by Aurora Reid
Carefully, he trudged through the woods to get to the edge of Black Bear Park. Even as he stepped outside his cabin, Jax had sensed that there was something seriously wrong. Lots of angry bears had rushed out to meet the non shifters.
Sunlight glinted from the space between the woods. They were close to breaking through and into the field, where he sensed all of his clan. But he trotted carefully because he couldn’t bear Mia tumbling off.
He trotted carefully, until shots rang out.
Jax halted behind a thick tree. After a snort, Mia got the idea and hopped off.
Shifting back to human, he pressed her against it. There could be no chances taken when it came to his mate’s safety.
“Stay here. You’ve got to,” he tried to tell her.
And for a moment, he thought that she would listen.
There was a break in the gunfire, and then there was a chorus of growling. Jax turned toward the sound. As he did, Mia broke away from him and ran around the opposite side. It wasn’t a long run to break into the field, so he wasn’t able to catch her until she was out in the open, and all the men had their guns pointed in their direction.
A line of machines roared on the opposite side of the bears. It was like two football teams getting ready to clash. Beside the machines, there were men in uniforms with rifles, all pointed at Jax and Mia.
One man teetered on top of the front bulldozer. Jax knew from pictures this was Mia’s father. He looked drunk, like she had expected.
Drunk, but also commanding an army of men, on edge, ready to pull the trigger.
“Dad, what are you doing?” Mia asked. She had fallen and stumbled onto the dirt, but she whipped herself back up.
“Out of the way, Mia. You don’t know what you’re doing.”
Some of the barrels faltered. Others still remained on Mia. Jax took a step, unfortunately that brought even more guns to point in her direction and for the men to tense.
“What are you doing? Put the guns away.”
“Saving our company. Saving our family. Ridding us of these nobodies once and for all.”
The bears snapped at the air.
“Back off. That’s a final warning!” her father shouted.
Jax heard enough. He briskly walked up to shield her. But there came a thunderous roar from the bears. One had leapt onto his hind legs. Everything moved so quickly, he couldn’t remember the chain of events.
All he remembered was that by the time he’d gotten to Mia, she was on the ground. Gunfire all around them. Bears rushing ahead, almost trampling Mia, but he cradled her in his arms to protect her, and then charged away with her.
He gently placed her down in a bed of ferns. Mia looked like she wanted to say something, but was unable. Her body pulsed. Red pooled underneath her shirt, soaking it through. She’d been shot in the chest.
Her grip weakened. Her color started to fade.
“No, Mia...stay with me. You can’t go Mia.”
We just found each other. We can’t be pulled apart now.
He watched the life fade from her and knew there was only hope. Still holding her hand, he brought his lips to the lower curve of her neck at the beginning of her shoulder.
Jax opened wide. Then he sank his teeth into her. His magic poured into her, Turning Mia. Or at least, it should’ve, but when he released, there was no sign of change.
“Mia.”
He shook her shoulders a little. No response.
Why hadn’t it worked?
Her eyes shot open. She gasped for air like swimming up from the bottom of the sea. Hyperventilating, her pupils were majorly dilated, but it had worked. Jax was so happy he could cry.
“I was so scared, Mia.” He gripped her by the back of the head and pressed her to his chest.
She breathed easily now. There was possibly danger behind Jax, but he couldn’t care about it. His mate was safe, and that was what mattered. Mia, his love, his life.
“You’re okay,” he repeated to her as she took slow breaths and stopped gasping.
Letting her go, Mia slid back and turned her head up at Jax questioningly. Her fingers brushed against the mark left near her neck.
“What—” Color returned to her in a warm glow that radiated from her cheeks. And her eyes changed too. They were shimmering.
They slanted as her ears perked, and Jax knew that she had heard her father again.
“Wait, Mia,” he shouted before she even moved. But she didn’t listen. Mia sprang from the ground with newfound strength.
It usually took a while for a new shifter to learn how to use their powers. But Jax had heard stories of shifters who picked it up right away. It usually happened in life and death situations. This would seem to fit the bill with the way that Mia scrambled away and bounded across the field to the battle.
He chased after her.
By the time he reached her, she was at the huddle of bears. They had won the fight, and from Jax’s position, he could see little carnage. There were hurt men groaning and moaning on the ground, broken bones probably, and their weapons destroyed, but no death. At least that had gone right...his people hadn’t caused a massacre which would’ve been bad for them in the long run once the press heard about it. Then the military would come in.
A formidable looking black bear pushed through the group. Jax didn’t realize until he pushed closer that it was Mia. She had already learned how to shift, and looked determined, her black bear not as big as the others, but looking quite scrappy and agile.
“Please, no. I’m sorry,” a voice called out from beyond the huddle. And after Jax pushed through, he noticed that it was Mia’s father, crawling on the ground, attempting to flee from a stalking bear.
That bear? Troy. Again.
Jax couldn’t blame him for fighting this time. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t try to stop him. Mia’s father meant a lot to her, so he would save him, for Mia’s sake. He was about to shift, watching Troy stalk ahead and drool he was so furious, but then he never got the chance, someone beat him to it.
Mia.
She hadn’t shifted just to look threatening. Oh no, she was going to protect her father herself.
Back away, she told Troy with a grunt.
The scarred, rebel bear turned around to see his challenger and grunted with laughter. Piss off, he rumbled. He turned around again.
Anger blazed in Jax but he didn’t move. He watched as Mia charged. He moved then, but Mia was quicker. She slammed into Troy’s side, taking him down and skidding him across the dirt.
The bear spun back. Mia charged him again. She ducked around a swipe, circled him, and then came crashing down from the side. Mia toppled Troy over.
She placed both paws on his chest. One wrong move, and she would tear into his exposed stomach with her sharp claws. Jax approached cautiously to try to talk Mia down.
Laughing now? she growled.
“Mia, please, let him go.”
She grunted back at Jax. It worried him that she might’ve lost it completely. Maybe he’d need to get in a scuffle with her. That was worrisome, considering how quickly she put Troy in his place.
Mia shifted back. When she did, she was completely naked and confused, so confused, that she merely plopped her ass on the ground rather than standing. She covered herself immediately.
“I’m naked,” she muttered, obviously confused.
Jax shielded her in his arms.
“The boss’s mate,” Troy groaned. He winced in pain, sitting up and holding his ribs after shifting back. “What are the odds? I’m really in trouble this time, aren’t I?”
“You’re fine this time,” Jax grumbled.
Troy didn’t believe it. “Doubt I’ll ever live this down.” At least he wasn’t as hurt as he’d been from the earlier bout.
Mia wrestled in Jax’s hold.
“Easy, Mia.”
“I don’t know who to take down, my father or him.”
Jax brushed the hair away from her ear and kissed her. “You
’ve already done one in. I’ll tell Keith to send your father back to his house. I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” she said, peering over his arms to look at her dad.
He rocked back and forth, so much, that he’d turned the dirt into mud. Jax couldn’t tell if he would remember any of it in the morning. Perhaps once he got the hospital bill from the men he’d hired, that would help remind him.
“That’s going to be a wicked hangover,” Claude mused. The blond bear stood by their side. Keith walked up next.
Jax pointed to the frightened, drunk man on the ground. “Take Mr. Marchini back to his house. Make sure that’s okay. I trust you Keith.”
Keith nodded and went on with his duties. Did he ever argue? Maybe he knew it was no use arguing with an alpha. The old bear went, hauled Mr. Marchini over his shoulders, and then went to find a spare car to drive him back.
Meanwhile, Jax stood, still guarding Mia’s nakedness, keeping her very close. So close, that he had to fight not to get erect. The way that she’d fought had been exciting...and a little intimidating.
“Claude,” Jax called. “Are there any casualties?”
“None. A few gunshot wounds, but they don’t look to be fatal. They’ll heal.”
“Great, I need you to clean this up. Make sure the men are sent to the hospital. I don’t want any deaths on this day. You all head back afterward. We’ll have a clan meeting and talk all this over.”
“You got it, boss. I’ll get right to it,” Claude said. He moved away, called over all the bear shifters, and began to explain what they would be doing. Something told Jax that they wouldn’t enjoy helping out the men who had just shot at them, but it was necessary.
Jax tilted Mia’s chin. She gazed into his eyes.
Once again, she was his sweet Mia.
“Where did that come from?” he asked her.
“You knew I could be feisty. You knew that getting into it.” She showed some tooth as her lips stretched a little. There was still some soreness in her chest though, and she grabbed it.
“Are you okay, babe?”
“I think so. Sorry, this is...this is all so confusing.”
He lifted her up. Jax blocked her naked body. That was all for him.
“Come on, let’s get you back home.”
“Home sounds nice,” she chirped, and then, holding her hand, he led his Turned mate back to their cozy abode.
Spring
It was a beautiful day. Mia was loving it like she knew she would. The real question was how the shifters and the workers would all get along. A few months ago, there had been a shootout, not with those workers in attendance at the barbeque, but by her father’s hired guards. The shifters definitely remembered that. Something like getting shot at was hard to forget.
But in that time, they’d learned not to mess with the new Momma Bear. Not only was she tough as nails like her mate Jax, but also, she had earned their trust, day by day.
After that outburst in which she’d been Turned, there had been no other issues.
That’s why they were able to have a nice picnic with all their families at that wonderful pool, the same one where Jax and Mia had shared their first kiss. Lots of children were in attendance, bustling about, running and playing games, often jumping into the pool too. Even the parents were having fun, soaking in the spring sun, plus swimming, talking, and getting ready to chow down on the barbeque.
The tangy aroma billowing from the grills had everyone’s mouths watering. Jax moved like a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen, ordering Keith around, who looked lost. His strict attention was on the simmering meats, leaving Mia to talk to her employees. That was for the best. She didn’t want to be a hands off boss. She wanted to be better than her father had been.
So far, their company was doing well. Everyone was reinvigorated to do something different. No jobs had been lost. The trees that were taken down had been necessary, as a certain number should be culled each year to make room for the young.
There would be enough lumber to carve a few hundred million dollar homes each year. They were opening up to branding and producing different products, keeping the green, handmade aspect of the bear’s work, which had proved quite popular in the marketplace. The future looked very bright indeed.
“How’s he doing?” her father’s secretary, now under Mia’s wing, asked her. She sipped on a fruity margarita off to the side of the pool, far away so she wouldn’t get splashed.
She was talking about her father, in prison now. Mia had just visited him. It wasn’t much fun.
“Better,” Mia said honestly.
Her eyebrows rose. “Better?”
“Yes, actually, at least now he’s kicking that bad habit. I wish it didn’t have to happen the way it did, but he’s less arrogant now.”
She nodded. “That is a good thing. I might be skeptical though, I hope you understand. I didn’t think it was possible for your father to be less arrogant.”
“You’ll see in…” Her gut dropped when she thought about the ten years or more it would take for her father to get out.
Perhaps he would make amends, somehow, and get out sooner.
As long as he stayed away from her big bear after too. Jax was having a hard time forgiving him for allowing those bullets to fly.
Her solemness turned to exhilaration when Jax announced the food was ready. Everyone started lining up. Kids charged out of the pool like a stampede of water buffalo. Mia opened her arms and hugged her bear, missing doing that since he’d been so busy for long hours preparing the meal.
“It smells delicious.”
“How did it go?”
“Fine, he actually seems to be doing better.”
Jax didn’t look so sure. “At least, he can’t drink there. Right?”
“They can cook up some hooch, I bet, but it doesn’t look like he’s touched any of it.”
“That’s good,” he said, staring off blankly. His muscles tensed.
“At least you’ll be protective of our baby,” she mused, placing a hand on his chest to calm him.
Jax placed a hand on her stomach. His eyes closed and he smiled broadly as he thought about their cub. It was crazy how time had flown since the day she had gotten the positive result.
They were expecting their cub in another two months.
Jax opened his eyes. Now he was smirking, a mischievous smile that Mia knew well. “I wanted to wait until later, but while there’s a long line, I have a surprise for you.”
Everyone sat around in the grass as they ate quietly. They were too into the food to talk now. They were also too distracted to even notice Jax or Mia leaving, so they took their time to get to their cabin.
As they headed upstairs, to the new baby’s room, Mia thought back to how their life had been a year ago.
Mia had been lost. Trying to fight for a good cause, but using terrible tactics. She had tricked herself into believing she didn’t need love. That the best plan for her would be to focus on business.
It scared her to think of what her life would be like if she never met Jax.
She began to cry tears of joy when he showed her the surprise. A stunning, hand crafted crib waited inside. She stood over it, tears flowing down her cheeks, so much, that she didn’t see the bigger surprise above her head.
Jax flicked the mobile and she squealed in delight. Mia attempted to reach it to observe it more closely, but she wasn’t tall enough.
“Don’t make me shift to grab it. Let me see!” she said to Jax while he chuckled to himself as she was on her toes.
He did her a favor and placed it in her hands. Warmth spread through her, like a blanket tossed over her shoulders, a warm feeling of being loved.
Mia wiped her eyes to control herself. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Jax rubbed her lower back to calm her. “I guess that means I did a good job on it.”
“It’s lovely. It’s so lovely.”
The mobile
had been carved by hand too, out of the finest pieces of lumber she’d ever seen. There was a moon, a fish, a cloud, a mountain, and then a bear. Each one was cut from a different color of wood.
“How did you find time to do this?”
“I’ve been working on it for a while.”
She checked out the rest of the room now, how everything looked. The crib was sturdy, and it too, looked like it had taken a lot of time and energy.
“You’re already a great father,” she said and hugged her big bear.
His fingers brushed her hair. She picked her head up and kissed him.
Mia didn’t want to stop.
“We should stop,” she said, thinking about the party.
“We should have as much fun as we can before the baby arrives. We’re going to have a lot of nights with little sleep.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she said softly, her heart beating faster.
Her frigidness told Jax that she was still worried about the party.
“They’ll be fine. Keith is serving the food. They’re having a good time.” He kissed her neck. Her breath escaped her, and arousal shot through her. “Why shouldn’t we?”
“Take me to bed,” she said.
Mia hopped into her bear’s arms.
Legs wrapped around him, Jax kissed her and carried her off to their bedroom.
She had a lot to live for now.
Every day with Jax was magic.
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Also by Aurora Reid
Jax’s Mate (Wood Bear’s Unexpected Mate)
UnBEARlievable (StepBEARther Fated Mate)
Wolf Guard