“Oh, shit, Harley,” Chad says. “I didn’t mean—”
I don’t give him a chance to finish his sentence. I charge at him, which is difficult to do considering how narrow the aisle is.
He turns his back on me, but fires a few bullets randomly as he runs toward the back of the plane.
I won’t kill him. But I’m going to mess him up pretty bad. When he aims to fire another shot, I swat his hand and the weapon flies away from him.
“I think you broke my wrist,” he whimpers, cradling his arm. He’s pressed up against one of the emergency doors in the fetal position.
The plane is rolling fast now, and I know in a few minutes we’ll be airborne.
“Please don’t hurt me. I’ll do what you want. I’ll delete the video. You can even have Harley. Just don’t...” He fidgets with the handle on the door. “Please don’t eat me.”
If my mate wasn’t wounded, and I was in any other situation, I’d probably laugh at the man’s desperation.
Wanting to give him one last good scare before I shift back, I lean close to his face and let out a long, bone-crushing growl, showing each one of my long canines and incisors.
He whimpers again, this time working desperately at the door.
What happens next is so fast, I don’t have time to react.
The door flies open, catching the wind, and Chad doesn’t let go, so his body is flung outside the plane. He manages to hold onto the handle for less than a second before he drops.
I hear the crack of his body against the tarmac below, the same moment the alarms start to scream, and the plane slows to a stop.
I shift back to human form, pulling Harley into my arms.
“I’ve got you, love,” I murmur against her head.
“He shot me.” Her eyes are wide with shock. She trembles against me, clutching me with her good hand.
“You’re going to be okay.”
She has to be.
“I told you to stay away,” she mumbles, her face burying in my chest.
“Impossible. I was a fool to think I could. I wanted what’s best for you. But I know now that it’s me. I may never deserve you, but I’ll always take care of you. There’ll never be anyone else but you Harley.”
“What about your mate?”
“You are my mate, Harley.”
Her brows drop in confusion. “You said—”
“I lied because I thought you wanted more than what I could give you.”
“You lied?” She frowns at me.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Harley. I was trying to do right by you.”
I can’t tell what she’s thinking, but I know she’s not happy. But we don’t have time to talk about it before the plane is surrounded by police cars, ambulances, and a whole clan of Kodiak bears.
I shuffle threw a bag, finding a pair of pants and shove them on, even though they’re a little snug.
One ambulance is farther down the runway, working on Chad. I’m not sure how he survived the fall, but he’s still alive when they place him on the stretcher.
I don’t want to let Harley go, but I have to when a crew of paramedics takes Harley from me.
They don’t let me go in the ambulance with her, which really pisses me off. But it also gives me a chance to talk to my brothers.
“How’s Harley?” Bennet asks.
“She’ll be fine. She has to be. It’s a flesh wound, no major arteries were severed. The bullet went straight through.”
“That’s good,” Gunnar says.
“Now that we know everyone is safe, anyone care to share how we’re going to talk our way out of this one?” Bennett asks.
“We always find a way,” I say, needing to follow the ambulance that carries Harley. “I’m leaving that in your hands.”
“Why me?” Bennett frowns.
“Because you can handle it. You're the smooth-talking golden boy of the family. Now’s your time to shine.”
“Fine,” he says rolling his eyes. “But you owe me one, understood?”
Gunnar nods in agreement. “Yeah, if you hadn’t been such a pussy none of this would have happened - you need to make sure that woman knows who she belongs to.”
We head to our trucks. I need to be at the hospital by Harley’s side until she is released.
Hell, that isn’t true.
I don’t plan on ever leaving my mate’s side again for as long as I live.
Chapter 18
Harley
Lights flash, people yell around me, but the drugs Chad gave me keep my head spinning, and unable to process everything that’s going on. Even though I was barely conscious when Blaine ripped open the door and entered the plane, I will forever remember the look in his eyes. His absolute need to protect me, whatever the cost.
He would have given his life for me.
Desperate tears fall from my eyes when the paramedics take me away from Blaine. I want to argue, but unconsciousness works to pull me down its dark, spirally tunnel.
It’s impossible to process what is happening, all I know is that Blaine would have sacrificed everything to make sure I was safe.
I’m barely conscious of the ambulance ride, the roaring sirens are the only thing keeping me from fading away. But I hold on, Blaine’s strength makes me strong. It keeps me holding on.
I’m only slightly aware of them taking me into surgery, or Addie, Piper, and Kate leaning over the stretcher as they wheel me away.
“We love you,” Kate says, taking my hand, which is hooked up to an IV.
“I can’t believe he shot you,” Piper looks truly mortified. Our girl’s night turned into something so twisted and dark, and I feel hot tears on my cheek as I realize how truly sideways everything went in such a short span of time.
Thank God none of my girls were caught in the crossfire.
“You’re going to be fine,” Addie murmurs, brushing my cheek before they aren’t allowed to go any farther with me.
Blaine, my heart cries out.
I’m here, sweetheart.
It’s the last thing I hear before they place a mask over my mouth and my world goes dark again.
“She should have woken up by now,” I hear Addie say, somewhere in the darkness.
“She’s been traumatized,” Piper adds. “Is it wrong that I’m glad that bastard died of his injuries?”
Chad. Oh God, he’s dead?
“Where is Blaine?” It’s Kate who speaks now.
“He and his brothers are dealing with the police. They’ll be here when they can.” Addie sounds worried.
I remember pieces of what happened. Bennett shifting and taking down Chad’s bodyguard, Blaine shifting inside the plane. Even with Chad dead, there’s at least one witness, and that’s only if the pilot didn’t see anything.
Blaine and his brothers are in trouble, especially if Chad sent the video he took to anyone.
“Blaine...” My voice catches, my mouth like cotton.
“You’re up.” Addie leans over me, and Piper and Kate move to the other side.
“I need to talk to Blaine.”
“I know, babe. He’ll be here soon.” Addie gives me a sympathetic look.
I squeeze my eyes shut, scared of what might happen to my lover if anyone were to know. “People saw,” I whisper, hating the truth.
“Saw what?” Kate asks.
I chew my bottom lip and try to make Addie understand me without words, without revealing the truth of our mates to our friends. We love one another like sisters, but the bond we have with our mates is stronger than that. It’s my duty to protect Blaine at all costs.
“Bennett and Blaine...they...fought...”
“I know,” Addie says, stroking my forehead. “Gunnar says they’re dealing with it.”
“It’s not like they can get in any trouble.” Piper still looks angry. “That bastard kidnapped you, drugged you, and then pulled a gun on you. Blaine and Bennett had every right to fight back.”
She has no clue that they fought
not as men, but as bears.
Addie leans closer. “You don’t have to worry about it, okay?”
“But it’s my fault.”
“Your fault?” Piper says. “It’s not your fault that your ex was a crazy stalker who couldn’t take no for an answer.”
I know she’s right, but I feel slightly responsible that he uncovered Blaine’s secret, that he was willing to use it against him in order to get what he wanted - me.
I wince when I try to sit up.
“Careful,” Kate says. “You were shot.”
“I know,” I grumble, feeling the pain in my arm.
“But the doctor said the bullet did minimal damage. You’re lucky—”
“I don’t feel lucky right now. I feel...confused.” I look at Addie, begging her for some time alone. I love all my friends, but only she can really understand what I’m going through. “And sick to my stomach.”
Thankfully Addie understands because she says, “Piper, would you mind going down to the cafeteria and getting peppermint tea, it’ll help with the nausea.”
When she nods, Addie says to Kate, “Will you go with her and get me a blueberry muffin, I just realized I haven’t had anything to eat in hours, and this baby is starving.”
“Of course.”
When they’re gone, Addie gives me a small smile and asks, “Now, what’s going on?”
“He said he’s my mate.”
Her smile falters.
“What?”
“I just...I figured.”
“You knew he was lying to me?”
“I knew he cared about you and wanted to make sure you were happy. I figured you’d work it out eventually. Plus,” she adds, a small smile forming on her lips. “It’s not really normal for two people to be able to read each other’s minds.”
“No. I just...” I sigh. “I don’t know if I can trust him.”
She takes my hand. “What he did was wrong, but his intentions were right. Hear him out. He loves you.”
“I don’t know. The sex is good, but what if that’s all it is for him?” It’s my worst fear - that Blaine isn’t who I hope he is.
“You’re smarter than that. And you love him too. I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you do Blaine.”
“I do.” It’s the truth. As crazy as it is, I love the man.
“Oh good, you’re up,” a doctor says, coming into the room. He’s the same white-haired man who’d treated me when I’d fallen in the river.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” he says, flipping through his papers and looking for something.
“My arm, it’s going to be okay?”
“You should have full mobility in a couple of months. You’re lucky that the bullet didn’t pierce the bone or any major arteries.”
“So I can go home?”
“We’re going to keep you overnight, but you should be fine to leave in the morning. There’s a detective that wants to take your statement, but I told him to come back tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” I still need to talk with Blaine to know what I should and shouldn’t say.
“There were some things in your blood work that we need to discuss.”
“Okay.” Worry wraps around my throat.
“You may want to be alone for this.”
“No, Addie can stay.”
She clamps her hand around mine.
“Your HCG levels are higher than normal—”
“Oh my God,” Addie squeals.
I frown at her. “What?” Then look back at the doctor. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’re pregnant.” Addie hugs me a little too tight, sending a shock through my shoulder, but I can barely feel the pain. “We’re going to be moms, together. It’s perfect!”
“Am I?” I whisper, looking at the doctor.
“Your numbers are still low, so you’re not far along, but according to the blood work, yes, you’re going to have a baby.”
“You’re pregnant?” Blaine is standing in the doorway, his dark eyes locked on me with an expression I can’t decipher.
“And you must be the dad,” the doctor says, moving to shake his hand. “Congratulations Mr. Koleman.”
“Jesus,” Blaine says on a heavy breath. Still, I can’t read his thoughts.
“I’ll give you two some time alone,” Addie says, pressing a kiss on my forehead before moving out of the room, but before she goes, I see her poke a finger at Blaine’s chest and say something only he can hear.
Whatever it is, he just nods, his face still a mirror of the shock I feel.
I’m pregnant.
I’m going to have little bear babies.
Oh God.
But then Blaine turns to me, and the way he stalks forward, all possessive, protective, and alpha, I could swoon under the primal gaze he pins me with.
He lowers the bars on the bed and sits on the edge. I can feel his need to pull me against him, crush me with the feral desires that swirl in his eyes, but instead, he reaches out gently and places his palm on my cheek.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
“Blaine—”
“No. Please. I need to get this out. Need you to hear me. Then you can tell me to leave, or whatever it is you want.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve never felt this way before. Ever. And it scared me. Still scares me. I used Laney’s betrayal as a shield. But even when I realized that you weren’t her, that you would never hurt me, I didn’t want to be the guy who held you back.”
I start to open my mouth to tell him he wouldn’t be, but he places a finger on my lips.
“I’ve seen your paintings and drawings, Harley. You’re talented. The world should see your work. So, I’ll move to Seattle with you, for however long you need to be there.”
“But your life is here.”
He places a palm over my heart. “My life is wherever you are.”
My chest constricts, I may have just fallen even more in love with the man.
“Can I talk now?”
He nods, inhaling as if steeling himself for the worst.
“I love Seattle. And there are days when I miss how easy everything is there.”
“Then we’ll go.”
I shake my head at him. “As much as I love it there, I always felt...stifled. It wasn’t until I came here, when I started hiking the mountains—”
“Which I don’t ever want you to do alone again.”
“But I found something I never knew I was looking for here. Peace, creativity, inspiration, it’s everywhere.”
“You really want to live here?”
“I do.” I take his large hand in mine and bring it to my lips, kissing each one of his knuckles. “And I haven’t even mentioned the best thing I found here. I love you, Blaine Koleman.”
He doesn’t hesitate, he crashes his lips down on mine, fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of my neck. When he finally pulls away, we’re both breathless, and any pain I’d had is gone.
He cups my jaw, holding my gaze. “And we’re going to have a baby.”
“Yeah,” I say shakily. “How do you feel about that?”
“Scared,” he admits. “But also excited. We’re going to be a family.”
“A family,” I repeat, liking the sound of it.
“You’re my mate, Harley, and I’ll never leave you. But I want to make it more, make it official in front of everyone.”
I smirk up at him. “Blaine Koleman, are you asking me to marry you?”
“I am.” He takes my hand and runs the pad of his thumb over my ring finger. The ring Chad put on my hand is gone, thankfully. “I’ll get you the biggest diamond that you want, just say yes.”
“No.”
His face falls.
“No diamonds. They’re too traditional. What I want is a rose sapphire in a square radiant cut, with a platinum band and—”
“You’ve thought a lot about this.” His lips twitch and there’s a bright glin
t in his eye, that I now realize is love.
“A little.” I lift my good arm and run my palm over his thick beard. “But you know what I really want?”
“What? Ask for anything and I’ll give it to you.”
“I want you.”
“You have me, Harley. Forever.” He kisses me again, and this time I can feel all his anxiety melting away. “That’s the easiest promise I’ve ever had to make.”
Chapter 19
Blaine
I watch my mate standing at the edge of our lake, her easel in front of her as she paints the beast that watches her from the ledge across the lake - me.
Inhaling the deep mountain scent, I stretch, the sun warm on my fur. I like coming out here with her, enjoy that she likes seeing me in bear form. But my man stirs to get out, to feel her hands on me.
I jump into the water and shift before resurfacing.
“Hey,” she says, chuckling. “I’m not finished.”
Swimming toward her, I splash her lower half. “You need a break. I can see you favoring your right arm.”
She rolls her left shoulder, and sighs. She’s healed well, but like everything Harley does, she’s pushed herself too hard.
“Come in,” I growl out, wanting to take my mate the way I was made to do. All the damn time. Since we got engaged, our desire has been in overdrive. She moved into my cabin the day she was released from the hospital and we’ve been fucking like bunnies ever since.
Though she thinks it’s funny to say, I’m actually fucking like a bear.
It’s true. Once we’ve made a commitment with our mate, our sexual appetite can rarely be satiated.
“I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”
“You don’t need one. There’s no one else around. And I own this land.”
She purses her lips and rolls her eyes before starting to strip.
“God, you’re so damn beautiful,” I growl at her when she’s standing at the edge of the water, naked, and thankfully doing nothing to cover her sweet curves.
“Shush,” she says, self-consciously covering her breasts now. They’ve doubled in size since she has gotten pregnant and she still isn’t used to her changing body.
Untamed Lovers (Mountain Men of Bear Valley Book 2) Page 9