Bound to the Bear (Denali Den Book 3)

by Rebecca Thomas

  “I’m telling you, Stefan, that wolf never intended to shoot me. He only wanted to scare me.”

  “I believe you, but he’s likely going to go away for a long time. You can’t shoot firearms toward people in a populated area and expect there not to be consequences. A witness stepped forward who saw him shoot at you. Then there is his friend who tried to rob you too.”

  Stryker stood up as well. “You were robbed and shot at?”

  “Um, yeah.” Tess pushed long thick tresses of hair away from her face. “But they are kids. You just said they’re nineteen. Who knows…maybe the whole robbery thing was a dare. I never felt threatened—I mean I did, I was scared, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just a feeling I have. I know you have to take anyone who’s holding a gun seriously, but this kid was nervous. I know there is more going on here. I think he just needs help.”

  Stryker looked at Stefan. “Is this why you were asking about admitting werewolf teens into our program?”

  Stefan nodded. “Yes. It was because of Tess’s suggestion.”

  “What else did Adam say?” Tess asked.

  “He said we should get back to town, so you can take a look at this second wolf and let them know if you’ve seen him hanging around. I imagine they want to make sure they are only a pack of two.” Stefan chose not to relay the part about taking a couple days to get to Anchorage if they wanted. The more he was around Tess, the more he knew he needed to keep his distance. The sooner they got to Anchorage and she was no longer in his protective custody, the better.

  10

  Two days later, Tess had worked out a plea deal with the District Attorney. The werewolves insisted they were only a pack of two. They’d been abandoned by their pack, didn’t have jobs, and were basically looking for a way to survive.

  They agreed to the deal Tess and her attorney set forth. They could never legally own a gun as long as they lived. They had lost that privilege. The wolves would attend a therapy camp similar to Denali Crossings, but it was in Montana. After spending two months there, they would be reassessed.

  Tess was hopeful that the boys could find purpose in their lives, other than causing trouble and shooting guns. Leaving the courthouse, she checked everywhere in the front lobby for Stefan. He was nowhere to be found. He’d spent the entire previous day with her helping her to navigate the court system and made sure an excellent state-appointed attorney had been assigned to her case. He also happened to be a werebear.

  It was an overcast day in Anchorage. She pushed the front doors open, thinking he was waiting outside. A voice called out from behind a row of cars in the parking lot. “Are you looking for Stefan?”

  “Yes,” Tess replied, to a tall dark and handsome werebear. “Who are you? Have we met?”

  “No.” He extended his hand. “I’m Adam Chenowith. I’m Stefan’s supervisor and the head of the undercover werebear unit.”

  “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you. Stefan really admires you.”

  “The feeling is mutual. He’s my best detective.”

  The guy had a presence about him—like whatever you did, you didn’t want to disappoint him. Tess stood up straighter. “I—I was picturing you as an older guy. I don’t know why.”

  “I get that a lot. Guess I’m a workaholic just like Stefan. I moved up the ranks fairly quickly. A master’s degree in criminal justice helps. Although I’m jealous of my agents sometimes—getting to do detective work, while I get stuck with the administrative end of things.”

  “I suppose that’s true.”

  He shrugged. “Somebody has to do it.”

  Tess nodded. “Well, I guess I’ll get going.”

  “It was a nice thing you did for those wolves. Most bears would have prosecuted them to the fullest extent of the law.”

  The compliment warmed her up inside, despite the cool afternoon air. She had the feeling he didn’t give compliments often. “Thank you,” she said, and meant it.

  “If you’re looking for Stefan, I sent him back to Denali Crossings. He still has vacation time to use up.”

  “I admit, I’m a little disappointed. I thought maybe he’d stay around a little longer and at least say goodbye.”

  “You didn’t ask for my advice, but I think you should go after him.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’m a pretty good reader of people and I know Stefan very well. He’s real stubborn. I’ll just say that. Sometimes he needs a little push.”

  Tess could have sworn his eyes twinkled. Was he trying to play matchmaker? Well, she was stubborn too and there was no way she was chasing after any bear. She had more pride than that. “Have you seen my truck? It wouldn’t make that long of a road trip.”

  “The train leaves for Denali Park in an hour. I’m sure one of Stefan’s family members would be happy to pick you up and bring you into camp.”

  “Well,” she paused, then narrowed her gaze. “You’ve thought of everything, haven’t you?”

  Adam may have introduced the idea of going to Denali Crossings, but her bear convinced her to do it. She couldn’t let go of the fact that Stefan had become everything to her. Without doubt, she knew he was destined to be her True Mate. Their connection was too intense to be anything other than a forever life mate.

  She’d heard about how it worked—that instant attraction—that feral need to be with the other person. Patrons at Bared In Alaska claimed they found their True Mate all the time. Crystal was a particular favorite. Tess was pretty sure the pole specialist had been deemed a True Mate at least twenty-three times.

  Over the years, Tess had become jaded and skeptical about the entire process, but that was before.

  Later that evening, Ava picked her up from the train terminal at Denali Park. During the drive, Tess explained the reasons she had pretended to be Stefan’s girlfriend, even though by this point, she was sure Stryker would have told her. Tess didn’t like the fact that she’d deceived them, but the real truth now was that she wanted to be more than Stefan’s girlfriend. She wanted to be his life mate.

  Once inside Stryker and Ava’s cabin, Ava asked, “How is this going to play out? What are you going to do?”

  “I’ve got a few ideas.” Tess gave her a thumbs up. “Seduce him maybe? But first, let me change my clothes, and if you find out where he is, I’ll put my plan into action.”

  “You got it. I’m all about seduction.” Ava winked and headed for the door with a look of pure determination. “I’ll ask Stryker where he’s hiding.”

  Tess needed that kind of aplomb. But even if she didn’t have confidence, she could fake it. She’d seen the girls at the club fake confidence enough times, she could do it too. In Ava’s room, she donned a lacy purple bra and matching thong panties. She could hardly call it underwear—it was more like a thin strip of frilly gauze with strings, but it worked perfectly into her plan. She put on a button up white blouse, a floral A-line skirt, and high heel sandals.

  She looked at herself in the mirror and was pleased, except she unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse. Then she checked her phone for the Brittany Spears music she wanted. The cabin’s front door clicked shut.

  “Stefan is replacing a couple of leaking showerheads in one of the girls’ shower rooms on the west side.” Ava called out. “Do you know where that is?”

  Tess emerged from the bedroom. “I think so.”

  “You look fabulous,” Ava said. “Stefan doesn’t stand a chance.”

  “Do you really think so?” Tess asked.

  Ava placed both hands on her hips. “Yes. I know so. Do you want me to go with you?”

  “No.” Tess brushed at the wrinkles that didn’t exist on her skirt. “I need the walk to gather my nerve and line out exactly what I’m going to say.”

  “If it helps at all, I know Stefan’s college girlfriend died—rather tragically, and maybe he’s just afraid.”

  “Yes, I know about her.” Tess stared at the cabin’s wood flooring, before looking up into Ava’s green eyes. Eye color sim
ilar to her own. Maybe they shared some of the same bear linage. “I think competing against a memory is worse than a real person.”

  “That might be true, but from what Stryker has told me, he’s never seen him like this before.” Ava gently pushed on Tess’s back. “Go on. Tell him exactly how you feel. Show him exactly how you feel. I have faith that it will all work out.”

  Tess let Ava push her out the door. High heels weren’t the smartest thing to wear over the dirt paths with protruding tree roots. “Tell him how you feel. Show him how you feel,” she repeated the mantra to herself.

  When she got to the girls’ shower hut, she knew she was at the right place because a closed sign was up and she heard swearing from within, followed by a banging noise. She gathered her courage and stepped inside. She locked the door behind her.

  The tiled open shower area had three nozzles on one wall and three nozzles on the opposite wall. Stefan had his back to her, reaching up with a crescent wrench tightening or loosening something on the showerhead.

  She swallowed hard and licked her lips. “Hello, Stefan.”

  His hand slipped. The wrench clanged to the floor and water sprayed in numerous directions. Stefan swung around, letting the water hit his back, soaking the back of his tee shirt and tan cargo shorts. He didn’t move to get out of the way. Water streamed down the drain. “What are you doing here?”

  Her stomach churned. “Um. Are you going to move away from the shower? You’re getting soaked.”

  “What’s the point? I’m already wet.”

  “Um, yeah, right. Well, I’m here because we left things unfinished between us.”

  “How’s that?” His face and his body remained unmoving.

  She flipped through her phone, found Brittany Spears’ “I’m A Slave 4 U” song and turned it up loud, then set it on the floor, well away from the water. “I owe you a lap dance.”

  The music echoed through the tiled room. She closed her eyes, let the music drape around her, and swayed her hips. Reaching for the buttons on her blouse, she unhooked them one by one, then finally lifted her lids to look at Stefan.

  Flecks of gold colored his eyes and his mouth hung open. She’d listened to the song a couple of times and knew she only had three and a half minutes until the end, but right now three minutes felt like an eternity. She pushed the last button through the eyehole, then peeled the blouse from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

  She knew the violet bra looked amazing on her and her confidence grew. Unzipping her skirt, she shimmied out of it, then kicked at the discarded cloth. She let herself dance. She spun around in circles, and moved her hands across her belly and breasts.

  “Stop it.” Stefan finally moved and picked up her phone. “You need to turn this off. Someone is going to hear and come in here.”

  “I locked the door. The girls will just think you have excellent taste in music.” She pressed her breasts against his chest. “Kiss me, Stefan.”

  He shook his head. “Tess, I can’t be what you want—I can’t.”

  “Why can’t you?” she asked.

  “Because I can’t commit. I can’t let myself…”

  She touched his chin with her long fingers. Brittany Spears’ voice faded as the song ended. Only the sound of the shower’s spray filled the room. “You can’t what? Let yourself love me?”

  He stared at her, his eyes golden.

  “That’s okay.” She trailed her hands over his chest. “I’ll love you enough for both of us.”

  He stood still as stone. “Tess, you don’t understand.”

  She put her fingers on his lips. “I understand enough to know that we belong together. You are my True Mate. You know it as much as I do. I can’t be away from you. Maybe you can fight your bear, but I can’t fight mine.”

  He balled his hands into fists at his side.

  This wasn’t going the way she’d planned. Anguish nearly choked her. She’d made a complete fool of herself. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. There had to be another way. “Actually,” she murmured, “I understand you can’t commit. It’s okay. This frees me up. Janelle has been bugging me for years, and well, it’s time.”

  She gathered her skirt and blouse from the tiled floor.

  He grunted. “Time for what?”

  “Time for me to dance at the club. I’ve been asked to do it. And…” She pulled the skirt over her hips. “You thought I was a stripper. And honestly, I think I could do a pretty good job of it.”

  “No, you wouldn’t,” he said, barely above a whisper.

  Pulling on the zipper, she said, “I think there are others who would disagree with you.”

  “No, you would be amazing—haven’t you just proved that?” His tone sounded angry “I’m hard as stone watching you dance. I want you more than you can know.”

  Tess pulled on her blouse. “That’s just your bear talking. I don’t want you for sex, Stefan. I want all of you—the bear and the human, for forever.”

  He growled. “Your mine.”

  She buttoned up her blouse with shaking hands. “Apparently not, because I’ve just thrown myself at you and all you have to say is you can’t commit.”

  “Tess, you’re everything good and right in this world. Look what you did for those werewolves. I don’t deserve you. I’m not whole.” He hung his head, then said, “I’m broken.”

  Her heart felt like it might burst. “Let me help you put the pieces back together again.”

  She put her hands to both his cheeks and forced him to look at her. “I love you.”

  He visibly swallowed. “I’m afraid I’ll let you down. I’m afraid—”

  “Stop.” She put her fingers on his lips. “I’m afraid too, but together we can do anything. I know we can. You’re bound to me. I’m bound to you. Nothing and no one will ever break us apart.” She paused to take a breath. “I don’t have a family like yours. I grew up in foster homes. It’s natural for me not to trust anyone, but I trust you. I trust what’s between us.”

  He continued to stare at her, uncertainty flashing in his eyes. “I don’t know, Tess, I—”

  “What is your bear telling you?” she interrupted him.

  He slid his hands around her waist and crushed her against him. “He’s telling me that you’re mine.” He growled, then kissed her neck. “You. Are. Mine.”

  Tess breathed in his ear. “I’m yours.”

  “I love you, Tess.” He lifted her and held her close. “My bear claims you. I claim you. You are my True Mate.”

  “And you’re mine.”

  He took her face in his hands. “Marry me, Tess.”

  “Yes,” she answered.

  Dear Reader

  Thank you so much for reading Bound to the Bear!

  I love writing about people (and bears) falling love in my home state of Alaska. I also have a soft spot for historical romance. If you’d like to share your thoughts about my books, reviews are always appreciated.

  I love to keep in touch with my readers. For updates on new releases and giveaways, you can visit my website at www.authorrebeccathomas.com or sign up for my newsletter here: Newsletter

  If you are interested in joining my Alaskan Chicks Street team on Facebook just drop me an email at rebeccathomas3@live.com or send me a message.

  I would love to hear from you.

  Happy Reading!

  Rebecca

  About the Author

  Rebecca Thomas enjoys a love-hate relationship with Alaska. She lives there with her husband and sons. When she isn’t reading, writing, or playing board games, she can be found taking long walks in the woods dreaming up her next story.

  A reluctant reader as a child, she didn’t become interested in books until her teen years when she discovered historical romance. Now she loves all sub-genres of romance and can’t decide which one is her favorite.

  @Rebecca_Thomas3

  beccawriter

  www.authorrebeccathomas.com

  rebeccathomas3@live.com
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  Beauty and the Bear

  Wed to the Bear

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  Right Kind of Mistake: Book One

  Right Kind of Mistake: Book Two

  Historical Romance

  The Earl’s Christmas Colt

  The Earl’s Wager

  The Blacksmith’s Son