Chapter 10

10

" C ome on, baby, just one dance." The cowboy bothering Hadlee pulled hard on her arm. Her still-tender wrist twinged sharply with fresh pain.

"Ow!" She gasped and jerked her arm free of him. She'd managed to cover the bruises on her face earlier with makeup, but she couldn't hide her sore muscles.

"Hey, back off!" Tiffany hissed at the man and tried to shove his chest, but he dodged her and she fell forward.

"Tiff!" Jo lunged for Tiffany, trying to catch her friend before she hit the ground.

"Come on," the man drunkenly repeated, and tugged Hadlee away from her new friends the moment the other two women were distracted by Tiffany's near impact with the floor.

Hadlee nearly tripped as she was dragged out onto the dance floor. She clawed at his hand but couldn't dislodge his fingers. The man shifted his hold and released her wrist only to curl his arms around her waist, trying to grind against her beneath the dim smoky lights of the dance floor.

"Let go!" Hadlee snapped and tried to twist free of his hold. His touch felt wrong; not dangerous, but just wrong. She didn't want this man to touch her.

"One dance won't kill you," the cowboy complained. "And for God's sake, smile. You don't have to act so fucking uptight."

"Smile?" Hadlee's lips thinned. She was sick of men saying shit like this. "I don't have to smile for you, asshole. Let me go!"

"Or what?" He laughed. "You can't do shit. Now shut up and dance with me." He slid one hand over her ass and clenched it hard in his palm.

Hadlee swiftly brought her knee up right into the man's groin.

"How's that for an or what ?" she snapped.

The man released her and doubled over with a cry of pain.

She'd wanted to come out and see Jo and Tiffany, and she'd just wanted to dance with Indy and forget … forget all that had happened. Now she was forced to deal with this. Maybe it was time to go home. She whirled and smacked into a hard chest of another man.

"Listen buddy—" she started, but when she lifted her head she found herself staring into Indiana's furious face. Relief flooded her. "It's you! Thank God." She leaned into him, barely stopping herself from curling her arms around his neck. Indiana wrapped his arms around her, sheltering her.

"I see you handled things." He nodded at the man she'd escaped from. "Although I would've enjoyed throwing him out with the other trash ." He glared at the man who took one look at the towering wall that was Indiana and started to whimper as he waddled off the dance floor.

"Yeah, I handled it. He was easy to deal with." It was guys like Chad that women had to watch out for. Men like him had ways of getting women to trust them first, and women never saw an assault coming until it was too late. The cowboy on the dance floor had shown his red flags early.

"Sorry I wasn't here sooner." Indiana's gaze roved over her body, searching for injuries. "Did he hurt you?" The way his eyes glowed with an animal menace for her, to protect her, warmed her heart. She shouldn't have been turned on by it, but heat rolled in slow delicious waves right down to her toes at the thought of this big, beautiful man wanting to protect and care for her.

"He didn't hurt me, not really," she said. "Thank you for worrying about me."

He cupped her chin and lifted her head up a little as he leaned down close to her. "Never thank me for doing what any good man would do for any woman."

Okay … that sent shivers through her entire body. She wanted to burrow into his chest, but they were in public. People shouldn't see her like with Indiana, not a day after her boyfriend had been killed by a bear. It didn't matter that Chad had stopped being her boyfriend in truth the moment he'd started to destroy her sense of self-worth. That was the truth she had to face; she couldn't be in a relationship with a person who destroyed who she was.. She'd been living a lie while with Chad, and it was important she let that part of her past go as soon as possible.

"Are you okay, Hadlee?" Jo asked as she and Tiffany joined them on the dance floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled at the other two women. They'd come straight to her aid without asking. She'd always wanted friends like that. It had been hard to meet people in Chicago when she'd worked long hours and traveled a lot. But Jo and Tiffany had welcomed her into their circle in minutes and… God, she wasn't going to cry, she wasn't. She blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the tears welling up in her eyes.

"What a jerk," Tiffany grumbled. "Most of the guys who come here are nice, right Jo?"

Jo gave Hadlee an amused look. "Most of them," she agreed. "Occasionally, we get a wild one or two, but most of the boys here will step in if they see a lady in distress."

Alex parted the crowds as he carried a tray of waters.

"You thirsty, Hadlee?" Jo asked her.

"I'm okay," Hadlee replied. "I think I just want to dance." She peeped up at Indiana from beneath her lashes and saw her brooding protector still watching her with concern.

Jo laughed. "No problem. We'll be in the bar, if you guys need us." Jo, Tiffany and Alex headed off the dance floor, leaving her and Indiana alone.

"You really want to dance?" Indiana's brow furrowed "How about your ankle? We can always sit and talk."

"I think I can manage a slow song." She nodded at the band that was finishing up their latest song. "Maybe you could ask them for one?"

"Hey, give us a slow one!" Indiana bellowed, making several people nearby jump.

"Sure, man!" the singer called back with a grin. He strummed a few notes on his guitar and started a slow tune.

As the singer crooned on about his girl being too sweet for him, Hadlee curled her arms around Indiana's neck. His large hands wrapped around her hips, and she stared up into his face. He was so gorgeous in that rugged sort of way that made a girl's knees go weak. She knew he seemed to be a little shy, just by watching how he glanced at other people from the moment they'd stepped into the bar. She wondered if it was because of the scars on his face, or from living alone out in the woods. Whatever it was caused by, she wanted him to feel like he could be himself with her. The lights from the nearby stage lit his light-brown eyes, making them luminous and golden like honey shot through with fire.

"So, walk me through this," she said.

"Through what?" he asked as they rotated in circles on the dance floor.

She licked her lips nervously. "Living here… I mean, I want to consider this." She lowered her voice. "I would need to figure out my work. I don't suppose your company needs someone in marketing?"

He grinned. "As it happens, I might. I've been expanding my services lately. I'm looking to do some online commercials on the various streaming services and on social media."

Hadlee could see the hope in his eyes, but she had to keep calm. It was crazy, after all, to consider leaving her entire life behind and moving here for a man who turned into a bear and claimed she was his true mate.

"Could you afford to pay me a decent salary?" She asked the question teasingly, but he responded to it seriously.

"I think so," he answered. "You think about it and tell me what number you're looking for, and I'm sure I can match it. My company has been doing well these last few years and I can afford to pay for quality employees."

They continued to dance, and she moved a little closer to him. "What about … us … this mate thing ," she whispered back. "What does that mean? Are we boyfriend and girlfriend?" She cringed at her own words. It sounded so teenage .

"My parents got married; most shifters do have the legal protection offered by humans. That is something I would be honored to give you if you wished for it. But the choice of how we are together is something we decide when you're ready."

Marriage . The word used to offer her excitement. But after she'd started dating Chad, the idea of marriage made her nervous. When she'd thought Chad was going to propose, she'd felt ill and almost backed out of their vacation to come here. She never even thought about what her answer would be, she just worried about whether it would happen or not. But with Indiana, the nervousness wasn't there, and she was able to actually think about whether she wanted to say yes or no.

"I think with a little time, marriage might be a possibility." She waited for him to rage or get angry.

"Hadlee, I'm not him," Indiana intoned gently as he rubbed her back with one hand. "I won't ever react the way he would. Someday I hope you'll feel comfortable with me."

Oh, but she did feel comfortable with him in so many ways.

"I'm sorry. I know you aren't him. It's like he brainwashed me."

How long would it take for her to stop thinking of Indiana within the boundaries Chad had made?

"Come here." Indiana tucked her against him in what she now realized was a bear hug . It felt wonderful. She could smell the woods and the waterfall in his skin and clothes. He smelled wild and free, and his touch was all encompassing, and completely soothing.

"We stopped dancing," she murmured against his chest. She didn't want this to stop, this hug, this endless feeling of safety within his arms.

His rumbling chuckle shook her gently and she found herself smiling in response.

"Do you want to stay or go?" he asked as he nuzzled her ear with his lips. "We could go home, have hot chocolate and cuddle on the couch with a movie."

"That sounds nice." She knew her breathlessness was because cuddling with this man would lead to so much more, even though he wouldn't push her. She wanted it to lead to more.

"Is that a yes?" he asked.

"Hmmm … yes." She turned her cheek so his lips brushed against her jaw, and he pressed a kiss to her throat. " Definitely yes."

"Let's go." He clasped her hand in his.

They exited the dance floor, passed back through the bar where they met up with Jo, Alex, and Tiffany before saying their good nights. As she hugged Jo and Tiffany, she realized she felt so welcome here, as if she'd lived here for years. It was strange to feel that way in a town with so few people, but she had instantly felt as though she belonged in a way she never had in a bigger city.

"Come by for brunch tomorrow at the diner," Jo called out after them. Hadlee promised her they would. Brunch at Jo's sounded wonderful.

It was nearly midnight when they reached Indiana's cabin. Indiana climbed out of the Bronco and suddenly froze, his face turned toward the woods.

"What is it?" Hadlee asked, dread crawling along her spine. She peered into the woods, but all she saw was black shadows, the gray ghosts of trees and sparse shafts of moonlight made murky under the canopy of leaves.

"Men are in my woods," Indiana replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "My bear can smell them."

"Men? What kind of men?" She matched the softness of his voice as she climbed out of the Bronco and joined him, both of them staring into the trees. Jones started barking from inside the house. Hadlee glanced back at the cabin and saw the dog's pale golden form illuminated in the glass windows facing them.

"It's hunters. Likely men looking for the killer bear they heard about on the news."

"You mean they're looking for you ," she clarified. The blood in her veins was a sudden river of ice. "You won't change form until they leave, right?"

"I won't change," he promised as he put an arm around her shoulders. He turned his back on the woods and they headed for his house, but the tension didn't leave him. She could feel his muscles rigid in his arm around her body.

"Why would they hunt for bears at night?" Hadlee shot another glance at the dark woods over her shoulder before they climbed the steps to his front door.

"Because it's easier to find a bear asleep if you want to kill it. They probably have heat vision goggles to search for a bear's heat signature. It's also illegal to hunt bears, so hunting at night will afford them some protection against anyone monitoring the local woods. Come on, let's get inside. I don't want to draw them to the house." Indiana opened the door and suddenly Jones was a blur as he shot between their legs and raced down the steps. The dog dashed into the forest, vanishing from view.

"Jones!" Indiana shouted.

"Jones!" Hadlee echoed as she cupped her hands around her mouth.

"Jones!" they both called at the same time. The dog didn't return.

"I have to go after him," Indiana said. "Stay here, inside. Lock the door."

"No, I'm coming with you."

Indiana halted her when she tried to follow him down the steps by catching her shoulders. "I can travel faster on my own. I'm sorry, but you'd only slow me down."

"Oh…" she couldn't deny that his words hurt but he was right. He knew the forest better than her and could move faster and track them easier, thanks to his bear.

"Go inside, call the sheriff, and have them get out here as fast as they can. Wade can arrest them for trespassing since they're on my land."

She started to turn away but caught his shirt, pulling him to her. "Be careful," she whispered, and kissed him. He grasped her, holding her fast to him, his lips almost brutal as he kissed her back. An instant later they broke apart and he was breathing hard as he stared at her for a long second.

"I love you." He spoke the words softly before she could respond. Then he turned and ran into the darkness after the dog.

"I…" She didn't say the words that would have changed everything. She couldn't. Her throat had tightened too much to speak, so she fled into the house to call the sheriff.

Indiana ran to the woods following the Jones's scent. The breeze carried other aromas to him. The body odor of men, the smell of alcohol, the scent of gunpowder and metal.

Dammit Jones … please be okay.

He leapt over fallen logs and halted as laughter carried along the wind through the night.

Jones's barking was closer, somewhere between the men and him. The dog hadn't reached the men, but he would soon.

"Jones!" he shouted into the darkness.

Jones barked frantically. A sudden gunshot echoed off the trees, seeming to come from every direction around Indiana. Jones cried out with a pained yelp and then there was only silence.

"Jones!" Indiana ran faster, his blood roaring as loud as his bear in his head. He could not change forms; he could not put his bear at risk, but he had to find Jones. The smells of the men grew stronger as well as the smell of blood. Indiana charged into a clearing and skidded to a stop at the side of three men standing over a fallen creature. Jones .

"You killed it, you idiot," one man grumbled.

"It's not dead. Its eyes are open and it's still breathing. Let's get out of here," the second man said.

"What did you do?" Indiana growled as he shoved the men away and knelt by his dog.

"Who the fuck are you?" one of the men snapped, and shoved at Indiana's shoulder.

Indiana ignored them as he assessed the dog's wound. Jones lay panting on his side, blood seeping from his left front leg. "Easy, buddy," Indiana crooned to his dearest friend and stroked Jones's head. Jones's tail gave a wobbly flap as he tried to wag it, but it dropped back to the ground and the dog whined.

He would have to carry the dog back, and he prayed that Jones wouldn't pass away before he could get him to the local vet.

"We should get out of here," the third man said.

Indiana whirled on them. "You're on my land. Illegally . I've called the sheriff. You're going to be arrested."

"The fuck we will," one the men said, and raised his rifle at Indiana. "No one knows we're out here."

"Don't Randy, let's just go," another one said.

The man didn't look away from Indiana, his eyes twin pools of dark nothingness. "No one will find this guy or his dog."

Indiana slowly stood to his full height drawing in a slow breath.

"Fine. If you leave now, I won't say anything when the sheriff gets here."

He could fight three men, but not a rifle. Every minute he wasted on them was one minute Jones didn't have to lose. He prayed his next action wasn't a mistake. He turned his back on the men, knelt, and picked up Jones.

"That's it boy, you'll be okay." He started walking away from the clearing back toward his house. Behind him the men continued to argue.

"He'll fucking tell, I know it!" someone shouted.

Pain exploded in Indiana's back at the same instant he heard the rifle pop off a shot. He grunted, falling forward. Jones toppled from his arms and landed with a whine nearby. Indiana tried to get up to his hands and knees. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was to never stay down in a fight.

"Finish him off, Randy," a man snarled.

A boot landed on his back, trying to press him to the ground on his stomach. He bellowed with pain, but didn't collapse. He was far stronger than these human males.

"This guy is a fucking monster," one man muttered. "Just shoot them and let's get out of here."

"Oh, I will." Randy hit the back of Indiana's head with the rifle and Indiana momentarily blacked out.

When he came to, he was fully on the ground with a rifle barrel pressed against the back of his skull. Despair, sharp and yet numbing, filled his entire body. Was this how Hadlee had felt when she lay in the stream, begging for help within her mind? She'd had no chance of escape. But Indiana had been there, he'd saved her. At least … at least he would die knowing he had given his mate her life back, even if he could not share it with her.

"Do it!" someone begged. "Do it and let's get out of here."

The trees held a murmuring portent of a change in the wind, a ripple in the earth. Indiana's vision blurred as his bear tried to rise, but like Indiana, was too weak from the blow to his head.

A wild, untamed roar of a beast filled his ears. It was the last sound he heard before his grip on his consciousness slipped at last.