Chief Bear (Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance) (Rescue Bears Book 1) (8 page)

L
evi loved
the feeling of having his mate by his side as he directed his crew on a rescue mission. Nothing was more stimulating or gratifying than having Juliet near him. He could smell her scent even through the sharp mountain air and the layers of clothes she wore to keep out the cold.

The guys weren’t having any luck up on the mountain and had lost the trail of the hikers. Harry, the groom who was lost, had hiked up into the mountains with his friends the night before. At some point, Harry had separated from the other men. Believing that Harry had gone back down the mountain, his friends had doubled back to meet him at the trailhead. When the men arrived at the trailhead, Harry was nowhere to be found. They had waited for him for several hours before returning to the lodge and reporting his absence.

One of the men hadn’t been too drunk to drive, but the rest of them had been completely inebriated, including Harry. They had been smart enough to put on their outdoor gear before driving up into the mountains. What these men were thinking, Levi couldn’t even begin to imagine. He was a bear shifter and an ex-Navy SEAL. He had been trained in wilderness survival from the time he was young, not to mention his natural instincts. These human men, who knew nothing about the wilderness, walking off into a dangerous snow-covered trail, at night, while drunk, was something he couldn’t comprehend.

But that was Levi. He wouldn’t put it past several of his own crew to do exactly the same kind of thing. The worst part was that the groom had gone missing right before his wedding day. Levi couldn’t help thinking that it had been extremely inconsiderate to the bride.

Be that as it may, Levi was determined to find the man and save the wedding, not only for the bride, but for his own business. It wouldn’t be good if they lost the groom before the very first wedding at Fate Mountain Lodge. He had gone off on Levi’s watch, and Levi felt somewhat responsible for what had happened at the parties the night before.

“Delta Crew, it’s time for you all to split up. Geek Bear’s analysis is coming up empty-handed. Big Bear, continue north into the mountain. Ski Bear, head the east away from the trail. Brew Bear, you head west.”

“Chief Bear, we haven’t seen any footprints for half a mile,” Duke said.

“Track back to the last time you saw footprints. That’s where I want you and Ski Bear to diverge from the trail. Big Bear, continue on up the trail to the north. Maybe the target started walking alongside the trail and is stranded up there.”

Levi clicked off his walkie-talkie and turned to Corey, who was analyzing the maps, the probabilities of Harry’s movements, and various other data sets.

“If you have any suggestions, this would be the time to share them,” Levi said.

“I can’t predict where he went. There are too many variables.”

Levi turned away from Corey with a frown and faced Juliet who was sitting on a folding chair next to the heater that kept Alpha Station warm. He sat beside her and offered her a cup of cocoa from the pot they kept at their refreshment table.

She took the cup of cocoa and brought it to her pretty mouth. The chill air made her honey colored skin radiant and her hazel eyes glow. She looked anxious but happy that he had turned his attention to her.

“You don’t have any leads?” she asked, her worry evident in her tone.

“We’ll find him. We are just having some setbacks right now,” he said.

The last thing he wanted was for her to see him fail. Over the last year that he had been rescue chief, they hadn’t lost a single person. Every mission they had gone on as a team had been a success. He intended for this one to be no different.

Juliet’s phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket.

“I have to take this. It’s Quinn,” she said.

“Not a problem.”

He stood and turned to face the parking lot of the trailhead to see Shane pull up on his motorcycle. He was already dressed in snow gear and hiking boots, parking his motorcycle beside Levi’s truck.

“What the hell are you doing here, Shane?” Levi demanded as Shane approached him.

“I heard you needed some help out here,” Shane said.

“Who told you that?” Levi said, fisting his waist with both hands.

“I did,” Corey said.

Levi turned and glared at his computer geek friend. How dare Corey go behind his back like that? Corey might be the most analytically intelligent of the entire crew, but that didn’t give him the right to go over his alpha’s head.

“I’m sorry, Levi,” Corey said. “I never would have done it except I ran a probability analysis on bringing Shane into the equation after Angus suggested it. Shane’s skills will be beneficial on this mission.”

Levi looked from Corey to Shane and back again. “I don’t appreciate you undermining my authority, Corey. We will have words.”

Levi glanced at Juliet, who was busy talking to her friends. Her back was toward them and she was obviously not paying any attention to what the men were talking about. That was a relief to him. He did not want her to see his crew defying him this way.

“Brew Bear to Chief Bear,” Duke’s voice said over the walkie-talkie.

“Come in, Brew Bear,” Levi said.

“I found more tracks to the west. They seem to have diverged from the main trail further south than where the other men turned around. But I followed them as far as they went. They just stop. I assumed he tracked back, but I can’t pick up his trail anywhere.”

“So, your variables are beneficial to this mission,” Levi said to Shane. “What can you do that the rest of us can’t?”

Levi was not above asking for suggestions. You didn’t get to where he had as a leader without taking the suggestions and advice of his crew. That had never been an issue. Which made Corey going behind his back that much more irritating. But at the same time, Levi could almost understand Corey’s hesitance to suggest Shane come on the mission. Especially after completely dismissing Angus’s suggestion a few hours ago.

“While the rest of you might be experts, I know the wilderness better than anyone,” Shane said. “I’ve lived in these woods for a year, through the snow and the storms. I understand how the wilderness works. It’s like a sixth sense for me now.”

“So you’re a psychic?” Levi said sarcastically.

“No. But I’m the best expert in wilderness survival that you’ve got. Do you want me out there finding this groom and saving your ass or not?” Shane said.

“I want you to skirt around the southern slope and meet up with Duke. Corey, give him the coordinates. The others are headed to Duke’s location now,” Levi said.

Shane sat down and started removing his clothes. Juliet hung up her phone and turned to Levi, her expression full of concern.

“Shane, what are you doing?” Levi barked.

“I’m going in bear style,” he said, pulling down his pants.

“We can’t coordinate without a walkie-talkie,” Levi said.

“Can we talk for a minute?” Juliet said, averting her eyes from Shane’s naked form.

“Of course,” he said, following her around the side of the truck to where they could speak in private. “What is it?”

“Quinn came back and she’s really upset.”

“Didn’t Quinn go off with Duke last night?” Levi asked.

“Yes. And she’s telling me she has to talk to me right now.”

“Holy fuck, these men,” Levi said. “Excuse my language.”

“It’s fine. But I don’t know what’s going on with Quinn. It’s not like she’s never been out with a man before, believe me,” she said.

“We better get you back to the lodge,” Levi said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’ll drive you,” he said, before turning to Corey. “Relay any information that you get to me immediately. I’ll be back in less than an hour. Shane, meet up with Duke. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Yes, sir,” Corey said.

“I’m going in bear form,” Shane said, padding out into the snow in his bare feet.

“Fine. Your bear senses might come in handy. This isn’t the first time we’ve used our animal senses on a mission. Just please, stay in control of your bear.”

Shane roared, and his body broke apart and reformed into the shape of a grizzly bear. Juliet stood there stunned, her mouth hanging open as Shane pranced out into the snow.

“Sorry you had to see that,” he said, opening the truck door for Juliet.

She climbed inside, wordlessly. He couldn’t help being irritated at his crew, but compromise was a hallmark of leadership. He couldn’t let them believe that they could walk all over him and not listen to his directions, but he had to pick his battles with these guys. As their leader, Levi knew there was a fine balance between cooperation and authority.

He climbed into the driver’s seat of the truck and pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the road. Juliet was silent as she rode along beside him, her eyebrows knit together in worry.

“Do you think Duke did something to your friend Quinn?” Levi asked.

He couldn’t imagine Duke being sexually aggressive to a woman who didn’t want him to be. It went against everything in Duke’s nature.

“I don’t think it’s that. I think it’s something she did,” Juliet whispered.

Juliet was such a sweet, sensitive little thing. He could tell how worried she was about her friend’s well-being. It made his heart swell and burst to be with her. Everything in him told him that she was his other half. She was that part of him that was missing. The sweet inner softness, full of empathy and love for others. Levi was a good-natured man, but he could never match Juliet’s goodness. It was her nature to be kind, unassuming, and sweet.

It made him love her. It made him want her. Made him want to wrap her up and keep her and protect her from all harm, forever. She was like an angel to him, glowing and white. Pure like the snow falling on the green limbs of evergreens in winter.

“You are so kind to be so concerned about your friends,” Levi said, pulling up in front of the lodge. He parked the car, and she turned to him with a confused expression in her eyes.

“I’m not that kind. And even if I am, it’s probably what makes me so weak,” she said.

“You are anything but weak,” Levi said, his shock evident in his tone.

“I am. I could never do what you do. I can’t tell anyone to do anything. I can’t even keep myself from being walked all over,” she said, gripping the door handle.

“Who’s walking all over you? Quinn?” Levi felt the rush of anger in his gut and his bear growled toward the surface. If anyone was hurting his Juliet, they would get a piece of his mind.

“No. She just said something that reminded me of what’s going on at home,” Juliet explained.

“What’s going on at home?” Levi asked, growing even more concerned for his mate’s safety.

“I’ll tell you about it another time. You need to get back to the rescue mission,” she said softly.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned over to kiss him on the lips. The kiss was brief, but it made a spark ignite inside him. As he watched her open the truck door and hop out onto the pavement, his desire burst into flame.

J
uliet walked
into the lobby of the lodge and was immediately snatched up by Quinn, who pulled her into a corner.

“I have to talk to you, now,” Quinn said.

“Is Charlotte okay?” Juliet asked.

“She’s fine,” Quinn said, pulling Juliet down the hallway towards the elevator. “I need to talk to you more.”

“Her groom is missing. What could be more important than that?” Juliet asked.

“Believe me. This is big,” Quinn said, tapping her foot nervously on the floor of the elevator as it took them up to their floor.

The door opened and the women walked out into the hallway. Quinn shoved her key card into her door and yanked the handle down before pushing open the door. They walked inside and Quinn slammed the door behind them.

“What is the big deal?” Juliet asked, raising her palms to the air.

“Look at this,” Quinn said, rushing toward her and pulling down the neck of her shirt.

What Juliet saw marking Quinn’s skin made her mouth drop open in shock. There were bite marks, deep in Quinn’s neck. They had healed over somewhat but the marks were still fresh.

“What is that?” Juliet demanded.

“You know what this is,” Quinn snapped, tears glistening in her eyes.

“I do know what it is, but how did you get it?” Juliet asked.

Quinn let go of her shirt and turned away, crossing her arms over her chest and tilting her face toward the floor. She sniffled and frowned, looking as if she might lose it at any moment. She breathed a heavy sigh and turned back to Juliet.

“I got it by being stupid,” Quinn admitted.

“What happened last night?”

“I went to the brewery with Duke. That beer is like super alcoholic or something. I don’t know what the fuck happened. One minute we were in his brewery, drinking that beer, and the next minute we were in his bed.

“Why did you let him mark you?” Juliet asked.

“That’s not all I let him do,” Quinn said, flopping her arms down at her sides.

“What are you talking about? Tell me what happened, Quinn.”

“We had sex. It was mind-blowing, from what I can remember. I felt so alive. On fire. Like I’d never felt with any other man. I wanted him. I wanted him to fill me with his seed. I wanted to know what it felt like to be his. To be owned by him completely.”

“Did you have unprotected sex last night?” Juliet asked.

“Yes. I asked him to come inside me. I asked him to mark me. After he told me he believed I was his fated mate, something happened to me. It’s almost like I lost my mind. I couldn’t help it.”

“You asked for it? Why?”

“I wanted it. I truly did. But now I regret it. Do you have any idea what being marked by a shifter means?”

“Of course I do, Quinn. I’m dating a shifter,” Juliet said.

“Then you know how serious this is. This essentially means that I’m his…wife,” Quinn said.

“What are you going to do?” Juliet asked.

Quinn had always been impulsive, but this was a whole new level. How could she let a shifter mark her when she was just going to change her mind the next day? It was stupid and unfair. It made Juliet realize how she was being to Levi. He’d given her everything a woman could ask for, and she was rejecting him for being so wonderful to her.

“I’m going to have to leave,” Quinn said.

“Leave?”

“I can’t see him again.” Quinn started throwing clothes into her suitcase.

“Don’t you even want to say goodbye?”

“I can’t. Don’t you understand?”

“I don’t think you’re being fair.”

Quinn looked up at Juliet, her eyes big and wet. She pressed her lips together in a hard line and a tear slid down her face.

“Don’t you think I know that? Do you think I want to hurt him? Those feelings I had last night, they were real. I still feel them. But it’s not natural to feel that way. It was like some kind of shifter spell. I can’t explain it, but I don’t think it’s right. Feelings that strong, they can’t last forever. He confused me somehow with his talk of being fated mates. It’s just going to turn out like every other stupid relationship I’ve ever been in. I can’t take that, not with him.”

“A shifter spell? Seriously?”

“I don’t know. It was pheromones or something.”

“Or maybe it is fate?” Juliet said.

Every word Quinn spoke made Juliet feel more willing to commit to Levi.

“Do you believe in fate?” Quinn asked, zipping up her suitcase.

“As much as I believe in spells,” Juliet said sarcastically.

“No matter what it is, it’s not natural. Things just don’t work that way. I have to leave now, Juliet.”

“Aren’t you going to tell him why?”

Quinn the slid into the desk chair and jotted a note down on a piece of lodge stationary. She stood and shoved the folded piece of paper into Juliet’s hands.

“Give this to him. My shuttle leaves in ten minutes,” Quinn said.

Juliet reached out to give her friend a hug. Quinn’s body was stiff and anxious as she returned her friend’s embrace. Quinn pulled away and hurried to the door, turning back to Juliet to say, “Thank you,” before disappearing out the door.

Juliet sighed and looked down at the paper. She left it folded, not wanting to intrude on her friend’s private communication. She hated to be the one to give the message to Duke. Juliet knew that Quinn needed someone to help her now. Her friend had gotten herself into a predicament, and Juliet would be there for her just like she always was for the people she cared about.

Now Juliet had to go find Charlotte and comfort her through the stress of having her groom missing the day before the wedding. With all of Quinn’s drama, Juliet had almost forgotten about Charlotte. Levi had told her there was a walkie-talkie in his office, and that she could ask Kelly, the receptionist, to get it for her if she needed anything while he was up at Alpha Station.

Juliet took the elevator down to the lobby and asked Kelly to help her find the walkie-talkie in Levi’s office. The middle-aged woman smiled at Juliet and asked her to follow her down a staff hallway along the side of the kitchen behind the dining room. They came to Levi’s office door. Kelly unlocked it and opened it for Juliet to walk inside. Both women looked around the well-organized office that displayed Levi’s degrees and military accomplishments, a tidy desk, rows of bookshelves and a comfortable seating area in the corner. It was exactly the kind of well-functioning office she could imagine Levi working in.

“Here it is,” Kelly said, walking toward a bookshelf.

Kelly plucked it off the shelf and handed it to Juliet. After thanking Kelly, Juliet hurried back upstairs. She stood outside Charlotte’s door and stopped for a moment, letting out a soft sigh. Poor Charlotte. Juliet knew this must be really hard for her. Not only was it the day before her wedding, her beloved fiancé was missing on the treacherous, snowy mountain. Juliet rapped her knuckles on the door and a moment later, it opened.

Charlotte’s face was worried and her eyes were rimmed with red. She beckoned Juliet into the room and closed the door behind them. The two women sat down in the armchairs beside the window and Charlotte looked up at Juliet hopefully.

“Have they discovered anything new?” Charlotte asked.

“They found some tracks in the snow. Another wilderness expert was added to the team,” Juliet explained, not wanting to give Charlotte any bad news.

“Where did the tracks lead?” Charlotte asked.

“They’re still following them,” Juliet said, only slightly bending the truth.

“What’s that walkie-talkie for?” Charlotte asked.

“I can use it to contact Levi up at Alpha Station.”

“Can we contact him now?”

“In a minute. I wanted to ask you if Quinn told you anything about last night.”

Juliet still had the note wrapped up in her back pocket.

“What’s going on with Quinn?” Charlotte asked.

Juliet had to think fast. She didn’t want to have to add any drama to Charlotte’s life. Telling her Quinn’s personal business wasn’t her decision to make. But Quinn had left, leaving Charlotte with one less bridesmaid. As the maid of honor, Juliet had to say something to salvage Charlotte’s faith that the wedding wouldn’t be a disaster.

“Quinn got really sick. She has to go back to Portland to see the doctor.”

“Oh my God. Is she okay?” Charlotte asked, momentarily forgetting her own troubles.

“She should be, after she sees the doctor.”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“She had alcohol poisoning.”

“Her health is more important than walking down the aisle in my wedding. Can we contact Levi now?” Charlotte’s voice quivered.

“Of course,” Juliet said, trying to figure out how to use the walkie-talkie.

She finally figured out what button to press and hesitantly brought the gadget to her face.

“Juliet to Alpha Station,” she said, copying the lingo they had used up on the mountain.

“This is Levi,” he said.

“You have any updates?” Juliet asked.

“Shane is skirting around the southern side of the mountain, meeting Duke and the others from a different direction.”

“Has he found anything?” Juliet asked.

“Since he’s in bear form, I have no idea,” he said.

“What?” Charlotte said, baffled.

“Thanks, Levi.” She could hear him chuckle before the walkie-talkie blipped out.

“They have more acute senses in animal form,” Juliet explained.

“But they still can’t find Harry,” Charlotte said, covering her face with her hands.

“Don’t worry, Charlotte,” Juliet said, patting her friends back. “These guys are the best. If anyone can find Harry, it’s the Rescue Bears.”

Charlotte began to sob softly into her hands, and Juliet looked out the window. The sun was setting over the western mountains, tinting the lake water with a pink and orange glow. It would be dark soon, making it harder to find Harry. Juliet sat beside her worried friend, hoping that her date, the man who called himself her fated mate, would come through.