Protector Bear (Bear Creek Protectors Book 4) Read online

  “Okay, let’s all look for Jenna,” Cynthia suggested as they walked out of baggage collection and headed toward the main terminal.

  “There she is,” Thomas pointed through the crowds of people exiting the building.

  Cynthia looked up, relieved to see her friend waiting for them. Jenna was an ex-police officer and knew how to look after herself. She’d also protected the children and kept them safe while Cynthia had been taking down Cracol Lemnisci. If Jenna was here, they were safe. Or so she hoped.

  “Hi there.” Jenna hunkered down and held her arms out wide. Laurel and Thomas launched themselves at her. “My, you two have grown since I last saw you.”

  “You only saw us a couple of weeks ago,” Laurel told Jenna.

  “I’ve grown five inches,” Thomas announced, standing up tall.

  “I think you’ve grown six at least,” Jenna told him.

  “Maybe if he stands on his suitcase,” Laurel teased.

  “Hi, Jenna.” Cynthia hugged her friend as she stood up, disentangling herself from the children. “Thank you so much for coming to meet us.”

  “Any time. Come on, let’s get to the car and you can tell me everything on the way.” Jenna took hold of Thomas’s hand as they exited the airport. “And you need to tell me what you’ve been eating these last couple of weeks to make you grow so fast.”

  “Protein,” Laurel told Jenna. “Protein helps you grow.”

  “You’re right. Do you like learning about how things work?” Jenna asked as they waited to cross the parking lot.

  “I do.” Laurel fell silent for a moment. “Do you think I can watch Flint shift, so I can try to figure out how that works?”

  “I can ask him,” Jenna replied. “But I think it’s magic.”

  “There’s no such thing as magic,” Laurel told her.

  “No such thing as magic?” Jenna asked. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” Laurel said matter-of-factly.

  “Sure, there’s magic in the world,” Cynthia said. “It’s in the rising of the sun and the grass that grows beneath your feet.”

  “That’s not magic, that’s nature, that’s science,” Laurel insisted.

  “But Santa is magic,” Thomas told his sister.

  “No, he’s not,” Laurel said quickly.

  “He has some magic,” Cynthia told her daughter, a warning in her voice.

  “No, he isn’t magic at all.”

  “You know the reindeer are shifters.” Jenna’s comment made Laurel stop in her tracks.

  “Really?” Thomas asked in excitement.

  “Really. Flint said he saw one once, a few years ago, she shifted right in the middle of town.” Jenna pointed to a vehicle. “This is us.”

  “Wait. Flint saw a reindeer?” Laurel asked. “A real live reindeer?”

  “Now do you believe in magic?” Thomas asked as they followed Jenna across the parking lot.

  Cynthia grinned despite the disturbing reasons they had left their home and come to Bear Creek. The more natural this was for the children, the better. For now, they didn’t need to know they might be in danger again.

  Her expression hardened. Who was behind the letter?

  She rubbed her forehead, trying to ease the sense of unease that passed over her. Was this related to Cracol Lemnisci? She’d assumed so. But maybe someone, or something, else from her past come back to haunt her. She needed answers and she needed them soon. But first, they had to get to Bear Creek.

  “Is Flint in the car?” Cynthia asked, ducking her head and looking in the vehicle. Her eyes locked on the male who was seated in the driver’s seat. And his eyes locked on hers. She swallowed hard, her stomach churning. Not with nerves, but with excitement.

  “No, Hunter came with me.” Jenna put her hand on Cynthia’s arm. “Hey, are you okay? Have you seen something?”

  Her future. She’d seen her future in Hunter’s eyes.

  “Yes.” She straightened up, her hand threading through her hair. Had she even brushed it this morning?

  “Oh.” Jenna’s expression showed her surprise.

  “Oh, what?” Cynthia asked as she straightened up, her stomach flipping over. It felt like the first time she’d seen the man who would father her children. Love at first sight. Did that happen twice in a lifetime?

  “Hunter is a shifter.” Jenna let the meaning of her words sink in. “Your shifter.”

  “I’m his mate?” Cynthia took two steps backward, not sure if she wanted this added pressure in her life. “He’d be better off without me.”

  “No, he would not. And you need him in your life. He’ll protect you and the children.” Jenna’s face filled with sympathy. “I know it’s a difficult thing to understand. Believe me, I’ve been where you are right now.”

  “And you just accepted it?” Cynthia asked.

  “Yes. Eventually.” Jenna glanced at the car. “Well, quite quickly actually. I mean who can resist a man who declares his undying love for you?” Her expression sobered. “There’s a reason I met Flint when I did. Which means there is a reason you’re meeting Hunter now. Right at the time when you are in trouble.”

  “We’re in trouble?” Laurel asked, looking up at her mom.

  “We will be if we don’t get going.” Jenna glossed over Laurel’s question and opened up the rear car door. “I’m going to sit in the back with you and Mommy can sit in the front.”

  “Jenna...” Cynthia followed her friend to the back of the car and Jenna popped the trunk. As they put the suitcases inside, the driver’s door opened, and Hunter got out. Cynthia looked around, her eyes large as panic filled her. She wasn’t ready to meet a new man. She liked her life the way it was. Except for the threatening letter at least.

  But she liked her freedom. She enjoyed making her own decisions and living life on her own terms.

  Or maybe she was just scared. Scared to risk her heart again. Scared to be consumed with sadness and loss.

  “Cynthia, this is Hunter. Hunter, this is the wonderful Cynthia.” Jenna took a step backward and darted around Hunter. “I’ll help the children get buckled in the car.”

  “Hi. Thanks for coming to pick us up.” Cynthia gripped the handle of her suitcase as if it were a shield, protecting her from the man before her. The man with mesmerizing eyes, and a kind smile, which twisted in bemusement.

  “Hi.” He coughed and cleared his throat. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” Cynthia sighed, remembering why she’d bundled her children onto a plane and brought them here. “This is all a bit of a shock.”

  Which was a bit of an understatement.

  “I agree.” He gave a short, nervous laugh. “A good shock. For me at least. You don’t look so sure.”

  “Unexpected.” She sounded like an idiot. “This whole thing is unexpected.”

  He laughed. “You know, I was supposed to spend two weeks on the mountain. On vacation. If I hadn’t gone to the office to hand over the paperwork for my last assignment, I wouldn’t be here. And we would never have met.”

  “Fate.” Cynthia shrugged. “I know that’s what you believe in. Jenna explained it all to me.”

  “And you don’t believe in fate.” His eyes narrowed as he studied her. “It’s okay, it’s not a requirement for the mating bond to work.”

  “But you do hope to persuade me.”

  “I do,” Hunter agreed, and Cynthia decided she wasn’t going to fight it.

  Chapter Four – Hunter

  A mate and two kids. In one day.

  As he drove back to Bear Creek, Hunter couldn’t help but feel a little shell-shocked. If he hadn’t offered to drive to the airport to help Cynthia, and had instead taken off into the mountains for a couple of weeks, he might have sidestepped ever meeting his mate.

  Fate, his bear reminded him. We can’t escape it.

  Hunter glanced sideways at Cynthia, who looked nervous, her hands clutched together in her lap. “Are you okay?”

  She swung her head to face him. �
��Yes.” She frowned, a deep crease in her brow confirming, which he longed to kiss and make it fade away. “I’m a little preoccupied, sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize.” Hunter glanced up at the rearview mirror and watched the two children in the back seat. They were talking to Jenna, looking happy and content as if this was one big adventure.

  “It’s not you...” she added, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. “It’s…”

  “The letter?”

  Cynthia nodded and looked behind her, checking on her children. “They don’t know,” she said in a voice that was barely a whisper. She looked at him for confirmation he’d heard.

  He nodded. “You know all about shifters.”

  “Mostly, I know you have super senses, your sight and hearing are better than most, if not all, normal humans.” Which was why she’d spoken so low, she knew he could hear. And only he could hear.

  She’s smart, his bear commented.

  “We’ll keep you all safe.” Hunter longed to reach out and take her hand, but he didn’t want to push their relationship too fast too soon. Cynthia had enough to deal with.

  “I know.” She gave a tight smile. “I just wish I knew what this was all about.”

  “Is there anything you can think of that might help us figure this out?” Hunter asked as he drove onto the highway, heading for Bear Creek. This would be a whole lot easier if they had some clue as to who sent the letter.

  “Nope.” She paused. “Well, maybe. But I’m not sure this is the time or place.” She glanced in the side mirror, angling her head to watch her son giggling with Jenna and his sister.

  “We’ll talk about it later.” He wanted to set her at her ease. “Tell me about yourself. Your kids are great.”

  She smiled coyly. “Are you trying to get on my good side, Hunter?”

  “I’m schooled in small talk,” he replied. “As a bodyguard, I have learned to talk about anything and everything. So if you don’t want to talk about yourself, pick a subject and I’ll try to keep up.” He grinned at her. “But most people love talking about their kids.”

  “I’m usually a little secretive about them,” Cynthia admitted. “I don’t like them getting drawn into my work.”

  “You protect them.” Hunter glanced sideways at her as they cruised along the highway. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he murmured.

  “I haven’t protected them enough.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and she dashed it away with the back of her hand. “If I had, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

  Hunter reached out and took hold of her hand, not caring if it was too soon or not. However, he was not prepared for the jolt of recognition that passed between them and he had to act fast to stop the car from swerving on the road. “You’re a good mom. Whatever happens is not your fault.”

  “I know. I know I’m not responsible for other people and their actions. But that doesn’t stop me from blaming myself.” She rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand. “So this mating bond of yours?”

  He laughed. “It’s not mine. At least it wasn’t until today.”

  “Are you and Mommy mates?” Laurel asked excitedly.

  “Oops, someone has good hearing.” Hunter gave Cynthia an apologetic shrug.

  “It’s okay, I never intended to keep it a secret,” she admitted. “The children spent a few days with Jenna and Flint when they first found each other. They have a good idea of how the mating bond works because they witnessed it firsthand.”

  “Cool, you’re a shifter and you’re going to be our dad?” Thomas asked, pulling himself forward on Cynthia’s seat.

  “Sit back, Thomas.” Cynthia’s firm tone made her son listen and he let go of her seat and sat back in his own.

  “Are you?” Thomas asked. There was hope in his voice, something Hunter hadn’t been prepared for.

  “We’ve only just met,” Cynthia protested.

  “But if you’re mates, that doesn’t matter.” Laurel had a point and he was certain Cynthia knew it, she just wasn’t ready to hand her life over to fate.

  “We still need to get to know each other.” Cynthia gave Hunter an apologetic smile. “I need them to know that just because someone tells them they are their mate it doesn’t mean you should trust them with your life.”

  “Or jump into a car with them?” He arched a questioning eyebrow.

  “Good point,” Cynthia nodded and turned to her children. “You know how we talked about how we should never go off with a stranger? Or we should never get into anyone’s car unless I give you permission?”

  “Yes,” the children chorused.

  “Well, just because someone says they are your mate... You shouldn’t just trust what people say.” Cynthia reached out and took hold of her children’s hands. “We have to keep each other safe. We have to keep ourselves safe.”

  “But how do you know?” Laurel asked. “Can’t you tell Hunter is your mate?”

  “Yes. Yes, I can.” She nodded, her eyes looking down at her children’s hands.

  “But we can’t always trust our feelings and our intuition,” Jenna added. “Sometimes other things might make us feel a certain way.”

  “Like what?” Thomas asked, switching his attention to Jenna, who opened and closed her mouth a couple of times while she thought of what to say.

  “Well, sometimes we can feel a certain way...but then it goes away...” Jenna looked at Cynthia for help.

  “Like when you fall in love with Pop-Tarts and want to eat them every day. You think they are the best thing ever...then a couple of weeks later you look at them and they make you feel sick.” Cynthia searched her kids’ faces for understanding, while Hunter smothered a smile.

  “But I love Pop-Tarts,” Thomas said. “And you don’t let me have them every day.” His eyes widened. “Can we have them every day to see if I grow sick of them?”

  “No,” Cynthia told him bluntly.

  “Then how will I know what you mean?” he asked.

  “Pop-Tarts aren’t good for you every day, they have too much sugar and too many carburetors,” Laurel said solemnly.

  Hunter’s shoulders shook as he tried to cover his laughter. Cynthia glared at him as she corrected her daughter, “Carbohydrates. And yes, you’re right, they do have too much sugar, and not enough fiber and vitamins...” She was getting sidetracked. “So just remember to think before you act.”

  “And never get into a stranger’s car or go with them even if they offer you candy or tell you they’ve lost their puppy,” Jenna added.

  “Okay,” Laurel said. “I understand. People can make stuff up that they might think you want to believe.”

  “Exactly,” Cynthia sighed with relief.

  “Now I want Pop-Tarts.” Thomas lolled in his car seat as if he was a man starved of food for days.

  Hunter stared out of the window, concentrating on the road ahead, while he fought the need to laugh until he cried.

  “You have no idea what you’ve signed up for, do you?” Cynthia asked with a smile on her face. Her eyes danced with humor and he had to admit she held it together well.

  “No, I don’t. But I’m beginning to realize being a parent is a minefield,” he admitted.

  “You have no idea.” She placed her hand on her stomach. “I’d like a Pop-Tart, too.”

  “We’ll be in Bear Creek in ten minutes. We can stop at the grocery store and grab some.” He was going to add she could cook them at his house, but they hadn’t discussed living arrangements yet.

  “Thanks, but I think the less said about Pop-Tarts for the rest of the day, the better.” Cynthia ducked her head and looked out of his window, staring at the mountain that towered in the distance like a silent sentinel. “I didn’t expect to be back here so soon.”

  Hunter glanced at the high peaks. “There is no place like it in the world.”

  “You live in Bear Creek?” she asked.

  “I do. At least my home is here. I work as a bodyguard for Bear Creek Protectors, so
I’m away a lot.” Although that might change now, he had a mate and kids to watch over.

  “Do enjoy it?” she asked. “Traveling and saving the world must be a great experience.”

  “I could ask you the same question. Jenna said you were an investigative journalist. She’s very proud of you.” He indicated to turn off the highway and they headed along the back roads toward town.

  “I enjoy it. Enjoyed it. Now I want to focus on raising my kids. I had planned to retrain as a counselor. But right now I have no idea what the future holds for us.” She looked out of the window, her chin resting on her hand.

  “I can give you some clue.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

  Cynthia shook her head as she laughed. “Thanks.”

  “I haven’t done anything yet,” he replied.

  “Yes, you have. You came to the airport, you’ve driven us to Bear Creek. And I know I’m not in this alone.” She looked back at her children. “I’ve been on my own for a long time.”

  “You mean their father?” Hunter asked. “He’s not in the picture?”

  “He passed away. He never really knew his children.” She rubbed her hands over her face and groaned. “Ugh, yesterday I was looking forward to a fresh start as we picked up our old life, today we’re on the run again. It’s like déjà vu.”

  “Where are we heading?” Hunter asked as they approached Bear Creek.

  “We’re going back to the office,” Jenna said from behind him. “We’re going to gather as much information as possible from Cynthia.” Jenna touched Cynthia’s shoulder. “Then we’ll get you settled for the night. Don’t worry, we’ll get this figured out.”

  “I know.” Cynthia closed her eyes briefly. She looked tired, as if she didn’t sleep well. Yet the letter was only delivered today. Was there something else on her mind?

  “I have a house you can stay at,” he offered, not wanting arrangements to be made without his cabin being an option.

  “Thanks. I hadn’t given it much thought.” She frowned. “I assumed I’d stay with Jenna.” She looked over her shoulder at her friend. “But you have kids now.”

  Jenna nodded. “Yes. We’re fostering a couple of kids, until the adoption goes through. They were kidnapped by Cracol’s men, they have no parents to return to. They were orphans, their parents died in a car crash and they never made it into foster care. Someone somewhere made that paperwork vanish along with the kids.” She pressed her lips together. “I can’t bear thinking about what would have happened if you hadn’t cracked the trafficking ring wide open.”