Kendall's Mates

by Munro, Shelley

“Right.” Fiona quick-marched to the passenger side of the truck and climbed inside. Kirk started the engine as Arve took off at a trot, his nose to the ground.

  As soon as the Anders brothers left, Kendall went to work, trying to escape the masking tape around her wrists and ankles. She pulled and wriggled and tugged until every muscle in her body ached. When none of that worked, she attempted a new strategy. She crawled and wormed her way off the chair where they’d left her and toppled onto the wooden floor. Without her hands to save her, the fall wasn’t elegant. Her head clunked against the unforgiving surface and her teeth ground together. Blood filled her mouth.

  “Ugh. Come on, Kendall. You will not be one of those helpless blondes, waiting for a man to rescue you. Think.” Her voice echoed inside the cabin, making her feel even more alone and helpless.

  The wind had picked up and something outside banged in a rhythmic manner that worked her last nerve. A shiver of fear slid through her. Keep trying. She had to escape because instinct told her that whatever Jamie and his brothers had in store for her would be infinitely worse than being alone in a creepy building.

  Despite the pain in her wrists, she strained against the bonds. Could she use her teeth to rip away the tape at her ankles? If she freed her feet at least she’d be able to walk. She could leave the cabin. She tried to pull her feet toward her mouth and groaned. That wasn’t going to work. Good gravy. Maybe she should’ve listened to her mother and taken that yoga class.

  Somehow, was it possible to get her arms around to the front? Could she curl up, raise her legs and maneuver her hands forward? She squirmed and curled up and wriggled and snorted.

  While fine in theory, she was about as flexible as a rod of steel. Her arms needed to be a foot longer for her idea to succeed.

  Kendall’s wrists ached and throbbed from her escape efforts. Grunting, she slowed her attempts. Desolation filled her, defeat a heavy weight on her shoulders.

  An echo of her groan came from outside, and she froze. Her gaze shot to the one grimy window to her right.

  A snuffle. A growl.

  Kendall’s eyes widened. She swallowed. Fear burrowed into her stomach.

  Something was out there.

  A roar confirmed the presence outside, and Kendall screamed. The glass in the window broke and a black nose poked through.

  It was a bear.

  18 Painful Rejection

  He’d found her.

  Sax breathed in Kendall’s beautiful scent, lifted his head and roared out his triumph. He’d found Kendall. Her cry of fear tempered his excitement. A flood of terror wafted from the cabin. Harsh, rapid breaths.

  She didn’t know it was him. How could she?

  She had no idea of the dual lives that some Churchill residents led. The local humans held the knowledge, but an unwritten rule meant they never discussed the matter with outsiders. The bears didn’t shift within the boundaries of the town or use their strength to beat up on the human residents. Mostly, the two species rubbed along together without too much dissent.

  Sax retreated to plan his next step. He couldn’t enter town for help. The risk—a tranquilizer dart in the butt and polar bear jail. The Anders brothers might return at any time.

  No, the rescue plan couldn’t wait.

  First, free her from the cabin. Problem number two. They’d left her bound. Problem number three—he didn’t have hands and shifting… How he’d transformed to a bear was a mystery. Morphing back…

  He had no clue.

  Sax prowled the perimeter of the cabin, seeking another entrance, a weakness to exploit. When his search ended up back at the broken window, he sat on his haunches. His head still thumped insistently and planning—thinking—was like pushing through a muddy swamp.

  What would Ran and Tate do?

  He eyed the window, the cabin door. Given this was Churchill, he doubted they’d locked the door. They’d bound Kendall, and since she was a human, they wouldn’t think highly of her escape abilities.

  Kendall might cut herself on the broken shards of glass from the window. The door, then.

  Sax pushed the door. It didn’t move. He reared on his hind legs and shoved again. The wood creaked a protest. A scream escaped Kendall, and Sax’s heart hurt in time with his head. This wasn’t personal. She didn’t know. Kendall loved him—she’d told him so. She’d still love him and his brothers once she learned of their dual natures.

  Focus. Sax stepped back and charged the door.

  This time the door moved, the creak of wood satisfying and loud.

  Sax repeated his body slam. Once. Twice. Three times.

  The door crashed inward. Kendall screamed, the sharp note of panic slicing through his skull.

  Kendall, I’d never hurt you. Never.

  Sax darted through the doorway and skidded to a halt. Kendall cowered against a red chair, her features full of fear.

  “Don’t eat me. Please don’t eat me. I might look chubby, but I’ll be tough.” She spoke so fast her words blurred together. “I exercise a lot. You’ll get indigestion.”

  Sax paused, their gazes connecting.

  Her face was pale and sweat and fear drifted from her.

  A vehicle clawed its way up the incline outside. Sax straightened. Damn. He’d run out of time. He turned his back on Kendall and prowled to the door.

  A black truck pulled up outside. One person climbed out.

  Jamie Anders.

  The polar bear shifter hadn’t noticed the mess Sax had made of his door, but he’d register his scent and the damage soon.

  Determined footsteps neared the cabin entrance and came to an abrupt halt.

  “What the fuck?” Jamie cursed. “No. No. No!”

  Quicker than Sax could blink, Jamie shifted forms and leaped at Sax.

  Anger fueled Sax’s return attack and the two shifters met, a collision of big bodies, snarls that echoed in the small cabin. Kendall let out another scream, but Sax didn’t check on her. If he didn’t best Jamie, all would be lost.

  Jamie was bigger. Stronger. More certain of his polar bear while Sax knew nothing of his limitations.

  Sax used every method at his disposal. Teeth. Claws. His bulky body. His anger.

  Fury pumped him. This man had kidnapped Kendall. He’d left Sax lying on the ground, injured. They’d stolen his vehicle. His phones. Any hope of obtaining help.

  Sax fought with everything he had. Jamie ripped his claws down Sax’s chest. Sax faltered as the sharp tang of blood filled his nostrils.

  A second vehicle climbed the incline, distracting Jamie. Sax swiped his claws across Jamie’s face and roared, putting his effort into shoving Jamie away from Kendall.

  The roar of another bear rippled through the air. Jamie backed onto the porch, the vehicle arrival and the approach of a third bear distracting him. Blood dripped to the floor in front of Sax, yet he didn’t take his gaze off Jamie.

  “Is that you, Anders?” Kirk Swenson demanded.

  Jamie shifted to human. “What the fuck do you want?”

  “We’re searching for my friend, Kendall.” Fiona planted her hands on her hips. “She and Sax have disappeared and we’re concerned.”

  “I’m in here,” Kendall screamed.

  Jamie limped to his truck but another polar bear cut off his escape.

  “Are you all right, Kendall?” Fiona called.

  “I’m tied up, and there is a big bear standing in the only exit point,” Kendall shouted back, her voice higher than normal. Panicked.

  Regret flooded Sax. He’d done this to Kendall.

  “Why is she tied up, Anders?” Kirk demanded. “Did you kidnap Kendall?”

  “I came to release her. I didn’t know my brothers had abducted her. It was Pieter. He talked my other brothers into taking her.”

  Sax roared at the lie.

  “Yeah?” Kirk glowered. “What did Pieter intend to do with her?”

  “Fucked if I know,” Jamie spat. “She’s a human. She might have big tits and a big ar
se but they can’t have children with her. They’d be half-breeds and worthless.”

  Sax roared again, and Jamie sent him a cagey glance.

  “If Kendall presses charges, you’ll hear from the RCMP,” Kirk said. “Let him go, Arve.”

  Sax watched the bear step away from the truck and amble over to join Fiona. She dug her hands into the fur at the ruff of his neck and scratched him. The bear leaned into her, obviously enjoying the experience. He wondered if Kendall would accept Tate and Ran with such trust.

  “Who is the bear?” Fiona asked.

  Kirk scowled. “I’m not sure.”

  Fiona shrieked. “Is that a real bear?”

  Sax waited until Jamie drove away before relaxing his watchful stance. His pulse pounded out in beat with the throb in his head. Once Jamie’s truck disappeared, he turned away from the new arrivals and checked on Kendall. He inched nearer, trying to appear smaller and unthreatening. He’d rather bite off his paw than hurt her, but the rounding of her eyes told him his caution wasn’t helping her fear recede.

  He crept closer, hearing Arve, Fiona and Kirk talk urgently in the background but tuning them out. The need to make certain Kendall wasn’t hurt fueled his determination. He nosed the tape binding her feet together. Could he tear it with his claw?

  Without a second thought, he lifted his paw and used his claw like a knife. Kendall screamed and moved at the last moment. His claw ripped the leather of her boot and panic reared in him. This wasn’t going to work. He needed help. His human side told him this, but his bear refused to listen.

  “I’ll do it,” Fiona said from behind him.

  “It’s too dangerous,” Kirk protested.

  “Absolutely not,” Arve objected at the same time. “We don’t know how he’ll react.”

  “Don’t come any closer.” Kendall’s voice trembled with fear. “The bear might hurt you. Get a gun.”

  “Are you sure it’s Sax?” Fiona demanded.

  “It makes sense,” Kirk said. “Which makes him unpredictable.”

  Sax growled in an attempt to communicate. He wanted—needed—help, but every instinct compelled him to stay next to Kendall. To protect.

  “Are you Sax?” Fiona called.

  Sax turned his head in Fiona’s direction.

  “Don’t be silly. Of course it’s not Sax. They left him down on the beach. You have to find him.” Kendall was crying.

  “Kendall needs me,” Fiona said. “You two get ready to jump the bear if he reacts badly.”

  Sax chuffed but remained in position. Confusion tore at his mind, his human and bear arguing back and forth while his head continued to thump, thump, thump.

  “You can’t. Don’t be stupid.” Kendall never took her gaze off him, her eyes wide, her cheeks tear-stained.

  Fiona edged past, slid behind the seat and approached Kendall’s head.

  Sax watched anxiously, forced himself to remain still, but a chuff escaped him. Kendall cried out in alarm.

  “Kendall, let me help you.” Fiona wrapped her arm around Kendall’s waist.

  “Sax, is that you?” Arve asked.

  Sax chuffed.

  “That’s not Sax,” Kendall declared. “What have you been drinking?”

  “Here, let me get the tape off your hands.” Fiona distracted her by attacking the black tape. It didn’t budge. “Your wrists are bloody.”

  Kendall yelped at Fiona’s next attempt.

  Sax issued a growl.

  “Fiona won’t hurt her,” Arve promised. “Do you need a knife?”

  “That might help. The tape has stretched.”

  Kirk checked the drawers and returned with a knife. He helped Fiona with the tape, then eased her upright while Fiona cut the tape binding Kendall’s feet.

  Once she was free, Fiona wrapped her arms around Kendall and hugged her hard.

  “Sax,” Arve said. “You need to go outside. Come with me.”

  Sax remained where he stood. He wanted to hold Kendall, to comfort her and let her know he was all right, but he had no idea of how to get rid of this fur.

  He had no idea how to shift.

  19 The Clueless Polar Bear

  Kendall’s lips trembled as she stared at the polar bear. Up close, he was massive and white rather than vanilla. His paws were at least three times the size of her hands. Blood crusted the back of his head, dried and matted on his fur. His eyes were blue, which made her frown because most animals had brown eyes, despite Fiona’s assertions. He stared at her, his black nose twitching, and Kendall swallowed, her legs like leaden weights as Fiona urged her to the door.

  When Kendall stumbled, Fiona took her hand. “He won’t hurt you. I promise.”

  Kendall wasn’t so sure. Once they rounded the chair and had a clear run to the exit, she teetered but forced her body to remain upright despite her aching muscles. She burst from the doorway with a blast of adrenaline, dragging Fiona behind her.

  “Come over here by the truck,” Fiona said.

  “Shouldn’t Kirk and Arve come outside? The bear might attack.”

  “Shush.” Fiona hugged her again, running her hands down Kendall’s back in a soothing stroke. “It will be all right. Let me check your leg. There’s blood on your jeans.”

  “The bear clawed me. I should get a tetanus shot. And Sax. We need to check on Sax.” Kendall grasped Fiona’s jacket and gave it a shake to emphasize the urgency. Darkness had given way to day while they’d been inside the cabin, and now birds tweeted from their perch on top of the roof.

  “Where were you? Tell me what happened.”

  “Why aren’t you worried about Kirk and Arve?” The way her voice rose told her she was losing her grip.

  “They know how to handle themselves,” Fiona assured her. “Tell me everything.”

  “Sax and I drove out to the beach to watch the Northern lights. They were so pretty. We leaned against the bonnet… I mean, the hood and drank hot chocolate while we watched the lights. It was so romantic until Jamie Anders turned up with his brothers.”

  “His brothers too?”

  “Yeah. They grabbed me and stuffed me inside their truck. When Sax tried to stop Jamie one of them hit him on the head.” A sob escaped Kendall, and she scrubbed away a tear. “They left him lying on the ground. I don’t know if he was dead or alive.”

  An angry roar came from the cabin. Kirk exited the cabin at a run, followed by the polar bear. The bear slowed when he saw Kendall. He trotted closer and sat on his haunches, his blue gaze on her.

  “Oh no. Oh no.” Kendall gulped and backed up until the vehicle halted her retreat.

  Arve stalked from the cabin, looking unperturbed.

  Kendall wanted to shake him. What was wrong with them all? What about the polar bear? The one currently eyeing her like a tasty chocolate treat.

  Arve kept his focus on the animal. He circled the creature until he faced the bear. Then, to Kendall’s shock, he crouched and spoke in a low, soothing voice. She couldn’t hear Arve’s words, but weirdly, the polar bear listened to everything.

  “What is he doing?” Kendall asked Fiona.

  “Shush. Let Arve do his thing,” Fiona said.

  The bear threw back its head and hissed. He made a chomping sound with his teeth.

  “Kirk, come here,” Arve ordered.

  Kirk strode forward without hesitation and stopped next to Arve. The two conducted a quick conversation.

  “They’re crazy,” Kendall muttered.

  The air around Kirk shimmered, and her mouth fell open. Where Kirk had stood seconds before, now stood a polar bear.

  “What the…?” Kendall blinked and shot a look at Fiona. Her friend didn’t seem shocked.

  The rumble of Arve’s calm voice continued while the two polar bears stood close together, both appearing to listen.

  One shimmered and seconds later, Kirk stood beside the first bear. He spoke, his voice low enough that Kendall couldn’t eavesdrop.

  “They’re shifters,” Kendall squawk
ed. “There’s no such thing.”

  Fiona squeezed Kendall’s arm. “Quiet. Let them help Sax.”

  Kendall gaped even harder, her breaths coming in quick pants. “Tate and Ran?”

  “You need to speak with them, not me,” Fiona said in a gentle voice.

  A thought occurred. Did everyone else know? Had they been laughing at her? “Is this a joke?” Bitterness carried in the harsh words.

  “What? No! I imagine they didn’t mention their heritage because there was no point if you intended to leave. The residents know of the polar bear shifters living amongst them, but they don’t discuss the matter with outsiders.”

  “They’d make a fortune selling the story to the newspapers.”

  “They would, but they’d lose their home and their support system. Not only would they ostracize the culprit but their families as well. People have long memories up here. They don’t forget.”

  “What was Jamie intending to do with me?”

  Fiona sighed. “I don’t know for certain, but my best guess is he and his brothers wanted a mate. You said Jamie asked you out on a date. They’re so horrid to Sax about his half-breed status, so I don’t understand why they’d kidnap a human. That part is kind of twisted but it’s obvious Jamie has a huge crush on you. Yes!” she whispered. “Look, Sax has got this. It must be confusing for him since he’s never shifted before. He must care for you very much. You told us they hit him hard, and yet he tracked you here and was trying to free you.”

  He had tried to cut the tape on her legs, but panic had made her wriggle.

  Kendall stared at the polar bear, her mind telling her it was an animal. Not Sax. Yet she’d seen Kirk swap from human to animal and back. That hadn’t been her imagination.

  The same quick shimmer glinted around the bear.

  A loud groan filled the air, and Sax stood where the bear had been seconds earlier. He wobbled, his gaze searching for her as his knees folded. Arve and Kirk caught him and guided him to the truck. By the time they reached the vehicle, they were supporting his entire weight.

  Fiona opened the rear door for them. “Is he all right?”

  “He needs to go to the doc.” Arve wore a concerned expression.