Silverback Bear (Return to Bear Creek Book 10)

by Harmony Raines

  “And what about you?” Elizabeth hadn’t had time to think about the implications of living with a man who fostered children. Was it something she could learn to enjoy? Would she have to accept being called names because of her birthmark? She knew not all kids were cruel, but those that were could cut deep with their taunts.

  “I planned to. After Louise and Zak move into their own place.” He threaded his fingers through hers as he took her hand once more. “But that is now a joint decision.”

  “I’d have to give it some thought.” It was an honest answer. She couldn’t make such a huge decision, without first learning all the job entailed. Not that it was exactly a job, more of a way of life.

  He lifted her hand and kissed the sensitive skin covering the back of it. “There’s no hurry. No need to make any decisions now.”

  “I know it’s your passion…” Elizabeth pulled her hand out of his. This was all a dream; she’d thought that they would simply fit into each other’s lives, but it wasn’t as simple as that. For most couples, it would be a matter of discussing where they lived, and how they would fit in around each other's jobs. But for Elizabeth and Dean, it went much deeper. He loved fostering, and she had no idea if she was capable of being a foster parent.

  “It’s OK. You are my passion too.” He pulled her toward the back door and she was glad when he opened the door and they went out into the cool night air.

  He walked sure-footedly in the dark, and she followed him across the grass to a bench in the corner of the garden. The moon had risen high in the sky, its light shining down brightly. Not the best night for stargazing, but when Dean put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder, it didn't matter. She was where she was supposed to be and if she closed her eyes, she was certain she could see her own galaxy of stars. Her mind exploded in a riot of color as she snuggled next to him. He ignited her passion, and her need for a deeper meaning to her life.

  Placing her hand on his, where it rested in his lap, she said, “I know how much fostering means to you. I know how important it is, too, from what Suzie tells me. I just need to think how I fit into all this. I want to try to open myself up to everything life has to offer. Everything you have to offer.”

  “We’ll take it slow. Together.”

  “I just don’t want you to resent me, if fostering is something I can’t do,” Elizabeth said.

  “Never.” He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. “Look, if it wasn’t for the shifter mating bond, we would’ve met, talked some, gotten to know each other, and figured out our lives together over months, if not years.”

  “And we are on fast forward.” Elizabeth was still sure this was all a dream. Until it sunk in properly that Dean was in her life, making any decision was going to need time.

  “Exactly.” He pulled away from her and stood up. She immediately missed the warmth of his hands around hers. “My bear wants to meet you.”

  That was the strangest sentence she had ever heard. “I would like to meet him too.” Her voice didn’t sound as excited as she felt inside. It wobbled with nerves. And who wouldn’t be nervous about meeting a bear?

  “He won’t hurt you.” Dean looked around. “It’s dark enough that no one else will see me.” He held out his hands as he backed away. “But please don’t scream. Because if someone did happen to see a big grizzly bear here with you, they might think I’m trying to eat you. I don’t want to be shot, or pepper-sprayed.”

  “I’m not the screaming type,” Elizabeth assured him.

  “Have you ever come face to face with a bear before?” he asked.

  “Nope, funnily enough, I haven’t.” She moved to sit in the center of the bench. “But I’ve always thought it would be amazing.”

  “He likes you a lot already,” Dean told her. “And is out to impress.”

  “He has an ego?”

  “Oh, yeah.” Dean grinned. “Stay right there. You’ll see for yourself”

  He stood up straight, and after one last look around, turned back to face her. Then the most incredible thing happened: the air around Dean shimmered, and she heard a faint popping and sizzling before her newfound mate disappeared from this world.

  Elizabeth held her breath. For some reason, she had not anticipated this. She wasn't sure what she had thought would happen, but disappearing entirely had not been it. Then, just before she began to panic, thinking Dean had gotten lost in… well, wherever it was he’d disappeared to, a large dark shape, low to the ground, began to loom in front of her.

  “Amazing.” Elizabeth leaned forward but didn’t get up. She didn’t want to spook him. She should have asked Dean who exactly the bear was. Was it Dean inside a bear body, or a wild bear? Dean had said his bear wanted to meet her; that made it sound as if they were separate entities.

  However, when the bear had fully materialized and approached her slowly, she could see the shadow of Dean in his eyes. They were the same, linked on some molecular level she would probably never comprehend.

  Dean was like her little bit of magic.

  “Can I stroke you?” Elizabeth extended her hand but waited for the bear to give her permission in whatever way he chose. The bear turned his head to one side and looked at her kind of funny, before taking a step closer and reaching out his snout. She edged forward and touched the tip of his nose, before running her hand along his snout and up between his eyes to stroke his forehead.

  “You are all kinds of handsome,” she crooned as her hand smoothed his fur. The bear closed his eyes in bliss. “You like that, huh?”

  Elizabeth, feeling braver, got up and stood by the side of the bear. He was huge, much bigger than she expected; his shoulder was nearly as tall as hers. If she had met him in the wild, she would have been terrified, but here in Dean’s backyard, knowing it was Dean inside this bear, she felt safe, protected.

  “You wouldn’t let anything hurt me, would you?” she asked, and then leaned forward and buried her face in his thick luxurious fur. As she pulled back, she ran her hand across his back. “You have silver hair.” It was true, the ends of his fur were a silvery color, and as she pulled back and the moon shone down on him, Elizabeth could see his silver-tinged fur more clearly.

  It made him unique.

  Elizabeth sank down onto her knees and wrapped her arms around the bear’s neck and cuddled him as if he were a giant plush toy. “One day, will you show me the mountains?”

  The bear turned to her and nodded before licking her hand. Then he pulled away and walked a few steps backwards from her before the air shimmered once more, and the man she was falling in love with, stood looking at her.

  “We would be honored to take you into the mountains. How about tomorrow?” Dean asked.

  “I have to meet Suzie at Bear Brides for her last fitting.” Elizabeth could just make out the vague silhouette of the mountains in the moonlight. “But I’m free in the afternoon.”

  “The afternoon it is.” He took her hand and they walked back to the house. “I’ll make a picnic.”

  “I’d like that.” She stopped outside the back door. “I should go.”

  “Are you going to stay with Suzie?”

  “Yes. I think it might be a good idea. Since I’m going to Bear Brides with her anyway.” Elizabeth moved to take off his coat and sweater.

  “No, keep them on. Give them back to me tomorrow. Or give me them back never.” He leaned forward and kissed her lips. “What is mine is yours.”

  “Dean, I…” She looked into his eyes and saw the deep, deep longing lodged there, and let her words slip away. It didn’t matter what she said. That was the truth he lived by now.

  And part of her was ready to live by that same truth. Their lives were gradually entwining, and she wanted them to be bound together forever. And ever.

  “Goodnight,” she said hoarsely and kissed his cheek, before turning and walking away without looking back, because to look back would be to give into temptation.

  As she got in the car,
she caught her reflection in the rearview mirror, and put her hand to her face. Not once this evening had she even thought about the raised red mark on her face. It didn’t matter to Dean, and at last, she thought that maybe it didn’t have to matter to her.

  Chapter Eight – Dean

  “Hey, how are you?” Dean hugged Louise as she entered the kitchen, Zak following with Storm asleep in his arms. “I’m sure she has grown.” It was late, and they all looked tired. Maybe his news should wait until the morning.

  “We’ve only been gone for a few days,” Louise told him, hugging him back. “She missed you, though.”

  “And I missed her.” Dean crossed the kitchen to take a closer look at Storm, who sensed his presence and lifted her head to give a sleepy smile before sleep pulled her back.

  “I’m going to take her up to bed,” Zak said, slipping back out of the door before he poked his head back in. “Did something happen?”

  “Like what?” Dean asked, color creeping to his cheeks.

  “It did.” Zak’s voice rose in pitch and Storm started, looking around.

  “Hey, go take her to bed, I’ll make some coffee, and then Dean can tell us his news,” Louise ushered Zak up the stairs, before coming to stand in front of Dean. “Are you OK?”

  “I am perfectly OK.” Dean cracked a grin and then broke into a chuckle. “Are you hungry?”

  Louise sniffed the air. “You’ve been cooking.”

  “I have to eat,” Dean insisted.

  “Usually when you are eating alone you make do with something less extravagant.” Louise opened the fridge and looked at the leftovers. “So who is she?”

  “I’m going to wait until Zak comes back down and then we’ll talk.” Dean put a fresh pot of coffee on. “Unless you would rather have wine?”

  “I’d like some tea, actually. And I might just run up and change into my PJs.”

  “OK, take your time.”

  “Are you joking? I can’t wait to find out what you’ve been up to while we’ve been gone.” She left the kitchen, shaking her head. “Five days. We can’t even trust you alone for that long.”

  “You sound like my mother,” Dean called after her good-naturedly.

  He listened to Louise go upstairs and got busy making tea, and pouring the coffee. He also dug out some cookies, which he set on the kitchen table. By the time Louise and Zak reappeared in the kitchen, he was sitting down trying to figure out what he was going to say.

  “So?” Louise asked, sliding into the chair opposite him.

  “So…” He sipped his too-hot coffee, and then put the mug down on the table. “I’ve met someone.”

  “Someone…” Louise glanced sideways at Zak with a knowing look.

  “He means his mate,” Zak told her with a grin.

  “I know.” Louise shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to be a shifter to read that on Dean’s face.”

  “I forget how good you are at reading people,” Zak conceded, and smirked at her before drinking his coffee.

  “Maybe it’s from hanging around with animals all day. It makes you guys easy to read.” She looked at Dean expectantly. “So? Or are you going to leave us in suspense?”

  “It’s Suzie’s mom.”

  “Hot damn,” Louise said, placing her mug down on the table. “How about that!” Her face flushed with happiness. “That makes us as good as family to Suzie.”

  Dean had treated Louise as more of a daughter than any other child he had fostered, to the point that when she turned eighteen he let her and Storm stay, even though he had received no funding from Social Services. There was no way he was going to let them go out into the world alone. As the months had gone by, he knew she started to see him as the father she wished she’d had. And he could not be happier that Louise saw herself as part of his family.

  “It does.” He grinned, unable to contain his happiness. “I took a rose bush over to Karen’s garden, and there she was.”

  “I’m so very happy for you.” Louise pushed her chair back and got up to come and give him a hug.

  “Me too, Dean,” Zak said. “Me too.” He looked at Louise, and they exchanged a look Dean could not fathom.

  “Looks as if you two kids have your own news.”

  Louise slipped back into her seat. “We do. At least, it’s something we’ve talked about while we were on vacation.”

  “And that is?” Dean asked.

  “We’re getting married. Soon.” Zak took hold of Louise’s hand and pressed his lips to it. “Because we have some other news.”

  Dean didn’t have to be a mind reader to guess what it was, Louise’s glowing face said it all. But he let them tell the news anyway.

  “I’m pregnant,” Louise said, her eyes brimming with tears.

  “I hope those are because you are happy.” Dean reached for a tissue and passed it to her.

  “I am. I mean, I was never sure when we first met, but lately, well, we both knew we wanted Storm to have a brother or sister. And it kind of happened quicker than we thought.” Louise looked apologetic, although she had no reason to feel that way. Zak looked like the proudest man in the world.

  “Wow, this house is going to be full to bursting,” Dean remarked, which induced another exchange of glances. “You’re moving out.” He wanted to save them the need to find the words to tell him.

  “We’ve talked about it. There’s a house overlooking the creek. It would make a good family home. And it’s a five-minute walk away. I know how much Storm loves you. So we want to be close.” Now he knew why Louise had looked so apologetic.

  “We didn’t want to leave you rattling around here alone. But we didn’t think it was fair to take over your house. You’ve always fostered kids… We don’t want to be the reason you stop.” Zak shrugged. “We’d stay if you wanted us to.”

  “I’m not going to ask you to leave, this is your home. But you have your own lives. I always figured you two would want your own place someday.” He wanted them to know how much he loved them all. And he also needed them to know he didn’t expect them to hang around because of him. “You two are on the cusp of a new life. Literally.”

  “And so are you.” Zak laughed. “You old dog, I never thought I’d see the day.”

  “Thanks.” Dean tried to sound as if Zak had hurt his feelings, but he was too happy. Much too happy. The taste of Elizabeth was still on his lips, the scent of her still in the air. OK, so maybe it was his imagination, but it was as real to him as if she were sitting here in his kitchen.

  “When can we meet her?” Zak asked, leaning forward excitedly.

  “Well, she’s coming over tomorrow afternoon. We’re going for a picnic on the mountain.”

  “Romantic,” Louise said. “Do you think she’ll mind if we ambush her before you go? We really should make sure she is suitable for you.”

  “Hey, I’m the adult here,” Dean laughed. “I’d love you to meet her. I’ll warn you, she is shy, though.”

  “We promise to be on our best behavior.” Zak drained his coffee cup and stretched. “We should get to bed.”

  “We should, it’s been a long drive.” Louise got up and took the mugs to the sink.

  “Hey, I’ll do that, you two kids get up to bed.” Dean got up and took over washing the cups up.

  “Are you sure?” Zak asked.

  “Yeah, I’m too wired to sleep anyway. I may go for a run.” He looked out of the kitchen window; the mountain could vaguely be seen as a shadow against the moonlit sky. “I don’t want to sleep yet. I’m scared I’ll wake up and it was all a dream.”

  Louise hugged him. “Good night, Dean. And we’re so pleased.” She stood back from him. “Which reminds me.” She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “Would you give me away? When we get married.”

  Dean hugged her close. “I would be honored, Louise. And listen, if you two want to go on your honeymoon and leave Storm with me, I would be more than happy to look after her. You guys haven’t had any
time to yourselves since you met.”

  “We talked about it and decided that we’re going to go to Australia for a couple of weeks after we get married. I want to show Louise all the places I traveled to when I lived there. Storm is coming with us.”

  “He says it like it’s so romantic, but he also wants to go and catch up with all his Aussie friends,” Louise teased.

  “Come on, you said you’d love to see Australia.”

  “I did. And since I have this little bump growing, we plan to get married soon. Like in the next couple of weeks. But we won’t announce a date until after Suzie’s wedding.” Louise hopped up and down on the spot. “Although I’m going to have trouble keeping it to myself.”

  “I don’t blame you one bit. If I had my way, I’d walk Elizabeth down the aisle tomorrow. But, one step at a time.”

  “One step at a time,” Louise said and took hold of Zak’s hand.

  “Night,” Dean called after them.

  “Night.” They left him alone with his thoughts. The house sure was going to be empty without them, but at least they were going to be living close by. And soon he hoped Elizabeth would move in with him.

  As for marriage, he wasn’t sure how that would play out. Dean knew how nervous Elizabeth was in crowds. Maybe she would prefer to go and get married on a beach somewhere.

  Although Dean had always dreamed of a wedding surrounded by friends and family, including the kids he’d raised over the years. If Elizabeth didn’t want that, he’d be OK with it.

  Anything to make his mate happy. Anything at all.

  Chapter Nine – Elizabeth

  “I can’t believe we only have two more days until the wedding,” Suzie said, her voice high with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

  “You have everything under control,” Elizabeth said soothingly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been more help.”

  “Don’t be silly. You’ve done so much.” Suzie looked at her mom sideways. “I mean it. You helped with the menus, the cake design, invitations… I honestly could not have done this without you.”