by Amelia Jade
Luther growled warningly as it snapped at him, spinning in a circle, taking in its surroundings.
The smaller bear didn’t even flinch at the cautionary sound. Instead its eyes focused on him, wild and nearly unhinged.
Allix’s battle was not going well. The speedy animal shot forward, surprising him with its speed. But Luther had been expecting the move, and his hind legs flexed, powering him forward as he charged to meet Allix. Perhaps if he could jar the bear, it would give her the opportunity to beat it.
***
Allix
She fought frantically with the beast, trying to overwhelm it. Every attempt she made was simply cast aside, however, leaving her weakened and further unbalanced. She could sense what was happening with her body, as it took control, changing her.
“Luther!” she shouted as the feral beast attacked her man.
Rage bloomed, turning the walls of her mind’s cage red with anger.
Then the pair of them were suddenly sent flying through the murky red abyss as Luther sent her bear tumbling backward as they collided.
She was on her feet in an instant, spinning around, trying to find the bear. One of the first things she’d done was to put them on level footing size-wise. It was her mind, and when she’d figured out that one, things had become less precarious. Especially as her preconstructed cage grew in size as well, lending Allix more confidence that she could do this.
And not only could she, but she would.
The bear was pretty unimaginative. It came at her in the same straight way every time. Unfortunately, she couldn’t seem to beat it. It was stronger than her.
So be smarter.
The voice seemed to come from somewhere nearby. Allix spun, and then was forced to dive out of the way as her bear came charging out of the red haze at her, even as in the real world it rolled to its feet and came at Luther once more.
How?
“Use your brains, idiot.”
She blinked as the voice sounded from right next to her. Turning in place, Allix came face-to-face with a duplicate of herself.
“Okay, now this is fucking weird,” she said aloud.
The other Allix looked at her. “Hey, it’s your mind. You’re just imagining me as being your subconscious. I could go away with a simple thought, you know.”
But real Allix just smiled. “No, I have a better idea.”
***
The bear came rushing out of the dark once more, having sighted its quarry. She was there, it noted, at last. Standing with her back to it, seemingly unaware of its presence.
Attack! Kill!
The bear was in total agreement, and it charged at her, massive legs accelerating it to incredible speeds in a short period of time. It had her now, there was no escaping!
Wait! No! What was this? Danger!
***
The fake Allix simply disappeared, and the bear disappeared as the door to her now red-colored closet slid closed behind it.
The real Allix stepped out from around the rear of it, a smile on her face. She’d won.
The animal shrieked and pounded on the door, but Allix’s mind was up to the task of ensuring that the walls never faltered. It would be interesting the next time she let it out, but for now, it was over.
I told you you could do it. Just be smarter.
And smarter she’d been, using her imagined subconscious to lure it into a trap, and also deciding to camouflage her little prison by making it blend in with her mind.
“Allix?”
She opened her eyes as his voice filtered through to her.
Luther was there, staring down at her, concern etched on his features as he hovered over her.
“Are you okay?”
“I am now,” she said softly. “I am now.”
And she collapsed into his arms.
Chapter Fifteen
Luther
She finally stirred.
“Easy,” he murmured as she fought to sit up. “Slow now.”
As his words filtered into her mind, Allix stopped her struggles, instead choosing to just lie in his arms as he held her.
As he had all through the night while she slept.
“I made it,” she said in a small voice.
He laughed, choking back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.
“Yes,” he told her. “Yes you did. You gave me quite a scare. I was worried sick I was going to lose you. But you made it.”
Luther would tell her about Asher the Frost Dragon and his help at some point. But not just yet.
“I’m a bear now,” she said, a smile crossing her face. “Like you. Just like you.”
“That you are, my beautiful mate,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “That you are.”
“You called me your mate,” she said, now fully awake.
“I did.”
“But don’t we have to like, mate, or something? Isn’t there a ritual to go through?”
“Don’t you think maybe you’ve had enough of formal rituals for a bit?” he asked in disbelief.
Allix laughed. “Maybe for today. But tomorrow is a new day, you know.”
“Allix, my mate. My love. I will do anything you wish, you must know that by now.”
She nodded, her long hair spilling across his lap as she did, red-brown locks reflecting the few rays of sunlight making it through the curtains. He gazed down into her brown eyes.
“But you can’t do it tomorrow.”
“Why not?” she asked, confused, even as she nuzzled her head deeper into his lap, pulling his arms tight to her.
“Because tomorrow you start training.”
“I’m going to be in the Green Bearets?” she asked in surprise, sitting up this time.
Luther laughed at her youthful expression of hope. “Perhaps one day,” he told her. “But you need to go through basic training first. To learn how to use your bear. How to move while in animal form. Rules, etiquette, all those things that we learn from childhood, you now must learn.”
He watched her expression dull.
“That sounds absolutely terrible.”
“It’ll get worse once you find out who your instructor is.”
She cringed, and he almost lost his composure at the despair written on her face. “Please tell me it’s not Aksel, or Kiefer.”
“It’s not Aksel or Kiefer,” he said, feeling no qualms in telling her the truth.
“Who is it then?” she asked, eyebrows pushing together, her mind clearly racing as she tried to think of an answer.
Luther just winked at her.
“You?” Disbelief was written all over Allix’s face.
“What?” he asked, pretending to be hurt. “You don’t think I can do it?”
She swatted at him lightly. “Not that, you big goof. I just didn’t think that I’d get so lucky, that’s all. Everyone wants the hot teacher,” she purred. “I guess I got lucky.”
Luther grinned. “We’ll see how you feel after day one, then, won’t we?”
Her teasing faded. “Why?” she asked, drawing out the word in suspicious undertones.
“No particular reason,” he said, whistling his innocence as he looked around the room at everything but her.
“Luther?” she said, her voice become dangerous.
“Don’t threaten the teacher,” he said sternly. “Or else you’re going to be punished.”
Allix grinned wickedly. “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it, sir,” she said with a perfect combination of pouty and seductive.
“We’ll see about that,” he said, rolling her onto her back even as he lowered his mouth to hers, silencing the giggle that accompanied his words.
***
Allix
She rolled to her feet, all four paws ending up underneath her with an ease that felt natural.
Swinging her massive head around, she shook herself, clearing the snow and dirt from her fur as best she could.
The large brown bear on the other side of the circle
cocked its head to the side, and then it began to change, shrinking in size and altering proportions. A moment later, Luther, her mate and her love, stood across from her.
Allix pawed at the ground, but he shook his head.
“No, training is over for today,” he told her.
She dipped her head in acknowledgement and opened the closet door in her mind. The power of her bear flowed from her body, and a second later she closed the door, having resumed her human form.
“That was good today,” he said, crossing the ground and putting his arm around her.
Allix smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.
“You’re making good progress. Remarkable even,” he told her. “I’m not sure I’ve seen someone pick up how to work with their animal so easily.”
She blushed slightly and stood up straight for a moment, tugging her T-shirt back into place, wincing as some of her muscles screamed in protest.
It was still weird, getting used to some of the smaller things about being a shifter. For instance, she no longer felt the cold. Allix simply wore a T-shirt and pants like everyone else, and even in the chilly mid-winter nights, she might only put on a light coat, simply to keep herself from getting wet.
Then there was the way her muscles or skin could be ripped and torn, but would heal themselves just fine in minutes or hours, depending on how bad it was. The first time she’d fought someone, Allix was sure she was going to die judging by the wounds that were opened up on her body.
So it came as a large surprise to her that nobody had reacted, instead just telling her to get up and get something to eat. By the time she’d made it to the mess hall, half her cuts and gashes had closed.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “It just feels natural,” she admitted. “When I told you I felt at home here, I think there was more to it than even I knew at the time. Being a human, I always felt…like an outcast. As in I didn’t quite fit in with everyone else. Like something was missing. That’s why I spent so much time wandering, trying to find that elusive thing.”
She smiled. “Turns out it was you.”
Now it was Luther’s turn to look embarrassed. “That still doesn’t explain your aptitude with your bear.”
Allix shrugged. “I think that was just part of what I was missing. I was always meant to be a shifter. I just didn’t know it.”
“Well, you’ve impressed me, that’s for sure,” Luther said as they rounded the corner of one of the barracks buildings.
“Thank y—”
Allix stopped as she noted the assembled formation in front of them. The group was simply standing there, a full company of recruits, accompanied by their instructor.
“Kiefer commands a company by himself?” she asked. “I thought he was still your number two?”
“He is,” Luther replied, a smug look on his face.
“Recruits. Fall IN!” Kiefer yelled.
Nobody moved.
Allix frowned, looking back and forth. “What is going on?”
Luther simply nodded toward the formation.
She turned and looked it over. What was he trying to say? There was Kiefer, and the thirty-six recruits of his company.
No.
Wait. She counted the rows of shifters. Companies assembled in four rows of nine. But the last row had an empty spot in it.
“It’s one short,” she said softly.
“RECRUITS. FALL IN!” Kiefer bellowed once more.
“Better do as the lieutenant says,” Luther suggested.
“Do what? Fall in?” she asked in disbelief.
Luther smiled.
“Welcome to the Green Bearets. Now move it, recruit.”
Allix just stared at him in shock. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
Luther—no, it was Captain Klein now—just gave her a wink.
Thank you, she mouthed at him, turning and running smartly to her position at the rear of the company.
Giddiness rose up and over her, and she almost forgot to pay attention to what Kiefer was saying.
She’d made it! Allix had no idea how Luther had arranged this for her, but he had! She was part of the Green Bearets!
She was home.
THE END
This concludes Book 1 of the Base Camp Bears series. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Although this story is over, there are more adventures to be had. To get access to my newest stories at the introductory price of just 99c, and for other exclusives, sign up for my newsletter!
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About the Author
Amelia Jade
Amelia Jade loves to write the stories of tall, growly shifter men and the women who come to love them. Living out in the backcountry near the mountains, she keeps her own alpha male close by to keep the bears away and keep her warm. In her downtime (which is rare), she loves to read science-fiction with a dash of fantasy. You can often find her curled up in front of the real wood-burning fireplace, her nose firmly buried in a book or her favorite e-reader. The cold can’t bother her there!
For more information about Amelia Jade and her work, find her on Facebook.
Profile: Amelia Jade
Author Page
Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
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Top Scale Academy
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Genesis Valley
Ridgeback Bears
Stone Bears (Genesis Valley Shifters)
Other Series by Amelia Jade
About the Author
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