Waking the Bear (Shifter Wars)
Read Waking the Bear (Shifter Wars) Online
Authors: Kerry Adrienne
Waking the Bear
By Kerry Adrienne
For human Amy Francis, the secluded cabin in Deep Creek is the haven she needs to map out a fresh new start. She never expected her heart to be reawakened by a distraction like Griff Martin, commanding yet gentle, too ferociously sensual to ignore. It’s clear that patrolling the forest is more than a job to Griff—it’s a means of survival. But what Amy doesn’t realize is she’s reawakened the beast
within him.
Griff’s dormant hunger is stirred by this intoxicating woman…and threatened by the secret she must never learn. Duty-bound to defend his bear clan against an avenging pride of lion shifters, Griff’s entire world is upended when he meets Amy. His animal need to claim his mate has taken hold, but that very desire could seal her fate as an unwitting pawn in battle.
Now, as a shifter war looms, Griff must decide between letting Amy go or following his most carnal instincts. To have her would change his life…but risk everything he knows and was born to protect.
Book one of the
Shifter Wars
series
Previously published, newly revised by author
This book is approximately 75,000 words
Dear Reader,
I like August because it’s my birthday month. And I’m a firm believer in celebrating more than once. Since my birthday falls at the end of the month, I start early with lunches with friends, happy hour with my husband, and by gifting myself a few things I love but know that no one will gift me. Books definitely fall into that category of things I gift myself. But the truth is, I give myself books year round and I’m betting a lot of you are my reading soul mates. Books should be the one thing we never deny ourselves. So in honor of my birthday—or just because you love a good book, go ahead and gift yourself one of these new releases. And then maybe gift one to someone in your life!
Bestselling indie author Scott Hildreth joins Carina Press with his sexy, sexy Mafia Made trilogy featuring the dangerous and mysterious Michael Tripp. In book one,
The Gun Runner
, she’s a mafia princess concealing her true identity while trying to win his love. He’s a former US Marine turned gunrunner at war with her father. When the truth is revealed, they’ll both have the fight of their lives on their hands.
Fan favorite author K.A. Mitchell is back with the second part of Ethan and Wyatt’s story. They’ve accepted their love for each other but now comes the hard part—the rest of their lives. Don’t miss
Boyfriend Material
and be sure to pick up book one,
Getting Him Back
.
Also joining us this month is another author coming to us from the world of indie publishing. Kerry Adrienne brought us this previously self-published book, and we said, “Let’s expand the heck out of this, re-edit it and turn it into an awesome series full of shifters, clan politics and sexy times.” We’re happy to say Kerry was definitely on board and the Shifter Wars series was born. In book one,
Waking the Bear
, sexy bear shifter Griff Martin is protector of his clan’s territory—but now a crazy lion is on the prowl and his stubborn Goldilocks, Amy Francis, shows up and won’t listen to his warnings to stay out of the forest and he can’t decide whether to bed her or send her packing. (Of course, we all know what he chooses, don’t we?)
Ex-military pilot Seth Erickson is fighting his own demons, but when he finds Summer Silva, a beautiful, warmth-loving Miami woman stranded in the frozen wilderness, he’ll do everything in his power to keep Summer safe from murder, treason and the ruthless Alaskan winter in Anna del Mar’s newest sexy romantic suspense,
The Stranger
.
Do you love the contemporary romance of Jill Shalvis and Shannon Stacey? Make sure you check out the debut romance from Jen Doyle,
Calling It
, as well as her newest contemporary romance,
Called Up
. There’s one thing Max “Deke” Deacon can always count on besides his old high school teammates: Angelica “Fitz” Hawkins. But no matter how much Deke might secretly fantasize otherwise, a relationship with his best friend’s sister is off-limits. Until one unexpectedly smoldering encounter has Deke and Fitz giving in to the feelings they’ve both been fighting for far too long.
And last, this month in mystery we welcome Emery Harper to Carina Press! In
Person of Interest
, Celeste Eagan, a prep school theater teacher, gets caught up in mystery and mayhem while trying to clear first her ex’s name then her own in not one but two murders.
For those on my side of the globe, if you’re looking for something to read next to the pool or on the beach in this last month of summer, make sure to check out
Didn’t I Warn You
and
Didn’t You Promise
by Amber Bardan. Dark, smoldering, mysterious and totally in love with his woman, Haithem will rock your world!
For those on the other side of the globe, if you’re looking for a book to heat up your cold, drizzly days, make sure to pick up the
Vengeful Love
trilogy by Laura Carter. From the very first page to the heart-stopping conclusion, from London to Rome to Dubai, these sinfully addictive novels will have you ignoring your dishes and calling in sick to life in order to read just one...more...page.
Coming next month: We’re doing it up different. One author, one story, two books, in back-to-back weeks. No excruciating wait to find out what happens next. And like any good trainwreck, you won’t be able to look away from this
Hollywood Hot Mess
.
As always, until next month, my fellow book lovers, here’s wishing you a wonderful month of books you love, remember and recommend.
Happy reading!
~Angela James
Executive Editor, Carina Press
Dedication
To my good friend Lia Davis. Without her, there would be no bears.
Contents
Chapter One
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Griff Martin tugged at his scruffy beard. “They pretty much came and shit all over our territory.” He stared at the map his bear clan buddies had brought to his house, one hand splayed across the paper landscape that denoted Deep Creek bear territory.
The map was as big as the kitchen table, and showed the topography of the entire forest around the Deep Creek National Park, including the secret entrance to the ancestors’ cave, the full park from boundary to boundary, and even a bit of the local areas that weren’t part of the national forest Griff and his fellow rangers patrolled.
Almost every grid sector had a red mark or squiggly line, showing where Sen Pal mountain lion pride tracks had been found or other evidence of encroachment was seen.
Damn lions.
Tension surged through him.
How dare they?
“Yep, they sure did.” Powell moved closer and squinted at the map. “Those rat-tailed bastards are sneaky as shit.”
Griff frowned. Something wasn’t right, and it wasn’t just the marks on the map. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach. The timing didn’t make sense. “Maybe they’re trying to lure us. Get us to spread out and check all these locations. Then attack while we’re dispersed.”
“Maybe. Or maybe it’s something more sinister.” Powell scowled.
“I can’t believe it.” Griff shook his head. The gnawing feeling in his gut worsened to full-blown nausea with a side of anger. Protecting the bear clan was his top priority. “I was awake several times a week for the whole winter, and I drove all the passable roads and ran the trails. I never saw a single lion. Or any evidence, for that matter.”
Dammit, how did I miss this?
The tension that gripped him turned to frustration. He wasn’t sure who he was angrier with, himself or the lions. The semi-hibernation of winter was a pain in the ass. He could blame being sleepy for his mistake, but it didn’t matter.
He’d screwed up.
“They came all the way in to Tiny Fork.” Derek spoke quietly and traced a line on the map. “I saw those footprints myself when I was out looking for wood last week.” He shook his head. “I’ll admit, I was shocked. I spotted a male running along Oak’s Ridge a few weeks ago. They’re getting braver, that’s for sure.”
“Or more stupid.” Powell grunted. “Better hope I don’t meet up with one. This pisses me off.” He thumped his fist into his other palm.
Griff shook his head to clear the fuzziness from his hibernation hangover. Powell walked the line between bravery and stupidity himself. How he’d ever become a ranger was a mystery. “Well, there’s no evidence of them getting anywhere near the cave.”
The Sen Pal pride couldn’t really think they had a chance at reclaiming the Cave of Whispers. After so many generations, the Deep Creek bears had everything under control and they weren’t about to relinquish it. The bears protected the cave and the land from the nearby town of Oakwood to the town of Henredon on the far side, and through the national forest up to Buzzard’s Peak. Griff wasn’t about to lose the area to the lion shifters who’d killed his parents.
“No way they’re coming near the cave without a fight. They know that.” Powell jammed his fingertip onto the map. “Guards here. Here. And here.”
“I’m going to recommend that Elijah station more sentries and have the rangers patrol more. We can’t take any chances.” Griff stared at the map. With more than a hundred bears to defend the park if necessary, they could protect it well as long as they were prepared. Unless the lions wanted an all-out war, nothing was going to change those logistics. Certainly not a few paw prints in the snow.
“Good.” Derek nodded.
“They won’t ever take the cave. Not while I’m alive.” Griff stuck his hands in his pockets, his stomach pooling acid. He let out a low growl.
“Same.” Powell paced.
Keeping the den safe had been Griff’s top priority for a long time. One of his favorite memories of his mother was her taking him to the cave when he’d been very sick. She’d begged the cave spirits to choose her life instead of his. He didn’t remember anything answering, but her reverence of the place was enough for him to want to protect it. Plus, both his parents—and many other bears—were buried in the cave, so it was important to the whole clan. “The question is, what’s Elijah going to want to do right now? I’m sure he’s not happy.”
“When the den leader isn’t happy, no one is.” Derek pulled out a chair and straddled it. He’d gathered his long dark hair back into a messy knot but a shock of it fell over his face, concealing his eyes.
“Brother, first thing Elijah’s going to tell you to do is get a haircut.” Powell grinned and ran his hand through his own buzzed hair. “I already took care of my winter growth. Nice and smooth like a soldier. Ready to fight and then slip away in the night. If there’s an attack coming, I’m ready.”
“I don’t think there’s any doubt an attack is coming.” Griff met Powell’s glare. “The question is how soon. I don’t trust them, and I won’t let them harm the people I care about.” His stomach burned with anxiety and anger.
Derek growled and straightened his messy hair. “Elijah’s got more to worry about than my hair, Powell.”
“Yeah, we’ll see. Soldiers don’t have long hair.”
“You two stop. This is serious. Didn’t you hear me? They want the cave back.” Griff pursed his lips. His bear growled.
“They’ve always wanted the cave back.” Derek shrugged.
Griff fisted his hands and calmed his bear.
Save the anger for the lions.
“Where’s Elijah? I want to know his plan.”
“He’ll be here soon. Don’t worry about the lions. He’ll take care of them.” Powell straightened. “If I have to, I’ll take care of them. All of them. They’ll wish the only deep creek they ever heard of was a watering hole they read about in a children’s book.”
Griff took a breath to bite back a sharper retort. “Anybody want some coffee while we’re making a plan to save the world and get haircuts?”
“Yes, please.” Derek picked up the map. “I want to study it closer to see if we can pick out a pattern to their tracks. We may be missing something obvious.” He folded the map under his arm. “Who marked all these hits and trails, anyway? Took a lot of time.”
“I did.” Powell raised his hand and stretched. “Barely slept all winter. That’s commitment.”
“Of course.” Derek rolled his eyes at Griff then motioned Powell to follow him to the living room. “Let’s see if we can figure this out.”
“Be there in a minute.” Griff shuffled over to his kitchen sink to fill the coffee carafe with water. His kitchen in the provided ranger cabin was small but adequate, and of a much newer design than his old cabin. The park service even provided a dishwasher, which some of the older cabins didn’t have.
As the water ran, he stared out over the forest and the steep incline of the mountains in the distance. Mist covered the low pines and the gray sky seemed to blur the lines between rock and cloud. The lions could be nearby and an attack might be imminent. His hand shook as he filled the carafe. Finding out the truth could mean life or death.
Griff’s yard dropped off at a sharp angle into a valley littered with branches and leaves from last fall. Trees crisscrossed and limbs went every which way, making the slope appear like a briar patch. All camouflage for a lion or two who might be trying to spy on his ranger cabin. He didn’t see any movement at all, not even a squirrel.
Maybe the bears weren’t thinking clearly yet—it was pretty early in the season—but the lions’ encroachment didn’t necessarily mean they were coming after the cave, or wanted a full-scale war. Maybe they were gathering information while they knew the bears were mostly sleeping. Maybe everyone was overreacting.
That was a lot of maybes for a Monday morning in early spring.
He turned off the faucet and carried the carafe of water to the coffeemaker. The lions should’ve attacked while the bears slept. The advantage would have been theirs, if they could’ve located all the bears. After pouring the water into the coffeemaker, he grabbed the box of filters from the upper cabinet.
The situation didn’t make sense. Too much randomness in the footprints, maybe. He pulled out a filter from the stack of white cones. Elijah would know. The old bear had a knowledge beyond what could be considered ordinary.
Griff’s head throbbed, and every movement made it worse. All he wanted was a modest spring and summer park season with no injuries or crazy activities. He scooped in the coffee he’d ground fresh that morning. The bears would drink a full pot, no question. Maybe two. All of them needed caffeine to help stay awake after a long dreary winter.
Griff clicked the coffeemaker on and the familiar gurgle bubbled through. Derek and Powell were mumbling in the living room, still trying to interpret the Sen Pal patterns on the map. They’d have to involve the other bears soon, but Griff dreaded that. Some would react pretty strongly to knowing the lions had been in bear territory.
He reached for the ibuprofen bottle then a glass of water to get rid of his post-winter’s nap headache. The rich aroma of fresh-ground beans rose from the steam and he breathed it deeply. He stifled another yawn and popped a couple tablets, chasing them with a gulp of water.
Waking up was hard to do, especially when he knew his bed was piled with plaid flannel sheets, a heavy down comforter and enough pillows to cover the living room floor if he wanted. No shame in liking his bedding soft.
He heard Powell raising his voice. Something about a “damn lion.” Griff yawned. Elijah would temper the response and present a reasonable plan. He had to trust the den leader. It wasn’t up to Powell to decide how they’d handle the lions.
Thank goodness.
Right now, Griff could sleep another week without even trying. He set out coffee cups. His anger had receded, replaced with true worry. He didn’t want a war. People died in wars.
People he was close to.
He didn’t want anything to happen to his best friends, Derek and Powell, or any other bears for that matter. He’d already lost his parents and younger sister. A lump lodged in his throat and he swallowed hard. Elijah had been a great surrogate parent, but Griff often thought about what it would be like to be raised in a nuclear family. He missed them all, but knowing the lions had murdered his sister—a child—was something he’d never overcome. What would she have done with her life? He wondered if they’d still be as close. Her death drove him to protect the den more than any sense of duty ever could. He’d never get over the murder of his family.
Or forgive the murderers.
Where is Elijah?
A loud knock came at the front door, followed by a heavy slam. A blast of power swept through the kitchen like a rush of electricity, and Griff’s heart sped—Elijah had arrived. He felt the clan leader’s powerful presence as soon as he entered the house. Though Griff didn’t fully believe in the mojo magical mystical stuff Elijah and most of the den did, something happened when Elijah showed up.
Everyone felt it.
“It’s great to see you, Elijah,” Griff called. He stepped into the living area and took a sharp intake of breath.
Even after knowing the old bear his whole life, the man still held an impressive presence, almost frightening. In human form, he stood closer to seven feet and probably weighed nearly three hundred pounds of mostly muscle. The graying of his beard and long hair made him even more fierce, and even as a person, he carried himself like a bear. One half of his face was covered with a terrible scar and a black eye patch, but it didn’t affect his performance or leadership of the clan.
“You slept well, son?” Elijah trained his working eye on Griff then a smile flickered at the corners of his lips. “Did you dream of my grandchildren while the snows came down?”
Griff’s face burned as Powell and even Derek snickered. Elijah knew he wasn’t intending to have children. Hell, he wasn’t planning on having a mate. The world was too dangerous and things he loved tended to get yanked away. He wasn’t putting himself in that position, not after losing his family. Sure, the others could joke about it—and they could have mates and protect them. Griff would never be able to take the chance.
“I slept well.” He looked at the floor to avoid making eye contact with anyone.
Powell laughed. “How many children? You do know how children are made don’t you, Griff? Maybe you dreamt of Elijah’s grandchildren being conceived. How many mothers did you mate?”
Elijah’s growl set the windows rattling and for a second, Griff worried Elijah was about to shift into bear form. There’d be no stopping his anger if he did.
Griff turned away, wishing Powell wouldn’t tease him in front of Elijah, especially about such sensitive matters. The bear was old. How old, none of them was sure, but it wasn’t nice to poke fun at him. Powell took things too far, too often.
“I’ll see my grandchildren,” Elijah said. “My dreams in the cave have told me.”
Griff took a deep breath. Maybe one day the Sen Pal would no longer be a threat and
maybe
he could consider a mate. It wasn’t likely. Elijah would be devastated if Griff didn’t have children. He considered him a full-blood son, so carrying on the line fell on Griff’s shoulders.
A low growl formed in his chest and he let it rumble as a warning. Powell knew when to stop playing around, and the bear would shut up now that both Elijah and Griff had made it clear they weren’t amused.
“Maybe you should take a look at the map.” Griff waved toward the coffee table. “It shows all the Sen Pal ingresses onto our land while we slept.”
Derek tossed a log on the waning fire and Powell stuck his hands in his pockets and then sat on the couch.
Elijah nodded and coughed. “I knew the lions were starting trouble.” His voice was low. “I dreamed it. A massive war with many losses is coming. More than ever before, this war will nearly wipe out the shifters around Deep Creek. We have to try and stop it.”
“If you look—” Powell nodded toward the map “—the lions explored all around us while we slept. Stayed out of the ranger paths and out of our Sentinel paths, too. We were studying the positions to see if we could figure anything out.”