Bearly Consenting: Russet Falls Series by W.H. Vega

yourself,” she warned.
    “Oh, I’m watching,” Drew said, feeling his bear growl just
below the surface. “I’m done playing your games, Seraphina.”
    “Actually, you’re not,” she said coyly. “You’re never done.
You made a commitment to me, and in return, I’ve given you anything and
everything that you could ever dream of. So, instead, you should be asking what
you can do for me.”
    “Why was Marcus there?” Drew asked bluntly. “Why were you
there? And don’t deny it! I saw you!”
    “As I said before, I have no idea what you are talking
about,” she gave Drew a long look and then inspected her fingernails.
    “Marcus was there! You were there! What the hell were you
doing?” he yelled.
    Seraphina narrowed her eyes so much so that she looked like
a snake. “That doesn’t concern you. Now let’s sit down and go over the business
that I have for you.”
    She walked into the kitchen, clearly expecting Drew to
follow.
    “I’m done, Seraphina,” Drew said, and his words surprised
himself. He had thought it many times, though he had never verbalized.
Seraphina may never admit what she was up to, but Drew knew that it had to do
with Avery.
    “Oh you foolish boy,” she laughed. “You aren’t finished.”
Her sweet voice changed instantly. “Now sit down and let’s talk.”
    The chair opposite her flew out from the table and Drew felt
himself being pulled in the direction of the kitchen.
    He had no choice but to sit down.
    He had made his choice seven years ago, and he had to live
with it.

 
     
    Chapter Fourteen

     
     
    An hour later, he left Seraphina’s house and quickly got
into his car. He felt sick, as well as angry.
    In all other aspects of his life he was powerful,
successful, even feared. But with Seraphina, all of those traits were gone.
    He was weak, powerless.
    Cowering.
    Seraphina had once again backed him into the corner, and he
would need to do more of her dirty work behind his business façade. He had
learned so much about the business world, had become successful on much of his
own, yet Seraphina still controlled him.
    Blindly, he drove from her house, ignoring Jade who had been
waiting for him outside. He drove his car to the secluded spot where he and
Avery spent time together, and where, more recently, Seraphina had nearly
killed her by having a tree come down.
    He leapt out of his car, feeling his bear tearing at his
insides. He barely managed to get out of his clothes, before his bear ripped
through him, sending tremors throughout his body as his limbs stretched and
lengthened, fur sprouting out from his pores.
    His nose and mouth fused together, lengthening into a snout
and his heavy paws came down onto the wet earth with a satisfying thud.
    There were no more thoughts of Seraphina, no more worries or
confusing feelings.
    It was just him.
    His bear.
    The earth beneath his paws.
    He ran forward, leaving his problems and doubts behind him.
    It felt good to be free.
    Invigorating.
    He was a shifter through and through and no city dwelling
could take that away from him. A part of him always belonged in the wild.
    He was wild.
    It was time that he embraced his past, embraced his
ancestry. If only he had trusted enough in who he was when he was younger,
maybe he and Avery could have been together.
    He ran for miles, circling the lands, steering clear of the
border.
    Even after miles of exhilarating running, he barely felt
winded.
    He had forgotten how strong his bear was—how strong he was.
    Maybe the key to defeating Seraphina rested in the bear side
of Drew, the part of himself that he tried to forget.
    He slowed down his pace as he got closer to his car. He was
nearly relaxed now.
    But then he caught a scent that shocked his entire body.
    He froze, disbelieving and then suddenly terrified.
    He wouldn’t hold anything past Seraphina now.
    He raced forward, and then skidded to a stop.
    Avery.
    She was standing there, her long hair loose around her
shoulders, holding his