Authors: Anya Nowlan
Ryder and Jackson remained well matched, just as they had been in their human forms. They were about the same size and strength, and neither one would give in if there was a speck of breath left. Jackson had almost managed to get him to back up and take more hits than he could dish out, the roars and growls of two mighty kings of the forest fighting for their lives echoing through the hills. It was only when the forgotten henchmen returned that things seemed to shift decisively in Ryder’s favor. Tess’s heart was in her throat, the girl struggling to calm her thoughts into a coherent bundle.
How can this be happening…? I thought shifters were a myth, an old wives tale. Why didn’t he tell me before? God, if he gets hurt now, I’ll never forgive myself. I just made it worse between him and Ryder,
she thought, gnawing on her lower lip.
When both of the werebears descended on Jackson, he had to split his attention between them. Every time he could lunge at one, the other would come diving for him, getting in a hit. Blood had splattered on the ground, coating the white rocks with a thin sheen. The sun was low, casting a red shade across the three fighting bears. It was the most magnificent and awe-inspiring thing that Tess had ever seen, the men going up against each other just like grizzlies fighting for their territory. But she had no time to sit and try to make sense of her feelings. Jackson was being worn down – the hint of exhaustion that had crept into his snarls a sure give-away. Ryder and Troy were close to winning and she couldn’t let that happen to him. No matter what, she had to do whatever she could to help him.
Her thoughts ran a mile a minute until she remembered what was tucked away in her backpack. Feverishly, she pawed at the zipper and rummaged around in the depths of her bag. The growls and thuds of paws hitting fur and claws ripping at skin made her cringe. She caught the tranquilizer gun in her shivering hands and quickly loaded it. There was just one shot and she was going to have to be damn sure that she hit the right bear. She cursed herself for leaving the rest of the vials in the truck in the name of lightening her load during the trek. They would have come in handy now. In fact, she doubted there was ever going to be a time when she needed them more than right now. Tess popped up from behind the rock. The sudden appearance of the redhead made Ryder and his partner pause for a second. It was just enough for Jackson to charge at Ryder and send them both flying.
Instead of turning to help Ryder, Troy made for Tess, barreling down on her straight on. She gulped and steadied her grip, taking careful aim as the huge beast threatened to tackle her. When he was about twenty feet away, she pulled the trigger. The dart hit him right in the neck and the young scientist jumped out of his way. He stumbled forward a few steps and gave a surprised moan, before collapsing on his side not far from Tess. Adrenaline pumped through her veins and she shuddered with surprise.
I can’t believe it actually worked! Thanks, dad, for teaching me how to shoot!
She thought triumphantly, before the horrific scream of a werebear in pain made her drop the gun and twirl around.
Jackson had bit deep into Ryder’s neck and shoulder, ripping at the flesh savagely. The lighter-colored bear tried to get away from him, but the dark beast wouldn’t budge. It seemed to take forever before Jackson finally let go, winded as he was. Ryder bolted away immediately, turning around and heading down the mountain, leaving a trail of blood behind him. On his way, Tess saw him pass the fallen body of his friend, and he barely gave him another look. Jackson stood on shaky paws, watching Ryder disappear into the darkness of the oncoming night. He slumped forward and Tess ran to him. She knelt next to him, digging her hands into his long fur and hugging his neck, worried tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Jackson, are you okay?” she asked, her voice hoarse with worry. The murmur of a groan she got in reply told her that he was far from fine.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Jackson exhaled deeply and Tess could feel him changing under her palms. The hair grew shorter and his massive muscles contracted and collapsed within him, his body shrinking back to his still-impressive 6’7’’ height. His fearsome muzzle and long teeth were swept away, the features of the bear disappearing within him. His brown eyes stayed the same, whether he was bear or man – deep and soulful. Tess gasped as she saw his injuries. He was littered with cuts and scrapes, both deep and superficial, and she could see several giant bruises forming on his body. Her hands touched him gently, trying to understand the extent of his injuries. He winced at each touch, his breathing shallow and ragged.
“I think you have a few broken ribs and I doubt that arm’s fine,” she said, casting a worried look at his mangled left arm. He tried to reply, but before he could get another word out, he groaned in pain. Tess’s jaw squared in determination and she shrugged out of her jacket quickly. She took off one of the layered sweaters she was wearing and made a quick sling out of it, tying Jackson’s arm against his body. Thick strips of fabric were ripped from her t-shirt as she tried to stop some of the bleeders with makeshift bandages, salvaging as much as she could. She ran back to her backpack and found the small first aid kit, grabbing tape and gauze from it (though the little kit was certainly not meant to treat a man as big as Jackson, especially not after a bear fight!). Sprinkling the antiseptic on his deep wounds made her feel only marginally better, the bear-claw scratches horrific to look at. But, he was mostly okay.
It could be a lot worse. Deal with this; don’t think about the rest of it. You’ll have time later.
Tess urged herself, determination taking the place of her earlier fear and indecision.
“We’re going to have to get off this hill, Tess. I can bet that he’ll come back with more of his kin,” Jackson said, his voice thin as he struggled to catch a breath. “I’m sorry, Tess, I…” he started, before she shushed him quickly.
“No time for that. We’ll talk about this later. We’ll talk about all of it. Right now, we just need to go.” Tess looked into his pained eyes and the man nodded solemnly. She kissed him quickly on the lips, her entire body pulsing with adrenaline. It was a long walk to the car, and he was in no shape to hoof it, but they were going to have to do their best. Tess left both of their bags on the mountainside, in the company of the collapsed bear. He had shifted back while her back had been turned, but the man was still out cold. Tess helped Jackson up, letting him lean on her shoulder as he struggled to his feet, wincing with pain.
Tess only took the headlamps with them, the thin streaks of light guiding their way down the treacherous hill and into the deep forests below. Her hand was clutched around Jackson’s waist and he leant on her with one arm, the much bigger man taking as much support from Tess as she could give him. They made for a curious sight as they hobbled down, Yellowhead a distant, forgotten memory behind them. When they passed the fallen body of one of Ryder’s men, Tess checked only to make sure that he was still alive. She couldn’t spare any time to help the two men who had tried so hard to kill Jackson. Any interest she had had in Ryder before was now replaced only by disgust and coldness.
What the hell have I got myself into,
she thought, clutching Jackson’s side tighter while trying to avoid pressing on his ribs. Her only consolation was that at least she was at the side of a man, who made her feel like the only woman in the world.
If we can get through this, we can get through anything.
The trip to the truck was one that Tess could barely recall once they had made it back. It all seemed as if covered by a haze, hidden from her immediate memories. She remembered being tired to the bone, thirsty and damn near hysterical, but she and Jackson had still kept going forward until they hit the road. They’d barely spoken throughout the trek, but she didn’t need words with him. She knew how he felt – angry, frustrated with himself at the situation and incredibly worried for Tess. Even when he was close to passing out, he’d asked her if she was fine and whether she needed to rest. It made her heart swell with love, but she had no time to think about it then.
When the beat-up truck finally came into view, Tess could barely keep from collapsing on her knees from relief and exhaustion. With trembling hands, she unlocked the passenger seat and Jackson hauled himself in with a pained grunt. She skipped around the front of the car and jumped into the driver’s seat, cranking up the heat the second she got the big Diesel pick-up roaring to life.
“God damn Montana weather,” she grumbled under her breath, drawing a small smile from Jackson. He was keeled over awkwardly, trying to keep weight off his bruised and broken ribs; his breathing had grown more and more ragged as they’d got closer to the car. Ten hours of hiking in low temperatures with little gear and an injured werebear was not something Tess was keen on repeating.
“Take me to Keely,” Jackson said, bracing a hand against the dashboard. Tess nodded and cranked the car into gear, sending a cloud of dirt and gravel flying behind them as the car took off.
Keely and her husband Derek had come to the house once. Jackson had introduced them, but Tess knew little else of the woman and her beau other than that they lived not far from Jackson’s cottage. She made the car tumble up and down hills at breakneck speeds, trying to get as far away from the trail to Yellowhead as fast as she could. The danger was long behind them, but she could still feel Ryder’s burning eyes on her and hear the bloodcurdling growls as the werebears went at each other. Her world had gone from safe and secure to one that was surrounded by danger and uncertainty, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it. But, she knew how she felt about the big man beside her. Tess glanced at him, her stomach twisting at the sight of his pain, but the determination in his eyes told her that he would be fine. The question was, would they be fine as well? A love as young as theirs was not built for dealing with quite that much baggage.
“Is Keely a… bear as well?” she asked, her voice quiet. She was tired to the bone, but her eyes were wide open and her mind alert. Fearing for someone else’s life did wonders for staying awake.
“A werebear. Yes. Her and Derek both.”
“And what does that mean?” Tess asked, questions tumbling forth that had been welling in her since she saw the first man shift. Jackson sighed slightly, hanging his head. His strong jaw was tense and his shoulders slumped a bit as Tess looked at him again, uncertainty clear in her features.
“I’m so sorry, Tess. I should have told you before. I wanted to, but… I’ve never felt like this for anyone. Everything about you… the way you love the world around you, your sass, your soul… your body…” he smirked a bit at that, making Tess blush. “I didn’t want to lose you before you knew me better, and before I knew you better as well. I was going to sit you down when we got home and show you what I am in a calmer setting. I wasn’t banking on Ryder doing what he did. I didn’t think he’d dare go against me like that. But, that doesn’t matter. I’m a werebear. Most of the people you’ve seen me talk to are werebears. Our clan has lived here for centuries and I am their leader – their Alpha. Since my father died, it has been my job to protect them and keep us together, even if there hasn’t been much danger to us other than getting discovered by humans.”
Tess mulled it over, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the steering wheel tightly.
Well, this is definitely the most interesting relationship I’ve ever had…
“We’ll talk about it later, Jackson,” she said, squeezing his knee with one hand, before hitting the breaks and shifting down, as Keely’s house came into view behind a thicket of trees. She must have been going faster than she thought, because Keely came running out of the house at the noise. Keely was pulling open the passenger door, the moment that Tess stopped the car in front of the porch. She took one look at Jackson, then at Tess, and reached in to help Jackson out of his seat.
CHAPTER NINE
“Derek! Get out here! It’s Jackson!” Keely yelled and Tess jumped out of the car. The look Keely gave both of them told Jackson that even if he had tried to convince himself otherwise, it wasn’t just little scrapes and bruises. The broad, powerful form of Derek came out from behind the house and Jackson could see his face getting pale at the sight of his torn body. Derek brushed the women aside and flung Jackson’s arm around his neck, helping the beaten and battered werebear into the house. He appreciated the help, accepting it, even if it hurt his ego. Keely peeled off to look for something in the other room while Derek helped Jackson to the couch. Jackson winced and the sharp intake of breath made Tess jump a little. Keely came back shortly and made a beeline for Jackson, her hands full of gauze and antiseptics, and Tess could take an easier breath.
At least we’re with friends. Now if only I could talk to Tess about all of this.
“Can I help, Keely?” Tess asked.
“Go boil some water, we need to clean the wounds,” the blonde woman said, pointing at the open kitchen corner. Tess peeled off to fill the kettle with water as Jackson’s jacket was taken off and his shirt gingerly cut off of him, the fabric sticking to the dried blood.
“What happened, Jackson?” Derek asked, the fair-haired werebear looking glum. His brows were furrowed and his dark eyes kept flicking between his wife and his Alpha, looking like he was ready to fling into action at the merest command.
“Ryder happened,” Jackson said, drawing quick growls from both Keely and Derek. Tess returned to the living room and he gave her a thankful look. She sat on the couch’s armrest and took some gauze from Keely as the blonde werebear dabbed at some of the cuts. “We were coming down from Yellowhead when he jumped me with two of his men.” Keely directed a questioning glance at Tess, and the young scientist nodded.