Called by the Bear 4-6 (4 page)

C
arly

F
amished
, I'm in bear form and practically inhaling the pile of fish on the floor of the cave. A tiny sliver of light barely illuminates my small space, and I know I need to find a way out. But the need for protein takes precedence. As I gorge, I recall my last memory. I'd been shot and was swimming to get away. From the depth of my hunger, I believe it might have been weeks ago.

Once the last fish is gone, I stand and flex my injured thigh to discover it's only a bit tight. Rubbing at it, I can feel a scar, and while I know werebear heal quickly, it had to have been a couple of days for me to recover this much.

I turn in the cramped space. The floor is damp with a murky mud, and even as a bear, I find the odor foul. I'm sure I don't want to know what it really is as I discover a dark alley. Dizzily, I follow it. My legs tremble under me, and I wonder how someone managed to get me in here, because the tunnel is tight in places. Faint light appears, indicating I'm on my way out.

The sunlight is blinding when I finally exit the cave. One of the babies kicks, and I'm suddenly conscious enough to freak out.
“Brady! Where are you?”

He replies almost instantly,
“Carly! Thank God you're alive. We've been scouring the woods and area around Fishing Gorge for days looking for you and Sierra. Where are you? Are you hurt, love?”

My head begins to pound as I try to identify my surroundings.
“I’m fine, but I have no freaking idea where in the woods I am. I was shot and don't know what's happened since then because I just woke up in a cave.”
The threat of tears is close, and the old Carly would have cried. Instead, I’m determined and let logic take over.

“Okay, try to find water and follow where it flows. But don't stop talking to me. Please, don't stop.”

His words sound desperate, and my heart aches imagining his worry. Oh, God!
“Where's Sierra? Did you find her?”

“No. She's still missing.”

Panic flickers in my mind, and I shove it back.
“I haven't seen her since we were swimming to get away.”
I'm stumbling around in a circle, and I stop to try to get ahold of myself.
“How long have we been missing?”
Twigs snap as I begin to crash through the woods in one direction, looking for a stream to follow.

“Three days. Three of the longest days I've ever had to live through. I thought—”

“Oh, Brady, don't. I'm very much alive, and the babies are fine.”
I think about the pile of fish someone left for me. Clearly, I was meant to live.
“Someone must have saved me.”

“We can talk about that later. Describe what you're seeing, and maybe I'll recognize it.”

“Okay, I'll try.”
I'm thirsty, and know that's not helping my headache as I stop and focus on my surroundings. I explain what I'm seeing, but it doesn't work.

I begin walking again and say,
“I’m looking for a clearing where I might be able to climb a tree to see something.”
Just after I've said it, I discover a path, which is good, because I doubt I have the strength to do more than walk.

“I think I found a trail. Hang on.”
I pad softly along the worn dirt and roots, looking for trail markers.
“The trees are swiped with red paint.”

“Good work. I know where you are. Scratch the tree on both sides, and then step off the trail to avoid humans and wait for us. Don't shift yet. You're safer as a bear right now. I'll send a team one way, and Keith and I will come from the other direction.”

When I back away from the path, I find a rock that is out of sight and lie down behind it. Birds are chirping, and my head throbs from the noise. I'm exhausted and weak from dehydration, and I plead,
“Brady, please bring me water.”

“I have some. It won't be long now. We're all running.”

I close my eyes and wait. I call out to my best friend,
“Sierra? Can you hear me?”

I don't expect her to answer because I'm sure Keith has been trying, but I hold on to desperate hope. I'm almost asleep again, and something about Sierra is on the edge of my consciousness when the pounding of bear running sounds in my supersensitive ears. I make it to the trail as Keith and a bear I don't recognize come into view.

Keith says,
“Thank God!”

I raise my paw, but I'm so tired I slump down to sit. The stranger bites the top off a water bottle and hands it to me. Grabbing it with my snout, I guzzle the whole thing. He says,
“You should shift so we can carry you back. You're severely dehydrated.”

I nod and focus on making the shift happen as I hear more bear running toward us. By the time Brady arrives, I've changed back to a human, and he scoops me up.
“Do you think you can hold on while I get you back?”

“Yes. It feels good to touch you again.”

Brady moves me to his back and trots slowly down the path with me.
“I’m so glad to have you back. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Brady.”

His fur is soft and warm under my naked body, and I wrap my arms around his large torso as he carries me to our house and safety. Images of metal bars and bright lights flash in my mind and make me wonder what happened over the last few days. My thoughts return to Sierra, and strange words come to me. “
I was meant to take care of people. I'll do what I have to do.”

Wait. I remember hearing Sierra say that in my head when I was looking at the metal bars of a cage. Oh, my God. I was in a cage, but who would want to trap me? It takes me a nanosecond to answer that question. Victor.

I speak to Brady in my head.
“Victor did this, and I think he has Sierra.”

“We're almost home. Let's get you checked out, and you can tell me everything. Don't worry. We'll save Sierra.”

Brady shifts when we get to our yard, and he carries me into the house. Dr. Reynolds, my OB, opens the back door. “Carly, thank God. Get her upstairs so I can check her out.”

I press my cheek against my husband's naked chest, and the hair on it feels rough, reminding me I'm alive. As I breathe in his scent, tears prick my eyes when I imagine never seeing him again. When he sets me down on our bed, I reach for him. “Please don't leave me. I need to hold on to you for a little longer.”

“I’m not going anywhere, love. I can't let you out of my sight yet, either.” Warmth from his fingers envelops my hand.

Dr. Reynolds examines me and assures us that while I'm dehydrated, everything is just fine. He thinks I had surgery to remove the bullet from my leg and that staying a bear while I healed was the best thing for me. I should be as good as new in just a few days.

Brady sends him down to tell Annie to bring me up a tray of food. When the doctor is gone, my husband drops his robe and climbs under the covers with me. His naked body wraps around mine, and he holds me tight. “My God, Carly. I don't think I could live without you.”

Utterly exhausted and suddenly hungry, I moan in response. When Annie knocks on the door, Brady gets up to dress and hands me a robe, too. If I had the energy, I would jump up and hug my sister-in-law when I smell the tuna panini she made for me.

“Annie, I might just name my daughter after you. You're the best.”

She sits on the edge of the bed and gives me a hug so tight it hurts. Her familiar lavender scent comforts me as she says, “You are, too. I'm so glad you're alive.”

I say “uh-huh” as I try not to inhale the sandwich and glass of milk on my tray. I know we need to talk about saving Sierra and am about to speak when Brady does instead.

He says to Annie, “We think Victor was behind the attack on Carly and that he has Sierra.”

Annie growls in a low tone. “Doesn't surprise me. Let me get Donna, and we'll plan the rescue.”

C
arly

T
he healing properties
of werebears are amazing. The next morning, my bullet scar is pale pink and shiny as if it is months old. I'm well rested and only a little stiff after my ordeal, when I should feel as if I was hit by a truck. I was even game for a morning romp before Brady left me to go help Annie cook breakfast. The clatter coming from the kitchen makes me imagine the two of them bickering in their good-natured way, honed from years as siblings.

We're meeting with Donna, Keith, and Ian's twin brother, Ashton. He was the one that helped Keith find me on the trail. Honorably discharged from the Navy SEALs for a knee injury, he's not able to jump out of planes any longer. But he'll be able to do anything necessary to rescue Sierra and will be the lead in our rescue mission. I smile, thinking that if Ashton's the one that finds her, she might want to live out her SEAL fantasy.

Pulling my hair up into a ponytail, I watch the muscles in my arms flex in the bathroom mirror. Not only did I become more defined when I changed to a werebear, but also daily training has gotten me in the best shape of my life. When I’m dressed in one of Brady's button-down shirts and leggings, starched cotton is crisp in my fingers as I roll up my sleeves, exposing my tattoo. I speak in my head to Sierra even though I doubt she can hear me.
“Hang on, Sierra. We're coming to get you.”

Worry for my friend makes me wish I could go on the rescue mission, too. But considering Brady was right to be afraid of me being on land that bordered the Veilleux, I won't even ask him to consider it. As much as I hate not being able to help, I have more than myself to consider. It would be irresponsible to put our babies in danger.

I shiver thinking I could have lost one or more of my children. The warrior in me will just have to be patient, because my body has a more important job right now.

I descend the stairs to the delightful aroma of bacon, coffee, and waffles. In my mind, the odor has become the smell of home and family. Donna is at the table with a cup of tea. She waves me over.

“You've recovered nicely, dear. You're simply glowing these days. How are those grandbabies of mine?”

I sit across from her as she splashes liquid into my cup. She made a big pot to sit on the table between us, and I appreciate how she's taking care of me in her own way. “Wiggly.” Pregnancy for werebear is only six months, and things are progressing quickly.

Ian's motorcycle, along with another, roars up the road, and Annie fills two mugs with coffee for the twins. While I saw Ashton as a bear, I wonder how similar to Ian he is as a human. When they walk in, Brady is setting plates of food down for us to help ourselves. I snitch a piece of bacon, and Donna grins at me as she grabs one, too.

Annie says, “Hi, guys.”

They say hello, and Ashton looks at me. “You're looking much better today. Hydration is amazing, isn't it?”

His hair is just a bit longer than a crew cut, and his arms look bigger than Ian's, if that's possible. They both have the same dusty-blue eyes, but Ashton's are harder, as if he's seen horrors Ian will never know, and I suspect he has.

“Thanks for finding me, and yes, I do feel much better today.”

Ashton swallows his mouthful of coffee. “You're welcome. So tell me more about your friend. It will help me get a sense of what she'll be like to rescue.”

Salty ketchup and eggs cover my tongue as I finish chewing to answer. I recall the way Sierra dealt with unwanted advances in bars and at Tattoo Junkie, where we worked in California. “She's a spitfire and the best friend anyone could ever have. I think she may have traded herself for me.”

“What's she like in an emergency?”

I smile, remembering how she fainted when we first encountered Keith in the woods as a bear. But then I recall how she was quick to act in saving us when I was shot. “She's brave, and I think she'll do whatever needs to be done.”

A teacup clinks against a saucer when Donna sets it down and says, “You'll need to be prepared for her bond with Keith to be broken if she mated with Victor, because the alpha connection is much stronger.” I glance at Keith, and by the way his nostrils are flaring, I imagine the jealousy and anger he's fighting.

Donna sees it, too, and says, “Keith, hold on to that thought, because I'm about to ask you to do something very difficult.”

As she speaks, I hear the sound of a car pull up, and I say in my head,
“Brady, who else is coming?”

He answers,
“Taylor. My mother has an idea.”

When Taylor knocks on the door, Donna says, “Right on cue. Annie, go answer that, please.”

The tall strawberry blonde enters the room, and that's when I figure out what Donna's up to. Taylor looks at everyone but Keith. But he’s hard for her to avoid. Because after she’s introduced to everyone, Donna instructs her to sit next to me, which is across from Keith.

Donna says, “Good morning, Taylor. You’re here because of your attraction to Keith, and I assure you it's not something you can control.”

Taylor stiffens, and I suspect she’s fighting her flight instinct right now. I reach over and put my hand on hers to soothe her, but my bear wants to contain her in case she does think she can run. “My mother-in-law is quite direct. You’ll get used to her.”

Taylor's eyes are big, but she's not a shy one and says, “He's that irresistible, huh?”

Her easy manner makes us all chuckle. Donna says, “To you. I'm about to trust you with some information that will change your life forever.”

Taylor says, “Okay.” She folds her hands and gives Donna her attention.

Annie is loading up Taylor's plate, and I can't help but grab more bacon when the scent is brought forward in my mind. Ashton winks at me and takes the plate from Annie for more, too.

Donna says, “I’m aware of how much you gave up to move here, and that tells me you're committed to us. While you've only been here a few days, I know you have what it takes to be a warrior.”

Taylor moves her hands to let Annie set her breakfast down but doesn't start to eat. Instead, she remains focused on Donna, who continues. “We're a clan of werebear.”

As Taylor's brow furrows, Donna raps her knuckles on the window beside her and says, “Keith, go outside and strip to shift.”

Taylor's eyes get wide, and she asks, “Shift?” She shakes her head. “What's a werebear?”

Donna explains, including how we were called, as Keith takes off his clothes on the other side of the glass. Taylor tries to pay attention to the words she's hearing, but she can't keep from watching Keith. I give her credit, though, because when Donna tells her to go ahead and gawk, she does.

Keith stands naked as if waiting for a command, but I know he can hear us. When Donna stops talking, Taylor says, “So the bear in my dreams was real, and Keith is about to become one?”

Brady gestures toward Keith and says, “Yes.”

I reach over and grab her hand as the naked male in the garden becomes a full-grown black bear. Taylor whispers, “Holy shit.”

I say, “It's pretty amazing, isn't it?”

Taylor nods slowly and begins to ask questions. We answer and let her adjust to the news. A chair thumps hard on the floor when Keith returns to the table in human form.

Donna pats his arm and commands, “Taylor, eat. And Carly, tell her what it's like to be a werebear.”

Taylor doesn't seem fazed at this point, and I remember how my head reeled with this information, too. I describe the benefits of being part bear. Because of Donna's order in my head, I leave out the changing part, and I play up the connection between mates, especially true mates.

Taylor asks, “Being part bear sounds pretty cool, but what are the drawbacks?”

I smile and let Donna take over. “Before we get to that, let me ask you a question. It's obvious to me that you and Keith are true mates. You’ll live happily for the rest of your lives because you can’t ever fall out of love. Would you consider sleeping with Keith so you can seal the bond?”

Annie clucks her tongue as Taylor takes a sharp breath in, and I say, “There's the Donna I was talking about.” Ian and Ashton are stifling a laugh, and I smile, too. But my stomach sinks because I realize what I should have seen.

Keith belongs with Taylor and not Sierra. Donna wants Keith to change Taylor forever, breaking the connection he has with my dearest friend in the world. Sierra has already sacrificed herself to save me, and now she's about to lose her mate. I call out to Brady in my head.
“What about Sierra?”

Donna must sense my pain and says, “Carly, if we have any chance of saving your best friend, we need Taylor on our side. Besides, Keith won't be able to fight his attraction to her, and eventually they'll end up together.”

An overwhelming sadness grips my heart, and I nod. Keith reaches over for my hand, and his calloused fingers are rough against my skin. I gaze into his dark-brown eyes as he says, “I’ll always love Sierra, but you know how you feel about Brady. Don't you want that for your best friend? We'll find her, I promise.”

“I do.” I know he's right.

Donna drives it home when she says, “At the risk of being more blunt than usual, I'm afraid Sierra already broke the bond with Keith.”

Her words bring my fear to the forefront of my mind. Victor has wanted her for weeks, and I think Donna's right. He's already sealed their connection with sex. Ice runs through my veins. What if I’ve lost Sierra forever?