“I can see it in your eyes,” he said.
Chapter 21
The little country church aisles were lined with purple lilacs and pink ribbons. The smell of lilac filled her senses as Candice stood in the hallway of the church, waiting to go out. Her uncle Charles was there to give her away.
He patted her hand, looking handsome in his black suit, his white hair curling around his ears. Candice peaked through the double doors, seeing Wyatt in his tuxedo at the end of the aisle with the preacher. Her heart burst, like a bird taking flight from deep in the forest.
She clutched the bouquet of mountain blooms and white roses and smoothed down her gorgeous, satin wedding dress with the other hand. Ever since the night Wyatt had claimed her as his mate, she’d been waiting for the full moon and their wedding day.
They’d chosen the day she would change for the first time to be the day they took their vows to make both more special. But it didn’t keep the nerves in her stomach from fluttering.
The guests found their seats, and the groomsmen and bridesmaids began to march down the aisle. Wyatt had invited other game warden bear shifters from across the state to be in the wedding, and Candice had invited her cousins and friends from Seattle.
Candice’s family was happy that she had found the love of her life. Being open-minded, they didn’t have any problem with the fact that she was marrying a shifter. A few of her cousins were actually intrigued by it.
The moment finally came for Candice and her uncle to march down the aisle toward her mate. They stepped out between the doors and began to walk slowly toward Wyatt and the preacher. She couldn’t keep the big, goofy smile off her face, even when they stopped and her uncle gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Wyatt reached out and took her hand, helping her step up to the pulpit. She gazed into his bright, green eyes. Everyone in the church disappeared, and it was just the two of them there together. He took her other hand, and they faced each other as the preacher started the ceremony.
They’d written their own vows, and they spoke them to each other. Candice’s heart was ready to erupt with love and joy. Wyatt’s words filled her with a sense of bliss so boundless, tears streamed down her cheeks, and one of the bridesmaids had to give her a tissue to blot them away.
When she spoke her own vows, her voice shook, but she got it together enough to tell him how much she loved him. She could see in his glistening eyes that he was feeling the same way.
When the preacher pronounced them husband and wife, they kissed, holding each other tight. Everyone cheered and threw birdseed as the married couple made their way to the reception hall across the street.
As Candice and Wyatt sat at the reception table, the bear wardens came to congratulate him one by one. Brody, a big man with a big smile, ice blue eyes, and a shock of blond hair shook Candice’s hand and gave the happy couple a gallon of fresh honey as a wedding gift.
Chance, a gruff-looking fellow with shoulders that seemed to dominate the room and a scowl to match, gifted them with a huckleberry patch to be planted on Wyatt’s land while they were on their honeymoon camping trip.
Candice was so overcome with the generosity and love from everyone at the wedding, she almost was able to forget the state of the world. Tonight, she would shift for the first time. Forever after, she would be a shifter—a person hated by many and hunted by a few sick, twisted souls.
Since Wyatt had been so helpful in solving the homicide case, the state of Montana had decided that game wardens would be involved in all crimes against shifters, making their jobs that much tougher.
The wedding reception wound down, and Candice and Wyatt were left alone back up at his cabin. They wanted to spend their wedding night alone together at home. Candice would have her first shift, and it would be better if they did it in familiar territory.
After they arrived home, they took off all their clothes and stood in the moonlight on the back porch. Wyatt held her hand, and smiled down at her.
“Are you ready for this?” he asked, squeezing her hand.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said nervously. Wyatt had coached her extensively on what to expect in the weeks following the mating bite, but that didn’t mean the prospect of turning into a bear wasn’t frightening. She trusted Wyatt more than she’d ever trusted anyone, and she was ready to make the change with him by her side.
“What do I do now?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Come with me. Step out into the moonlight. I’ll change first. Then you will focus on your inner bear and let it come to the surface.”
“Okay,” she said, steeling herself. She followed Wyatt off the patio and down towards the tree line where the moon glowed brightly, casting a silver hue on the tall grass. She shivered in the cold as the breeze blew up the ridge.
“I’m going to shift now,” Wyatt said, giving her one last squeeze. He drew his hand away, and a strange expression overtook his features. In a matter of seconds, the Wyatt that she knew and loved contorted and changed. He became a massive, brown grizzly with shining, green eyes. Just the sight of him took her aback, even though she knew it was her beloved. She reached out and patted his muzzle.
Wyatt seemed to shake his head, encouraging her to let go and give in to the rumbling bear within her. She could hear it calling out to her, asking to be let free. It was almost like the yearning she felt to paint or to make love to Wyatt. It would feel blissfully good to let it take over. With a sigh, she let go.
All at once her body began to break apart. Excruciating pain bit every nerve in her body. She knew it would only hurt the first time but that didn’t lessen the pain. It nearly broke her. All at once it was over, and she found herself standing breathlessly at the edge of the forest. New sensations – site, sounds, and smells – filled her senses. Things she had never imagined existed suddenly came to the forefront.
The smell of the forest, the feel of the wind on her fur, the sound of Wyatt’s breathing beside her. The sense of him––the sense that he belonged to her and she to him. It filled her with an overwhelming feeling of grace she hadn’t expected.
Her love for Wyatt, their marriage, and moving to his town to be an artist had been perfect. But now that she had shifted and could experience what Wyatt experienced, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they belonged together, that they were each the other’s one true mate. It almost made her want to cry for what normal humans didn’t get to experience. Feeling this kind of love and connection and support was the most beautiful thing she could imagine.
She could feel Wyatt beside her. There was a kind of internal animal connection between them now that hadn’t existed before. It wasn’t as if she could read his thoughts, but she could experience him on a whole other level. She knew he wanted to run, to frolic in the forest, and to spend their first night together as bears, as true mates, under the glory of the shifting moon.
Bearly Believing
Bear Wardens
An infuriatingly sexy man ...
When research scientist and ardent environmentalist Summer Madison finds a dead grizzly in the forest, she's certain a nearby copper mine is to blame. Game warden Chance Baker isn't convinced, however. Summer's sure she can make him see reason ... if he'll just stop melting her circuits for two seconds.
A stubborn, irresistible woman ...
Grizzly shifter Chance is an easygoing man--and the woman his bear is roaring to claim is anything but.
Even when she resists him, he's determined to look after his fated mate ... and more than ready for her passionate nature to be unleashed in the bedroom.
A dangerous path ...
As Chance and Summer seek the truth, someone else is determined to stop them ... someone who won't hesitate at more violence. Can Summer submit to a bear shifter's love? And can Chance win his mate's heart--and keep her safe--while finding justice for the shifter community?
Chapter 1
Summer Madison dipped her syringe into the pond, filled it, and then deposi
ted the water into a beaker she tucked safely away in her testing kit. She was sure the new copper mine was polluting the water, just like all the other old mines in this part of Montana.
Summer intended to be a one-woman advocate for the forests, even if she had to go totally Erin Brockovich on their corporate asses.
She’d taken several samples from the small pond that collected water from the river. It was rich with fish and was a primary fishing spot for local wildlife. Standing water like this would surely show evidence of pollutants from the mine.
Deciding to take samples from the forest surrounding the pond, she pushed her sunglasses up the bridge of her nose and hefted her testing kit to trek into the dense forest. She’d already hiked several miles that day, and her legs were feeling the burn.
When she pushed through the underbrush, she nearly dropped her kit on the pine needle covered ground. A massive grizzly bear lay sprawled across the forest floor, its big chest moving slowly up and down. Startled, Summer felt her heart pound in her throat.
She stopped herself. The bear was clearly sick. Wildlife didn’t usually lie around in the open like that in the middle of the day. Something was wrong with it. Approaching hesitantly, her bear spray gripped in her sweaty hand, she came close enough to inspect the beast.
Its large, glassy eyes fluttered, and it let out a long, low moan before its eyes went dark, and its chest stopped moving.
Is it dead?
She knew she should back away slowly and get the heck out of there, but the lure of scientific inquiry was too great. She tiptoed forward, dropped to her knees, and reached out to place her hand over the bear’s heart.
No pulse.
It had stopped breathing. Clearly, the beast had passed on. Anger surged in her chest. Damn corporations! They didn’t care about anything but profit! She clenched her fist and her jaw, dark thoughts running through her mind.
As a silent tear ran down her cheek, Summer pulled a hypodermic needle from her testing kit. Knowing it was slightly morbid, but unable to stop herself, she pushed the needle into the bear’s flesh, drawing out a sample of blood.
“What do you think you’re doing?” A husky, deep voice bit through the still air. Summer looked up, gasping as she capped the needle and shoved it into her testing kit. Gaping at the brawny law enforcement officer before her, she wiped a tear from her cheek and stood.
“It’s dead,” she said defiantly.
“I can see that. Did you have something to do with this?”
“No! Of course not.”
The man frowned and moved toward the bear. He wore dark blue jeans and a tan uniform top, and his eyes were shadowed by a black cowboy hat that covered his cropped brown hair. Blue eyes blazed at her over a strong jaw dusted with dark stubble. His chest was so broad it reminded her of the grizzly at her feet.
“I’m the game warden in these parts. I see you sticking a dead bear with a needle, and I’ve got to ask why.”
“I’m testing the area for toxic waste. I suspect this bear died from poisoning, so I took a blood sample.”
The warden grumbled and crossed his burly arms over his deep chest. Summer gripped the strap of her testing kit and flipped her dyed, red dreadlocks over her shoulder.
“What are you, some kind of scientist?”
“I’m an environmental biologist.”
“Who do you work for?”
“I do research for the University of Montana, but this isn’t for my job. I’m out here alone.”
“Why? Bear hunting?”
“Seriously? Do I really look like a poacher to you?” Summer asked, angrily looking down at the dead animal.
There was no longer an animal there. She screamed and nearly tripped over her own feet. On the ground before her was a dead man.
“It’s a shifter,” the warden growled. “Just what I suspected. You’re one of those shifter haters, aren’t you?”
“No!” Summer nearly screeched. “I stand behind shifter equality. Oh, my God. Look at him. Do you see those black marks on his skin? It’s arsenic poisoning.”
“Hmm. So he was poisoned.” The warden moved forward and knelt beside her, inspecting the naked man. “I’m Chance Baker, by the way.” He offered his big hand to Summer, but she just frowned at him. He tilted his head, glaring, and she finally shook it.
“Summer Madison.”
“So you came all the way out here to do scientific research at your own expense?”
“I did. I believe the copper mine is polluting the river. Copper mining has a bad history in this state, and I intend to protect the rivers and the people at all costs. What could be more important?”
“The copper mine created a lot of new jobs in town,” Chance said. “From what I understand, they’ve got pretty high environmental standards.”
“Typical redneck attitude.”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind. I shouldn’t have expected you to understand. You’re probably paid off by them to look the other way.”
“Jesus, lady, you’ve got attitude.”
She glared at him, and he met her glare with one of his own. “Never mind. I need to call this in, and you need to clear out before I arrest you.”
“Arrest me? You should be arresting the people responsible for polluting this land!”
“I don’t have time for this. There’s a dead man lying on the forest floor if you haven’t forgotten.”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten! His death, and deaths like his, are the exact reason I’m here.”
“Just clear out and don’t leave town. I’m going to need to ask you some more questions.”
“I’m staying at the Green Pine Hotel in town. Room number seven. I won’t be hard to find.”
“I don’t doubt it.”
Chapter 2
Chance growled to himself as he watched the honey-skinned, hippie scientist stomp off through the forest. That woman was way too sassy, but he could barely keep his body under control when he saw her. The second he smelled her intoxicating aroma, his mind became a haze of lustful thoughts.
Just the look of her in those colorfully printed pants and the tight black tank top that accentuated every juicy curve on her luscious little body made his mouth water and his inner bear roar. For God’s sake, a hippie chick with dyed, red dreadlocks. Why?
Chance had a taste for no-strings relationships with sweet little blondes who liked to bake pies. This one didn’t seem at all like the pie-baking type, but that didn’t keep his bear from growling and clawing inside his head. Mate!
After spending his life as a consummate bachelor, his mate turned out to be the kind of woman no man could handle. Good thing he wasn’t a man. He was a bear. He grinned at himself. He’d have to think about the girl later. Right now, he had to inspect the scene and call in the death to both Forest Service and dispatch at the sheriff’s department.
These deaths had been turning up all over Montana and in other states with large shifter populations. The humans weren’t too happy about the news that shape shifters lived among them. Chance didn’t much care what the humans thought. He’d been all for coming out. Being big, even for a bear shifter, and having a military background, Chance hadn’t been worried for his own safety. Coming out to the public would mean he had less to worry about on a day-to-day basis if he wanted to shift in public or let the humans he worked with know what he was. It just meant less work and worry. The shifter council had believed the same thing.
Little did they all know it would turn into this shitstorm.
He walked around the body and grabbed the walkie-talkie at his shoulder. Margie, the dispatcher, answered, and he informed her of the dead shifter he’d found and gave her a description of the scene. He detailed Summer’s involvement and told Margie what Summer had suspected.
He hadn’t wanted to tell the sheriff’s department about his sassy mate’s part in the man’s death, but it couldn’t be helped. This was more than likely a homicide, not that as a game warden he w
anted to be involved in one. But the standard policy in Montana was that wardens were now responsible for cases involving shifters.
The deputy sheriff and a few EMTs were on their way. Chance knelt down and turned the man’s head so he could see his face. Balor Von. He knew the grizzly shifter from the local clan. Chance cringed. Balor had gotten a job at the mine last he’d heard. Could there be a connection, or was it just coincidence?
Sighing, he stood. This was not his day. He’d come up here to check on the local deer population since the opening of deer season would soon be upon them. He hadn’t expected to find a dead shifter or his mate stabbing it with a hypodermic needle. What were the odds?
When the deputy sheriff arrived with the EMTs, they carried Balor’s body down to a waiting ambulance.
“Does this look like arsenic poisoning to you?” Chance asked the EMTs as he helped heft Balor down the hill.
“I’m not familiar with what arsenic poisoning looks like, but those black spots are strange. We’ll know more when the doctor takes a look.”
“Balor was probably fishing. A lot of grizzly shifters like to catch trout in the pool that collects along the side of the river. It’s a popular spot,” Chance said.
“Do you think there’s poison in the water?” Deputy Sheriff Hurly asked. Hurly was a short, balding man with a paunch, and he was huffing and puffing by the time they made it to the bottom of the hill with Balor’s body.
“The scientist seemed to think so,” Chance said.
“You don’t suspect the woman?” Hurly asked.
“Not sure yet. She doesn’t seem the type. More like the opposite. Some hippie from the city, trying to take on the entire system by herself. I’ll interview her after we get Balor to the hospital.”
They slid the body board into the ambulance and slammed the doors. Chance nodded to the EMTs as they climbed into the ambulance and drove away. Standing on the side of the forest road with Hurly, Chance sniffed the air and looked around. The smell of death was still thick in the air.
Shifter Overdrive Page 9