Shifter Overdrive

by Scarlett Grove

  After about an hour, the boat began to slow and turned until it stopped. Ella picked up Andrew and climbed out of the cabin. On the deck, Tate was throwing the line over onto a wooden pier. He jumped off the boat and attached the line to the mooring. He stood and helped Ella climb out. They walked down the pier through the marshy beach. Ella looked around to see they’d docked in an inlet on an island out at sea.

  There was a small rustic cabin tucked below the hillside. She cringed and held the baby tighter. This place was going to be cold. Tate opened the door of the cabin and flicked on a flashlight as they came inside. She breathed the musty, stale air, damp with the cold and the sea. Tate lit a kerosene lamp and began to build a fire in the fireplace and the wood-burning stove. It was a one room cabin with a big double bed, a table and chairs, a sink with a standpipe, and two windows that looked out the front of the house.

  “I guess this can work,” she said, shivering even in her parka.

  Tate just grumbled and continued building the fire. Ella sat on the bed and pulled a jar of applesauce from her diaper bag.

  She held Andrew on her lap and fed him with a little rubber spoon. Tate looked up at her and smiled for the first time since they’d arrived at the cabin.

  “This might not be that comfortable,” he said in a growly voice.

  “At least we’re safe,” she said with a deep exhale. “I’m so tired of running. I just want to sleep.”

  After she finished feeding Andrew, she pulled the blankets back on the bed. It wasn’t too dusty or damp. She crawled under the covers with the baby and rested her head against the stiff pillow.

  She was bone tired and had been running on terror for days. For the first time since she’d left Fairbanks, she felt safe enough to close her eyes.

  The feeling of security was definitely because of Tate. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but having him near made her feel like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders. It wasn’t just because of the Glacier Wolf Pack either.

  The whole time she’d been alone in Fairbanks, working to take care of her kid, she’d been right at the edge of her ability to keep her shit together.

  She’d done it. She’d proved to herself she could. That didn’t change the fact that she felt like she was about to break down into a puddle of overwhelmed sludge every single day of her life.

  Ella had resisted telling Tate about the baby for a long time. She didn’t want to be obligated to him, to have to become his wife, with no choice of her own. Having him near made her reconsider everything she’d been telling herself all this time.

  Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad to have someone to depend on. Tate had taken control and had found a solution by the end of the day.

  They were still on the run, but now she had some hope that she and Andrew would be safe.

  “Are you going to sleep?” Tate grumbled from above her.

  “I can’t keep my eyes open. I’m so tired. So is the baby.”

  “There’s only one bed,” he said. “I’ll spread out on the floor or find a place to bed down in the woods.”

  “Oh. I didn’t even think about that,” she said, yawning. “You’ve already helped me so much, I don’t want to put you out.”

  “Believe me. You aren’t.” His words sounded stiff and cold. Ella glanced up at his face. His expression was tight and unreadable.

  She’d dropped into his life with his baby, forced him out of his warm home, and out into a remote cabin right before a snow storm.

  Ella took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She couldn’t think about it now. Tate would have to make sense of things on his own. She could barely keep herself from losing it as it was.

  “I’m going out to get the rest of the supplies from the boat. I even nabbed a box of diapers from the lodge. He’s six months, right?”

  “Yeah,” she said, her mind moving quickly toward sleep. Diapers. One less thing to worry about.

  She heard the door close behind him, and her eyes fluttered shut, Andrew tucked safely between two pillows.

  Chapter 7

  Tate hurried to the boat to grab the rest of the supplies. It was already pitch black outside. He could feel the wind bringing in the harsh cold from the north.

  When he set the last of the things on the table, he caught a glimpse of Ella and the baby out of the corner of his eye. He turned to them, staring.

  He’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life. They both slept soundly on the bed. Ella’s pretty face peeked out from under the blankets. She was as lovely as ever. Her tawny brown cheek and slick black hair rested on the white pillowcase.

  His inner bear stirred, rumbling with anger and anticipation. He wanted to claim her now. The frenzy in his brain deafened him to his external senses.

  Tate squeezed his eyes closed and put his palm to his forehead, trying to make his bear quiet. It was no use. The beast had woken from the stupor Tate had forced his animal into over the last year and a half.

  His bear wouldn’t be silenced now. He backed up, his bear clawing at the backs of his eyes.

  The images of pressing his lips to Ella’s filled his mind. He could see himself caressing her cheek, running his hand down her body and cupping her sex in his hand.

  Without thought of propriety or what was normal for humans, he saw himself climb on top of her and take her. The image of sinking his teeth into her neck to claim her as his, forever, sent such a fever through him, he could barely keep himself from doing what the vision compelled him to do.

  “No,” he growled.

  Ella groaned and turned on her back. The blankets fell away and her breasts rose in soft mounds under the tight fitting sweater she wore.

  He swore and turned to the door. He couldn’t just sit here and be tortured by the sight of her. The sweet smell of her.

  He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Snow fell in big white clumps. The wind began to howl over the water. This storm would be bad, but not as bad as the storm raging inside Tate.

  If he stayed here, he was afraid of what he might do. He gritted his teeth and pulled off his clothes. He was a bear, he could weather the storm. Shivering from the bitter cold, he charged into the piling snow. Jumping into the air, he shifted into his bear form and fell on his four wide feet into the snow.

  He growled, his breath as foggy white as the falling snow. He could see better in the dark in this form. There were forests beyond the cabin and a cave where he knew he could bed down for the night.

  The bear charged into the pine forests, smelling the snow and the crush of needles. The salt water of the ocean was not far off.

  He cantered up a small rocky rise where he could see a view of the mainland on a clear day. The cave was just down in the ridge from there.

  The wind blew harder, turning into a powerful force. This storm was worse than he’d expected. The boat crossed his mind. The animal resisted any thoughts except going back to the woman and shoving his throbbing cock inside her wet pussy.

  The boat would have to make it through the storm on its own. Being even that close to Ella could be a mistake right now.

  The beast was in control. The little part of Tate’s human mind that still had control, had to keep the bear as far away from Ella as possible. He carefully padded down the ridge, the snow cold and slippery over the rocks. He made it to the base of the cave, huffing and puffing as the snow blocked his vision.

  It piled up quickly, even as he made his way inside the cave. At the very back, he could keep himself warm from the storm. Ella would have to make it through tonight on her own. It was better for both of them if she did. He curled up into a ball in the corner and closed his eyes to sleep.

  When he woke, the world was still and dark. His inner clock knew it was morning. He roused and stood, stretching.

  At the end of the cave, he could see the snow had piled outside the door, blocking out the light. Not good.

  He growled and charged through the snow. Seven hundred pounds of grizzly bear bu
rst through the avalanche that had covered the exit and came out the other side. He shook his fur, sending a splay of ice all around.

  The world had turned white. The trees and ground were covered in a thick layer of snow. His human mind worried for Ella’s safety, and so did the bear.

  He charged up the ridge. From the rise, he could see the cabin, piled with snow. Out at the end of the dock, the boat had tipped and now lay in the shallow water on its size.

  Tate roared and ran down the hill to the door of the cabin. He had to make a decision. He shook his head and shifted. There was no time to be bashful, he had to know she was okay.

  He burst through the door. Ella jumped and screeched, her breasts exposed as she sat beside the fire with the baby.

  His eyes grew as wide as hers. She pulled her shirt down over her nakedness and brought the baby away from her breast.

  “What are you doing?” she demanded, standing from the chair. She turned away, not wanting to look at him. “Where were you?”

  He grabbed his clothes and began to pull them on.

  “I had to get out of here last night,” he said, buttoning his flannel shirt.

  “Why?” she said, turning back to face him.

  “I couldn’t stay here with you.” Her face fell and she held Andrew away, defensively.

  “I’m sorry you’re still so angry, but you didn’t have to go sleep in the woods during a snow storm on my account.”

  “It wasn’t because I was angry,” he said, sitting to put his boots on.

  “It wasn’t?” she asked. He didn’t want her to know it was because his bear would probably take her, no matter what she said, if he’d stayed.

  “The boat’s capsized. Looks bad,” he said, changing the subject.

  “Oh my God,” she moaned, sitting down on the bed. She looked terrified. “Can you fix it?”

  “I’m a gardener, not a shipwright.” Ella looked even more worried. “But I know enough about boat repair that I can probably fix it. I’ll call Brock on the CB radio, and let him know that we’re stranded.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening,” she whimpered.

  He went to her and sat beside her on the bed. The smell of her body wafted around him. She smelled sweet and luscious. His eyes rolled back in his head for a second as the scent hit him.

  He patted her back, every impulse in his body demanding he put his arms around her and give her comfort. She looked up at him with the most innocent, trusting eyes. He never expected to see that look from Ella again.

  When they were kids, she’d looked up to him. They’d been best friends and eventually lovers. They’d practically grown up together. She’d trusted him as much as he’d trusted her. Or so he’d thought.

  Having her so close again, depending on him like this, it sent a thrill down his spine. He had to prove to her that he could handle it. He had to prove to himself.

  Her cheek looked so soft. He wanted to kiss her. Her shoulder was softly curved under his hand, and his dick grew hard just from touching her there.

  “It’s going to be all right,” he said, in a choked voice.

  She glanced over at him and down at his lap, looking away quickly. Damn. She saw. She stiffened a little but the trusting look didn’t leave her face.

  “I’m so scared. We need to take care of the baby. I can’t stand the thought of him in danger.”

  “I’m going to check on the boat. Do you need anything?”

  “No. There’s some sausage on the stove if you want to eat.”

  He stood and grabbed a link, shoving it in his mouth as he went to the front door. He looked back at her briefly before going out into the cold. She looked like an angel sitting there with Andrew. They were both so beautiful, his heart could barely stand it.

  As he closed the door, the thought crossed his mind that they could all be a family now. If she could just give herself to him, they could have it all.

  He growled at himself for even thinking about it. Now was not the time for such musing. He had to take care of them, even if she didn’t choose him. He couldn’t be distracted by wishful thinking.

  Chapter 8

  Anxiety coursed through Ella’s veins and she couldn’t sit still. She paced the small cabin, peering out the foggy windows at Tate every few minutes. He’d shifted back and forth between human and bear for the last few hours working on the boat.

  He’d felled several trees and had constructed a boat rise where he could work on the vessel. He’d used his bear and some trees to pull the boat up onto land. The ground was still covered in snow and he didn’t bother dressing when he went back to human form.

  After he’d built a fire and begun to melt rubber in a metal bucket, he put his clothes back on. She bundled Andrew up in his snowsuit and walked outside to where Tate stood beside the fire. The sharp smell of tar stung her nose.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “There’s a hole in the hull. I going to repair it with what I’ve got on hand here. The tar will patch the hole enough to make it back to Juneau.”

  “What did Brock say when you called him on the CB radio?”

  “The radio is dead,” he said, picking the gray metal box from a rock. “I was going to bring it into the cabin to dry off. Might be able to fix it.”

  The cold ran down her spine. They could be stranded here. Ella gritted her teeth and fear sank in her stomach. It was almost as bad as being on the run from the Glacier Wolf Pack. If they were stranded out here without supplies, it could get really bad really fast. It was a summer cabin. Not a place to overwinter.

  “I’m going back in,” she said, her breath blowing out in front of her.

  She turned back to the cabin and trudged through the snow. Tate was right behind her. He held the door for her as they approached. She went through and put the baby in his car seat. Ella felt frantic, but Tate looked at her with his searching, green eyes.

  “Are you all right?” he asked her, setting the radio on the table.

  “No. Not really,” she snapped.

  “What?” he said, putting his hands up in a defensive posture.

  “Nothing,” she said, turning away.

  “Ella, I’m doing everything I can here. I’m sorry this isn’t turning out how you’d expected. No one asked you to disappear for a year and a half and return with a baby and a crazed pack of wolves at your heels.”

  She gasped and her mouth dropped at the insult. She wanted to yell at him, but she couldn’t. He was right. The only one she had to blame was herself. All her sorrow and fear overwhelmed her all at once. She sat down on the bed and began to cry.

  Tate stopped short, choking on his words. He walked across the room and sat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders.

  “Please, don’t cry. I’m not going to be able to handle it if you cry,” he pleaded.

  “Why do you care if I cry? I’m a horrible person. I was horrible to you. I can’t even believe you are helping me right now.”

  “Ella…” He brushed her hair back from her cheek and over her ear. The feeling of his hand on her skin awakened all kinds of sensations she though were long dead. She’d been on her own for so long. She’d shouldered the burden of her life on her own for so long.

  She tilted her head down and nestled it against his chest, unable to help herself. The feeling of his hard pectoral under her wet cheek made her cry even harder. All this time, she’d longed for something like this, even though she’d tried to suppress her need. Tate wrapped his arm around her shoulder and held her tight.

  Tears dripped down her face and soaked into his shirt. “Hey,” he said, cupping her chin in his palm. He lifted her face to look at him. She was so ragged and lost. She sniffed. Tate looked into her eyes, his face placid but questioning.

  She didn’t know who leaned in first, but all at once, their lips were crushed against each other. Desire surged in her chest and her sex dampened between her legs. She moaned, leaning in closer.

  Tate growled,
holding her tight. His hands roved over her body, desire burning through her skin with each caress. He squeezed her breast, and she moaned deeply. Ella was so swept up in the moment, all she wanted was to feel him closer.

  She reached for his pants, her hand grazing over his substantial hardness. It pulsed against her and her breath caught. Tate pulled back with a roar, holding the hand away from him.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Yes?” she said, breathlessly. She didn’t want to think. She just wanted to feel something other than pressure and fear. The pleasure of Tate’s touch and kiss was just what she needed.

  “That’s not enough, Ella.” He stood, growling angrily.

  “Why not?”

  “My bear. I can’t control him. He won’t let you go if we make love. I’m afraid of what I’ll do to you. I might claim you. Turn you.”

  “Claim me?”

  “You know what that means. You would be mine. Bound to me. You would become a bear and we would be linked for the rest of our lives.”

  “When you put it that way…” she said, fixing her clothing. “I don’t know if I want to be a bear, let alone linked to anyone for the rest of my life.”

  “I know. Okay? Believe me. I know.” He backed away, his face tortured.

  “Tate. I wanted to kiss you. I’ve always loved you. You know that.”

  “Loved me? Please, don’t start talking about how you’ve always loved me. If you loved me, you never would have left with my child inside you.”

  He hurried to the door.

  “I’m sorry,” she called, just as he closed the door behind him. A tear slid down her face. She didn’t want to hurt him or confuse him. She hated that his bear was torturing him because of her. She wanted to make love to him, she just couldn’t commit to being claimed. She was glad he’d stopped.