by Zoe Chant
“Congratulations! You’re going to be a Dad,” Logan read out with obvious disbelief.
For a heartbeat, there was silence. Then Cleo whooped, and Logan, still wide-eyed, found himself drawn into a hug.
Lily watched as everyone drew close, patting Logan’s back while others crowded around her in excitement. She beamed at them all―her clan, her family―as she accepted their congratulations. She couldn’t stop smiling, giddy with happiness, but she only had eyes for Logan who was staring at her, his mouth open and his eyes full of joy.
A second later, Logan broke free of the throng of well-wishers, and then, suddenly, she was in his arms.
His warmth surrounded her. His arms held her tightly, and Lily began to quietly laugh as she wrapped her own arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder.
“A good surprise?” she asked.
“The best.” Logan’s voice was rough.
His lips brushed her cheek, then his hands cupped her face. As they looked into each other’s eyes, his overwhelming joy ran through the mate bond, as brilliant as the summer sun.
Her fighter bear was back among his family, where he belonged. Where they both belonged.
And soon, another child would be a part of this clan. Their child.
Logan threw his head back and laughed, picking her up to twirl her around.
“I’ll be a dad,” he said in joyful disbelief.
I love you, he whispered through the mate bond. Then Logan held her close once more to kiss her.
Golden warmth enveloped her. Here, surrounded by his clan, and with the adventure of their own little family just starting to grow beneath her heart, she knew that her wounded bear’s heart had healed at last.
And from now on, there would be nothing but happiness waiting for them.
***
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for buying Fighter Bear! I hope you enjoyed it. If you’re starting the series here and would like to know more about the bear shifters of Linden Creek, the first three books are Bear Cop, Hunter Bear and Wedding Bear.
Please click on the title to write a review of Fighter Bear. I love hearing what my readers think! It helps me decide whose story to tell next in the Enforcer Bears series.
If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. You can also visit my webpage, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
And keep paging through to read a special sneak preview of another book I wrote, The Christmas Dragon's Mate.
***
More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant
Bear Cop. (Enforcer Bears #1). A BBW baker with a troubled past + a protective bear shifter cop with a secret of his own + an accident that leaves them stranded in the wilderness = one untamed romance!
Hunter Bear. (Enforcer Bears #2). A BBW artist who fears she's lost her muse + a scarred, reclusive bear shifter hunting danger + a mysterious treasure map = one adventurous romance!
Wedding Bear. (Enforcer Bears #3). A curvy librarian in desperate need of a date + a bear shifter in search of a home + the past that's pursuing him = one sweet and steamy small-town romance!
The Easter Bunny's Bear. A BBW bunny shifter with a pony farm + a lonely bear shifter hunting a dangerous werewolf + a criminal werewolf pack causing trouble = one steamy springtime romance!
Private Eye Bear’s Mate. A curvy, independent radio DJ + a protective bear shifter detective + a scary stalker = one thrilling romance!
Bear Mechanic. A curvy woman desperate to protect her little brother + a bear shifter mechanic who will do anything to keep his mate from harm + a team of shifters determined to help their friend and his mate = one action-packed romance!
Tropical Tiger Spy. (Shifting Sands Resort # 1). A unique shifter in search of her past + a tiger shifter spy on an undercover mission + a shifters-only resort with secrets to hide = a dangerous and thrilling romantic adventure!
Tropical Wounded Wolf. (Shifting Sands Resort # 2). A curvy math teacher on vacation + a wolf shifter who spent years in captivity + an accident that leaves them stranded together in a jungle paradise = one thrilling romance!
Firefighter Griffin. (Fire & Rescue Shifters # 3). A curvy single mom burned by love + a unique half-eagle, half-lion shifter firefighter with a wounded soul + the little boy who brings them together = one heart-warming romance!
Alpha Bear Detective. A brave woman in deadly danger + a bear shifter police detective who will protect her with his life + a frightening foe = one thrilling romance!
Bodyguard Bear. (Protection, Inc. # 1). A curvy paramedic who witnesses a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!
Bear With Me. A lonely bear shifter + a workaholic conservationist + a sudden storm = one wet and wild mountain adventure!
Alpha Rancher Bear. (Bears of Pinerock County #3). A take-charge alpha with commitment issues + a midwife who's not about to give up control of her well-ordered life + a roadside winter disaster = an explosive romance that's about to blow up everything they both thought they wanted!
Dancing Bearfoot. A single dad from the city + his daughter's BBW teacher + a surprise snow storm = a steamy story that will melt your heart.
And many more!
***
If you love Zoe Chant, you’ll also love these books
The Billionbear's Winter Angel, by Annora Lynn. Curvy Ella meets handsome billionaire bear shifter Martin at a holiday fundraiser. When Ella is kidnapped, only Martin's polar bear can find her in the freezing cold of this snowy winter's night.
Billionbear Heir, by Annora Lynn. Curvy fashion designer Cat returns to her hometown—only to stumble straight into the arms of bear shifter Marius, heir to a fortune. Can Cat learn to love again, and can Marius protect his new-found mate and reclaim his father's legacy?
Laura’s Wolf, by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past. But together, they have all that they need to heal. A full-length novel.
Prisoner, by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine DJ Torres is a born rebel. Genetically engineered assassin Echo was created to be a weapon. When DJ is captured by the agency that made Echo, the two misfits find that they fit together perfectly. A full-length novel.
Partner, by Lia Silver. DJ and Echo’s relationship grows stronger under fire… until they are confronted by a terrible choice. A full-length novel.
Mated to the Meerkat, by Lia Silver. Jasmine Jones, a curvy tabloid reporter, meets her match in notorious paparazzi and secret meerkat Chance Marcotte. A romantic comedy novelette.
The Christmas Tree Bear, by Rosie Lynne. Bear shifter Willis Barnett meets his fated match in Charlotte Caldwell when she hopes to earn extra money as Santa Helper’s on Willis’ family farm turned Christmas Tree Town for the holidays. A romantic comedy novella.
The Strength of the Pack, by Jorrie Spencer. Seth Kolski, a werewolf, hides his heritage and passes for normal. Until he meets Jamie.
Taming the Beast, by Honey Dover. Beauty is a paranormal investigator hired to deal with a man cursed to become a monstrous beast. Helping him recover his humanity will change her life.
Claimed by the Wolf, by Candi Jackson. Zenobia Jones ends up pregnant after a night with a billionaire—and lands herself in a war between werewolf packs. A full-length novel.
The Right Bear's Arms, by Nora Eli. After a sizzling one night stand with bear shifter Jake, curvy Katie realizes her perfect man is everything she's tried to avoid. If they can both stop running from their pasts, they may find a destined future together.
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, by Lauren Esker. Curvy farm girl Julie Capshaw was warned away from the wolf shifters next door, but Damon Wolfe is the motorcycle-riding, smoking hot alpha of her dreams. Can the big bad wolf and his sheep shifter find their own happy ending? A full-le
ngth novel.
Handcuffed to the Bear (Shifter Agents # 1), by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them? A full-length novel.
Guard Wolf (Shifter Agents # 2), by Lauren Esker. Avery is a lone werewolf with no pack; Nicole is a social worker trying to put her life back together. When he comes to her door with a box of orphan werewolf puppies and danger in pursuit, can two lonely people find the family they've been missing? A full-length novel.
Dragon’s Luck (Shifter Agents # 3) by Lauren Esker. Gecko shifter and infiltration expert Jen Cho teams up with sexy dragon-shifter gambler "Lucky" Lucado to win a high-stakes poker game. Now they're trapped on a cruise ship full of mobsters, mysterious enemy agents, and evil dragons! A full-length novel.
Discovering the Dragon, by Sofia Stone. When reporter Chloe Martin investigates Lancaster Gold, she finds herself tangled up with the oldest son—Isaac Lancaster, billionaire dragon shifter.
***
The Christmas Dragon's Mate
By Zoe Chant
Special Sneak Preview
Henrik had put on some Christmas carols and dragged huge boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic. Dara had clapped her hands in glee the first time she opened a box. She felt like a little child on Christmas morning all over again. Henrik’s family owned enough Christmas ornaments to decorate ten trees—or an entire castle.
And the ornaments were like nothing she’d ever seen before. The baubles sparkled and shone in the light. There were red balls and blue balls, bells in silver and gold, tiny figurines of spun glass, and wooden figures that looked hand-carved and painted. There was angel hair in all the colors of the rainbow, and enough lights to illuminate an entire forest.
“How about you choose a color scheme for this year, and I go and deal with… this?” Henrik gave her a rueful look from the tangle of cables that surrounded him. “Every time I tell myself I’ll be more careful when putting the lights away, and yet when winter arrives and I open the boxes, it’s turned into… this.”
Dara could barely hold back her laughter when she saw him wrangle a giant knot, loops of cables already encircling his body. “Careful, or we might just end up having to decorate you as our tree instead!”
Leaving Henrik to his task, she lifted another ornament from a box. This one was glass as well, carefully spun into the form of a small bird. Its translucent wings sparkled in the light. When she held it up, the pale colors of the glass intensified, its breast gleaming red, its feathers changing between blue and green and yellow.
“These are beautiful,” she said with admiration, and then carefully slipped the small loop of string over a branch of the tree.
The box held six birds, each as beautiful as the first, and all in slightly different colors. She put them all onto the tree while Henrik was still struggling with his tangled lights. Pleased, she watched the little birds sparkle.
“I know!” she then declared as she suddenly had a vision of the finished tree. “Where did you put the silver baubles?”
“Over there,” Henrik said, pointing to a box with hands illuminated by the gleaming fairy lights.
With new energy, Dara set to work.
“I came up with a perfect color scheme,” she declared, biting back a small smile as she sneaked glances at Henrik and his struggle. “Let’s see if you can guess the source of my inspiration when I’m done!”
“Knock yourself out,” Henrik called back, grimacing when he pulled on the lights and a new tangle formed immediately. “It hasn’t seen much use in years—and this is what it was meant for. It’ll be good to see it all out around the house again!”
Happily, Dara hummed along to the carols as she went through box after box, setting several of them aside. Silver baubles, gold baubles, gleaming crystal and translucent blues—soon she’d amassed an entire pile of boxes, and then she truly set to work.
Henrik had meanwhile untangled enough of the lights to decorate the tree with them. It was a large tree; Henrik had been forced to bring in a ladder so that they could decorate the highest branches as well. It filled the room with the comforting scent of fir needles while the fire crackled in the fireplace.
Dara breathed in deeply. They’d never had a real tree at home; it was too much work and too expensive, and there hadn’t been any space anyway. But now as she worked side by side with Henrik, the room filled by the scent of the forest and the warmth of the fire, she felt perfectly content. More than that: she felt at home.
She’d always dreamed of the perfect Christmas. And by all accounts, this was perfect: the cozy room, the giant tree, the hundreds of boxes of decorations at her disposal.
But that wasn’t actually what filled her with such quiet happiness.
She turned her head to watch Henrik begin to put up a string of lights by the fireplace. He wasn’t even looking at her—he was completely focused on his work. There was a small smile on his face, and he was softly humming along to the carols as well, his voice comforting and deep.
This was what made it all feel right. She didn’t feel like an outsider in a stranger’s place. They were working together, side by side, and it was as if with every move she made, every bauble she hung from the tree, the connection between them deepened.
And it wasn’t just the irresistible attraction she’d felt since she’d first seen Henrik. This went much deeper than the sex—even though that had been great.
When was the last time she’d felt such an instant understanding with someone?
“Do you need help with the sapphire ones?” Henrik asked from the fireplace.
Dara instinctively shook her head, then froze as his words registered. Doubtfully, she looked at the bauble in her hand. It was blue, studded with little bits of colored glass that broke the light, gleaming and sparkling whenever she turned it.
“What did you call these?” she asked, frowning a little as she ran the pad of her thumb along the sparkly glass.
“Those are sapphire—my grandmother’s favorites,” Henrik said, coming up to stand behind her. “I think they came from the hoard of a suitor of hers, a French duke. She rejected him in the end, but he had remarkably good taste.”
Dara made a non-committal sound, her knees suddenly weak. “You mean sapphire as in—the blue gems?”
Henrik nodded and took the bauble from her, holding it up to turn it critically, as though he was looking for flaws. “Nineteenth century. Really very beautiful. My grandmother would have been so pleased to see you choose these.”
“Oh,” Dara breathed, her eyes going to the large stash of boxes at her feet. With trembling hands, she picked up one of the gold baubles.
They’d felt strangely heavy when she hung them, but she’d thought the reason was that these were old—probably made from glass instead of plastic.
But she hadn’t thought—
“Now these are firmly twentieth century,” Henrik said promptly. “My dad’s favorite. He was quite old-fashioned in his ways—at least for a dragon. These are twenty-two karat gold. He always used to say that’s all a dragon needs to be happy.”
“Oh,” Dara said tonelessly, her eyes wide as she stared at the gleaming bauble in her hand.
If this was real gold, and the other baubles she’d hung were real, actual sapphires—then these were probably worth more than she’d earned in her life.
And if she’d dropped one of them…
“Are you sure we should use these?” she asked, willing her hand not to tremble as she held the fragile decoration. “If we drop any of them…”
“Hey, don’t worry.” Henrik’s arms came around her. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “These are meant to go on a tree. What’s the use of hiding them away in boxes for centuries? They’re part of my hoard, and we dragons can get very smug about our treasures. We want to look at our hoard and admire
it.”
“So you’re having a dragon’s Christmas tree, decorated with real jewels,” Dara said, still feeling weak as she looked at all the decorations she’d already hung up.
“Mmm.” Henrik nuzzled gently at her neck. “This is what my hoard is meant for. Please, go on. I love watching you decorate.”
“But if you’re so possessive of your jewels,” Dara said slowly, “doesn’t it bother you to see me touch them?”
“On the contrary.” Henrik’s voice hoarse, his breath hot against her skin. “I want to see you decorated with my treasure. My gold on your skin. And my ruby reindeer put on our tree by your hands.”
“Oh,” Dara breathed again, but this time, it wasn’t a sound of shock. Dara was beginning to understand.
She didn’t know much about dragons… but she knew what that breathlessness in his voice meant; that delicious, low rumble when he spoke.
Click here to keep reading The Christmas Dragon's Mate.
