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, Alpha 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.
“Hey, baby, what’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” He sat down next to her.
She growled, deep and low, and turned to face him, her eyes wild and panicked. Now that she was coming down from the adrenaline surge, she looked more terrified than ever.
“You must have a lot of questions. I know I do.”
Her wolf lay down on her side and raised her belly to him, as if sensing and fearing the alpha in him.
“I would never hurt you, my sweet little mate. My job is to protect you, help you through your transition. The fight is over, and Liam’s safe. Are you ready to try shifting back?” He stroked her soft fur and felt the tension in her tight muscles. Her wolf shook and wheezed, short exhales, but no inhales expanding her chest. Shit. Could wolves hyperventilate? It seemed this one could. So vulnerable and soft and scared. But so much more.
“Show me your snout, little mate.” He didn’t use his alpha, not wanting to scare her further. She turned toward him, fear in her eyes, her chest heaving as she took in choppy fast breaths. He cupped his hands in front of her snout. He had no idea if it would work, but since most of this was psychological… “Take a deep breath in, Goldie. One, two, three.” He took one to show her how it was done. “Good girl. Okay, now let it out.” The slow exhale released from her snout, and she took a few more breaths, each one slower than before. She licked his hand, and he smiled. Her eyes were clearing. “You’re such a good girl. A good mama. So strong and brave. You fought for us and helped save the day. I’m so proud of you.”
She licked him again.
“Okay, are you ready to learn to shift back? Then we can teach Liam together.”
She gave a low bark. Liam was curled up in a loose ball, relaxing against Bo’s warm back. It felt amazing to have them both there with him. He gave a quick scritch to Liam’s furry little ears and then focused on Jane and her wolf.
“First thing you want to do is thank your wolf and thank the goddess for protecting you. For giving you this amazing gift.”
She whimpered and closed her eyes, drawing in deep, even breaths. A moment later, her tail, which had been straight out, relaxed and pointed down.
Good. “Can you see a light shining at the periphery of your vision?”
She cocked her head and nodded slowly.
“Focus on the light. Beckon it toward you. Is it getting closer? Good. See your gorgeous curves and bright smile? Your soft blonde hair that frames your face? See the kindness in your gorgeous blue eyes? That’s your human side. The one you want to bring to the front.” He stroked her lovingly. “Picture yourself running through the woods on all fours enjoying your time as a free wolf. Free to roam and hunt and play and enjoy your son, your pup. Now, picture the energy changing around you. It’s like tiny bolts of lightning—don’t worry, they don’t hurt. They tickle.”
She relaxed again.
“Those tiny bolts will bring your other form back to you. It won’t hurt. It feels kind of weird, like a deep tissue massage, but it won’t hurt. You have nothing to be afraid of. When you’re ready, visualize yourself in your human form. Smell it, taste it, see it, hear it. It might take a few tries, but we’ll get it together.
~.~
Jane relaxed her breathing and focused on the big beautiful woman in the distance. She was dressed in jeans and an emerald-colored tank top. Her blonde hair hung messily half in, half out of a ponytail. Bits of leaves and branches fell from the strands. She must have been playing with Bo and Liam. Climbing trees and chasing each other through the forest. It was the most wonderful feeling, and the warmth filled her soul. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes alight with joy. Her whole body glowed with excitement and love, and she appreciated every curve, every dimple. Even the scar along her shoulder looked perfect. Like every part of her was perfectly made for her unique body. And she was loved by her son, by Bo, and herself. She wept as the realization crept up into her. She was beautiful. She did deserve love.
She felt the tug and pull as her body shifted. Bo was right; it didn’t hurt. As the lights subsided, she collapsed into the strong arms of her mate. She shivered, naked, as the cool air touched every bit of her body. He pulled her closer to him, enveloping her in his warmth, and she felt, for the first time in her life, truly safe.
“There’s my good girl.” He kissed her on the forehead and pulled her tighter against him. Liam pounced and gave a happy lick to their faces.
Sam handed her a blanket, which she wrapped herself in. Ida was on the phone, dressed already. “We always keep backup clothes on hand. I have some extra jeans and a T-shirt in the back of the car. I’ll be right back.” She grinned and gave Jane a thumbs-up. “And then, girl, we have got to talk.”
Jane snuggled against Bo and pulled her happy little wolf cub against her. “Come on, big boy. Time to get you shifted back so we can go home.”
The pup gave her a strange look, jumped off them, and ran over to Seth’s discarded shirt. He lifted his leg and peed on it. Then he gave a quick growl at the body, and loped back to them. As he jumped, he shifted mid-air and landed in Bo’s outstretched arms.
“Hey, little man. You’re a natural.”
Liam beamed at the praise and poked his nose. “I told you I had a secret.”
Bo laughed and took the blanket from Jane as Sam handed her a bag of clothes. “Yes, you did. I also remember you telling me you preferred dogs to cats the first time we met.”
The little boy giggled and hugged him. “Mama’s a wolf. I’m a wolf. Surprise!”
Jane’s eyes filled with tears as the two males she loved more than anything in the world hugged each other tightly.
“Thank you, Bo.” Liam hugged him even tighter.
“Anything for you and your mama, little man.”
Liam’s nose wrinkled, and he cocked his head. “I think you finally deserve boops.”
Bo’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward so her son could touch his nose with his finger.
“Boop.”
Bo’s eyes misted, and he didn’t even bother to hide the tears as he booped him back and hugged him again.
Bo picked Liam up and walked over to pull Jane into their hug.
“Miss Sam, Miss Ida, come be the lettuce and tomato!” Liam called, pulling the blanket tightly around him as the other women came and joined in the hug. “It’s a Liam sandwich.”
Jane sobbed. Her special Liam was happy and safe, tightly hugged by the shifters who had been willing to die to protect him. Shifters weren’t bad. Alphas weren’t evil. And, somehow, she was one of them. She’d finally found her home.
The siren sounded from a few miles away. The shrill pitches made her wince. She would need to get used to having these extra abilities, like better hearing. Yet, her body had still chilled when she transformed back into her human side. Maybe it would take some time to get used to everything.
“The sheriff is on his way. He’ll take care of the bodies.”
“He’s a shifter, too?”
“No, J-Bomb. But he’s a good man who’s willing to help us keep our secret,” Ida told her with a smile.
“You all head on back to town in Sam’s car,” Bo told them as he set Liam on the floor. “I’m going to stay and make sure everything is taken care of here.”
Her mate was a good and responsible alpha. She gave him one last hug and took Liam’s hand from under his blanket. “Come on, baby boy. I think someone needs a bath.” She wrinkled her nose. This new ability was going to take some getting used to.
As they all walked out, Bo’s cell phone rang. He grabbed it and answered. “Hey, Zach, you missed a hell of a night.”
The other man’s voice sounded as clear as if he was in the same room with them. “You’re not going to believe this, but I know where my missing female wolf is—”
“Let me guess. Bear Paw. Female, blonde hair, blue eyes, has a six-year-old. Her name is Jane and she’s been on the run for almost seven years.”
“How’d you guess?”
Bo laughed and gave her a wink. “It’s all good,” he whispered.
She turned and continued out the door. Bo would fill her in later. Right now, she just wanted to get home.
“Like I said, you missed a hell of a night…”