Bearing the Late Thaw (Ice Bear Shifters Book 5) (8 page)

Two days later, Neal and the rest of the men in his clan all stood huddled around Neal’s kitchen table. They reviewed the map and their plan of attack one more time, making sure that everyone was on the same page and knew what part they needed to play. They had studied the maps, and figured out where the Blizzards’ main hideout in the cave was located. There was only one cavern big enough for all the Blizzards to fit comfortably. There used to be two large rooms in Black Ice Caverns, and the map showed two. But when Alan had been trapped down there, he had found one of the large rooms. The Northern Lights Clan knew that the Blizzards had now destroyed that room, and that left only one possible cavern according to the map.

Neal had been hoping that the weather would warm up, as it usually did in June. The Blizzards were known for being extremely heat sensitive, and the summer thaw would have made them easier to take down. But, so far this year, the thaw had been absent. Every so often, Glacier Point never fully warmed up over the summer. This could be one of those years, and Neal didn’t want to wait any longer to end the Blizzards’ threat. He decided to make his own heat.

Seth and James, the two young bear shifters whom Neal had adopted into his clan, would set fires blocking all but one escape route out of the cave. They had spent the previous day stealthily piling flammable brush strategically throughout the caverns’ passageways. Today, when the rest of the clan was in position on the surface, Seth and James would rush in and light the piles on fire before taking a planned escape route back to the surface.

Meanwhile, the Blizzards would be left with only one escape route. They wouldn’t be able to take the heat of the fire for very long, so they wouldn’t have much time to think before being forced to leave the caverns. Neal and the other Northern Lights bears would be waiting with guns, and they would attempt to shoot and kill all of the male Blizzards. Neal was very clear that no one was to purposely shoot women or children. He knew that this would leave some Blizzards alive, but he felt confident that whatever women and children Blizzards remained would realize they were no match for any other clan. Without any men to protect them, they were sure to slink off into the remote wilderness, and the Blizzard threat would be over at long last.

Neal’s plan was for his bears to avoid shifting unless absolutely necessary. He knew that the idea of using guns and straight up shooting other shifters was a tough one to swallow. But he urged his bears that the best way to end this warfare once and for all was to quickly take down the enemy. They would only shift if for some unforeseen reason they weren’t able to use their guns, and only at Neal’s signal. If Neal went down, Ryker would be second in command. Then Eric, then Tyler, then Alan. There would be no retreat. Either the Blizzards would die out there today, or the Northern Lights bears would. Neal had had enough. It was time to end this once and for all.

The women of the clan solemnly kissed their life mates goodbye. Even the cubs, Hope and Calum, were quiet, seeming to sense the somber mood. No one mentioned the possibility that this would be the last time they saw each other, although the reality of the situation hung heavy in the air. Christine had tried to put up a brave face, but Neal could tell she was feeling terrified. He kissed her, and acted sure of himself for her sake.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll be back before dinnertime.” Christine nodded, but her face remained frozen in a terrified expression.

Neal took a deep breath, and nodded confidently in the direction of the door. “Let’s roll,” he said. The men marched out to their waiting snowmobiles, and zoomed off as the woman waved farewell from the doorstep of the cabin.

Neal led the pack, flying confidently over the tundra toward the spot he had marked on the map with a big red “X.” His adrenaline was running high, and he had a good feeling about today. Today was the day he would avenge his father’s death, and the death of all of the Northern Lights Clan members who had fallen victim to the Blizzards’ attacks. Today, he would bring peace to the Arctic once again, or die trying. He felt as though his whole life had been building to this one, significant moment, and that he was finally making the difference he had been put on this earth to make. He knew his clan members were nervous, but he felt only elation at the realization that this nightmare was finally ending.

When they reached the spot where Seth and James were splitting off to go light the fires, Neal gave them an encouraging nod and salute as they zipped away. In another five minutes, Neal and his men reached the edge of the woods, where they had a perfect vantage point of the Blizzards escape route. Here, they would watch and wait. Neal estimated it would be about fifteen minutes before the fires would be lit and forcing the Blizzards out of the caverns. His heart pounded as he dismounted from his snowmobile and readied his gun. His violet eyes blazed with pent up energy, and he nodded encouragingly at his men as they followed his lead, dismounting and readying their guns.

Twenty minutes passed, and no sign of the Blizzards had appeared yet. Neal could tell that his men were getting antsy, but he held his gun steady and continued to wait. He had confidence that this was going to work.

At the twenty-two minute mark, a cloud of gray smoke suddenly appeared near the entrance of the caverns, followed by a flurry of large, white polar bears. The Blizzards had all shifted already, making it somewhat difficult to tell which ones were men and which ones were women. But as Neal peered through the smoke, he realized to his horror that the smaller bears, who were the female bears, were all out in front of the male bears. And the children were out in front of the women.

“Damn it,” Neal cried out in frustration. “Those bastards are using their women and children as shields. Fucking cowards!”

“Boss, we have to shoot,” Ryker said. “I know you didn’t want to, but if we don’t shoot the women and children, all of the men are going to get away.”

“No,” Neal roared. “We aren’t stooping to their level. I’m not going to shoot women and children.”

“But we’re going to lose our chance!” Ryker said, his voice urgent. “They’re going to get away, and we’re all going to have to continue living in fear of what’s lurking around the next corner!”

“No,” Neal said, his voice determined. “We’re ending this now. We’ll just have to do it the old fashioned way. Lay down your guns, and shift on my count. When we charge at them, the children and most of the women will likely flee. The men will try to fight, but they will be weakened by the smoke and the heat of the fire. I know it looks like we’re outnumbered, but we’re a great deal stronger than them right now. This is our chance. Let’s take it.”

Neal looked at his men, and his heart nearly burst with pride at the looks of agreement he saw in their eyes.

“You’re right, boss. Let’s do this,” Eric said, and the other men nodded in solidarity.

“On three,” Neal said. “One. Two. Three.”

Five huge bursts of power whooshed across the tundra as Neal, Ryker, Eric, Tyler and Alan morphed from tall men into gigantic, fearsome polar bears. Their massive paws and huge claws pounded across the tundra as they charged full speed toward the Blizzards, roaring at their top of their lungs and picking up speed as they ran.

Neal saw the fear in the Blizzards eyes as he approached. They knew that they were in trouble, and he didn’t waste any time in letting them know that their fear was well-founded. He used the flat edge of his paws to bat away any women or children that hadn’t already run out of his way. And then, he let loose with his large, razor sharp claws. The male Blizzards yelped in pain as Neal and his fellow Northern Lights bears sliced through the Blizzards’ fur and skin, showing no mercy. Neal roared in anger, clawing and gnashing his teeth with a vengeance on every Blizzard he could get his paws on. He felt sharp stinging sensations here and there as a Blizzard’s teeth or claws made contact with him, but he ignored the pain and the warm trickles of blood, and he kept fighting. In the corner of his eyes, he could see his bears fighting alongside him. He drew strength from their strength, knowing that they were all in this together. They trusted him, their alpha, to lead them through this. And he would.

Everything was a blur of white fur, black noses, and red blood. Neal stood his ground, fending off Blizzard after Blizzard as they lunged at him. Despite the never ending surge of enemy bears, Neal was at peace. The Blizzards were weak, and growing weaker as the fight continued. At some point, he saw Seth and James join the fight, back from their successful mission to light the caverns on fire. They jumped into the fray alongside the other Northern Lights bears, bravely biting and clawing at the remaining Blizzards.

After about fifteen minutes of fighting, the Blizzards seemed to realize that they were hopelessly losing this battle. Their alpha roared a warning, signaling to them to run away and retreat. Neal roared his own warning, telling his bears to chase them down. They were not getting away this time. This was the end of their reign of terror over the Arctic. Neal bounded after the fleeing Blizzards, jumping over bear carcasses as he raced to catch up with the Blizzards’ alpha. He could feel the hot breath of the other Northern Lights bears on his heels as they followed after him, swiping to take down the cowardly Blizzards as they tried to retreat.

Neal left all of the other Blizzards to his clan to take care of—he was focused on one bear right now, and he would kill the Blizzards’ alpha if it was the last thing he did. Neal managed to catch the giant alpha’s back right paw and send him tumbling across the tundra. Neal pounced, and the two alphas were locked in a wrestling match, rolling over and over each other. Neal sunk his sharp teeth into the other bear’s neck, trying to catch a vein. But the other alpha had the thickest white fur Neal had ever encountered, and taking him down wasn’t going to be simple, even in the other bear’s weakened state.

Neal dragged his claws across the other alpha’s chest, and tried again to latch his teeth onto a vital vein. The other alpha yelped and struggled, thrashing wildly. Neal refused to let go. He was tired, but his anger fueled his body. This was the alpha who had ordered the destruction of so many bear shifters across the Arctic, including Neal’s father. If it was the last thing he did, Neal would make sure that he avenged his father’s death.

Everything on the tundra had gone silent except these two polar bears, struggling against each other in anger and desperation. The other Northern Lights bears came up to the spot where the two alphas fought, and Seth and James started to lunge forward to help their alpha, but Ryker stopped them. This was Neal’s battle to fight. For several long minutes the struggle continued, but, in the end, Neal found a vein. The Blizzards’ alpha roared one final time in agony and pain before slumping into a bloody, lifeless heap on the tundra floor.

Panting, Neal turned to face his bears. He looked around and saw that each one of them was fine. They all had bloody gashes here and there, and dirty, matted fur. But no one had suffered any major injuries, and all of the male Blizzards were dead. The females and children who had survived the battle would flee far, far away, no longer daring to show their faces anywhere near here. Tears filled Neal’s violet bear eyes as the realization washed over him that they had done it. They had ended the threat to their clan, once and for all.

With a satisfied growl, he took off toward the Northern Lights cabins, his pack of bears falling into step behind him. He had never felt more like an alpha bear than he did right now, leading his men safely home.

* * *

Christine snapped her head up as she heard Kenzie cheering.

“They’re back!” Kenzie yelled from her lookout at the cabin window. “They’re all there, and it looks like they all made it out okay. Everyone is back!”

Christine joined the other women in rushing to the window, and she widened her eyes at the sight before her. Seven giant polar bears strode boldly across the clearing toward the cabins. Their fur was messy, but their violet eyes were all confident. Christine instantly knew that the bear at the front of the pack was Neal. She had never seen him in full bear form, but she would have recognized him anywhere. Even as a polar bear, he was undeniably her Neal. He had the same determined look in his eyes, and the same bold saunter to his steps.

It was a little surreal to see her boyfriend turned into a polar bear, but Christine was no longer afraid. The idea of Neal being a monster never crossed her mind. In fact, as she saw the man she had given her heart to coming toward her in bear form, she had never felt more in love. He was her Neal. Her bear. Her everything.

*** One Year Later ***

“You may now kiss your life mate,” Ryker said as he finished the life mate ceremony for his alpha. As second in command, Ryker had been given the honors of officiating the ceremony—a duty normally performed by the alpha.

Christine leaned in to Neal’s kiss as the rest of the Northern Lights bears cheered. The bright June sun shone down on the clan, and the warm temperatures were a welcome change from the unusually cool summer of the year before. The weather was so beautiful that Christine and Neal were having their reception outdoors. A spread of fruit, cheese, wine and artisan sandwiches had been set up near the Northern Lights cabins, and all of the clan members happily dug in to the food.

Hope and Calum, the twins, were now over a year old and toddling happily around. In addition, three new cubs had been born last November. Eric and Delaney had welcomed a little girl cub named Avery. Tyler and Kat had also welcomed a little girl cub, and named her Alyssa. And Alan and Hannah had a little boy cub, whom they called Elliot. Amazingly, Avery, Alyssa, and Elliot had all been born on the same day, earning them the nickname of “the triplets,” even though each little cub had a different set of parents.

Christine smiled over at Neal as he absentmindedly traced the outline of the North Star tattoo on her wrist. It had been quite a journey, but she had finally found her way. She had taken the Alaskan bar exam, and was working to provide free legal aid to the people of Glacier Point. And, every night, she got to come home to the love of her life. Christine watched Neal taking in the celebration with satisfaction. The last year had been full of happiness. With the threat of the Blizzards gone, the clan had been able to relax and enjoy life again. The pain and suffering of the past had given way to joy and hope for the future. Christine hoped that soon she and Neal would have a cub of their own. In the meantime, though, the sound of children’s laughter floated through the air while the late afternoon sun cast a warm glow across the faces of the Northern Lights bears.

At long last, peace had arrived in the Arctic Circle again.