Authors: Anya Nowlan
“I know what you guys are, Keely. You don’t need to worry about me. I understand.” An almost palpable feeling of relief wafted from the werebear couple, even coaxing a small smile out of Keely.
“Well, not the way I imagine Jackson wanted you to know; but welcome to the mountains nonetheless. These cuts aren’t good, but they’re not horrible. I think you have at least three broken ribs and that wrist of yours is definitely sprained. Good thing your bear will allow you to heal faster, Jackson,” Keely said, giving Jackson and Tess a worried look. “I think the bigger problem here is that he’s decided to take things this far. He didn’t used to be like that… But I guess having your clan put in danger will make a bear do irrational things.” Keely’s nose scrunched up a little. The woman, though tall and athletic, seemed far too sweet and delicate to be hiding a roaring beast within, but Jackson knew that she was more than a worthy match for any foe.
“No, he didn’t used to be like that. We used to be close…” Jackson said, trailing off as Keely dabbed at the deep lacerations on his abdomen.
“What happened?” Tess asked. Jackson knew that she must have been curious about his obvious past with Ryder, but he had hoped that he would never have to tell her about his lost friend; at least, not as soon. Jackson looked at her, and he felt his heart constricting at the sight of her worry.
“His clan got run out of their lands. They used to live around Bitterroot in Idaho, but a pack of werewolves drove them out a few months ago. Ryder’s people scattered and, by the looks of it, they’re in the process of getting the remainder of their clan together; but this time they seem to have chosen our lands as their target. I don’t agree with his methods, but I allowed him to settle on a small area while they found another home. Ryder took a liking to the place. It seems that a little is not enough. He wants it all. And now, his people are here, while ours have drifted across the land, as it has got safer and safer for us. When the wolves came, I offered to help, as there’s no certainty they won’t want to move in on our lands next; but he said no. Ryder’s too proud… he’s always hated losing.” He sighed, taking a breath that managed to stab at his lungs again.
“We were friends once. Our packs were close. He was one of my closest friends when we were kids – like a brother. But his father and mine had quite different ways of running their clans, and so he grew up… darker, more difficult. We drifted apart, and I hadn’t even talked to him since he took over the running of the Bitterroot clan. He’s not the same man, or the same bear that I once knew.” Grief coiled in him, wrapping its long tendrils around his heart. It was hard losing a brother, especially in such a way.
Derek had only grown tenser as the conversation progressed, his lips pressed into a thin line.
“I think it’s time we call the other bears and go find Ryder.”
“No,” Jackson said sharply, making the rest of them meet his gaze. It was the same voice he had used when speaking to Ryder, the edge and depth of his tone accented by the grizzly that he shared his existence with. It was the voice of a leader – one that demanded to be heard and respected. “We’re not going to sink to his level. There won’t be any bloodshed, not as long as we can avoid it.”
Jackson watched Derek lift his chin a bit, exhaling deeply. He obviously didn’t fully agree, but he wasn’t going to question his Alpha in a matter as severe as this one.
“But you have to agree that it’s time to call the others. The entire pack has to be here. They’re already dangerously close to outnumbering us, and if they decide to take things past just bullying one or two of us in the cover of the forest, then we may not be able to stand our ground. That means…”
“That you have to call Jonah and Julian, Jackson. They have to come home. And maybe Jacqueline? If we can’t, maybe she could put some sense into Ryder,” Keely finished.
It was Jackson’s turn to take a deep breath, his gaze seeking out Tess’s. There was a question in his eyes, and for the second time that day, he had to ask for her help. She reached out her hand, wrapping her small fingers around his big palm. Tess laid a small kiss on his cheek before gripping his hand tightly in hers, making warmth spread throughout his body.
God, I can’t lose her now. I need her. She has to be the one.
He looked at Keely and Derek, shaking himself from his revelry.
“Can you give us a moment?” The couple nodded in understanding.
“I think you have a keeper in her, Jackson!” Keely quipped over her shoulder.
“I think so too,” Jackson agreed as they retreated out of sight, Keely’s hands wrapping around the terse Derek in an effort to smooth his edges.
“You’re going to have to do what’s best for your people, Jackson,” she said when the couple was out of earshot. He reached out and pulled her off the armrest, pressing her against him. His ribs hurt, but it just reminded him that he was alive; now more than ever. His bear and human halves had to come together – both in love and in war, as he had suddenly found himself an actor in both.
“Tess, I didn’t want to hide this from you, but the safety of my clan has to come before my personal happiness. Trust me, I knew from the moment I saw you that you were special and there was something between us, but a lifetime of being wary of outsiders reared its ugly head.” Jackson took one of her hands in his, her delicate fingers so small in his palm. She seemed to be listening intently, and he was glad to find the same determination in her eyes that had sparked there since their meeting with Ryder and his posse. “I know it might seem early to say this, but I know in my heart of hearts that these words are true; for both halves of me. Tess, I love you and I would do anything in my power to keep you safe and next to me.” He paused, not sure whether or not he wanted to hear her reply.
She paused for a moment before speaking, and Jackson could have sworn that his heart stopped for a second. Finally, she looked up at him and he drank from her gray eyes, sinking into the deep pools. His bear had known all along that she was the one, and it had taken far too long for the stubborn man to accept the wisdom of his bear and the need that was buried in his heart. Now, he had risked losing her, and it had shown him how much he truly wanted to avoid testing fate. His mate had been led to him, but it was up to him to keep her with him. He would only have to hope that she felt the same way as he did.
“Jackson, I… It’s a lot to take in. But I would be lying if I said that I didn’t feel deeply for you as well. I’ve felt something growing between us, and now, after Ryder… I don’t know what it is exactly, but I want to find out.” She wetted her lips with her tongue and Jackson felt a familiar heat burning in him, despite his gruesome injuries. He could breathe a little easier thanks to her words. “But you need to open up to me now. After what I’ve seen, I want to know more about you, your clan… your bear.”
Jackson nodded quickly, pulling her against him. His heart as if released from painful ties, allowed to rejoice in the knowledge that his mate would stand by him despite what she had seen.
“Of course, Tess. I want you to know everything. You’ll be my queen. You’re just the part of me that has been missing all along,” he said, his voice wavering slightly. She smiled and pulled him into a long kiss, her tongue snaking into his mouth. He fell into the kiss gladly, ignoring the aches and pains in his body and allowing himself to revel in the presence and taste of his mate. Despite the troubles that loomed ahead, he could finally hope for something – a better future, cubs, a family. It gave him the strength he had been missing and completed the trifecta of Alpha, bear and mate. His powers could only grow stronger now. When she drew back from him, her gaze had regained that sparkle of mischief he had grown to love so much, so quickly.
“I’ll be here. Bears don’t scare me none, you should know that,” she said, making the man crack a smile.
“It’s okay if some bears scare you. I’ll be here to keep an eye on you,” he replied, laying a kiss on her forehead. Tess beamed back at him, and Jackson felt a sudden ease fall over him. Broken ribs and an ominous, unexpected adversary were easy to deal with when a warm, loving woman was standing beside him.
He took a deep breath, enjoying one more moment by her side before the starkness of the situation descended upon him again.
“Derek, Keely!” he called. Jackson reminded himself to thank both of them for their patience when it was all over. An Alpha was only a strong as his clan and he could rest assured knowing that he had the likes of those two on his side. He took Tess’s hand in his, enjoying the fact that he could do that now. If anything, Ryder had shown him what was really important in life, and now he had more desire than ever to keep it safe.
“You’re right. We have to get everyone back together again, now. I’ll call Julian and Jonah, though it’ll take some time for them to get here. If I can even find Jonah. But we’re not dragging Jackie into this, not unless there’s nothing else we could do.” Jackson’s expression became clouded for a moment, thinking about the pain his little sister had gone through when things finally ended between her and Ryder. The rivaling Alpha had already driven his sister from the Cabinet Mountains and Bear’s Grove; Jackson didn’t want to hurt her again because of him.
“I think Ryder’s all show for now. But, we need to find out how he’s getting his money to really make him pack up and go. With the Bitterroot area gone, he shouldn’t be able to just up and elbow into another region without some income. If we find and take away his safety net then we can knock Ryder down a few pegs.” Jackson paused for a moment, letting the thought sink in.
“Derek, we need to set up patrols between the cabins of all of our clan’s members. Set up a rotating schedule so Ryder and his boys couldn’t hassle anyone without us being there to stomp on them. I’m not going to go and find them and do to them what they did to me. We’re bigger than that. But if they think they can threaten our people without consequences, well, they’ve got another thing coming. Any Bitterroot bear who so much as snaps at one of ours will get a lesson in why you don’t mess with the Arder clan.”
He took a deep breath, looking from one person to another. Derek was grinning softly and Keely looked determined, obviously already plotting ways to track down Ryder’s means for being such a gigantic pain. There was more than one way to make a clan’s life hell and Jackson was going to go at them from all sides, pressuring them enough to make them shrink back and respect the local powers. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy – what Ryder had done to him told him that much – but he was determined to see it through. And to do it the right way, without leaving bodies left and right.
“Alright, we’ve got work to do.”
His eyes stopped on Tess, and just looking at her took his breath away. Her green eyes sparkled with understanding and admiration – the perfect woman to stand by him and help him through what could be the hardest time in his life. She was brave, resourceful and wouldn’t shy away from anything. He knew right then and there that he had made the correct decisions. When it was all over, he could start a family with her and she would carry his cubs. And before that, he could make damned sure that she never wanted for love while he was around. A true Alpha could handle a crisis and devote himself to a woman in equal measure – and he was just the bear for the task.
EPILOGUE
Jackson’s broad chest was covered in short dark curls of hair. Tess ran her fingers up and down his chest, reveling in the tautness of his muscles and the feeling of his warmth against her luscious, curvy body. Her head was resting on his chest, her red hair flowing across his shoulder as she listened to him breath in and out as he slept. The rays of the early morning sun were creeping in through the blinds, letting the room fill with light and warmth. Tess had grown used to waking up at the first light of dawn now, learning that it was both the best time to go tracking bears, as well as the best time for spending some uninterrupted time with her man.
California life seemed so very distant now. She’d only been in Montana for a little over a month, but it felt a lot longer than that, in a good way. The fresh air, the sights, the animals, and most importantly Jackson, had made the secluded wilderness feel like the home that she had yearned to go back to. Her life had fallen into step with the beat of nature, and Tess felt like she was blossoming both as a woman and a scientist. She’d had to think up a few creative reasons to explain the influx of bears in the region – couldn’t really tell the wildlife preservationists that there were more grizzlies in the area because two werebear clans were battling for control of the lands, could she – but it had resulted in her contract getting extended beyond its original scope. Tess had accepted immediately, though she wouldn’t have left even if they hadn’t offered her the job of permanently studying the park’s grizzlies.
Jackson had made it very clear that as long as she would have him, she would have a place in his heart, in his home and in his arms. The rough, tightly wound and complicated man had turned out to be more than cuddly and sweet, if given the chance. She knew there was a lot of bite behind his growl, but she was certain that those powerful jaws and iron determination to protect and defend would never be turned against her. He had fallen as much in love with her as she with him. The only cloud hanging above their calm and picturesque life now was the constant danger that accompanied Ryder.
He had seemingly fallen off the end of the world for a few weeks after his foiled attack on Jackson, but lately he had been sighted again, along with more and more of his people. They hadn’t attacked anyone again, but threats were flying freely now, and he had even shown up on Keely’s doorstep one night, telling her that she and Derek would be next if they helped Jackson again. Of course, that just made both Derek and Jackson angrier, and it was only the calming words of Keely and Tess that talked the men down. It seemed that while Jackson could forgive a lot of things that were done to him, he was nowhere near as lenient with threats made against his people and his friends. Things were getting tense between the clans and Tess wasn’t sure how it would all play out.