River Bear (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Blue Bear Rescue) Page 8

  Jake placed two fingers against Delilah’s neck and felt for a pulse. It was there, barely. His shoulders slumped in sweet relief. Gingerly, he shook her face. “Delilah?” he called gently, biting back the urge to scream or cry or break something.

  Her lids fluttered. “Mmm.” Her eyes opened, glassy with pain, but she smiled for him.

  He almost collapsed in relief. “That’s my girl. Hell yeah. Okay, stay with me,” he said, texting Xavier with one hand and holding her cheek with the other. He sent the text for back up and medics with 911 and then turned his full attention back to Delilah. “Let me see, love,” he said, gently pulling the fabric of her shirt away to inspect the wound.

  He eased her forward, hating the pain in her eyes at the movement, but relaxed when he saw the same small hole in her back. “It’s all the way through. No bullet inside,” he said, exhaling.

  Delilah nodded as he set her back again. “That’s good, right?”

  “Very good,” he said, smoothing her hair. In the distance, he could just barely make out the strains of a siren. “Help is coming,” he told her. “Just hang on.”

  “I’ll try,” she said. He squeezed her hand, but it remained limp in his. She blinked and swayed, and Jake steadied her to keep her upright. Her face, already coated in a sheen of sweat, went suddenly pale, leaving a greenish hue. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused on his. Fear sliced through him, raw and cutting.

  “Just… feel my hand on yours,” he said, hating how fucking helpless that sounded. He squeezed her again, hoping to startle her more awake. She squeezed back slightly, and he looked down, barely registering the blood on his hands. Her blood.

  “Your friend Nash got it partly right,” she said, smiling weakly.

  He jerked his head up and stared at her, shaking his head.

  “This isn’t your fault,” she said. “You didn’t kill me.”

  “It is absolutely my fault,” he said, self-loathing hitting him like a bucket of ice. He hated this. He was completely fucking helpless right now, and he couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand that he’d dragged her into this, and now she was dying. Because of him. Because of his history with Ray. He wanted to roar and rage and break things, but he couldn’t make himself move. There wasn’t a single fucking thing he could do.

  He leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. “I love you,” he said because it was the only thing he had left.

  Delilah smiled. “Well, if that’s true, there’s only one thing left to do.”

  “What?” His eyes went wide as he realized what she meant.

  She squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. When she opened them again, they were watery and pleading. “Do it, Jake. Claim me.”

  His throat was dry as he said, “It could kill you.”

  “As opposed to this?” she asked and dissolved into a raspy cough.

  More blood spilled from the hole in her chest. Fuck. He couldn’t let her die like this. She was right.

  She raised her hand slowly to Jake’s cheek. Her palm was clammy, but it felt like everything when she touched him. “I want to belong to you, Jake. Please?”

  It was all he needed to hear.

  He leaned in close, bent low over her shoulder, just above the bullet hole, and bit her.

  Eleven

  Delilah moaned as Jake’s teeth broke through her already torn skin. Warmth flooded her. A rush of desire mixed with the pain and she tossed her head back, riding the wave wherever it led.

  But now, there was no more willpower left in her. Only the magic of Jake’s bite. She felt it course through her, and it was all she could do not to scream. A noise broke through her haze, and it took her several minutes to realize it was her own voice after all.

  After the bullet had torn through her, she’d ached and throbbed and finally gone almost numb from it all. But now, she felt everything. Pain, desire, and something else. An urgency to find Jake. To lay eyes on him, to reassure herself he was here. And hers. Like a tether connecting them, she knew without looking, he was close. Just to her left but waiting and watching, giving her space.

  Something inside her pulled tighter and tighter and then snapped. The pain in her chest ebbed. Her bones stretched and pulled against her skin. She cried out again, this time as her joints popped and her bones stretched and shrank, her body changing shape.

  She heard Jake’s murmurs, but she didn’t open her eyes until it was done.

  When she did, the first thing she saw was Jake.

  She’d felt the spark the moment they’d met, but she’d never once imagined anything like this. He was everything. And he’d saved her.

  She tried to talk, to tell him thank you, but what came out was a bellowing roar. She closed her jaw, startled, and stared down at herself.

  Holy crap. She had four paws, all covered in cream-colored fur and complete with long black claws for fingernails. She craned her neck, trying to get a look at the rest of her. Holy crap on a cracker, she was huge! And she was a freaking polar bear.

  She smiled and felt her bear mouth curve strangely, her jaw hanging open. Jake hooted and jumped around, wrapping his arms around her furry neck and hugging her close. “Hot damn! You did it, baby. We did it. You’re going to be okay. We’re all going to be okay.”

  She snuggled into him, in complete agreement.

  Delilah tossed the last of her things into the closet and shut the door against the mess. There’d be plenty of time to unpack later, she knew. Right now, she had much more important things to do. Like explore the mountain, her bear suggested, and she laughed. Her first twenty-four hours as a polar bear shifter had been the most fun she’d had in ages. Jake had made her spend all morning as a bear, showing her the woods around the Lodge where she’d be staying now. What she could eat, what would make her sick, and even how to fish from the river nearby. It had been weird eating raw fish at first, but hey, she’d always liked sushi. And once she’d tried the first bite, the rest had gone down easy.

  But for now, the forest would have to wait. First, she had to head downstairs for the crew meeting. Crew. She wasn’t sure if she could be considered a part of them yet, but she was a part of Jake, and that was more than enough for her. When Xavier had offered her the room Laurel had vacated by moving in with him, she hadn’t even hesitated to say yes.

  She’d meant what she’d said to Jake. There was nothing in the city for her. She had found everything here, in Blue Hole, Wyoming. Clean air, people to help, and a man—no, a badass polar bear—to love. She’d been claimed. And that was more than she’d ever imagined.

  She flicked off the light to her new room and made her way downstairs. Everyone else was already there, and Jake handed her a beer and planted a quick kiss on her mouth in greeting.

  “Are you getting settled in okay?” Laurel asked from where she sat in Xavier’s lap at the head of the table.

  “Yes, thanks again for letting me have the room,” she told them both.

  Xavier smiled. “After what you did for us, it’s the least we could do. The room is yours as long as you like.”

  “Until you’re ready to move into mine,” Jake whispered, nipping at her ear.

  “The Lodge is your home now,” Xavier told her.

  “Thank you.” She snuggled closer against Jake, enjoying this moment. Family. She hadn’t had it since her dad died. But she had found it here. Warm acceptance and a group that always had each other’s backs. A family. Her dad would be proud of her.

  She had a feeling she’d be moving into Jake’s room in no time. But she wanted just a little while to establish her independence here. Not just as Jake’s girl, but as Delilah of the Blue Bears. And she knew he understood that. They all seemed to. Laurel had already assured her it was what she’d done too.

  Xavier cleared his throat. “Besides, you’re not the only one benefitting from the arrangement.” He tugged Laurel closer, and she laughed.

  “Right,” Laurel said. “You get a place to stay and Xavier gets to stop thinking of creative
ways to convince me just to sleep in his room every night.”

  Xavier kissed her shoulder. “I win,” he said simply.

  “Can we get on with the vote and what-not?” Harley asked from where he leaned on the counter.

  “Why are you so grumpy all the time?” Jake asked, but he shook his head like it was a rhetorical question.

  “I’m not grumpy,” Harley argued. “Just not in the mood for the group orgy that’s about to come next. I’d rather cast my vote and get the hell out just like I did for Laurel a few weeks ago.”

  Lucas snorted. “The Wilde Crew didn’t get its name for nothing,” he said, and Nash laughed.

  Delilah wondered what sort of stories lay buried in the crew’s past. Probably juicy stuff. She made a mental note to get Jake drunk sometime just to hear it all.

  “Harley’s right. Let’s get on with it,” Xavier said. “All those in favor of voting Delilah into the Blue Bears crew, raise your hand.”

  Delilah’s breath caught as one by one, everyone’s hand went up. Even Harley’s. Her eyes filled with tears.

  “It’s unanimous then,” Xavier said, and Jake whooped, spilling his beer as he jumped around behind her.

  She grinned as everyone else applauded. Nash whistled.

  “You’re one of us now, Delilah,” Xavier said. “Not a guest. Family.”

  “Family,” Laurel echoed.

  Joy and gratitude rose in Delilah’s chest, and when Xavier raised his bottle in a toast, she raised hers as high as she could, too. “To family,” they all murmured, and Delilah smiled at everyone as they drank together.

  When she’d drank deeply, Jake pulled on her arm until she was facing him. His arms were locked around her, holding her tightly in the circle of his embrace. “You’re mine now,” he said with a ferocious kind of affection that made her shiver.

  She nodded, reaching onto her toes to kiss him. He kissed her back softly, drawing her in and running a soft hand over the place on her shoulder where he’d left his mark. So close to the almost-healed bullet wound. She loved that he’d bit her there. A glaring symbol that he’d been the one to save her. From so much more than he knew. She was his now. His polar bear. His mate.

  And she didn’t plan on ever giving that up.

  THE END.

  Everyone is hiding something.

  Ever since his father died Xavier Wilde has thrown himself into his work. As the leader of the Blue Bear Search and Rescue Team, his job is simple, save lives. However, things become a lot more complicated when a cute curvy brunette from the Department of Transportation comes to help the team with a new job. Now Xavier is forced to show her his true self, in order to convince her to be his mate.

  Laurel doesn't let anyone tell her how to do her job. Especially not some polar bear shifter who thinks he's God's gift to Search and Rescue. But when Xavier begins to break down her walls, Laurel finds herself unable to say no.

  In their line of work, mistakes can cost people their lives. So how can they trust each other to keep everyone they care about safe when they're both hiding their own secrets?

  STANDALONE Shifter Romance with a HEA!

  Get Wilde Bear HERE!

  From the Authors

  Thank you for purchasing our book. It's that sort of support that allows us to continue doing something that we love every day. If you liked the read, please consider leaving a review so more people can find and enjoy our books.

  Best!

  Terra Wolf & Holly Eastman

  About Terra Wolf

  I love to write about all things billionaire and shifter. My books allow my imagination to run free and explore every possible idea I have. That makes writing less like a job and more like a fantasy come to life.

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  About Holly Eastman

  Holly Eastman is a bestselling paranormal author who loves writing hot shifter stories filled with angsty sexual tension and lots of make-up sex. A real-life cougar, she has a weakness for “the younger man meets older hottie.” She is devoted to writing about alpha males and sassy heroines as they navigate love.

  She lives in a small town in Florida with her husband and six motorcycles. When she’s not traveling or adventuring, she’s probably drinking Blue Moon beer and binging on tortilla chips.

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