Untamed Mate: A Shifting Destinies Bear Shifter Romance (Shifters of Bear's Den Book 6)

by Cecilia Lane

  At least she had the decency to feel shame for leaving him behind. “Mara, stop.”

  She tapped his phone on the table all the way across the room. “That’s your way out. When you get free, call up one of your clan.”

  “Let’s do this together. We want the same things.”

  “That’s just it. You can’t do this with me. You should never have been dragged into this in the first place. You, Kerry, all the others Ronnie has in her sights, you’re all targets because of me.” She swallowed hard and set her jaw with determination. “I can give myself up and prevent more tragedy. This is the penance I need after everything I’ve done.”

  Motherfuck, no it wasn’t. “Mara!”

  She turned away from him. He twisted on the bed and yanked. If he hadn’t been so tightly secured, he’d have been impressed. But with silver locking his bear down and his arms stretched far apart to keep his leverage to a minimum, he was just pissed at the woman walking out on him.

  Her hand tightened on the door handle. For a brief moment, he thought she reconsidered her actions.

  She squared up her shoulders and pulled the door open. “I’m sorry, Hudson. This is how it has to be.”

  Chapter 19

  The quick rap of knuckles on the motel door stopped Hudson’s workout. The endless sets of crunches and pushups did nothing to ease the tightness in his chest or the need to act.

  Without Mara, he was a wreck. His bear hated him and clawed up his insides. The beast demanded they seek her out and stop whatever plan she had in mind. She’d been smart to strand him in the motel by stealing away with his wallet and truck.

  It also wasn’t lost on him that she effectively jailed him. He placed one phone call to his alpha. Callum stood on the other side of the door, ready to bail him out.

  The bright sunlight laughed at him. The hours of nothing but waiting for his people were hours Mara was out there, alone.

  More than just Callum offered up their greetings. Cole, Nolan, Gray, and Sawyer all crowded the doorframe and drew him into their circle. A bit of tightness faded from his chest at the presence and touch of the others. His bear shoved forward and refreshed himself with their individual scents. Males, bears, earthy, fur… They were his brothers, his friends, and they showed up when he needed them. Hudson thought he might smile if he wasn’t so worried about Mara.

  His reaction was a surprise. He’d never put much stock in enclave life or a clan. Both were familiar and comfortable, but he didn’t miss having either when he enlisted. Even after he left the service and returned home, he didn’t seek out a clan. He stumbled into the Strathorns when he signed up for the fire academy.

  After his time on the road with Mara, though, he saw the clan for what they were—home. He wanted to be back at the firehouse with them, and have a regular place to lay his head at night. He wanted to share the feeling of inclusion with his mate and make a life with her surrounded by family and friends.

  Behind the males of his clan was another surprise. Axel had cleaned himself up since their ill-fated reunion. His hair was trimmed up to regulation short and his eyes were clear. He snapped straight and crossed his hands behind his back as soon as he caught sight of Hudson’s focus.

  Hudson drew the man into a quick hug and patted his back. “Didn’t expect to see you here,” he said gruffly.

  Axel had been in bad shape when picked up. Cut to hell from his fight with hunters or SEA or both, Hudson didn’t even know. The few updates from Callum said Axel switched between fury and misery over his missing child and his actions after.

  “Your boys dried me out. I couldn’t let you solve all my problems for me after what I did.” Axel cleared his throat. “When they said you had a location on Kerry, there wasn’t any stopping me from gearing up and shipping out with them.”

  “We’ll get her back.” Hudson squeezed his shoulder. Turning back to the others, he asked, “Who’s watching the estate?”

  Callum held up his hand. “Judah has that under control with a few locals. Jacob arrived this morning, too. Your friend Crewe has marshaled a bunch of shifters, too. There’s been no activity. The buyer,” his mouth screwed up like he’d tasted something disgusting, “isn’t even due to arrive back in the States until tomorrow.”

  “Thank Meghan for that,” Gray added. “She talked her way right up to that asshole’s personal assistant and got his travel schedule. She’s writing up this whole thing to ruin the fucker’s life when he lands.”

  Hudson hoped it would be that easy. The rich and corrupt always seemed to have more protections than most, and the pro-human crowd had powerful friends. Maybe captive children on his property would tip the scales. Maybe he’d meet the sharp end of justice some other way.

  Worrying about a future for someone else took away from the moments he could work toward his own. “Well, let’s head out. No reason to stick around here.”

  The group jostled for position as they headed toward the trucks and SUV parked nearby. Suddenly crossed paths and fighting jabs blew off some steam. They didn’t have any particular skin in the game, but they still echoed Hudson’s tension.

  “So who had tied up and left behind?” Gray joked.

  “If no one is closer, that would be me with kicked to the side of the road and forced to walk home,” Nolan answered.

  “Fuck off. That’s not at all the same,” Cole objected.

  “You’re betting on my life?” Hudson asked in a low voice.

  He stopped and stared at them. His bear shoved forward again, and all previous good feelings for the others faded. The creature wanted to put them in their places.

  Sly smiles hitched up more than one mouth and accompanied the collective shrug.

  “You didn’t see this coming from a mile away? Your jailbird has flown the coop.”

  “She’s not on the run,” Hudson growled at Gray. He shook his head to clear his haze of anger and hurt. “Okay, yes, she escaped and ran. But this isn’t about her freedom. She’s running headlong into danger on some bullshit suicide mission.”

  “We know, Hud. No offense was meant,” Callum said soberly. “We all know what she’s capable of, especially after she slipped away from you once already. We’ll find her before anything happens.”

  “Honestly, I’m more offended you didn’t let me in on the pool. I’d have thrown down for seduction turned escape. None of you saw what she can do with a riding crop.”

  The tension brewing fizzled with laughter, crude jokes, and wishes for his safety. Callum let them have the minute before he whistled sharply and ordered them to load up. Hudson followed Sawyer and Axel to the SUV and slid into the passenger seat.

  They’d been on the road for over an hour when Axel excused himself from the conversation and sprawled across the back seat. He covered his face with a hat and soon snored softly. Sawyer glanced in the rearview mirror, then asked, “You’re not pissed?”

  “That she left without me, sure. She pulled a fast one and got me tied up. Nothing sexier than a capable woman.”

  “You’re such a freak. Can’t you two find your kinks without dragging us into it?”

  “What if that is our kink?” His grin faded into seriousness. “Thanks for coming. Means a lot that everyone wants to help.”

  “You called. We answered.” Sawyer made a face. “Some of the mates aren’t happy about being left behind, but Callum wouldn’t hear of it. He wants Leah guarded until he gets back.”

  “She’s pregnant with his cub. Makes sense.”

  His bear sent him a whirlwind of images. Most were repeats of others with a mate mark on Mara’s skin. The last was new, with her round with a child and scratching the ears of the bear resting his head on her outstretched legs.

  Sawyer shifted in his seat. His hands tightened around the wheel as he put together the thoughts in his head. Hudson liked that about the man. He tended to act before thinking, but Sawyer thought before doing anything. He saw a lot more in people than he let on, too. Out of the entire clan, only
Callum’s opinion mattered more to Hudson.

  He cocked his head and finally put his words to the air. “You think Mara will fit in with the others?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, Everly says she sometimes still feels like an outsider. She’s still adjusting to not being put down for talking out of turn all the damn time and the mates can get a little wild.” Sawyer’s half smile faded. “With what Mara did to Becca and Nolan, her past, all of it. You think she can make up for all that?”

  The question was too close to Mara’s own opinion that she wasn’t redeemable.

  “She will. I’m sure of it.” He scrubbed a hand over his hand in frustration. “She’s out there right now trying to give herself up to save a bunch of cubs.”

  “And left you behind for a second time.” The scent of pity and caution accompanied Sawyer’s glance. “I know you think she’s your mate. Does she feel the same?”

  “I can’t think otherwise. You’d do anything for Everly, wouldn’t you? Haven’t you?”

  Sawyer nodded. Not much time had passed since he killed his mate’s alpha rather than let her get a final act of revenge. He prevented her from being drawn back into her hateful, abusive jaguar pride with the move.

  “She thinks she’s doing what’s best. She doesn’t care if this kills her. She’s doing it because she sees it as her only path.” Hudson turned his head and watched the road flash past. “I need to prove her wrong. She doesn’t have to do everything alone anymore.”

  “So she makes up for the past. She survives this shitstorm. Is she going to integrate with the others? Or are they going to be scared of her?”

  He came with more than just himself, Mara said. He had to believe the others would see his mate as he saw her. Strong, beautiful down to her soul, and pushed into horrible actions. No one was more conflicted about her wrongs than Mara. If she could find peace with them, then gaining anyone’s acceptance would be easy.

  Ahead, a tow truck driver connected chains to a familiar pickup truck. Hudson’s heart stopped. Blood rushed to his ears and drowned out his words. “Pull over, will you?”

  Without a word, Sawyer swung onto the shoulder and slowed to a stop.

  Hudson was out of the door before the truck stopped moving. The tow truck driver’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a man barreling down on him. Another time, Hudson might have felt guilty over it.

  “What happened here?” he demanded.

  The driver turned his head and spat. “I just respond to the calls. Cops found her early this morning.”

  Her. Her. Fuck. Hudson felt the world slide to its side. “The driver? Injuries?”

  “In the wind. I’m just here for the truck.”

  Relief made his bear nearly dance for joy in his head. Hudson locked his knees to keep from acting the scene out in front of everyone.

  He planted his hands on his hips and surveyed the damage while the tow truck driver went back to work. The hood was crumpled, and belts and wires dangled out from the sides. Even flipped back to the wheels, he figured the engine would need to be replaced.

  “Damn,” Sawyer whistled.

  Hudson looked away from the wreckage and grinned. “She knows what she’s doing. Gotta respect that.”

  “You think she did this on purpose?” Sawyer looked over both his shoulders. Trees and scrub lined both sides of the road. Most of the vehicles driving past belonged to their group. “But where did she go from here?”

  Hudson hitched a thumb at a road sign behind him. “Next town, probably. If it were me, I’d walk from here and rent something else. She’s making herself harder to follow.”

  “We’re heading to the same place, though.”

  “She’s counting on getting there first. Driving a stolen vehicle was a target on her back.” Hudson’s bear rattled in his chest. Impressive, crazy kitty.

  Didn’t matter what tricks she pulled, though. She belonged with him and he wouldn’t be denied.

  Chapter 20

  Mara watched the passing patrol from under her eyelashes. The crowd she’d adopted as her own shifted restlessly. It wasn’t the first time they stopped while crossing paths with another group, but each holdup made her nervous.

  The sheer number of guards gave her pause and made her reconsider finding one of the men Hudson said watched the estate. Ronnie preferred to operate with small cells. Individual camps of a dozen hunters ran the rings across her territory. If one fell, then the others knew to disappear. Hiding a scattered force was easier than taking everyone underground.

  Mara thought every last person on Ronnie’s payroll had been ordered to appear. She recognized a few faces and could even name a handful.

  They were more militarized, too. Armed with more than their personal weapons, nearly everyone carried a gun and a long cattle prod. Groups roved the estate like tactical teams ready to defend a dictator.

  She kept her face averted until the final patrolman passed. She needed to slip away from her own group before they figured out she wasn’t supposed to be there.

  The numbers alone weren’t the only concern. They had size on their side while she needed to keep to her human form. One or two on one wasn’t difficult, but an entire group determined to bring her down wasn’t a fight she could win.

  The prowling lioness in the back of her brain hissed and snarled. The outrage hadn’t ceased from the moment Mara made up her mind to leave Hudson behind. With the she-devil desperate to roll over for the man, Mara needed to keep her caged. She had more pressing matters than her heartbreak.

  The radio on her group leader’s belt squawked with some indistinguishable order. He punched harshly at the buttons and twisted some knob, but the static didn’t lessen.

  “Jenkins—wait, you’re not Jenkins.” He jabbed a nightstick under her chin and raised her face.

  Mara clamped down on her rising panic. Her lioness roared in the face of danger. She snapped her eyes to the ground to hide any bleeding color before he could notice. Easy, she snarled at her inner beast. You’ll get us killed.

  The hair along her cat’s back rose with her fury. Sendings pushed through her mind of claws sunk deep in the hunter’s chest and blood covering her muzzle. A giant bear ripped through the rest at her side.

  At least the massive guilt trip twined together with only a quiet hissing.

  “Jonas. Close,” Mara said smoothly and added a pained smile for his confusion. “Someone at the big house told me to join you a while back.”

  “Fuck this mixing,” he complained, then passed a hand over his face. “Whoever the fuck you are, get back to the main house and find out what they want. We’ll keep moving on our route. Meet us at the back gates.”

  Mara dipped her head in a silent acknowledgment of her orders. Too close. She knew her disguise had a limited lifespan. Jenkins—the real one—was bound, gagged, and locked in a trunk in a garage near one of the gates. Mara had attached her weapons to her waist and then joined the first passing group she could find to get her bearings.

  Her plan had been to work her way as close to Ronnie or the children as possible to avoid anyone else trying to collect on any bounty. She needed her head firmly attached to her body until she knew Ronnie honored her end of the bargain. One life for many didn’t work if someone took that life.

  “Well? Get a move on. The rest of you, let’s go.” The group leader circled his finger in the air, then pointed straight ahead.

  Mara didn’t question him. The order was just the one she needed to fade from the group and attach herself to another.

  She trudged up the path of a low hill until she reached the peak. Perfectly manicured grass rolled away from her in all directions. Gardens sprouted up in clusters around bungalows. Trees lined the tall stone fences. Wasteful. She couldn’t imagine the work necessary to maintain the landscaping in desert heat. Stupid, too. If Ronnie wanted a fortress, she’d have done better with unscalable walls and no trees to descend on the other side. They’d made Mara’s entra
nce easier.

  The main house buzzed with activity. If at all possible, she wanted to avoid stepping directly into that hornet’s nest. She figured there were even odds on the cubs being held inside the main house or somewhere else on the estate. On one hand, they were bait and should be kept as secure as possible. On the other hand, they were dirty, disgusting shifters and easier to store in cages.

  Mara waited until her patrol group stepped out of sight, then turned and caught up with another heading toward one of the outlying buildings. The bonus of so many guards meant she had a better shot of staying hidden. She’d use that to her advantage for as long as possible.

  She was good at blending in. It was a necessity during her childhood and growing up a shifter in a human world. It became a demand once Ronnie collared her and forced her into sniffing out more victims. She needed to keep her head down and focus on the job. The kids needed their freedom. She could ignore everything inside her screaming to run back to her bear.

  The simple thought of the man set her body on fire. Her heart hurt, her stomach clenched, her joints ached. She pressed her lips together and tried to hold her breaking insides together.

  He wasn’t important. No, he was too important. He’d been drawn into her shit and it cut her as deep as all the other wounds she’d taken. Keeping him away was for the best. He was safer if she kept her distance.

  One life for many. Ronnie’s offer would doom her for the rest of her miserable life, but the captured children and Hudson would have years ahead of them.

  Except, the more time she spent on the estate, the more one particular idea grew. Ronnie was scared. There wasn’t any other reason for her to disrupt all her previous tactics to consolidate her people.

  Maybe, just maybe, a path existed to both of Mara’s desires. If she could sneak the cubs out from under Ronnie’s nose, then she wouldn’t need to trade her life. She could find her way back to Hudson in the end.

  The idea washed away all her aches and pains and let her breathe easily once again. Even the cat pacing away deep within her stopped looking for a way to escape back to the man and purred.