Gramma and Ne-ma had been running Broomstick Inn for years. Neveah Wright was Gramma's best friend and she helped Gramma raise Jackson and his brothers after their parents passed away. She was Grandmother Neveah, or Ne-ma to them. Gramma and Ne-ma showered the Gray boys with love, and they wanted only the best for their four grandsons. They wanted their boys to find love and happiness, and they had not-so-secretly cast a happily-ever-spell for the Gray brothers.
The happily-ever-after spell was a dormant, benign spell, according to Gramma and Ne-ma anyway. A wish was all it took to trigger the spell.
Not all of Gramma and Ne-ma's spells had the desired result. Some were downright disastrous, but this happily-ever-after spell seemed to have worked all right. For his three elder brothers.
Jackson went back out to the dining hall and was about to ask Gramma and Ne-ma if they needed anything else done around the inn when the door chime sounded. The front door opened and a group of chattering ladies swooped into the inn and descended on Gramma and Ne-ma.
“Neveah, Glynda!”
“Hello, Rosalina! Hi, Gennifer!”
“Shanti, Meiling, come in!”
Hugs and kisses were exchanged and Gramma and Ne-ma hurried to settle their friends comfortably around the food-laden table.
Jackson greeted the elderly ladies politely as they smiled and cooed at him. He knew all of them. Rosalina was a Master Vampire of the Rose Coven of vampires. Gennifer was the Alpha of the Greenshorn pack of werecoyotes. And Shanti and Meiling were the human owners of a quaint, little boutique. They were also the members of a knitting group that Gramma and Ne-ma had just joined.
Ne-ma came to kiss Jackson on the cheek. “Thank you for helping us today, Jackson. But it's Saturday night. You should be out having fun, not hanging around a bunch of old ladies. Go!”
Gramma came to help Ne-ma shove him out the door. “Go on. Our book club meeting has started. Bye bye now! We love you!”
Jackson laughed and went to his car. He wasn't sure if those ladies would be talking about books or people the entire evening. Gramma and Ne-ma made it their business to know about everything that happened in their small town.
Jackson got in the car and started the engine. He usually chilled out at his favorite pub, The Thirsty Toadstool, with his workmates but the guys usually spent Saturday nights with their families or significant others. The construction crew of Gray's Domain was a fun, rowdy bunch and he liked working and hanging out with them. Jackson and Mason helped their big brother, Tristan in his construction business, while Aidan preferred a career in law enforcement. Aidan was the deputy sheriff and Mason was a member of the small volunteer firefighting force in Shadow Point. Those two thrived on action and adventure, whereas Jackson was content with a simple, homely life.
But at this moment, home felt a little too empty. Elle and Aidan were out on a movie date tonight. No one was home.
Jackson made a face as he adjusted his rear view mirror. For some inexplicable reason, he just didn't want to go home to an empty house tonight.
CHAPTER FOUR
Jackson drove past a nice, upscale restaurant and shrugged. The food was probably fantastic but overpriced, and the portions would be unbelievably tiny. He would finish whatever was on the plate in two bites and still be starving.
Nah, he was better off heading down to the diner down the road. Bear-sized burgers with fries that were thicker than his fingers. That was real food. Food fit for a bear.
His stomach, or was it his bear?—growled suddenly. Jackson frowned. His bear didn't surface often. His bear was a lot like him, laid back and easy-going. Some shifters had to let their animals out often or their beast could claw them to shreds from the inside. But his bear was happy to let the human side of him dominate, most of the time.
But at this very moment, his bear wasn't happy.
His bear was growly and angsty, pushing hard against his skin. His bear wanted out, and his bear demanded that he stop the damn car right now!
What the hell for? Jackson wanted to know.
Jackson pulled the car to a screeching halt at the side of the road and glared at the dim, empty road ahead. What was his bear up to? This road didn't even lead to the woods that surrounded the small town. There was nothing that could interest his bear here. The few small shops lining the road were closed, and his bear wasn't a shopaholic. His bear should be urging him on to the burger joint, and not insisting that he stop his car in the middle of a quiet road.
Jackson blew out a breath and scowled. His bear rammed against him, forcing him out of the car. Jackson scrambled out of the car before his cranky beast burst out of his skin and broke all the car windows.
“What the hell…?” He slammed the car door and looked around.
That was when he heard it.
A small sound, like a whimper or a sob.
Jackson sniffed the air, and his eyes widened at the scent. The scent was exquisite, unmistakable and strong.
She was female, human and...in terrible pain.
Jackson took another whiff and started to run. He followed the scent into a small side lane and found her.
The woman was sliding down a wall, clutching her belly and whimpering softly.
“M'am, are you okay?” Jackson rushed to help her. “Let me help you. What happened? Were you robbed, attacked…?”
“N-no,” the woman panted, gripping his hand so hard she almost crushed all his bones. “I...I think...I'm in labor...”
“What?”
“I'm going to give birth!” she wheezed, staring at him with wide, panicked eyes. “My baby...please...”
“I'll get you to the hospital right away.” Jackson bent down and gathered her in his arms. She was so small and soft in his arms and her belly didn't look very swollen. In fact, he couldn't even tell that she was pregnant under all her baggy clothes.
She was pale and her hands felt cold and clammy. She grimaced and bit down a cry as her body shuddered in pain.
“Hang on, M'am, you'll be fine. You and your baby will be just fine.”
Jackson arranged her carefully in the passenger seat and jumped behind the wheel.
He glanced at the trembling woman and floored the gas pedal. What was a pregnant woman doing in a dark, deserted lane all alone on a Saturday night? Where was her mate? Didn't he know that she was about to give birth?
Jackson could see his knuckles gleaming bone white on the steering wheel as he sped towards the hospital. He was mad as hell. He was mad that this young woman was alone and in agony, with no one to help her. If he hadn't found her, she might have given birth in that dark lane. She might have bled to death, or something. And her baby might not have survived. She might have run into some bad people, and a hundred horrible things could have happened. It was just unthinkable!
Jackson gulped and found his breathing quickening to match hers. His hands felt cold and clammy like hers, and he suddenly felt a clenching ache in his abdomen. He could feel his pulse racing and he was staring to hyperventilate.
“Calm down, just calm down...” he muttered. He wasn't sure if he was talking to himself or the woman.
Jackson glanced at the wheezing, whimpering woman. Her eyes were squeezed shut in pain and her fingers were furiously twisting the edge of her large, faded shirt. She was sweating and shivering as she tried to choke back her cries.
“Not now, baby...” she hissed through gritted teeth. “Mummy's not ready...”
Jackson made a strangled sound. Ready or not, her baby was coming. The woman was about to give birth!
What did he know about childbirth? Nothing, that's what! He couldn't help her.
Jackson stomped on the accelerator.
The only thing he could do right now was drive like a demon and get the woman to the hospital in time.
CHAPTER FIVE
Harper gazed down at her tiny son in her arms. Her son was a little premature, but he was perfectly healthy. It seemed half-shifter babies had a shorter gestation time in the womb.
“He's gorgeous,” the nurses cooed. “What's his name?”
Harper kissed her son's perfect little nose and said, “Jeremy.”
“That's a lovely name. Shall I get Jeremy's dad to come in now? He's been pacing the hospital corridor for hours!” one of the nurses quipped.
Harper started and almost screamed her protest. “J-Jeremy's dad...” She made a strangled sound and swallowed her terror.
“Yes.” The nurse smiled in understanding. “Big, blond, green eyes.” She chuckled. “I've seen this before. New mothers sometimes suffer from a temporary loss of memory. They remember nothing, and they only have eyes for their precious little one. One woman even stared at her husband and blurted, do I know you?”
Before Harper could stop her, the nurse opened the door and beckoned. “Come on in, Mr Gray. You must be so anxious to see your son!”
Harper stared at the tall, blond man at the door and released a shaky breath of relief. It wasn't Douglas. Douglas hadn't found her. He wasn't here to kill Jeremy.
But who was this handsome stranger?
Harper blinked as the man came forward and smiled. “We made it, eh?”
“We? Made it?” she repeated stupidly.
“Yeah. We made it to the hospital just in time. The little guy couldn't wait.”
“Oh. You...I remember.” She stared at him. “You're the kind stranger who helped me. I'm sorry. Hours of numbing, screaming labor has wiped out some of my brain cells. I couldn't remember...” She smiled in embarrassment. “But of course I remember you. You carried me to your car and rushed me to the hospital. Thank you. Thank you so much, Mr...”
“Jackson. I'm Jackson Gray. And I'm so glad to see that you and your baby are well.”
Harper smiled shyly at him. Jackson had the kindest, gentlest eyes she had ever seen. He was tall and strapping, with large, calloused hands and a tanned, muscular build. He was frankly quite gigantic and he towered over everyone in the hospital room. He pulled up a tiny chair and sat beside her bed. Harper realized that the chair wasn't tiny at all. It just seemed tiny compared to Jackson Gray.
“I'm Harper Clair and this is Jeremy.” She moved her son's little hand in a jaunty wave.
Jackson leaned forward and she thought she saw him sniff at Jeremy. Harper swallowed nervously and clutched her son tighter.
There was an unreadable emotion in Jackson's green eyes when he said, “He's a lion shifter.”
“He…?”
“Your son. Your son is half lion. You are human, so...”
Harper nodded. Jackson deserved to know the truth. She owed her son's life to him. “Yes. Jeremy's...biological father is a lion shifter.”
Her careful choice of words was not lost on him. “He's not your mate,” he said simply, almost smugly.
“No.” She took a sharp breath and said fiercely, “Neither is he Jeremy's dad!”
Jackson waited till the nurses have all left the room before asking, “What do you mean?”
Harper looked at the precious bundle in her arms. Her son yawned and stretched out a tiny hand to touch her face. Harper released a slow sigh. For her son's sake, she couldn't keep hiding and isolating herself from everyone. She had to start building bridges and friendships, and give him a normal, happy childhood. Children needed to have friends, neighbors, people who loved them in their lives.
She had to start letting people back into her life, into their lives. She was no longer alone. She had Jeremy.
She would start now.
Jackson deserved the truth. He had saved her, and there was no reason for him to hurt her and Jeremy.
As she pressed her little son to her heart, Harper told Jackson everything.
CHAPTER SIX
Jackson felt both his anger and his bear rise as he listened to Harper's story. The girl was young, barely twenty-one when she met Douglas, and he had seduced her and knocked her up. Instead of doing the right thing by her, the scum threatened her and tried to force her to terminate her pregnancy. And when she refused, he swore that he would kill her baby if she gave birth to the child.
Harper was right. Douglas wasn't Jeremy's dad. No dad would murder his own kid. Douglas was just a toadying, conniving scumbag. He wanted wealth and power, and he felt that Harper and Jeremy would be stumbling blocks to his ascension to the coveted Alpha position. And he didn't even earn the Alpha position himself. He was going to marry the Alpha's daughter and inherit the position. He had no spine at all! Jackson had to wonder if he was even truly a lion. A lion with no heart, no conscience, no spine and no balls.
Jackson could feel his claws digging into his palms when Harper told him how Douglas had tried to kill her with his bare hands one night when they were fighting. He had tried to persuade her to get rid of the baby again, and when it became clear to him that he couldn't manipulate and fool her anymore, he had lost it and grabbed her neck.
“He was going to kill me and my baby,” Harper whispered, closing her eyes at the horrific memory. “But I managed to run out and pound on my neighbor's door. My neighbor let me in and I stayed in her house the whole night. The next day, I packed all my things and left town. My neighbor gave me a lift to the bus stop but I didn't tell her where I was going. I couldn't risk it. Douglas might threaten her and she may just reveal my whereabouts inadvertently. I hid in another town for a month, before coming to Shadow Point. I thought…this town would be a good place to raise Jeremy. He'd fit in...”
“Yes. He will,” Jackson answered tightly. “You belong here, both of you.”
Harper's eyes widened a little and Jackson forced himself to gentle his tone. He didn't want to frighten her. She had already experienced too much fear and violence in her young life. No more. No more fear and tears.
From now on, Harper and her son would only know love, laughter and hopefully, happiness.
“Shadow Point is the perfect town for you and your son,” Jackson said, leaning forward. “You'll fit right in, and you can even get a job easily...”
“I...I had a job,” Harper stuttered. “I just lost it.”
Jackson's brows rose. “What happened?”
“I was fired from the restaurant. A customer spilled wine on her dress and blamed me. The manager fired me on the spot.”
“What's the name of the restaurant?”
“Grand Grill.”
“The manager there is a weasel. And I mean, literally and figuratively. Howard is a weasel shifter. And he likes to flatter and pander to his well-heeled customers. The Caldwell wolves patronize his restaurant, and Howard is really afraid of upsetting them.” Jackson snorted in derision. “And the Caldwell wolves are a pack of arrogant pricks.”
“Howard addressed the customer as Mr Caldwell,” Harper muttered, half to herself.
“You're better off not working at Grand Grill,” Jackson said firmly. “There are lots of nice restaurants and eateries in town. I'm sure you'll be able to get a job when you're ready. In the meantime, you have to rest and build up your health. The nurses told me to take good care of you.”
“They did?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh.” Harper began to blush and she stammered, “They thought...that you're my...um, husband or boyfriend...”
“Doesn't matter what they think,” Jackson interjected. “The important thing now is to keep you and Jeremy safe. You need people around you. You can't be all alone with a newborn. Where do you live, Harper?”
“I have a small rented place near Batcove Lane...”
“That area's not really safe,” Jackson snapped. “You shouldn't live there with your little baby...”
“Then where will I live?” she cried.
“With me.”
She opened her mouth but no sound came out.
“You'll come home with me. My Gramma, Ne-ma and sisters-in-law can help take care of you and Jeremy. And my brothers and I will protect you and keep you safe. You can count on us,” he promised.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Harper
hugged her baby and thanked the nurses for taking care of her. She'd had a smooth, normal delivery and she could go home today.
Harper thought of her cramped, dingy apartment and wondered how she could make it cozy and comfortable for her baby. Jackson had offered to let her live in his house, but surely the guy was just joking. He had only just met her. And he had done enough for her. She shouldn't trouble him any more.
“Um...about the hospital bill.” Harper turned to a matronly, smiling nurse. “Can I pay...by installments? I'm afraid...”
“Your bill's been fully settled,” the nurse answered. “You don't have to worry about it.”
Harper was about to ask another question when the door opened and Jackson strode into the room.
“All ready to go home?” he beamed.
“Jackson...”
“Jeremy's room is all ready! Gramma, Ne-ma and Elle repainted the entire room. They used a Quick-Paint spell, but...” Jackson began to laugh. “You should see it for yourself.”
“Jeremy's room? I...”
“Yeah. It's my room actually, but now...it's a nursery!”
Harper swallowed hard. Jackson and his family had gone to such lengths for her. They were welcoming her into their home without even having met her.
Overwhelmed, Harper wiped her eyes quickly and whispered, “Thank you, Jackson. Thank you...”
He smiled and touched her son's soft, downy hair very gently. “I'm sure Jeremy will love his room.”
“Would you like to hold him?” she asked quietly.
Jackson sucked in a breath. “Can I? You'd let me?”
“Of course.”
Carefully, she placed her son in Jackson's huge hands and watched the smile spread across his face. Jackson's eyes shone with wonder and joy as he cradled the sleeping infant. “You're safe, Jeremy,” Jackson muttered softly. “I'll keep you safe. I promise.”
Tempting The Bear: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Gray Bears Book 4) Page 2
