“Kiddo?”
“What’s death like?”
“You don’t have to choose death.”
“But you said—”
“I said your bears are willing to trade places with you. I didn’t say it was one of your choices. Your bears…your mates will live.”
Courtney turned and looked at her brother. “Exactly what choices are you talking about?” She raised an eyebrow at him.
“You and I are different.”
Courtney nodded. “Meaning we can see things most humans cannot.”
“Among other things. You actually tapped into the power inside you and used it to send the demon’s soul to hell, leaving its body easy to destroy. It will not be able to ever return to the mortal realm.”
“I did all of that?”
“It was probably your desire to protect that gave you the strength to tap into your power.”
Courtney sighed. “But what good those it do me now?”
A really large bear slowly lumbered up to Courtney. The old sow butted her head against Courtney’s hip. She sat down and stared at Courtney.
“Hello.” Courtney stared at the bear. She had never been this close to one. Heck, she hadn’t even seen Todd or Harrison’s bears.
The bear sniffed the air, and then rubbed its massive head against Courtney’s leg.
Courtney looked at her brother, and raised her eyebrows.
Hagen smiled at his sister. “Our grandfather had power too. So did mom, though she never used it. I think it scared her.”
“I take it, there’s a source to this power.”
“Straight to the point.” Hagen laughed.
“Sometimes it’s easier that way.”
“Our great-grandfather is the source of our abilities.”
“He’s the source? How’s that even possible?” She shook her head. “Are you telling me our great-grandfather was a—” She could not quite bring herself to finish the statement.
“A god.” Hagen finished it for her. He watched his sister grow pale and lean against the sow that had picked her.
“And it’s this…it’s because of him I have to make these choices.”
Hagen nodded. “Mother Bear is not happy with her mate’s actions with mortal women. It seems he like them a little too much.”
“We’re the result of an affair that some god had decades ago with our great-grandmother.” Courtney frowned.
“I have to go now. You don’t have much more time and you still need to see Mother Bear.”
“Don’t go.”
“I have to…at least, for now. I will watch over you.” Hagen walked over. He hugged her and planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I love you, kiddo.” He released her and walked away.
Courtney took a couple of steps toward his retreating form, but the bear got between her and Hagen and sat down. It chuffed at her, but refused to let her follow her brother.
“Okay, I get it. I can’t go with him. We have different paths to follow.”
The bear got up and walked a short distance away. It stopped and looked back at Courtney. The old sow made a series of chuffing noises.
“You want me to follow you.” Courtney shrugged her shoulders. “All right. Lead the way.”
Courtney followed the bear for a long time, until the bear finally sat down. Walking up to the bear, Courtney absent-mindedly scratched the bears head. “Now what?”
“Do you really want your bears happy, even if it means the find someone else to love?”
Courtney frowned. “You’re the voice I heard earlier. I thought you were a figment of my imagination.”
“I am real.” A tall woman with long, ebony hair stepped from behind a small grouping of trees. “Do you really want your bears happy with someone else?”
“Would I prefer them alive and safe with me? The answer is yes. But if I must die, I want them to find love again and have a family. Anyone who truly loves someone would want the same thing for that person.”
“But we can’t always have what we want. Sometimes we must accept the hand dealt to us by fate.”
Courtney rolled her eyes. “So says the woman who obviously was hurt by a man.”
“And how do you know this?”
Courtney shrugged her shoulders. “Just a lucky guess.”
“You can choose to live, but your bears will find someone else for a mate. They will have no memory of you, but you will remember everything and everyone.”
Courtney shook her head. “What the hell kind of choice is that?” She held up her hand. “No, wait. Don’t answer that because I don’t want to hear you sob story about how your man played the field.”
The woman’s dark eyes flashed with anger. “How dare you speak to me that way.”
Courtney looked around. She saw bears…lots of bears. She looked back at the woman. “So you’re the Great Mother Bear. Where were you when the demon started targeting shifters?”
“I was here, watching.”
“More like wallowing in your pity. I’m assuming your mate left you. You weren’t his true mate, were you?”
“He was my mate. I chose him.” The woman hissed.
“So why are you trying to make me suffer. What have I ever done to you?”
“You are his child.”
“Don’t you mean grandchild, or rather great-grandchild? I’ve never met the guy…god…whatever you want to call him.” Courtney shook her head. “Honestly, I never met him, and from the stories I’ve heard…and these are family stories…I know of a human female who suffered because of him.”
“No one has suffered as much as I have.”
“Don’t be so sure.” Courtney sat down on the ground next to the bear. “Great-grandmother ended up having a child out of wedlock during a time in human history when that was a huge taboo. Her family threw her out because she was a disgrace. She had no money. No place to live. No one to help her. She lived in a time when there were very few options for women, especially pregnant, unmarried women. But somehow she survived and raised her child to be a loving, caring person.” Courtney looked up at Mother Bear. “You weren’t the only one who suffered. Your mate left a whole string of pregnant women to suffer because he couldn’t keep it in his pants.”
Mother Bear sat down next to Courtney.
“You’re taking your anger out on children…innocent children and that makes you no better than he was. And you’re making your bears…the ones you’re supposed to care for and protect…you’re making them suffer because their mates happen to carry your mate’s blood.”
“His children must be punished.”
“Carrying his blood has caused them to suffer. That should be punishment enough.”
Mother Bear stared at the woman who dare speak to her this way. She looked at the bear who was already claiming her. “How have they suffered?”
“My dad left my mom because we were different. He couldn’t handle not having normal children. I grew up with only my brother, Hagen, for a friend because I was too weird for the other kids. They made fun of me. And then I’ve spent the last few months running because I’m being stalked by a demon, and the only reason he was after me is because of a bloodline I had no control of. My brother died because of that demon. Now, you’re telling me I have to choose between dying or living without my mates. How many of your bears have you taken away their mates? How many have just existed because of your actions?” Courtney leaned against the bear. She was so tired. She just wanted to close her eyes and go to sleep. “When does the suffering end?”
Great Mother Bear closed her eyes and bowed her head. “What have I done?” She thought about the others. She was no better than her mate was. Because of her anger and desire to make her mate pay for his behavior, she had hurt the very bears she had vowed to protect. How many lives had she ruined because of her anger? She closed her eyes and looked at her heart. She had made too many of her bears suffer because of her anger and hurt.
“Tell Todd and Harrison I love them and
I always will. Please give them a mate…someone you deem worthy enough for them. They don’t deserve to suffer because I’m not good enough for them.”
The bear pushed its huge body closer to Courtney. A long, low whine erupted from it.
Mother Bear looked from the bear to the dying woman. She leaned over and touched Courtney’s shoulder. “I am sorry. They will have a mate worthy of them.”
“It’s okay. We all have our faults.” Courtney pulled her arms tight against her body. “So cold. Please give Todd and Harrison a mate and cubs. They deserve to be happy. That’s all I’m asking.” Courtney’s voice quivered. “I love you, my bears. I love you,” she whispered as she slipped into the darkness.
* * *
“I’ve done everything I can.” Abby’s voice quivered and her hands shook with fatigue. “I just don’t know if it’s enough.” Tears ran down her cheeks. She leaned back into Skylar’s embrace.
Harrison nodded. He had seen enough trauma victims to know Courtney’s chances of survival were slim to none, even with the healing Abby had done. He gently brushed her hair away from her face, at least what was left of it. “I know it hurts, baby, but don’t leave me. I can’t live without you.” He softly caressed the only section of skin that was not torn, bloody, or swollen.
His bear put its head on the down. It whined for its mate.
Todd sat next to Courtney. He caressed her fingers. He wanted to gather her up in his arms and hug her to him, but he knew he could not pick her up. Her arms and legs were bent in too many odd angles. He would end up hurting her worse than she already was. “When the hell is the life flight team going to get here?” His voice shook. His bear had rolled onto its side. It just stared and whined.
The thump, thump of a helicopter slowly grew stronger.
“Take Abby to the road. Scott, go with them and show bring the flight crew here.” Harrison did not bother to look up. Nothing mattered, except Courtney. Tears ran down his face. In his mind, he could see her face filled with pleasure as he made love to her. It was not fair! They could not lose her, not when they just found her.
“Baby, you have to fight. You have to stay with us. We still need to talk about all the cubs we’re going to have,” whispered Todd. He stared into Courtney’s broken face. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He hadn’t even had a chance to tell her…to show her how much he loved her.
“Shit! Anderson, what happened?”
Harrison looked up at Maggie Stewart, one of the flight nurses. “This is Courtney Greenwood, our mate. The man who kidnapped her threw her off the mountain.”
“I hope he’s dead.”
“He is,” said Todd.
“I need both of you to move. We’re going to stabilize her and move her out as quick as we can.” Maggie nodded to the medical team with her.
“I’m going with you.”
Maggie nodded. “You know the drill. Let me, and my team, take care of Courtney.”
After several touch and go moments, Courtney was finally loaded onto the helicopter and on her way to the hospital.
* * *
Mother Bear looked at the woman lying in the bed. All sorts of wires and tubes ran from her body to the machines surrounding her. Mother Bear closed her eyes and slowly opened them again. This broken creature looked nothing like the woman who had destroyed a demon and stood up to a goddess.
Mother Bear looked at the two men who refused to leave their mate’s side, even though they were beyond the point of exhaustion. Mother Bear sighed. Their bears did not even acknowledge her. They were lifeless. Mourning for their mate.
Something warm rolled down her check. She touched it with her fingers. She stared at the wetness on her fingertips.
Tears.
She knew they were tears.
It had been centuries since the last time she had shed tears.
Mother Bear turned her attention back to Courtney. She reached into the deerskin pouch hanging from her belt. The object glowed and illuminated the room. She held it up to her lips and blew on it. The glowing object turned into a shimmering cloud. It drifted over Courtney and sank down. First, it covered her, and then it soaked into her.
“I do not have to find someone who is worthy of your bears. They already found that person. I was the one who was not worthy of my bears. Rest and heal. May you have a long life and many cubs with your mates, my little warrior.” She turned and was gone.
Epilogue
Six months later…
“Are you sure? You’re not teasing me or anything?” Courtney nervously chewed her bottom lip.
“Just make sure Todd and Harrison are with you when you shift for the first time.” Doctor Sally Anderson smiled at Courtney. “I’m not going to lie. Your body is still mending, so the shift is going to hurt.”
“But afterwards?”
“Afterwards, when you shift back, most of your body should be healed. Abby can heal anything the shift doesn’t.”
“And the other?” Courtney turned several shades of pink. It was embarrassing to talk to a doctor about her sex life, but it was more so because her doctor happened her mother-in-law.
“Just take it slow. Nothing too rough. You do need to hold off on getting pregnant for another six months. As much as I want grandchildren, I want to make sure you are strong enough to handle the stress of a pregnancy.”
“No rough stuff, no cubs, and make sure Todd and Harrison are with me when I shift for the first time. Got it!” Courtney smiled. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.
“I’ll let Todd and Harrison know you will be out in a few minutes.” Sally hugged her daughter-in-law before she left.
We finally get to play with our mates? Courtney’s bear turned her head slightly sideways.
Yes, we finally get to play with them.
Her bear stood up and stretched. Good. Ready for real exercise. Not the stupid stuff you have been doing.
Courtney rolled her eyes. Her bear had grumbled from day one about the physical therapy, and about not being able to play with her mates, but Courtney’s body had to heal and strengthen. Courtney shuddered at the thought of all the pain she had gone through. She still had aches, but nothing like when she first woke up. We have to take it slow, and no rough stuff or cubs yet.
Her bear grunted.
The door to the examine room opened.
“Are you ready?” Harrison walked into the room followed by Todd.
“Almost. I just need to put on my shoes.”
“You don’t need them,” Todd grinned. He picked Courtney up.
“Put me down before you hurt yourself.”
“You’ve done enough walking today. You need to rest.” Todd kissed her lips.
Courtney sighed.
“Where’s my kiss?”
Courtney rolled her eyes. “Come and get it.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.
He leaned down and claimed her lips.
“Just wait until I get you both home,” she said when Harrison ended the kiss. “I’ve got a clean bill of health. We just have to take it a little easy and no cubs yet.” She smiled at her mates.
Mother Bear gave them to her to protect and love until the end of time, and she planned to do just that.
About the Author
Rayne Rachels lives in Texas with her husband. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, photography, going on road trips, flea markets, and playing poker.
http://raynerachels.blogspot.com
Other Books by Rayne Rachels
Lisa’s Bear (Bryant Station Curves: Book 1)
Chasing Tara (Bryant Station Curves: Book 2)
Abby’s Heart (Bryant Station Curves: Book 3)
Reluctantly Undead (Reluctantly Undead: Book 1)
ok with friends
Saving Courtney (Bryant Station Curves Book 4) Page 11
