Bear Justice: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance

By Bianca James

Bear Justice: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Big Bear Mountain Book 2)

Big Bear Mountain erupts when a blazing female PI clashes with the hot-as-sin town sheriff.

Medically discharged after being injured during a covert operation, Jack Raven tries to adjust to post army life as the Sheriff of Big Bear Mountain. His bear is quite at home, but in his human form, Jack’s finding small town law enforcement challenging, to say the least.

And challenges don’t come much greater than the audacious and bossy private investigator, Cassie Hunter who has come to town to claim her inheritance while conducting a covert operation of her own.

If Jack isn’t finding it hard enough to deal with her, his bear has locked sights on the curvaceous and outlandish woman as his mate.

Assassins, bombs, kidnappers, guns and a mystery more than a century old – that’s what Cassie brings to Jack’s quiet mountain town.

This is a 22,000 word standalone story with no cliffhanger. It is the second in a collection of stories from Big Bear Mountain, where big, sexy, bear-shifter mountain men get lucky and find curvy girls who can handle them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Publishdrive
• Release date: Mar 9, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1

The horse snorted and whinnied in a shrill rotest as it fought to free itself from the mud that threatened to suck it into a cold, wet grave. The colt’s eyes were white with fear as it strained to free itself, each attempt causing it to sink further into the mud pool. Breathing erratically, it began to throw its head from side to side and thrash wildly in sheer desperation, as flight and fight responses fought for dominance.

Baring its teeth, it lashed out as Jack Raven tried to calm the frightened animal before it sunk too deep to be saved.

I don’t remember this being in the damn induction manual, he said to nobody in particular. If he’d know animal rescue was part of the job, he’d have reconsidered. No wonder he was the only applicant for the job. Apparently, nobody else wanted it. Now he could see why. He missed the action. The rush of an all or nothing firefight one day and a covert, undercover mission the next. Never a dull moment in the service, that’s for sure. But, he had to remind himself that he’d been forced to give it all up and settle for a job that nobody seemed to want, in the middle of nowhere. And like the good soldier he was, he adapted.

Or at least he tried to. Easy boy, he said in a grating tone that seemed to unsettle the horse even more. Come on now, work with me. This is just as hard for me, you know.

With ears pinned back and teeth bared, the colt shook its head, disagreeing vehemently as Jack tried to throw a makeshift lasso over the horses head.

Jack didn’t know much about horses, which was quite clear, but he knew that they were prey animals and the fearful behavior was to be expected of an animal that spent every waking moment being a potential meal for any hungry mountain lion or even the occasional bear.

Of course …

Suddenly, Jack realized that the horse could sense the bear that lurked within him, even though he was shifted to his human form. Obviously, that left him in a bit of a pickle. How was he going to get the horse to trust him enough to rescue him if the horse went crazy each time he got close?

What the hell do you think you’re doing? a voice scolded from behind him.

Jack turned and looked up the slope toward the road. The sun was in his eyes but he made out the silhouette of a tall, curvaceous woman with her hands on her hips. Her body language reprimanded him just as much as the admonishment in her tone.

I’m trying to get this stupid horse out of the mud, as you can obviously see for yourself. Jack wasn’t going to be spoken to like a naughty schoolboy.

The woman made a disdainful snorting sound. You’re trying to kill it, that’s what you’re trying to do. You couldn’t make it thrash around any more if you tried. That poor colt isn’t the stupid one.

Jack didn’t know what to say to that. Not even his old drill sergeant ever dared called him stupid. He called him a lot of things but never stupid. His fist tightened around the coil of rope he had been vainly trying to use to pull the horse to safety. He watched the woman hesitate on the edge of the road before beginning a determined ascent down the treacherously steep slope.

Watch your … He thought better of it and clammed up. She wasn’t his problem, after all.

Within seconds, her careless stomping over the loose soil had started a small landslide and her feet flew out from under her. She landed on her butt with a soft thud and began to slide on a bumpy carpet of dirt and rocks, all the way to the edge of the mud pool. Right at Jack’s feet.

Trying his best not to laugh aloud, Jack wiped his palm on his uniform and held his hand out to help the interfering stranger to her feet. Although he didn’t make a sound, his laughter reached his storm blue eyes. She took one look at his face, then his offered hand and blew out a sharp breath before struggling to her feet, unaided. Without even looking at Jack, she dusted herself off, pushed past him and began to talk to the trapped colt in a calm, soothing tone.

Whoa. Whoa. There … there, she soothed, showing the frightened horse her hand before stroking it gently on the neck. "Let’s see if I can’t get you out of this mess, shall we."

Brusquely snapping her fingers, like she was ordering a servant, the woman pointed impatiently to the rope Jack still gripped firmly in his large, calloused hand. Don’t just stand there like a fool. Hand me the rope, dammit.

Two tours in hellish places he was forbidden to even talk about and this was the respect he’d earned for his trouble? The hardened combat veteran made ready to stand his ground but his hand betrayed him. As if guided by the steely glare from the stranger he silently handed her the rope.

We need to get him out of here before he starts cramping up. There’s no telling how much damage you’ve done leaving him in the freezing mud. Carefully, she slipped the rope around the heaving chest of the panicked horse, tying it off so that the end of the rope passed between the front legs and up onto the bank.

Then she made her way to the edge of the mud pool, picked up the rope and began to wrap it around her hand several times.

OK, I’ll pull. You push, she commanded.

Jack’s gaze ran down to the military creases in his pristine uniform pants and his highly polished, spotless boots, then across to the foul bog that had ensnared the young, unsuspecting horse. He started to make eye contact with the woman but his eyes were drawn to the terrified animal with the huge, pleading eyes. He felt his bear stir deep within. He wasn’t sure if it was his close proximity to an easy lunch or if the low rumble was one of sympathy for a kindred spirit.

A determined expression crossed his face as he rolled up his sleeves, revealing his well-muscled and tanned forearms and stepped into the putrid mud and placed his hands on the flank of the shivering colt. The muscles and tendons in his arms rippled