by M J Waverly
Evergreen sighed. "I knew I felt something different from being around you. I like your bear. I like you. But, we're total opposites.
How do we make this work?"
Barron smoothed his hand over her face. "It works. Bear shifters and their life mates belong together. We will work. You and I share a passion for the land and the animals."
Evergreen lowered her lips inches from his and wiggled her delectable bottom. "I think we share more than that." She tugged on the collar of the sweatshirt and pulled him closer. Her eyes locked with his. Uncertainty for a brief second emerged, but it dissipated like the fog under the morning sun. She parted her lips and then kissed him.
He wrapped his hands around her neck and deepened the kiss, exploring the sweetness of her mouth. She moaned.
His inner bear roared. "She is ours."
Barron broke the kiss and threaded his fingers in her hair. "Are you sure?"
She nodded and lifted her shirt over her head. He reached around and unhooked her bra, releasing her full breasts. He flicked his tongue over the sensitive nipples, and Evergreen dropped her head forward as she clasped his hands.
His Evergreen was a passionate woman. "You're so beautiful."
She opened her eyes, glazed with desire and need. She lifted the hem of the sweatshirt and lifted it over his head and glided her hands down his chest and torso. He'd never been touched so intimately. He. Evergreen. They were one. She was his. He slipped his hand into her core. Wet and slick for him.
His cock tented his pants. Ready for her. He lifted Evergreen up and to the side, and she whimpered. "No. I want you."
"Your wish is my command, but I have to be naked." He quickly divested himself of his pants.
Evergreen had unbuttoned her jeans, and she was about to shirk out of them.
He waved his hand back and forth. "What do you think you're doing?" Barron teased.
She stared in confusion, but she stood up. Her intense gaze held Barron's. His pulse raced.
"Take them off," she ordered.
"You minx." He stood and slowly slid them down her legs. She held onto his shoulder for support. He teased her nubbin, and she stood on her tiptoes, squealing with delight. She gripped his shoulders. "Barron."
He rose and skimmed his hand around her face, and this his mouth claimed her. Together they sank onto the carpet. He framed his hands on either side of her face. His erection pressed against her wet opening. "Are you ready, Evie?"
She nodded.
He entered her core and claimed Evergreen Carter as his lifemate as their orgasms united them as one.
Chapter 8
Evergreen felt a shake on her shoulder and heard Barron's voice. "Evie."
She opened her eyes, smacked her fuzzy lips, and then pressed her hand to the ache behind her forehead. Then sensations of kissing and this delicious sensation deep in her core rushed back to her.
She looked up into Barron's dark brown eyes. His bear eyes. Everything returned to her. They'd had sex.
He waited and gave her a salacious grin.
Heat rushed to her face, and she quickly averted her gaze. How did she handle this? She glanced up at Barron, who wore only gray sweatpants, revealing a small tuft of hair. Memories of warm kisses on her skin rushed back to her.
"Did we?"
He nodded. "How do you feel?" His expression changed to one of concern.
Evergreen opened her mouth and then searched her mind and her soul. Despite everything, she experienced a wholeness she'd never known before.
"Good."
Barron reached for her hand and kissed the fingertips.
An electrical charge passed between them and through her. She wanted his body next to hers as they made love.
His eyes darkened. "We have landed in Scottsdale. We will continue this later." He kissed her swiftly on the lips and backed away out her reach.
A thrill traveled up Evergreen's spine. A knot of resistance and anger in her solar plexus melted away, replaced by a river of renewal filled her. New beginnings. New understandings.
"What do we do?" She jumped up.
"We're on our way to your uncle's house. My security team has been watching the house, so your father is safe."
Evergreen sighed in relief and leaned against him, soaking in the warmth of his body. Thankful Barron had had the foresight to send security for Dad and Uncle Harold.
A phone rang with the ringtone to the heavy metal song, 'Sexy Man Does It Tonight.'
Evergreen wrinkled her nose.
"It's my assistant, Track. I must take it," Barron shot her a sheepish grin.
"How did that happen?" His expression became angry. "What direction did they go?"
Evergreen's heart dropped. Orion Hunter had found Dad in Scottsdale.
Barron ended the call and grimaced. "Your father and uncle have been taken. My security was rendered unconscious. Orion's men used sleeping gas and then broke into your uncle's home and kidnapped your uncle and father."
Evergreen couldn't breathe for a moment as panic formed deep in the pit of her stomach.
Barron wrapped in his arms and stroked the back of her hair in an attempt to soothe her. "We'll find your uncle and father. I promise."
They'd arrived at Leonard Carter's house. A well-maintained adobe ranch with four bedrooms with one cactus in a brick planter.
Inside the house, the furniture had been overturned. Desk drawers opened and tossed on the ground.
Evergreen gave a sharp cry when she picked up a broken framed photo of her father and her. Other family photos were strewn all over the hardwood floors.
"How dare this man invade our mate's father's home." A vision of his bear rising up on his hind legs flashed through Barron's mind.
Tapping into this bear senses, Barron caught the scent of four men. Big men. He would be able to track them in the city but as a bear.
A cell phone dinged with her usual ringtone of chimes. A fearful expression crossed her face.
Barron's muscles tensed as he clenched his fists. The shifter magic churned in his body, ready for immediate transformation. "It's Orion Hunter?"
She nodded.
"Read it out loud." He said between gritted teeth.
Evergreen's voice broke in between words. "We have your father and your uncle. If you want to see them alive. Leave Barron Montgomery and sell your land to me, today. Orion Hunter."
"Tell him you will meet him." Barron pointed at the phone.
"What do I say?" Evergreen asked.
"Tell him to meet you in the Cactus Barrel National Forest outside of Scottsdale."
Evergreen texted the message. "What are we going to do?" She sniffed.
"It's not what we're going to do. It's what I'm going to do. I can't have you in danger."
A transformation overcame her. She rose to her full height, plunked her hands on her waist, and glowered. "I'm with you."
Barron sighed. "I can't rescue your father and uncle if I'm worried about your safety."
Evergreen grabbed him by the shirt collar. "We're lifemates, and we work together. "
Four hours later, Barron, along with several of his men, had set up their base of operations in two regular hotel suites at the Nomad Inn, a basic nondescript motel, down the road from the airport. Sort of reminded him of Grizzly Gulch in Bear Bay. He did like the flying carpet sign with vacancy flashing underneath.
Focusing on her artwork, Evergreen sketched in a notebook. It'd been her idea to check into this motel. She'd pointed out Orion Hunter would more than likely have his goons watching the airports. They'd expect Barron Montgomery to check into the Ritz Carlton or the Four Seasons, not the Nomad Motel.
He joined his men as they went over their information and formulated a rescue. They were waiting for a reply on a meeting spot from Orion Hunter.
Leonard Carter's truck had been stolen, and the police were on the lookout for it. Barron had his security team searching, too.
He'd expect a full report from his me
n on how Orion Hunter's team had snuck upon them and kidnapped the Carters.
"When do you think they will respond to my message?" Evergreen stood behind him. "I feel like we're running out of time."
Startled, Barron raked his hand through his hair. His men jumped up and left the couple alone.
He decided to share his latest theory with her. "I'm not sure. I'd expected an immediate response. This doesn't match the actions of a man like Orion Hunter. I have studied his profile. He's an efficient and secretive man covering his tracks. From the beginning, this entire situation from the threatening text messages to the kidnapping attempt, and even the kidnapping of your father is not his modus operandi."
Evergreen went white. "What are you saying that someone else is pretending to be him?"
Barron clicked on the mouse, and pulled up on the monitor, the latest photo of Orion Hunter kneeling with his last kill, a large elephant on a hunting preserve in Africa. The photo sickened him. "It could be someone using his name in the corporation's name to gain control of your property." He looked up from his laptop.
She narrowed her eyes. "I agree there seemed to be desperation in the text messages. I'm terrified because they could hurt my father and my uncle. She took a deep breath and released a sob. "Or kill them."
Barron pulled a crying Evergreen onto his lap and held her.
She collapsed against him as hot tears ran down her face. Wiping her tears, she looked at him. "I don't mean to keep breaking down. This is not like me. I'm tough. I handle whatever is thrown at me."
"You cry, all you want. I'm here. I'll catch your tears." He took his thumb pad and wiped a small tear off her cheek.
She wrapped her hand around his and squeezed. "I feel like you've always been part of my life. This connection. Between us." She took his hand and placed it across her solar plexus. "I feel it in my soul. I can't imagine living or breathing another day without you."
Barron tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You are my lifemate. I can't imagine breathing another day without you."
A phone rang, but it wasn't Evergreen's. It was Barron's, and it played the theme soundtrack to the popular television show, 'North of the Yukon.'
They both turned and looked at it at the same time.
"It's Warner," Barron answered his phone.
"Barron. Our security found Carter's truck out on Sonora Boulevard at a convenience store. There was no sign of Evergreen's father and uncle."
Barron's lips curved into a wicked smile. If he could catch the scent of the kidnappers and then he would be able to find them as a bear. He just had to be careful.
"We'll meet you at the convenience store." Barron received the details.
At the convenience store, they found a red Ford F250 truck with Alaskan plates.
"This is Dad's truck." Evergreen touched the hood lovingly.
Barron stroked his chin. Whoever was behind this kidnapping was not very smart, that's what his gut instinct told him. However, he would need the element of surprise to locate Leonard Carter and his brother.
Ordering Warner to check the convenience store's surveillance, Barron did a thorough check. He took in the smells of the truck's interior. He caught the scent of an older man, and he caught wind of a familiar odor outside of Evergreen's house.
Wait a minute. Barron recognized this man's scent from the Broken Toe Cafe. He knew who was behind the kidnappings and the threatening text messages to Evergreen. It angered Barron how close the kidnapper came to taking his lifemate.
Evergreen rushed to him. "What did you find out?"
Barron gave her a slight smile. "I know who took your father. "It's Ryan Archer, and we'll find him.
On the outskirts of an industrial area, Evergreen held her hands against the dashboard as the SUV bounced along a dirt road.
Barron had conferred with his assistant Track, and they'd confirmed both of their discoveries. Still stunned to learn the man behind the text messages and Dad's kidnapping had been Handsome Flannel Shirt Guy from the Broken Toe. Ryan Archer must be connected to Orion Hunter.
All of a sudden, she and Barron found themselves outside of a warehouse on a deserted road. The concrete and metal building looked like something out of a movie which housed an alien spaceship. Evergreen wouldn't rule out the possibility. In the past forty-eight hours, she discovered a man she didn't think she liked was a bear shifter who was also her lifemate. Now, she couldn't imagine taking her next breath without Barron.
"I don't see any security guards," she said.
"There inside waiting for us. It's a trap."
Evergreen flinched. "A trap?"
Opening the glovebox, Barron removed a Taser. "The plan is for me to go inside, rescue your father. You'll escort them outside to Warner, while my men and I take care of the kidnappers."
She wanted to protest. It wouldn't be safe, but they had to rescue Dad and Uncle Harold.
Evergreen held the Taser. She preferred a crossbow, but she would protect her family and Barron if they were threatened. "We got this."
Barron nodded and then stepped outside of the truck, and then a burst of light transformed into a huge bear. But this time, he wasn't the size of an ordinary bear but the super-size grizzly bear. He had to be over sixteen-foot tall standing on his hind legs.
Super Bear. That ought to scare Ryan Archer and his goons.
Barron waved his paw for her to come on. She quietly stepped out of the truck. Clutching the gun to her chest, Evergreen's heart wildly thumped against her ribcage. An acidic taste filled her mouth.
They rounded the corner of the building, and unexpectedly happened upon a guard. With trembling hands, the guard pointed his rifle at Barron, the bear.
Swiping his huge paw at the gun, the man collapsed to his knees, dropped his rifle, and then toppled over.
Barron looked at his large paw and then over at Evergreen." I guess I need to be gentler next time."
Shrugging, Evergreen cocked her head. "I don't know. He's unconscious, and it saves us a lot of trouble.
Barron lifted his face to the air, pointed to the left at large red rusted doors with the word TAFF written on it. "Your father and uncle are in there."
"Wait for my signal." He climbed up the building and then peeled back the roof with his massive claws and then jumped inside.
Loud growls.
Men screaming.
Evergreen waited for Barron's signal. "Always improvising. Just like him not to have a plan. So typical Barron."
The door opened, and then it was ripped off its hinges by two huge claws and tossed out into the parking area a few feet from Evergreen.
She held up the Taser. "That's my signal."
Inside the storage building, three men lay unconscious. One man pointed a gun at her bound and gagged father and uncle.
"Don't make a move bear, or I'll kill him," Ryan Hunter Archer shouted.
Anger and indignation flooded Evergreen. "You have a lot of nerve. You kidnapped my father and uncle. You've been the one sending me threatening text messages, and you tried to kidnap me."
Ryan laughed. "You're so stupid. You played right into my hands. Sign the deed to the land, and I'll let your uncle and father go along with you but not the bear." He aimed the gun directly at Barron.
Barron roared and dropped down to all fours. Ryan pointed his gun at Evergreen. "One move, Montgomery, and I'll put a bullet in your life mate's head."
Barron didn't move an inch, but he narrowed his eyes.
Evergreen squared her shoulders. "How did you know? Are you a shifter?"
"I'm Orion's son." He laughed.
"Should have known," Evergreen said.
Ryan pulled out a stack of papers. He pointed at them. "Get over here and sign the papers. Drop the Taser."
Evergreen's father shook his head. "Dad. I have to protect you and Uncle." (will need to put the uncle's name)
She cut her eyes over at Barron. He watched her with his big brown eyes and this overwhelming sensation
of need and want and could she dare say love filled her. She wasn't afraid. It would work out.
She walked over, took the pen from Ryan, and just as she bent down to sign the papers. She whirled around and stabbed him in the hand with the pen. In that split second, Barron was on top of Ryan Archer.
Evergreen grabbed Ryan's gun. The remaining men loyal to Ryan Archer bolted.
Barron should have killed Ryan Archer for the mental and physical abuse he had put the Carter family through. But justice would be served by the police. It had been Artemis's orders.
Evergreen released her father and uncle from the ropes. Outside, police sirens blasted.
