by Leilani Love
The Bear’s Seer
The Dragon Ruby Series
Leilani Love
Copyright © 2021 by Leilani Love
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Thank you to my family and friends for not locking me up when I talk about characters like they are real people and letting me bounce my crazy ideas off you.
Also by Leilani Love
The Dragon Ruby Series
Violca’s Dragon
The King’s Fire
Violca’s Vow
Kassandra’s Wolf
Warrick’s Hope
Ally’s Guard
The Bear’s Seer
The Dragon Ruby Series Volume 1 (Books 1-3)
The Dragon Ruby Series Volume 2 (Books 4-6)
A King’s Tale
Saving The King
The Lost King
Battle To Be King
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Two days Later
Sneak Peak: Saving The King
About the Author
Chapter 1
Emily leaned against the tree and struggled to catch her breath. Her heart beating so hard and fast, she could barely hear anything else around her. Her legs, not used to holding up her own weight, shook like a newborn fawn trying to stand for the first time. She wasn’t sure how much farther she could make it.
Pink and purple painted the sky as the sun started to set, bringing a chill to the already crisp mountain air. Emily sent a quick prayer to the gods, hoping to find some shelter before it got too dark. Her worn, thin shirt was torn and her feet cut and bleeding from running barefoot over rocks.
Emily pushed off the tree and made her way deeper into the woods. When she’d run from the cabin, something inside had told to her to head west and follow the sun. Seers rarely saw their own futures, but she’d known the moment she was supposed to escape. Everything had played out just as it had in her dreams, and now, it was up to her to make the best of this moment.
As she took a step forward, Emily covered her mouth to keep from crying out as the jagged edge of a rock pierced the bottom of her foot. She shuffled forward, pain shooting through her calf. Leaves crushed behind her in staccato—the distinct sound of footsteps. She didn’t have to glance over her shoulder to know it was the shifter the witches had put a spell on. The spell convinced the victim they needed to obey every command without question. If this shifter had been older, it would have only lasted a short time, but he couldn’t be more than nineteen, maybe twenty, making him easier to manipulate.
Emily pushed past the pain and limped faster, scanning the ground for something to use as a weapon, hoping she could knock him out and the spell would wear off. He had been under their control for so long, if it didn’t break soon, she worried he would never recover. Finding a big stick, she positioned herself against a tree and concentrated on his footsteps.
Each second made her body more tense. She had one chance. The sound of a branch breaking right next to her was the cue. She swung as hard as she could, and a jarring pain shot down her arms as the stick connected with the shifter’s temple. He growled low as he stumbled back, hands shooting to his head.
He would recover soon. Emily gathered all her energy and ran as fast as she could. There wasn’t much chance she could outrun him, but she had to try. She stumbled at his loud roar but pushed herself to keep going. Time was running out. She had made a promise to her children she would be there before her grandkids were born. Fate had shown her that much. She just had to keep believing.
The loud snap of a twig caught her attention. She looked over her shoulder, even though she knew better. Her husband was a wolf. He’d taught her to never turn around while being chased, but she was in panic mode. Her captor was a blur as he rushed at her from between the trees. His fingers brushed her arm, and she screamed and jerked away.
A sinking feeling turned her stomach. Emily scrambled, missed a step, and reached out, trying to grab anything that would give her purchase as she rolled down the hill, rocks and sticks piercing into her skin. Her entire body tensed as pain shot up her spine. All the air left her lungs in a giant whoosh. Bark from the tree sliced her back. Every part of her body felt like it was on fire.
Struggling to catch her breath, she closed her eyes. Unless he flung himself down the side of the hill, she should be able to gain some distance. Emily’s legs quivered under her as she tried to stand. Something warm and wet dripped into her eyes, making her blink quickly.
Bringing her hand up to wipe her face, she flinched. The world spun, and the searing pain coming from her head proved she was indeed still alive. She stumbled to the river and sank to her knees. Her face was covered in blood and dirt, and she reached up and pulled a twig out of her hair before splashing the cold water on her face. She wasn’t too worried about the amount of blood—head wounds bleed a lot—but the fact that the world was getting blurry scared her.
Closing her eyes, Emily reached out with whatever power she had left. She wasn’t a witch, she was a seer, able to see future events, but she did have a certain amount of magic of her own. A cool breeze brushed her cheeks and in the voice of ancestors, she heard a whisper. Across the river. Emily blinked open her eyes, the fading light reflected on the water’s edge calling to her.
Emily took a small drink and tried to wash the blood from her face. It had been so long since she’d had clean water, she had to fight to keep herself from drinking too much. She didn’t need to get sick. A good way to cover her tracks would have been to swim to the other side, but she didn’t think she was strong enough.
A thought formed, which spurred her to her feet. The witch’s little slave would soon be on Emily’s trail. A step in the icy water sent a shockwave through her. Thousands of tiny little ice knives pierced her skin, and she bit her cheek hard to keep from crying out as she became aware of each tiny cut on her body. The current was fast, and she took deep breath as she continued to push herself forward. When she got to the center, the water was above her waist, and the sound of her teeth chattering quickly became louder than the rushing water around her.
One step, then another. On the rocky bottom, her right foot almost slipped from under her. She was able to get her balance, but each step was harder than the last. Every inch drained her more. Her foot slipped again, and she was only able to take a deep breath before her head went below the surface.
Emily struggled against the current, but she couldn’t gather enough strength to fight it. Every time she got her head up, she was able to take a deep breath just before she got pulled back under. She didn’t know how far the water dragged her down the river. She just knew she had to make it to the other side before her body gave out.
As much a
s she told herself it was seeing her children that kept her going, Emily knew the truth was she was too stubborn to let those bitch witches take anything else from her. She was going to live. She was going to see her children again. She was going to hold the grandbabies she knew would be arriving soon.
Her arms tired, her legs burning, Emily finally felt the sand and rocks under her as she washed up on the opposite side of the river. Gasping and sputtering and coughing, she crawled onto the riverbank and rolled to her back. She had made it, but it would be for nothing if she didn’t find shelter and get herself warm.
Her ragged shirt revealed more than it covered. It probably wouldn’t take long to dry, but she would still be freezing. Her long, wet hair clung to her body, matted and thick. She shivered as the wind sent another chill through her.
In Emily’s mind, she listed reasons she needed to get up, to get moving. No matter how hard she tried, she could not stop her eyes from closing. She needed to sleep. Just for a minute. Rest. Her body needed rest. She rolled to the side and tried to push herself up, arms shaking violently before giving out. Just five minutes.
Her eyes fell closed as she wondered if the giant brown bear that had stepped out of the woods was real or her mind playing tricks on her. She should move. The thought was there, but her world went black as exhaustion overtook her.
Chapter 2
Liam sniffed the woman lying on the ground at the bend of the river then nudged her gently with his nose, only to have her not respond or make a sound. She wasn’t wearing any shoes or pants, and her shirt was torn and almost completely see-through. Bruises littered her body in every color and stage of healing. Cuts and bruises wrapped around both her wrists and ankles, making him wonder how long she had been held captive. When he came through the trees, he could have sworn her eyes were open, but before he could do more than take a step, she had fainted. If it weren’t for the small rise and fall of her back, he would have thought she was dead.
Liam shifted back into human form and bent to pick her up. Once he had her in his arms, he moved slowly and carefully, not wanting to add to her pain. Left there, she would freeze to death as soon as the sun fully set. He shifted her in his arms and marveled at how light she was. Even soaking wet and covered in mud, she couldn’t have weighed a hundred pounds. When was the last time she had eaten a real meal?
Liam was searching for his missing son. Not having much luck in town, he had heard a rumor about a bear being in the woods and had gone looking. He had left his truck parked near a cabin he often used for hunting and fishing several miles from here. He had a set of clothes there she could put on. He sniffed the woman’s hair as he carried her. Despite looking like that river was the first bath she’d had in months, his bear could smell the faintest hint of roses. He wanted to roll around in that scent.
Liam paused as he looked down at the wisp of a woman in his arms. He hadn’t had that urge since he’d met his wife—the pull of a woman’s scent that not only attracted the man but also the beast that lay inside him. Liam had honestly never thought he would feel that way again. In the eight years since his wife had passed, even though the man in him had relieved his needs, the bear in him had never reacted to anyone like it was now.
The woman started shivering, and he held her tighter to him. As a shifter, his body ran warmer than humans’. He hoped it helped her warm up. He needed to get to the cabin before the sun went down. The temperature was dropping quickly, and her lips were turning blue.
The last of the pink rays disappeared beyond the horizon, stars brightening the sky just as he reached the cabin. He debated loading her into his truck and taking her into town, but it would take two hours to get to his home and five to get to the closest hospital. The little urgent care in town was mostly used by addicts trying to get pain pills, and the staff seemed more clueless than he was about how to treat patients.
No, he would take care of her himself.
Kicking open the door, he walked inside and gently placed the woman on the bed. Her shirt was doing nothing to keep her warm, so he used his knife to cut it off her body. Except for her hair, she was mostly dry. Taking the blanket from the foot of the bed, he did his best to wrap her up like a little burrito. The cabin was cold. He’d had no plans to stay there, so he hadn’t built a fire. He needed to rectify that. Grabbing the dry logs next to the fireplace, he started the fire, keeping an eye on her.
Knowing it would take time for the room to heat up, he slid into the bed next to her, wrapped his arms around her, and rubbed his hands up and down her back, trying to warm up her core.
As his hand slid up and down her side, his fingers dipped between each rib. She had been bound, beaten, starved, and made desperate. Desperation was the only reason one would be running in the woods dressed in something so flimsy. That thought made his bear come to the surface and growl as he instinctively held her tighter.
His reaction was surprising. Her scent, the way he responded…he would swear he had imprinted on her, but that was impossible. Liam’s mate and wife had died, and shifters rarely got a second mate. Never one that had been claimed by another shifter.
The woman in his arms was a human and had a faint bite mark on her neck. His bear intuitively knew the bite on her neck had come from a wolf. He was surprised to see it had almost faded away. That only happened if mates had been apart for a long time. Where was her mate and his wolf pack? They should have been tearing up the woods to find her. Did the people who had held her also have his son? If so, would she be able to help him?
When she let out a faint sigh, it drew Liam from his thoughts, and a sense of relief washed over him. It wasn’t easy to tell but her skin felt slightly warmer than it had before. The blue tint of her lips had faded too, and he brushed her honey-blonde hair back from her face. With the light from the fire catching random silver streaks in her tresses, he wondered how old she was. She had a determined jawline, and her bottom lip was just slightly fuller than the top. He was curious what color her eyes were. She was a fighter. He had to get her back to her mate and pack before he did something stupid.
Slipping from the bed, he tucked the blankets around her. A sigh slipped past her lips as she moved on her own to get more comfortable, and a weight lifted from his chest. Keeping an eye on the woman in the bed, he grabbed the clothes he had placed on the chair. He slid into his jeans and buttoned the fly before pulling his plaid shirt over his head. The woman was tiny, and all he had were extra clothes for him and his sons. He pulled out the smallest pair of sweatpants and shirt he could find and placed them on the foot of the bed before moving to the kitchen area of the one-room cabin to see if there was any food left from their last trip here.
The cabinets were bare except two cans of soup. Chicken noodle would probably do her good. He cleaned a pot and began heating it up then grabbed a bottle of water, willing to bet she needed it as much as the food. He was trying to keep himself busy while, with his keen hearing, he knew exactly when her heartrate increased and her body moved even slightly on the bed, letting him know she would be waking up any minute.
Keeping the soup on low, he checked on the woman again. More color had returned to her cheeks, and her pulse was definitely stronger. Liam’s skin itched, and he could feel the beast inside him wanting to get out. He wanted to shift and rub his body all over hers, marking her with his scent and him with her scent of roses. His eyes went to the bite mark on her neck. It had almost completely healed. He traced the jagged mark with his fingers. Whoever her mate was should have done a better job protecting her. He growled low in the back of his throat, unable to control his rising anger.
The woman’s eyes flew open in panic, and she jumped back from his touch. Liam kept still as he made a soothing noise. Her gemstone gray eyes darted around the room before focusing on him. There was something almost familiar about her.
“You,” she whispered, so quietly he wouldn’t have heard her if not for his bear hearing.
Her voice was raspy, scratchy, and she
put a hand to her throat, as if that one word had caused her pain.
“I have some water and soup for you,” Liam said as he got up and went back to the boiling pot. He had a thousand questions for her. He didn’t want to overwhelm her, and it took all his self-control not to ask her where she had been. Was she alone? Was there a young man with her?
Based on her bruises, he both hoped and dreaded what she might be able to tell him. Had something happened to his youngest son? Were his other sons right, and did he just take off with a girl for a bit of fun? People had said they saw him with some raven-haired beauty. They agreed to help him but they thought he was worrying for no reason, so, at the last minute, they both decided to ‘look’ at the bar.
A full bowl of soup prepared, Liam put a spoon in it and carried it over to the bed with a water bottle. As he approached, the woman sat up and adjusted the blanket and pillow so she could sit up and cover herself. Her hands shook when she reached to take the water from him. She didn’t hesitate to bring the bottle to her lips. A soft sound of pleasure escaped her, tugging at his heart. He grabbed a chair and put it next to the bed.
With her hand still shaking, she put down the water bottle and tried to reach for the bowl.
“Here, let me feed you,” Liam said.
After a brief pause, she nodded.
He was quiet, trying to cool the soup down enough for her to eat. When her stomach grumbled at the smell, her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. With care, Liam fed her the first bite. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, her lips curved in the hint of a smile. His body shouldn’t have responded to that innocent sound, but it did.
