Max - Three Silverback Bears and a Baby Book One

by Raines, Harmony

  “Beh.” Milly let out an earsplitting scream of delight and the bear reacted by lunging forward and throwing himself onto the ground. With all four feet waving in the air, the bear rolled around on his back with his tongue lolling out, while Milly continued to laugh and squeal.

  “If you didn’t want anyone to know you are here, you should have stayed in the trees,” Josephine chastised the bear who stopped scrubbing his back on the ground and instead stared at Josephine and Milly with a goofy grin on his face.

  The bear rolled from side to side before heaving himself onto his front and then pushing himself to a standing position. He shook the leaves and twigs from his bear fur and then gazed up at Josephine and Milly in open adoration.

  “Hi there, bear.” Josephine dropped the bags she was carrying to the ground and then knelt beside them. Milly instantly reached out to stroke the bear’s soft fur, a wide smile on her face as she babbled baby words of endearment at her new friend.

  The bear swung his head around and huffed his warm breath in Milly’s face. The young child closed her eyes and gasped before she laughed, a deep, wonderful belly laugh filled with wonder and excitement.

  “You are a good old bear.” Josephine ran her hand along the bear’s silver-haired back. He was beautiful, the russet brown fur sprinkled with silver made him look magical somehow. “I’ve never seen a silverback bear before.”

  The bear rubbed his head on Josephine’s thigh while Milly stroked the soft bear fur contentedly. This was one of those perfect moments, Milly’s first meeting with the bear who would protect her with his life if he had to. Moments like this were to be savored, although the sad thing was, Milly would never remember it. She was too young.

  “Shall we walk?” Josephine asked as she stood up and looked around. “I don’t think there is anyone else around.”

  Her earlier fear that Vincent might have followed them to Mountain View and could be lurking in the undergrowth was now completely gone. And even if he was here, Max’s bear would protect them.

  The bear nodded his head and nudged her thigh, before turning around and guiding her back into the trees. Giving the open area where Josephine had parked her car a wide berth, they followed a trail further up the mountain. The trail wound through the trees, getting steadily steeper until Josephine had to tap the bear on the back and say, “I need to rest for a moment.”

  The bear might have short legs, but he was obviously used to this terrain. Josephine reminded herself that the bear was part of Max and Max was a mountain ranger. They probably came up and down the mountain slopes on an almost daily basis, either on two legs or four.

  As she stopped and dropped the bags to the ground, the air shimmered with static electricity. Josephine swung around to face the bear, who faded into nothing before her eyes. She gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she watched what she could only describe as a magic trick. But if this was a trick, where had Max gone?

  There. He was there. Right before her eyes, as the bear finally faded out of this world, the shape of the man she loved began to form. At first, he was nothing but a shadow formed of mist, but then he slowly gained arms and legs and then his features.

  “That’s incredible.” Josephine exhaled, emptying her lungs of air. “How did you do that?”

  “I have never questioned the how of shifting,” Max admitted. “In the same way I’ve never questioned fate when it comes to my mate.”

  He reached down and picked up her bags. “Come on, there’s a spot just up the trail where we can sit and eat.” Max held out his arms. “Shall I take Milly, too?”

  “Yes, please.” Josephine’s arms ached from carrying Milly. “I think my arms are going to drop off.”

  “Come on, Milly. Did you like the bear?” Max asked. A loud squeal filled the mountain forest.

  “She thought he was wonderful. When she’s older I’m sure she’d like to ride on your bear’s back.” Josephine hauled herself to her feet and set off up the trail behind them. She pushed herself to keep going, not wanting to get left behind the two people she cared most about in the world.

  “I’m glad she liked him,” Max admitted. “I was nervous I might scare you both. I just decided to leave the truck at home and hike through the mountains. When I sensed you two, I could not resist surprising you.”

  “No, you didn’t scare us at all.” Josephine wiped the sweat from her forehead as Max crested a small rise and turned around to watch her. “Are we there yet?”

  He laughed. “We are. Come on up, the view is incredible.” He held out his hand and Josephine reached for him, their fingers locking together as he pulled her up the last part of the trail.

  They stood together, side by side with Milly nestled between them as they looked down from their vantage point. Max was right, this view was amazing. Below them in the distance was the town of Bear Creek. She could see the houses, and the occasional flash of movement as the sun reflected off a moving vehicle. To the right, the creek meandered like a silver snake toward the horizon and she longed to trace its route down through the mountains and out to sea.

  “This is one of the best days of my life.” Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke, and she squeezed Max’s hand before leaning across and kissing Milly on the cheek. “You are a lucky young lady, Milly. All this is your playground.”

  “And yours, too,” Max told her. “You are part of this family and part of Bear Creek, and the mountains are your home. Together we can bring Milly up here and explore the wonders of nature.”

  “I can’t wait.” She turned around and looked at the flat grassy plateau. “Shall we find somewhere to sit and eat?” She eyed the steep drop over the edge of the rock face. “Let’s hope Milly doesn’t decide to learn to crawl today.”

  “She’ll be safe, I promise.” Max led her across the grassy plateau and into a sheltered spot, where the mountain rose up around them on three sides but didn’t block their view. “We can sit here and place the picnic blanket on the ground for Milly to lie on.”

  Max set the bags down and passed Milly to Josephine before he opened up the picnic blanket and spread it across the coarse spring grass. Then he sat down with his back to the entrance like a sentry guard. Josephine knelt down on the blanket and laid Milly down next to her.

  “Good plan. Even if she does wriggle around, she can’t get out of here.” Josephine scooted backward to sit next to Max, who was opening up the backpack and looking inside. “I hope you are hungry.”

  “Something smells good.” He passed the backpack to Josephine, who carefully emptied the contents out, making sure they were out of reach of Milly who was lying on her back, gazing at the clouds as they drifted lazily across the sky.

  “I brought cold chicken, salad and some fresh bread from the bakery in Bear Creek.” Josephine held up two bottles. They were still deliciously cold. “I was told every bear in Bear Creek likes Bear Creek Honey Beer.”

  “You were told right,” Max replied as Josephine opened the bottles and passed one to her lover.

  “Let’s drink to us. To all of us and new beginnings.” Josephine held out her bottle to Max.

  Carefully, Max touched his bottle to hers. “To us. All of us. To new beginnings.”

  He drank deeply and then gave a satisfied sigh as he put the bottle down on the ground. Josephine drank, too, the sweet honey beer sliding down her throat, nice and smooth, not bitter like most beers. “This is good.”

  “Very good,” Max agreed.

  “Do you mind if I take a photo of you two? I’d like to get one of the view, too.” She stood up and carefully maneuvered around Max. Using the camera on her smartphone, Josephine took a couple of photos of Max with Milly in the background before she walked carefully across the plateau to snap some shots of the view.

  As she tapped her screen, her phone bleated like a sheep. She had a notification. Tapping her screen once more, she exited her camera and then pulled up the text message she’d just received.

  “I can’t belie
ve you got a signal all the way up here,” Max commented. He glanced up the side of the mountain. “The cell phone company has been trying to get a cell tower on the mountain.” He swung his head around toward Josephine, who stood staring at her phone with her hand covering her mouth. “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

  Max was on his feet and by her side in an instant, although he still kept a close watch on Milly who was turning from her front to her back and then from her back to her front again. “Josephine, what is it?”

  She turned the phone to face him, her face white as he read the text she’d received from an unknown number.

  “I have your boyfriend?” Max asked as he read the text. “I don’t understand. This must be a joke since I’m here.”

  Her phone beeped again, and she turned it back toward her and clicked on the message. “Jake.”

  “Jake.” Max grabbed her hand and turned the phone toward him. There on the small screen was a photograph of Max’s brother, lying on the floor, his hands tied behind his back and blood coming from a cut on his forehead.

  “He found me.” Josephine trembled as she closed her eyes, trying to shut out the fear that threatened to consume her. She could not give in to the intense need to run and keep on running. She had brought this on Max’s family, and she was going to free them from the nightmare that was Vincent Branston.

  Whatever it took.

  Chapter Nineteen – Max

  Maybe it was a practical joke. That was his first thought as he stared at the image of Jake lying on the floor. Max recognized the carpet his older brother was lying on. It was the same blue flecked carpet laid on the floor of his home office.

  So maybe Tad and Jake had decided to play a joke on Max. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  Not like this, his bear said firmly. Not when Jake knows about Josephine’s past.

  His bear was right, of course he was right, but Max would rather believe that his brothers were acting in bad taste than the alternative.

  Because the alternative was just too much to bear. After all Jake had done for them, he didn’t deserve this.

  Whatever this is. His bear ground his back teeth together and scraped his claws along the ground. Inside Max’s mind, his bear was preparing to go to war with whoever had done this.

  “Vincent Branston.” Josephine’s weak voice penetrated his mind. “It has to be him.”

  “Why?” Max asked. “Why does he think Jake is your boyfriend?”

  “I don’t know. He must have either seen Jake at my house or followed your truck when you left my house today.” Her hand shook as she glanced down at the photo once more. “The rosebush. What if he was at the house last night and then followed you home?”

  “But he didn’t assault me. He went after Jake.” Max looked confused.

  “He might not have seen your face and just assumed Jake was you. The chances of two men living in the same house are slim, especially in the daytime.” It all sounded plausible. “You didn’t drive your truck here, did you? You left your house on foot.”

  “That’s right. He might have followed my truck back to the house and assumed Jake was me. I left through the back of the property and followed a trail into the mountains.” Max dragged a hand through his hair. “Whoever did this must have broken in and caught Jake unawares.”

  He’s a shifter, his senses are honed to detect people, how did he manage to get in undetected? his bear asked.

  We can ask him after we rescue him, Max told his bear.

  “I’m so sorry,” Josephine told him. “But I’ll get him back. I promise I’ll get him back to you safe.” She began packing all the picnic things away and hastily shoved them back into the backpack.

  “We. We’ll get him back safe,” Max corrected as Josephine shook her head.

  “No, you have to stay with Milly. I would never forgive myself if she got hurt because of me,” Josephine insisted as she picked up Milly and handed the small child to Max.

  “And I will never forgive myself if you got hurt because I wasn’t there to protect you.” Max held out his hands and took Milly from Josephine. “You are not alone. This fight is our fight.”

  “But I’m sure he will trade me for Jake. The best outcome is for you, Tad and Jake to be safe and raise Milly together.” Josephine’s expression confirmed his fears, she would make any sacrifice for the safety of her new family.

  “That is not the best outcome,” Max told her firmly as he adjusted his hold on Milly and then grabbed the diaper bag and backpack. “We would never be whole again if anything happened to you. None of us.”

  “Max…” Josephine hastily folded the picnic blanket and followed him across the grassy ridge to the head of the steep trail leading back down the mountain.

  “You promised Jake you would never leave me. I hold you to that promise.” Max turned around and faced her. “You know Jake, he would never forgive himself if you traded yourself for him.”

  “Damn it,” she cursed and then looked sideways at Milly. “Sorry.”

  “If damn it is her first word, then I will blame you,” Max told her.

  “She already kind of said her first word,” Josephine told him.

  “Really? What was it?” Max asked excitedly, despite their current predicament.

  “She saw you and said beh. I think that’s close enough to bear to count, don’t you?” Josephine’s smile was full of uncertainty.

  Max wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close as he kissed her cheek. “Yes, I think that’s close enough.”

  “Come on, we’ve got a good man to save.” She pulled away from him and he swung around and strode down the trail as fast as he could, without leaving Josephine behind.

  Josephine showed incredible courage as she kept pace with him down the trail. Slipping and sliding, more than once ending up on her round bottom, she didn’t complain at all, although the look of relief when they reached her car told him how difficult she’d found the trek.

  “Are you okay to drive?” Max asked as he opened the rear passenger door and slipped Milly into her car seat.

  “I’m okay.” Josephine opened the backpack, took out a couple of candy bars and a water bottle. “Do you want one?”

  He shut the car door securely, before climbing into the front seat beside her. “Thanks.”

  Josephine tore the wrapper open with her teeth while simultaneously turning the car around and driving out of the Mountain View parking area. Taking a bite, she accelerated down the mountain road, keeping her speed low despite the urgency.

  She sees the bigger picture, his bear said. She knows we would be no use to Jake if the car winds up in a ditch or wrapped around a tree.

  Josephine is an incredible woman. A woman who deserves to live in peace, without the threat of people like Vincent Branston hovering over her.

  She finished her candy bar as the mountain road met the road leading to their house. “Should I have texted a reply by now? I don’t want him to hurt Jake because he thinks I’m ignoring him.”

  “Soon. But not yet,” Max replied. “I want you to pull over in a second and let me out. Then I want you to drive to Fiona’s house and stay there until you hear from me or Jake.”

  “No!” Josephine said firmly.

  “Yes. I need to know you and Milly are safe.” Max was not open to a discussion on this. He’d formed a plan in his head, and he needed Josephine and Milly safely out of the way.

  “And I need to know you and Milly are safe,” she told him hotly. “I can get Jake out of there safely, without you getting hurt.”

  “I’m not concerned about me getting hurt.” Max raked his hand through his hair. If only he could make her see how much she meant to him and how he needed to know she was safe. His life would be unbearable if she got hurt. And if Vincent Branston took her away, he would tear the world apart until he found her.

  She needs to do this, his bear told him as he prepared to make Josephine see reason
.

  Max opened his mouth to speak and then immediately clamped it shut. His bear was right.

  I usually am.

  Josephine needed to exorcise the demon that was Vincent Branston from her life.

  “What do you need me to do?” Max asked.

  The car swerved as Josephine half turned to look at him. “You mean it?”

  “Yes. I trust you. I trust your judgment. You know this guy better than anyone.” Max sat back in his seat. He didn’t like this one bit. But if Josephine was ever going to be free of Vincent mentally and physically, then she had to do things her own way. “Don’t forget that.”

  “I know him. I know his weaknesses.” She pulled the car over to the side of the road and stopped the engine. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome,” he grumbled.

  Josephine leaned across the seats and kissed his cheek. “I know how hard this is for you and I appreciate you letting me go.”

  Max turned to face her. “I never want you to feel as if I am ordering you around or telling you to do what I want you to do. I could beat this man to the ground with one bear paw, but that isn’t what you want and so I have to step back and set you free.”

  Josephine placed her hand on his cheek and stroked his stubbly jawline. “I knew there was a reason why I already love you.” She pressed her lips to his and then lowered her head and rested it on his chest. “I will come back. And when I do, this will be over. Vincent will be my past and you, your brothers and Milly will be my future.”

  “We already are your future. But if you need to do this, then I will back you up.” He was so proud of her courage and strength, but all he wanted to do was lock her in the car and go deal with Vincent himself. “If anything happens to you, I will hunt him down, and rip him to pieces with my bare hands.”

  And bear claws, his bear added.

  Chapter Twenty - Josephine

  What was she doing? As Josephine got out of the car and closed the door, that was the thought ricocheting around her brain.