Bearly Healed: Pacific Northwest Bears: (Shifter Romance) (8 page)

C
onnie ran
for the door at the frantic knocking. She didn’t know who would knock since most of the kids just barged in.

She swung the door open and saw a frazzled looking Jinger, her red hair flying out of her braid with a twin stuffed under each arm.

“Do you have milk?” she asked, hoisting one of the twins up on her hip. Both of the girls were trying to wiggle their way loose.

“Of course, dear. Did you get groceries yesterday?” Connie said, grabbing one of the twins from her.

“Yes, but what they didn’t drink, they spilled. Is it okay to come in? I know we don’t want to parade the kids around Cassie,” Jinger said. She knew that it was important to keep their secret from humans that didn’t need to know.

“She’s asleep. We should be good. Let me check the outside fridge,” Connie said, sitting the baby she was holding on the counter. She didn’t notice which one she had grabbed; now she saw it was Mallory. She gave the baby a tickle under the chin then waited for Jinger to position herself next to the counter.

Connie walked out to the garage where she had another fridge to keep the massive amounts of food organized in the house. Their giant professional fridge was for everyday things. Outside was for backup.

Jinger was keeping a hand on Maizy when she performed an acrobatic maneuver that had her slipping from her mother’s grasp. “Maizy!” Jinger quietly shouted. She didn’t want to wake up Cassie, but it was an emergency situation. “Connie!” she tried. She couldn’t let go of Mallory on the counter or she’d be off too.

Maizy hit lightspeed once she got to the floor. She was scooting through the living room when Jinger grabbed Mallory and shot off after her wayward twin. Jinger had almost gotten to her when her diapered little butt slipped through the door that led to Cassie’s room.

“Shit, shit!” Jinger whispered. She looked at Mallory. “Momma said a bad word.” Mallory just giggled and clapped.

Connie was rushing around the corner, and Jinger all but threw Mallory at her when a blood-curdling scream came from the bedroom.

Jinger pushed the door open to see Maizy’s bear sitting with her stretchy pant covered butt and tiny t-shirt that said
Here Comes Trouble
staring at Cassie.

Cassie wasn’t breathing. She had just been woken up with a weight pressing down on her chest. The ability to breathe was constricted, and then she’d opened her eyes to a mouth full of teeth. That was when she screamed. The minute she’d stopped, the mouth of teeth had closed, and the head that was attached to that mouth turned and looked at her like it couldn’t believe she’d yelled.

Cassie breathed and took in the fact there was an animal sitting on her. An animal in stretchy pants and a t-shirt. It was a baby bear. Like a real, furry baby bear. Did it get in the house somehow?

Cassie heard voices outside the door and then heard another voice call from the doorway.

“Cassie? I’m Jinger. I’m coming in. Don’t scream again. I’ll get her off you.”

Cass didn’t look away from the bear. She could feel tiny claws against her chest where it was sitting. It wasn’t hurting her, but she’d already seen the sharp teeth.

“Is this your pet?” Cassie said on a breath.

“Erm, no. I’m gonna pick her up okay?”

“No! I don’t want it to scratch me! Or eat me, or I don’t know what bears do,” Cassie gasped.

“Cassie?” came a deep voice from the door.

Cassie took a deep breath. “Cash?” She didn’t look his way since the bear was still looking at her.

“Just let Jinger get the bear. I’ll stay right here with you, okay?” he said.

The assurance of his tone made her give a head nod. She saw a pair of woman’s hands come into her line of vision and wrap around the bear cub. The little animal gave an annoyed squawk but didn’t resist. The second the weight was lifted off her chest, she closed her eyes.

She heard Jinger and Connie talking to Cash. “It’s okay. I’ll handle it,” Cash was telling them.

“You sure?” This was from Connie.

“Yeah, give us some time,” Cash assured her. He’d been walking through the door with Cassie’s Mexican feast when he heard her scream. He made it to the door right after Connie and took in the situation. Letting the cub’s mom handle the pickup was the best bet.

When she screamed, Cash’s bear was in a panic. He wanted to burst through the door and attack whatever made her be that afraid. A tiny bear cub wasn’t what he was expecting.

Cassie still had her eyes closed; her breathing ragged like she was hyperventilating.

Cash came over and sat lightly on the bed next to her. The bed dipped under his weight. He leaned over and placed a hand lightly on Cassie’s chest. “Slow your breaths. The cub is gone,” Cash said softly. He couldn’t help but take in that soft cinnamon scent that he’d smelled before. It was delicate with a hint of bite.

The terrifying weight on her chest was replaced by a warm, comforting feeling. She could hear him breathing in and out. Cass matched her breathing to his until she was back to normal. She kept her eyes closed, though.

“The cub isn’t here. You can open your eyes,” he encouraged.

“No, I can’t,” she whispered.

“Why not?” His bear was beyond happy touching this small woman. His big hand stretched the length of her collarbone putting into stark relief their size difference. Cash took in the pink tips on her hair. They were sweet and reminded him of her candy scent.

“Cause, this wasn’t how we were supposed to meet. Me, terrified waking up with a wild animal on my chest. Which granted, I should be a lot more concerned about right now, but honestly you being here is trumping that.”

“Well, I was coming over to bring you your burritos. Which by the way, the unexpected delay may put into question the structural integrity of your snack. This would totally not be my fault,” he said, trying to tease her into opening her eyes.

“Ohh burritos, I’d forgotten. But now I’m afraid to meet you. I don’t like when people see my scars,” she said softly. She didn’t know why she admitted that to him. It was leaving her wide open to a stranger knowing her emotions.

Cash took a moment to look at her. He could see the scar. It was an angry, painful looking line down her face. His bear was angry that she’d been hurt. No one should have to see the reminder of a painful, horrible experience.

“Can I tell you what I see before you open your eyes?” Cash suggested.

Cassie was startled at the idea. But then thought it would give her a few more minutes to get her shit together.

“Sure, but I reserve the right to punch you if you piss me off,” she warned.

She heard him chuckle. Cash pulled his hand away from her chest and picked up her hand that was fisted by her hip. Cassie let him, her hand unfolding in his.

“All right, well your hair is white blonde, and the pink ends are very cute,” he started.

“Kenzi did it today,” she supplied.

“Good to hear you saw her. I’m glad,” he said. “I see you have an amazingly steady hand with eyeliner,” he continued.

Cass laughed. “What do you know about eyeliner?”

“I have a sister. I know what it takes to get those little wings right.” He continued his perusal.

“I see you’re small. You really should be eating more,” he said.

“I ate twice today, real food too, not junk,” she said with a proud voice. “What else do you see?”

“I see a pretty girl, that’s about as small as a fairy. In fact your name shouldn’t be Spirit, it should be Sprite. Can I call you that?” he asked.

“I’ve been called worse,” she snorted.

“I’d love to see your eyes,” he said earnestly.

“What about my scar?” she whispered.

Cash honestly didn’t think it was that bad. This small woman was so much more than that mark. “I see it; it’s just not the first thing I see when I look at you,” he told her.

Cassie took that in. Really? He didn’t look at it first? She looked at it whenever she passed a mirror. Even when she examined it to see if the creams and salves were working it looked like it took up her whole face. Maybe it didn’t; maybe it was more about what the scar represented that was the big mark.

“Liar,” she whispered.

“I don’t lie,” he answered immediately.

“Then why was there a bear on my chest when I woke up?” she asked. Answer that one mister-I-don’t-lie.

“That was Maizy, Wyatt and Jinger’s daughter’s bear. She’s a shifter,” he said. He waited as her brow furrowed.

“Bear shifters?”

“Yup, bear shifters,” he replied.

“Who else?” she asked, her throat getting dry.

“All the Rochons, but not Jinger or Sophie,” he offered.

C
assie thought about it
. She’d come to terms pretty well with the whole cougar shifter thing. She should have known there would be more animals. On some level, she did know.

“So you…” she started.

“Yes, I’m a bear too,” he was proud to say.

Cassie let her eyes slide open and adjust to the lack of light in the room. Her gaze travelled up the broad chest in front of her. The man was wearing a brown worn leather jacket with a dark shirt underneath. Her eyes continued up to a strong thick neck to a bearded chin that was just long enough to grab onto. It surrounded a set of strong lips and a straight nose. She finally got to his eyes and saw them staring back her in shock.

Cassie looked into that startling pair of hazel eyes that were flicking over her face. There was a faint yellow glow around the edges that she recognized instinctually from being around Dax.

She first thought his reaction was horror at her scar, but then she noticed he wasn’t looking there. He was darting between her eyes and her mouth. Searching for something.

“Cash?” she whispered. Cassie watched his eyes widen at the sound of his name and saw tears well up in them. Shit, she’d made him cry! What the fuck did she do with a giant mountain of a man that looked like he was going to cry?

The big man on the bed slid off the edge until he was kneeling on the floor beside it. He grasped her hand that he was holding tighter in his. He pulled them up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her knuckles then brought her hand up to his forehead. Cupping their hands against his head, he took in several deep breaths.

Cash’s bear was so loud he felt like his ears should be bleeding. His bear had found their mate. That meant so had he. Fragile, bruised Cassidy Spirit Hackett was his mate. He should have known. Her smell, the need to talk to her after hearing her voice. His concern about her welfare. All signs of the fates pointing him directly at her. He just needed to be hit upside the head by them.

“You’re kinda starting to freak me out, big guy,” she said cautiously.

Shit, he needed to pull himself together. His mate needed him; she’d just had a scare. Just learned about bear shifters and was recovering from a major car accident. Now he needed to throw another wrench in her already banged up life.

Lifting his gaze to hers, he couldn’t keep his bear back from his eyes. He could tell they were glowing just by her gasp.

“Cassie,” he said roughly.

“Cash…” she replied.

“You’re mine.”

Cassie tried to jerk her hand away from his hold but was unsuccessful. “What do you mean I’m yours?”

“I mean, you are my mate. My one true partner, given to me by the fates. We were meant for each other,” he said, his eyes scanning her face. He didn’t know what response he expected. Acceptance, denial, but not what she did next.

“Get the fuck outta town!” she said and started laughing.

Cash’s bear chuffed at her words. He told him to be patient; this was a lot to take in. “Cassie, no shifter would ever utter those words unless they were a thousand percent sure that they were saying it to their mate. You’re mine, and I’m yours.”

Cassie was still laughing. “I must be high. Did I take too many pills before my nap? I just found out about bear shifters, for which I’m going to kick Effie’s ass as soon as she’s not knocked up anymore, but now you say I’m supposed to what, date you? Because the universe is telling me to?”

Cash let go of her hand to run his through his hair. “Cassie, I’m not joking. I’m sorry it had to be this way. If Maizy hadn’t broken in here, I would have realized who you were when I brought you your dinner. I…would have found a way to tell you slowly. Or at least get you to like me before you found out.”

“Oh, burritos. If I’ve gone insane, I at least want something yummy to eat before they come to lock me up. Still got em’?” she asked.

“What, the burritos?” he asked shocked.

“Yeah, and churros remember? Why don’t you go get those, and a soda for me, then you can come back and tell me all about the vampires that live next door. Hey, when they do come to lock me up, I want a padded room with a view please,” she said, settling back on her pillows.

This was not fucking happening. Her best friend could be mated to a cougar. Crazy Cassie couldn’t be mated to a bear that was as big as a house. The world didn’t work that way. Her life didn’t work that way.

She saw Cash hadn’t moved and felt a funny pain near her heart at his lost frustrated expression. But she wasn’t up for playing whatever game he was up to.

“Food if you want to keep talking to me,” she said, crossing her arms like a five-year-old. Cash’s hand was pulled from hers. His bear immediately protested, and he reached under her elbow to grasp her fingers.

Cash would never deny his mate anything, and if she needed a few minutes, he’d give her that. It wasn’t like she could jump out the window.

Standing up, he reluctantly let go of her hand and stepped to the door. He looked at her again on the bed looking so small and militant. “Be right back.”

“I’m sure you will,” she grumbled.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, Cassie pulled a decorative pillow over her face and screamed. Attempting to get some of her frustration out. The door slammed open, and Cash was looking frantically around the room for the masked intruder that must have caused her to yell.

“Food,” Cassie growled at him.

Assuring himself there was no danger, he pulled the door closed and leaned against it. He saw that Wyatt had joined Jinger. She must have called him. Wyatt started approaching the door, and Cash let out a deep rumbling growl that practically shook the windows.

“Fucking hell,” Wyatt said, stopping in his tracks. “You okay man?”

Cash turned glowing yellow eyes on him. “Mine,” he growled.

“Oh shit, here we go again,” Wyatt said, turning on his heel to walk back into the great room. He was shaking his head at his mom and mate when he took his seat on the couch and picked a bear cub up off the floor. “Maizy, this is all your fault,” he whispered to the cub while tickling her belly.

“What’s her fault? Cash, is everything okay?” Connie called out when Cash stalked to the front door and to the long credenza table that sat along the wall. He picked up the bag he’d discarded and turned back to Connie.

He let out a low rumble in his chest. He didn’t trust his words yet.

“Oh dear,” Connie said, immediately understanding.

Cash stalked to the fridge pulled it open and grabbed a soda. Shutting the fridge, he stopped to say something to Connie for being rude. Then he looked at her and saw that she got it. He shook his head and went back to the bedroom door.

“I think I need to make a few phone calls,” Connie said quietly.

“Start with Cage. He can call Dax,” Wyatt suggested.

“Good idea,” Connie said. Having a son that was the Alpha was often useful. She spied Cash still standing at the door. He appeared to be taking in deep calming breaths. She hoped it worked.