Second Chance Bear

by Raines, Harmony

  “So can we go climb the mountain?” Reece asked, his voice tinged with annoyance that she hadn’t been listening to him.

  “Yes, we should hike up some of the lower trails.” Joanna looked at the high peaks looming above their heads.

  “That’s where I want to go.” Reece pointed to the highest peak. “I bet you can see the whole world from up there.”

  “I bet you can’t,” Winnie replied.

  “You know what I mean,” Reece replied hotly.

  “Then say what you mean.” Winnie folded her arms and huffed loudly.

  Sensing an impending argument, Joanna searched for something to distract them. “You know, people have been hit by frozen poop from a plane.” Was she really descending into toilet humor to stop an argument?

  “They have not.” Winnie giggled.

  “They have,” Reece told her. “It comes out like a frozen blue ice cube.”

  “That does it, I definitely want to go in an airplane and drop poop on Jennifer Stanley’s head.” Winnie nodded as if it were a done deal.

  “I thought you’d made up with Jennifer Stanley.” Joanna found the turn to Chance Heights Activity Center and drove up the steep, winding road.

  “I did. But she didn’t,” Winnie replied quietly.

  “Has she been mean to you again?” Joanna asked. Jennifer Stanley had taken it upon herself to be the thorn in Winnie’s side ever since Joanna and Julian adopted her and Reece and they began attending the local school.

  “Do you want me to deal with her?” Reece offered.

  “No!” Joanna and Winnie chorused.

  “I’ll talk to the principal,” Joanna added hurriedly. “Here it is.”

  The sign for Chance Heights Activity Center appeared at just the right time to stall any further discussion about Jennifer Stanley. Joanna hoped it was a good omen and their lives and their luck were about to change.

  Chapter Two – Marcus

  Early summer was one of Marcus’s favorite times of the year. The trees were covered in green leaves that rustled gently in the wind, the flowers were in full bloom, and all the birds and small animals that had young were busy taking care of them.

  He was a sucker for youngsters. It didn’t matter if those young were animals, human, or shifter, he wanted them to see the world as it could be and make it a better place for themselves and for everyone else living on this planet.

  “Are you daydreaming again?” Luke asked as he strolled over with a clipboard in his hand.

  “I might be,” Marcus confessed. “I was enjoying a couple of minutes of peace before everyone arrives.”

  Luke looked down at the piece of paper attached to the clipboard and ran his pencil down it. “We certainly are in for a busy week. This is the fullest we’ve been so far this year. Linking with the activity center in River Wolf has certainly done plenty for publicity.”

  “My only concern is Sage.” Marcus exchanged a worried look with his younger brother. “She still thinks she can run around after everyone even though she’s nearly seven months pregnant.”

  “She’s scared,” Luke replied.

  “Scared of what?” Marcus asked.

  “Scared that we’ll decide we don’t need her anymore.” Luke also had a knack for seeing beneath the image people liked to project of themselves to the world. It was as if he could look deep inside them and uncover their hidden truths.

  “Do you really believe that’s what she thinks?” Marcus asked.

  “Yep. It started when she moved to River Wolf with Patrick. And now that the baby is due, she’s struggling to let us go.” Luke put the pencil behind his ear and tucked the clipboard under his arm.

  “Why does she have to let us go?” Marcus asked.

  “She doesn’t. But it’s what she believes is happening.” Luke shrugged. “What we have to do is figure out how to make her see how much we need her, without putting more strain on her and the baby.”

  “How do we do that?” Marcus asked, his brows knitted together as he considered Luke’s words.

  “How the hell should I know? I can’t figure it all out.” Luke grinned at Marcus before he swiveled his head to look toward the house. A vehicle was approaching. “Our first guests are here.” Luke looked at his watch. “They’re a good couple of hours early.”

  “They must be eager to experience our hospitality,” Marcus said dryly, his thoughts still stuck on his sister and how they were going to stop her from overdoing it without implying they could cope without her. “I’ll go deal with them and get them settled.” Marcus dug his hands in his pockets and walked off toward the front of the house. “You go and ask Nana for some advice.”

  “Why don’t you go and ask her? Since she met George and settled down, you’re no longer as close as you were.” Luke was right, as usual. Being the oldest, Marcus had always been there to support Nana when she adopted the three Chance children. However, since George revealed himself as Nana’s mate, Marcus often felt unneeded.

  There. You can relate to Sage better than you thought, his bear told him.

  “No, you should ask her, you’re better at that kind of thing,” Marcus said firmly as he walked toward the house, where a vehicle had just crested the steep driveway and was pulling to a stop next to the truck.

  “Which is why you need the practice,” Luke called back. He half turned and grinned at his brother. “We need a plan.”

  “Once you have one, fill me in.” Marcus stuck his hand in the air and waved at his brother before switching his full attention on the family disembarking from their car.

  Luke shook his head and walked off in the direction of the house Nana shared with her husband, George. Marcus shrugged off his own unease, things were changing so fast it made his head spin. And over the last few months, Marcus had learned one new thing about himself. He didn’t always like change.

  For years they had been a strong family unit of four, comprising of their adoptive mother, Nana, and the three Chance children who had been orphaned when their parents were killed in a plane crash. Now, Nana and Sage each had a mate. With Sage’s baby on the way, their family would nearly have doubled in less than a year. It took some getting used to.

  However, the thought of a niece or nephew to play with and spoil made Marcus happy. Even if it might inherit the wolf shifter genes of Sage’s mate, Patrick. He couldn’t lie, he wanted the newest member of the Chance family to be a bear. But to Marcus, a wolf shifter baby was better than no baby at all!

  Children were what living was all about. He longed to have a family of his own. A mate and cubs to roam across the mountains with. He had so much to teach a child, and so much to learn from them in turn. After the death of his parents, Marcus had often taken on the role of man of the house, even though he had been a child himself. But keeping Sage and Luke safe, and helping keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, had been his priority. Which often left him with no time for friends his own age.

  The sound of car doors slamming drew his attention back to his job and the busy week ahead. Although they also allowed any school or club to visit, Chance Heights Activity Center prided itself on offering vacations to young people who might have had difficulties in their lives. The staff at Chance Heights were experienced with both emotionally and physically challenged children.

  This week they were hosting a camp for children who had been adopted. Along with various activities, they also hoped the children might find time to share their experiences with each other.

  At first, they had been unsure if anyone would be interested. However, the event had soon grown to be their most popular camp-out session. So much so, that the Chance family had already decided to make it an annual event.

  Next year was already half filled even before the first event had taken place. This, of course, placed more pressure on the Chance family to fulfill people’s expectations. If not, they might receive cancellations for next year, which was never an easy thing to deal with.

  Perhaps this
was why Sage was under pressure and Luke had it wrong.

  As he rounded the corner of the house and the small blue car and its occupants came into view, Marcus slowed his pace. A wave of fatigue hit him. His stomach churned, and his knees were weak as if he were coming down with something.

  Not now, he told himself. There was no way he could drop out of all the activities they had planned for the families arriving throughout the afternoon. He was just going to have to man up and get on with it.

  “Look at the mountain!” The excited voice of a young girl reached Marcus and he stopped and inhaled deeply. He wasn’t letting anyone down this week, neither was he about to pile more pressure on Sage and Luke.

  “Hi there.” Marcus forced a smile onto his face but as he took in the sight before him, the smile faltered and slid off his face. At the same time, a sense of euphoria flooded his veins. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event. No, once in an eternity. He’d met his mate.

  “Hello.” His mate spoke, her words unsure as she watched Marcus. “Is everything all right?”

  He nodded like an imbecile. “Everything is perfect. Just perfect.”

  Perfect! You probably look like a deranged idiot, his bear supplied helpfully.

  “Are you sure? Are we too early?” His mate cast a glance around them, noting the lack of other cars and people.

  “No, not too early. Just the first to arrive.” He shook off the need to rush up to her and declare his undying love. She already looked freaked out by his behavior and he didn’t want her to get back in the car and drive out of his life.

  “Oh, as long as you are sure. We could always drive into town and get something to eat and come back later.” Did she take a step back toward the car? No, he couldn’t let her leave.

  “No, there’s food here. Then we can get your tent pitched before everyone else arrives.” He took a deep breath and forced himself to continue. “It’s going to be a busy afternoon and evening getting everyone set up. So if I teach you, you can help the others.”

  “We have to pitch our own tent?” the boy, who must be around eleven or twelve, asked.

  “Yes, it’s all part of learning how to work as part of a team. It’s one of the core values here at Chance Heights.” The more he focused on his breathing the more Marcus felt like his usual self. That didn’t mean he wasn’t acutely aware of his mate, who looked a little more relaxed now.

  “Shall we leave our luggage in the car?” she asked.

  “Yes, once you have a campsite, you can drive over and unpack next to your tent. Come on, I’ll show you around and you can pick your site.” With some effort Marcus turned away from his mate and walked toward the large field which stood empty, waiting for people to arrive and pitch their tents. By tonight the field would be full of tents and happy people. If all went to plan. Which it often didn’t.

  Today isn’t exactly going to plan, is it? his bear asked.

  Not exactly. But I am not complaining, he told his bear.

  “Hi there.” Luke approached with his usual broad smile on his face. However, he immediately sensed something was wrong with his brother and opened his mouth to speak. Marcus immediately shook his head and warned Luke not to ask. “I forgot to give you the clipboard…so you can check names off as they arrive.”

  “Thanks.” Marcus’s hand shook as he reached for the clipboard, but Luke drew it back toward him, holding it out of reach.

  “I’ll do it now that I’m here.” Luke scrutinized Marcus for one long moment before he turned his attention toward the new arrivals. “Can I check your family name off my list?”

  Damn, was his mate married? This event was for families with adopted children. In Marcus’s experience, couples adopted children, not single women. Had fate played a cruel joke and given him a married mate?

  “The Bletcher family,” his mate said to Luke.

  Luke ran his pencil down the list of names. “There you are. Three of you?” Luke queried.

  “Yes. Just the three of us.” His mate glanced at the children quickly.

  “Joanna, Reece and Winifred,” Luke read from the list before him.

  “Winnie. I hate being called Winifred,” said the girl who was a couple of years younger than her brother, Reece.

  “I’ll make a note of that,” Luke said, putting one of his charming smiles on his face.

  Marcus’s fist clenched by his side as tension threaded its way through his body. Normally he was the calmest member of the Chance family. But faced with his brother flirting with his mate, his temper frayed.

  Luke doesn’t know, his bear reminded him.

  Well, he should, Marcus replied, despite how unreasonable he sounded.

  “I was about to show Joanna and her children to the refreshments,” Marcus cut in as Luke was about to explain how the afternoon would work.

  Luke turned and looked at Marcus with an expression of curiosity. “We can walk that way together.” Luke cocked his head to one side, his laser-sharp perception would no doubt tell him his older brother was in love with Joanna.

  Was it love? Or lust? Or the mating bond playing tricks with his mind?

  “That would be great,” Joanna said, eying Marcus cautiously.

  First impressions were hard to shake off, if he didn’t get a grip she would think he was an idiot, or worse. “This way.” Marcus smiled the most natural smile he could muster and led them toward a large barn. Experience had taught the Chance family that erecting a tent was much easier if no one was hungry after a long journey and so they had converted a barn into a mess hall, which was always filled with plenty of food on arrival day. It was also where everyone would eat the healthy nutritious meals the family prepared three times a day for their guests.

  “Sorry we’re so early,” Joanna apologized again, this time to Luke.

  “Someone has to be first,” Luke replied. “You can pick your spot and we can get your tent up before everyone else arrives.”

  “Down along the edge of the trees is the best spot.” Marcus pointed to the edge of the field. “You’ll get the early morning sun but then the trees give enough shade throughout the day to stop the tent from getting too hot. Plus, you are close to the trail that leads down to the river, and you are close to the showers.”

  Joanna smiled and to Marcus, it was as if the sun had come out from behind the clouds. “Thanks. That sounds perfect. None of us has ever camped before, so we wouldn’t have a clue where to pitch the tent.”

  “Marcus is the man to talk to if you want any local knowledge. He knows these mountains like the back of his hand,” Luke said, much to Marcus’s surprise.

  “Do you know the best places to see either bears or wolves?” Winnie asked eagerly.

  “We do not need to go looking for them,” Joanna said quickly.

  “But I want to see them in the wild,” Winnie told her mom.

  “Wild bears are dangerous,” Marcus told Winnie. “You shouldn’t ever approach them.”

  “I won’t,” Winnie assured them. “Mommy told us all about bears and what we should do if we see one.”

  “That’s great. It’s good to be prepared,” Marcus stuttered. His brain seemed to disconnect from his mouth. Usually, he never had trouble conveying his thoughts, he was used to talking to visitors to the activity center, but today nothing was going smoothly. “It’s important to keep safe.”

  “But is there a chance we might see one? From a long way off maybe? With binoculars.” Winnie was so hopeful, Marcus wanted to shift right there in front of her and let her ride on his back.

  “We might. But I can’t promise,” Marcus told her honestly. Although when he broke the news to Joanna that she was his mate and he was a shifter, there was a very good chance Winnie would be seeing bears often. Unless Joanna packed the kids in her little blue car and drove away as fast as she could when she heard the man before her was a freak of nature.

  “Winnie, you have to remember there will be lots of other people here,” Joanna began.

  “I
t’s okay. We can find time to go out on the mountain and see if we can track a bear. Or even a wolf,” Luke said. “Because Marcus is great at tracking.”

  Marcus rolled his eyes at his brother. Talk about laying it on with a trowel.

  Chapter Three – Joanna

  Joanna wasn’t sure how to take Marcus. At first, he’d seemed odd. In a weird, staring kind of way. However, once he relaxed he was warm and friendly. She liked him. She liked both the Chance brothers. Thankfully, so did the children.

  “This is Nana’s best recipe,” Marcus told the children as he offered them banana cake with soft buttery frosting. “It’s delicious.”

  Reece took a piece and sniffed it suspiciously. “Banana. In a cake?”

  Winnie was more adventurous and took a bite without hesitation. “It’s amazing. Try some, Reece.”

  Reece helped himself to a piece of cake and took a small bite, followed by a bigger bite. “It is amazing.”

  “Would you like a piece?” Marcus offered the plate to Joanna. A sudden shyness enveloped her. She wanted to act coy and say she was watching her figure or some such nonsense, but she didn’t.

  “Thank you.” She took a piece and bit into it. “Your Nana does make an amazing cake. Is it a family recipe?”

  “She’s not actually our Nana,” Marcus explained. “She adopted us after our parents died. Her name is Nana.”

  “Oh, I see. Sorry.” She closed her eyes for a second. Joanna really needed to stop apologizing for things that were not her fault. It had been her fallback habit since Julian broke the news he was leaving, as if she were responsible for everything that went wrong in everyone’s lives. Which she wasn’t. She knew she wasn’t. Joanna bit into her cake and chewed so she didn’t have to speak.

  “Help yourself to anything else. There’s coffee or juice. Or soda.” Luke indicated the array of food on display next to which stood a table filled with non-alcoholic beverages. Pity, right about now she could do with a glass of wine to calm her nerves. The more time she spent around Marcus, the more she stared at him as if he were a supercharged magnet.