Complete Bear Creek and Bear Bluff Box Sets: Including brand new exclusive book Best Man Bear

by Harmony Raines

  Teeth and claws, protecting herself, she got to her feet, her back legs shaking under the sudden strain. Hal earned himself another scratch, this time along his arm. He cursed as the blood dripped from him. Then his blood froze: the wolf before him seemed to have forgotten he was trying to help her. Instead, she stood licking her lips. The scent of his blood must have been too strong and now she wanted to taste his flesh.

  All he could do was change into his bear and take her down, hopefully with little bloodshed. However, the chances of his cabin remaining intact were slim. And when it was the only thing protecting them from the elements, he couldn't allow her to do too much damage.

  Yet when the wolf braced herself ready to spring forward, he knew he had to act.

  Chapter Four – Fiona

  Confusion filled her brain. Where was she? What was she? Her body wasn't her own, it was all sluggish. How she had come to be lying on the floor in a strange house, she couldn’t remember. All she knew was that a man she didn’t know was crouched over her—touching her!

  Instinct kicked in, she needed to protect herself. Teeth bared, she stood facing him, her claws already having inflicted damage to his chest and arm. The scent of his blood filled her nostrils. She had never killed a man before, but she had never felt more wolf before. Her blood pumped through her veins, to the steady rhythm of the words—kill, kill.

  He had dared touch her, no doubt violate her, in her unconscious state. He sickened her and he would pay dearly. Ready to pounce, she licked her lips, tasting his scent on her tongue. In that split second she knew him, his scent carrying every detail she would ever need to know about him. He was her mate, the man she had saved herself for.

  All the memories of the last couple of hours flooded into her brain. Being chased, the snow, the feel of his hands on her face. Every second of it came back to her. She knew who she was, the other side of herself. The part she had nearly forgotten. In her mind, she formed the image of her human form and this time when she stepped into it, she had the strength to take hold of it, to control it. As her wolf readied to spring at him, her other self took over. The energy crackled and she saw the look of confusion on his face. Then she separated from this world to return as a woman, falling into his arms.

  He caught her, holding her in his arms when her legs no longer supported her. Picking her up, he took her into a room, his sitting room, where he placed her on a sofa. To help warm her chilled body, he dragged the sofa closer to the wood-burning stove that heated the cabin. Then he went and got blankets, covering her with them carefully, his hand resting on her for a moment.

  “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely a whisper. “I would be dead if you hadn’t found me.”

  “I had no choice,” he answered. “You know that. You feel it too.”

  She paused, but there was no way she could deny it. “Yes. I’m sorry I’ve brought this on you.”

  “Brought what on me? We are mates. That’s all that matters. You can tell me why you were on the mountain when you’re stronger. All you need to know now is that you’re safe.”

  “I don't know if you can protect me.”

  “You are in Bear Creek now and you are my mate. If anyone comes for you, it won't just be me they have to deal with. Anyway. They most probably think you’re dead. Nothing would survive out there in this storm. Maybe that’s for the best.”

  “Maybe,” she murmured. She knew he was right. Until some control returned to her clan, she was safer here with him. Her eyes grew heavy; she needed to sleep, to forget about everything that had happened, everything but him.

  When sleep took her, she welcomed it, although once or twice she woke, bad dreams chasing her out of her slumber. Each time he was there, watching over her. Each time he looked more tired than the last. Eventually she lifted the covers and said, “Why don't you lie here with me?”

  He hesitated. “I don't want to disturb you.”

  Then she realised there wasn’t much room on the sofa. “Where do you sleep?”

  “I’ll show you.”

  With that he picked her up, carrying her out of the living room and along a short hallway to his bedroom. In his arms, she trembled with anticipation. They were bonded mates and there was only one thing bonded mates did in the bedroom, apart from sleep. Was that what he expected now, after everything they had gone through? Her invitation for him to lie next to her had not been for anything other than comfort. Not sex.

  He took her to his bedroom, which was sparsely furnished. It contained only his bed and a small closet, hand-carved from wood. She wondered if he had carved it, with his large, capable hands. Fiona had to swallow down her desire to have him place those capable hands on her naked body. She wasn’t ready for that. Not tonight. She was about to voice her concerns when he placed her down on the bed.

  Tilting her face to his, she opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it. “Scoot across and try to sleep. I’ll build the fire up so that we don’t get cold. We both need a long sleep. Whatever is after you won’t get far in this storm.” He placed his hand under her chin, stroking it absently. “You are safe here.”

  “I know,” she said and moved across the bed, shivering again with cold. She longed for him to climb in beside her and press herself against his body for warmth. Instead, she amused herself by watching him feed the fire, stoking it up to a roaring blaze so that the room soon warmed. Then he carefully built it up so that it would burn all night. It reminded her of her desire for him. A burst of desire and then a deep-seated need that would last for the rest of their lives. If he would have her. That question still hung in the air.

  As her eyes closed, she felt the bed dip under his weight and then the warmth of his body next to hers. He smelt of wood smoke, mixed with a masculine scent all his own. It was what made him unique; she breathed it in deeply, finding comfort in the rise and fall of his chest and the steady beat of his heart. It lulled her to sleep; this time no bad dreams invaded her peace—he was right, she was safe. For now, at least.

  ***

  Outside the storm raged, snow falling thick and fast; nothing could make its way through that. She knew, she had tried. Their tracks and her scent would be gone from the mountain and she very much doubted she was worth enough to them to risk their lives for.

  He was right she would be presumed dead; her family would mourn her and she would live here in this cabin with her mate. Those thoughts both comforted her and saddened her as sleep fell away and she opened her eyes. Next to her, the big muscled body of her mate lay, his breathing slow and steady. He was still asleep and she took this opportunity to look at him properly for the first time. The light coming through the window was enough for her to make out his features clearly.

  His skin was tanned, a deep golden brown, no doubt from his days up here in the mountain. She could imagine him in the warm summer sunshine, shirt off, chopping wood for the winter with his axe. His toned muscles bunching as he raised it above his head and then brought it down with his full strength. She couldn’t help running her fingers across his biceps, following the contours down over his chest. With his dark hair, long and shaggy, he looked wild and virile. His features were softened by rich, natural mahogany highlights threaded through his hair. They stopped him looking brooding and moody.

  Curling up her fingers, she had to pull her hand back to stop herself from running them through his silky hair. There was nothing about him she didn’t like, except perhaps that he was a bear. If he had been a wolf then the clan would have had no reason to object to this mating. And her cousin would have no reason to pursue her. Maybe it wouldn’t matter and they would give up anyway, once they knew she was mated.

  If he mated with her.

  “Do you like what you see?” he asked, his chest rumbling as he spoke in a low growl.

  “I ... yes,” she admitted.

  “Good,” he said simply.

  He turned to her and they locked eyes, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Although she hoped tha
t it was how much he would like to stare at her body and explore it with his hands. But when he rolled out of bed, she knew he didn’t find her attractive. Her body was too round and her hair and complexion too pale. Next to him, she looked almost translucent.

  “I am starving,” he said, going to the fire and stoking it before adding some more wood. “Stay there and rest and I’ll make some breakfast.”

  “I can help,” she said.

  “No. I want you to rest. Then when we’ve eaten, I would like to know all about you. And why you were out there in the storm.”

  She huddled back down under the covers, suddenly cold now he wasn’t there beside her. Watching him pull on a shirt and then a sweater, she couldn’t believe he was hers. But he wasn’t, she reminded herself. Just because he had rescued her, didn’t mean he would claim her. When he found out the potential trouble she would bring to his door, then he would no doubt turf her out into the snow.

  No, that was unfair. He seemed a genuine guy. He would probably take her back to her clan and think she was safe. But he didn't know they were her biggest danger. While she lay listening to him clatter around in the kitchen, she tried to figure out exactly what she should tell him.

  Chapter Five – Hal

  Opening the cupboards, he tried to decide what he could make for her. Right now, he wished he had managed to get the pack back here with them. Although he didn’t beat himself up over it, he knew how close they had come to losing their lives. He could go out and retrieve it later today if the storm blew itself out.

  “Porridge it is, then,” he said to himself. Getting a pan out, he mixed up some powdered milk with water and then added the oats. It wasn’t the best thing in the world but it was warm, and if he added honey and some dried fruit, it should give them an energy boost. Plus, it was quick. And he really wanted to lie in his bed next to her. He didn’t want any more than that, not until she was sufficiently recovered.

  “If she’ll have you,” he said as he stirred the porridge. “I mean, who could say no to a lonely mountain bear?” Shaking his head at his own worthlessness, he fetched two bowls. They were old, the pattern worn from too much use, but thankfully not chipped, unlike the two mugs he poured coffee into. Everything in the cabin was old and tired, but he liked the familiarity of it.

  Hal loved everything about living here. But he knew it was not to everyone’s taste, especially a woman who was the prettiest thing he had ever seen. Her hair was as silver as the moon that shone high above the mountain peaks. Her skin as pale as the snow outside. She was the opposite of him in every way. He was dark, his hands worn and hard from work. Chopping wood and moving rocks had left him with calluses which would be too rough against her delicate, soft skin.

  Grabbing the pan and removing it from the heat, he poured it into the bowls, sweetening the porridge with wild honey. He knew the mountains so well. Every summer he would visit the wild bees, collecting honey they had made from the heather growing on the moorland areas on the lower slopes. It was one of his favourite things, tramping around his mountain with no one but the birds and deer as company.

  Sighing, he sprinkled on the dried fruit. What did he possibly have to offer a woman? Especially since there was a good chance her wolf clan would disown her when they knew her mate was a bear. It was tough going outside of your clan. Even mixing between Bear Creek and Bear Bluff was frowned on—but interspecies, that would not sit well. Not that it bothered him. But he knew the wolves had a certain pride; they thought they were better than bears.

  Juggling the bowls and mugs of coffee, he went back to the bedroom, to find her lying staring at the fire, deep in thought. For a moment, he paused and took in the beauty of her. Then she looked up, her blue eyes startling against her white skin.

  “That smells good,” she said, sitting up and pulling the covers up to her chest.

  “I’m short on rations. I need to go back out and get my pack when the weather breaks.”

  “I’m sorry that you lost it.”

  “It’s OK. We won’t starve, but it means that we might be eating a lot of stodgy porridge.”

  She smiled and his heart skipped a beat. “That’s OK. I like porridge. Maybe I’m Goldilocks.”

  He laughed. “You might well be, but just remember—there is only one bear for you.”

  She froze at his words. He had blown it by talking to her as though she was already his. Just because they were bonded, did not mean he could force himself on her, no matter how much his bear demanded it.

  Chapter Six – Fiona

  Had she somehow misread his words, or did he really mean she was his? Her throat contracted and she struggled to breathe. This what she had always wanted, to be loved by her true mate.

  Her grandmother had often sat her down and told her tales of how she would meet the right man. Then, as years turned into decades and decades into centuries, she had given up hope. Yet he had been here, all along, only a short climb over a mountain, the same mountain she had sat and stared at for years. The place where she had always been forbidden to go because to cross the mountain pass would be to trespass into Bear Creek. The last clan alpha had said the bears there were mean-spirited and angry at being born as lesser beasts.

  Wolves always thought so much of themselves. Except Fiona, who knew all her shortcomings; they stared back at her every time she looked in the mirror. No man in Wolf Valley looked at her twice, not that it bothered her. Then Kurt had been fed up of her “being on the shelf.” In a bid to gain rank within the pack he had put her forward as a mate to a tiger shifter who was in need of a willing virgin. Well, she hadn’t been willing, although she was a virgin.

  “Eat it before it gets cold.”

  His words broke through her thoughts, and she spooned some of her breakfast into her mouth. It tasted a lot better than it looked, the warm sweetness spreading through her body, giving her renewed energy. They sat together in the warm bed, silent as they ate. She was sure they were both thinking the same thing. What happens now?

  He took her bowl from her and passed her a mug of hot coffee. “Thank you,” she said. “That was just what I needed. It feels as though I haven’t eaten for days.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it?”

  She studied the steam coming off her coffee. “I don't know where to start.”

  “The beginning is always the best place. I’m a simple man with nowhere to go, so take your time. I need all the facts so that I know what I am up against.”

  She sighed, trying to sort her thoughts out into some coherent form. Where did it start?

  “First we should introduce ourselves. I don’t even know your name,” he said, when she didn't speak.

  “Fiona,” she said.

  He held his hand out for her to shake. “Hello, Fiona. Pretty name. I’m Hal.”

  “Nice to meet you, Hal.” She shook his hand, watching as he took hers and squeezed it gently, and then pressed his lips to the back of it. Shuddering, she felt the first tendrils of desire begin to uncoil in her stomach. She wanted to feel his lips pressed against hers. To taste him and know him, everything about him.

  “So why were you in Bear Creek?” he asked gently.

  Fiona wanted to pull away from him, was this his way? Make her at ease and then try to get information from her? No. He wasn’t her cousin. Hal was honest and wanted to help her, because it was his duty. She would have to get used to that.

  “Members of my clan chased me here.”

  “Why?”

  “I have been searching for ... you, for a long time. My cousin, Kurt, wanted to do a deal with a tiger. So he thought that seeing as how my mate had never appeared, that I should be given to the tiger in exchange for power.”

  “What power?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. There is trouble among my clan. The old alpha died some time ago and there has never been a new one.”

  “Don’t they vote on that kind of thing?”

  She laughed. “Vote? Wolf Valley is not
a democracy. There is a chosen one. But for some reason, no one in Wolf Valley was chosen. So the traditions have fallen by the wayside and there are constant power struggles.”

  “And this tiger?”

  “He offered Kurt something that would give him leverage. That’s all I know. In return, the tiger wanted a willing virgin.” She stopped short. Now she had told him how inexperienced she was. Ducking her head, she blushed.

  He stroked his finger under her chin, sending shockwaves through her body. Tilting her chin up, he said, “I’m so glad you told me that.”

  His thumb brushed her lower lip. She opened her mouth and sucked it in, drawing back so it slid out slowly, her lips maintaining their pressure. She might just as well of slapped him in the face, she thought. He pulled back, getting up and taking the bowls out, leaving her feeling foolish. This was why she should have given herself to another man first, so that when she met her mate she would be able to please him in the bedroom. An old virgin was never attractive.

  Feeling awkward, and fed up of feeling like an invalid, she got out of bed and wrapped herself in a blanket. Then she padded out to find him, to apologise for her behaviour. Following the sound of him washing dishes, she made her way along the short hallway. Noting another two doors leading off it, she figured one of them must be the bathroom. That had to be her first stop.

  The first door she tried opened up into a small but serviceable bathroom, clean and warm. Switching on the tap she was glad to find the water hot and spent a while cleaning the dirt off her face. Why hadn’t she known she had smudges all over it?

  Rubbing them off, she went over what had happened in her head. When Kurt had surprised her, she had fallen to the ground before changing into her wolf. It had been a lucky escape; she remembered sliding through Kurt’s hands as he grabbed her. It was only by luck she had avoided his buddies.

  Taking off into the forest, she had run swift and fast. All her life she had been one of the fastest wolves in Wolf Valley. It had meant they had no chance of stopping her, and she had just kept on running, which was why she had ended up in Bear Creek.