Bear in Mind (7 page)

“So?”

Wyatt looked over at his brother Conner as they sat in the office. Cage was grumbling as he shuffled through papers. Conner had a shit eating grin on his face and he was trying to poke the proverbial bear.

“So what?” Wyatt countered.

“Oh come on! We gave Cage a rationing of shit when he was with Sophie the first time. It’s your turn. You have her scent all over you. And from the smell of it you had a good night.”

“I’m certainly not discussing it with you, runt,” Wyatt replied, then flicked the stapler off the desk at Conner’s head. Conner ducked, but managed to look a little put out at Wyatt using him for target practice.

“Conner, shut up about Jinger. Wyatt is going to have a hard enough time convincing her to stick around what with his personality and all. He doesn’t need you making him nervous.” Cage said not looking up from his papers.

“That little shit doesn’t make me nervous! I’m just not discussing my mate with him,” Wyatt groused. He was in a foul mood. It was past noon and Jinger hadn’t called yet for lunch. He wanted to rush over to her office, but he needed her to choose to come to him.

Cage finally looked up from his paperwork, “She’ll call, she probably just got busy,” he tried to assure him.

Wyatt gave him a chin lift as the phone on the desk rang.

“See, I bet that’s her now,” Cage offered picking up the receiver. “Rochon Enterprises. Yes he’s here, one moment. It’s for you,” he said gesturing to Wyatt.

Reading the look on Cage’s face, Wyatt grabbed the receiver with a fast grip. “This is Wyatt.”

“Hello Mr. Rochon, this is Deputy Shriner from the Washington State Patrol. We are calling to verify you are the owner of a 2014 red F150, license plate ROCHON 3?”

“Yes, that’s my truck,” he said, his stomach starting to knot.

“Was your vehicle stolen Mr. Rochon?”

“No, I loaned it to a friend last night. What is this about,” he demanded urgently. His bear was roaring in his head now and he could feel his body start to shake.

“An officer located your vehicle off the 101 this morning. It had crashed through the guard rail and fallen over into a ravine sometime in the night. There was a single female passenger. The last names didn’t match, so we contacted her family first before locating the owner of the truck.”

Wyatt felt his world start to slip away from him.

“Is she okay?” He managed to whisper.

“The truck?” The Deputy replied.

Holding back his bear and the fury inside him he tried to remain calm when he said, “No, Deputy, the woman, Jinger McCann. Is she okay?”

“Well she’d been there most of the night, she was unconscious when they transported her to County this morning. I’m afraid I don’t have any other information on her at this point. Your truck is a total loss, it looks like it must have rolled when it went over the embankment. We found brake fluid on the road. We think it might have been a mechanical issue.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck about the truck!” Wyatt yelled into the phone.

Seeing his brother losing it, Cage grabbed the phone back and apologized to the deputy getting what further information the man had before hanging up the phone.

Wyatt couldn’t think, he couldn’t breathe. His mind was racing through the facts that he had. His mate was hurt, unconscious. She was alone all night in the woods, injured and he’d let her leave alone. He didn’t even ask her to call when she got home. He would have known something was wrong when she didn’t call. She wouldn’t have spent the night, in the cold alone and hurt.

Conner reached over and waved a hand in front of Wyatt’s face, he knew better than to touch him right now. “Breathe man, your claws are out.”

Wyatt saw his fingernails had elongated, he could feel his teeth long and sharp in his mouth and the muscles in his back were spreading as his bear fought to take control.

“Settle your bear, we don’t have time for this,” Cage called out. Without a word, he headed towards the door and gave Conner a look to grab Wyatt.

Wyatt didn’t resist being dragged out to his brother’s truck. They loaded in and Wyatt looked out the window and felt the heavy weight in his chest. His mate, he’d finally found her and had already failed her. What if he lost her before they ever had a chance at the life the fates had promised them? He hadn’t claimed her, what happened to a shifter that didn’t claim his mate? He couldn’t imagine ever wanting anyone other than Jinger, he’d rather die.

The ride to the hospital was in silence, his brothers knowing there weren’t any reassuring words that would soothe his beast.

Pulling up to the front Wyatt jumped out and left his brothers behind as he ran inside. He ran to the reception desk and asked about Jinger.

“I’m sorry are you family,” the elderly women behind the counter asked.

“I’m her boyfriend,” Wyatt responded.

“I know the rest of her family is in the ICU waiting room on the third floor. If you’d like to go up there, they might be able to help you. I’m afraid I can’t give out any information to non-family members.” She at least had the grace to look sympathetic to his plight.

Bypassing the elevator, Wyatt hit the stairs and ran up them. When he made it to the waiting room he saw an older man standing with his hands tucked into his pockets looking out the window.

Taking a chance, he asked, “Mr. McCann?”

The man turned and Wyatt immediately saw his Jinger’s eyes staring back at him.

“Yes? Can I help you?” The man turned with a confused expression. He looked tired and sad.

“I’m Wyatt Rochon. I’m Jinger’s boyfriend,” he said holding his hand out to her father. He wanted to know how she was and he figured throwing out she was seeing him was the quickest way to information.

“Boyfriend?” Her father was confused, but still shook Wyatt’s hand.

“Yes, sir, we haven’t been seeing each other long. How is she? Is she okay,” he asked letting go of the handshake.

“It was your truck she was driving? They said they were going to find the owner,” he mumbled.

“Sir, please is she okay? How bad was she hurt? Can I see her?” Wyatt asked desperately.

Just then an older woman with dark red hair came through the doors that led to the patient rooms. She looked like she’d been crying.

“Oh Kevin,” she said walking into the Jinger’s dad’s arms. He wrapped them around her, “Shh, Sarah, she’s a fighter,”

Hearing those words, Wyatt knew it wasn’t good. He felt for a chair and collapsed into it, dropping his head into his hands.

Seeing Wyatt, she turned towards him, “Do you know Jinger?”

Before he could answer her dad stepped up, “Apparently this is Jinger’s boyfriend Wyatt Rochon. It was his truck she was driving.”

“Rochon? As in Rochon Lumber,” her mother asked.

Looking up to her he said, “Yes, ma’am. How is she? Can I see her? Please, tell me she’s okay,” he begged.

Seeing the terror in his face must have convinced her he was at his breaking point.

“She’s in a coma Wyatt. She had internal bleeding from the crash. The doctors had to remove her spleen. She had head trauma from when the truck rolled. Being outside exposed in the weather didn’t help either, she got hypothermia. They are monitoring her to see if they need to operate to relieve the pressure on her brain,” she said quietly.

Wyatt’s brothers came into the room then. Luckily they were better at introductions than Wyatt. Cage talked quietly to them getting the information Wyatt had just heard. He still might lose her. What if she didn’t wake up? What if she woke up and didn’t remember him?

Wyatt was looking at the floor when he saw Cage’s feet in front of him. Tipping up to look at his big brother, he didn’t care that Cage could see the tears welling in his eyes.

“I know buddy, believe me, I know,” he said giving Wyatt a squeeze on his shoulder. “Her parents, Kevin and Sarah are going to go tell the staff you can see her. Then you can go in. Do you want me to come with you,” Cage asked.

“Yeah, man, I don’t think I can go alone,” he admitted.

Jinger’s parents returned and nodded that Wyatt could go back.

The walk down the corridor seemed to take forever. Wyatt wanted to run, screaming her name but it wasn’t the time or place and he knew he needed to keep his human side under control if he had any hope of controlling his bear.

They came up to her room which was barely a room. It was surrounded by glass so the nurses could see directly into the patient. There on the bed, looking smaller than he remembered, was his mate. There were machines hooked up to her, oxygen, IV’s, blood pressure cuff, and wires sticking from bandages on her head. Those were attached to some other machine.

Wyatt saw those things but wasn’t really looking at them. He was scanning her face. Black eye, cut cheek and lip. His heart ached seeing her damaged.

“Go in, sit with her. Talk to her, it will help,” Cage encouraged giving Wyatt a shove into the room. It only took two steps for Wyatt to reach the lone chair by her bed. Before sitting, he leaned over and placed the lightest kiss he could on an area of her forehead not covered in bandages.

“Baby, I’m so sorry. I never should have let you go. I should have followed you home, or better yet tied you to my bed. I failed you, I know it. But please, please don’t leave me. I just found you, gingersnap. I know you can’t understand this yet, but I’ve been waiting so long for you. You have to be strong and come back to me so I can spend the rest of my life making this up to you.”

Wyatt waited for a response, when none came he sat down. Cradling her hand in his, he dropped his forehead to rest on the back of her hand. He let the tears slide down his cheeks, knowing only his brother could see them and he would never tell anyone that big cocky Wyatt Rochon was reduced to tears over a girl.

“Keep talking man, I’m going to go back out and sit with her parents and give Sophie a call,” Cage said quietly. Wyatt nodded but didn’t look at his brother. His eyes were fixed on his mate, watching and waiting for her to wake up.

Wyatt sat, he talked. He told her about his plans for the future, their future. He even talked about his bear and his family and everything shifter related he could think of. He hoped maybe subconsciously she could hear him and when he revealed the truth it wouldn’t be such a shock.

Her parents traded back and forth with him, someone always by her side.

On the second day, Wyatt was taking a break with her father when he asked the question Wyatt knew was coming.

“So you don’t seem like the type of man to have mechanical troubles on your vehicles. The cops said the brake lines were tampered with. Now, I don’t blame you son. That could be you lying in the hospital bed right now. And I’m guessing that was someone’s intention.”

Wyatt had already come to that conclusion along with his brothers. They had examined the truck, mostly because they didn’t want Wyatt to see how badly it was damaged. But they confirmed they smelled the same strange dirty human smell from when a stranger had tried to break into Cage’s house when Sophie was home alone.

Wyatt explained to Kevin the escalating sabotage that their company had been experiencing. After Sophie’s scare, they had brought in the local police to help with their investigation. Up until then the sabotage could have been coincidental. But Cage getting shot tied them together. Not that they told the police about that part, since with his shifter DNA he’d healed before morning.

“Mr. McCann, I can assure you I would never have let Jinger drive my truck if I had any idea someone would do something like this. I care for her very deeply and I hope she cares for me the same. I’d die for her, I’d kill for her.”

“No need to get so dramatic, son. I believe you. I’m glad my Jinger found such a strong capable man. And call me Kevin,” he finished with a small smile.

Nodding to him, Wyatt stood and said, “If you don’t mind, I need to run home, change clothes, and check in with my brothers to see if they’ve had any updates.”

“Go on ahead, we’ll be here. Maybe when you get back I can convince Sarah to head home for a shower and a hot meal.” Kevin offered.

Giving Jinger’s dad a handshake, Wyatt headed out to a work truck his brothers had left for him.

He called Conner and found they had no new updates. Wyatt didn’t want to go home, he was pissed. His bear was pissed, and he wanted to take it out on someone.

Before hanging up with Conner, he said, “I’m going for a run.”

Pulling up to his house, Wyatt saw Conner sitting on his front step. Walking up to him his brother stood, “I thought I’d run with you if you don’t mind?”

Nodding his head, he could use the company. He walked towards the woods behind his cabin and stripped as he went. Once he was naked, he tried to calmly let his bear come to the surface, but he was too angry and frustrated. His body contorted and he felt his bear tear out of him in a blinding shower of sparks.

Once his bear’s paws hit the ground, he let out a loud anguished roar. Wyatt couldn’t blame him. His bear was sad, and furious. He wanted the saboteur’s blood. He wanted him to suffer like his mate was suffering. Wyatt promised his bear that if they ever found him, they would rip his head off.

He let his bear take over, the beast needed to run. As he passed by trees he would lash out with his claws, drawing ragged marks through the bark. It felt good to tear something up. He let the bear run until exhaustion set in. They had reached an overlook high on the mountain. Conner’s bear was keeping pace but giving him his space.

Pushing his bear back, Wyatt let himself take back over his body and sat on the edge. Conner joined him and they both took in the view.

“What am I going to do without her,” he asked his brother quietly.

Conner responded with a nudge on his shoulder. “Don’t think like that, she’s going to recover. You have to believe that.”

“I want to, more than you know. I’m scared Conner, I’ve never cared about anyone this much in my life.”

“Oh, gee thanks, big brother,” he laughed.

“You know what I mean,” Wyatt said.

“No, actually I don’t. I can’t understand how you can be so torn up over a girl you just met.”

“Not a girl, my mate. A week ago I would have asked the same question, believe me. Until it happens to you, there are no words to describe it. The moment I saw her, it was like my heart and soul were laid at her feet. Hers to do with as she willed. I would do anything just to see her eyes again. See her smile, do anything that let me know she was going to be okay.”

Conner clapped his brother on the back, “How about we clean up and head back to the hospital?”

Wyatt wanted to get back to her, so he stood and let his bear take over once more. The brothers raced back to their cabins to shower and change.

Walking back into the waiting room, Wyatt saw not only Jinger’s parents but his own, along with Cage and Sophie. Laid out on the table was a mountain of food.

“Darling!” his mother called, standing to wrap him in a hug. “Your girl is going to be fine, I know it,” she whispered into his ear.

He got another hug from his dad and Cage then Sophie.

“Sweetheart, Sophie made dinner. She figured you and the McCanns haven’t eaten a proper meal since you got here. And don’t worry, we managed to introduce ourselves and not scare them off,” his mother joked.

“Your parents are very nice Wyatt and Sophie is a gem. How you don’t all weigh four hundred pounds is beyond me!” Kevin said smiling.

Nodding, Wyatt was glad his parents and Jinger’s were getting along. It would make things easier when she woke up.

“Any change?”

Silence around the room before Sarah said, “No dear, nothing. The doctor says the swelling on her brain hasn’t increased, but it hasn’t decreased either. Why don’t you go sit with her a bit and I’ll come and give you a break so you can eat in a few?”

Jinger’s mom had accepted Wyatt after their first meeting. He thought she was thrilled her daughter had such a devoted man in her life. She didn’t even seem to care that they’d only just met.

“When it’s right, it’s right,” she’d said.