Gray Back Ghost Bear (5 page)

She’d done enough Internet research over the past week to know what that was—a claiming mark. “You used to be human?”

The smile on his face was so sad, it gutted her.

Georgia traced the old scar with her fingertips and sighed. “Oh, Jason. What did you get yourself into?”

“I was in love. More than love, it felt like. Bigger, wider, all-encompassing, complete devotion. Tessa told me she was a bear shifter after we’d been together a month, and by the end of the second month, she’d talked about Turning me so we could be together without her alpha getting angry over the risk of her being with a human mate. I was twenty-one when I got the bite. Never married because the paperwork felt unnecessary after she’d bit me. She’d marked me, and that was all we needed.” His eyes lightened to the color of a clear gray sky morning, and he looked away. “She was sleeping with one of the shifters in her crew by the end of the first year. I don’t even know how long it had been going on. She’d always been mean-spirited, and it pissed me off the way she treated people. Like she was entitled to anything she wanted. Maybe she didn’t see anything wrong with having two mates, I don’t know. I confronted the guy, but he apparently already knew all about me. He didn’t care. Tessa didn’t care. I cared.” He dragged his fiery, sparking eyes to hers. “I wanted to kill them both.”

The fine hairs on Georgia’s arms stood up on end, prickling her skin despite her warm jacket. “And did you?”

Jason huffed a harsh laugh. “If you ask Tessa’s ghost, I did. I’m no murderer, though. She was with her crew, with her new mate, when a skirmish broke out with another crew over a territory dispute. Not all bear shifters get along as well as the crews around here. Tessa texted me, asking for me to come pick her up. She said she was scared, but she’d been pulling that shit a lot. She was messing with my head. Sleeping with me on and off, telling me it was over with her other mate, telling me she wanted to run away with me, but going straight back to him. I was done by the time she asked me for help. I thought it was more head games. A test to see if I’d come whenever she wanted.” Jason cracked his knuckles loudly. “Her whole crew was dead by the next morning. All except her other mate who brought me a box of her things. Pictures she’d kept and letters she’d gotten from me. A T-shirt of mine she used to sleep in. He said he was sorry he couldn’t protect her. I hated him, but more than that, I hated myself for not paying attention to those damned texts she’d sent. Tessa had never admitted to being afraid before, and it had been right there. She’d said she was scared, and I should’ve gone and picked her up that night. I was twenty-three, had already been Turned and mated, and had lost it all because I couldn’t make her happy, I couldn’t make her stay, and I couldn’t save her. And all this week I’ve wanted to go find your ranger station and ask you out. But every time I get myself psyched up to do it, I think, I’ve got nothin’ to offer you.”

“That’s not true.”

“It is. I have a ghost problem that you’ll obviously have to deal with since you see her, too. I have a bear that I’m barely in control of most days. I live out in the middle of nowhere in a trailer park with a crew who are not safe in society. I mean, shit, Beaston Turned Matt’s mate without her consent.”

“Beaston?”

“Easton.”

“Oh. Well, I’m here, anyway.”

“Because Easton kidnapped you.”

“No. I’m here because I want to be. I was on my way to meet Mr. Daye when Easton tricked me into giving him a ride. But I put on extra make-up today because I was planning on coming to visit the Gray Backs afterward and apologize for yelling at you. And pointing a gun at you. So ask me.” She lifted her chin primly. “I’ll wait.”

The smile that spread across his face was slow and steady and reached his eyes. “Georgia Ames?”

“Yes?”

“Will you help me clean up my trailer?”

Georgia swatted his arm and pouted. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

Jason’s laugh was infectious, but she did her best to keep a straight face.

“Georgia, will you go out on a date with me?”

“Are you asking just because I keep the ghost at bay?”

“Dammit woman, you gonna make this hard on me?”

She cocked an eyebrow.

“No, I’m asking you out because I like you. And also because you’re hot as fuck.”

Georgia giggled at his crassness and nodded once. “Then I accept. You better plan something really special for our first date though, Jason, because I’m very high maintenance.”

Jason made a show of looking down at her muddy hiking boots. “Oh, Ranger, I don’t doubt it.”

Georgia hung grocery bags the length of both arms because she’d rather army crawl through a sewer than make a second trip unloading groceries.

“You hoo!” a woman called.

When Georgia turned around, a tall woman was riding toward her on the back of a giant grizzly bear.

“Aah!” she screamed, running behind the old beater truck she’d borrowed from Jason, her arms flapping like a falcon as she tried to rid herself of the heavy bags.

The woman burst out laughing, and not the soft, polite kind, but the hunched-over-holding-the-stomach kind.

Georgia frowned so hard she started a headache, and then picked up an abandoned bag of toilet paper. “Please tell me that is a werebear you’re riding and not an actual wild bear.”

The woman’s messy bun bobbed as she nodded, apparently still laughing too hard to speak.

“And are you pregnant?” Georgia asked, staring at the bump that pressed against the woman’s fitted pink jacket.

“Oh, yeah. I’m super pregnant. With a werebear.” The woman snorted and hiccupped, then put her fingers over her mouth to hide her grin.

Georgia shook her head and picked up a bag of canned stew. Far be it for her to judge a pregnant woman riding a werebear. She was pining for a man who was mated to a ghost. Stones and glass houses, and she had crappy aim.

“I’m Gia,” the brunette said, her whiskey brown eyes dancing as she slid off the back of the grizzly. “I’m Creed’s mate. And this is Willa, second in the Gray Backs and mate of Matt.”

Georgia rushed to set the groceries on the hood of the truck, then shook Gia’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I mean, officially. I think I saw you the first night I introduced myself to the Gray Backs.”

“Yeah, Willa calls you Renegade. We saw you pull that gun on Jason. Cracked us the hell up.”

Renegade. She liked that nickname. It was way better than the names she’d been gifted in middle school. Freaky Freckles and Dorky Dots. The kids in her school had not won most creative.

“Nice.” She smiled at the brown bear who was now sitting like a human waving at her. “I have to warn you, there is a poacher problem on this side of Damon’s property. Might not want to travel around this part while you’re Changed.”

“Eee,” Gia said. “Willa, Change back.”

The bear shrank into a tiny, red-headed woman. Willa spread her arms out like a ballerina and sang, “Boobs,” in an opera voice as her fur retracted.

“Whoa, you’re very naked. Or
beary
naked, ha!” Georgia clamped her mouth shut as her cheeks burned, but Willa and Gia laughed.

“My teets are beary small,” Willa cracked.

“My ankles are beary swollen,” Gia joked.

“Wait,” Georgia argued. “Your teets aren’t that small.”

“Renegade, you’re ruining the game,” Willa quipped, punching her fists onto her bare hips.

“Oh, right. My hair is beary curly.”

“Jason sent us to get you,” Gia said as she pulled a backpack off her shoulders and handed it to Willa. “He has a surprise for you.”

Georgia busied herself with picking up the rest of the bags off the ground. “I thought he was still at work.”

“Creedy let him off early,” Willa muttered as she pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans. “Dang, ladies, it’s cold as balls out here.”

“He let Jason off early? I thought they were low on manpower up on the landing.”

Willa shimmied into a red sweater that matched the bright dye in her hair. “Yes, Easton’s in the wind, and Clinton, that wanker stain, cut out on us. He’ll be back. Probably. The boys haven’t been getting days off since Clinton left, though, so the best Creed can do is let Jason off early after they hit their numbers for the day.”

“They already reached their goal?” Georgia looked down at her weather-proof watch. “It’s only five.”

Willa pulled her hair back into a spikey ponytail and secured it with a band. “Yeah, well Damon doesn’t exactly give them huge numbers, and funnily enough, without Beaston around, no one wasted their time fighting and bleeding today.”

“Do they fight and bleed often?”

“No one bleeds as much as a Gray Back,” Willa and Gia said in unison.

Georgia thought they were joking at first, but both their faces had gone serious as they bent down to clean up the mess she’d made.

The women helped her haul the wares she’d picked up at the grocery store in Saratoga, then Georgia gave them the grand tour of the one-room watch tower. By the time they’d climbed back down the ladder and into the bench seat pickup, Georgia’s nerves had left her body. It was impossible to be edgy around Willa with her wise cracks and quirks and Gia with her easygoing attitude and ready smile.

“Did you know there are three different kinds of nightcrawlers?” Willa asked matter of factly as Georgia drove them all toward the trailer park.

Georgia didn’t have to answer because Willa automatically dove in to the riveting subject of Canadian versus European nightcrawlers. She talked about the difference between red wigglers and earthworms, and how she and Matt had built her compost bins. Willa actually made a decent income selling the soil they made and worms for people’s yards. She even had a steady business selling the wiggly critters to a couple of local bait shops.

By the time she pulled into the Grayland Mobile Park, she knew practically everything there was to know about worms.

I’m sorry
, Gia mouthed.

“Hey, don’t apologize,” Willa groused. “Worms are awesome.”

When Georgia stepped out from behind the wheel, she was greeted by a small brown and white dog with a long Mohawk shaved up his back and head.

“Peanut Butter Spike!” Gia crooned, picking him up and snuggling her nose against his flat face as his tail wagged so fast it was a blur of fur. She walked away and melted into baby talk, of which Georgia didn’t understand a word.

Right now she was so anxious to see Jason, she couldn’t stand it. Last night had been hard, sleeping at the ranger tower and wondering if Tessa was messing with him while Georgia was away. She’d wanted to stay the night, but it had seemed too soon.

“Your man is in the ugly trailer,” Willa said with a wink.

“Oh, Jason’s not my—”

“Save it! He turned all mushy when he talked about you earlier. He’s yours.”

The heat was back in her cheeks, so Georgia waved her thanks and speed-walked for the trailer with the lopsided house number, 1010.

To get to the front door, she had to cross a sprawling porch with fragrant cedar planks and a pair of antique white rocking chairs. Outdoor lights were strung from a pergola above, and someone had attached empty flower boxes to the railing. The porch did wonders for the curb appeal of the old singlewide. She knocked softly. He’d hear it. He was a bear shifter with incredible hearing.

“Come in,” Jason called from inside.

Georgia pushed open the screen door and froze. The trailer surprised her. The walls were whitewashed, and the laminate wood flooring was dark in contrast. The wooden beams across the ceiling were sagging a bit but gave the living area character. To the left was a small kitchen with faux wood counters and white cabinets. And if she ignored the mouse dragging an orange peel across the floor, the place looked downright homey. The candles flickering on the small dining room table added to the ambiance, too.

The stretch of her smile felt good as she looked around, but when her gaze landed on Jason, she drew up short.

He looked exhausted and something more…nervous? He straightened an orange throw pillow on the couch.

“Hey,” she said softly. “Did you see Tessa today?” She already knew the answer, though.

Jason’s dark eyes looked dim and haunted, and even his posture was different. Weaker. He tried to smile, but the expression faltered and morphed into a grimace. Oh, that Tessa had done a number on him today.

Georgia approached and slid her arms around him. Jason swayed slightly, back and forth, as he buried his face against her neck. Inhaling deeply, he pulled her tight against his chest and seemed content to just be. Relief washed off him in waves as he gripped the back of her hair and held her close.

“Damn, Ranger. It sure is good to hold you again.”

Back and forth he rocked in a slow dance that didn’t require words here in this old trailer. He brushed his lips against her temple and sighed. With the exhalation, his muscles relaxed. Jason was tall enough to rest his chin on top of her head, but he didn’t. Instead, he brushed his two day scruff gently against her cheek.

Closing her eyes, she melted against him. She’d never felt so safe before.

Just to feel closer, she unzipped her jacket and slid it from her shoulders onto the floor. His heart drummed against her chest, and she fell harder for him. She’d embraced people before, but this was different. This was more. This was falling in love without words. It was terrifying and exciting. It was butterflies and happiness and imaginings of a future that would stretch on and on if only Tessa would leave him alone.

How he’d handled being haunted by his late mate without going mad was beyond her and a testament to how strong Jason was. He was being hounded relentlessly by the same being that took his humanity, and he was still upright—still trying.

“Why are you cryin’?” he asked, lifting her chin.

Was she? Twin tears streaked down her cheeks, and she wiped one on her shoulder, unable to hold his gaze. Heart aching, she whispered, “I wish things were different for you.”
For us.

The corner of his lips lifted in a smile. “Sweet Georgia.” He shook his head, eyes on her. “I sure got lucky with you.”

But he couldn’t see that she was the lucky one.

“It’s too soon. I know it is, but I want you to live here.”
Back and forth, back and forth.
“I helped Gia move out of here and into Creed’s trailer. I want you close so I can see you when I want. I want you sleeping near me so I don’t have to worry about you being cold in that tower. Above everything else, I want you to be happy. To smile and to see these woods as more than just a temporary home. I’m not asking you to make this old trailer your home to keep Tessa at bay either, Georgia. I want you here for me. I’m asking you to settle for less than you deserve, and I know what that makes me. It makes me selfish.”

“No,” she said, resting her cheek against his chest. She splayed her hands over the thin material of his sweater, right over his heartbeat, so steady under her fingers. “It makes you mine.”

A soft rumble rattled against her palm, but she wasn’t scared of his animal anymore. Jason wouldn’t hurt her. It was a happy noise for only her. The gaunt look had left his face, and his features had softened. She’d done that—affected the exhaustion caused by the awful things Tessa had been spewing at him. Tessa broke him every day, but Georgia could put him back together. She knew she could.

“I’ll stay here,” she murmured. “It’s strange, but it already feels sort of like home.”

“It’s not strange. I’ve heard a lot of things about this place. Ten-ten is magic. It’s a safe haven.”

She opened her eyes just as the first snowflakes of an early winter storm began to fall outside. And she believed him. Even if she left tomorrow, she’d never forget this feeling, standing here with Jason as they danced for the first time. As her heart decided he was hers, no matter how broken he was. This moment, in this place, would be a comfort for the rest of her life, no matter what tomorrow would bring.

“I have more to show you.”

She looked up into Jason’s dark eyes. “Are we having our first date?”

Jason leaned down and kissed her softly, then eased back and pressed his forehead against hers. “Yeah.”

“Show me.”

With a smile, he bent down and pulled her jacket from the floor, then zipped her into it. He didn’t bother to put on a coat as he took her hand and led her out the front door. His stride was strong and powerful, and his back was straight again, as if she’d recharged him with her touch. She waved to Willa, who was leaning against the brick ledge of the fire pit, watching them tromp toward the woods.

Willa gave her a knowing smile and lifted her fingers in response.

Jason looked back at her. The excitement in his eyes made him look even more handsome somehow. He laughed and pulled her along faster.

With a grin, she ran to keep up with him. Fat snowflakes fell all around them, but he didn’t seem to notice the cold. His attention was only for her.

Her long curls bounced around her shoulders as she ran with him. She hadn’t had this much fun just running freely since she was a child. Weaving through the pines, Jason slowed the farther they got from the trailer park.

“There,” he said, pointing up in the trees.

A treehouse had been built between four towering pines. The storm clouds above cast everything in gray shadows, but a flickering, warm glow filtered through the warped window panes of the house above them.

Jason climbed the ladder, waiting in the middle for her to follow. Breathlessly, she scrambled up behind him. The porch was sturdy and well-built, and a sign over the top of the front door read
Willamena Junior or Darth Vader
.