"You guys are going to party while my girl is in jail?"
"I’ve found that times like these are the best time to party," Leland said, patting Jessie on the back. "I can tell you've already started working this out."
"I've worked out that I won't wait one more day for my mate to be out of jail," Jessie said.
"It's good for a man to know where he stands," Leland said.
Chapter 12
Jessie drove into the tournament grounds. He heard the buzz of racers already practicing on the track. He parked his truck near the starting gate where the other racers were preparing for their turn. He spotted Brandon Updike in his red uniform. Jessie wore yellow to match his bike.
He got out to unhitch his bike and backed it off the truck, down the ramp, and onto the ground. He rode to the starting gate and received his number for the race. Jessie had been riding motocross most of his life. But he had chosen to stay home on Fate Mountain rather than riding professionally like he had shortly before the war. The monthly motocross races at the track on Fate Mountain were his best outlet. The track had always been the place where he could be himself.
The Updikes had always been a thorn in his side. They ran disruptive and aggressive races, more interested in making other players lose than in winning themselves. He felt it ruined the sport. But sports weren't on his mind today as he pulled his helmet down over his head and gripped the handlebars of his Kawasaki FX. Blood pumped through his veins as he readied himself for a practice round.
He pulled up behind the next set of riders and waited his turn. The smell of gasoline and gravel filled his nose as the roar of the crowd filled his ears. He looked up at the bleachers around the track and spotted his brother Leland's cowboy hat. His family had come after all.
He gritted his teeth as he joined the next group of riders before the starting gate. The whistle blew and he drove out onto the track with the other riders, charging up steep inclines and jumping over ditches to land precariously in motion. Jessie’s mind moved in slow motion as he drove around the practice track, getting his bearings for the race. He didn't even know why he was racing today. He should be down at the police station forcing them to complete the investigation and exonerate Dana.
He finished the practice round and joined the riders for the first race. They were five meets and whoever won each meet raced in the final match. Each meet was a five-round pass on the track. Whoever had the best time won.
Jessie got into place, seeing that Brandon Updike was in a different meet than him. He wanted to have it out with him now. His grizzly agreed and it took a great deal of self-control to keep him from grabbing Brandon and demanding answers. He turned his attention to the race as he tore out onto the track. He drove like a madman, his mind almost not there, his sense of safety and security gone. All he felt was his bike under him and the track flying by.
Everything was for Dana. His heart, his mind, his soul, his body. Even his need for this rush. He had searched all this life for something that could make him feel half as good as when she was in his arms. The thought of Dana stirring in his mind, urged him forward. It wasn't recklessness; it was pure focus. He drove up and over hills and down into deep valleys, flying and hurtling himself onward. There was a moment of pure silence as he passed the finish line, nearly a lap ahead of the other riders.
He drove out of the gate and into the waiting pen, pulling off his helmet. He looked up and saw his brother Cyrus circling around to the orange plastic fence. Cyrus’s mate Daisy was holding his hand and bouncing along behind him. Her golden curls tumbled down around her frilly pink dress.
"What are you doing here?" Jessie asked, his mood no lighter than when he’d left the ranch.
"Leland told you we were coming," Cyrus said.
"We just wanted to congratulate you on your win and wish you good luck on your final meet," Daisy said cheerfully, between sips of milkshake from a straw.
"Thank you, Daisy," he said.
It was hard to stay mad at Cyrus or his mate. Cyrus might have been gone for a long time, leaving Buck in charge while Leland was in Texas, but Jessie understood why Cyrus had taken to the woods. He was glad he found his mate, Daisy. They were perfect for each other, no matter how odd a couple they were. Cyrus still had a full beard and long hair, but he’d toned down the mountain man look and was integrating back into society, with Daisy's help.
"Leland's got the money for bail," Cyrus said.
"That's not enough for me," Jessie said. "Dana needs to be exonerated."
"One step at a time, brother," Cyrus said. "Be careful out there."
"Thanks," Jessie said.
Cyrus took Daisy's hand and walked away, leaving Jessie alone. Brandon Updike rode past and the hyena shifter turned to stare at Jessie. Brandon’s shifter sparked through his eyes and the look on his face sent a shiver down Jessie's spine.
Jessie could feel waves of dominance rolling off the hyena. Chuck was gone and now Brandon was the prime alpha of the hyena pack. Jessie gritted his teeth and snarled, revving his engine. He pulled his helmet down over his head and sped across the waiting pen. The final riders all took their positions, Brandon Updike at the other end of the line from Jessie. They looked at each other through the shields on their helmets.
Energy bristled through the riders as they waited for the starting gun. It blew and the riders zoomed out onto the track. Brandon immediately veered toward Jessie, who had taken an early lead. Jessie braked and pulled back, letting Brandon waste his energy going across the track. Jessie sped forward and veered around Brandon. These were Brandon and Chuck’s same old tactics. Except there used to be two of them; now there was only one. One was still too many.
Jessie hit the throttle and charged forward. Brandon was left in his wake but soon caught up. He looked Jessie straight in the eye and tilted his handlebars to smash into Jessie again. In that moment, Jessie decided to beat him at his own game. He pulled back just enough so that Brandon's back tire tipped off his front tire, sending the hyena into a tailspin. Jessie pulled himself from the momentum and continued riding, only missing a few beats with the rest of the riders.
Brandon smashed into a meridian and lost his momentum. He was left behind as he corrected himself and charged back on the track, losing important seconds on the clock.
The hyena would not be outdone, and as they came around for the final lap, Brandon had already caught back up to Jessie. As he charged toward Jessie, he looked at him and drove in close. Jessie could see his eyes blazing red in his skull.
"I took him out, and I can take you out too," he yelled.
It was loud, but Jessie was sure what he’d heard. It was like the words reverberated inside his mind. He knew, right then, that Brandon had killed Chuck. That realization drove him forward, and even as Brandon was trying to smash him off the track, he pushed his throttle and sped forward, crossing the finish line as Brandon tried to interrupt his win instead of trying to win himself.
The crowd cheered and the riders closed in around him, congratulating him. The judges came out with a trophy and a garland of flowers that they put around his neck. Winning this race was a rush. He won plenty of meets on Fate Mountain, but not all of them. Each one was special, but today was the most special of all, because today was the day he would set his mate free.
Chapter 13
Jessie hitched his bike to his truck and climbed behind the wheel, not talking to anyone after the race. He needed to get down to the police station. He watched his family's faces as he drove away. They had all pestered him to find love and he had. This was what he did for love. They couldn't blame him for it now.
He drove down the road and turned onto the highway before making his way into the parking lot of the police station. He hopped out of his truck and made his way into the station, stopping at the desk in the front waiting room.
"Can I help you?" said the officer sitting there.
"I need to speak to Rollo Morris," he said, slamming his fist on the counter.
"Commander Morris is about to go out on an investigation."
"For the murder of Chuck Updike?" Jessie asked.
"I'm not at liberty to say," the officer said.
Just then, Rollo and the rest Bear Patrol walked through the front of the police station.
"Rollo, I need to talk to you," Jessie said.
"This isn’t the time, Jessie," Rollo said.
"I have information about Chuck Updike's murder," Jessie said. "I know it was Brandon Updike. He as much as admitted it at the racetrack today."
"We finally got the search warrant for the mansion. They asked us to leave after we found the murder weapon in Dana's room the last time. This time we intend to leave no stone unturned."
"It's about time," Jessie growled.
"I have to do things by the book, Jessie. It’s the only way I can keep this job. If I made exceptions for everyone's mate, this place would have no laws."
The rest of the Bear Patrol snickered as they passed Jessie. All of them wore their slick blue uniforms as he stood there, dirty and sweaty in his yellow racing gear. He growled, wishing he could go with them and bring down the Updikes once and for all.
"I heard his men talking. They think it was him too."
"We are on the case," Rollo said, cupping Jessie's shoulder with his hand. "Go celebrate with your family. If you're lucky, Dana will be out by morning."
Jessie's eyes went wide and then he grimaced. "She better be," he growled.
The Bear Patrol left the station and Jessie followed them outside. They got in their patrol cars and left. He stood beside his truck, not knowing what to do. He wouldn't put it past Rollo to arrest him if he went to the mansion right now. As much as he wanted to tag along, he was going to stay away and let the cops do their job. They’d better do it right this time.
On his way to the brewery to meet up with his family, he saw Brandon Updike riding away on his bike and into the forest. Jessie growled, knowing that Brandon was escaping justice. He parked in the brewery parking lot and rode his bike down the ramp, speeding after Brandon into the night. He wasn't going to let the hyena get away.
Jessie hurtled down the gravel road. He could spot the hyena shifter ahead, just before turning around a bend in the road. Jessie gave chase, speeding into the turn to catch up. He knew Brandon was at fault, both for Chuck's death, and for framing Dana. Brandon's words during the meet sank in his gut and everything became clear.
He wasn't holding back anymore. He intended to clear his mate's name if it was the last thing he ever did. Dana had spent years protecting a pack who didn't deserve protecting. Jessie was going to protect her now, like someone should have a long time ago.
Brandon charged up the hill and Jessie followed. On the other side of the rise, Brandon was nowhere to be seen. Jessie slowed, looking from left to right and back again. He sniffed the air, trying to make out Brandon's location by his scent. The smell of exhaust and pine filled his nostrils. He couldn't make out the distinct sharp scent of hyena shifter through the other smells.
He slowed to a crawl, finally making out the pungent smell of hyena. Before he could react, a thick branch cracked against the back of his head. He fell off his bike and it sped up the road and crashed into a ditch. Jessie scrambled to his feet, his palms bloodied and his head aching.
He faced Brandon Updike, gritting his teeth as he stared the hyena shifter in the eyes. Jessie had trained in hand-to-hand combat in the military. He knew he could take a coward like Brandon in two seconds flat in human or shifted form.
"Why don't you just turn yourself in, Brandon?" Jessie barked.
"Turn myself in for what?" he asked, playing dumb. "It's you that's following me."
"That's not a crime. Not like murdering your brother and then framing an innocent girl for it."
"I've no idea what you’re talking about."
"Don’t play dumb. You admitted it during the race. You took out your brother. But what I don't understand is how you got Dana's fingerprints on the murder weapon. It was clever of you to let Rollo into your home just long enough to search Dana's room before kicking him out. Now she's in jail for a crime you committed. You are going to pay for that. But first you’ll pay for biting her and keeping her hostage."
"Who's going to make me pay? You? The Kincaids have been a nuisance to the Updikes for generations. But you've never been more than a mosquito buzzing in our ears. You can easily be slapped and crushed to death before you ever get a chance to bite."
"You want to try me," Jessie asked, the light of his shifter shining through his eyes.
His grizzly teeth descended in his jaw and his claws grew from his fingertips. Brandon's own shifter shone from behind his eyes as the hyena began to tear through his skin. He shifted before Jessie, ripping from his clothes. He lunged at Jessie, snapping his salivating mouth. Jessie growled and burst into his grizzly form, coming down like a wall to meet Brandon's attack. The hyena smacked into Jessie's shoulder, its teeth barely able to break the skin. Jessie slapped him off with his massive paw, sending the much smaller animal rolling into the forest.
Jessie followed him slowly, grunting and sniffing the air. He stood over the hyena shifter and placed his paw on Brandon's chest, slowly increasing the pressure. The hyena snapped at him, trying to bite and thrashing to break free. Jessie pressed harder until he heard the subtle crack of bones.
Brandon shifted with a scream, naked and bloodied under Jessie's paw.
"Okay, okay," Brandon screamed. "I did it. I admit it. I killed my brother and framed Dana for it. Let me go!"
Jessie unfurled his shift into his human form and grabbed his cellphone from a compartment in his motorcycle.
"Say that again," he said, pressing a recording app on his phone.
"Say what?" Brandon said.
Jessie growled at him, showing him his teeth.
"Fine. I did it. I killed Chuck and framed Dana."
"Say your name," Jessie told him.
"This is Brandon Updike and I killed my brother."
Jessie pressed stop and then quickly sent the file to Rollo.
"That's all I needed," Jessie said, turning his back and walking to his bike. He pulled the motorcycle out of the ditch and climbed on, giving one last look over his shoulder to Brandon who was still bloodied and lying in the ditch.
"This isn't over," Brandon said to Jessie's back as he rode away.
"Oh, yes, it is," Jessie said under his breath, feeling the wind blow over his naked body as he rode down the dirt trail.
Chapter 14
A month after Brandon Updike was arrested for the murder of his brother Chuck, Dana stood in the antechamber outside the atrium at Fate Mountain Lodge. She stared at herself in her wedding dress, unable to believe how beautiful she looked.
Jessie had asked Dana to marry him the day Rollo and the Bear Patrol arrested Brandon. As they were resting that night in his living room and chatting over a few glasses of wine and his homemade lasagna, he got down on one knee and popped the question. He’d even presented her with a big diamond ring.
She’d said yes, the minute she'd seen the box, and said it again when she saw the ring. It had been one of the most romantic moments of her life. With all the romantic moments Jessie gave her, it was one in a string of many. She hoped to have millions more in their lives together.
All the wives at Timber Bear Ranch had gathered around her in support, taking her shopping for her wedding dress. The ladies took Dana into the city and helped her play bridezilla. The guys had been just as nice. Leland had even offered to give her away.
Sylvia helped Dana straighten her veil down her back, and Daisy helped her apply one last coat of lip gloss. She stood back and looked in the mirror as Maria handed Dana the bouquet she grown in the Timber Bear Ranch greenhouses.
The white lilies were interspersed with sprigs of lilac and a cascade of ferns, baby’s breath, and orchids. Her dress was a classic princess cut with a fitted bodice in pale pink with white beading a
nd a frothy tulle skirt that fell in wispy layers all around her. It was a fairytale and a dream come true all mixed up into one.
Two months ago, when she was still planning her getaway from the Updikes, she would never have believed her life could turn out to be so beautiful. She'd been on Mate.com for years without a single bite. Then on the very day she took her bravest step forward to save herself, she was doubly saved by Jessie Kincaid, her mate, her lover, and best friend.
Just thinking about Jessie made a tear form in the corner of her eye. Maria was quick to dab it away with a cloth handkerchief.
"Don't mess up Daisy's makeup," Maria said with a giggle.
"The fragrance of these flowers are making me swoon," Dana teased. "I think I'm going to step away into a crystal palace of my daydreams."
"Dana, you're a poet," Sylvia said.
"Maybe I'm more than just a French maid after all," Dana giggled.
"You’re anything and everything you want to be," Daisy said.
"I believe that, now that Jessie is in my life."
The women all gathered around her, wrapping their arms around her waist and shoulders. They all looked in the mirror at the beautiful bride at the center of the three lovely bridesmaids. The bridesmaids wore lavender silk dresses that accentuated their curves and brought out the color of their eyes. Everyone looked beautiful and happy, and Dana could feel the love and kinship radiating from each of them.
After her family died, all Dana had wanted was to find a family again. Now she had one.
"Are you ready?" Sylvia asked.
"I'm so ready," Dana said with a sigh.
They walked to the door of the antechamber and opened it. On the other side, Leland stood in a tuxedo and black cowboy hat, looking dapper and strong, like the alpha of the Kincaid clan should. He offered his arm to Dana and she took it with a smile.
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