“Me, too.”
As soon as the door to her room clicked, she let out a sigh of relief. Today would go down in her mind as the oddest in her life. And although it now appeared she had hallucinated the events with the strangers in the cave, they remained so sharp in her memory, she had a hard time conceding she had imagined it all.
The wound on her head itched, but the pain meds made her limbs heavy and her mind foggy. How she wished she could see the stars, but the curtains were closed tight and she wouldn’t bother the overworked nursing staff with a stupid request. But, after fifteen minutes, she decided to try and open them herself. Moving the IV bar around the bed, she managed to get to her feet with only a small amount of dizziness. Four short steps lay between the bed and the windows. She ignored the bare back of her hospital gown as she crossed the floor.
The cotton fabric did a great job of keeping the outside world from seeing in but it also kept the patients from seeing the beauty around them. The metal rings scraped against the curtain rod, echoing in the dim room. Even through the glow of the parking lot lights, the stars twinkled above the mountain range in the distance. She laid her cheek against the pane of glass, cool and solid. About to return to bed she caught sight of two people and her heart caught in her throat.
Brutus stood under the light, his broad back to her, and Asha faced the entrance of the clinic. They stood guard. And, she deduced, if she went into the hall, she would find another person, perhaps Shauna, guarding her door. It had all been real, not a dream.
Asha glanced up and lifted a hesitant hand in greeting as Brutus looked over his shoulder, the heat in his eyes so searing, she took three steps, back tripping over her IV and landing with a loud thump on her ass. Three nurses rushed in, followed by Shauna who paused in the doorway, her beautiful brown eyes full of understanding and compassion.
A nurse had just assisted her to her feet when Brutus arrived, his eyes scanning her. “What happened?”
“I tripped.”
“Is she okay?” he demanded.
“As far as we can tell,” one of the nurses said, her eyes darting between Quinn in the bed and the large bulky man who had invaded their space. “Are you family because it’s after visitation hours so no one else is allowed on the floor.”
He came the rest of the way into the room and answered, “Yes.” No other explanations, as if he assumed his word would be enough. And, to her surprise, not one person in the room questioned his claim he belonged at her side. Deep inside, she didn’t question it either.
“Give her some space, Brutus, and let the nurses do their job and check her out,” Shauna said.
“Perhaps you could wait outside?” another nurse asked in a soft voice as she hung a picture of a falling star on the door for the whole world to know Quinn was a klutz.
“No.” He came to the side of the bed and settled her on the mattress.
His touch made the room stop spinning and gave her a sense of peace she wouldn’t have expected. She didn’t fight him when he took her hand in his much larger one. “I’m fine,” she murmured. “I promise. My pride is more bruised than my bottom.”
“You scared the hell out of me. One second you were in the window, the next you weren’t, and I could hear the sound of crashing metal.”
“You couldn’t have heard that out there.”
He raised an eyebrow in argument.
“Okay, maybe you could,” she mumbled, giving a weak smile to the nurses who were trying to untangle her tubes and work around the large, commanding man who refused to budge and allow them to do their jobs.
Asha ran into the room, trying to catch her breath. Brutus blinked at her. She glared back, demanding, “Did you take those stairs eight at a time?”
One of the nurses—Nurse Riddle according to her nametag—pulled the privacy curtain, blocking out Asha and Shauna. “Ms. Tatum, can you tell me what happened?”
“I got tied up in the cords trying to open the curtains. I promise I wasn’t dizzy, nor did I black out.” Although she directed the comment at the nurse, she focused on Brutus. She had never had a man look more concerned for her welfare, while at the same time giving her the impression he wanted to tear her clothes off and have his way with her. It sent cold chills down her spine and heated her blood.
The nurse placed the blood pressure cuff on her arm. “Relax.”
“Can we do that later?”
“Why?”
“Because it will be elevated.” Wasn’t that obvious?
“That is why I need to take it.”
She indicated with her pointer for the woman to come closer so she could whisper in her ear. “If this man was looking at you the way he is looking at me right now, I think your blood pressure would be through the roof.”
Brutus threw back his head and roared with laughter as the nurse blushed and made some excuse about coming back later. Brutus leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. “You are truly my equal.”
“I don’t know about that, but I do know when a woman wants a man, and she wanted you,” Quinn said with a huff. Why that aggravated her, she had no idea. But nothing that had happened today fit into any sort of rational storyline anyway.
“The only woman I care about is in this hospital bed,” he said pulling a chair close to the side of the bed and sitting down.
“I think Shauna and I’ll go find some coffee,” Asha said, grabbing the other woman’s arm.
Shauna shrugged her off. “Not a chance. It’s so rare we get to see the soft side of our alpha.”
“They have those honey bun bear claws in the vending machine,” Brutus said but never took his eyes off her.
“Well, when you say it like that, there’ll be plenty of time now that he has found her to see a soft side,” Shauna announced as she accompanied Asha out of the room closing the door behind them.
Quinn couldn’t look at the man who sat so close she could feel the heat coming off his body. Images of him as the grizzly flooded her. “You’re some sort of werewolf, creature, aren’t you?”
“We prefer bear shifter over were-bear. The wolves also prefer shifter as they are nothing like the werewolves of the movies.”
“Wolves?” She looked at him now.
“The bison like were-bison. And the elk don’t care.”
“Are all the animals in the park were—shifters?”
“No, a small percentage. Most are only animals, but they respect the shifters and keep a wide berth. We protect them as best we can and at the same time try and protect the humans unlucky enough to cross paths with the animals. We aren’t always successful, but you would be surprised the number of mama bears we have talked off the ledge.”
“So today I was one of those unlucky humans?” A sharp stabbing pain started behind her right eye.
He stood, placing a hand on her cheek as if sensing the pain. When it eased, he stepped to the window, his gaze focused on the distance where Yellowstone lay. “I wish it were that simple but then nothing ever is. You have rarely been out of my sight since we bumped into each other a few weeks back. The simple touch and I knew you were my destined mate. But I didn’t know how to approach you.”
“A simple hello, would you like to have dinner, might have worked.”
“Perhaps, but I have never had a ‘date’ with a human before.” The moonlight emphasized his profile and the beard now thick with growth.
“So you have been stalking me.”
“Perhaps. I had to see you.”
She bit her lip, unable to believe she was about to actually ask. “Were you the grizzly that kept showing up over the past few weeks.”
He nodded. “I had to make sure of your safety. So whenever you headed out to deal with the wildlife, I would do my best to be in the background, making sure you weren’t hurt.”
“What happened today?”
“One of my scouts alerted me to your presence on our lands.”
“Your land?”
“My clan protects the
lake area. Imagine my surprise when I learned you were hiking in our direction. I thought this would be the perfect place to meet you. So I was in human form, walking up the path, when I saw Jasper Black attacking you.
“Another shifter.”
“Yes.”
“So there are grizzly and black bear shifters? I suppose there must be polar and panda bears as well.”
“There are.”
“And the black bears? Do they watch over Old Faithful?”
“No, Tower Roosevelt.”
“Of course. Why would they ever monitor Old Faithful?”
“The bison do.”
She lay back against the pillows, rubbing the bridge of her nose as the pain grew more intense. “Please don’t say any more.”
“Do you need me to get Shauna?”
She looked at him over the fingers pinching her nose. “I’m in a hospital full of capable nurses and doctors and you think I need Shauna?”
“I would trust her over any of this modern medicine.” He placed a hand on her forehead and relief found her at his touch. “I think your brain is battling the information you are being told and what you have spent your life believing.”
“What you are telling me makes no sense.”
“You’ve seen my bear.”
“I saw a hallucination. A glowing image brought on by a concussion.”
“You also saw me in full animal form before you hid behind the fallen tree. Not the best of hiding places, but we can discuss that at another time.”
“I saw a bear in the woods. I still do not believe you and he are one and the same.” She couldn’t believe it or her head might split in two.
“Then how do you explain my presence there?”
She couldn’t. No human could have fought off four bears. Impossible. “A fantasy.”
He grinned. “Am I your fantasy?”
“Of course.” If he was a fantasy, or a figment of her rattled brain, why lie to her delusion. “In fact, I would be all for you kissing me.”
“Really?” As he leaned in, her breathe hitched. Perhaps she wasn’t as sure of herself as she thought. “I’ve been thirsting to taste you for weeks.”
Hell this was all a fantasy why not throw caution to the wind. “Then, by all means, drink away.”
His hand laced through her hair, holding her in place as his lips captured hers. He tasted of coffee and berries, a bizarre yet intoxicating mixture. His tongue demanded entry and she could do nothing but open to him. She had been kissed, many times, but not one of the men before Brutus had prepared her for this onslaught. He devoured her and left her wanting more.
Breathless, she stared up at him. “More.”
“If my queen asks, I can do nothing but give her what she needs.” He embraced her, this time pulling her size eighteen frame against his, making her feel petite. This kiss left her as breathless as the first and shaking with need. Never had she been brought to such a sensual haze and frenzy. The room spun and she clung to him, laying her head on his shoulder.
As if she were made of precious bone china, he laid her back into bed. “You need to heal before we continue.”
“You aren’t a figment of my imagination, are you?”
“I will be anything you want me to be if you will allow me to kiss you again.” He brushed his lips against her. “No, I’m here and I am not going anywhere.”
“You’re staying the night?”
He nodded. “Either in your room or outside. It’s up to you.”
“Why? I’m not going to run for the hills.” Hell, she couldn’t even make it to the window and back without causing a major hospital ruckus.
“It’s for your protection, my love. We have not fully mated, leaving you open to other shifters who will try to woo you away.”
“I think this is going to bring on a migraine, but why do I feel like woo is a mild word for what I will be expecting.” Not a wallflower but never Miss Popularity either, she found the thought of a great many of his kind coming her way both exciting and nerve racking at the same time.
“I am the alpha of the grizzlies. I’ve been waiting for decades for my mate to come. Others have waited longer.”
“Decades—no don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.”
“My kind live very long lives, as will you should you choose to be my mate. The problem is it can be a long, lonely life if your mate hasn’t crossed your path. Unmated compatible females can be considered open season.”
“But if no one knows.”
“About that…”
“Someone knows.”
“Yes, the black bears know because I might have lost my temper when they attacked you.”
“And they can’t be trusted to keep their mouths shut.”
He shook his head. “It’s big news.”
She yawned. “Well, by all means stay here and make sure the beavers don’t come for me.”
“There are no beaver shifters. Only large mammals can shift.”
“Forgive me for not understanding the logistics.” She giggled at the ridiculousness of the entire conversation. “I’m sure you’ll get me a rule book in the morning.”
“If I have my way, I’ll be making you one of us in the morning.”
She wanted to ask what the hell he meant, but blissful sleep called her name.
Chapter Four
“I will stay with her here.” Shauna placed a reassuring hand on Brutus’s biceps. “You cannot stake out the ranger cabins. It’ll make the elks nervous.”
“She’s my mate. It is my right to protect her.” He was none too pleased by the events this morning when the hospital released her and she’d announced she wanted to head home. Without him.
“She is your given mate but she has not accepted you. And, at the moment, your absence might be more compelling than your presence.”
“Excuse me?” His easy disposition and slow-to-rise temper were remarkably absent.
Asha stepped forward. “Down, boy. What she’s trying to tell you, but you aren’t level-headed enough to seem to grasp, is if she’s feeling nervous and scared, your hulking mass in her personal space isn’t going to help.”
“Thank you, Asha,” Shauna said. “It’s also possible this need you feel to be with her is starting to emerge in her, too. She watched the door the whole time you were gone this morning. Leading me to believe the emotional connection has started. But never having dealt with a shifter/human mating, I can’t really say.”
“Okay I am going to meet with the elk alpha to get permission for you to be on their land for a while.” He walked out of the cabin and stumbled over a package left on the step. “What the hell.”
Asha picked it up and shook it. “I would guess it’s the same kind of package that turned up at our cave this morning.”
“What package?”
“Stop fretting. The black bears sent a package of really good yummies. Huckleberry jam, some bread, and honey.” Asha licked her lips as her stomach growled. “Maybe I should open this up and check. Just in case.”
Brutus slapped at her extended hand. “This had Quinn’s name on it, not Asha. Perhaps you can get attacked and then they will send you a care package.”
His sister hesitated as if thinking over the possibility before changing tactics. “She cannot possibly eat everything in that box.”
“How would you know?”
“Feel it. They packed enough to feed a bear. She. Is. Not. A. Bear.”
“Yet.”
She blew a raspberry at him in frustration. “Fine.”
Brutus walked into the single dorm-like room. “This came for you.”
Quinn glared at him. “My boss just called to inform me I am on disability until Dr. Mannsmann clears me and since he is a friend of yours, I guess it means when you clear me for work.”
She was too intuitive for her own good. Qualities that would make her a great beta but didn’t help him today. “I promise to stay out of the good doctor’s business.”
�
�Great, now, Shauna, I want your promise.”
Shauna spit out her lemonade and looked at her with an appearance of faux surprise. “Me?”
“You. You might stand up to the brute over there, but in the end you want what he does.”
“And what would that be?” Interest piqued, Brutus took a step farther into the room.
“Me to agree to mate you? Mate with you? Be your mate? However you say it.”
“As long as you say yes, you can say it any way you want.”
“Great.”
“Would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?”
“What?”
“You asked why I didn’t just ask you to dinner. Well, here I am asking you out to dinner.” Shauna shot him a look of What the hell are you doing but he knew his mate. “So, can I take you to dinner? You choose the restaurant in or out of the park.”
“How about the Bear Pit?”
“You’re funny.” She might be being sarcastic but she hadn’t said no, so Brutus would accept what he could get.
“I’ve never eaten at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel dining room.”
Her choice of the one within his borders filled his chest with pride. “Consider it done.”
He made his excuses because watching her climb into bed again strained the short leash he had on his libido. She had complained about aches and pains she hadn’t felt yesterday. Muscles in her shoulders, neck, and back screamed. Like the day after an auto accident when muscles you didn’t know you had protested every movement.
The elk alpha stood in front of the dorms. “Brutus.”
“Lars, I was on my way to find you.”
Lars bowed his head acknowledging Brutus’s claim. “Rumors are flying all over the park.”
“I bet they are.”
He turned to walk over to the common area where a few mothers and calves basked in the sun. “I don’t have to tell you the elk are peaceful animals. We have always allowed others on our lands, but we have many calves in the area now and the mothers are nervous.”
“I can’t push Quinn to mate with me.”
“I respect your decision. A coyote wouldn’t have given her a choice, and the wolves would be ever present. But perhaps you can convince her to move to grizzly lands until her decision is made.” The tall, thin man would be no match for Brutus, but he had earned the respect of the other alphas for a reason. He was fair and honest. If the alpha said something, he stood by it.
Bear with Me (Shifters of Yellowstone Book 1) Page 3