Shifters on Fire: A BBW Shifter Romance Boxed Set (17 page)

Chapter Two

Quinn walked the trail around the lake. So far she’d found no sign of the rowdy teens reported to be harassing hikers in the area. Of course, with the amount of noise she made, they would be long gone. The chiming bear bells attached to her belt rung, ensured no bear would be startled by her approach. With the number of times she had spotted grizzlies this season, she kept her hand on her bear spray. She would much rather spray one than shoot one. The trail was well known for grizzly activity at any time. “Here, bear bear bear,” she said loud enough any animal around a blind bend in the trail would hear her.

Her proclivity to find grizzly did beg the question why having only come to the lake area to help cover a large event for some government bigwigs, the local park rangers would think it a good idea for her to deal with teens on an unfamiliar trail.

Rounding the bend, she found the evidence of the teens—beer cans and junk food wrappers littered the area. “Damn it.”

She took out her phone to document the area before grabbing a bag from her sack to start cleaning up the mess. She would send the pics when she found an area with coverage or Wi-Fi. The park wasn’t known for its cellular coverage and she had no complaints about it. Anything forcing people to unplug was in her opinion a great thing.

As she leaned in to pick up the first can, the unmistakable paw print of a black bear lay in the muddy ground next to the trash. Some of the fresh tracks lay on top of the teens’ footprints. She pulled out a pencil and her pad to draw the paw print, lining it up with the toe pads to help document the kind of bear and its size in her picture. She lifted her walkie-talkie to check in and warn the others of black bears on the trail. A trail known for grizzlies, but lately the animals didn’t seem to understand where they were supposed to be.

A shadow crossed between her and the sun.

She felt the paw swipe her at the same time she heard the bear growl. As she rolled onto her back from the force of the powerful hit, the black bear climbed over her and roared, his open mouth mere inches from her face. The breath, hot and moist on her skin, sent shivers of fear through her. Curled into a ball to protect her neck and face, she closed her eyes, preparing for what might come next. The bear’s head butted her in the side and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Another bear in the area bellowed and as she peeked to see her worst fear, a territorial giant male grizzly on hind legs coming at them. Her only hope she knew was that she could get out of the area while these two fought.

Then another black bear came into view, blocking her escape route and inadvertently kicking her in the ribs in his attempt to attack the new predator. He was another adolescent like the first and no match for the power of the adult male angry and defensive. When the Grizzly had its back to her and totally focused on the three teens, she crawled behind the fallen tree, her head spun, her mouth watered, and she prayed she wouldn’t lose her lunch. Blood dripped over her left eye from the wound on her forehead, her ribs ached, and, shaking in fear, she listened to the fight happening just yards from her. Curled into a tight ball she waited for the fight to end. Unsure if her heart was beating so loud it covered the sounds around her or the fight had ended, she prayed for help to come. A loud crack of stick beneath a foot told her who the victor was heading her way. She held her breath and braced for the worst, doing everything to keep from crying out in fear.

“Quinn, it’s safe. You can come out.”

A deep, husky male voice calling her name? She must be delusional. The steps came closer. She could hear him shuffling over the log, and when a large hand touched her shoulder, she jumped.

“You are in shock.” He lifted her to sit on the downed tree. “Let me look at that wound.”

Now she couldn’t help but open her eyes. When she did, she saw a large man with the biggest brown eyes. There was no way this man who could grace the covers of magazines could be here rescuing her from the bears. Bears? “We have to get out of here.”

“You are safe. I promise.”

“You don’t understand. That grizzly could come back.” There were two of him. There shouldn’t be two of him.

“He isn’t going to hurt you. He was trying to protect you.”

The world started spinning “I don’t feel well.”

“That’s it. You are coming with me.” He lifted her as if she weighed nothing.

“Where are you taking me? I don’t even know you.” The loss of blood was making her light-headed, and all she could do was lay her head on his shoulder, content in the safety of his arms.

“My name is Brutus and I am your mate. Trust me, we have plenty of time to get to know one another later. Right now, I need to get that wound looked at.”

She would have liked to argue, to tell him it would have been quicker to head back down the trail than in the direction he headed, but she couldn’t seem to find enough energy. The stubble on his chin itched as he rubbed it against the top of her head. “Don’t fall asleep on me.”

“Just a few seconds. I am so tired.” She drifted out.

~~*~~

Fuck.

Brutus didn’t know if he should stop and wake her or get her to his healer. In the end, he opted for the later. Those damned teenagers trying to prank the humans. He would deal with them later. Their alpha would be getting a very angry visit from him as soon as he knew Quinn was all right.

The grizzly ranger had warned him there was something going on in their territory and he might want to send scouts to check it out. But when he’d said Ranger Quinn had also been called out to the scene, Brutus had decided to check it out himself.

Only taking enough time to catch his breath, he ran out of the den as if the devil were on his heels. When he turned the corner to see three teenagers in bear form waiting for her, he nearly lost his shit. He shifted, but not in time to stop the leader of the pack from swiping at her. He doubted they planned to do any more than scare her. But Justin had made contact and Quinn’s head hit the ground with a sickening thump. The smell of blood had his boiling. The youngest of the shifters had pissed himself in fear when Brutus allowed his bear to rise to his full eight feet in height. Had they hurt her… No, he wouldn’t think about that.

The cave opening lay hidden down the embankment, deep in the brush. Unless you knew what you were looking for, the average human was very unlikely to find the entrance. Once inside, the gloomy darkness was the last place that person would want to stay. The conditions kept his clan safe. Press on the rock at the back of the damp cavernous room and it moved, opening up to a hidden world beneath the trails above. Both the grizzlies and the black bears, who until today had been getting along famously for years, lived in catacomb-like habitats under the ground.

Air vents and lighting tubes helped keep the area bright and airy. And the series of caves connected to the outside world in several locations, making for quick exits should the need arise. “Why did you bring the human here?” one of the elder women, Shauna, asked. She threw her long, silver-grey dreadlocks over her shoulder and approached. “Who did this to her?”

“Bears from the other clan.”

“Teens being teens, I suppose. Bring her through to my rooms.”

“No, she can go to mine,” he said and knew no one would question it. But it also declared to one and all she was his. Had fate chosen a shifter mate for him, there would be no question. They would mate and be done with it. But humans had free will. They could choose to mate or not, leaving them open to be courted by another human or shifter. And shifters who hadn’t found mates had been known to press their destiny by mating with humans. But if she was good enough for him, their Alpha, she was good enough for any of them.

“Your room, Alpha?”

“Meet my brother’s mate,” Asha announced coming into the entry hall.

“Your mate?” Shauna followed him through to his set of rooms. “Lay her on the sofa—or, by all means, your bed if you prefer.”

He grinned. Shauna had been the healer when his father was Alpha and his grandfather before him. She was one of the few in the clan who didn’t bow to him and stood up to him, which was why he loved her so. “What do you need me to get for you?”

“Had we gone to my rooms, I wouldn’t need you to get me anything. Asha, fetch my bag, will you? These cuts will need stitches. They will leave scars. Are you sure you don’t want a human doctor to look at these?”

“There is no one I trust more to care for my mate than you.” He stepped back to give her room to work.

Asha ran in with a large, handspun bag. “You will have to give him a bit of leeway, Shauna. He has been watching her from a distance for too long not to grab the chance to have her in his bed now.”

“Our alpha doesn’t need to resort to getting her there while unconscious, girl. As well you know.” Shauna pointed a long boney aged finger at Asha, who laughed, reached for the extended digit, and kissed the tip. “Oh, now you stop. What’s the human’s name?”

“Quinn,” Asha and Brutus said in unison.

Shauna placed a hand against Quinn’s forehead. The contrast between the dark hand and the pale skin was far greater than he’d expected. “Easy, Brutus, she will be fine. Quinn, can you open your eyes for me?”

No response.

Louder, this time, with more force, “Child, open your eyes.”

Some response, but only a groan.

“Now, girl.”

Quinn’s eyelids fluttered open, the blue orbs wide and fearful, staring at the stranger before her. She moved up the bed in great haste. “Where am I?”

“You are in the grizzly den, more specifically in Brutus’s bed.”

“Brutus?” Confusion crossed her face until their eyes met. “You saved me from the bears.”

“I did.”

Asha chuckled, and he elbowed her.

“I need to call the ranger station,” Quinn said. “They will be concerned. They need to close that trail. It’s not safe with the bears…”

Shauna placed gentle hands on Quinn’s shoulders, easing her back against the pillows. “Shh, now, you rest. I am sure Brutus has already thought of that, haven’t you, Alpha?”

He wasn’t thinking about anything right now.

A knock sounded on his door. Without waiting for permission, Grant, one of his top scouts came in. Like all grizzlies, he forever had a five o’clock shadow. “Brutus, the black bear alpha is outside requesting your presence.” The scout’s eyes moved to the bed in the corner. “Is that a human?”

“That is your alpha’s mate, so I suggest you watch your tone.” Shauna wrapped an arm around Quinn and pulled her into a motherly embrace. “Now, everyone out so I can take care of her.”

Brutus bowed his head, gesturing to Asha to follow, exited the chamber, moving back to the main entry hall. “Asha, can you contact our rangers let them know Quinn was injured and has been taken out of park for a checkup? She will be out of work for a few days. Also, get out there and close the trail. For no other reason than because she asked for it to be done.”

“On it.”

“What’s going on?” Grant demanded.

“Hopefully not war,” Brutus said, stepping out into the sunlight. About ten yards ahead stood the black bear alpha with two of his sentinels bookending a badly battered teenager. Brutus lifted a fist toward the sky, alerting his followers in the vicinity to stay put and watchful. Without turning, he knew Grant had paused at the entrance of the cave.

“Otto,” Brutus greeted as he got closer.

“Brutus.” Otto who stood at a tall six foot two was still dwarfed the grizzly alpha. His two guards huffed as he approached them.

Brutus crossed his arms and planted his feet firmly in case some idiot decided to attack.

“I believe you met my son Jasper. What gives you the right to lay a hand on my regent? Even on your lands, this is an act of aggression against my clan. And all the other alphas would agree.”

“He is very lucky he walked away with a few bruises and not his skin hanging from the nearest tree.”

Otto placed an arm out, stopping one of his men. “How is it the most level-headed of the shifters is now talking such violence?”

“I think you need to ask your son what he was doing with his friends on a trail heavily trafficked by humans. They might find it funny to scare the tourists, but their actions could very well get a bear euthanized should they have the misfortune of being in the area.”

“Son?”

The self-righteousness of the youth changed to fumbling in defensiveness. “We were just having some fun with a human. We weren’t going to hurt her.”

Brutus roared, “Not hurt her? She is a fucking park ranger. They protect this land because they choose to out of love, and you thank her by taking a paw to her head.”

“You attacked a park ranger?” Otto turned on his son, tension evident in his shoulders.

“No, worse, he attacked my mate.” Brutus wanted to make sure the boy understood his actions were not of the innocent boys-will-be-boys type. His excuses wouldn’t float with him. Had they hurt her, he wouldn’t have hesitated in killing all three.

Otto motioned to his scout. “Get him out of my sight and off Brutus’s lands. I will deal with him when we get back to our caves.”