Her Bear In Mind (16 page)

Joe scooped her up in his strong arms and carried her into the elevator. She was so dizzy from the oxygen deprivation.

The elevator doors opened into the hanger. The trucks were gone.

“The kids…” she said.

“Shhhh…” he told her again. “I told you not to talk, beautiful. The kids are okay.

They got out.”

He carried her across the hanger and over to Dorrian’s fleet of cars. Gently, he laid her down in the passenger seat of the Ferrari Spider and buckled her in. Joe climbed into the driver’s seat and started the powerful engine with a roar.

“Let’s go home.” he said.

*

It was a slow trip home, with many, many stops along the way.

They were bringing the kids back home.

At every stop, with every pack, they were greeted with celebration, and tears of joy as parents reunited with their children. Babies were returned to their mothers. Some had been gone only a matter of months. Others had gone through most of their life without seeing their parents. Those lost children greeted their families almost shyly, not really knowing them anymore. The parents were thrilled enough to make up for their children’s hesitation, throwing their arms around them with abandon and holding them close.

Each Alpha insisted they stay and celebrate. They were treated to champagne and good food and dancing.

When they reached Atlanta, Pearl was simply beside herself with joy at being reunited with her grandchildren.

She had hugged and kissed Sierra and Joe and couldn’t thank them enough. She said she was going to make them a pie, and wound up sending them on their way with six peach pies, two loaves of banana bread, and a basket of pumpkin muffins. Apparently, baked good were how you say thank you in the south.

The real hero of the story was Gina.

Instead of flying home to Arkansas, she had gotten as far away as necessary and then found a payphone. After many attempts and hung up phones, she had gotten someone to put her through to Joe.

Because the trouble wasn’t just that Dorrian held everyone’s children hostage. The trouble was that no one knew where the children were being kept.

Armed with that crucial piece of information. Joe carefully reached out to some of the Alphas again. Not only could they get their own children back, he reasoned with them, but if they managed to free all the hostages, the other packs would have no reason to support Dorrian anymore or come to his aid. They could crumble his empire, if only they could free the kids.

Within just ten hours, a rescue operation had been staged. All of the able-bodied people of Sleuth had joined in, as well as Pearl’s pack and half a dozen other packs.

Gina, having lived there almost her whole life, had given them all the information they needed. Where the hotel was located. What the layout was. What security systems and locks were in place. The number of guards present.

With her help, they had been able to successfully plan and stage their attack. Though there had been many casualties on their side, all of the children had made it out.

So, when they arrived in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Gina received nothing short of a hero’s welcome. That was a party not quite like anything Sierra had experienced before. Most of their flock had houseboats or pontoon boats that they roped together. They hopped  from one boat to the next, drinking beer and eating barbeque all day long. Gina’s family’s boat was right at the center of everything, and everyone wanted to personally thank her for saving their children, and freeing them all from Dorrian’s control.

But none of the celebrations they were a part of as they made their way home were anything compared to the one in Sleuth. It went on for four days and four nights. They celebrated their freedom and the return of their children. They mourned their dead. They staged fights, launched fireworks, and danced around bonfires. They all drank entirely too much moonshine and smoked entirely too much weed. They feasted. They laughed. They cried. And the children were the happiest they’d ever seen them, running between the bonfires, laughing and playing and waiving sparklers.

Sierra sat back at the edge of the party, smiling as she watched them all. Joe brought her a piece of cake and sat down next to her.

“What are you thinking?” he asked her.

“I’m thinking it’s good to be home.” Sierra replied with a smile.

Joe stood and offered her his hand.

“Come on,” he said. “I have something to show you.”

Joe took her by the hand and led her through the crowd. Their progress was slowed many times by people stopping to thank her and Joe again. Eventually they made it to Joe’s cabin. Joe held the door open for her as she stepped inside.

There was a string quartet waiting inside the cabin that began to play as soon as she walked in the door. By the light of the moon streaming through the windows, she saw the red roses filling the cabin. There must have been at least eight dozen of them, covering every available surface. That is, except for the nightstand next to the bed, on which instead was an ice bucket chilling a bottle of champagne with two elegant glasses.

Sierra took it all in and then turned back to face Joe. Joe took both her hands in his.

“I told you.” he said, “I told you there would be music and moonlight and champagne and roses.”

He knelt down in front of her and reached into his jacket pocket. The ring he pulled out was beautiful. It had an ornate platinum setting and a giant princess cut diamond.

“I’ve lived for hundreds of years, and the time I’ve spent with you has been the best time of my life. I think marriage means more for us, because we can live forever. I know I want to spend forever with you. Sierra Christie, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Just in that moment everything Sierra had been though, all the pain, and the terror, and the struggle to survive,  was all worth it. Because all of that had led her to this man, and this moment right here. She  couldn’t have been happier.

“Just one question.” she said.

“Anything.” Joe answered.

“Would you prefer to have the wedding before or after I have our baby?”

Joe’s jaw dropped in surprise. Then  joy followed the shock, and suddenly both the politician and the reporter were lost for words. Instead they kissed, and they held each by the light of the moon, knowing that they were going to hold on to each other, and their child,
for all eternity.

THE END

Message From The Author:

Hiii

I really hope you enjoyed my novel. If you liked it then I hope you can rate me on the Amazon store and I will work even harder to get my next shifter book out for you!

YES, I WILL RATE YOU RIGHT NOW MARIA!

Many thanks in advance, your support really means a lot, on the next page are details of my other current releases!

Maria Amor x

ALSO BY MARIA AMOR

THE PLAYBEAR BILLIONAIRE

lexander Oberon is the Billionaire CEO of Oberon Industrial. He is also a Werebear.
Since he is young, good looking and very wealthy he can have almost any woman he wants and he knows it. Hence, why he has no interest in finding a mate.
That was, until he met the beautiful and curvy Daphne Jackson.
For the first time ever, Alexander feels he might have met a potential mate and he wants to make Daphne his. However, when a face from his past shows up things are not going to be that simple.
Can Daphne really be the one to tame this PlayBear Billionaire? Or is a Bear like him impossible to tame?

START READING NOW AT THE BELOW LINK!

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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VS9KTH6

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