My Bear to Heal (Cypress Valley Shifters #3)

20. Adelaide

H e smiles, gaze growing darker as he somehow steps closer until every inch of him is plastered against me. Thick fingers thread into my hair, directing my lips to his in a heated kiss that has me whimpering with need. Fire licks at my skin, leaving me hot and desperate for my mate.

“Hey, Addie. Did—Damnit!” Will’s voice has me pulling back from Tyler’s addictive lips. “Sorry, Ty. I thought Addie was alone.”

“They have a habit of interrupting us.” I laugh, pressing against his firm chest until he steps back. His nostrils flare wide, the muscle in his jaw ticking with irritation.

“Oh, stop. Don’t get possessive again.”

He growls, but when he blinks, the anger recedes from his eyes as they return to the cool green I’m used to. “Sorry, we’re newly mated, so I can’t help it.” He flashes an apologetic smile before helping me off the table.

Will stands near the greenhouse door, hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans, a blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks. “I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.” His voice cracks as he trails off and scratches the back of his still red neck. “I was going to see if you wanted to go for a hike. I wanted to talk to you about something.” His brown eyes search my face, a pleading look in them that tells me this is a conversation he doesn’t want Ty involved in. Color me intrigued.

I turn toward Tyler. “Can you finish the tomatoes and strawberries for me? I’ll be back in a little bit.”

Before I can step away, big hands surround my hips and pull my back against a warm chest. Tyler growls and his nose skims up the side of my neck, scenting me. “These boys have the worst timing. I’m not done with you, darlin’.” Spinning me to face him, his mouth slams against mine, devouring my surprised squeak, which soon turns to a needy whimper.

“We can pick up where we left off… later. I promise,” I mumble between heated kisses.

From the doorway, Will clears his throat.

Somehow, I break the kiss and pry Tyler’s hands off my hips. “Later,” I promise as I peck my mate on the lips and follow Will to the door. Glancing over my shoulder, I meet Tyler’s eyes. “Be good.”

I smile as his deep chuckle wafts through the air behind me.

“ W hat did you want to talk about?”

At my question, the earlier blush returns to Will’s cheeks. It makes him appear almost boyish .

“Do you know the girl who works at the feed store?” His voice echoes ahead as we walk side by side through the woods. Twigs snap under foot as we pick our way along the tree-lined path.

Glancing over at him, I’m shocked by how much he’s changed since I moved here a few months ago. Gone is the lanky boy, and in his place stands a young man with strong, broad shoulders. Will has clearly flourished here, putting on muscle to match that of his older pack members. Familiar dark eyes meet mine, and I remember he asked me a question. “You mean Josie?”

Will nods, the blush darkening on his cheeks.

Oh! I think I know what’s going on here, with the way he’s gone all shy and bashful. “Yeah, I know Josie. She’s Frank’s daughter; that’s why she’s always around the feed store. I think she’s around your age. Why do you ask?”

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he blows out a sigh. “I’ve been going with Tyler on his errands recently, and I noticed her around. No big deal.” One shoulder hitches into a shrug.

So, he’s gonna play it like that. “Ya know, Will, you can talk to me about anything. I’m a really good listener, and I care about you.”

“I know.” His eyes dip to the forest floor, boots kicking at the fresh coating of fallen leaves.

Not one to push my luck, I leave the conversation alone for now. “I’m here when you’re ready.”

“Thanks, Addie. Oh! There’s a cave over here I wanted to check out! Come on!” With the flip of a switch, our conversation is forgotten as he takes off into the woods, a boyish chuckle floating on the wind as he disappears through the trees.

His shifter agility gives him an advantage over me, and he’s out of sight in a few seconds flat. Plus, his legs are several inches longer than mine.

“Hey! No fair! I’m only human!” My voice is lost to the thick forest as my feet pound against the dirt and sticks.

More laughter greets my ears from in front of me. “Slow poke!”

A flash of his white t-shirt catches my eyes, and I pick up my pace until I’m only a few feet behind him. I know he’s humoring me, slowing to a human speed so I can keep up, which I appreciate.

Soon, our strides fall in sync with each other as we jog through the trees. My mind goes blank, only focusing on the rhythmic inhale and exhale of breaths as my arms pump at my sides.

This is exactly the break I needed. I’ve been nervous about starting my residency at the vet clinic, so I’ve been working myself to the bone in the greenhouse lately.

Out of nowhere, a pained screech fills the air. “What was that?” I ask as Will comes to a stop at my side, barely out of breath, while I’m a panting, sweaty mess. Stupid shifter stamina.

Another shrill, piercing cry hits my ears.

A buck barrels through the trees, snorting, eyes wild as his hooves beat against the ground. He’s headed straight—

“Addie!” Will grips my upper arm, yanking my body out of the way a second before the deer would have collided with me .

Eyes wide, I freeze in place as two doe stampede after the buck. They’re smaller, but no less powerful. A glancing blow from their bodies at such a high speed could easily injure or kill a person.

“Whoa. That was close. What do you think spooked them?” I swing toward Will.

His nostrils flare wide, scenting the air. Another cry splits through the forest, birds scattering from the treetops. “Do you smell that?”

“What?” I breathe deep, only the scent of fallen leaves filling my nose. Wait, there’s a hint of… “Smoke.” My stomach drops, especially as another piercing, terror-filled cry hits my ears.

Will turns, sniffing again. “Come on.”

I follow him as we walk in the direction the cries came from. His shoulders are tense, and his head pivots from side to side. “Stay behind me,” he commands. His voice drops to an unrecognizable pitch, so I follow without question, knowing a bear shifter, even a juvenile one, is most likely scarier than anything else out here.

A bleating sound, similar to a goat, draws my attention up ahead. Light-brown fur and glossy black eyes come into view as we approach. A small fawn lies trapped under a fallen branch. But that’s not the worst part. The smell of smoke quickly fills my lungs, too.

A few hundred yards behind the pinned deer, fire rages, engulfing the forest floor and climbing up into the treetops.

“Holy shit! We need to get out of here!” Panic rises in Will’s voice as his eyes scan the scene .

The fire crackles around us, heat licking at my skin with every step I take toward the frightened baby deer. “We can’t just leave her. She’ll die!”

Will tugs on my arm, trying to pull me away from the raging inferno. “Addie, we need to go. The fire is spreading too fast. It’s not safe!”

Breaking free from his grasp, I sprint toward the deer as it squeals and flails under the branch. “It’s okay, baby. I’m going to help you.” I hiss as my hands connect with the heat of the fallen branch. Lifting with all my might, it doesn’t budge. I grunt, squatting down, then pressing up with my legs.

Suddenly, the branch lifts. The fawn scrambles to its legs, skittering away from us in a huff of hooves and soft bleats. Swinging my head to the side, Will stands on the other end of the branch, easily lifting it with his hands.

Scorching heat claws at my skin as the fire spreads before my eyes. Fiery leaves rain from the sky, scattering to the ground around us. “We need to go! Now, Addie!”

Dropping the branch, I spin to follow Will when a deafening crack sounds above me. Before I can move, a branch falls, hitting me across the back, knocking the breath from my lungs and pinning me to the cool ground. My head smacks the dirt on impact, blurring my vision and rattling my brain. Fuck!

“ADDIE!” Will’s voice is muffled as I try to regain my bearings, struggling to push the branch off me.

His grunts and shouts fill the air. Turning my head, pain shoots through my body, causing me to cry out. Will is on the side of the branch, pushing and pulling, trying to dislodge it from my body. “Get Tyler!” My lungs burn as I scream the words, smoke invading my chest as I suck in air.

“Addie, I can’t—”

“Go! Now! Hurry!”

Tears drip from his wide eyes as he nods frantically. “I’m sorry, Addie.” Hastily pulling at his clothes, brown fur spouts from his skin, face elongating into a grizzly snout as he groans. The bear sprints into the distance, body shrinking with each galloping step, until he disappears.

My heart races as sweat drips from my skin. More smoke crawls around my body, filling my lungs with each panicked breath I take. Gripping the neck of my shirt, I pull it over my nose and mouth, trying to filter the air as much as I can. The heat of the flames dance across my skin, orange and red flickering in my peripheral vision with each inch the fire creeps closer.

Please hurry, Will.

Smoke hits my nose as I inhale what I thought was a cleansing breath. Closing the latch on the chicken coop, I spin to find a plume of black smoke filling the sky above the treetops. Ice floods my veins. Addie and Will went in that direction.

A grizzly breaks through the trees, charging straight for me. Leaping into the air, its big body morphs until Will lands on the ground at my feet. “Addie… fire. Hurry!” His voice breaks as his body gives out, and he collapses into a pile on the ground.

“Where’s Addie?” My voice rises in sheer panic at the absence of my mate.

At the same time, Wren and Sydney exit the greenhouse, and Reese comes sprinting down the road from his place. Sliding to a stop in front of me, he points at the smoke trailing into the sky. “Kier just radioed from the logging site. A forest fire broke out, and it’s spreading this way. Is everyone safe and accounted for?”

Wren runs over with a t-shirt and sweatpants for Will, who has gotten his breathing under control. “We were walking and found a deer.”

“Get to the point. Where is my mate?” I growl through gritted teeth.

Tears drip down his face as his body shakes. “She’s trapped. The fire. Ty, I tried. I’m sorry.”

Blood pounds in my ears, nausea taking hold in my gut. Before I know what’s happening, my skin ripples, splitting to reveal tufts of thick brown fur. I drop to my knees as my clothes rip, falling away from my body. Sharp teeth sprout as my jaw extends and grows. A ferocious snarl rips from my chest as I take off into the woods, only one thing on my mind: find my mate .

“Help!” The small, frightened shout has my ears twitching. Focusing on the sound, I sprint faster, pushing my giant body as fast as it will go. My paws slam against the ground with each panicked step, but I can’t lose my head right now. Addie needs me.

Smoke clouds the air in front of me, burning my lungs as I suck in a breath. “Help,” the voice calls again, but it’s softer this time, like she’s losing the battle to stay alive. Fuck!

I roar. Hold on, sweet rose!

Orange and red flames crawl along the ground, a giant fallen limb directly in their path. Curly locks the color of the fire dancing around them catch my eye. Addie. My muzzle splits open on another roar as my body barrels into the branch imprisoning my mate.

The smell of burning hair invades my nose as the fire singes my fur, melting the brown tufts together in some spots. Pushing through the smoke and excruciating heat, I ram my body against the tree branch again, praying that it budges this time.

No luck.

Brown flashes in my periphery as I back up to take a running start at the damn branch for a third time. On three, Reese’s voice rings in my head.

Turning to my left, his grizzly snorts and dips his head. I mimic the gesture, signifying that I’m ready.

One, two, three.

Together, our massive bodies collide with the branch, dislodging it from Addie as the fire marches forward. Not wasting any time, as gently as possible, I nudge my head under her body until she’s positioned across my back: head and arms hanging over one side, legs and feet dangling over the other .

Let’s go! Once-green leaves rain from the sky like lava, dropping to the ground and starting mini fires everywhere I look.

We take off toward Cypress Valley at a slower pace, so Addie isn’t jostled from my back. When we arrive, Reese’s red truck sits in the road, engine running and Wren behind the wheel. “Get in!” She swings the passenger door open for me.

Quickly shifting back to my human form, not giving a fuck that I’m naked, I swing into the passenger seat and nestle Addie’s unconscious body against my chest. My fingers prod her neck until I find a pulse. It’s faint, but it’s there, drumming against my fingertips. “She’s alive,” I murmur, tears breaking free from my eyes.

I almost lost her. Thank fuck I didn’t.

“Sydney called the Oak Ridge Fire Department. They’re working on getting a crew and helicopter out to stop the fire.” Her words go in one ear and out the other. The only thing I can focus on is the redhead in my lap and how I almost lost her.

My heart clenches in my chest.

There’s no way I would have made it through losing my fated mate.

We’re not out of the woods yet, my brain helpfully reminds me. I clutch Addie tighter, praying she’s okay after inhaling who knows how much smoke and being hit by that branch.

After the longest forty-minutes of my life, the truck tires screech as Wren slams to a stop in front of the hospital. “I think I just broke every speed limit known to humanity, but we made it. Is she still unconscious?”

When I look down at Addie, her brows furrow, a pained groan leaving her perfect lips. “Sweet rose, are you awake?” I stroke a finger over her sweaty, soot-coated brow. Familiar stormy-gray eyes meet mine as she blinks rapidly.

“Ty? What happ—” Her words cut off on a cough. She wheezes, greedily trying to suck in air as her cough takes over again. Her eyes roll back into her head, and her body goes limp again.

“Shit!” Popping the passenger door open, I run into the hospital without a backward glance at Wren. My body collides with the front desk. “Help! I need a doctor!” Wide, startled eyes dart up as the receptionist reaches for her phone, hopefully paging someone to help.

I still don’t give a flying fuck that I’m naked, singed hair sticking to my sweat-soaked face. All I care about is the unmoving woman in my arms.

Everything blurs as the adrenaline fades from my body. I’m crashing, but I need to get Addie help.

People in scrubs rush out with a stretcher, taking her unconscious body from my arms. I collapse onto the floor, my heart shattering, as they wheel her through the swinging double doors. My fingers thread into my hair, clutching at the burned ends.

Please be okay, sweet rose. I can’t live without you.