomed in the doorway, burly and foreboding. Light shone behind the man from the living room, allowing me to appreciate his silhouette. He flicked his hand up, light filling the room as all of the lightbulbs lit within the room. It pierced through my vision and blinded me. “What the hell? There’s electricity here?” was my initial response of shock. There I was, having gone through all that trouble with the lanterns!

  “What’re you doing in here?” he asked angrily, his dark brows furrowing as he studied my surprised face. It took me a moment to respond as I paused to take in his features. He was dressed in a red plaid shirt, folded up over his forearms to expose his muscular triceps, and faded denim jeans. His thick, dark hair was windswept to the side and, together with his facial hair, complemented his dark brown eyes perfectly with contrast to his light skin. In the light, he almost looked angelic; his head and body positioned in such a manner that made him exude stoicism.

  Finally lifting my eyes to meet his, I responded apologetically, “I didn’t realize anyone lived here. These woods can be awfully confusing and I couldn’t find my way back to the road while it was dark and stumbled upon your home.” I almost added that I could leave if he wanted me to, but didn’t under fear that he’d take me up on the offer—I couldn’t afford to go back into the wild right now in the middle of the night.

  His features softened with the realization that I must have been lost and scared, and it made him look much younger than I’d initially thought. The skin on his face was smooth and glowing, the only creases on his face being those that crinkled at the corner of his eyes from laughter. The man nodded and gruffly said, “I can take you to town in the morning. Rest here; I’ll sleep in the living room.”

  Surprised at his chivalry, I smiled at him in awe before quickly realizing that he could be my source of information to find my sister. “Wait,” I said as he turned to leave. “The only reason I was in the woods to begin with was to find my sister, Mary. She’s… she’s gone missing. I saw her camp a ways back. It was completely trashed. There’s no sign of her and especially no sign of her boyfriend as I couldn’t even find any of his stuff. Have you possibly seen them?”

  He just stared at me blankly as I explained this for a moment, digesting my words. The seconds stretched between us and I shifted in bed awkwardly as he carried on staring. Then, as if winning an inner battle with himself, he asked, “Do you drink tea? Come out and sit with me; I might have an idea of where your sister is.”

  Chapter 7

  After pulling up my skirt and throwing one of my sister’s tops on, I wrapped her cardigan around me and tentatively stepped out into the living room. The stranger was just setting down two steaming mugs of tea on the table along with a small bowl of nuts and berries. “Eat. You must be hungry,” he said quietly.

  “Actually, I ate right before I slept, but thank you,” I responded as I took a seat, slipping a nut into my mouth all the same. “I’m Nicole, by the way,” I said warmly, extended my hand to shake his.

  “Beorn,” he stated, emphasizing the ‘orn’. As he took my hand in his, I couldn’t help but notice how long his nails were: dark, thick, and pointed. They almost looked like claws but were probably due to years of neglect. The warmth of his skin sent electricity through my body and warmed my heart; I’d never felt that strong of a pull with anyone before—let alone from a handshake. I quickly pulled my hand back, shooting him a tight, shaky smile.

  “So, Beorn,” I paused to see if I said his name right and carried on when he didn’t indicate otherwise, “you know where my sister is?”

  “Not certain,” he stated bluntly. “I have an idea. There’s a… tribe.” Beorn didn’t say it too convincingly, but he continued, “The tribe lives in the woods. It consists only of men. Every few months, I see them with a woman. They bring her in and keep her for a few weeks.”

  “Keep her? What do you mean, keep her? Do they let her go after?” I asked frantically, confused. They can’t keep Mary. She’s my sister!

  “I’ve never seen ‘em leave. I mostly keep to myself out here. They do their business, I do mine.”

  Getting teary-eyed and worried for my sister all over again, I grabbed his hands and pleaded with him, “You have to take me to her, Beorn. She’s only 19, they can’t just take her. She has her whole life ahead of her. She’s supposed to be starting university with me in a few months! Mary’s the only sister I have.” Tears were spilling at this point and there was nothing I could do to stop them. Embarrassed, I raised the tea to my lips and blew on it with shaky breaths, taking a tiny sip.

  Beorn looked hesitant; I knew I must have been disrupting his life and his peace with the tribe, but this was my sister, damnit. Nothing mattered but bringing her home. “I can take you to her when light breaks the sky,” he said reluctantly. Light breaks the sky? Who says that? “But you must know about these tribesmen. They’re not normal.”

  “Obviously. What kind of normal people would just keep an innocent person?” I exclaimed before realizing that the tribesmen must be the people who owned the wolves. “I think… I think I met the tribesmen earlier. I was attacked by wolves and there were people there and this bear saved me,” I began, not caring about how crazy I sounded. Though if he thought my words were
insane, he didn’t indicate any such thing. In fact, he actually nodded almost knowingly.

  “Those were the tribes people,” he agreed. “They’re dangerous, you shouldn’t be near them without protection.” Beorn’s face was overcome with concern; the soft look on his face completely melting my heart. I couldn’t help but watch the way his lips moved as he spoke, too. They were rather voluptuous lips, just begging to be kissed. As worried as I was about my sister, this man was gorgeous. He had an accent when he spoke, too. Or I guess it’s more of a dialect. Nothing I’d ever heard before, just almost like he’s disconnected from reality and doesn’t quite know how to talk like a normal person. I guess being cut off from civilization will do that to you.

  “It’s not like I ran into them on purpose; I was looking for my sister,” I reminded him.

  “What’d they say when they saw you?” he asked.

  Suddenly, my tea was extremely interesting to look at as I blushed furiously. I studied it for a long moment before mumbling, “They didn’t say anything at all.” Memories of how much I enjoyed the encounter came flooding back; it made me curious as to how much more I’d enjoy a similar encounter with Beorn. Though I can’t imagine him manhandling me like those tribesmen did. When my eyes met his again he was just looking at me quizzically. “It was nothing,” I insisted, “there was really no time to talk before I was saved by the bear.”

  Pride filled his face and eyes when I said that last bit and it was my turn to look confused. “I’m glad you’re okay,” he said. “There are a couple of places these w—tribes people could be. If they’re not at the one I believe it’ll be a longer journey… Go get rest. I’ll wake you when day breaks.” He was already clearing the dishes.

  Returning to the bedroom, I turned around to say goodnight, but he was already out of my vision. The only thing I could see was the silhouette of a large, four-legged creature in the shadows. Blinking a few times to clear my vision, I looked again and saw that it was just the reflection of Beorn wiping the table clean while hunched over. I really should get some sleep. Returning to bed, I passed out even more quickly than before.