Page 37 of Mated to the Mountain Bear (Bear Protector #1)

ZARA

B en hands me the gun, his hand steady, while mine trembles as I wrap my fingers around the cool metal.

I nod.

“Point and shoot. And don’t hesitate.”

Ben rests his hands on my shoulders and bends down so we’re eye to eye. His dark eyes search mine, looking for signs I might break. When he’s confident I’m not about to freak out, he gives me a reassuring nod.

“When I open the door, you’re going to hang back. Make him think you’re going to stay inside. But when the moment’s right, you’re going to run to my truck, and you’re going to drive.”

Immediately, I’m shaking my head, not liking the sound of this plan. “What moment?”

He doesn’t answer. His jaw works, choosing his words carefully. Now I definitely know I’m going to hate it.

Seeing my reluctance, Ben pleads with me to listen to him while he cups my face in his hands.

“Zara, please. I need you to do this. No matter what happens. I’m going to shift and keep him busy.

But I’m a bear. He’s no match for me.” He winks, but I’m not buying his cocky attitude.

If it were that easy, he’d just lock me inside until it was done.

“Bears are fast. Once it’s over, I’ll come and meet you at the bottom of the mountain. ”

That kind of makes sense.

He is huge.

Surely, he’ll be able to keep them distracted long enough for me to make a run for it. He’s not telling me everything, but maybe that’s for the best. Ben knows these woods like the back of his hand, and he’ll be able to charge straight down the hill as the crow flies, without me slowing him down.

“I don’t want you to get hurt. This is my problem, not yours.”

I drag my fingers down his chest and cling to the front of his open shirt. I can’t believe this is actually happening. My eyes swim as a mixture of guilt and fear grips me by the throat.

Ben’s features soften as he presses his forehead to mine and sucks in a deep breath. “You are my mate. There’s nothing I want to do more than protect you. None of this is your fault.”

He pulls me into his embrace, wrapping his enormous arms around me, before resting his chin on the top of my head. The way he surrounds me with his sheer size and the calm energy he radiates eases my nerves. Some.

“Trust me, Zara. I’m going to make sure he doesn’t bother you again.”

There’s a certainty in his tone that’s compelling. This man is huge. He’s going to be fine. So, I need to be brave and not mess up his plan. Giving him a last squeeze to let him know I’m going to be okay, I ease back and straighten my spine.

“Keys.” I hold out my hand and give Ben a weak smile when he places the keys I was trying to steal not that long ago into my palm.

“Good girl,” he says with pride as he curls my fingers around them before taking a phone off the counter and slipping it into my back pocket. His fingers linger for just a second to give my backside a gentle squeeze.

“Where do I meet you?” Determination eases in to replace my doubts, the adrenaline dump morphing into laser focus rather than jitters. I’ll do what he says, and I’ll do it well if it means we get out of this unharmed.

“When you get further down the mountain, about a mile, the phone will start working. Call Maddox and tell him you’re coming. His cabin is the closest.”

“But what if he’s not there? Or doesn’t answer the phone?”

This plan seems shakier and shakier the longer I think about it.

“He will. He’ll tell you where to go, and he’ll be able to protect you.” There’s a pause. “Worst-case scenario, you just keep driving.”

That definitely won’t be happening. I’m not leaving him behind.

“I know this might be obvious, but your brothers, they’re bears too?”

Ben narrows his eyes and presses his lips to mine. “Yes, but they’re not your bears. That’s just me. Got it? I’ll have to kill anyone who touches you, so don’t let them.”

Damn him for knowing just how to calm my nerves. “This isn’t the time for jokes.”

Ben sighs and stands to his full height. “Who’s joking?”

He drags a hand over his jaw and turns his head to look out the window. The forest has gone quiet.

“He’s out there, isn’t he?” I don’t really need Ben to answer; the tension in his shoulders tells me everything.

Then, a distant howl goes up, sending a chill down my spine. It’s a warning, a call to battle. The wolf is telling Ben it’s time.

“I need you to be okay,” I tell him.

He nods and strokes my cheek one last time before letting his hand fall away. “I’ll be okay once I know you’re okay.”

Taking off his shirt, he holds it out for me to slip into then runs his hands down my arms when he’s done before tangling our fingers together.

“Keep this on. It’s cold out there.”

I stare at him, tongue-tied. He’s about to face a ferocious wolf, but he’s worried about me being chilly?

The urge to tell him how strongly I care for him bubbles up inside me, but I keep my mouth shut. I’ll save it for later. I don’t want to distract him. Instead, I catch his fingers and bring his hand to my mouth, kissing the rough skin on the back of his knuckles.

“If you don’t come and find me, you’re in big trouble.”

His laugh is a deep rumble that warms my heart as he kisses me. “I’m quaking in my boots.”

I follow him as he crosses to the door, his broad back blocking my view completely. When he starts to strip, I try not to stare at the huge muscles that bulge and stretch, still bearing my nail marks.

Sensing my eyes on him, Ben runs his hand over his shoulder, carefully brushing his fingertips along the red, raised lines, and smiles.

“That’s going to drive him fucking insane. He won’t be able to think straight.”

I’m not quite sure that’s a good thing.

Resting my hands on his hips as he opens the door, I kiss the middle of his spine and breathe him in deeply. “Thank you.”

“You can thank me later,” he says before stepping out his front door, completely naked, and facing the dark forest outside.

I move back, hiding just inside the door, with Jerry so close, he’s practically sitting on my feet. I concentrate on Ben, on what he told me to do. And on not letting him down by getting caught.

“You can’t have her. She’s mine,” Ben calls out loudly, standing firm at the edge of the porch. “I know you think she’s your mate, but she’s not. Leave while you can.”

Hidden in the shadows of the trees, a dark laugh starts. My skin crawls and my stomach roils, panic clawing at my gut. This is him. He’s really here.

“You’re the one who’s mistaken, Bear. She’s mine. I’m taking her, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

A tall, dark-haired man steps from the shadows, his eyes glowing an unnatural yellow in the darkness. Even from here, I can tell his skin is clammy, and his hair hangs limp around his face. Instinctively, I can sense there’s something wrong with him.

One by one, more and more pairs of eyes appear between the trees. More wolves. Lots more wolves.

My breath catches. Ben didn’t tell me there’d be this many, but he must have known. If we get through this, we’re going to have a word about trusting me with the facts.

“We’ll see about that,” Ben says.

I’m about to tell him to stop, that we’ll come up with a better plan, when he turns his head in my direction. “Run.”

In a heartbeat, Ben shifts into a bear, and my chance to change his mind is gone. With a bellow that shakes the trees, he barrels across the yard toward the man who’s made my life a misery for the last month.

Ben knew the odds were against him, but he’s sending me away, anyway.

Jerry whimpers and nudges my thigh, snapping me out of my daze. Even the dog knows I should be doing something other than just gawking. He yips at me to get moving. We have to go for help.

So, I grip the gun tighter and run.