Brave Bear Mated (Ouachita Mountain Shifters #7)

by P. Jameson

  Leaving this place wasn’t death, but it was the relief he’d been desperate for.

  No more Mother Bear. No more Ava. No more ridicule and embarrassment. They would be free. Utterly alone, but free.

  Free.

  “We’ll get through this together, brother bear,” Thames said, his voice shaking with unshed tears. “Together. It’s our way.”

  Chapter Two

  Present day…

  Theron whistled a happy tune as he made his way over the footbridge that crossed a narrow finger of Lake Haven. His security shift at the lodge nestled in the Ouachita Mountains started in thirty minutes, but it was the kind of work he loved so he didn’t mind getting there a little early.

  At the top of the bridge, he paused to stare out over the water. It was midway through summer, hot as hell in central Arkansas, and so humid it felt like breathing in cotton. But the water glittered in the afternoon sun, laughter could be heard over the wind, and best of all… it was his to call home.

  After spending over a decade working as bouncers at Cleaver’s, a bar named after its falcon shifter owner, Theron and Thames were shoved out of the nest and given the chance to use their skills in a different way. They’d accepted a job protecting the lodge, its guests, and the werecat clan that ran it. Including the recent addition of a small coven of witches. Sorcera, as they liked to be called.

  If he was straight honest, Theron had expected the job to be dull. There was always action at the bar. A scuffle to break up, a dance off, cat fights between ladies. Literal cat fights… and bear fights… and wolf fights… and hell, birds of prey fights.

  But what kind of excitement could ensue in a tucked away vacation lodge? There was a spa for fuck’s sake. Where they did yoga and calm shit.

  He’d been in for the wildest surprise.

  Cleaver had said Ouachita was a place they could settle their bears. A place they could find happiness. A place they could call home. And he was right.

  But he failed to mention they would find magic—both the kind that makes you oooh and aww, and the kind that makes you cringe and cower—and mayhem and an entire ready-made family of people who would go to bat for them.

  With the help of the coven, the Ouachita clan had fought the Alley Cats, shifter bad guys from up Memphis way, to earn a werecat’s freedom. Gash, the jag-lion shifter was now Theron’s bossman. The harsh and big-hearted head of security was expecting a cub in a few months with his mate, Bailey. It was a success story that made you feel warm and mushy inside.

  Made a couple of lonely werebears want in on that kind of dedication.

  And Thames had gotten his chance at happiness already.

  When dark magic threatened to consume one of the Sorcera, Ouachita came together to battle that foe too. Nastia, the wisest of the three witches, and mate to his brother bear, hadn’t found her Anchor in time and lost her light when she used dark magic to kill an Alley Cat to save Thames. At her worst, she’d attacked Theron, thinking he was a dark power. But one of her coven sisters had shoved him away and taken the blast of magic herself.

  To save him. Theron. A shifter she hardly knew.

  With her actions, Mirena the Bravest found him worthy. With her actions, she claimed him.

  But he’d learned a few things over the years. Like, not to throw all his chips in the game on the first hand. He’d learned how to be patient and wait for things to settle before going all in. Working for Cleaver had taught him so much about life that he’d never learned as a boy in the Deadclaw clan.

  The last two Sorcera still had an epic battle ahead of them. If they didn’t find their Anchor, the person or object that allowed them to remain connected to their light, before the autumnal equinox, they would go dark. Evil, becoming the worst kind of magic wielder… a Magei.

  We won’t let that happen to mate, his bear rumbled.

  Damn straight. The entire clan was working together to help the two remaining witches resist the darkness and keep their light.

  Together. It was always their way. His and Thames’s.

  The Ouachita way, his bear reminded.

  Ouachita was Theron’s home now, and even though there were parts of this gig that scared the fuck out of him, being here felt right. It felt good.

  He continued across the bridge, whistling his tune. Then through the parking lot, his long stride eating up the gravel quickly. He was anxious to get to the main building to see his…

  Goddamn, it was insane to even think it.

  Before coming to Lake Haven, he never thought of having a mate. Not anymore. And Thames respected that he didn’t want to imagine or dream or even speak of mating at all. His brother could feel the bear’s toiling and wanting, sure. But he’d never brought it up.

  All that was changed now.

  Theron had a mate. A true mate. One who didn’t think bad of him. Who smiled at him with the prettiest mouth he’d ever seen. And had eyes that looked at him like he was… necessary.

  He pulled open the double doors to the lobby and stepped inside. Drawing in a long breath, he searched for the Sorcera Mirena’s scent. It was faint. Perhaps she’d walked through the area recently, but she wasn’t nearby.

  Guests lined up at the desk, checking in with Layna, a cougar shifter who helped run the lodge side-by-side with the clan’s leader, Magic. Summer was their busiest time, Christmas being the only exception, but she handled the rush like a pro. She was poised and orderly, and ran things so tight, nobody ever needed to ask for extra towels. That was business Layna. But her downtime was reserved for her potty mouth. She could make a sailor blush with that talk.

  Theron passed through to the dining room, nodding at some of the already familiar customers. Mrs. Clemweather. Mrs. Markel. Mr. Briggs. When he reached the kitchen door, he peeked through the small round window.

  Eagan, jaguar shifter and Lake Haven’s chef, commanded the area, chopping and stirring and making pure magic happen behind that swinging door. Bailey, his assistant and mate to Gash, jetted around the kitchen plating dishes and absorbing Eagan’s politely barked orders. They were a well-oiled machine, cogs and gears, working together in harmony. And damn, did they conjure some tasty grub.

  But the room was empty of the person Theron was searching for.

  Turning, he hurried away from the dining room and headed for the spa. He needed to find Mirena before his shift started and tell her his plan to keep her light.

  It wasn’t the most solid one, but it was something. A possibility. One that he was fully fucking on board with, and one that she… might need to be convinced of.

  Theron ran a hand through his hair to dispel his nervous energy. If she said no, he’d honor her answer. What mate said was law for his bear. So he needed her to agree.

  He’d start slow at first. Get her used to the idea. Ease her into it. Because yeah, it was kind of unconventional. He’d take his time explaining why this would work and how it would help. But not too much time. They were sorta on the clock. Mirena lost her light by the day. Eventually she’d sicken just as Nastia did.

  In the corridor, Theron passed Josie, Magic’s mate. She waddled on puffy feet and her belly was swollen with a young. She was due to have the baby soon.

  “Howdy, bear,” she said as a greeting.

  Josie was a glitter and glitz city gal so she liked to really amp up the country vernacular on occasion. The cougar inside her loved the outdoorsy life the lodge afforded, but she couldn’t hide her love of trendy clothing. As evidenced by the designer maternity jeans she sported.

  “Hi, Josie. How are you?”

  She sighed. “Oh… I think I’m supposed to smile and say something like ‘never been better’ but that’s just not gonna happen. I feel like a house sized blueberry. I feel like if you poked me hard enough I’d pop. I feel like my lungs are breathing backwards. I feel like my shoes are filled with needles. I feel lik—”

  “Got it,” Theron said. “I can’t imagine what nine months ready must feel like.”

 
; But he should try. It could come in handy with his plan.

  “I just told you though. So you don’t need to imagine,” she reminded.

  “Point taken. By any chance, have you seen Mirena?”

  Josie’s mouth quirked at the side. “Sure. Dark hair. Bout my height. Old fashioned dress. Likes to make dares. Yep, I know her. Why?”

  Theron chuckled. “Know her location?”

  “Mmmm. I do. But it’ll cost ya.”

  He narrowed his gaze on the clan’s First Mate. “What’s your price?”

  She furtively looked over her shoulder and then past Theron before answering, her voice low. “Got any gummy bears?”

  He slanted one eyebrow at her request. “Gummy bears?”

  “Yes, gummy bears. If you can come through for me with those, I’ll tell you where Mirena is.”

  Theron sighed. “Gummy bears, huh?” Where would he find those. A trip into town maybe. But it would have to be after work. Or he could ask Thames to track some down while he was on security.

  “Mm hm. Little squishy sweet versions of yourself.”

  “They hard to come by around here?”

  Josie nodded. “I would ask Eagan to order more, but that could take days. And I don’t have days,” she said, rubbing her belly. “I mean, I might have days, if this little guy wants to cook to extra crispy. But by then, my cravings could be out of control. We’re talking astronomical. It would take one of those giant three-pounder gummy bears they sell at the candy store in the mall to curb it. And really, I’m thinking if I eat that whole thing, there might not be any room for the baby to stay in here—”

  Theron put his hand up to stop her. “Okay, okay. I’ll track down some gummy bears for you, if that’s what you need.”

  Josie’s face went wide with a smile. “Perfect! You’re a lifesaver, Theo. A real life lifesaver, you know? Oh, but make sure they’re the soft kind. They have to be soft. Nothing in this world is worse than a rock hard gummy bear,” she insisted.

  But he could think of a few things.

  Theo shook his head. He was glad Josie didn’t have anything worse in her life than rock hard gummy bears. Now if she would just tell him where his mate was…

  “Mirena?” he urged.

  “Oh! Yes. I almost forgot. Well, she’s…” Josie looked away, puffing out her cheeks in a slow exhale.

  She was stalling.

  “Josie.”

  “She went to the lake with Mason.”

  Mason.

  Theron squinted.

  It took a moment for the information to set in, but when it passed his brain and landed somewhere in the pit of his stomach, he felt… ugly things. Things he hadn’t felt in ages. Things he didn’t want to ever feel again.

  “She…” The single word was all he could get past his throat.

  Josie nodded, looking uneasy.

  He straightened to his full height, pulling his shoulders back to convey confidence. Josie didn’t need to know she’d just thrown him into a tailspin.

  Mason Miller was a playboy cougar shifter. He was Hollywood around the lodge. Famous. Admired. The single females loved him, while he kept the males constantly on edge, ready to defend their claim. With movie star looks and his job as a masseuse, he was a legend among the regular guests. Ladies—and a few gents for that matter—based their vacations on whether they could book a massage with Magic-fingers Mason.

  But ever since the witches arrived, the cat had been unsettled. Edgy, and desperate to make the clan stronger.

  He shared a strange mental connection with an Elder from the Dirt Track Dogs wolf pack. Destiny was her name—oddly appropriate—and she served as his little psychic guide, advising him how to help the members of the clan. They’d successfully brought seven couples together with their shenanigans. Just little tweaks here and there, Mason said, but it had earned him the nickname Cupid.

  During Thames’s mating with Nastia, Mason made it clear he had his eye on one of the Sorcera. But Theron assumed it was Adira, the other coven sister. The one Mason called Sunshine because she had the most light magic remaining inside her.

  Theron swallowed hard, keeping his face as stony as possible.

  Never did he think it was Mirena. Never did he think he would have to prove his worth while another male sought her.

  How would he compete with Mason? The smooth talking, winking wonder. He had women purring on a regular basis, and now he was after the one and only female Theron would ever want.

  Hell no. Fuck no.

  We’ll kill him, the bear growled. Mate is mine.

  Theron hated how strongly he agreed with his animal, but it was right. Mirena was his.

  “Thanks,” he ground out, brushing past Josie toward the back exit.

  He’d be late for work. Gash would have to cover him. Because Theo was going to find his woman, and take her somewhere safe so they could begin this mate.

  Without the meddling of a charming-pants cougar.

  Hollywood was going down.

  Chapter Three

  Mirena the Bravest stood at the top of the rocky bluff, staring down at the water that sparkled like gems in the afternoon sun.

  It was very far down. Extremely far down.

  She gripped the gnarled rope tightly in both hands. It was attached to a fat, ancient branch that stretched out over the lake, and as thick as a jungle vine. But still, it didn’t seem substantial enough.

  She wasn’t a fan of heights. Nope, not a fan. She wouldn’t specifically say she was afraid of them, because she wasn’t afraid of anything.

  Nothing. Not anymore.

  But… her legs did shake like twigs in the wind. A cold sweat coated her skin. Her mouth had gone dust dry. Her body was reacting to fear, but inside she didn’t feel it. She’d done too many daring and brazen things in her life. All the fear was worked out of her long ago thanks to Father Isaac and the tutors.

  “Hey!” Mason called up from the water far below. “You doing this or not?”

  Mirena opened her mouth to answer, but only a small squeak came out so she just nodded.

  She was doing it. She was going to swing from the rope and land in the water far below. Mason had dared her, so she had to see it through. It was her vice.

  Like her sisters, and every other Sorcera, her vice was a behavior that drove her to accomplish a goal. The goal was singular to each individual. A fear to overcome, an insecurity to conquer, a physical stumble to rectify.

  Nastia’s vice was the compulsion to count rocks. A coping mechanism taught to her by the tutors to help her mind focus enough to perform magic. She’d counted every stone she came across until Thames, one of the brother bear security guards, took Nastia to his cave to mate her. Love her. He’d loved the sister so good, he’d had enough light to keep her anchored when she lost her light, and Adira and Mirena flung a drastic last ditch effort at saving her.

  Just remembering the night they almost lost her to darkness made more sweat glaze Mirena’s forehead and a violent shiver run her spine.

  Adira’s vice was just as odd as Nastia’s. She had the compulsion to rhyme. Since arriving at the lodge, she’d been much less Dr. Seuss-y. But over the past week she’d been slipping back into the rhyming habit.

  Mirena’s was challenging others and being challenged.

  The tutors had issued her first challenge when she was barely old enough to read. As a child, Mirena’s fear of the dark had been crippling. Even blinking in a room with low light terrified her, which made training under the stars, where their magic was honed, nearly impossible.

  She had memories from before she was born, before she was given light. When she was a small sliver in the darkness that cradled the stars. It was unusual for young Sorcera to remember the Before, but not unheard of. And the Father Isaac had known just what to do.

  “Dare you to scream as loud as you can, little one,” he’d said one night when the stars shined on them. She’d been quaking, remembering the Before. The cold lonely blackness
that she’d been made from. The nothing before she was something.

  She’d taken his dare, and felt better. Freer.

  “Dare you to look into the darkness without blinking.”

  She’d done that one too.

  “Dare you to challenge me to something scary.”

  She’d thought of the worst thing she could, and dared Father Isaac to do it. When he did, the challenging became a game. Each time she bested a dare, her sense of confidence grew until the darkness—literal or figurative—was no longer scary. Nothing was.

  Now sometimes her urge could be fed by something silly. Dare you to touch your toes. Dare you to say pickletits five times fast. Bet you can’t stand on one foot and pat your head. But other times, when she was feeling unsettled, drifting… it took something bigger.

  It took jumping off a cliff.

  She gripped the rope tighter and took a deep breath, feeling for her magic. Her light was fading. Just as it was supposed to in her twenty fifth year.

  This was the year of her change. Hers and her sisters’. The closer they came to the autumnal equinox, the more the power they absorbed from the stars and moon faded. By the equinox they will have either found an Anchor to hold them to the light, or have transitioned to dark magic.

  It was everything horrible and dreaded by the Sorcera, who only believed in using magic for good. But it was a necessary law of existence.

  Light must be tempered by darkness. Darkness must be tempered by light. In order for good to exist, there must also be evil. It was a balance of nature that was not so different from the shifters. Their beasts were tempered by humanity. Their human nature enhanced by their animal.

  It made them strong, just like darkness made the Sorcera strong.

  Where there is light, there is also shadow. One only exists because of the other.

  If only they could embrace both magicks. Light and dark. But that also went against nature. One would undoubtedly eat up the other, feeding off it until there was nothing left.