Jade Crew: Forgotten Bear (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Ridgeback Bears Book 3) (15 page)
Authors: Amelia Jade
Epilogue
Gwen pulled her jacket tighter around her as they exited Russell’s truck.
“I’m already realizing that winter here is something I’m going to have to get used to the hard way,” she yelled above the wind.
“Oh come on, it’s not
that
bad,” her mate said, coming around to the back of the truck to help with her bags.
She eyed him suspiciously, noting the sweater and jeans he was wearing. “I’m not helping you warm up if you catch a cold from wearing just that,” she said.
“Oh no, that’s okay. I know I’m going to be the one warming you up anyway,” he said, raising his eyebrows.
She laughed. The week since the wedding had been a whirlwind of work. Between helping Ferro out at his bar, which was quickly beginning to take shape, and ensuring that Russell’s room at the lodge was in acceptable condition for her, she had been working nonstop. Thankfully Russell’s room was all painted, carpeted, and ready for her to move in now.
Ferro’s, on the other hand, is going to be weeks yet.
She couldn’t get over the devastation that had been caused. They had had to rip out the majority of the walls, replacing one only to start tearing down another, ensuring there was enough load-bearing supports in place as they went. It had been a nightmare. At least now the exterior walls were done and insulated, meaning she wasn’t freezing as she worked.
Her jealousy at the ease with which the bears handled the cold was in no way faked.
On top of all the work though, she had also seen far less of Russell than she might have wished. He and Garrett had spent practically every other moment together as Russell recounted story after story, trying to jog Garrett’s memory. Although it helped Garrett to feel better about himself as a person, unfortunately none of it seemed to be doing anything for his memory. Now, however, she was moving in with Russell, so at least she could see more of him in the evenings and such.
“You’re going to do that by running a hot bath, massaging my feet, and fetching me dinner, right?” she said now, dashing Russell’s advances.
Not that she wasn’t going to give in to them anyway, but it wouldn’t do for
him
to know that just yet. Not until she got that bath.
It was almost December, and winter was starting to rear its ugly head. It wasn’t that cold out today, she knew, but a strong, biting wind was blowing, making it feel much chillier than it was. Gwen had never been built for the cold to begin with, so the bath was as much a necessity as it was a pleasure.
Besides, if everything went well, Russell would join her there…
“Hey, has Emma mentioned anything to you about that crew that destroyed Ferro’s?” Russell asked as they unloaded things into his room.
Their room, she corrected.
“No, nothing at all. I’d been hoping you might have heard more,” she replied. “I figured with you involved with the Consortium things might trickle down.”
“That’s just it,” Russell said, straightening up from setting some bags on the bed. “I haven’t heard a word. Not a peep from anyone.”
“That’s strange.” Gwen said, mulling it over. “They can’t have just disappeared.”
“I agree, but nobody seems to be talking about it.”
“Although you know that really big bear, umm, Gabriel?” she said, forgetting his name for a second.
Russell nodded.
“Well, the other week, I was wandering around town. I got lost, and ended up in what I now know is Sapphire territory.”
Her mate’s jaw tightened as she said it, but he refrained from saying anything as she continued.
“Anyway, one of them was being rather rude, and out of nowhere Gabriel shows up. He had been at their place for some reason, though he wouldn’t say why. And from there, he went straight to a meeting with Emma at the café where Trestin works.”
“Interesting,” Russell said, mulling it over. “Maybe we should just ask Emma?”
“Ask Emma what?”
Gwen spun to look at the door. Standing in the door they had propped open as they lugged in her bags was Emma.
“About that crew, the ones that attacked us. A bunch of them got away, and nobody has seen them since. Have you heard about them?”
“I’m not really supposed to talk about it,” Emma said. She grimaced. “But I don’t know much. I do know Gabriel was appointed to track them down, but they haven’t been found yet to my knowledge.”
“What was your meeting with Gabriel about?” she asked, before her internal filter could prevent her from saying anything.
“He’s been investigating some other things for me unrelated to the Opal Crew. The rest, I’m sorry, is classified. Though I can tell you that it doesn’t directly concern either of you two. But that’s all I can say,” she said firmly.
“It’s okay, we understand,” Russell said.
“Now, Emma, I have a serious question for you,” Gwen said, stepping outside and looking up and down the length of the building. Russell had told her it was an old motel that had been abandoned after a new road was built, effectively causing the death of any traffic that would need a motel.
“What is it?”
“In the spring, which I’m told is going to come eventually,” she said with a mock shiver, “I want to plant a vegetable garden. Is there anywhere I can do that?”
Russell made a noise behind her that sounded suspiciously like a snicker.
“What exactly was that noise for, mister?” she said, rounding on him, one finger pointed his way.
“A
vegetable
garden? I mean, does that include potatoes?” he asked, brightening all of a sudden.
“No,” she said. “Tomatoes, peppers, carrots, things like that.”
Russell scrunched up his face in disgust.
“Oh shut up!” she said, hitting him on the arm. “Ow. Besides, I need to eat veggies to maintain my girlish figure,” she said, doing her best to keep a straight face.
“Well I happen to need meat and potatoes,” he replied as Emma watched the banter.
“For what?” she scoffed.
“For my muscles.”
“Here we go,” she said out of the corner of her mouth to Emma, who was laughing and backing away slowly, content to let the two of them be.
“Yes. My muscles. So that I can do this,” he said, dropping low all of a sudden and hoisting her over one shoulder. “Me caveman,” he said in his best imitation of one.
“Put me down!” she screamed, alternating between crying out and laughing as he turned and headed back into their room. “If you hit my head, I swear, you’re sleeping on the floor! No, outside!” she said, but he didn’t put her down, his arm holding her easily over his shoulder.
“How about you be quiet, and I show you what else my muscles are good for?” he said once the door was closed, pinning her up against the wall with ease, at a height that kept her level with his head.
“If you’re going to show me, I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep quiet,” she said mischievously, before leaning in to kiss him.
Gwen had a feeling she could get used to living with Russell.
THE END
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The story continues where Forgotten Bear ends with Stone Bear: Sentinel. See just what Gabriel is getting up to!
- Jade Crew: Alpha Bear
- Jade Crew: Haunted Bear
- Jade Crew: Forgotten Bear
- Stone Bear: Sentinel
- Jade Crew: Captive Bear
- Stone Bear: Phoenix
Ridgeback Bears
Jade Crew: Alpha Bear (Book 1)
Jade Crew: Haunted Bear (Book 2)
Jade Crew: Forgotten Bear (Book 3)
Jade Crew: Captive Bear (Book 4)
