The Bear's Forbidden Wolf: A Hot Paranormal Fantasy Saga with Witches, Werewolves and Werebears (Weres and Witches of Silver Lake Book 4) by Vella Day Page A

not to see him. If he came into her room, the sexual tension would be worse. Her mind spun, but she came up blank. “Okay.”
    She and Blair followed Eve back to the front desk. The moment she saw him standing at the reception desk, her wolf nearly clawed a hole through her stomach. Sure, Jackson looked good in his camouflage jacket, faded jeans, and boots, but now wasn’t the time for such a reaction. Stand down, dammit .
    As soon as he caught sight of both of them, he trained his gaze on his sister, and Ainsley couldn’t help but feel the small mental slap from the dismissal. Rationally, Jackson should care about Blair first, but he could have at least acknowledged her. Or was he having the same reaction to her wolf as she was to his bear?
    He embraced his sister, and the love that poured from his eyes melted her. Neither Alex nor Owen had ever looked at her like that.
    “How are you doing?” he asked Blair.
    “I’m upset, of course, but Ainsley is the one who is suffering. I barely knew Shamus. How is Mom holding up?”
    “Kalan is with her now.”
    Ainsley’s internal sensors finally clicked in. Another Changeling was here. “Excuse me,” she said.
    Having her kind wander about wouldn’t do anyone any good.
    “Ainsley, hold up. I’d like to talk to you for a minute,” Jackson said.
    The Changeling was close by, and she didn’t want him to see them together. Her only chance of finding a clue to Shamus’s death was to distance herself from Jackson. After all, his company had been responsible for breaking into the Changeling bunker and recovering some of the Wendayan magic that had been stolen. “I’m sorry. Now’s not a good time.”
    “Then can I stop over to your place tonight after work? I have some things I’d like to discuss with you.”
    Be alone with Jackson? Hell no. It would be too hard.
    Tell him yes, her inner wolf urged. She wished she had the skill to shut her up.
    Ainsley pressed a hand to her stomach and pushed inward, hoping to quell her inner beast who had never acted up like this before. “What about?”
    He looked around. “I can’t discuss it here.”
    Ah, then why ask to see her in the first place? “Sure, now excuse me.”
    As quickly as she could, she stepped away. Before she reached her room, a Changeling emerged from the physical therapy area and looked straight at her. Well damn.

Chapter Eight
    ‡
    G oing over to Ainsley’s house might be about the dumbest thing Jackson had ever done, but he didn’t have a choice. She was the only one capable of finding out who’d killed Shamus. Everyone in the Clan was depending on her—just like many had depended on Olivia and Nathan before they left town.
    He also needed to have the discussion about the whole mating issue. At the moment, his human side wasn’t ready to be with a Changeling. Even if he wanted to be, he couldn’t. One bite and his genes would be tainted for life, and from what he understood, not even Naliana could undo that damage, if he let his bear take over.
    It would be hard to stay in control being so close to her, but he needed to suck it up and threaten his bear if he misbehaved. Those few minutes at the clinic had tested his resolve to the max. Ainsley not only looked adorable, but her scent continued to alter something inside him. The more he was with her, the harder it was to contain the animal within, but for Shamus, he had to see her.
    He slipped his hand in his pocket and fingered the envelope his dad had given him for Ainsley. It was from Shamus.
    Jackson parked behind her building and gripped the wheel tight, stealing himself against the sexual draw that was about to tug on him from the inside out. Being in a small space with her would be pure torture, but this was about retribution for Shamus’s death, not his comfort.
    For the last hour, he’d debated bringing her a piece offering—like flowers, chocolate, or a nice bottle of wine, but he didn’t want her to think this was a date. Having her