Once Upon a Shifter (28 page)

The past is so confusing and painful for her, but will the smoking-hot werewolf prove to be her destroyer or her savior?

HEA and no cliffhanger!

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Wounds to Bear

Heart of the Bear - Book One

By Terra Wolf & Lily Marie

One

The bullet in Roman Black’s left shoulder slowed him down—too much.

It also hurt like hell, but in bear form, he could travel faster, and the pain wasn’t as excruciating. He had to keep moving, find help before the bastard took those innocent cubs deeper into the wild. Never mind the human kids in his group that he promised to watch over with his life.

He kept moving, blood saturating his fur. If he calculated right, he’d come out near Grey’s old homestead. From there he could—

He halted at the edge of the trees when he saw the unfamiliar truck.

Damn. The new vet had just set up shop there—the new vet who didn’t know about them yet.

She was about to get a quick and dirty orientation.

***

Dr. Jenna Morgan set down the last box of supplies, and collapsed in the single chair in the exam room.

“Done.” She blew a strand of sweaty hair off her nose, too tired to even lift her hand to tuck it behind her ear. All she wanted to do now was strip out of her sticky, dirty clothes and sink into a nice, fragrant, decadent bath. “Okay—up.”

Her legs shook when she stood, her thigh muscles sore from days of hauling boxes, furniture, and more boxes. Lindy Black, the woman who’d hired who, who also happened to be Pine Heart’s mayor, had offered the use of her family.

“Big, strong boys, all of them,” she told Jenna the day she arrived.

Jenna had smiled and waved her off. The last thing she needed around her right now was a big, strong male anything. Not after Darrel.

Now she was paying for that impulsive act of self-reliance.

“Bath,” she muttered. “Right after I lock the door.”

One day she might feel comfortable leaving her doors unlocked. Today was not that day. She sighed when she saw that the wind had pushed the storm door against the outside wall, and stepped on the wood porch to grab it.

The low growl raised the hair on the back of her neck.

Jenna knew the sound of a bear, that they were common in this wild, thick forest. She had always expected to see her share living at the edge of the trees. But this one sounded close—too close.

She turned, slowly. “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m just a short human vet, wanting to go inside and let you…”

Her voice faded when she saw just how close, and how huge, the bear was. She didn’t have time to do more than register that when it leaped at her.

She acted on instinct and shoved the heavy storm door between her and the bear.

Impact tore the door out of her hands and she toppled backward. With a roar that stopped her heart, the bear stood, its head brushing the roof of her porch. She debated between staying still and crawling away from it. Before she could do either, the bear lowered himself. She got enough of a look to see he was definitely male. He whined when his left foreleg hit the porch.

That was when she saw blood matting the fur on his left shoulder.

“God—you’re hurt.”

The shaggy head lifted, and amber eyes far too intelligent to be an animal’s studied her.

“Holy shit,” she whispered. She’d heard conversations, around town, and had done as much research as she could on Pine Heart. What little she did find was hard to believe—but the evidence stood in front of her, bleeding on her porch.

There were shifters here. And she was staring at one. An injured one.

“I can help you.” He tilted his head, eyes studying her, like he already knew. Of course he did; everyone in town knew she was a vet. “Did you want me to do it—in this form?”

He shook his head, and made a low rumbling sound, backing away from her. Every time he moved his left foreleg, he growled, and she flinched, watching fresh blood stain his rich brown fur. When he put some space between them, he lowered his head—and began to change.

Claws retracted and fur receded, like reverse growth, revealing clenched, shaking human hands. By the time Jenna was able to tear her gaze away from that transformation, the rest of him was human. Six feet of lean, muscled, naked male knelt on her porch, his left shoulder bloody, his arm limp.

“Stay here,” she said.

She ran into the house and grabbed her kit, a big bottle of water, and a pile of towels she’d just washed. Even with all the blood, she could see the bullet wound. He must have been in excruciating pain. By the time she got back to the porch, he was standing, his right arm braced on the small bistro table.

“Here.” She laid a towel on the chair. “Sit.”

“I need a phone. Now.”

“Not until—”

“Now,”
he growled. Heat flared in his amber eyes. Jenna forced herself not to retreat. She was in charge here—this was her home, damn it, and huge, gorgeous shifter or not, he was not alpha here. “Please. I need—” He closed his eyes and swallowed, pain tightening his face. “I need a phone.”

She went back inside and grabbed her compact landline. She got no cell reception out here.

He nodded his thanks and punched in a number with his thumb.

“Grey, I need your help.” He closed his eyes. “All of you. I was jumped in the middle of a forest walk. It was Paul—the bastard shot me and took them.” Jenna watched the emotions play over his face, and knew what he was about to say was bad. “The cubs and the kids. No, he won’t hurt them, damn it—not unless we threaten him. I’m at your old place, with the vet. Hold on.” He lowered the phone. “Can we set up a base here?”

“Of course.” Oh, God—missing kids, and the sun was setting. Every parent’s worst nightmare.

“We can set up here. Bring everyone you can round up. I want to start tonight—” Grey was shouting at the other end of the line. Jenna could hear him, even with the phone pressed to her patient’s ear. “I’m going, Grey, so save it. You can maul me later for this. Just get here.” He punched the end button and set the phone on the table. “Thanks.”

“Sit, before you fall over.”

“Roman Black. You’ve probably met my mother.”

“The mayor.” He nodded, and lowered himself to the chair, cursing under his breath as he did. Jenna set her kit on the table and opened it. Then she carefully draped a second towel over his lap, doing her best not to stare. It wasn’t easy—he was huge, and hard as a rock.

“Happy to see you, Doc.” His deep voice startled her.

“I—thank you?” A bluish heated her face, deepening when he smiled at her. She cleared her throat and opened the water. “I need to wash it out, since you’ve been running with an open wound. I’m afraid it’s going to hurt.”

“Are you this careful with all your patients?”

She stiffened. “I am. Just because they’re animals doesn’t mean I’m careless. The opposite is true—they can’t communicate like people, so I have to watch for other signs. Like a bear hurling himself at me.”

He raised his eyebrow. “I was jumping on the porch—” He jerked when she poured water over his shoulder. “Damn it—”

“Sorry.” She set the bottle aside. “It’s easier when the patient is distracted.” She leaned in, examining the wound. “It was a small caliber,” she bent over him. “And the bullet is still in there.”

“I know.”

“Right. I’m going to numb the—”

“Get it out, Doc.”

She froze, her hand in her kit. “I’ll have to remove the bullet. Without any kind of anesthetic it will—”

“I have a high pain tolerance. Just—get it out.”

“Fine.” Stubborn man. She wondered if all shifters were as stubborn. Probably—Lindy Black had refused to take no for an answer when she recruited Jenna as the town’s vet. “Hold still. One move, and I’m knocking you out.”

She snapped on a pair of gloves, then picked up a bottle of antiseptic wash and her instrument case. She unzipped the case and set it on the table, jumping at Roman’s growl.

“Sorry,” he said. “You look like you’re about to torture me.”

“I am, with no pain blocker of any kind.” She picked up her scalpel and moved between his legs. The bullet hole was high on his shoulder, and this gave her the best access. The position also brought her in close contact with his cock. She ignored the heat of it, pressing against her thigh. Roman swallowed, but didn’t say a word. “Hold still. This is going to hurt.”

She poured the wash over his wound. He impressed her by not even flinching, but his jaw was clenched so tightly she could see the muscles jump under his skin. Once the wound was clear of blood, she got a better look.

With a frown, she looked at him. “How far away were you?”

“The bastard pressed the pistol to my shoulder.”

Shock shot through her. “That’s not possible. The wound is too clean—”

“Shifter. I heal fast, especially in my bear form.” He studied her this time, amusement in those amber eyes. “You did know—”

“I heard.” She tore open a bandage and pressed it against his shoulder, under the bleeding wound. There was about to be even more blood. He growled, the rumble like distant thunder. “How long ago were you shot?”

“This afternoon. A couple hours ago. It took me too damn long to get out of there.”

“Roman.” She laid her hand on his good shoulder. “We’ll find them.”

His body trembled under her hand, and she finally saw the extent of the pain he must have endured to get himself here.

“Okay—time to get that bullet out of you. Ready?”

He nodded, and she took in a slow, deep breath, then cut across the wound. He didn’t make a sound. She set down her scalpel and picked up her forceps. Hopefully, all his running didn’t push the bullet deeper into his shoulder. She was going to cause him enough pain without digging all the way to bone.

Carefully, she inserted the forceps, and finally got a reaction out of him. He sucked in a sharp breath, but he kept still, watching her as she probed his wound. Sooner than she thought, she found the small bullet, and eased it out. It looked intact, thank God.

She set them both on the table and grabbed the wash, pouring it into his open wound. This time he did move.

“Holy shit—” His shoulder jerked under her hand, and she saw him fight not to bolt out of the chair. “What is that? Acid?”

“I’ve just been digging around in your injured shoulder. Your skin is going to be sensitive after that. Hold still, I’m almost done.”

His movement had pushed him to the edge of the chair, and his cock tried to brand the inside of her thigh with its heat. She swallowed, finished cleaning his wound, and reached for her suture kit. A few stitches stopped the blood flow. He may have been a fast healer, but having the wound closed now made her feel better. She would have to deal with any potential infection if it happened. Her x-ray machine was on order, and she didn’t think he’d take the time to go to the local doctor.

“I’m going to bandage your shoulder, so you don’t bleed all over my newly clean house while you’re healing, then I’m getting you something to eat.”

He lifted his head. “You—cook?”

“Quite well, thank you. I started a beef stew this morning that should be about ready.”

He groaned. “Hurry.”

Jenna did, aware of the cooling air, and the heat pouring off the man beside her. She finished bandaging him, then eased back, his cock sliding across her shivering leg. Good God, he was so hot. Her body clenched in reaction.

Down, girl. He’s not for you.

She moved to his left side and wrapped her arm around his waist, admiring the ridged muscle of his abs as he draped his right arm over her shoulders.

“Ready?” He nodded, his muscles tensing. “On three—one, two,
three
.”

Jenna held on as he stood, his sweat soaking into her shirt. He straightened, taller than she expected. At five four, she barely reached his shoulder.

They moved to the door, and he managed to walk on his own, but Jenna felt him shake against her with every step. She got him as far as the living room before his legs gave out.

“Whoa—I’ve got you.” She lowered him to the worn couch, grabbed the blanket off the back and laid it over him, covering the muscular, well-defined legs, and the long, thick shaft she could still feel on her inner thigh. It was even more rigid, tenting the blanket.

“Roman.” He opened his eyes, the amber depths blurred with pain. “I want you to stay here. I’m going to get you some water, and a couple pain killers.”

“No—”

“They won’t make you drowsy, just cut the pain you’re putting yourself through.” He stared at her for endless seconds, then nodded, once, that pain flashing across his lean, angular face. His short brown hair was streaked with sweat. “Stay put, and I’ll reward you with a big bowl of stew.”

That almost got a smile out of him.

“Yes, Doc.”

She headed into her bedroom, and leaned against the wall, where he couldn’t see her, shaking so badly she could hardly stand up.

A wounded man, kidnapped children—and cubs, he’d called them. Shifter kids?

“Pull it together, Jen,” she whispered. After a few deep breaths, she pushed off the wall and yanked off her disgusting t-shirt, her sweaty bra. No bath for her, but at least she could wear something cleaner. She used the hem of the t-shirt to dry off the sweat, then dug a support cami out of the pile of clothes on her bed and slipped it on. If she was going to deal with a grumpy, injured man, she wanted to be comfortable. She slipped a long sleeved shirt over it, and rolled up the sleeves. When the sun set, she’d be glad to have the extra coverage.