Loyal To The Bear (Second Chance Shifters 2) (6 page)
Read Loyal To The Bear (Second Chance Shifters 2) Online
Authors: Meredith Clarke
Tags: #Paranormal, #Contemporary, #Fiction, #Romance, #Forever Love, #Adult, #Erotic, #Bear Shifter, #Mate, #Supernatural, #Protection, #Bachelor, #Single Woman, #Second Chance, #Youth, #Deceased Father, #Shifter World, #Hate, #Distrust, #College, #Heart Speaks, #No Goodbye, #Four Years, #Boston, #Serial Killer, #Captive, #Unstoppable Love
T
he police department
had blocked off incoming and outgoing traffic in the Warehouse District. Several angry commuters had been honking their horns and being obnoxious about it, but Henry did not care. All he cared about was finding Carly as quickly as he could.
Andre had shifted and was flying above the area to see if he found anything unusual happening in the district before the rest of the team went in.
Henry paced along the sidewalk and looked up into the evening sky, waiting for Andre to report back. Finally, after long several minutes, a very large crow landed in front of him. Andre shifted back and Henry threw him some clothing.
“See anything?” Henry asked.
“Everything seems very quiet,” Andre said. “Between the towers, there are about six different buildings the call could have come from.”
“Let’s start with those areas and then we can go from there,” Henry said. He walked over to the wolf pack and handed them various items of Carly’s so that they could get her scent.
“I’ll scout ahead of you, and warn you if anyone is entering or leaving the warehouses,” Andre said. Henry nodded and removed his clothes to shift.
Henry dropped to the ground as his body pulsed with power. He had shifted so many times over the years that it didn’t hurt him anymore now that he was older. It was like second nature to him. As his paws touched the pavement, he took off running towards the warehouses between the towers. The wolf pack followed him, with Andre flying above.
Andre let out a loud caw to let Henry know that they were getting close to the area. Henry quickly put his nose to the ground and tried to isolate Carly’s sweet scent from all the others. He thought about the perfume Carly always wore, which made her smell like fresh lilies. It had always intoxicated him.
He turned down a block and stopped short. He lifted his snout in the air and took in the smell around him.
Carly
, he thought. It was definitely her scent, but it was faint. It meant she had been in this spot a few days ago. A few of the wolves behind him yelped, letting him know that they picked it up as well. He let out a growl and took off running as fast as he could down the street.
T
he sun had already set
when Carly and Marissa crept out of the warehouse. She leaned Marissa up against the building as she quickly looked around her and tried to figure out where they were. They were surrounded by worn down buildings and a few warehouses. Every building looked the exact same to her. She had no idea where she was, but she knew she needed to get herself and Marissa out of this deserted area.
She looked down a street and saw what she thought was a busy intersection a few blocks away. Hopefully, she could find a phone there and call Henry. She pulled Marissa back up from the ground and froze when she heard a car pull up to the building around the corner.
Shit
, she thought.
Lee is back
.
She grabbed Marissa tighter around the waist and started moving as quickly as she could around the other side of the building, away from the car. She spotted a large dumpster a few steps ahead of her and knew that they needed to hide.
Carly heard the car door slam just as she settled Marissa and herself behind the dumpster. She held her breath as she heard his footsteps and his constant mumbling about finishing his mission. She tentatively peaked around the dumpster and watched Lee open the door to the warehouse and walk inside.
As fast as she could, she jumped up and grabbed Marissa by the hand.
“I know you’re hurt, but we have to run, now!”
Carly took off running, with Marissa limping behind her. She knew that in any moment, Lee would realize that they were gone and come chasing after them. They needed to get off this street and quickly.
Carly spotted a small alley on her right and pulled Marissa down it. They made it about halfway down the alley when Marissa heard a loud scream. Lee knew they were gone.
Carly pulled Marissa faster down the alley. She could spot the main street just ahead of her. Carly quickly looked over her shoulder and saw Lee’s distinct figure standing at the end of the alley. He took off running after them. Carly pushed her legs faster, but Marissa’s pace was slowing her down.
“Marissa, come on!” Carly yelled. Marissa grit her teeth and started to run faster. The end of the alley was just a few feet away, but Lee was getting closer to them. Carly knew Marissa wouldn’t make it if she didn’t create some distraction for Lee. She quickly pulled Marissa forward and pushed her in front of her.
“Go get help, Marissa!” Carly screamed as she turned to face Lee. Marissa looked over her shoulder and appeared as though she was about to stop.
“Marissa,
run
!” Carly screamed.
C
arly’s scent
got stronger as Henry ran down the street. He pushed himself to run faster. Andre let out a loud caw and flew towards an alleyway. Henry knew that meant he must have spotted something. He hoped it was Carly.
“Marissa,
run
!” Carly screamed.
Carly! Anger coursed through Henry’s large form and he let out a loud roar as he ran to the entrance of the alley. A skinny redhead ran out and stopped frozen in fear at the large grizzly bear in front of her.
Where is Carly?
Henry thought. He glanced down the alleyway and his body tensed. There was Lee, the jackass cougar from the Nocturne, holding Carly by the hair, with a silver knife at her throat.
“You move any closer and I’ll kill her!” Lee screamed.
Henry stood up on his hind legs to his full height and let out a loud roar. The wolf pack circled behind him and Andre landed in front of Henry and shifted.
“You’re outnumbered, man,” Andre said. “Just let the girl go, and no one has to get hurt.”
Henry watched as Lee’s eyes darted back and forth, taking in all the shifters in front of him. Henry looked directly into Carly’s eyes. He would rip this man to shreds if he harmed her.
As Lee stalled, shocked by the numbers of shifters, his hand on the knife moved slightly away from Carly’s throat. Henry dropped back down to his four legs and nodded at her. She luckily took the hint and quickly threw her head back against Lee, knocking him in the face. Lee dropped the knife, lost his grip on Carly’s hair, grabbed his face, and moaned. Carly sprinted towards Andre. The second that Henry saw Andre grab Carly’s hand, he took off running towards Lee.
Lee was distracted by his broken nose and did not see Henry coming until he swiped at him with his large claws. Lee fell down on the ground, and Henry stood over him and roared.
“You’re all dead,” Lee whispered. Henry roared again and bent down and snapped Lee’s neck.
C
arly wrapped
herself in a blanket on the sidewalk as the paramedics looked her over. The police officers had already finished asking her questions about what had happened. Henry was sitting by her and gently rubbing her back. Even though what she had been through was incredibly traumatic, the simple touch of Henry’s hand on her back seemed to calm all her nerves. She leaned into his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her.
“You doing alright?” Henry asked.
She thought about her answer for a moment. She had just been through hell, but out of the whole ordeal, she had learned one very important lesson. Henry would always protect her no matter what, and that comforted her more than anything.
“Not really,” Carly answered. “But I know with you by my side, I’ll get through it.”
Henry smiled and continued to rub her back. Carly watched as the paramedics placed Marissa on a stretcher. Their eyes met for a moment and Marissa whispered “Thank you.” Carly smiled back at her and nodded.
“You ready to get out of here?” Henry asked.
“You don’t have to stay and answer questions? They don’t mind that you killed Lee?” Carly asked.
“Well, of course they mind, but I think they know deep down that he would continue to kill no matter what we did. He was truly lost,” Henry said. Carly leaned her head against Henry’s shoulder. Instead of feeling anger towards Lee, Carly wished that there had been a way to get through to him. To help him in some way from the madness that consumed him. It surprised her that she felt this way, but she knew that her earlier fear of shifters was misguided. Just because a few of them did evil things did not make them all evil.
Henry was the farthest from evil anyone could be
, she thought. She looked up at Henry and smiled.
“I love you,” Carly said.
“I love you too.”
O
ne year
later
C
arly looked
at herself in the mirror. Her long, wavy hair was pulled back into a side ponytail that cascaded with curls down the front of her right shoulder. Her makeup was finished, so all she needed to do was wait.
She couldn’t believe that a year had gone by so quickly. It felt like yesterday that she and Henry had reconnected. Now they were about to start the next chapter of their lives together.
Her mother placed her hands on her shoulders.
“You look absolutely beautiful, sweetie,” Amanda said. Carly stood up and gave her mother a tight hug.
“Thank you so much for coming, Mom,” Carly said. “It means the world to me that you’re here.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Amanda said. Carly pulled back from their embrace and smiled at her mother.
“Your father would have been so proud,” Amanda said. Tears formed in Carly’s eyes.
“I know he would have,” Carly said. “And I know he would have loved Henry.” Amanda let out a light laugh and she hugged Carly again. Avery gently knocked on the door.
“It’s time to get you into that big, beautiful dress of yours!”
Carly stepped out of her room in an ivory fit and flare dress that accentuated every single curve of her body. It had a dramatic bottom with a long train, as well as a sweetheart neckline with beading throughout the dress, making Carly sparkle as she walked.
“Henry is going to die when he sees you!” Avery squealed. Carly smiled. She couldn’t wait to marry the man of her dreams.
C
arly’s mother
grasped her arm as they waited for the doors to open. Carly and Henry were getting married at Bear Lake Lodge, in a wooded outdoor area that looked like something out of a fairytale. Carly looked behind her and saw the lodge’s owners with their arms wrapped around one another smiling at her.
The doors opened and Carly and her mother started walking down the aisle. Hundreds of their family and friends had come to celebrate their wedding, but as Carly walked, the only person she saw was Henry. He was the only one here that truly mattered to her today.
Henry had the biggest smile on his face as his bride approached. Carly reached the end of the aisle and gave her mother a huge hug. She turned back towards Henry and he walked to meet her. He placed a light kiss on her cheek and whispered in her ear.
“You look absolutely amazing in that dress.” Carly smiled back at him.
Andre was officiating, since Henry would not have it any other way. He winked at her as they walked the final few steps up to him.
“We are gathered here today,” Andre said, “to witness the marriage of two truly amazing people that I am lucky enough to call my friends.” Carly and Henry smiled and faced each other.
“Carly and Henry have decided to recite their own vows,” Andre said. Carly looked up at Henry and squeezed his hands.
“Henry, a year ago our lives were completely different. A part of each of our souls was missing, and today, we are finally coming together as one. Throughout our relationship, you have made me a better person than I ever was. You have helped me conquered my fears, and most importantly, you have taught me to understand what true love really is. I promise to always love you and try every day to make you as happy as you make me. I love you.” Carly placed a gold ring on Henry’s finger and they held hands again.
“Carly,” Henry said. “When I was younger, my parents always taught me about true love. They taught me that one day I would find the person who is my other half, mends my flaws, and makes me into a better person. Carly, you are my better half. You have been since the day I knocked on your dorm room door thinking you were my new roommate. I promise to love you with all my heart and to always protect you from the evils in this world. I love you.” Henry placed a thin diamond band next to her engagement ring.
“Carly and Henry,” Andre said, “ I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride!”
Henry grabbed Carly by the waist, turned her to the side, and dipped her as he passionately kissed her. The crowd let out cheers and whistles, and by the time Carly came back up for air, her cheeks were blushing red, but she couldn’t have been happier.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Andre said. “It is with great honor that I introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Greene!”
THE END
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She whipped around. “I have no idea why you’ve suddenly decided to show up, but you can get out. Get out of my shop, Liam.”
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Her eyes widened. “Are you kidding me?”
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