There was no room for any delay or distractions. But his bear refused to back down. It kept clawing at him, urging him to go home and go to Ashley's school. Finally Jax had to put down his power tools and step away from the work site to avoid inflicting some serious injury on himself and his mates. His bear was going berserk.
“I...I have to go,” he'd stammered to Marcus. “It's Serena and Ashley...”
“Go,” Marcus said at once. “Now.” As he made a beeline for his car, he heard Marcus yell to Joshua, “Josh! Go with him!”
Joshua had jumped into the passenger seat just as he sped off. His twin didn't say a word, just held on for dear life as he floored the gas pedal.
“The park,” were the only words Jax grated out as he drove. Joshua nodded. He and Joshua didn't need to communicate in full sentences. Just a word, or even a syllable, was enough.
As he neared the park, Jax couldn't control his bear any longer. The beast clawed savagely at him, wanting out. He was still a few streets away from the park, but Jax knew he had to get out now.
Stomping on the brakes, Jax pulled the car to a violent stop just before it slammed into a row of stationary bikes. He stumbled out of the car and began to run. His claws were already slicing out and he could feel his eyes glowing feral. Behind him, Joshua reversed the car quickly and drove off. Jax knew his brother would bring the car to the nearest parking lot in front of the park.
He could already scent his mate's fear and pain. As he leaped over a park bench, he could see Serena clawing desperately at Sal.
Jax sniffed the air and could detect traces of Sal's wolf. His senses were heightened in bear form. The fire had caused Sal's wolf to recede deep into its human host. It was unlikely that his wolf would ever emerge again. His wolf was as good as gone.
But Jax felt no pity at all for Sal. The bastard had preyed on a helpless woman and her young daughter. He was heedless to their pleas and he would have just taken what he wanted and left them for dead. He was a robber and a rapist. He was rubbish, in Jax's eyes.
Jax smashed into Sal and rolled with him on the ground. Sal struggled free and scrambled away with a vicious curse. As Jax charged again, he heard Serena's scream. “Jax! Look out!”
Jax felt a blade cut into his shoulder. It wasn't a deep cut but it still hurt like a bitch. Even his thick fur couldn't protect him from the pain. Sal wrenched his pocket knife out and backed away from Jax.
Raising his hands, Sal said slowly, “I'm not a shifter. Not anymore. I'm just a disfigured burn victim. I'm only defending myself. I'm not the bad guy here. I'm the victim. You wouldn't hurt a helpless man, would you? No, you wouldn't. You're not a rogue shifter.”
Victim? The bastard was actually trying to paint himself as the victim here?
Jax snarled and prowled towards him. Sal back away, with one hand still up. “I don't mean any harm. Look, just let me go. I won't come back. I promise. What can I do anyway? My wolf is gone. I'm maimed, handicapped for life. I've suffered enough. I'll just go, okay?”
Sal swallowed, and Jax had to admit that the guy was a pretty good actor. He actually managed to look frightened and ashamed.
But Jax wasn't going to let him off. The guy would come back, and he would try to hurt Ashley and Serena again. He fully intended to kill them.
He was going to murder an innocent five-year-old girl in cold blood. And he would be equally ruthless in dispatching her grieving, defenseless mother.
Jax knew that he was dealing with a stone cold killer here. There was no remorse at all in Sal's narrowed eyes. If Jax showed Sal any mercy now, he knew he would live to regret it.
His bear roared. Finish him!
Jax abhorred violence and bloodshed but in this case, his bear was right. His bear wanted blood, and his bear would get it.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Jax saw his brother running to Ashley and Serena at the corner of his eye. Joshua gave a low growl and Jax growled back. He didn't need any backup. He could take this piece of shit down on his own. Josh just needed to get Ashley and Serena to the hospital.
Jax faced Sal, who was glancing angrily towards Ashley. The girl was being rescued. Sal's mouth twisted into an ugly scowl. His prize was slipping away from him. He had been about to make her pay for what she did to him, but now, she was being carried away to safety.
With a guttural cry, Sal ran at Jax. His hand appeared from behind his back, and there was a long dagger in his fist. The sharp blade flashed as it plunged towards Jax's throat.
Jax rolled away and the dagger nicked his ear. Jax roared and flew straight at Sal. But Sal was still fast and strong, even without the power of his wolf. He twisted nimbly out of Jax's way and spun the dagger in his hand. Catching the hilt neatly, he threw the dagger straight at Jax.
Jax roared as he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He turned his head and saw the dagger buried in his hind leg.
He bellowed but not with pain. His bear was maddened beyond reason now. With a thunderous roar, he reared up and slashed at Sal. His blows came hard and fast, and he felt the satisfying rip of skin under his claws.
Sal screamed in pain and stumbled away. But Jax kept coming at him. He tore into Sal's chest, and raked his claws down his limbs. Sal grabbed a jagged rock and smashed it into Jax's side but that didn't slow Jax down.
Jax kept delivering blow after blow, taking out chunks of skin and flesh. Sal was screaming and begging, but Jax could no longer hear anything. He could only hear the anguished roar of his beast as he moved in for the kill.
With a final, powerful swipe, Jax tore out Sal's throat. Clamping his jaws down, Jax snapped the man's neck and lurched away, panting in pain and exhaustion.
His bear receded and Jax dropped to the ground.
“Jax!”
It was Serena. She was running towards him, her tear-streaked face pale but determined.
“Ashley...” Jax panted.
“Joshua is carrying her to the car right now,” Serena said as she grabbed his arm and threw it over her shoulders. She held his waist and supported him as he limped forward. The dagger dug into his calf muscle and Jax winced as he tried to move as quickly as possible.
“Josh should just drive off straightaway,” Jax grated.
“We'll go to the hospital together,” Serena said firmly. She was struggling a little under his weight, but she never released her grip on him. “You're hurt.”
“Nah...”
“Don't you nah at me. You and Ashley are so important to me,” Serena said, and her voice quavered a little but she blinked her tears away quickly. “I want both of you safe and healthy, and we will be a family...”
“We are a family,” Jax said and managed a smile.
Serena nodded and walked steadily with him, leading him to the car. Joshua had the engine running, and once he saw them, he raced to his twin and supported him on the other side.
Joshua stuffed him into the passenger seat and Serena hurried to the backseat and held her daughter. Josh threw the car into gear and burned rubber all the way to the hospital.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Serena grinned as Ashley and Jeremy fidgeted in front of her. Jeremy was tugging at his tuxedo and scowling at everyone who told him how handsome he looked. Ashley clutched her flower basket tightly and leaned back to whisper to Serena, “You look beautiful, Mummy!”
“So do you,” Serena whispered back and Ashley giggled.
“You ready?” Marcus beamed at her.
“Yes.” Serena took a deep breath. She was getting married, today, right now. She almost couldn't believe that she was doing this. She was getting married to the man of her dreams.
Once Ashley had recovered fully, Jax had gotten down on one knee in front of the whole family and asked her to marry him.
Serena took Marcus's arm just as the doors to the ballroom were thrown open. All the guests stood up and clapped as she walked down the aisle with Marcus.
Jax was standing
on the stage beside his twin brother, smiling happily at her. As they walked up to the stage, Jax held out his fist to Ashley, who promptly ran up and gave him a fist bump. “Daddy!” she grinned.
Marcus gave his baby brother a one-armed hug before handing Serena over to him.
The minister cleared his throat, and the crowd quietened down for the ceremony. Serena peeked up at her groom from behind her veil and smiled. Jax looked so suave and handsome in his tux. And his smile was filled with so much pride and joy.
Once they had exchanged their wedding vows and rings, Jax dipped her low and crushed his lips to hers. It was a deep, passionate, searing kiss that made her toes curl and her heart swell.
The ballroom burst into enthusiastic hoots and applause, and the minister had to shout his pronouncement above the racket.
Serena grinned as she made her way to the guests on her husband's arm. Friends, neighbors, work mates crowded round to shake their hands and slap Jax on the back.
Serena craned her neck and looked around the ballroom. Some guests were already making their way to the buffet table. She caught sight of Ashley handing a cupcake to Jeremy near the buffet table. Jeremy's tail was snaking out from under his tuxedo, and when Ashley pulled it laughingly, he growled at her and began to chase her round the room.
Serena slipped away from the crowd and scanned all the happy faces in the room. When Ashley came bouncing up to her, Serena bent down and asked anxiously, “Ashley, have you seen Mrs Huang...”
“Mrs Huang! There! There she is!” Ashley squealed in delight and pulled away from Serena. She ran straight into Mrs Huang's outstretched arms and hugged her. “I knew you'd come!”
Serena went to her old neighbor and hugged her hard. “Congratulations, Serena!” Mrs Huang smiled.
“Thank you!” Serena gave her another hug. “Oh, I missed you so much, Mrs Huang! I'm so glad you could make it!”
“I missed you girls too,” Mrs Huang said. “I was so worried, you know, when I heard about those two men over the news. One of the men died, but the other survived...”
“Yeah...he's dead now,” Serena muttered softly.
Mrs Huang shook her head. “A few people said they saw those two men attacking a lady and a young child. They called the police, but when the police arrived, they only found the two men in flames. The woman and child were nowhere to be found. They couldn't prosecute anyone, not even that thug who survived. The police should have locked the guy up, but they let him go,” Mrs Huang said, looking outraged. “I tried calling you, Serena, but your line was disconnected. You just disappeared. I was worried sick!”
“I'm so sorry, Mrs Huang, I was so frightened then. I just wanted to protect Ashley, and I didn't want to cause any trouble for you...”
Mrs Huang patted her hand. “I understand. I'm so glad you got in touch with me.”
“Stay in Shadow Point for a few days, Mrs Huang. We'll show you around,” Ashley urged. “I'll show you my school!”
Mrs Huang chuckled. “All right then. Let me call my son-in-law. He's supposed to come fetch me home this evening. My elder daughter’s married now and I'm staying with them. She's expecting her first child. I'm going to be a grandmother!”
“Oh, congratulations! This is wonderful news!” Serena clapped and began to tug Mrs Huang excitedly towards Jax. “Come, let me introduce you to my husband. He's dying to meet you!”
As Jax and his brothers got food and drink for Mrs Huang and fussed over her, Ashley skipped over to Gramma and Ne-ma and their granddaughters-in-law. Serena and Ashley had grown very close to the Gray family. Ashley was always going over to play with Jeremy and Katie. Katie was Tristan Gray's little girl, and a lively, vivacious bear cub.
“Aunt Suzanne!” Ashley called and wrapped her arms around a beautiful woman with striking violet eyes. Suzanne was mated to Mason Gray, the third Gray brother, and she was a fire fae. She had been training Ashley to control the fire in her blood.
“Aunt Suzanne said that I should control my emotions and my fire, not the other way round,” she'd told Serena matter-of-factly. “Aunt Suzanne said I have to work at it. She's teaching me to direct my flame at a specific target. It's fun!”
“Hey, sweetheart, I saw you yanking Jeremy's tail just now,” Suzanne teased.
“I was reminding him to put it back in his pants,” Ashley said defensively.
Jeremy snarled at her and shifted into lion form, ignoring his mother's warning finger. He wriggled out of his tuxedo and strutted around with a cheeky glint in his eye.
See, no pants now!
“Jeremy Gray! You shift back right this instant!” Harper scolded. Jeremy simply shook his head and darted out of his mother's reach.
Amidst the laughter and craziness, Serena finally managed to have a stolen moment alone with Jax. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she nuzzled him lovingly and sighed. Jax kissed her and growled, “I can't wait to get you alone tonight.”
Serena blushed. “I never thought that I'd have such a big, beautiful wedding, surrounded by so many people I love. In fact, I didn't think I would ever get married.”
Jax quirked a smile. “But meeting me changed your thinking.”
“Meeting you changed everything,” she breathed.
They were about to kiss again when Gramma and Ne-ma came bounding up to them. “Oh there you are! Are you going to throw your bouquet?” they asked eagerly.
“Oh. Yes, of course.” Serena grinned. “Let's do it now!”
“Yay! I'll catch it for sure!”
“No way! I'll be right in front...”
Serena laughed when Gramma and Ne-ma began to jostle and elbow each other as they followed her to the middle of the ballroom. “Come on, ladies! Gather round! The bride's going to toss the bouquet!”
Serena gazed at her handsome groom, and shared a long, meaningful look with him as all the single ladies crowded excitedly behind her.
I love you and want you forever, and I'm so happy that you are mine.
Jax smiled at her as he held Ashley's hand. Serena smiled and blew her husband and daughter a big kiss. Marcus, Staci and Joshua were standing behind them and they grinned happily.
Serena took a deep breath and looked around. This was her beautiful, beautiful family. And she had so many wonderful friends and neighbors in this warm, quirky town.
She remembered what Ashley had said the first time she visited her kindergarten. This is my school.
Serena smiled and whispered, “This...is my home, my heart.”
Grinning, she threw her bouquet high in the air.
I love you all!
~ End ~
About the Author
Natalie Kristen is a writer who enjoys mixing the sweet with the spicy, the light with the dark, the possibilities with the unimaginable. She enjoys exploring paranormal and dystopian worlds, deep desires and inspiring romances. She is hopelessly addicted to coffee, chocolate, reading and writing. She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or visit her blog for the latest news and updates.
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/NatalieKristenBooks
Blog:
nataliekristen.blogspot.com
Twitter:
@NatKristenBooks
Brave Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (BRIDES fur BEARS Book 2) Page 6
