by Ava Frost
She looked at him, shrugged her shoulders, and then with courage and determination, she stalked towards him and flung her arms around his neck, pressing her lips firmly against his. Maddox didn’t need any invitation, he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her off her feet and he twirled her around. She was literally floating and when he finally let her down he looked down into her eyes and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears. “I couldn’t get more than ten feet away from you without dreading my future without you.”
Raven smiled and let out a contented sigh, “I couldn’t let you go even if I wanted to. You branded me; I see and feel you everywhere.”
“It wasn’t the pack who wanted to leave,” Maddox confessed and then turned to his closest three friends.
They all laughed and held up their hands, and Tanner said, “Never hurts to rush things along.”
Raven smiled and laced her fingers with Maddox’s as she walked over to the three werewolves. She thanked them for being so loyal to Maddox and for trusting him to pick her as his mate, and most of all for helping him when he needed it the most.
*******
Two months later….
“Where is she?” Maddox asked Josiah.
He smirked, and shrugged, “She’ll be here. The bride is never on time, its tradition.”
Although marriage was irrelevant amongst the werewolves, Maddox agreed to have an official marriage ceremony, and make the day the most memorable day of all. But as Raven came walking passed the chairs lined under the moonlit sky, he couldn’t help but stand proud. His mate, and his wife, forever.
THE END
Bear Hunt
Chapter 1
"I'll just make a copy of your backcountry permit and then you'll be ready to go. Do you guys have a guide?" Jenna smiled at the young couple. They were obviously excited to get started.
"Yep! Luke Perotta, from Helen Lake Campground?" The young woman handed Jenna their permit.
"Ok, great." Jenna placed the permit on the copy machine and made two copies. She handed the original back to the couple. "You guys are all set. Are you meeting Perotta here?"
"Yes," the woman said timidly. "He warned us about the recent bear attacks and said to not leave without him."
"Oh, ok. You can have a seat over there while you wait," Jenna pointed to the row of chairs at the front of the ranger station. She took the extra copy of the backcountry permit over to her boss, Samantha. Sam smiled at her.
"So, does this mean we get to see Perotta today?" Sam waggled her eyebrows. Jenna groaned.
"Ok, yes - he's super-hot, but why does he keep scaring people about the bear attacks?"
"Because he's super-hot AND super safety-conscious. He's the best wilderness guide out there. Hasn't lost a hiker yet!" Sam laughed. "You'll get to know him more the longer you're here. He seems tough and like a real bad ass, but he's a nice guy. He's really concerned about the bear attacks."
"The bears haven't killed anyone," Jenna said.
"And that makes it ok?" Jenna turned and saw Luke Perotta standing there. Tall, broad shouldered and tan, Luke was a gorgeous man. His dark hair fell wildly around his ears, just grazing the back of his neck. He ran a hand down his unshaven cheek and sighed. His green eyes were flashing with anger.
"No, it totally doesn't... I just..." Jenna stammered.
"No, it doesn't. These bears are still attacking people, which is drawing hunters to the area to stop the bears. Inevitably, grizzlies are going to be killed. They're endangered! People shouldn't be going near them and agitating them. It's reckless and irresponsible and..."
"Wait, you're worried about the BEARS? Not the people?" Jenna stared at Luke in shock. "That's crazy. People are defenseless against bears."
Luke shook his head, "You're too pretty to be ignorant, Ranger. We're just as much of a threat to them."
Jenna gaped at Luke, speechless. Tension crackled between them.
"I'm s-sorry," Jenna stammered. They stared each other down for a moment longer. Jenna blushed and turned away. Luke shook his head and turned to his hikers.
"You must be my hikers. My man, you didn't do your lady justice... She's a looker. Ready to head out?" Luke followed the young couple out the door, the woman giggling. Just before exiting, Luke turned back and winked. "Rangers. Always a pleasure."
Chapter 2
Jenna filed the last backcountry permit and slammed the filing cabinet. The phone rang. Jenna ran up to the front desk and grabbed the phone.
"Belly River Ranger Station. Ranger Lawton, speaking. How can I help you?" Jenna listened for a moment. "Ma'am. Slow down. Where did you see the bear? Ma'am. You're breaking up. Ma'am? Ma'am? Shit."
Jenna started gathering gear as Samantha came up from her office.
"What was that all about?"
"Possible bear attack, out by Gable Creek Campground. I can check it out."
"Alright. Be careful and radio for backup the first sign of trouble. I'll call the paramedics and have them meet you up there." Jenna nodded and ran out the door. She jumped into one of the Jeeps reserved for the rangers and headed out. After a few miles, Jenna saw a group of people surrounding a clearing. She hopped out of the jeep and ran over to them.
"Park Ranger. Step back please." Jenna looked around the area and took in the man lying on the ground, the rifle by his side. She crouched down next to the man and took his pulse - still beating. She glanced at the people surrounding the man. "Who called the ranger's office?"
"That was me. It's my husband who was attacked... Please. Help him!"
"Ma'am, the paramedics are on the way... Your husband is going to be ok. Can you please tell me what happened?"
"I can tell you what happened. This asshole tried to play with a baby bear and the mama bear protected her young." Jenna turned to see Luke standing on the edge of the crowd. Before she could speak, the man's wife flipped out.
"Don't you call my husband an asshole! That big bear is a terrible, violent creature who should be put down."
"Which is what your husband tried to do, isn't it?" Luke had stomped over to the man's rifle and held it up.
Jenna sighed, frustrated. "Ma'am, did your husband shoot either of the bears?"
The woman stared at Luke, her cheeks flaming red, "NO. He didn't get a chance to... He should have though."
Luke walked over to Jenna and grabbed her arm. He pulled her up and close to him. Jenna felt her cheeks flush.
"Can you detain them, Ranger?"
"For what, Luke? They were attacked, he was injured."
"Yeah, for a perceived threat to a bear's cub. Can't you take away their camping permit for that or something?"
"I can't. I'm sorry." Jenna rested her hand on Luke's upper arm. He glanced down at it and then back at her with an eyebrow raised. Jenna felt her cheeks get hotter. She cleared her throat. "I'll talk to them and then let the campsite know the deal and that they need to be watched. Outside of that, my hands are tied."
Luke nodded his head, "Well, thanks for that at least." He smiled at her. They held eye contact for a long moment. He moved his hand on top of her hand, still rested on his upper arm. Luke's smiled widened.
"Hey. You know what you could do to make this up to me? Meet me at Freda's Bar tonight. It's karaoke night."
"Oh. Are you going with your coworkers or something?"
"Nope. I'm going with you - It's a date, Ranger. I'll see you at 8." He stared directly into her eyes, smirking lightly. She felt her cheeks get hotter. He still held her hand to his arm. He broke eye contact and glanced down at her lips. He licked his lips and leaned in.
He whispered softly in her ear, "Wear something cute, Jenna."
While Jenna stood there, shivers running down her spine, Luke turned on his heel and stalked off down a trail. Jenna let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. Boy, was she in trouble.
Chapter 3
Jenna pulled into a spot right in front of Freda's bar. She shifted the jeep into park and checked her
reflection in the rear-view mirror. Her black eyeliner and bright pink lipstick looked strange to her, but she hoped she was pulling it off. As a park ranger, wearing any makeup just felt silly. But tonight? Tonight was special. If Luke could look so damn good in hiking clothes, she knew he'd look even better tonight, all cleaned up.
So Jenna put in some effort, too. He had told her to wear something cute and she hoped her black halter top and skinny jeans did the trick. Her blond hair was down for the first time in ages. She was wearing makeup and even jewelry, for heaven's sake. She'd definitely put in some effort.
Jenna let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, "Alright. Let's do this."
She got out of the car and walked in to the bar. She looked around nervously. She didn't see anyone she knew, but that wasn't a surprise. She was pretty new to the area and hadn't gotten out much. Most of the people she had met were hikers and campers, just passing through. She sat down at the bar and smiled at the bartender, an older gentleman. He grinned at her.
"Hey, good lookin', what can I get for you?"
"Oh, um... I'll just have a beer. Whatever you have on tap."
"Comin' right up."
"Booker! Make that two, wontcha? On my tab, buddy." Booker and Jenna both turned to see Luke walking towards them. Booker glanced at Jenna. She nodded.
"Sure thing, Luke." Booker turned around to pour the beers and Luke slid on to the barstool next to Jenna.
"Hey, darlin'. You look great." Jenna blushed and took in the man sitting next to her. He wore a green button up shirt that set off his eyes perfectly and jeans that hung just right.
"Thanks, you look great, too... Um, thanks for inviting me out tonight... I'm sorry for earlier," Jenna stammered. Luke grinned and reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes.
"Hey, no worries." Jenna reached up and placed her hand on his, holding it to her cheek.
"I mean it," she said. "It was obvious that the whole thing down at the campsite really upset you and I didn't do much to help. It's just a lot trickier when campers are involved and I didn't really know what to do, and I'm still pretty new at this job and around here and --" Luke cut off Jenna's rambling with a kiss - a gentle, soft kiss that promised so much more.
"Would you just shut up?" Luke said, chuckling, after he pulled away. Jenna slowly opened her eyes and nodded. Luke smirked, "Good. What do you say we get out of here? Karaoke never was my thing anyway."
Still speechless, Jenna nodded. Luke threw a twenty on the bar and stood, pulling Jenna along with him.
"'Night, Booker!" He called over his shoulder.
----
Luke and Jenna walked out to the Jeep, hand in hand. Jenna looked around the parking lot.
"Where's your car?"
"I actually walked here," Luke said.
"You walked here? Wow... Don't you live up at Helen Lake? That's gotta be at least 15 miles away."
"20 actually." Jenna stared at Luke in shock. He laughed, "Obviously I wasn't at the campgrounds. I was just a bit up the road... um, working.
Jenna looked at Luke doubtfully, "Working, huh? And you walked... So, I guess that means you need a ride home?"
Luke grinned, "I definitely need a ride home."
They were standing in front of the Jeep. Somehow, Luke had positioned them so he was facing the Jeep and Jenna was right in between the two. What's that expression about a rock and a hard place? Luke took a few steps forward and put his hands on either side of Jenna, against the car. His grinned softened, "But we don't need to leave right away..."
They stared at each other, the heat coming off of Luke was more than Jenna could bear. She closed the gap between them and pressed herself against him completely. Her lips met his in a crash. Suddenly, his hands were everywhere, on her back, her waist, tangled in her hair. Their tongues dueled and their hips ground against each other.
Jenna ran her hands down Luke's muscled back and up under his green shirt. His skin was so warm, almost burning hot to touch. He let out a low groan that sounded closer to a growl. The noise snapped Jenna out of whatever trance she was in and she pulled back slightly.
"Oh. My. God. Luke, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have... attacked you like that. Not out here in... Public."
Luke took a second to catch his breath and when he finally spoke, his voice was deeper, more gravelly, than normal.
"Don't you DARE apologize for that. You should keep doing that." His eyes flashed at her, the green so intense it was almost animal-like. He leaned in and kissed her, hard. Then said, "Get in the car. You're right about one thing - we can't do this here."
----
They drove in heavy silence for a few minutes - both coming down from the intense feelings of the kiss in the parking lot. Then, Luke asked Jenna about how she came to Glacier Park. Jenna told Luke about camping here when she was a kid, about losing her parents in high school and about how this place was the only place where she felt close to them.
Luke shared his own story. He told her how he grew up in Colorado, really close to nature. He shared how his parents died when was in college, leaving him with a younger sister to care for. The two of them spent time traveling, visiting major state parks in heavily forested areas of the US and Canada. He had settled by himself in Banff National Park in Canada when his sister called and said she was pregnant. He returned home to help her raise his nephew and then moved out here after his sister had an especially bad break up.
With every bit of his story, Jenna found herself falling deeper. He was a good man - strong and caring and loving. He'd given up his career in Canada to help his sister and Jenna admired him deeply for that.
Once they arrived at Helen Lake Campgrounds, Jenna pulled into a spot in front of the camp office. She turned in her seat and smiled at Luke.
"I don't really know where to go from here."
"My cabin is actually about 2 miles in, but you can't drive there. So, this is where you'll have to leave me."
"But, I don't need to leave right away..." Jenna said, grinning. Luke smiled.
"No... Me, either."
With that, Luke moved in slowly, cupping her cheek with his hand. They kissed, softly. Tongues lightly playing off of each other. The intensity built as their hands roamed, getting to know each other's bodies.
Luke tangled his hand in the back of her hair and pulled her head to one side before biting and sucking on her neck in just the right spot. Jenna moaned and grabbed at Luke's back, pulling him closer. He pulled away and Jenna whimpered.
"What're you doing?"
"Come here," he said, his voice gruff and gravelly again. He pulled Jenna over the center console. Jenna knelt on the passenger seat, straddling Luke's lap. He pulled her flush against him, "That's better."
Their lips met again and the intensity had definitely been turned up.
Jenna could feel Luke through their jeans, pressing at her core. Luke reached under her hair and untied her halter top. Jenna leaned back for a moment to let the top fall forward and free her breasts. Luke took in the view and groaned. He took her nipple in his mouth and rubbed over the other with his rough fingers. Jenna ground herself against him, lost in the overwhelming sensations. She wrapped her hands in Luke's hair and pushed him down on her chest.
"Harder, please," she moaned. He grunted his approval and pulled her tighter against him, biting down on her nipple. Jenna cried out in pleasure and reached between them to undo Luke's belt.
Off in the distance, outside of their sweaty, sexy bubble, a loud roar could be heard. Luke stopped moving, all of his senses at attention. The roar came again. Luke's body convulsed, wracked by an invisible tremor of some kind.
"Luke? Are you okay?" Jenna asked. Luke didn't say anything. His eyes were closed and he tried to control his breathing.
Jenna put her hands on his cheeks and said his name louder, "Luke! What's wrong?"
Luke looked at Jenna with different eyes - the lust she'd seen moments before was gone, replaced by something more pre
datory. His body was shaking. He pushed her off of him, almost violently. Another tremor hit him.
"I have to go," he said, through gritted teeth. Without even buttoning his shirt, Luke threw the door open. Jenna scrambled to cover herself and move back fully in the driver's seat as the light in the car flashed on.
"Luke? What the hell?"
"Just go, Ranger," Luke growled. Without another glance back at Jenna, he ran off towards the direction of his cabin.
"Ranger? What the hell?" Jenna said, to no one in particular. She tied her top snuggly, turned the car back on and left the campground.
About twenty minutes into her drive, an unfamiliar cell phone noise drew her attention to the passenger seat.
"Ugh. He left his phone? Really?" Jenna picked up the phone and glanced at it. The screen showed one unread message from 'Sis'. The message read: 911.
"Shit, Jenna. You're going to take this to him, aren't you?" Jenna sighed and turned around on a dirt road.
Back at the campgrounds, she rummaged in the backseat for a sweatshirt and a flashlight. Armed with light and warmth, she headed off down the path to Luke's cabin.
Chapter 4
Jenna finally reached Luke’s cabin at the back of the campground. If she was being honest with herself, she was dying to see Luke so they could pick up where they'd left off. As she came towards the front door, something felt wrong. The door was wide open, but no lights were on inside. Her park ranger training kicked in as she walked up the front stairs.
"Luke?" She called. No answer. She went inside and tracked her flashlight around the small room. A bookcase had been knocked to its side and a table had been flipped over. On the floor of the cabin, Jenna saw the shirt and pants Luke had been wearing earlier. Next to them, vicious claw marks that could only be from a bear.
"Oh, god. LUKE!" Jenna turned to run back out front. She had to call for back up, get a search party going. Before she got out the door, she heard a strange, terrible noise. Was that a bear roaring? Or a man screaming? She heard it again and still couldn't be sure what it came from but knew where.