Saving My Hero Bear: Satin Mountain Shifters, #2

By Serenity Dare

Bear shifters Teffi and Ray met only hours before he deployed. Irresistibly drawn together, they claimed each other as mates that night.

 

He promised to return.

She promised to wait.

Neither one kept their promise.

 

Teffi

The last time she was in Kandahar, her life blew apart. Literally. Now the failures of her past threaten to destroy the fragile new future she is building with Ray.

What if saving the man you love meant risking the lives of his children?

 

Ray

A one-night stand turned into a family and the future he's always wanted. Until his world goes black and he wakes in a stinking Afghan prison. Can he escape and find his way back through hostile country to that bright future on the other side of the world?

 

A thrilling shifter romance with a passionate one-night stand, secret twin babies, and a strong heroine willing to risk it all to save her mate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AFM Creative Works
• Release date: Nov 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223782803

Book preview

Chapter 1

Teffi

Teffi maneuvered the compact rental car along the increasingly familiar roads. She was on the two-lane now, a winding strip of blacktop moving through the foothills. This land was a part of her; she felt she belonged to it. Several years ago, she had built a house in the Satin Mountains so she would always have a home here. She inhaled the scent of the woods: pine and earth and something intangible. Something clean and pure. The scent of a fresh start.

But not the fresh start she had once envisioned. She never expected to come back here alone. Cliff was gone. She had to accept that. One day, she would accept that certain tragedies have no meaning and some injustices are never righted. Maybe.

She stretched her neck to release the tension there. Relax, she said out loud. It’s going to be okay.

It was time to make a new life. She didn’t know yet what that new life would look like. Whatever happened next, it would happen here. She was done with war zones, combat missions, and covert ops. All of that was in the past. She was almost home.

Bang.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.

The car veered toward the oncoming lane. Teffi gripped the steering wheel and muscled the car back to its proper lane. A blown tire. Damn rental car.

She needed a place to get off the road, but the berm wasn’t wide enough even for this tiny car. The woods came right to the edge of the drainage ditch. Stopping in the middle of the road wasn’t an option. It would be disastrous if a truck came around the bend at top speed. It would never see her in time to stop.

She held the car steady and backed off her speed a bit. She didn’t want to get rear-ended, but she had no way of knowing how bad the blowout was or how long she could keep going on the damaged tire.

There! The Maiden Spring pull-off was up ahead. Thank goodness. This was a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike to access one of the area’s many natural springs. It was sheltered by the mountain and shaded by generous foliage. Fortunately, at this time of evening, no one was there. Too late for the families filling water bottles to take home, she thought. And too early for any amorous couples.

She let out a sigh of relief but didn’t loosen her grip on the wheel. It was one thing to keep a car with a shredded tire stable on the paved road, but turning onto the gravel of the pull-off was another matter. Teffi was strong, like all shifters. She successfully wrangled the car off the road into the safety of the pull-off. She could always count on the strength of her bear.

A quick look at the tire told her it was useless, as she expected. She practiced some of her favorite expletives. That accomplished nothing, but made her feel a little better.

Maiden Spring was on the back side of her mountain. Maiden Mountain. Up there, was her house and her garage. Waiting for her in the garage was her Range Rover. But she was stuck here with this too-small, poorly maintained rental car.

No whining, she told herself. Deal with the situation.

She popped open the trunk and examined the roadside emergency kit. No need for the plastic hazard triangle since she was already off the road. The jack was a standard configuration, and she quickly assembled it. She smirked at the donut-tire that substituted for a spare. It was all she had and it would get her where she was going. Probably. Hopefully, her driveway was passable. The driveway was actually two miles of unpaved road crawling up the side of the mountain. She was ready to be home. But first, there was a tire to change.

The lug nuts gave way with a stomp of her foot against the tire iron. Tire shops loved their power wrenches. They never seemed to consider that a human might need to change a tire. But Teffi had powerful hips and legs and she put them to good use. Being a bear had its advantages.

She heard the truck rumble up behind her, the whine of tires on pavement downshifting to the crunch of the gravel as it pulled off the road. She didn’t have to turn and look to know it was one of those jarheads from the base in his jacked-up pickup. But she turned around, in case he was trouble. Better to face trouble head on.

The truck was high, with a two-step bumper and an easy-to-spot Semper Fi sticker on the back of the cab window. The driver was alone. Not ideal. If he had a date with him, Teffi would feel more confident about his altruistic intentions. But he was only one guy. She gripped the tire iron in her hand and waited as he opened the truck door. If he was trouble, she’d give him trouble right back.

She sucked in her breath as he stepped down from the truck and into view. He was six feet tall, easy. Six-four, she thought, her old training kicking in. Broad shoulders cut to a vee at the waist. He wore his t-shirt tight enough to show off his pecs without looking like he was trying to show off his pecs. Neatly pressed khakis. This was one gorgeous man.

He strode toward her, military confidence in every step. He stopped six feet from her and stood with his hands at his side, palms out, displaying his lack of weaponry and, supposedly, his good intentions. She had planned to wave him off as soon as he got out of his truck. But the view was too good not to enjoy a bit longer.

She tried to find her voice. But other parts of her were soaking in the undeniable scent of male. Male shifter. A bear.

Chapter 2

Teffi

I can help you with that, he said in a deep rumble of a voice that shivered through her.

Teffi shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. I got it. She wanted a man in her life, but she was not about to play helpless to get one, not even with this mouth-watering man in front of her. Especially when he was obviously dressed for a night on the town.

Yes ma’am, he said. He seemed hesitant. If you’re sure.

Yes, yes, I’m f-fine. She stammered like an idiot.

Good evening then, he said and turned smartly, heading back to his truck.

That view was as good as the front. She always liked a guy who looked as good going as he did coming. Don’t think like that, she chided herself, but she watched longingly as he walked away.

Suddenly there was a crash and thud as the jack gave way and the car collapsed, wobbling uncertainly on the not yet stable donut-tire.

Fuck, said Teffi.

The gorgeous man turned back toward her.

That was not an invitation, she said.

No ma’am.

I got this, she insisted. But she looked at the broken jack and knew that wasn’t true.

Your jack is shot. You may yet need me, ah, my help. He came closer and extended his hand. I’m Ray.

Teffi, she said. She had dropped the tire iron, but did not extend her hand. Instead, she opened her palms, displaying the dirt from her battle with the tire. Pass on the handshake, she advised him.

Together, they inspected the situation. The donut-tire was on two of the posts, but it was catawampus and needed to be lined up with the other three posts.

I almost had it, said Teffi. I only needed a little more wiggle.

Ray grinned and Teffi realized it sounded like she was flirting. Maybe she was. She blushed and ducked her head, pretending to concentrate on the tire. For once, she was grateful for the mass of curls she could never control. Now she only needed to control herself. He was standing much too close.

Stupid little car. Next time I reserve a full-size car. Something big enough for a girl my size.

Ray reached out and pushed back the dark curls hiding her face. I think your size is fine. He stepped back and ran his eyes appreciatively over the full length of her body. Definitely fine. He gave her a little wink.

She could feel the heat rise in her face and the warmth stir low in her belly. No, no, no, no, she told herself. Even if she was ready for a new relationship, it wouldn’t be with a guy from the military.

No one else ever needed to know about her past: the things she had done, the places she had been. That’s what she had decided on the plane ride back. No more military men. And she hadn’t even made it to the house before getting all wet over this hot Marine. She was going to have to stay away from town - and far, far away from the base. She crouched to get a better look at the tire.

Allow me, he said. He squatted next to her, his back against the unreliable rental. His hands moved methodically along the underside, finding purchase, and then he lifted the car. It was just enough to free the tire from the ground. But he lifted the car. She stared at the flex of his biceps, then let her eyes wander down to his thighs, straining against those khakis.

Don’t dawdle, he said.

Damn, he had caught her staring. Oh well, it probably happened to him all the time.

It’s not as easy as I make this look, he said.

She couldn’t help but return his grin. She had scented his bear, and knew it wasn’t as hard—difficult—she corrected her thoughts. Difficult for him.

Stop it, she said to her inner bear.

She fumbled for a few moments with the donut-tire, but eventually slid it into place. She spun the opposing lug nuts hand tight.

That should hold it, she said and turned to him. Their faces were inches apart. He set the car down, but didn’t stand up right away. She caught the light scent of his human sweat and the hint of bear behind it. Her inner bear hummed in response. He slowly stood and, as if she was connected by a puppeteer’s string, she stood with him.

Her face tipped up to look at him. She was tall, but he was taller. It was the perfect moment for a kiss. She wanted him. His quickened breath told her he wanted her too. Her bear rumbled her desire. Then the rumbling came from outside.

A pickup truck roared past. Brakes screeched. The engine whined in reverse and the truck backed up.

Hey Ray, the truck’s driver yelled. Whatcha doing out here in the woods? One passenger imitated a wolf howl, badly.

Drunk already, thought Teffi.

C’mon bro, you promised, said the driver again.

I’ll be there, Ray yelled back. The truck sped off, leaving echoes of howling and a broken mood behind.

Accept my apologies, said Ray. We deploy tomorrow, and—

It’s okay, said Teffi, backing away. Her inner bear grumbled most emphatically that it was not okay.

He’s a complication we don’t need, she told it.

Ray kneeled by the car and spun the last three lug nuts, then tightened them all with a vengeance. Talk about a power wrench. But this power would only wrench her heart and her heart was barely healed. He stood and looked at her for a long moment. She thought he was going to say something.

She hoped he would, but what was there to say? He was leaving tomorrow. He already had plans for the night, which did not include her. Her night would be the same as it had been for the last year: a cup of tea, a good book she couldn’t concentrate on, and a bed that needed only one pillow. He turned and walked away.

He was nearly at his truck when she remembered her manners and called out, Thank you!

He waved his hand above his head in reply, but didn’t look back.

Chapter 3

Ray

Damn, thought Ray as he sped down the highway. He drove with the window down to savor the mountain air and blow away the thoughts of that luscious woman, Teffi. Those dark curls, that mocha skin.

When had he lost the ability to talk to a woman? He might have salvaged the moment if he had only talked to her. Her name was unusual; they could have talked about that. He could have asked her if she lived nearby. Where she was coming back from or heading off to?