Bear Unbound: A BBW Bear-Shifter Romance (Shift Your Fate Book 1) Read online

  BEAR UNBOUND

  SHIFT YOUR FATE, BOOK ONE

  Copyright © 2016 by Cara Wylde

  All rights reserved.

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

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  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  Shift Your Fate – Reading Order

  More Books by Cara Wylde

  About the Author

  CHAPTER ONE

  Amber emptied her glass of wine and smiled and nodded when Emil offered to pour her another. Her food remained untouched. She reassured Rebecca the roast was lovely, but she simply couldn’t eat. She hadn’t eaten properly in days, and it had started to show. She was pale, weak, and she had lost a few pounds, although not nearly enough to make her husband want her again. No matter. Now, she didn’t want him. Not even if he came all the way from Chicago to New York and begged. But Amber knew Stephan would never do that. She swallowed heavily, the wine suddenly making her feel dizzy and slightly sick.

  “May I have some?” asked Ava from across the table.

  Amber shook her head at her 8-year-old daughter. “No, you may not.”

  The child huffed and stuffed more chicken into her mouth.

  “At least she’s eating well,” Amber thought. One of these days, she’d have to tell her daughter about the divorce, about how her father had betrayed them both and forced them to leave and start a new life. She didn’t have the power. She was tired, so tired… She watched Ava as she finished her meal and drank the glass of milk Becca had prepared for her. She would soon be sleepy, and then Amber would take her to bed, tuck her in, then come back and have a real chat with her best friend. Yes, Rebecca Gilbert was her best friend, even though this was only the second time she saw her. She couldn’t believe it had been less than a month since she met her in Segesvar, Romania, when she and Stephan still believed they could save their marriage. Rebecca had just met Emil Severin then, and now they were married.

  “So, Emil… how do you find the U.S.?” She had to take her mind off her problems, if only for a while, and Becca’s husband was a really interesting guy. Oh, how she would love to meet someone like him one day!

  Emil grabbed his own glass and took a sip before speaking. He only knew Amber from what Becca had told him about her. Even though his wife trusted her, he knew she hadn’t told her about his shape-shifting abilities, nor about the real reason why he had moved to New York. The second real reason, in fact. The first was Rebecca.

  “I love it! It’s quite intimidating, but I think I’m making progress. It helps to know that if it gets too overwhelming, we can always run back to Segesvar for a couple of days, since Becca convinced me to keep the business there.” He found his wife’s hand under the table and squeezed it.

  “That’s awesome! So, you still have the inn and the tour company in Segesvar… Do you intend to start a similar business here, or…?”

  “No. I have started a business, but it’s something completely different. The business in Romania was my parents’ and that’s why I kept it, but it was never something I wanted to do all my life.”

  “Changes… so many changes…” whispered Amber, thinking of how she’d have to start working again after ten years of being a stay-at-home wife and mother.

  Rebecca felt they were about to lose her, so she cleared her throat and intervened. “Emil opened a private investigation office.”

  “Oh wow! That sounds so cool!” Amber was immediately drawn back into the conversation. She had been fascinated by private investigators since she first read “Sherlock Holmes”. She turned to Emil and suddenly saw him in a different light. His dark blond hair, bright green eyes, wide shoulders and perfectly sculpted chest… Becca was a lucky woman. “I bet you’re working on some exciting cases.”

  “Not really,” smiled Emil. “I’ve just got my third case, and it’s anything but exciting.” He wanted to give her details, but Rebecca squeezed his fingers and he knew it would’ve been a bad idea. He had been hired by a woman who thought her husband was cheating on her. Definitely not a good topic.

  “I wanna go to bed…” Ava yawned cutely, then looked up at Becca. “Thank you for the food. It was delicious.”

  “Aww… My pleasure!” said Rebecca. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

  Amber drank the rest of her wine and stood up. She took her daughter’s hand and disappeared into the spare bedroom Becca had prepared for them. She couldn’t believe she was here, in New York, in her friend’s apartment. She and her daughter. She took out Ava’s pajamas from one of the heavy suitcases and helped her change into them, but her mind was someplace else.

  It had been three days ago that she had found out her husband had been cheating on her from day one. Over the ten years they had been together, he had had over five mistresses. He had played her for a fool, and when she confronted him about it, he had only laughed in her face and told her not to worry because he never loved any of them. “Then why? Why did you cheat on me? Why are you still doing it?” she had asked, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know… Because that’s how things work… That’s what Castells do…” What sort of answer was that?

  Amber sniffed her nose and struggled to keep herself from crying. She didn’t want her daughter to see her like that. The girl took her teddy bear and climbed under the duvet, letting her mother tuck her in and kiss her forehead.

  “I’m going back to Becca and Emil, is that all right?”

  “Yes.” Ava yawned again. “I really like them, mom. So glad we’re having a vacation again before school starts in September.”

  Amber smiled and caressed her daughter’s dark brown hair, then turned the light off and closed the bedroom door. Back in the living room, she saw Emil had disappeared into the kitchen with the dirty plates.

  “You have a wonderful husband.”

  Becca motioned for her to sit down next to her on the sofa and passed her another glass of wine. Amber took it, although she was quite sure she had had enough.

  “Tell me everything.”

  Amber looked at her glass. She didn’t know where to start.

  “Thank you so much for doing this, Becca. I had to get out of that house and take Ava as far from him as possible. I didn’t know whom to call…”

  Rebecca placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “Hey, what are friends for? You can stay here for as long as you need.”

  “I’ll find a place to rent, I’ll get a job…”

  “Don’t worry about that. One step at a time, okay? How’s the divorce going?”

  Amber wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She took a deep breath and tried to control her wavering voice.

  “It’s not. He doesn’t want a divorce, and for the life of me, I can’t understand why. He didn’t even feel guilty when I told him I knew about the other women. He didn’t apologize. Actually, he yelled at me for having gone through his stuff.” She laughed bitterly. “He said I had no right to check his e-mails and social media accounts, that I should have respected his fuckin’ privacy. Can you believe that?”

  Becca shook her head.
<
br />   “He’s an ass, Amber. You should have done that a long time ago.”

  “I don’t know… I don’t know…” She took a sip of wine to try and rinse the bitter taste in her mouth. “I didn’t want to be one of those women… One of those jealous, paranoid women who think their husbands might be cheating on them just because they spend most of their time at work. I mean… Stephan has always been the provider. Who was I to complain he was never home, what right did I have to snoop through his laptop…?”

  Becca set her glass on the table and adjusted her position as to face Amber and look straight into her beautiful blue eyes.

  “Amber, listen to me: none of this is your fault. You had all the reasons to suspect him and you shouldn’t feel guilty for doing what you did to find out the truth. He never loved you or respected you! You should have left him a long, long time ago! And whose fault is it that he was the only provider? You had a job before you married him, didn’t you?”

  “Yeah sure… I was a teacher. I could barely pay my bills with that salary.”

  “So what? You loved it! Don’t underestimate yourself like this, don’t underestimate the woman you were before you met him.”

  Amber bit her lip and averted her gaze.

  Becca sighed. “Oh no, don’t tell me he made you think your job was worthless because you didn’t make as much money as he did. Amber, that’s so wrong!”

  “Well, you know… I was young, he was the CMO of Castell Technologies… He didn’t have to say it.”

  “But he did.”

  Amber took a deep breath and a long sip of wine. “Sometimes he did. But he was right, and I didn’t have to work anyway. None of the Castell women work. I had more time to take care of the house and then Ava, when she was born.”

  Becca rubbed her temples and waited for Amber to continue, but her friend didn’t feel like talking about her past anymore.

  “All right, the important part is that you’re out of that mess. You can start over.”

  “Can I, though? He doesn’t want to sign the divorce papers.”

  Becca thought for a moment.

  “I know an attorney. Nathan Moore, he’s a good friend of mine. I’ll call him tomorrow and I promise you he will solve your case in no time.”

  Amber looked at her friend, a hopeful glint in her blue eyes.

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh, don’t thank me yet!”

  Rebecca studied Amber for a minute, taking in her black hair, the color faded and the roots showing, the small wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and lips, the defeated position of her shoulders and slightly curved back.

  “Girl, if you are to start a new life, then we need to make some changes.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Becca smiled and winked. “Go take a long, hot bath, then sleep. We’re going out tomorrow.”

  “Out where?”

  She really didn’t feel like going anywhere. In fact, she wanted to stay in bed, stare at the ceiling, and count to one hundred and back until the pain faded and all her problems disappeared out of pure inertia.

  “It’s a surprise.”

  ***

  Amber’s first day in New York started early thanks to her daughter and Becca. While Ava was watching TV and having breakfast, Rebecca took Amber to the small office she used when she preferred to work from home, and told her about the schedule she had made for the day while drinking their coffee and waiting for Nathan Moore. When the attorney arrived, Becca left them alone and went to help Ava get dressed. It didn’t take Amber more than half an hour to tell Nathan all he had to know. She rather liked the attorney. Despite his young age (he was only 30), he knew his job well and came up with a plan almost immediately. He assured her the case wasn’t the most difficult one he had worked on, and he would solve it in a matter of days.

  When they left the apartment, Amber was feeling better. Rebecca still refused to tell her where she was taking them, so she stopped asking. Right now, she trusted her friend with her life. After all, she had no other choice. If it hadn’t been for Becca and her determination to take Amber and Ava out of the house, Amber wouldn’t have even brushed her teeth and combed her hair. They stopped in front of a beauty salon.

  “Really? This is your surprise?” Amber looked at Becca’s blonde hair. It didn’t look like it needed a dye, but what did she know?

  “Of course it is!” She threw Amber a confused glance, and when she caught her staring at her hair, she understood. “No, silly, it’s for you. Last evening we talked about making some changes, and this is where we start.”

  “What? No!” She sighed. “Becca, I appreciate it. Really, I do. But right now I don’t have money to spend in a beauty salon.”

  “Can I get a new haircut?” asked Ava, hope gleaming in her eyes. She had long, curly hair, and she had always wanted to cut it shorter. One time, Amber had caught her trying to chop it herself and had tried to explain how she had lovely hair and she’d regret it if she cut it on a whim.

  “My treat,” said Becca, a wide smile on her face.

  Amber looked at them for a long minute, thinking of ways to get out of the situation. Then, she decided she didn’t need to. After all, if Ava truly wanted a new haircut, she might as well get it. And if Rebecca didn’t need to dye her hair just now, Amber did. She could afford it this time. Just this time. There was no way she’d let her friend pay. So, Amber let Becca and her daughter drag her inside.

  They spent a little over four hours in there, since Becca insisted Amber should try a different color, something that would brighten her features and make her look younger. Before getting married, Amber had always dyed her hair burgundy, and switched to black only when Stephan had suggested it. When she stepped out of the beauty salon, she was a redhead again. The deep, rich red was in perfect contrast with her light blue eyes and fair complexion. Amber felt like a new woman, a woman who could keep her back straighter and walk with a bit more confidence in her step. It wasn’t life-changing, but it was a start. She still didn’t think it had been a good idea to let Ava butcher her beautiful curls, and even the hair-stylist had hesitated before cutting them into a short bob, but alas, it would eventually grow back.

  “What next?” Amber had a vague impression that the beauty salon was only their first stop. The fact that the cab wasn’t taking them to her friend’s apartment confirmed her suspicion.

  “Now, Ava and I are going home and starting on dinner,” said Becca, as if there was nothing missing from her statement. The cab stopped, but she didn’t take out her wallet.

  “Right… And what about me?”

  “You, my friend, are going in there.” She pointed at a small building across the street.

  Amber turned to look out the window.

  “Shift Your Fate. What is that?”

  “You’ll see. One of my friends, Kassandra works there. Just go inside and tell her I sent you. She’ll know what to do.”

  “Is this a joke?”

  Amber studied the shop for another minute. It looked like it was specialized in books, scented candles, weird-looking crystals and Feng Shui trinkets.

  Becca touched Amber’s arm to draw her attention. “Trust me. I can’t even begin to imagine what you’re going through right now.” She would have said more, but Ava was watching them with wide eyes. “Go talk to Kassandra and listen to what she has to say. The advice this woman gave me changed my life. If it hadn’t been for her, I would have never met Emil. Maybe I would’ve never met you either.”

  Amber nodded slowly.

  “You know the address, right? Just call a cab when you’re done. Ava promised to help me cook dinner, so it should be ready by the time you get home.”

  Amber stepped out of the car, crossed the street, and entered the shop before she had time to change her mind. She found Kassandra behind the counter, and the old woman invited her in the other room. She didn’t have to tell her about Becca. Kassandra already knew. Amber didn’t give it much thought, thinking that her fri
end had probably called before. When they both had a cup of hot tea in front of them, Kassandra started asking the strangest, most uncomfortable questions.

  “Why didn’t you put an end to your marriage sooner?”

  “Excuse me?” Amber almost chocked on her tea. “I see… Rebecca told you everything…” Strangely enough, she wasn’t as angry as she thought she should have been.

  Kassandra smiled and placed a warm hand on her arm.

  “No, she didn’t tell me anything. I knew the second you set foot in my shop. Amber, you’re hurting, and I can feel it. Your pain makes my stomach tighten and my chest ache. I feel it as if it were mine.”

  Amber looked at the old woman dumbfounded.

  “I’m an empath, my dear. That’s how I know. Rebecca sent you to me because she knew I would understand. Now, breathe in and out a couple of times, drink your tea, and let’s talk about how you feel. Let’s talk about the choices you’ve made so far and what you need to be happy and offer your daughter the family she deserves.”

  It was all too surreal. Amber’s hands trembled as she lifted the cup to her lips. She took her time to assess what was happening and decide whether the old woman was a nutjob or was, indeed, telling the truth. Rebecca had told her Kassandra had helped her meet Emil. She could trust her friend, right?

  “Let’s try again,” said Kassandra in a low, gentle voice. Amber was so fragile and vulnerable that a simple misplaced word could have made her break down in tears. “Why do you think you couldn’t put an end to your marriage sooner?”

  “I… Well… I didn’t know he was cheating on me. I’ve only found out recently.”

  “Are you sure, Amber?”

  She looked at the dark liquid in her cup and thought for a while. Who was she kidding? She had been suspecting him for years, but she had been too much of a coward to confront him or look for evidence. She had been too afraid to find out the truth.

  “Ava needs her father. Even now, I’m not sure I made the right decision. I left because I was so angry at him, but if I think of it… What am I going to do? I have no money, no job, and Ava will start school in a couple of weeks.” A tear ran down her cheek and she hurried to wipe it off. “I’m so stupid.” She ran a hand through her freshly dyed hair. Yes, the color was amazing, but it couldn’t last. The moment she’d go back to Stephan, he’d tell her to change it back to black. “There’s no way I can make it without him, there’s no way I can give Ava a better life. A decent life, for that matter. My little girl is used to having everything. A big, comfortable house, designer clothes, rich friends… Now, she thinks we’re on vacation and that’s why she’s okay with living at Rebecca’s and sharing a bedroom with me. I can’t tell her that the life she has always known is gone, that we can’t go back to it. I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair.”