Secret Baby for the Soldier Bear

by Meg Ripley

  Garrison was silent for a time as he considered this, and then a slow smile spread across his face. “You know what that tells me?”

  Amar lifted his chin.

  “That I chose the right man to lead this group. I’ll get out of your hair tomorrow as long as you promise to call us if you need us.”

  “I can handle that, too,” Amar laughed. He was eager to get started.

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  Preview of Baby For The Soldier Cougar

  Have you read Vance’s story from the Special Ops Shifters: Dallas Force series? If not, here’s a preview…

  1

  Vance Morris stepped out of his house and took a deep breath of fresh, Texas air. The sun was starting to sink toward the horizon, and the animals knew what time it was just as much as Vance did. The horses trotted to the edge of their paddock, bobbing their heads over the fence and whickering hungrily at him. The cattle that weren’t currently out to pasture echoed the horses with long, low moans and constant shuffling. “Easy there, girls,” Vance soothed as he stepped up to the fence. “I’ll get you taken care of.”

  He turned from his work as a truck pulled up the driveway. Vance leaned against the fence, his body relaxed and casual, but his eyes and instincts ever vigilant. He hadn’t spent ten years as a Green Beret only to let someone sneak up on him. It wasn’t a vehicle he recognized, and he immediately noticed the out-of-state plates. Even though he was a rancher now, the soldier inside him would always be on alert—just like his inner cougar.

  The truck rolled to a stop, but a glare of light stopped Vance from seeing through the windshield to find the driver’s face. Vance had one arm looped casually around the fence post, but his right hand was still free to snag the pistol from the back of his waistband, should the need arise. He wasn’t expecting company. His ranch hand, Daniel, had the day off, and he drove an old beater he’d dug out of a barn somewhere.

  The driver’s door opened. The man who stepped out was almost unrecognizable with a short beard clinging to his chin and the hair that he swooped back with his hand, but there was no mistaking those piercing eyes.

  “Well I’ll be...” Vance launched himself off the fence and strode forward. “Gabe Vinson, you damn fool. Is that you?”

  “In the flesh.” The man grinned as they shook hands. “I heard you’d retired to the country after your time in the service. I was picturing you’d be living somewhere a little more posh, man.”

  “Not exactly,” Vance chuckled. “I’m covered with mud more often than I’m clean, and I’m always on duty. There’s more work here than you can shake a stick at.”

  “Sounds like nothing’s changed, then,” Gabe chuckled.

  “And I wouldn’t want it any other way. What are you doin’ here, anyway? I thought you re-upped.” Nothing could forge a bond between people faster than serving together, and Gabe was one of the soldiers Vance had come to think of as a brother. No matter how bad the situation got, Gabe never complained and always had Vance’s back. He was always ready to charge forward and do what needed to be done, regardless of the consequences.

  “I did. I was going to stay in as long as they’d have me, maybe teach at the JFK Special Warfare Center when they didn’t want to send me overseas anymore. But then this happened.” He lifted the side of his t-shirt to reveal a set of angry red lines that tore across his ribs and abdomen.

  “Shit.” Vance sucked in a breath through his teeth as he studied the scars. “Shrapnel?”

  “You know it. Came out of nowhere, too. We were heading back onto the base; everything was quiet, technically in a safe zone. But no one expected that mortar—God knows I sure didn’t. Ripped right through the hummer and straight into me.”

  “Damn. Is it still in there?”

  “Fuck yeah. You know how those field docs are. They dug around a bit just to make sure I felt it and then decided it wasn’t worth any more effort. I’ll be setting off metal detectors for the rest of my life.” He pulled his shirt back down and leaned against the side of his truck, his eyebrows twitching together for a moment as he glanced off toward the horses.

  “That sucks, man. Really.” Gabe wasn’t just a Special Forces soldier; he, like Vance, secretly identified as a shifter. Their inner animals could sometimes rule their heads and hearts, and it was usually a situation of strong emotions or great need that gave them the urge to shift, but they still had some control. There were thousands of others like them all over the world, yet most people didn’t know a thing about them. Shifters were careful to keep their secrets, and a situation like Gabe’s made it difficult. The soldier would heal quickly and be perfectly fine to return to duty, while an ordinary human would’ve been discharged under the same circumstances.

  But Gabe couldn’t exactly explain that to his commanding officers, so he’d been sent home.

  “It’s just the way things were meant to work out, I guess. And hey, since I’ve got all this free time on my hands, I thought I’d come down to see you.”

  Vance clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m glad you did, buddy. You’re just in time to help me with the chores. Come on, let’s catch up.” Leading him over to the nearest pen, Vance began tossing the best hay in for the waiting cows. “These girls are pregnant, so they’re getting the special treatment right now.”

  Gabe followed Vance’s lead and pitched in. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t done any farm work before. Over the years, the two of them had learned to work together like a well-oiled machine, quickly picking up any random task, whether it was one they were familiar with or not. “So, you like it out here?”

  “I do. It reminds me a lot of my time in the Army, but in a good way. I’ve got a lot of responsibility on my shoulders because I have all these lives depending on me. There are times when I’ve got to react to an emergency, like when a calf gets stuck. In a way, I don’t know that I could do all this if I hadn’t been in the service.” Vance was silent for a moment as he topped off the water tank and they moved out to tend to the horses. “Got a feeling you didn’t come here to talk to me about ranch life, though.”

  “You’re right.” Gabe scratched one of the horses affectionately. “I don’t know what the hell to do with myself now.”

  That was something Vance understood. There were many soldiers—shifter and human alike—who felt lost when they returned stateside. It wasn’t even always a matter of knowing what they wanted, either, but a question of what they could handle. Some of them couldn’t take crowds or loud noises or had various other triggers, and that made the transition even more difficult. “I get that. I got lucky, though. I always knew I’d go into something like this. It’s in my blood, and sure enough, as soon as I was out, I was shopping for land.”

  Gabe scuffed his feet against the grass. “Rumor has it you’re not just a cattle farmer.”

  “No?” Vance knew exactly what he was talking about. Not too long ago, he’d been recruited to the Dallas unit of the Special Ops Shifter Force, an elite group of Special Forces veterans who also happened to be shifters. They were the ones the various clans and packs turned to when they needed help beyond what the shifter-governing conclaves could provide. It was the perfect fit for a soldier who still had all those skills, but no good way to use them. For Vance, it made his life incredibly busy, but also incredibly satisfying.

  “The Force?” Gabe asked. “Don’t tell me it’s classified and you can’t talk about it. If that’s the case, then some tongues have been doing a lot of wagging.”

  “It’s only a secret depending on who you’re talking to,” Vance admitted. He had to gauge who he could tell and who he couldn’t, but Gabe was certainly trustworthy enough to know the real deal. “You interested?”

  His friend rolled a shoulder. “Maybe. I just know I need t
o do something. My disability check from the VA is enough to get an apartment and a bit of a living, but it’s not a life. I can’t imagine just sitting around and waiting for my check to arrive for the rest of my damn life.”

  “Nah.” Vance scratched his chin as he thought about it. The Dallas unit had initially consisted of four members, just like the D.C. unit. One of those members, Ash, had decided to serve as a remote consultant from his place up in Alaska. Technically, that left an opening, but it wasn’t up to Vance alone. “I’ll have to do a little talking, but let me see what I can dig up for you.”

  “I appreciate it, man. I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of you, though.”

  Vance dusted off his hands. “I ain’t worried about it. As the saying goes, it’s not about what you know, but who you know when looking for a job, and in this case, I reckon it’s both. You could be a good fit for the Force. As I said, I just have to talk to the guys, but I don’t think it’ll be an issue.” In fact, Vance thought it could be a great thing for both the Force and for Gabe. He needed something to do to feel useful, and Vance often felt that the SOS Force was understaffed. It seemed the more problems they solved, the more trouble they found.

  “Thanks again. Let me get you my new number so you can get a hold of me.”

  Thumbing over his shoulder, Vance gestured at the old farmhouse. “It’s not a mansion, but you’re welcome to stay here if you need a place.” He wasn’t about to let a brother-in-arms go without a bed for the night.

  But Gabe waved away the offer. “I’ve got some family that wants me to visit around the country, so I’ll be doing a bit of traveling until I settle down. Keep me posted, though.”

  “Sure ‘nuff.” Gabe watched him go, the headlights disappearing down the long driveway. It felt good to see him again, and Vance really hoped he could set this up for him.

  For the moment, though, he had something else he needed to take care of. The evening chores were done, but that didn’t mean his work was finished. Vance backed the four-wheeler out of the lean-to, flicked on the lights, and headed across the field. He’d built his fences with the specific intention of leaving pathways in between them, and this particular one led to a perfect corridor of cornfields and the O’Rourke ranch.

  All the lights were on in the barn, creating a brilliance against the growing darkness. It showed the old farmer in stark relief as he fished around on his workbench for a wrench and then turned at the sound of the ATV.

  Pulling up just outside the door, Vance cut the engine and walked up. “You didn’t get it working without me, did you?”

  Jim O’Rourke gave a wheezy laugh. “I wish! This tractor acts like it’s older than I am. I’m starting to wonder if it’s time to spring for a new one.”

  Vance let out a low whistle. “If you can afford a new tractor, then you must be doing things right. Seems like anything I make off those cattle just goes right back into feeding more of them.”

  “That’s the way of it,” O’Rourke agreed. “I did see an awfully nice harvester for sale the other day, though. I’m living in the dark ages over here without an enclosed cab, air conditioning, and Bluetooth. I can’t even imagine what my grandfather would say if he could see how some people are doing it this day and age.”

  “Don’t listen to him,” Maggie O’Rourke said as she stepped into the barn. “He’s afraid those robot vacuums will take over the industry and put him right out of business. Here, I brought some fuel for the two of you.” She cleared a spot on the workbench to set down a jug of freshly-squeezed lemonade and a tray of warm chocolate chip pecan cookies.

  That was one of the things Vance loved about going over there. It was like traveling back in time, when people didn’t carry cell phones and life was a little simpler. The O’Rourkes were probably only about twenty years older than he was, but the generations of their family that had lived on the farm showed through. He picked up a cookie, closing his eyes as he discovered the chocolate chips were still melty from the oven. “Thank you. And he might not be completely wrong. I’ve seen articles about tractors with GPS that can plant, fertilize, harvest, you name it. It’s too expensive right now, but it’s comin’.”

  “And that’s when I’ll retire,” Mr. O’Rourke grumbled as he knelt next to the bucket of the tractor and began fiddling with the hydraulics. “I don’t want to be involved if I have to know how to build a computer just to plant a few seeds.”

  Vance polished off his cookie and glanced at the tray, but he’d agreed to come over to help with repairs, not just stand around and eat. He moved to help Jim. “Don’t you think that’s how people probably felt when tractors replaced horses?”

  The older man gave him a sour look, but they both knew it was in fun. “I don’t think you can even say that since you still use your horses.”

  “Only because I’m as stubborn as you. There’s something pleasant about tending the herd from horseback instead of buzzing around on a four-wheeler. I’m convinced the cattle feel better about it, too.” If his inner cougar had an easier time around a horse than a loud engine, then he couldn’t argue with that. Indeed, there was something peaceful about saddling up and heading out onto the massive acreage of his ranch: the creak of the leather, the smell of the horse, the thud of hoofbeats underneath him. It was difficult to imagine doing it any other way, yet most people did.

  Mr. O’Rourke grunted as the two men removed the bucket from the front of the tractor. “Speaking of, I was wondering just how stubborn you truly are.”

  Straightening, Vance lifted an eyebrow. “Is it the roof again? I know this barn has been standing for a hundred years, and the dry Texas weather has kept it in pretty good shape, but it might be time for you to just break down and have a contractor put some metal roofing up there instead of trying to fix it every time it rains.”

  “That’s not a bad idea, but it’s not the roof.” Jim ran a hand through his thinning gray hair. “My niece has just moved back to town after trying to make it in New York. She’s a great girl, about your age, and she’s got a good head on her shoulders.”

  Vance instinctively took a step backward as his cougar grew wary. “Are you fixin’ to set me up?” It wouldn’t be the first time someone had attempted to. He’d met plenty of people, whether it was at the farmers’ co-op meetings, the cattle auctions, or even the local rodeos. Inevitably, someone would set their sights on him as the perfect match for their sister or cousin or friend who just couldn’t seem to find anyone.

  “I wouldn’t put it that way…exactly. But I don’t think you should dismiss the idea before at least knowing a little bit more about her,” Mr. O’Rourke hedged.

  “She knows a bit about country life,” Maggie added. “I mean, she grew up right here in Texas. Pretty as a pie supper, too. Her father is a veterinarian.” She glanced back and forth between her husband and neighbor, feeling some of the tension in the room. “I’ll just go inside and check on things in the kitchen.”

  Pretty or not, Vance wasn’t interested. Just to be polite, he’d allowed himself to be fixed up here and there, but it always ended in disaster. He began checking over the hydraulic lines, looking for a problem area—and desperately hoping for one so they could change the subject. “I’m really not interested.”

  “Don’t you reckon it’s about time you settled down with a nice girl?” Jim asked softly as he sat back on an old milking stool that was probably made back when the barn had been built. “You’re a good man, Vance, the kind of guy plenty of young ladies would be crazy about.”

  “And plenty of those young ladies are crazy, too. Couple sandwiches shy of a picnic, if you know what I mean.” He shouldn’t have said it out loud and regretted it as soon as he did, but it was true. This niece of the O’Rourkes might have been a great girl, but so far, he hadn’t found a single one who was worth the drama. Most of them were too clingy, needy, and emotional, demanding all his time and attention. They simply didn’t understand that he wasn’t equipped to deal with that kind
of energy. Cougars are solitary creatures, united with mates solely for reproducing before going their separate ways. That trait didn’t translate to humans very well, and the two sides of himself constantly battled over it.

  The old farmer sighed, but he had a small smile on his face as he looked over the tractor at Vance. “I’m not going to argue with you on that. Maggie has driven me crazy more times than I’d like to admit, but she’s also sweeter than baby’s breath. She’s been at my side through some rough times, and I don’t think I could’ve gotten through them without her. I guess I’d just like to see you have something similar.”

  Turning away toward the workbench for a different wrench, Vance shook his head. “I do just fine on my own.”

  “For now. It’ll be different as you get older,” Jim warned. “One of these days, you’ll come home to that empty house and wish someone was waiting there to greet you.”

  Vance imagined that was exactly how things went for the O’Rourkes. When Jim came in from the fields at the end of the day, Maggie was no doubt standing there waiting for him with a kiss and a hot meal. That wasn’t a terrible thought, and Vance couldn’t deny it would be much better than shaking off his boots at the side door before sticking a frozen meal in the microwave, but he also doubted he’d find something like that even if he bothered looking for it. “Women aren’t like that these days, Jim. They don’t want to be at home, cooking and cleaning and raising babies. They want to be out in the workforce, making their own money. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that at all; it’s a good thing. It’s just that the picture you paint isn’t one that exists anymore.”