The Bear King's Captive: Curvy Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance by Milly Taiden Page A

grew weary of logistics. Notions of his lady guest crept inside his head. A thought struck him. For understandable reasons, Korhonen didn’t take well to women. One drunken night, he confessed that he blamed his mother for his life in hell. If he ever saw her again, he would tear her to pieces.
    Fortunately, she died not long after Korhonen enlisted in the military. Did his deep-seated hatred for her extend to all women? Was Leah’s continual presence--a forbidden temptation within Korhonen’s reach--why he was losing grip?
    He headed topside for fresh air and a place to relax. Just the thought of her quickened his pulse and riled his inner beast. She was over-confident and too sassy for her own good. She would learn her place, but where did he want her? He grinned. Lying beneath him would be a good start. His animal agreed; there was a first time for everything.
    He leaned against the vessel’s outer railing. The cold breeze coming off the water cleansed his mind of physical desires and negativity. He ran his fingers through his hair. When the ship returned home, he’d visit a friend with benefits for a few days. His surfacing physical requirements had to be from neglect on his part. Only one woman ever set his mind and body on fire, and she had been dead for three years.
    His bear told him he was wrong, but he didn’t care. His heart was off the market, forever. Even if someone like Leah came into his life. He’d made it this long without her. He could continue. His beast said keep dreaming.
    What was he going to do with the woman and child? Both had seen enough of his face to identify him if given a photo. He could hand her over to Roclas to get the whole story. The inner beast would fight him if he tried that. His nails turned to claws as if to prove a point of who was really in charge.
    A muffled twerp chimed from his pocket. He read the text and hurried along the catwalk from the stern to the bow.
    Axel, Korhonen, and a crewmember stood behind a stack of crates. Axel stiffened upon seeing Hannes. “Sir, I found used sheets and a tarp. This deckhand said they always fold this and lay the rope on top of it.” He pointed to the unruly coil on the other side of the boxes.
    Hannes never thought the two would hide topside. And that’s why she did. “Very good. Begin the search where you left off earlier and work your way down. They have to be somewhere.”
    “Yes, sir.” When Axel left, the deckhand followed, leaving the commander and his second alone. The back of Korhonen’s right hand had stopped bleeding, but scratches were open to the air.
    “Lieutenant, go to the medical facility and bandage your hand. I don’t want a flesh-eating bacteria consuming you.”
    “Yes, sir.” Korhonen disappeared around the boxed row. He showed no signs of dissention. Hannes kneeled, picked up a sheet and bunched it into a wad covering his nose and breathed in deeply. A peaceful warmth flowed through him.
    He hoped that someday he would understand the creature inside him. Many thoughts had been relayed to him that he didn’t know how to interpret. He remembered on the docks, when he had her pinned to the light pole, the word mate rolled from his mouth. What did that mean? The new set of instincts remained a mystery, still, after five years.
    Thinking about the torture and pain he was forced to endure instantly brought his beast forward. Fur pushed through his pores, malleable bones sent him to all fours. The need to protect and kill roared within his mind. He would get his revenge. He was so close. All those involved would face their ultimate judgment when he sent them to hell. Only then would he find rest.
    Hannes pulled it all in then stood, put his hands in his pockets and turned his back to the chilled wind. Hopefully she would remain hidden, or at least out of Korhonen’s reach and his own scent range for the duration. A shiver ran down his spine. Paska , it was cold. All that fur under his skin, yet in human form he