He wasn’t going to involve the cubs in this fight. Though a few of them were close to their eighteenth birthday, they still lacked the skill and power to go against lions. And hell, he didn’t even know how many lions there were.
Bo screeched to a stop and rushed into Jane’s apartment. The scent of blood hit him. “Stay here!” he growled, and she stumbled to a stop.
He felt bad for startling her, but better to scare her a little than have her walk in to something too gruesome.
~.~
Jane waited for Bo to walk inside, counted to five, and then stumbled in after him. It was her child, dammit. Her sitter. Her home. Bo was placing a sheet over the body in the kitchen. Ingrid’s hot-pink tennis shoes poked out from under the sheet.
Glue, borax, and crayons were strewn throughout the room. Liam had been coloring and making slime. Tears filled her eyes. If anything happened to her baby...
Bo picked up the lock of blond hair that lay on the table next to the half-drawn picture, and Jane shuddered with rage. The monster had cut a piece of his hair. A growl built within her chest and released as the rage filled her. She would kill Seth with her bare hands.
She picked up the lock of hair and looked at the precious drawing her little boy had been working on. Wolves, bears, and lions seemed to howl in the moonlight. A little blond boy in blue pajamas danced around with a big black bear-looking thing. I have a sekret came from the blond’s mouth in a tiny little word bubble in pink. He’d spelled secret wrong, and she started sobbing as she pressed the picture and hair to her chest.
“We’ll get him back.” Bo’s eyes shone with violence and anger, and, for once, Jane wasn’t afraid.
~.~
“Why are we stopping here?” Jane scowled as Bo pulled over to the side of the road next to a small group of teenagers. Ida’s dojo was brightly lit up as young and old sparred.
“I need to get some things.” He opened his door and stalked toward the entrance. “Wait here.”
The bear was on a mission. And it pissed her off more than anything in the world. It was her fight. Her son. Her life on the line here. Not his. And Bo was treating her like an unnecessary sidekick, like she wasn’t even part of this. It should have made her feel loved and safe, like usual. But this time was different. She was terrified of what Seth was doing to her son right now, and she resented being left stewing in an idling truck. She resented falling in love with another shifter, and him taking charge. Expecting, no, demanding that she just fall in line.
Bo thought because he was alpha, she would just submit to his orders, maybe turn up her belly like some submissive—which animals did the submissive belly or neck thing?—whatever! Fury rocketed through her, and she opened her door and jumped out of the truck, remembering to reach back in and turn it off and grab the keys just in case. Then she slammed the door as hard as she could and stormed over to him where he was talking with the three teenagers on the sidewalk.
She glared at him as she stalked past them and into Ida’s center. She would get weapons herself. Yeah, she would go in and protect her son from the vilest evil in the world, get him away from all of this, and run like hell. Maybe to some small place in Alaska where no one could ever trail them again. Bo grumbled something to the teens, and his loud steps pounded after her. He was not going to talk her out of this; she wasn’t going to stand down. When she turned to face him, she bolstered her anger and resentment and flung it at him in the biggest display of will of her life.
The large man’s eyes widened and lost the spark of power and quiet rage as he assessed her stance.
She wasn’t afraid of him. She never had been. Yes, he was larger than her and could crush her larynx in his fist. He could kill her with one swipe of his meaty grizzly paw, but the fear never came. The truth emboldened her. She stood straighter, defying his power and strength.
Bo was her lover, her protector; he would call her mate. And your mate didn’t harm you. She knew it, she accepted it, and for one moment she wished she could run to him, leap into his arms, and escape from everything. Let him care for her. Liam’s face sprang into her mind, and she shook off the feeling. She let the rage fill her again. She’d use it to bring down the monster who had stolen her son. And then—even though it would kill her—they’d run again. Away from this man and the feelings she had for him.
She held the door open to Ida’s place and scowled at him when he took it from her, allowing her to go in first. “You’re not going without me.”
“Ida.” He caught her gaze, and she sprinted over, ushering them into her small office as the practice continued on the main floor.
Bo caught Ida up-to-date quickly and looked at Jane, his growl threatening to make her knees buckle. But she just stood stronger and glared back. “I am going with you.”
“You sure as hell are not!”
~.~
“If you think for one second you are going to get my son back without my help, you are sorely mistaken.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt. Do you understand? These are killers. Lions. They will shred you to pieces in an instant.”
“They won’t hurt me. Seth needs me alive as his prize to take back to Daddy.”
“You don’t know that,” Bo growled.
“Well, I’m not sitting here while my son is scared and vulnerable. You don’t have to take me with you. But I will follow on my own. I brought my gun, and I will get my son back. Or die trying.”
He groaned. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“What’d I miss?” Sam walked in.
“Jane is trying to get herself killed,” he muttered, while Ida filled her in. “I keep trying to get it through her thick skull that I can do this easier if I don’t have to worry about her getting hurt. Talk some sense to her.”
She gave him a thumbs-up and took Jane by the shoulders. “You ride with me. When we get close, drop us off, and Ida and I will hike in behind you. They won’t be able to scent us. I’ve got your back, Mama.”
“No, dammit,” Bo roared.
“Too late, we’re going. If you want to tag along, fine. But I’m not leaving my best friend here while her cub is in danger. You should know better than anyone, family comes first.”
“Fine. But you stay close to me at all times, no matter what, you get me, woman?” He winced when her eyes widened, and she backed up a step. “Sorry.”
The once-meek Jane shook her head and rolled her shoulders before piercing him with the strongest gaze. “I’m going to get my son back. Let’s go.”
Bo watched with pride as Jane strode purposefully to her car, Sam following close behind.
“Let’s go kill some kitties,” Sam said before hopping into the back of Jane’s car.
Bo hoped they weren’t making a mistake. If he had time, he’d call in reinforcements, but there was no one else around he could trust.
Goddess help them all, Bo would fight. He would bring Liam, Sam, and Jane home safe and sound. And if she didn’t hate him after seeing him in battle, he’d ask her to be his mate. Officially.
Chapter Eleven
Jane got to the entrance first, sighing with relief at the sight of her baby boy. Liam was unharmed—the look of fury on his tiny, angelic face overshadowing the mussed hair and disheveled jammies—standing next to the large man she had thought she once loved. Big mistake. How could she have possibly mistaken that with how Bo made her feel? And this asshole had the audacity to steal her son. A low growl built in her throat as she stepped through the doors of the old warehouse.
“I told you to come alone,” Seth growled.
Bo strode up and stood shoulder to shoulder with her, while Ida and Sam went around the back.
“And I told you to get out of my life and leave me alone.”
“You’re awfully brave with your guardian bear standing next to you.”
The two large, blond men standing behind Seth gave low growls of approval, their eyes flashing as their lions pushed to the front.
“I thought you couldn’t scent each other when not shifted.” Jane cocked her head.
“Bitch, I’ve had a guy following you for a while. He wasn’t sure it was you at first. But he sent me lots of pictures. Want to see one of you sleeping? Cutting the kid’s hair? My favorite’s the one of you taking a shower. I think you were shaving your legs.”
Jane felt like throwing up. That man who had scared her...he’d been following her? Taking pictures of her? She felt so violated. So alone. A tight squeeze on her shoulder brought her back in control of her emotions. Bo’s presence calmed her. She wasn’t alone after all. “Just give me my son, and we’ll leave. I don’t want to fight you, Seth.”
“You’re not going anywhere, except with me. You and the kid are mine.”
“But I didn’t agree to be yours! I don’t want you. I’m not even your mate. You already told me that, so why do you want me so much?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Partly because you left me, and I don’t like losing things.”
She remembered that vulnerable look in his eyes. He was still young—only three months older than her. She’d grown up quick after having a baby as a single mom on the run. But Seth was still immature and lacking the life experience she had. “Can’t you just let us go? Forget about us?”
“I’m sorry.” His gaze hardened. “No, I’m not. I’m not taking a chance on losing my pack’s trust. I am next in line to be alpha, and Liam’s next after me. I need him back.”
Jane tried to keep him talking while Sam and Ida snuck around back. The asshole had always liked the sound of his own voice, and today wasn’t any different. “You’re not taking my son.” She practically growled the words, surprising both of them.
“You don’t really have a say in the matter,” Seth replied in kind, the overhead light transforming his features as his canines lengthened.
Liam’s eyes widened, and he rushed over to her. Jane held her arms out to hold him and protect him, but Liam pushed away from her grasp. He stood as tall as he could, in front of her, mimicking Bo’s rigid stance.
Bo took a step forward to join her son. The two males dearest to her were taking a stand to protect her, and her heart melted with pride.
Seth’s enforcers stood behind him, just off-center, the lion in both ready to attack.
Rumbling, Bo brought his bear forward. The tight T-shirt ripped away from his chest, and the seams of his pants burst as his grizzly surged into her vision. He was huge, towering over seven feet tall. Brown with black streaks, his whole body screaming lethal power. And he was standing guard over her and the tiny form of her son.
Seth gave a savage grin before tossing off his leather jacket. Pretty boy had always loved that jacket. The air around him crackled, shimmering with energy, and the hairs on the back of her neck rose. Seth shifted with a roar, but Bo’s grizzly surged to meet him. Both were powerful, dangerous. Grabbing Liam, Jane barely got out of the way before the two shifters collided.
The back window crashed as a large brown bear surged through it, attacking the taller of Seth’s enforcers. Ida.
Sam hurtled through the back door, splintering the wood with a loud kick. She was still in human form and brandishing a wicked sword. She paired off with the remaining shifter, and they circled each other.
Jane tried to fight down the fear threatening to take over her whole body as her son shivered angrily in her arms. Please be safe. Please be safe.
The roars of the mighty lion and powerful grizzly hurt her ears. Clutched to her chest, Liam was breathing rapidly and wiggling for all he was worth. His animal wanted in the fight. She could feel it with every nuance of her soul. But Liam couldn’t fight. He was only half shifter. And he was too little. Too vulnerable. Her vision danced, spots filling her eyes as Ida swiped at the snout of the lion she fought. Blood spattered, and the lion snarled and backed off to the corner.
She couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were so empty. The clang of metal on metal brought her focus onto Sam who was still fighting in human form, a wild smile on her face. Her crazy friend was loving every second of battle. The pipe clattered out of the man’s hands, and he growled. The air around him shimmered as he shifted into his lion. Sam rolled her eyes and gave a loud, exasperated sigh. The lion leaped. She ducked. As it soared overhead, it reached its sharp claws toward her.
No! Jane closed her eyes and wrenched Liam around, so he wouldn’t see. She should take advantage of the distraction. Get Liam out of there. But her legs wouldn’t move.
The loud thunk and shrill warrior cry from Sam made her turn back.
“That’s what you get for being an asshole!” Sam yanked the sword out of the lion’s chest as blood spilled onto the floor. With one quick swipe, she brought down the sword. The lion’s head came off. “You want a piece of me, too, fucker?” She screamed a banshee cry and raised her sword at the lion who’d been fighting Ida. The lion hissed before turning and surging out the back door.
Jane staggered, her head reeling—so much blood, so much violence. Sam went over to check on Ida’s bear who was breathing heavily from the exertion. Bo was still fighting Seth, the loud clash of fangs and claws terrifying her.
But it wasn’t Seth that scared her. It was her fear for Bo. Her mate. She loved this big bear of a man. If anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself. She groaned when Bo took the brunt of a vicious claw to his shoulder. Red soaked his black fur, but Bo didn’t flinch. He only got taller, grew bigger, his massive claws beating the lion over and over again. Picked it up. Threw it back down again, until Seth’s lion had finally had enough. Shaking, wounded, it tried to stand, only to collapse. Lying on its side, it tilted its neck toward Bo. An act of submission. Seth was conceding defeat. Jane released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and relaxed her death grip on Liam.
~.~
His enemy at his feet, Bo turned. Sam and Ida were safe, one attacker dead and the other fled. But where were Jane and Liam? He shook his head, clearing the blood from his eyes until he saw them. His mate, clinging to her son. Safe now…but not really. Not until he banished this asshole from both their lives. Except he never got the chance. He only took his eyes off Seth for half a second, but that was all the time the lion needed to regain his strength and courage. And it was Jane’s face, the sudden fade of her relief and the horror widening her eyes and mouth, before she screamed, throwing up an arm as if she could stop the attack from happening.
“No!”
Claws ripped right through Bo’s abdomen. Shit. He fell forward, his balance shaken. The lion loomed over him, about to bite into his head.
The blur at Jane’s side happened so quickly, he had to blink his eyes. Liam’s pajamas tore from his body, his eyes red with rage. Liam hurdled through the air mid-shift, as the torn fabric fell to the ground.
A wolf. Not a lion. A wolf! The tiny wolf savaged the lion’s shoulder, growling and snapping. The lion, too stunned to react at first, accepted the wolf pup’s first few bites then flung the pup aside. Liam yelped as he hit the floor.
Jane howled, enraged, and shook herself out of her frozen state. Her eyes darkened, and clothes tore as she shifted, a gorgeous wolf surging forward to protect her pup. She bit and clawed and attacked the lion like the mama wolf she was. Hell, hath no fury, Bo thought, wounded and dazed and full of pride.
Bo stumbled to his feet and gave his huge body a shake. Jane and Ida had him in a tight circle. The lion snarled, standing on its tiptoes as it lifted its tail and hunched its back.
Bo was so proud of his little mate, and he definitely had some questions. But now it was time for him to take charge. His pack had done their job and paused their enemy’s advance. But he was alpha, and he would die protecting his pack. He was alpha!
As the power of the alpha coursed through his veins, surging through his body, he truly knew what it meant to accept this position. Bear Paw would grow and flourish under his protection, and his new family would grow along with it. He was Bo Alexander, Alph
a of Bear Paw river, graced by the power of the goddess. This was his turf, his pack, his family.
He held up his paws, and the wide-eyed females nodded and stepped back. Jane nudged their little warrior wolf to the wall. Bo faced his enemy, no longer as equals. But as alpha versus punk-ass lion kid who thought he could start trouble in his town. The power rippled, and his muscles tensed, growing even more. The energy flowed through every cell in his body. He was bigger, stronger, faster than this piece of crap in front of him.
He and the lion faced each other and circled. If her asshole ex-boyfriend backed down and left, Bo would let him. He had no desire to kill one of the goddess’s creatures. But the idiot lion gave him no choice. It roared and leaped forward, trying to get past Bo. To get to his family.
Bo slashed, ripping straight through the lion’s jugular without putting much energy behind it—so mighty was the goddess energy in him. The lion fell to the floor, dead. Bo looked back to see his mate, still in wolf form, her body curved around her son’s, so he couldn’t see the carnage. Her gorgeous silver-gray fur had a few spots of blood on it, and the sheer possessiveness he felt when he saw it shook through him. He swallowed back the rage, shifting back into human form before he dared approach the two wolves huddled against the wall. The smaller one was still shaking with fury, wanting to get back into the action. Someday. But not yet.
When he went to pet Jane’s soft fur, the pup bit his hand. He retracted his fingers while they were still attached. “Hey, bud, it’s me, Bo. I just want to check on your mama, okay?”
The wolf pup cocked his head, taking a long sniff as his eyes widened. Liam recognized Bo and licked his hand excitedly. Bo laughed and scratched the pup behind the ears. “Mind if I check on her, now?”
Liam nodded and let his tongue loll as he stepped aside for Bo.
Bear With Me: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (Mates of Bear Paw River Book 2) Page 9
