Secret Baby for the Soldier Bear

by Meg Ripley

  “Yes, that’s what Hannah keeps telling me, too. Of course, she hasn’t found anyone yet. She’s too focused on her career. I admire that for what it is, but I’d like to think she’ll be taken care of, no matter what happens.”

  Glancing at the clock, Gabe put the phone on speaker and started getting dressed. He didn’t want to be late getting over to the new building to meet up with Hudson and Garrison. That wasn’t the impression he wanted to make this early on in his new career. “She’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine. We’ve got each other, and that’s never going to change, no matter who gets married or where we live.” It was ironic that a woman whose husband had left her and never returned was so bent on her children finding love, but Gabe understood. She didn’t want them to suffer through what she was most afraid of herself: being alone.

  “I know. I’d like to take the credit and say I raised you all right, but I think you’re just good-natured kids to start with. Anyway, the reason I was trying to get a hold of you is that I think I’ve found a job for you.”

  Gabe pulled his shirt down over his head and stared at his phone on the nightstand, sure he hadn’t heard her right. “What?”

  “I’ve found the perfect job for you. I know you were feeling a bit restless after you were discharged, and I know how much your career meant to you. I was talking to Glenda over at the bank the other day. Her husband works at that factory that makes electronics, and she told me they were hiring. People usually start out in general labor, but she thought with your experience in the Army, you might be able to get a higher position. It would at least be something you could work up to. The hours are good, they offer benefits, and it’s right here in town.”

  He shook his head as he bent to put on his shoes. “Mom, that’s really nice of you, but I don’t need you to find me a job.”

  “You need to do something. I’ve seen those documentaries about veterans who end up just wandering around the country, and you deserve better than that. Besides, if you take this job, it means you can live right here with me. There’s more than enough room now that your sisters have moved out.” Mrs. Vinson’s bird chirped happily in the background.

  Gabe knew she meant well, and she was genuinely excited about the idea of one of her children coming back home to live with her. Most parents wouldn’t like that idea, but his mother had never been like most parents. Gabe had no doubt she’d let him stay there, rent-free, indefinitely. Fortunately, he had another offer that was also rent-free. “Look, that sounds like it could be a nice job, but I’ve got a lead on something out here in Los Angeles that could be perfect for me.”

  There was a long pause on the other end of the phone. “Los Angeles?”

  Oh, boy. This was going to be fun. “Mom, don’t start.”

  “I’m just worried, Gabriel. I’ve heard about some of the trouble they’ve been having out there. I’ve tried to tell myself it’s just a rumor, but that’s hard to do when I know you’re out there. Are you at least in a safe place? Tell me you aren’t trying to get in with the police or something?”

  “I’m safe, and I’m not joining the police force. It’s something I’m excited about, but I can’t tell you about it yet. Not until it’s all official.” Actually, Gabe knew he might never be able to tell his mother the complete truth about his new job. Vance had been very specific when he said they weren’t supposed to talk about it. The rumors could and would spread, but as long as the information wasn’t coming from their lips, it should stay well enough contained.

  “Something else with the military, then?”

  He flung his hand in the air. There wasn’t a better answer. He didn’t want to lie to his mother, but sometimes these things just happened. “Yeah.”

  “Hmm. Well, that doesn’t make me feel much better. You know I just about had a heart attack when you had your incident.”

  “I know, Mom.” It’d come as quite the surprise to Gabe, too. He and another comrade had been driving back onto the base, and they were supposed to be in safe territory. The two of them were talking and laughing, making plans for an upcoming leave of absence. But the Humvee lifted off the ground, metal and fire exploding all around them. Gabe had been driving at the time, as usual. His hands had gripped the wheel, an effort to hold onto something, and when the vehicle slammed back down onto the dusty earth, he still had his foot on the gas pedal. They’d shot off, heading into the gates on all four flats while pieces of the truck disintegrated around them. It wasn’t until he’d gotten safely back onto the base that he’d even realized he was injured.

  The docs out there hadn’t exactly been kind or thorough. Gabe had heard rumors they’d been sent to that particular part of Iraq as a punishment more than anything, and after the treatment he’d gotten from them, he could see why. They’d done a quick x-ray before poking at the holes in his flesh, and then they’d pronounced with no compassion that the twisted bits of metal would be stuck inside his body forever. They were human doctors with no awareness of shifters and how they healed, and so he’d been left with medical discharge papers instead of a career.

  “You sure about this job?” she pressed.

  He checked the clock again. It was time to go. He had a full day of work ahead of him, and his mother’s worries couldn’t hold him up forever. Besides, he knew she wouldn’t stop worrying, even if he moved back in with her. “Yeah. I’m sure. I’ve got to go, but I promise I’ll give you a call again soon.”

  “Okay. I love you, Gabe.”

  “Love you, too, Mom.” He hung up and headed downstairs, feeling like an asshole for making her worry. Maybe he could explain it all at some point; she would know that he not only had a chance at a great job, but one that was exactly what he wanted to do. The Delta Force had trained him for this, and all those years with the Army would’ve been a waste if he’d just signed up for some dull factory job. He’d never be happy with a gig like that.

  He managed to pull up to the house right behind Hudson and Garrison, once again excited about this huge house that would become his new office. “Looks like the realtors move quickly around here,” he remarked as he got out.

  Garrison was swinging the keys in his fingers, grinning. “They do when they know there’s a hefty commission on the line, and the housing out here sure isn’t cheap. I don’t think it hurt that the owners had already moved off to some island and were ready to unload this place. They even left most of the furniture.”

  As they stepped inside, Gabe couldn’t help but think about how lucky he was. He’d been in the Army his entire adult life, and even the nicest housing didn’t compare to this. There would be some dangerous missions ahead, from what everyone had told him, but in between it was going to be like a vacation. “Are the others coming soon?”

  “Any minute,” Hudson confirmed. “I should also be getting a good-sized shipment of new equipment to be installed from my corporate office. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but I’d like to have our first official briefing by tomorrow.”

  “We could turn this dining room into a conference area,” Gabe suggested. The enormous table that the previous owners had left behind would more than accommodate them.

  Garrison nodded approvingly. “That works for me. There are plenty of outlets for all of Hudson’s gadgets. Lots of room on the walls, too. He likes his big screens.”

  Hudson punched him on the arm. “So does everyone else, thank you very much. I’m just doing my best to make sure all three units can teleconference easily.”

  The three men began moving furniture around and making decisions about what to do with each room, and Gabe was busy holding a large screen up against the wall while Hudson fixed it in place when the rest of the recruits arrived an hour later.

  “Come on into the living room and we’ll all get to know each other a bit,” Garrison offered.

  Gabe followed him. It was a beautiful day, and the walls on the back of the house had been retracted to show off the pool and let in the sunshine. Four recruits filed into the room, b
ut his eyes landed only on one of them. She was tall and beautiful, her dark hair cascading in a straight line down her back that was only broken by the curve of her shoulder. Her wide eyes scanned the room before landing on him, and he felt his entire body shudder in delight.

  Emersyn. He blinked, sure that this was just a vision from another lifetime that had come back to haunt him. She couldn’t possibly be there, yet she stood before him in the flesh. His bear was going wild, thrashing and clawing, urging him to stop fighting against the pull he felt even from across the other side of the room. It was her, damn it, and there was no reason not to leap right over the coffee table and wrap his arms around her.

  But if she felt it, she gave no indication. She set down her medical bag and took the seat on the sofa that Garrison offered to her, calm, cool, and collected.

  Gabe swallowed. Did she remember? Was it even possible to forget such a thing? Lovers came and went for young soldiers, full of life and the desire to live it despite not knowing what might happen the next day or even the next hour. Emersyn, though, was completely different. His body intrinsically remembered the way they’d felt together, the warmth of her skin against his, the curve of her hip in his hand, the way her back arched just like the cat she held inside her when he rubbed her the right way.

  “For those of you who haven’t met me yet, I’m Garrison. This is Hudson. Both of us are with the D.C. unit. I’ll let you introduce yourselves.”

  Garrison’s voice jarred Gabe back into the present instead of a sandy tent somewhere in the desert with Emersyn. With few other options, he sat down. He’d have to wait to catch up with Emersyn later. He barely listened as the others introduced themselves.

  The first one to stand was a man with mahogany skin and jet-black hair. “My name is Amar. Garrison and his mate found me in their search for other dragon shifters in the world. Like the rest of you, I served in the Special Forces.” He gave a brotherly smile to Garrison.

  This part did catch Gabe’s attention somewhat. He hadn’t realized there were still dragons in the world, and he’d even wondered at times if their existence was purely a myth. That explained what was a little different about Garrison, though, and it couldn’t hurt to have Amar as part of their unit. Dragons had to be incredibly powerful.

  The next was Raul, a veteran Green Beret and communications sergeant, who had already started forming a bond with Hudson over all the gadgetry being brought into the house. Jude was next, and though Gabe recognized the bear inside him, his focus was still entirely on Emersyn.

  She rose, just as graceful and wary as the panther inside her. Gabe knew he was staring, his eyes raking over her body, but he couldn’t help himself. How long had it been since he’d seen her? It felt like forever, but she was no worse for the wear. His heart thundered as he realized the two of them might be living under the same roof from now on.

  “I’m Emersyn Cruz. I was a medical sergeant with the Green Berets, and I currently work at a low-income clinic in the heart of the city. Garrison has informed me that I’ll be handling most of the medical issues that arise here, including medical exams for baseline data. I’d like to make sure we get those taken care of as quickly as possible.”

  “Yes. I’ve got a room all set up for you whenever you’re ready,” Garrison replied. The smile he gave her was simply a courteous one, but Gabe felt a flash of jealousy ripple through his body.

  He had only a moment to suppress it before he realized it was his turn. His tongue was thick in his mouth, his throat dry from finally seeing Emersyn again. “My name’s Gabe. Delta Force. Medically discharged.” He didn’t even bother standing. It was funny how something as seemingly simple as introducing himself to a small crowd was more difficult than infiltrating enemy territory and kicking down doors that could lead to unknown danger.

  The two senior Force members either didn’t notice the tension in the room or they chose to ignore it for the moment. After all, this was the first time the five of them were meeting each other, and they couldn’t be expected to get along like old comrades right away.

  “As some of you may already know,” Hudson said, “each Force unit acts like its own clan. For the most part, you’ll live together, work together, and eat together. You’ll have your own lives of course, and some of you may keep the jobs you currently have, but being in the Force is much more of a commitment than simply being roommates. In this clan-like model, you must have an Alpha. Since this isn’t like a clan in the sense that there is no innate leader who was born into the position, we’ve decided that because he held the highest rank in the service, it should be Amar.”

  The man bowed his head. “Thank you. I’m honored.”

  Garrison continued the orientation. “Another element that echoes clan life is the bond that links you telepathically. Most of you come from different species, but there’s an ancient form of dragon magic that can connect you despite this. We have to wait for the correct moon phase, but we’ll perform this rite as soon as possible.”

  Gabe’s throat tightened a little further. At one point, he’d felt Emersyn in his mind. This unique shifter ability could only happen amongst those who were related or who were bonded mates, and even then, it didn’t work unless they were in their animal forms. There’d been few times when he and Emersyn had the chance to shift, but he still knew what it felt like to have her inside him in that most intimate of ways.

  “There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done on this building, but we’ll have the first official briefing tomorrow morning at eight o’clock. For the moment, feel free to explore the house and decide which set of rooms you’d like for yourselves. I think you’re all mature enough to handle that without having to draw straws,” Hudson joked. “Afterwards, you can meet with Dr. Cruz for your exam.”

  Emersyn rose and followed Garrison to the east wing of the house, presumably toward the place he’d set up for her as a makeshift medical office. Again, Gabe felt that pang of jealousy. Garrison was a good-looking guy, and even though there had been some mention that the man had a mate, Gabe couldn’t help but wonder just what the two of them might be talking about behind closed doors.

  He shook his head at how ridiculous he was being and made his way through the house to claim a room. It didn’t matter too much to him, though. He’d already seen the whole place when they’d come to check it out with the realtor, and all the rooms were equally nice. The only difference was the master bedroom, which of course he left for Amar. The man might have only been his Alpha for a few minutes, but Gabe understood the hierarchy of shifters just as anyone else did. He retrieved his bag from the car and dropped it in a random room, knowing that whichever one he picked would be fine.

  Back downstairs, Emersyn and Garrison emerged from the medical exam room. No one else was there waiting, and so she waved him inside. “Might as well get started.”

  His bear hadn’t calmed down from the moment he’d seen her walk in, and it was going absolutely crazy now. He barely registered the exam table Garrison had brought in or the stainless-steel cabinet where she kept her supplies. Gabe focused only on her back, watching the way she moved as she readied herself for the exam. “It’s been a long time,” he began.

  She nodded. “It has.”

  “Of all the places we could’ve met up again, I didn’t think it would be here. How did you end up on the Force, anyway?” There was so much more he wanted to say, and yet his brain was limiting him to the simplest of small talk.

  Emersyn turned to him, her eyes cool as she swiped a thermometer gently across his forehead and checked the readout. “I served with one of the D.C. members, Hudson’s mate. She recommended me.”

  “Why isn’t she here today?”

  “She had some other errands to run. Could you sit down?” Emersyn gestured toward the exam table.

  He did as he was told. “I’m not surprised to hear you’re running a clinic. You always had a soft touch.” Gabe smiled at her as she pressed a stethoscope to his chest. He had no doubt
she could feel the manic vibrations happening inside his ribcage at that moment, but he knew she wouldn’t have forgotten what the two of them had shared together.

  Emersyn didn’t respond at first, and so he focused on her dark, glistening hair and the wide almond shape of her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat. After a minute, she flicked the earpieces down around her neck and turned around to make a note on her computer. “It’s not a glorious job, but it’s satisfying. I’m helping people, which is what I’ve always wanted to do.”

  “Emersyn.” Her name tingled on his tongue. It had been so long since he’d said it. When she turned to him, he dared to reach out and take her hand, his bear demanding to make contact with his mate. “How crazy is this that we should end up here together, living in the same house, doing the same job? It’s like fate was doing everything possible to bring us back together. I mean, it was worth getting blown up for.”

  “What?” Her eyes widened in alarm.

  He lifted the hem of his shirt to show her the angry lines that were all that was left of his injury. After all, it wasn’t as though she hadn’t seen his chest before. Gabe scraped his teeth against his lower lip as Emersyn delicately traced her fingers over the scars. “Shrapnel? Did they at least get it out?”

  “No, it’s all still there. I’ll never get through the airport without a hassle again. But let’s not worry about that right now.” He put his shirt down, his ursine half wanting to focus more on what was happening now—or could happen in the near future—than what had happened in the past.

  Her face was touched with sadness. “Is that why you were discharged?”

  “Yeah. Just recently, actually.” She was beautiful as ever, and it was hard to keep his mind on any one thing for long. His bear was getting crazy enough now that it was no longer satisfied with being kept inside. He could feel the bristly brown hairs threatening to burst through his skin. To stave the beast off, he reached out and put his arms around Emersyn’s waist. “Come on, Em. You can’t ignore this forever. We were good together, weren’t we?”