Fate Mountain - Complete

by Scarlett Grove

  Cyrus growled as Pierce cocked the rifle at him.

  “Tell her to come back now or I’ll shoot you full of lead a second time.”

  Daisy disappeared through the forest and galloped around the perimeter, keeping a constant connection to Cyrus as she went.

  “You just let your girl run off,” Pierce said, coming closer to Cyrus. Daisy could see them through the trunks of the trees on the other side of the clearing. Pierce’s finger twitched over the trigger on his rifle.

  She growled and charged. He spun around pulling the trigger. Daisy smashed into his chest and bullets flew into the air. They fell harmlessly behind them as Cyrus spun around to the offender and pinned him under his paw. Daisy placed her own paw on the man’s head, ready to squish.

  Cyrus and Daisy stood there together for a long time, their bond circulating between them as they tried to decide what to do. With just a little bit more force, they could end Pierce’s life. They could be judge, jury, and executioner all in one.

  Daisy could feel Cyrus shake his head inside her mind. They couldn’t do it. He wouldn’t let her be a murderer. And he himself would not take another man’s life like this either. They had to take him back to the Bear Patrol, and have him arrested by the authorities.

  With that, Cyrus shifted and Daisy shifted right beside him. They tied Pierce up with his shirt and led him back to the gazebo. After they dressed, they threw him into the boat, and then rowed him back to the lodge. When they arrived, they quickly called the Bear Patrol. They were there to get Pierce and take him away in a matter of minutes.

  Daisy and Cyrus stood on the front walkway of the lodge, holding each other tight in the cool autumn air.

  Chapter 16

  Daisy rubbed her big, round belly and put the finishing touches on the mantle over the fireplace in her and Cyrus his new home. They’d built a big, three-bedroom log cabin about a mile away from his brothers’ houses on the ranch. Leland, Buck, and Jessie had lent a hand in financing and building the house, and it had come together quickly.

  Now Daisy was nine months pregnant and had the chance to decorate her house any way she wanted. She arranged the bouquet of roses on the mantle and looked into the little silver frame, at the picture of her mother. It was so nice to finally be home.

  After the trial for her stepfather, Pierce Evert, and all of the hired goons, the men had gone away for a long time. Unfortunately, they still hadn’t been able to bring charges against the Updikes and the hyena clan. But at least her stepfather would never bother her again. She and Cyrus had had a legal wedding ceremony at the courthouse, just to make sure.

  Daisy had been able to help bring down her stepfather’s entire organization. Rollo had told her they were one step closer to nabbing the Updikes. All Daisy had ever wanted was a normal life. And now she had everything she’d ever wanted.

  Soon they would be joined by their own little bundle of joy.

  Daisy turned at the sound of the front door opening, and Cyrus walked inside with a clutch of rabbits in his hand, completely naked with a bloodied handprint on his chest. She giggled and trotted across the floor to plant a kiss on his dirty cheek.

  “What do you think?” she asked, sweeping her hand across their open living room.

  She had been taking interior design classes at the Bright Institute for Shifters and had learned quite a lot. Now that she had her own house, she was putting her design instinct to good use. The living room was decorated with a mixture of dark brown leather, pink satin, and white lace. It was a bit shabby chic met meets rustic and she knew they would both love it.

  “It looks gorgeous, babe,” Cyrus said, handing her the rabbits. “Why don’t you skin these while I take a shower?”

  She lifted the rabbits and decided on a rabbit stew for dinner. While Cyrus went upstairs to take a shower in the master bathroom, she went to the kitchen and began skinning the rabbits in the sink they had built for just such a thing. Since old habits die hard, and Daisy was now a grizzly herself, she didn’t mind skinning rabbits or gutting fish.

  By the time Cyrus came downstairs, Daisy had a rabbit and potato stew simmering on the stove. He kissed her cheek and ran his hand over her belly, feeling the baby kick inside.

  “Our cub is strong and healthy,” Cyrus said.

  “He’s kicking the heck out of my gut today,” Daisy said. “I can’t wait to get him out so I can watch him run around and play in the grass.”

  “Hello, Fifi,” Cyrus said as the little dog ran into the kitchen and joined them.

  Cyrus dipped the ladle into the rabbit stew and gave Fifi a piece of cooked meat. The dog greedily ate and then ran out the doggy door in the kitchen to chase squirrels. Daisy watched her out the window with a big smile on her face.

  “I have a present for you,” Cyrus said.

  “You’ve already given me so much.”

  “This is better,” he said.

  “Better than a diamond ring and a clutch of rabbits?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said.

  “Well, tell me. The suspense is killing me.”

  “I got you an account at the department store in the city,” he said, retrieving a credit card from his pocket. “You can buy whatever you want there. But you’ll still need to be able to get down there. And that’s why I bought you a new car.” He pulled car keys out of his pocket.

  “You did not,” she said.

  “You’ll want to see your friends too, I’m sure,” he said.

  “Where is it?”

  “It’s right outside.”

  Daisy shrieked and ran outside, flinging the door open to find a red SUV sitting in the driveway. She squealed and ran to the driver’s side door, flinging it open.

  “I can’t believe you got me this,” she said.

  “Since the ranch hit gold, Leland has been pretty generous with the cash.”

  “Remind me to kiss him the next time I see him.”

  Cyrus got into the passenger side of the SUV and watched her as she gripped the steering wheel. She looked over at him with a huge smile plastered on her face and leaned in to give him a kiss on the lips.

  “I don’t know how to thank you, Cyrus,” she said.

  “You don’t have to, baby. Your happiness is all the thanks I need,” he said, running his warm, strong hand over her belly.

  “And all I want is for you to be happy too,” she said, leaning in to kiss him.

  As they sat together in the front seat of her new car, she could feel their connection running back and forth through their vibrating primal bond. Daisy knew that they would both spend the rest of their lives living for each other’s happiness.

  And that was the best gift she could ever hope for.

  Mechanic Bear

  Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways …

  A desperate woman ...

  Fox shifter Dana Myers is on the run. After two years of indentured servitude to the Updike hyena pack on Fate Mountain, she finally makes her escape in a stolen car. When it breaks down, she discovers that mechanic and bear shifter Jessie Kincaid is her match on a shifter dating website. Out of options, she asks her unknown mate for help.

  A reluctant man ...

  Jessie is in no hurry to settle down. Playing the field is fun -- and besides, he saw how his dad fell apart after his mom’s death, and he never wants to be that vulnerable. But knowing that Dana is his mate changes everything. He’s determined to take care of her … and she’ll need all the help she can get.

  A dangerous dilemma

  The car she used for her getaway has a body in the trunk, making Dana the prime suspect in a murder case. Jessie knows she’s innocent, but all the evidence is pointing her way. Can he clear her name in time, or will he lose his mate to a deadly plot?

  Chapter 1

  "Did you bring the potato salad?" asked Sylvia Kincaid, Jessie Kincaid’s sister-in-law.

  Sylvia was pregnant with her and Leland's second child. The couple glowed as Leland slid his hand down th
e small of Sylvia’s back.

  "I did," Jessie said. "I made it myself.”

  “Good job, Jessie," giggled Daisy, Cyrus’s mate, her blonde curls shimmering in the early evening sunlight.

  Daisy held her baby son in a sling as she sat at the picnic table next to Maria, Buck’s mate. Daisy and Maria had become great friends over the last year, finding that they had a great deal in common, even though their backgrounds were very different. Maria and Buck's baby, Joy, was already a year and a half, and Leland and Sylvia's baby Henry was going on three. The whole family was growing and changing right before Jessie’s eyes.

  Leland stood at the grill, flipping Timber Bear Ranch burgers. The herd was doing great since Leland had come home. They’d even won some blue ribbons at the county fair. Jessie walked along the food table, paper plate in hand, and dished up a hamburger and some of the potato salad he'd brought.

  “When are you going to sign up for Mate.com, Jessie?” Daisy asked when he sat back down at the picnic table. Cyrus gave her a smirk and everyone else at the table began to chuckle.

  "I wish you would all stop pestering me about that. I've told you a hundred times that I do not want a mate. Why can't a bear just be left alone to mind his own business?”

  “We just want you to be happy," Sylvia said, holding Henry on her lap.

  “I would be much happier if you all just left me alone."

  "What would be the fun in that?” asked Daisy.

  “It would be more fun than being pestered about finding a mate all the time,” he said roughly.

  He immediately regretted talking to Daisy that way. She could be kind of a pest, but at the same time she was his brother’s mate. He didn't want to hurt her feelings.

  "If Jessie wants to be alone and miserable for the rest of his life, we should let him,” Maria said sarcastically.

  "Come on ladies, I can't handle this from both of you," Jessie said.

  "I think that was kind of the point," Daisy giggled.

  "Why don't you just sign up for Mate.com and see if your mate is on there? You don't have to make any commitments. You could just check it out and see,” said Sylvia.

  "We all know it doesn't work like that," Jessie said. “If I find my fated mate, then, of course, she’ll want to meet, and, of course, she's going to fall in love with me. There is no other option. I just don't know if I can break someone's heart right now.”

  “So don't," said Daisy. "Just kiss her and claim her and live happily ever after.”

  “You people are impossible," Jessie said, shaking his head. He looked at his brothers for support, but all three were smirking. He glared at Buck and Cyrus across the table. Leland was snickering at the barbecue.

  "Did you guys put them up to this?" he asked his brothers. “Because it’s tacky to get your wives to do your dirty work.”

  "Don't look at us," said Leland, turning from the barbecue. “It's all them. Our mates just know what you need better than you do.”

  He was so tired of them pestering him, but he had to admit to himself that maybe they had a point.

  "Fine. I'll sign up for Mate.com if that will shut you all up," Jessie said, pulling out his cellphone. The last thing he wanted was to find a mate because his family was being obnoxious, but this was the last straw. He flicked on his cellphone and did a search for Mate.com.

  "I can't believe you still haven't signed up after all these years," Buck said.

  "Not everybody is as awesome as you, Buck,” Jessie said dryly.

  "You don’t have to be a dick about it," Buck laughed.

  Jessie growled as he filled out the questionnaire on the dating app. He tried to be honest in his answers. He knew it would come back to haunt him, in the form of more teasing from his family, if he lied.

  When he was finished with the questionnaire, he uploaded his profile picture and added some information about himself. When it was complete, he pressed the enter button and waited for his matches to load. His heart beat wildly in anticipation, which confused him even more.

  When the matches finally came up on the screen, he scrolled down to the bottom of the page, just out of curiosity, to see if there was a 100% match.

  There was.

  And he was blown away by what he saw on his screen.

  The girl in front of him seemed oddly familiar. Had he met her before? She was absolutely beautiful, with dark auburn hair, pale, freckled skin, and curves so luscious he had to bite his knuckles just to keep from groaning out loud. He was sure he'd seen this woman before. He would not forget a face like that. Where had he met her? He couldn't remember.

  "Did you find your mate?" Daisy asked, leaning over the table to look at his screen.

  "Yes, if you must know, not that it's any of you people's business,” he snapped.

  "We just want you to be happy," Sylvia reiterated. "Each of us knows from experience that finding a mate is one of the best things that can happen to someone. We would hate for you to miss out on having love in your life just because you’re stubborn.”

  “If you must know, Mate.com has located my fated mate. She’s beautiful, and she seems so familiar. I don't remember where I've seen her before. Why didn't I know she was my mate?" Jessie asked in a low voice. It just didn't make any sense.

  "Let me see," Buck said, taking Jessie's phone. He gazed at the picture for long moments, wrinkling his brow above his big brown eyes.

  "You know, she does look familiar. I just can't remember from where."

  "Are you going to message her?" Maria asked.

  "I told you, I do not want a mate. I don't know how many times I have to say that."

  Even as the words left his mouth, Jessie knew it was a lie. The look in the girl's eyes called out to him. He would not be able to resist contacting her for very long.

  Chapter 2

  Dana Myers slipped behind the wheel of the car and slowly turned the key in the ignition. Her heart thumped distractingly in her ears. This was her chance to make a break for it. The hyena pack was passed out from a particularly strong batch of bathtub gin.

  For two years, Dana had squirreled away money, biding her time as a servant to the Updike brothers and their hyena clan.

  The car motor rumbled to life. Dana didn't feel bad about taking a car. The hyenas who came to the mansion lived in service of the Updike brothers. Everyone shared the resources they brought to the estate.

  Everyone except women like Dana.

  She had been a trade from her own fox pack, two years ago, when they’d gotten involved with crime.

  Dana was an orphan and had been left with relatives to be cared for. Her mother and father would turn over in their graves if they knew what happened to their daughter. But Dana was a strong woman and she wasn’t going to let anything stand in her way any longer.

  When she finally saw a chance to sneak away, she took it. Slowly driving down the road with her headlights off, to ensure no one saw her, she made it to the main road. She felt like she was home free for the first time in two years.

  As far as she was concerned, she had paid whatever debts her old pack had with the Updikes by working for them without pay for the last couple of years, and she didn’t feel obligated to stay any longer, even if it was to protect anyone. Stealing a car might not be hundred percent morally correct, but after what she had been through, she no longer cared.

  She turned out onto the highway and headed west toward the city. There, she knew she would be able to find a new place to stay and hopefully a job. Nothing could be worse than working for the Updikes, and she was willing to take any position she could find. She imagined all the opportunities in front of her as she drove down the highway.

  It was clear, starry, midsummer night and the world was her oyster. Never again would she take orders from men like Brandon and Chuck Updike. Her life was her own now, and she was never going back to them.

  They had kept her in constant fear for two years, promising to kill her relatives if she left. But since her great uncle die
d last week, there was no one else in the fox pack that she even remotely cared about. Dana had decided it was no longer her priority. She didn't owe anyone anything. After all, they’d sold her to them in the first place.

  Losing her parents had not been easy. She’d lived with her great uncle and his second wife since she was ten. They had not been the most attentive caretakers. Unlike most fox packs, Dana's was neither affectionate nor close. They had begun working with the hyenas soon after the Great War, and she believed that it had truly affected everything about the clan.

  They no longer behaved like foxes, and seemed to her to have taken on many of the traits of hyenas. Dana had seen this pattern repeatedly with any shifter pack or clan that got involved with hyenas. Their promise of easy money and total disregard for life enabled them to tear the world apart.

  That was not the way that Dana wanted to live. She still dreamed of having a family of her own: a mate and pups who would make her life complete. She wanted to give her children the things that she’d missed out on growing up without her parents.

  As she drove down the highway, dreaming about her new life, her engine let out a sputtering snap. Her eyes went wide with surprise when the car suddenly died and ran off the road into a ditch. She was only fifteen miles out of Fate Mountain Village. Not far enough to be safe from the Updikes.

  The sun rose in the east, breaking over the mountains and stretching in yellow claws over the land. She swore under her breath and dug through her purse, looking for the phone her uncle had still been paying for.

  She had a little bit of money that she'd stashed away from coins and bills she'd found around the Updike mansion. It hadn't really been stealing, she was just picking up lost clutter that nobody cared about. During that time, she'd managed to save over a thousand dollars. She could buy a bus ticket into the city if she could make it back to Fate Mountain Village.

  If she shifted into fox form, she'd get there faster. But then she would have to leave her things. That wasn't an option. She was starting over from nothing. She couldn't leave her purse, her phone, her wallet and all her clothes.