“We’re talking about babies,” Angus said as Poppy sat down beside him with their son Mason and her arms. Mason was only a year old but he was already showing signs of his precocious bear shifter nature.
“You’re not gonna have a baby yet are you Zoe?” Heath asked.
“I’ve thought about it.”
“If you have a baby, I’m sure we can accommodate you at the woodshop. No problem,” Angus said.
“I know, Angus,” Zoe said affectionately to her mentor.
Angus tipped his beer bottle at Zoe and winked.
“Where is Gauge?” Rollo asked.
“Gauge is off doing Gauge,” Knox said. “You can’t ever pin that one down.”
It was true, Detective Bear was a hard one to get a handle on. He was one of the best investigators that Rollo had ever known, but he was also a bit of a wild card. Rollo never quite knew what he was going to do next. Gauge been working on a case extensively for months and would spend long periods of time out in the field without reporting back to Rollo.
“I wanted him to join the party,” Rollo said. “Gauge needs a community as much as anybody else.”
“I don’t think he’s coming,” Knox said.
“Why not?” Rollo asked.
“I don’t think it’s something we can talk about in public,” Knox said, shoving a bite of watermelon in his mouth.
That started to get Rollo a little bit worried, but he wasn’t going to let it spoil the picnic.
“Who’s ready for fireworks?” Levi said, standing over the children with his daughter Sunshine in his arms.
All of the children screamed in approval as did his mate Juliet who clapped and cheered him on. Levi had a permit to shoot fireworks off of the islands located in the middle of the lake. It was an attraction to the area that visitors enjoyed throughout the summer. With the sun going down, it was a perfect time to shoot off some fireworks.
Levi handed Sunshine to Juliet and walked off with Shane to a rowboat. They got inside and rode out to the island. About fifteen minutes later, as the sun sank behind the mountains and the outdoor lights blinked on, the first of the fireworks shot into the night sky.
All of the children screamed in awe, and Rollo wrapped his arm around Zoe’s shoulder, holding her close. The rockets burst into the air, spraying out their colorful sparks and drawing out gasps and laughter from the children and adults alike.
By the time the fireworks show was over, and Levi and Shane had come back to land, Rollo knew it was about time to get going. He had an early patrol in the morning and had to get some sleep. As he and Zoe were making their way through the parking lot to his car, Detective Gauge moved out of the shadows to stand in front of them.
“Commander,” Gauge said at a whisper. “I need to speak with you in private.”
“Can’t this wait?” Rollo asked.
“I have important information about the case I’ve been working on,” Gauge said.
“I’m going to take Zoe home, and I’ll meet you down at the station,” Rollo said.
“Meet you there in fifteen minutes,” Gauge said, slipping back into the shadows in the parking lot.
“What was that all about?” Zoe asked as she climbed into the car.
“Gauge is onto something, apparently.”
He took Zoe home and dropped her off out front and hurried back to the station. Gauge had been working on a local drug ring that they had not been able to shut down so far. It was like a mythological hydra. Every time you cut off one head, two more heads sprang up to replace it. Fate Mountain had been experiencing a surge of drug-related activity, and Gauge had been deep in his investigation.
Rollo walked into the police station and found Gauge sitting at his desk, where Rollo had not seen him in a long time.
“Let’s talk in my office,” Rollo said.
They walked into his office and Rollo closed the door. “What is it, Gauge?”
“I think I’ve found where they are headquartered,” Gauge said excitedly. “But I need to go undercover.”
“You think it’s wise to go undercover at this point in the investigation?”
“It’s the only way that I will get the information I need to bring them down,” Gauge said.
“How do you know that they won’t recognize you?” Rollo asked.
“I’ve been extremely secretive the entire time I’ve investigated this case. It is unlikely that any of them have any idea what I look like.”
“Can you give me a timeline, detective? How long are you going to be undercover?”
“I don’t know, Commander, but I need to drop out of sight asap. I’m too close to screw it up now.”
“You have my permission to go undercover, Gauge. But I need you to report back to me regularly. And take care of yourself out there. We need you on the Bear Patrol.”
“Yes sir,” Gauge said slipping out of Rollo’s office and into the night.
Chapter 19
Zoe waited up for Rollo to return home while reading a copy of Woodworker’s Magazine in their comfy, king-sized bed. He walked through the door of the bedroom, looking surprised to see her awake.
“I thought you’d be sleeping by now,” Rollo said, moving through the room to get ready for bed.
He pulled off his shirt and kicked off his shoes before going into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He came out of the bathroom with a brush in his mouth, pulling the contents of his pockets out and discarding them on top of the secret compartment chest Zoe and Angus had built as their first project. Zoe watched Rollo move back into the bathroom with a mischievous grin on her face. She could barely contain what she had to tell him.
Rollo emerged from the bathroom a moment later in his boxers. He sat on the bed and turned off the light on his side before laying down on his pillow.
“What did Gauge need to tell you?” Zoe asked.
“He wants to go undercover on this case he’s been investigating.”
“I see,” she said, putting her magazine on her side table.
She slid down beside Rollo and caressed his chest as she gazed at his profile. Rollo wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into his chest. He kissed her head, holding her tight.
“The barbeque was fun, wasn’t it?” Zoe said.
“It was great to have both crews together.”
“Angus sure was making a case for babies today,” Zoe said.
“Does he talk about that at work much?”
“We’ve discussed it a few times. He loves being a dad to Mason. Although, Poppy is having a bit of a challenge letting go of her human expectations. Angus loves his family more than anything and just wants everyone to get a chance to experience it.”
“I know. Angus is a great guy,” Rollo said.
“What do you think about babies?” she asked, tentatively.
“What do I think about them? Kids are great. I want some of my own someday.”
“When do you think you’ll be ready?”
Rollo lifted her chin so she was looking him straight in the eye.
“I’ve been ready since day one,” he said in a rumbling voice.
“Oh. I didn’t realize. But I guess I should have known from all the bareback sex.”
“I want what you want, Zoe.”
“I have something to tell you, Rollo. I’ve been so excited to say it all day.”
“What is it, kitty?”
“I had my birth control stick taken out yesterday.”
“You did?” he said in a shocked tone. “What about your work? It will be hard to do with a baby on board.”
“Angus guarantees me we’ll work things out. He’s literally baby crazy. Poppy needs more time for another cub so he’s encouraging everyone else he knows to have kids instead.”
“And he’s been doing it to you?”
“Only in the sweetest way possible. Mostly telling me if I want to take a break or alter my schedule to have a child and take care of a little one, he will be the ‘most accom
modating boss in the history of the world.’ He actually said that.”
“And you really want to do it? Is Zoe Bright really ready for a baby?”
“Rollo, all I want is you. I want every bit of you. Having your child inside me would be like having a part of you closer to me for nine months. And then we would have our child to love. It would make our family complete.”
Rollo grabbed her and slid her under him. Zoe let out a playful shriek as he sank between her legs, his erection already stiff against her core.
“Let’s get started now, then,” he said, kissing her face and neck.
Zoe melted into the warm embrace of Rollo’s love as he pulled her out of her clothes. His kisses fell on her mouth and breasts, enlivening her body in anticipation.
He traveled down her body, running his tongue over her stiff nipples and the slopes of her breast.
He sank between her legs, pushing them wide as he consumed her pussy with his mouth. Zoe gasped, coming alive at his touch. She growled and cried in her jaguar’s voice, knowing Rollo would take her there at any second.
His skilled tongue and fingers lapped at her clit and teased at her g-spot. Zoe groaned, tilting her head back as the release mounted inside her. Rollo increased the speed of the little tight circles he was pressing into her bud and Zoe came.
She sucked a sharp breath through her wide open mouth, and let it out in a long moan as her body throbbed under Rollo’s tongue.
He kissed up her body again, pressing his sharp teeth to her neck as he angled his cock against her softness. He slid inside, sinking to the base and resting against her.
She held him tight, enraptured by the feel of her mate inside her. Rollo licked her neck and kissed her as he began to thrust. Zoe felt the hot rolling waves of pleasure crashing against her as orgasm after orgasm filled her with endless pleasure.
Rollo kissed her deep, taking her to the brink of what she knew as reality. In this place, they were both one. They were merged in body and spirit, utterly intertwined and connected. They became bigger than just themselves. They became united as one.
Rollo growled and thrust hard several more times, releasing his hot come into her womb. She quivered around him, her own orgasm still throbbing through her. He kissed her neck and face, whispering in her ear that she was beautiful.
Somehow in the ether between them and the heightened awareness of their shifter senses, she knew that his seed would soon plant inside her belly, creating new life.
Rollo rolled away, holding her close, and they breathed deeply in each other’s arms. She could feel his love pouring off him in a torrent of feelings he could never express in words.
“You hot little kitty,” he said. “I think I just put a baby inside you.”
“I was just feeling the same thing,” she said.
They held each other close, entangled in their sheets. Rollo’s steady body was solid below her cheek and his strong arm wrapped around her shoulders.
For all her travels and all her experiences, Zoe Bright had never been so thrilled as that moment, when she knew she was finally home.
Detective Bear
She's destined to be his ... if he can keep her alive.
Underground ...
Gauge Stockwell is a detective working to infiltrate a drug ring. He’s eager to find his mate, and has just gotten a match on the human-shifter mating website started by one of the shifters on Fate Mountain. But before he can meet her, he gains access to the criminal gang and has to go undercover.
Under lock and key ...
Lola Lockheart is a prisoner inside the gang’s compound, held there by her stepbrother Justin, the leader of the drug ring. She used a secret phone to register on the mating website, but when she gets a match, the man’s profile is mysteriously blank. Even his name is redacted.
Under fire
As soon as Gauge sees Lola, he knows she’s his mate -- but the slightest hint from him will get them both killed. It’s clear from how the gang treats her that she’s not there willingly. Can Gauge and the rest of the Bear Patrol free Lola and shut down the drug ring? And even if they can, will a woman who’s spent years as a captive trust the stranger who yearns to claim her for his own?
Chapter 1
Detective Bear Gauge Stockwell and Tech Bear Damien Fellows sat in front of Damien’s computer, going through a list of deep web sub-forums. Gauge had been investigating the increase in the drug “crystal” on Fate Mountain for months.
He knew from his investigation that the crystal was coming from a single source. Try as he might, Gauge had not been able to pinpoint the location of the lab.
“This deep web forum has some interesting information,” Damien said, pointing at several posts an anonymous member. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “This user, Stonewall666, seems to be referencing Fate Mountain here. The geographical references match up.”
Gauge read the post in detail. Stonewall666 gave details on both the gang and the drug lab, suggesting that the group was looking for additional members.
“Can you find their location using this data?”
“Their lab is extremely remote. The random probability software I got from Corey Bright isn’t able to pinpoint their location.”
“They seem to want to take on new recruits,” Gauge said thoughtfully. “I could get close to these guys so that they take me into their gang.” He crossed his muscular arms over his chest, and rubbed his square jaw with his big hand.
“You have a perfect opportunity to infiltrate them through the deep web forum.”
“These guys want to wipe shifters off the face of the Earth. They don’t want to be told what they can and cannot do. Violence against shifters is one of the things they want.”
“These men are despicable,” Damien growled. “I understand why you’ve been so distracted with this case.”
Gauge had been following any trail he could find that would give him insight into the crystal dealers of Fate Mountain. He was determined to put a stop to it and return the town to its former state of health and security.
So many humans had been turning up in emergency rooms and jail cells in relation to crystal use. It was destroying lives and entire families. Children were being separated from their parents. It had become almost epidemic.
“It is the biggest issue facing Fate Mountain today,” Gauge said. “I appreciate your help in the investigation. As soon as we went online, we gathered more information in two weeks than I was able to gather on the street in six months.”
“I’m happy to help,” Damien said. “As long as Commander Bear signs off on it.”
“I’m going to ask Rollo if I can go undercover,” Gauge said. “If I infiltrate these men and get them to trust me, I can find their lab. I’m sure of it.”
Chapter 2
Lola Lockheart pulled off her gas mask in the cool air outside the cave. With every fiber of her being, she wanted to quit this job. But she couldn’t. Justin would never let her go.
She strolled down the hillside, along the rugged trails, looking up at the lookouts built into the treetops above the compound. Her stepbrother, Justin Lockheart, the leader of this gang, had planned out the encampment well.
They’d been up here since her stepfather died of a crystal overdose a year ago. That’s when Justin had taken over his father’s position as leader of the anti-shifter group.
Justin and his gang believed that they had the right to do whatever they wanted. They believed that giving shifters the same rights as humans proved that crime was perfectly justifiable.
Lola didn’t believe any of that. She had grown up in the Fate Mountain community. Before her mother had married her stepfather, when Lola was ten, she had a lot of shifter friends. She had been the only black girl on the playground back then, and the shifters had always played with her. She would never hate them.
She and her mom had always been poor until Raymond Lockheart came along and promised Lola’s mother everything. After they got mar
ried, her stepfather took Lola out of school. He was so concerned about the influence of shifters that he wouldn't even allow her to leave his property.
Life on the ranch became all she knew. Her stepbrother Justin was already twenty when Lola was ten. He was already a man when she was still a child.
As she continued down the trail, her thoughts drifted to what life might have been like if she'd been allowed to live like a normal girl. Maybe she would have found a boyfriend or even a husband by now. Maybe they would have settled down in her hometown to start a family.
Instead, Lola had barely finished high school. She hadn't talked to a normal boy her own age since she was fifteen. At her mother’s funeral.
Her mother was shot, her body found face down in the woods. The murder had never been solved. But deep in her heart, Lola knew that her stepfather and stepbrother were responsible.
She sat on a log after brushing away the deteriorating bark and shivered in her thin camo jacket, regretting that she hadn't grabbed something warmer.
Living this high on Fate Mountain was cold, even in the summer. She looked down at the view of the valley below, the deep green pine trees spreading out before her. A hot tear collected in the corner of her eye. She would give anything to escape and have a real life again.
But her private thoughts were short lived when a dark shadow fell over her from farther up the trail. She turned to look in its direction. Justin stood above her, glaring down at her where she sat on the log. His slicked back black hair looked greasy as he glared at her with his dark hooded eyes and clenched his yellowed teeth.
"Where is your gun?" he snapped. His thin, wiry frame bristling with agitation.
"I left it in the lab. I just needed to take a break and get some air." Lola brushed her dark, wavy hair away from her face as a strong breeze blew it into her eyes.
"Do you have any idea how hard I have to work to keep these men off you?"
"You've told me," she muttered, shivering in the chill air.
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