Secret Baby for the Soldier Bear

by Meg Ripley

  Gabe once again felt a wave of jealousy wash over him as Hunter focused on Emersyn. He wished she’d stop talking. Her good looks were already drawing too much attention, and that only increased when she opened her mouth. He stood up. “I appreciate you taking the time to discuss this with us. We’d like to spend some time talking with the San Fernando Valley conclave, and perhaps with some of the biker gangs themselves to see about getting this resolved.”

  Hunter lifted one thick eyebrow. “That’s bold of you, but it’s likely to get you killed.”

  “I think I can handle myself.” This asshole had no idea who Gabe was. Many people had tried to kill him before, and none of them had succeeded yet. “We’ll be in touch.”

  Emersyn gave him a look, but she also stood.

  Hunter escorted them up the stairs. “I suggest you be careful,” he warned. “There are plenty of people who would want to take out a group like the SOS Force, feeing they’re just as violent and high-handed as the biker gangs are.”

  Gabe, at the front of the trio heading for the door, steeled his jaw. “I appreciate that, but we’ll be fine.”

  “If you should need protection, I’m more than happy to offer my services.”

  Something in the man’s voice had changed, and Gabe whirled around to find Hunter addressing Emersyn directly. He loomed over her, his eyes liquid and hungry, and there was no question as to his intentions.

  Possession, jealousy, and that same urge to protect took over his body. Gabe had been holding it inside the best he could, but there was no patience left in his cells. He lurched toward them as his spine twisted and his jaws stretched, the jagged pain of his pointed teeth ripping through his gums. His skin shrank back as fur bristled forth. He reached the pair mid-shift, knocking each of them aside as he roared his anger. In full bear form, he filled the small room and stood taller than Hunter. He knocked the big man backwards, sending him crashing into the wall.

  The other conclave members flooded up the stairs, headed by the tattooed man. “What the fuck?” He didn’t wait for an answer before he shifted, his small form rapidly switching to that of a tiger in midair as he leaped at the offending intruder.

  Gabe had the advantage on Hunter. His big paws held the man down by the shoulders, and he roared all of his anger and jealousy into the man’s face. It didn’t last long. The conclave president that they’d met with twisted and writhed to reveal his own inner bear. He flung Gabe aside and bellowed his fury as he attacked. They were a tumble of dark fur as they crashed through the living room, forcing the tiger to dodge out of the way.

  Hardly able to see for all his frustration, Gabe operated on instinct alone. He swiped and bit, searching for the most vulnerable part of his opponent, ready for the kill. Everything he’d ever felt for Emersyn was on the surface now, bubbling and boiling. She was his, and if this asshole thought he could do anything to change it, then he would show him otherwise. The brilliant red of blood showing from among the dark forest of his hair satisfied him and drove him further on, making him all the more determined to inflict as much damage as possible. The bastard deserved it, and he was going to make it happen.

  But Hunter was a strong man, and an even stronger bear. He lurched upward, smacking Gabe hard in the mouth with his shoulder. Sparks filled Gabe’s vision, stunned momentarily as he reeled back. The other bear took advantage of the moment and threw himself down on top of Gabe, pressing a thick paw to his throat. The world collapsed inward as Gabe’s vision tunneled, going black on the edges and bringing only what was directly in front of him to a sharp definition. His lungs fought for air, and his exerted muscles quickly weakened from the lack of oxygen. Though his brain demanded that he fight back and fight harder than ever before, the message wasn’t getting to the rest of his body.

  The brilliant red of Hunter’s blood caught his attention, and Gabe watched as it trickled through his thick fur like water finding a path through the desert. The scent of it slipped just inside his lungs, and the instinct to survive revived his system. He planned his next move, knowing how difficult it would be to move at all and that he only had one chance. If he miscalculated or his muscles refused to cooperate, that could be the end of him.

  With one hurtling move, Gabe reached across with his right paw and struck the arm that held him down. As he’d hoped, his claws raked through the opening wound, sending a crimson splatter through the air as Hunter bawled out his pain. He let go, and cold air came rushing back into Gabe’s lungs. He followed the bigger bear across the room, pinning him down.

  He was on top again and ready to let loose with a final blow when something sharp sank into his shoulder. It clamped down hard, piercing his thick skin, digging deep toward his shoulder blade. Gabe let out a furious roar, but it died on his lips as he turned to see the massive black cat who had a hold of him.

  It was Emersyn. It’d been so long since he’d seen her in this form, but there was no denying it. Though she’d taken on the form of a panther, her deep brown eyes now a brilliant gold, he knew it was her. Her lips and teeth scraped against his skin in an erotic threat.

  Let him go, or I’ll leave you here, she told him through their telepathic link.

  Gabe backed off, letting the other bear get up. He felt a deep sense of regret at such an action. The man had gone after his mate, a crime that was unforgivable as far as he was concerned. Hunter deserved severe injury if not death, but Emersyn herself had put a stop to it.

  They returned to their human forms, and the room was full of nothing but heavy breathing for a moment. The tattooed man helped Hunter to his feet, and Gabe understood what he’d just done. “I’m sorry,” he panted, adrenaline still flooding through his system. “I lost control.”

  The look on Hunter’s face was ominous as he glanced back and forth between the two of them. “I didn’t realize she was yours.”

  Emersyn let out an angry huff of breath, but she didn’t argue the point. “We’ll see ourselves out. I’m sorry for any trouble we caused you, and please know that we’d still like to work with you to resolve the gang issue.” She moved pointedly toward the front door.

  Gabe marched after her, not liking the idea of turning his back on the conclave members. As far as he was concerned, they were still a threat. He got behind the wheel of the car and headed out of the neighborhood. “I had a bad feeling about that conclave from the moment we walked in there. I didn’t see or hear anything specific, other than the fact that they want to kill the gangs without remorse, but it was just one of those gut feelings. And can you believe that dickhead, hitting on you like that?” He could still see the scene clearly in his mind’s eye, and he wouldn’t forget it anytime soon.

  “The only dickhead I can’t believe is you,” Emersyn retorted from the passenger seat. She ran her hands angrily through her hair, combing it with her fingers. “Hunter was a bit on the aggressive side, yes, but he wasn’t hurting me. And it’s not as though I can’t take care of myself.”

  His fingers tightened on the wheel. How the hell had they gotten along so well before, when now they could hardly stand to be in the same room without arguing? “No offense, Em, but did you see the size of him? Even shifted, I’m not sure you could’ve held him off alone if he’d decided to attack you.”

  “Attacking is definitely not what was on his mind.”

  “Damn it!” He slammed his hand against the dashboard. “You’re going to make me shift in the middle of the highway if you keep going on like that! Whether you like it or not, whether you think of us as mates or not, protecting you is part of my job as your comrade in the Force. Besides, I didn’t hear you correct him when he said you were mine.” There was something so wild in that phrase, in that notion that she belonged to him. He liked it in a primal way that he couldn’t explain. Gabe was perfectly aware that modern society didn’t see women that way, but it didn’t matter when there was a massive beast inside him fighting so hard for it.

  “I figured we’d have plenty of time to argue about it la
ter, instead of continuing to botch our very first mission.” Emersyn slammed her back against the seat, angry and stuck in the car. “Garrison and the others are relying on us to be mature about this…whatever this is between us…and I can’t believe you’re already trying to ruin it.”

  “Me?” Holy shit. How had this all turned around on him? “I saw the way you were looking at him, and I heard the way you talked to him. It’s no wonder he was going after you.”

  “Excuse me?” Her dark eyes blazed with golden light, and he knew that her panther was just as restless as his bear. “Are you even hearing yourself? I was polite, and I didn’t speak to him any differently than I would’ve talked to anyone else. That’s so sexist of you to mistake kindness for flirtation.”

  “Even humans are animals to a degree,” he reminded her. “There’s biology at work here.”

  “That’s a weak argument, even for a shifter. And instead of chastising and blaming me, you ought to be thanking me for saving your ass. I kept the rest of the conclave and the guard from joining in the fray. I can’t even imagine what would’ve happened if this had gone any further than it did.”

  His lips tightened over his next argument. Gabe could come up with plenty of them, but he wasn’t making any headway. Emersyn had a comeback for everything. He let go of his anger a little, remembering that was something he’d liked about her. As a woman in the military, she’d caught plenty of shit despite her training and the work she’d done. She’d been willing and able to dish it right back, and that ferocity had caught his attention just as much as those smoldering eyes of hers. He continued the rest of the drive in silence.

  When they pulled back into the driveway, she finally spoke again. “Gabe, I can appreciate that you thought I might’ve been threatened in some way. I just think it should’ve been handled differently. It would make me feel a lot better if you gave me a chance to take care of myself—no matter if you’re seeing me as a mate or a coworker—before you jump in to save me. I’m not a delicate little flower, but I do know how to make myself sound like one if it might benefit the mission.”

  He shut off the engine, keeping his thumb and finger on the key. If only he could make her understand that it wasn’t that simple. They could assure the D.C. members that their past wouldn’t interfere with the present, but there was a huge difference between saying those words and actually following through with the promise. Emersyn did things to him. Her soul reached out and touched his in a way that no one else’s ever had. He couldn’t just let her go, but it was clear that forcing the situation wasn’t going to work, either. “Okay. I’ll try.”

  “Thank you.” She stepped out of the car and into the house.

  He watched her go, his eyes gliding over the gentle sway of her hips that she’d always had, even when she was operating in the middle of the desert on a dangerous mission. Did the woman truly understand just how much she affected him?

  6

  The morning dawned bright and beautiful over the hills, but Emersyn couldn’t appreciate it. She’d been up all night, and the day didn’t promise to be any better. Lucas whined and fussed in her arms, unable to cope with the fever that developed just before midnight and kept both of them awake. He clung to his mother, his little fingers digging into her flesh with a deep need that he didn’t quite understand and that even Emersyn couldn’t quite satiate. He pinched her skin as he pressed himself as hard against her as he could, still not happy.

  A gentle knock sounded on her door before Melody appeared. “Hey, I didn’t see you in the kitchen, so I thought I’d check on you. Is everything okay?” She shut the door behind her, frowning at the baby in concern. “He looks miserable!”

  “He is,” Emersyn sighed. “I’ve checked him over, and I think it’s just a virus. I’ve given him everything I can, but of course his symptoms only abate for a short time before they’re back again. I haven’t even been able to set him down to go to the bathroom.” When she’d tried, his screams had been so loud, she was afraid he’d wake the entire place.

  “Poor guy. You want to come see Aunt Melody?” She held out her hands, which Lucas normally went into so eagerly, but he only pressed his hot cheek against Emersyn’s chest. “Wow, he really doesn’t feel good.”

  “I hate to do it, but I think I’ll have to call in sick. He obviously wants to be with me, and I can’t head out on a mission if I know he’s feeling this way. God, this has just been such a terrible start to this job.” She wrapped her arms around her son and closed her eyes, wishing she could somehow make it all better.

  “I never did get a chance to hear how things went with you and Gabe yesterday. It’s funny. You’d think with us living in the same building we’d get to see each other more often, but the Force is keeping both of us pretty busy.”

  Emersyn made a disgusted sound. “Awful, actually. I wish we could just say we’re both mature adults who can put the past behind us, but he made a complete ass of himself and a mess of the mission.”

  Melody sat down on a chair, ready for the gossip with bright eyes. “What happened?”

  “He decided that the president was a little too interested in me. The jerk actually shifted and started a fight!” She sat down, once again recalling the horror that had flooded her system when she saw his half-bear, half-man form hurtling toward the two of them, his face twisted in anger. “I couldn’t believe it. The two of them were fighting in the middle of their living room like beasts out in the wild. I could tell the rest of his conclave was about to jump in and help, and there’s no telling what would’ve happened then. But I shifted myself, staved them off, and bit Gabe on the shoulder.”

  “Are you serious?” Melody clamped her hands over her mouth, but she couldn’t stop her laugh.

  “Unfortunately.” She’d been so angry with him, and it’d seemed like the fastest way to stop him at the time. It had worked, and of course he’d recovered quickly, but that didn’t make her any happier about it. “Then he had the nerve to argue with me in the car, still trying to say he was right.”

  Melody rolled her eyes and head to one side. “Well, the two of you had been mates. You told me what a pull he had on you, and we know how serious that is for people like us. We’re lucky to experience it once in a lifetime. You can’t completely blame him if he still feels something for you.”

  “Can’t I?” Emersyn was still pissed off enough that she didn’t want to give Gabe any allowances.

  “Yes. It’s not really a conscious decision, Em. Your body just tells you who the right person is, and it doesn’t matter if you agree. At least, that’s how I understand it. I’ve never been lucky enough to go through it myself.”

  “Or unlucky, as the case may be.” She sighed. “You might be right. I don’t know. I hope we find a way to get through it, that’s all. For the time being, I just need to get through the day. Do you think you could hold onto Lucas long enough for me to go talk to Garrison? I feel like I should have this conversation in person.” She’d already had to tell him all the details about their mission, and she hadn’t missed the look of disappointment on his face. Surely, this news was going to give him even more doubts about how suitable she was for the Force.

  “Of course.”

  Lucas fussed and cried as Emersyn put him in Melody’s arms, and when he didn’t settle down after being in the company of his caregiver, Emersyn knew she was making the right decision. She couldn’t possibly leave him like this. She slipped out the door as quickly as possible and found Garrison in the kitchen. Fortunately, he was alone.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his brows drawing together in alarm as soon as he saw her.

  “Yes, or at least mostly. Lucas is really sick, and I need to stay here with him today. I’m so sorry. I know this is bad timing, but I can’t leave him.” She felt a familiar pang of guilt in her stomach as she had to once again deal with choosing between work and her child.

  “That’s all right. I like to think the Force is pretty understanding about family l
ife.”

  “Right.” That was exactly why they’d allowed Melody to stay at the house, but she was glad he wasn’t trying to make her leave Lucas even though a sitter was technically available. “Thank you again.”

  “Um, if you have a minute, I’d like to talk to you about yesterday.” He held out a finger to stop her from running right back up the stairs.

  “Sure.” It was the absolute last thing she wanted to do, but she couldn’t exactly say no.

  Garrison rapped his knuckles on the kitchen counter. “Is there going to be a problem with you and Gabe? And before you answer that, know that this conversation won’t go outside the two of us. I know you both said it would be fine when we were in the meeting, but it’s different when you have an audience.”

  Emersyn picked up an orange from the bowl on the table and rolled it around in her hands. “I wish I knew how to answer that honestly. I think the two of us still need a little time to adjust to each other. Things didn’t go well at all yesterday, and we argued quite a bit when we first got back in the car. But I think we were on a more amicable footing by the time we got home, and that makes me hopeful that we can get it worked out.” There was certainly something to be said for the idea of both of them staying there, since it would make visitation a lot easier than traipsing back and forth across town.

  “Okay. If you’re sure. I don’t want to put more pressure on you than you can handle.” One corner of his mouth lifted in half a smile. “We’re all former soldiers, and we’ve seen some serious shit, but I don’t think it’s anything compared to navigating relationships. If you need anything, just let me know.”

  “I will. Thank you.” She snagged a cup of coffee before heading back upstairs.

  “Is there anything you need?” Melody asked when she returned. Lucas had been fussing the entire time, and Emersyn had heard him all the way down the hall. “Breakfast?”

  “That would be great.” She should’ve grabbed something while she was downstairs, but she’d been in a rush to get back to Lucas. “And, if it’s not too much hassle, could you go by the clinic and pick up some medication for me? I only had so much in my bag. I can send Louise a text and she can have it ready for you.”