Bear-ly A Hero (Bear Claw Security 2)

by Terry Bolryder

  “That’s it. Run, bear!” one of the wolves called up at Limes from the base of the tree. The others laughed with him, assuming the bear had had enough and was fleeing.

  The joke was on them, though.

  Pushing off the tree suddenly, Limes leapt into the air directly over the wolves beneath him. Most of them scattered like flies in every direction, but two of them, including the snarky one, just looked up, shocked at the sight of a gigantic, furry, enraged beast plummeting toward them.

  With a loud thump that shook the ground, Limes pummeled the two wolves beneath him, knocking the wind out of them and rewarding him with the sound of a few bones cracking, probably ribs.

  Take that, fucking wolves.

  For a moment, the others just stared, stunned at the bear. But Limes didn’t waste the opportunity. He lunged at the closest wolf, digging his teeth into its neck and clawing at him, hoping to reduce their numbers as quickly as possible.

  But as quickly as the moment was Limes’s, the advantage turned back toward the sheer number of remaining wolves, who rushed at him with terrible speed.

  Limes felt visceral pain as row after row of fangs dug into his fur, piercing his skin and drawing blood. He whirled around and swiped his paws wildly to get them off, but no sooner had they pulled away than they attacked again, surrounding him and striking from every direction.

  He tried rolling again, but the wolves were smarter this time, and they pulled away to avoid him. Coming back onto his feet, Limes turned at them and let out a terrible roar, daring them to come at him.

  All he got in reply was silence and wicked, wolfish smiles.

  Limes could feel the wounds in his sides and neck healing, but there was no chance they could heal faster than they could hurt him.

  At the center of the group, he could see the wolf Jamie had called Kyle, his fur gray and a light, sandy-blond color, with those same sinister, beady eyes as before.

  If Limes took out the alpha, then the rest would probably scatter. At least, that’s what he hoped would happen.

  Limes went on the offensive this time, his bear surging forward toward Kyle, eager to tear him to shreds. At his left and right, the wolves encircled him from every side, but he slashed and batted them away.

  Kyle didn’t flinch, just snarled as Limes charged into him, pounding him and grabbing him in a ferocious bear hug. With surprising strength, Kyle pushed away from him with his paws, biting at his neck while Limes did the same to him.

  Ignoring the tearing sensation he felt from every direction as the pack laid into him, Limes sank his teeth into Kyle’s neck, making him howl in agony.

  You deserve it, fucker.

  But as Limes went to give the killing blow, he felt his body bowl over as several wolves pushed against him, applying just enough force to knock him onto his back.

  Kyle wriggled away from Limes in desperation, coming free of his paws and limping to the back of the group as the others surrounded Limes.

  He could see they were down more than a few wolves, and there wasn’t a single one that didn’t have blood coming from a wound somewhere on their body. But Limes could feel the intense toll they had taken on his bear, could feel the gaping wounds on his body like shards of glass everywhere under his skin.

  Limes had been wounded more than once in the line of duty, but this was certainly something else entirely. It was like someone had bottled hundreds of jars of raw pain and poured it all over him.

  But looking past the encroaching wolves, he could see his mate, Jamie. Compared to the thought of losing her, of letting her go back to these evil men who would use her and control her, the pain was nothing.

  He whirled to the right and clawed a wolf that was a little overeager in its approach, sending him reeling backward.

  No matter what it took, he’d end these guys. Or at least hold them off until help came for Jamie.

  But as he took a step back, hoping to buy a second longer before the wolves leapt, he felt his body buckle slightly under his own weight, scorching pain going up his battered leg, which the wolves had been using like a chew toy only moments before.

  Shit, this was going to be tough.

  * * *

  Jamie couldn’t stand to watch her love like this, bloodied and surrounded by the worst men she’d ever known.

  More than once it, had looked hopeless, but each time, Limes had pulled out and turned the tides, only to have the pack close in on him again.

  But more than sadness at the prospect of losing Limes, she felt incredible anger at her former packmates. Anger for all the times they’d tried to take her against her will, all the times they’d ignored or overridden what she wanted. And above all, for what they were doing to her mate.

  If she didn’t fight now, there would be nothing left worth fighting for.

  Jamie could still feel the tall man behind her, gripping her tightly. There was no chance for escape in her human form. He was told to punish her if she shifted, but she didn’t care. No punishment was worse than watching Limes hurt.

  Focusing her energy inward, feeling the forest around her and her love for Limes, she shifted into her wolf. For a moment, the man was stunned by her sudden action, and she used the opportunity to throw her head into him, pushing him away before he could shift as well.

  Like a flash, she bolted toward the group of wolves inching closer and closer toward her mate. Ignoring their growls, she pushed past them toward Limes and whirled around, giving the most ferocious growl she could muster.

  For a moment, the shifters just stared at her blankly, surprised at the sudden turn of events.

  Jamie wasn’t going to back down.

  “Get out of the way, Jamie,” Limes said between huffs. “I can’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Yes, just let us finish off this bear so we can take you back home where you belong,” Kyle said, still injured badly but emboldened by the sheer numbers on his side.

  “I won’t let you hurt him,” Jamie yelled at the men, standing next to Limes. The scent of blood was thick in the air, and beside her, she could hear Limes breathing heavily, deep heaves that didn’t hide the strain he was under.

  “We’ll get what we want either way. You can fight us, but it won’t keep me from ending that bear of yours,” Kyle snarled in reply.

  “Like hell you can. Why don’t you get back over here and try it, asshole?” Limes snarled at the alpha wolf, who cowered slightly at the bear’s challenge.

  But despite the fight in him, Jamie could tell being this near to him just how much he’d taken for her. His fur was soaked with crimson, and she could see him favoring one leg.

  And as much as she wanted to fight, the wolves before her were much larger and stronger. Plus they were still hopelessly outnumbered with no chance of retreat or outside aid.

  Even if it were the last thing she could do, Jamie would do whatever it took to save her mate.

  “If I come willingly, will you leave my mate alone?” she bargained.

  Kyle’s gaze shifted, his eyes coming forward as he appraised the sincerity of her proposal.

  “Jamie, no!” Limes growled behind her, stepping forward to put himself between the pack and her.

  “Why not?” Kyle barked out, “If you promise to come with us, freely and of your own accord, and give us your pack’s promise to never try to escape, then yes, we’ll let your bear live.”

  The smugness in his voice made her cringe, and the prospect of spending the rest of her life with someone like Kyle sent shivers of horror down her spine.

  But given the choice between letting Limes get killed or keeping him alive, regardless of what happened to her, Jamie knew exactly what she would choose.

  “I’ll do it,” she said, hoping to act quickly before Kyle and the other wolves surrounding them got other ideas.

  “Never,” Limes interjected, his body tensing, ready to fight.

  “The lady’s made her choice. You should respect it, bear, or I just might change my mind,” Ky
le said, confident in their remaining numbers. He looked at her. “Pack’s promise?”

  “That won’t be necessary,” a new voice said, the sound booming through the forest and echoing all around them in the trees.

  Everyone’s ears pricked up in surprise, and Jamie looked behind the wolves to the edge of the clearing, where she witnessed a gigantic bear lumbering toward them.

  Bronson. It had to be.

  Kyle and the wolves turned about to face the newcomer.

  “Who the hell are you?” one of the wolves asked.

  “The question you should be asking yourselves is how long do you have to live if you don’t get the hell out of my way right now,” he said, his wide paws splintering branches and logs as he sauntered menacingly closer to them.

  “What took you so long?” Limes asked

  “Traffic. That and the tracer I had in your jacket took me to Jamie’s house. But then all I had to go on was following the sound of you getting your ass kicked,” Bronson replied, baring long sharp teeth as the bear grinned in amusement.

  “That’s your fault for being so damn slow. I know snails that go faster than you,” Limes snapped.

  “Just be grateful I’m here now,” Bronson said, coming to a stop a dozen or so feet from the wolves. At this distance, it was all the more clear how gigantic he was, every bit as large as Limes.

  “What the hell is going on?” Kyle asked angrily, sounding shaken now that they had a bear on both sides.

  “I’ll put this in as simple of terms as possible. You run or you die. Choose wisely,” Bronson said with a glint of violence in his eyes, a peek at the storm inside the usually calm man.

  “You can’t scare me, bear. We can take both of you,” Kyle said, the uncertainty in his voice belying his confident words.

  “Have it your way,” Bronson said.

  One of the wolves let out a howl into the swiftly waning light of dusk, and the wolves charged at Bronson. In response, he roared ferociously and stood on his hind legs, towering like a tree above the wolves, clawing at them and batting them away like plush dolls as they leapt at him.

  Without hesitation, Limes charged into the rear of the pack, tearing into them and ripping at whatever he could sink his teeth into as the wolves struggled with choosing which bear to fight.

  To the front, Bronson’s claws. To the rear, Limes’s teeth.

  Watching the fight, Jamie could see the tides turning very quickly as the two bears fought, the wolves dropping to the ground one after the other, badly injured or incapacitated. At the fringes of it all, Kyle watched his packmates falling.

  “Oh, no, you don’t!” Limes roared as he threw one wolf to the side and sprinted after the fleeing alpha. Kyle didn’t get far before Limes leapt into the air, swiping him in the side so hard he went rolling over the ground for several meters.

  Triumphant and enraged, Limes came on top of Kyle, caging him in on all sides and raising a sharp paw above his head, poised to end him.

  “Now I make you pay for what you’ve done to my mate.”

  “No, please,” Kyle begged.

  “Give me one reason I shouldn’t end you,” Limes snarled ominously. At the other end of the clearing, Jamie could see Bronson cleaning up the few stragglers who tried, and failed, to take on two bears at once.

  “I won’t ever come after her again. I swear. Pack’s promise,” Kyle said.

  “Like hell I’m going to believe the word of a low-down, dirty wolf.”

  “No, wait,” Jamie said, reassuring him. “A pack’s promise means he can never defy his word, no matter what. It’s ancient wolf law.”

  Limes looked over at her, rage burning in his eyes like fire but dimming as he saw she was okay.

  “Limes, you don’t need to kill for me. Not when you don’t have to,” she said. “Let’s just move on.”

  “Do you swear, on your life, that neither you nor anyone in your pack will ever so much as look at Jamie again?” Limes demanded, turning back to Kyle and threatening him again with his raised paw.

  “I swear. You have my pack’s promise,” Kyle responded compliantly.

  To the side, Jamie could hear the sound of Bronson’s footsteps as he approached the scene playing out.

  “Stop with the drama already, Limes. You just get your mate out of here, and I’ll make sure these bastards go. Cage is on his way, and he can help clean up,” Bronson said.

  Limes looked up at Bronson, an eye twitching in fury, and let his balled bear fist down hard on Kyle’s face with a loud thump, knocking him out, but not killing him. With a long huff, he stood and turned to face Jamie.

  “Come on,” she said, sidling up to him and pressing herself to his side, reassuring herself with the sound of his heartbeat. “Let’s go get you cleaned up.”

  Limes looked down at himself, covered in blood and matted fur. He slowly transformed, not looking much better as a human. Bronson walked around the forest, found the pants Limes had ditched before shifting, and brought them over to him.

  Limes put them on, and Jamie bit her lip at the picture he made.

  “What? You don’t like me like this?” he asked wryly, not too weak for snappy comebacks.

  “If I had a female willing to touch me when I looked like that, I’d stop talking and go claim her,” Bronson drawled.

  Limes glared at his partner. “I don’t need your input.” Then he let out a breath. “Thanks for coming.”

  “Anytime, partner,” Bronson said. “Now get out of here.”

  “Don’t need to tell me twice,” Limes said, leaning against Jamie in her wolf form as they started toward the house. Hopefully, no one would see them. “Gonna go claim the crap out of her.”

  And then Jamie and Bronson laughed as she led her grumpy mate back to her house where she could take care of him.

  20

  When they got home, she pushed open the door, helping Limes in, and then shut the door and quickly transformed into her human so she could get him first aid.

  He stumbled to the couch with his arm around her, and then appraised her with eyes that sparkled with appreciation.

  “Oh, you,” she said, bringing out a large first aid kit she’d bought when she bought the house, never knowing when her clumsiness would get to her.

  “Hey, I’m messed up, but I’d have to be dead to not notice my mate naked,” he said.

  She let out a little huff and wondered how she’d ever found him scary. “All right,” she said, taking out an alcohol wipe. “This might sting.” She started to wipe at one of the larger cuts on his chest, and he grinned ruefully.

  “Um, maybe we should just put me in the bath,” he said. “Honestly, I heal fast, and you could probably spend days wiping each little one.”

  She sighed. “I suppose you’re right. How will I know if there are any big ones?”

  “I don’t think so,” he said. “I just feel like a pin cushion.” He stood and was able to take most of his weight as they walked to the bathroom.

  “That was a stupid thing you did,” she said.

  He shrugged. “Not when it’s my mate.”

  She shook her head as she sat him on the edge of the tub so she could run the water. She was glad she’d gotten a large Jacuzzi-style when she moved in. As the water ran and steam filled the room, she took a deep breath and let it out.

  Now that they weren’t in any immediate danger, the tension between them became more apparent.

  “So, um, I’m your mate?” she asked.

  He nodded, his earring bouncing. “Yeah.”

  “How’d you figure that out?” she asked, feeling nervous and vulnerable in bringing it up.

  “Actually, it was remembering when you were almost kidnapped. You weren’t even close enough to scent, but I was desperate not to lose you. I’ve only felt that way one time in my life, and it damn near destroyed me.”

  When the water was done, she helped him lower himself in slowly, hissing as the heat ran over his cuts.

  “Are you sure?
” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said, submerging himself. “It’s worse than it looks. I promise. Plus, I need to talk to you, and I can’t do it if you’re just worrying about the blood on me.”

  “True,” she said, heart racing at the thought of what he might have to say. “You said you felt that way before?”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Hold on a minute.” He dipped his head under the water and rubbed his face and hair, rinsing them and then coming back up, basically clean.

  If she looked over him, she could still see cuts and scrapes, but for the most part, he was okay. Thank heavens.

  He put one arm on the edge of the tub and beckoned with the other. “Come in with me,” he said. “I’d rather have you close while we talk.”

  She frowned. “I’m not sure you’re in the state for that right now.”

  “Oh, come on,” he said. “Don’t deny a bear who nearly fought to the death for you.”

  “I thought you said it wasn’t that bad?” she asked.

  “Yeah, ‘cause I’m healing now. It was almost way bad. I could have died,” he said flatly.

  “You aren’t above using this against me, are you?”

  “If it gets me extra credit? No,” he said, and she laughed and finally got in with him.

  She gasped at the heat all around them, her skin tensing in response. But then he pulled her between his legs to rest with her back against his chest, and the water was suddenly soothing and quiet.

  He held out one arm in front of her. She looked down and saw the bird tattoo she’d asked about before. Back then, he’d dodged the question.

  “I got this when my sister died,” he said. “Cancer. Stage four. Invasive.” He shook his head. “She wasn’t a shifter.”

  “How does that work?” she asked.

  “Different moms,” he said. “My mom was a bear. She left me with my dad, and my dad had my sister with another woman. They left my sister with me.”

  She sucked in a breath. She hadn’t realized he’d had it so rough before the military. He’d never mentioned a family, and she knew better than to ask when someone didn’t want to talk about it. “I’m sorry.”