Berenstain Bears Novels & Stories

I did everything to be a good friend, only to be treated as my so-called best friend’s scapegoat. When her husband found cigarette ash in their house, she claimed I was the one smoking. When she snuck off for a private rendezvous with her lover, she told him she was celebrating my birthday. And when she got pregnant, she pinned the blame on me again, declaring I was consumed with jealousy—that I had spiked her drink and hired someone to violate her. Enraged, her husband marched to my doorstep wielding a blade and hacked me to death. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the exact day she had asked me to cover for her affair.

His smile grew even smaller. "Empress Anastasia is-" *Queen Belinda* "What a sweet bear this is." Queen Belinda directed her interest at the bear Nicoli seemed to be playing with. Nicoli looked up from his spot in the playroom. He smiled at her. "Thank you," Nicoli replied shortly and returned to his games. "..." Queen Belinda smiled as her eyes narrowed on the bear. It was a cute little thing with a tastefully colored bow that matched his eyes. She found it to be a wonderful touch. But that bear was a foreigner to his usual arsenal.

His shyness scared people away… With a frown, his mind returned to poor Debbie. Good thing that child-molesting asshole was already dead or he'd kill him. He actually wished that the asshole was still alive so that he could torture the bastard and THEN kill him. Beast popped his neck and several of the prisoners under his care were unsure of what to make of the giant, scarred, guard that smirked one minute and scowled the next. One thing was for certain; the sight of him alone assured that none of them would be stepping out of line.

“I’ve been thinking about that, and I think I changed my mind.” I cocked an eyebrow, begging for his justification, but it would be a while until it came. Just as Isaac opened his mouth, Benate claimed an open seat across from me. I could sense this conversation would be important, but I still groaned in annoyance. “This won’t take long,” Benate promised. “I just need to tell you about something the bears have planned.” “Go on.”

But between the the two males, no one would ever know who had the bigger head. With a final auburn eyed glare, Baras shifted. The male was so hairy, you could barely tell the difference between his human and bear form. The bear was probably one of the biggest creatures I had ever met. He was only a few years older and had a reputation that had grown men crying before bed. I chuckled at the thought. Baras the Man Eating Bear, Alpha Cassar Salvaterre the Insane Alpha’s son, and Vienna Fox the Queen of Tricks alone in a small cave. Three of the most talked about creatures in the Unknown World.

Vincent didn't even slap Eva when he was out for revenge because he didn't want to raise a hand on a woman, but Naomi just tested his last nerve. Vincent was a man who never tolerated disrespect and wouldn't leave anyone if they dared to disrespect him in any manner. It didn't matter if it was a woman or not. Vincent's beast was unleashed now and there was no one to calm his beast down. No one was even born to calm his inner beast, not until now, but maybe there was someone who could tame his beast and that's none other than his wife. Vincent needed her to calm him with her sweet scent and delicious neck was all he could think right now.

And then there was Xaden… dragging a monstrous—and very dead—black bear in the powerful jaws of his hulking, seven-foot-tall wolf. And that was what had sent the banquet into a wild frenzy. Despite my slightly nauseated state earlier, even I couldn’t help but be in awe of his sheer power. “Honestly, Xaden,” Burke commented amusedly. “A bear, of all things. It’s like you were trying to give the cooks something impossible to labor over.” Xaden’s lips quirked up, though it seemed more out of acknowledgment than anything else. “It was all for the benefit of my hungry subjects, I assure you.”

Mum says quietly, “They share a goal. You know Ephraim. He doesn’t attach himself to anyone without a reason. His only aim is to be Alpha. If you learn what Erianna wants, you’ll know why she stands with him.” Her words strike deep. I remember the scout’s report; Erianna standing at Ephraim’s side during Gerald’s battle with Simon. Could she really want to bring her brother down? No. I don’t want to believe it. That would destroy him. “You and Gerald need to be careful,” Mum warns. Then she reaches for the gift bag and pulls out a velvet box. Inside rests a golden bracelet, its pendant a diamond crusted wolf mid howl. I lift it with trembling fingers, awed.

Mia squeezed the bear tighter, looking at Vivian's warm eyes before whispering softly, "His name is Barnaby." "Barnaby looks like a very brave bear," Vivian smiled kindly, reaching into her lab coat pocket and pulling out a small silver penlight. "Do you think Barnaby will let me listen to his heart first, just to make sure he's healthy?" Mia looked down at her teddy bear, then nodded slowly. Vivian gently pressed the cold disk of her stethoscope against the soft fur of the bear's chest, pretending to listen attentively for a few seconds. "Barnaby's heart sounds wonderful. Now, can Barnaby help you stay brave while I listen to yours?"