Bearheart destiny a smal.., p.1
Bearheart Destiny: A Small Town Shifter Romance, page 1
Table of Contents
Copyright
Bear Creek Guardians Series
Free Book Offer
Chapter One – Heath
Chapter Two – Tamara
Chapter Three – Heath
Chapter Four – Tamara
Chapter Five – Heath
Chapter Six – Tamara
Chapter Seven – Heath
Chapter Eight – Tamara
Chapter Nine – Heath
Chapter Ten – Tamara
Chapter Eleven – Heath
Chapter Twelve – Tamara
Chapter Thirteen – Heath
Chapter Fourteen – Tamara
Chapter Fifteen – Heath
Chapter Sixteen – Tamara
Chapter Seventeen – Heath
Chapter Eighteen – Tamara
Chapter Nineteen – Heath
Chapter Twenty – Tamara
Epilogue
Also By Harmony Raines
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Bearheart Destiny
Bear Creek Guardians
Book Five
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All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written consent of the author or publisher.
This is a work of fiction and is intended for mature audiences only. All characters within are eighteen years of age or older. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or places is purely coincidental.
© 2023 Harmony Raines
Kindle Edition
Bear Creek Guardians
Bearheart Protector
Bear Creek Guardians
Book One
Bearheart Healer
Bear Creek Guardians
Book Two
Bearheart Rebel
Bear Creek Guardians
Book Three
Bearheart Hunter
Bear Creek Guardians
Book Four
Bearheart Destiny
Bear Creek Guardians
Book Five
Bearheart Guardian
Bear Creek Guardians
Book Six
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Chapter One – Heath
Heath’s powerful muscles bunched and flexed as he raced up the steep mountain pass, the wind whipping through his thick fur. The thrill of running alongside his fellow Bear Creek Guardians surged through him, their massive bear forms leaping over fallen logs and dodging around imposing boulders with ease. The bond they shared made them an unstoppable force, and Heath reveled in it.
Together, they reached their destination: a serene meadow high in the mountains, bursting with wildflowers that had bloomed in full after the recent heavy rain. The scent of damp earth and fragrant flowers filled the air as Heath and Leif shifted seamlessly into their human forms. Heath stood tall, his keen eyes surveying the vibrant landscape before him, a beautiful palette of natural colors.
“Is this the place?” he asked. Thane had said that it would not be as they expected, and he was right. Gazing out at the peaceful meadow, it seemed impossible that anything could be wrong here.
Leif, his face drawn with concern, nodded. “Yes. This is the place.” The deep furrow in his forehead revealed his frustration.
Thane shifted and joined them, looking up at the high protective ridge surrounding the meadow. “There’s still nothing here?”
Leif shook his head slowly. “I can sense it normally, like it’s there in my peripheral vision, but when we get here, it fades away.”
Thane nodded solemnly just as Stellan arrived, his broad shoulders casting a shadow on the ground. “Any ideas?” he asked.
Stellan sighed, shaking his head. “No. There is no medical reason for what Leif can sense. I’ve examined him thoroughly and ran all the tests, and there is no sign that he is imagining the creature.”
“But that doesn’t mean I’m not,” Leif’s voice trembled with uncertainty.
“I know this place,” Tavish piped up, standing shoulder to shoulder with the other Guardians, looking pensive, his eyes distant.
“You do?” Thane asked, curiosity piqued. But before Tavish could answer, the blaring sound of Leif’s satellite phone interrupted them.
Leif stepped away from the group to answer the call, his expression tense.
Heath’s bear grumbled in agitation. He shared his unease.
What do you think it means? Heath murmured.
Nothing good, his bear replied, his voice low and rumbling.
I know Sable has researched the news archives and the museum archives, but I think it’s time we asked for help from the people who might have answers, Heath said.
You’re right, Heath’s bear agreed. It’s time.
“Where?” Leif’s strained tone drew everyone’s attention back to him. “And the other rescue crew is already out?”
Leif nodded as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, his jaw clenching. Then he looked up at his friends, concern etched on his face.
“What is it?” Thane asked.
“There’s a group of hikers missing. They set out from The Catherine Hotel mid-morning and were due back an hour ago,” Leif replied, his voice heavy with worry.
“Sounds familiar,” Thane murmured, the memory of the couple who had vanished months back lingering in their minds. Despite an extensive search, they were never found—only to later appear on a security camera miles away. An eyewitness claimed they left of their own accord, leaving all their belongings behind in their hotel room at The Catherine. The mystery remained unsolved.
Heath’s chest tightened with unease as he exchanged glances with his fellow Guardians. “Do you think this is another trick?”
“Who knows?” Leif shrugged, his gaze locked on something unseen in the distance. “But I can’t risk it.”
Thane nodded in agreement, his expression solemn. “We’ll come with you.”
Leif took one last look at the seemingly insignificant patch of land. “This was a wasted journey, anyway.” He turned away and put the phone back to his ear.
“Only time will tell,” Thane said sagely, his breath visible in the cold air as he sighed.
It must mean something, Heath’s bear insisted.
But what? Heath replied silently, his mind racing through various scenarios. But none made sense.
From what Leif had said, it was always the same: he could sense the creature up here. He described it as a constant nagging, but each time he reached the meadow, it had vanished. As if something was taunting him, daring him to keep chasing after something that might not even exist.
“Okay,” Leif spoke into the phone, pulling Heath from his thoughts. “I’m with the other guardians. We’ll go find the missing hikers. Do you have any coordinates?” Leif’s jaw clenched as he listened, and it was obvious he did not like the answer he received.
“It looks as if we are going to be hunting hikers instead of this creature,” Cormac said gruffly, his voice heavy with annoyance.
“Hunting?” Heath arched an eyebrow at his friend.
“You could call it that. It’s going to take all of us to find them,” Cormac answered, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the distance.
“Like looking for a needle in a haystack,” Stellan agreed, his own gaze filled with concern.
“Okay,” Leif said as he ended the call, his voice strained. “I expect you got most of that.”
“There’s people missing, and no one has a clue where they are?” Heath questioned, furrowing his brow.
“You’ve got it.” Leif put the phone back in his pack. “The mountain rescue crew on duty are already out on another rescue. So, it’s down to us. When we get back, I’m going to recommend we close off some trails until the bad weather blows over. The terrain is dangerous for inexperienced hikers.”
“Good thinking. But for now, let’s go track down these hikers,” Thane said confidently, and Heath couldn’t help but be inspired by his friend’s unwavering faith in their abilities.
“Let’s go.” Leif turned to look across the mountains, his eyes scanning the rugged terrain. “They were spotted by another couple of hikers near Bronlim Pass. Few trails lead off from there, so I have an idea where they must have gone if they didn’t turn back.”
“Hasn’t there been some landslides over that way?” Stellan asked, the worry evident in his voice.
“There have,” Leif replied grimly.
“Goodness, let’s hope we don’t have to dig them out of a mudslide,” Cormac muttered before taking two steps forward. The surrounding air shimmered with static electricity, and he shifted into his bear form. As soon as his massive paws touched the ground, he was off and running toward Bronlim Pass.
In an instant, the other guardians followed suit, instantly transforming as they raced after Cormac.
Heath’s powerful bear’s legs propelled him forward as he and the other Bear Creek Guardians raced across the mountains. The rough terrain did little to slow them, their paws splashing through icy streams and pounding over wide grassy plateaus. They descended steep ravines, muscles rippling beneath their fur, their breaths fogging the crisp mountain air.
They all kept their keen senses on alert, while following Leif as he led them through the mountains with unwavering confidence.
As they passed a stunning waterfall, the spray from its roaring cascade drenched Heath’s shaggy coat. He shook himself vigorously, water droplets flying off him and refracting the sunlight into prisms of rainbows. Despite the importance of their mission, Heath couldn’t help but feel exhilarated in running alongside his fellow guardians. His bear grumbled in agreement, though it wondered if there even was a mission this time—or if it was, yet again, another wild goose chase.
Just as Heath was about to agree with his bear’s skepticism, Leif slowed to a stop. The other bears joined him, their sides heaving as they caught their breath from the intense exertion.
Heath felt something, too, an unexplainable presence nearby. Can you sense that? he asked his bear.
Yes, came the reply.
“Can you sense that?” Heath repeated aloud as they all shifted into their human forms. Towering trees surrounded them, the scent of pine needles mingling with the damp earth beneath their feet.
“If by that, you mean four people about half a mile up ahead, then yes,” Leif said, brushing his ruffled hair out of his eyes. “But they are...”
“Are what?” Tavish asked as he scanned the landscape before them.
“I don’t know. It’s like they’re inside the mountain.” Leif squinted as if trying to peer through the solid rock before them.
“Are you sure?” Thane asked, his eyes going out of focus as he pushed his senses outward. All around them, the forest seemed to hold its breath in anticipation.
“I’ve been on more mountain rescues than I can count,” Leif replied. “This is different.”
“Are they in a cave?” Stellan asked, his brows furrowing as he considered the possibilities.
Heath could sense the fear lurking beneath the doctor’s calm exterior. “I didn’t think anyone did caving up here.”
“Let’s go see.” With that, Leif transformed back into his bear form and sprinted away, consumed by a sense of urgency. The others followed suit, their bears taking over as they raced through the forest and up toward the higher mountainside where they could sense the people.
Heath’s muscles strained as he and the other Bear Creek Guardians climbed the narrow trail, nothing more than an animal path, up the steep mountainside. The heavy rain over the last few weeks had left deep rivulets where the path had been partly washed away, but they had no choice but to keep going, keep climbing.
What the…? Heath’s bear ducked down as a shower of shale rained down as Leif, who was just in front of him, slipped and nearly lost his footing. Heath’s bear growled in frustration as they continued their grueling climb.
What are these hikers even doing up here? Heath asked, annoyed by the treacherous terrain.
His bear shook his head, small stones and dirt flying from his fur. When we find them, we can ask them.
They reached the top of the trail and Leif paused, his bear panting heavily as he waited for the others to join him.
They could all sense the hikers now; they were close by. But something felt off. Heath agreed with Leif’s earlier assessment. It did feel as if they were inside the mountain.
Thane shifted into his human form and took a water bottle from his pack. As the others followed suit, he offered the water around. Heath gratefully accepted the cool liquid and took a long drink before passing it on.
Thane turned to Lief. “You know these mountains better than anyone. Is there a cave system around here? Could they have ventured in too far and got lost?”
Leif swallowed a mouthful of water and shook his head. “Not a cave system, but there are a couple of old shafts farther up. Most of the year they’re covered in ice, but the ice has melted with the recent heavy rain and warmer weather, and so the entrances might be exposed.”
“Could they have fallen in?” Stellan asked in concern.
“That would be my guess. It’s the only explanation for what I can sense,” Leif replied, his eyes scanning the area. “But...”
“But what?” Tavish asked, as he handed the water bottle back to Thane.
“Four of them?” Leif asked, disbelief in his voice.
“What if the ground gave way?” Tavish suggested.
“A possibility,” Leif conceded.
Heath’s stomach clenched at the thought of four people trapped inside the mountain, their lives potentially hanging in the balance.
There was something about being trapped underground that made his blood run cold. He took a deep breath as he warded off the feeling of suffocation that pressed down on him.
Did the others feel the same?
The tense glance that passed between them said yes.
Bears might like to sleep in caves, but only when they can still feel the wind on their faces. And know that they can leave when they want. No bear wants to be hemmed in by rock, with no escape.
“Let’s get going,” Thane said, and the six men hiked the last part of the trail on foot. Not just because they didn’t want to risk exposing themselves as shifters, but also because their human forms were lighter than their bears.
There was a chance one of these shafts might have opened up under the weight of the four hikers. If the ground up here was unsafe, then they didn’t want to make matters worse.
“Let’s fan out,” Leif suggested as they reached the top of the trail where they found a rocky plateau. “The entrance to the shaft might be hidden.”
“That would explain how come four hikers fell.” Cormac looked uneasy as the six guardians spread out.
The recent heavy rain had made the ground muddy and unstable, and it wasn’t hard to imagine how easy it would be for someone to slip and fall. It was strange to see the mountainside devoid of snow. They seemed harsher when they showed just bare rock. Heath pushed out his senses as they searched the area, hoping to find some sign of the missing hikers.
There. Heath spotted a footprint in the mud.
Only one, his bear asked in confusion.
Heath turned in a circle, looking for more. But then Thane called out.
“Over here!” The others rushed to where Thane was standing, and Heath’s heart sank as he saw the gaping hole in the ground.
The shaft was dark, and Heath couldn’t see the bottom. The only thing he could hear was the sound of rushing water echoing from somewhere far below.
“They fell down there?” Cormac’s tone mirrored Heath’s fears. If they had, could anyone survive such a fall?
“Look.” Thane held up a scrap of fabric caught on a jagged rock. It looked as if it had been torn from a waterproof jacket.
Leif hunkered down next to the dark blue fabric and touched his fingers to it. “This is new. It can’t have been here long.”
“Is there anyone down there?” Tavish bellowed into the abyss.
“Yes!” came a desperate voice. “Yes. We’re down here!”
“Is anyone injured?” Leif called out.
“Not badly. Although Tony has a cut on his head,” the hiker called back.
“Okay,” Leif replied. “Listen, stay put and we’ll call for help.”
“The water is rising,” the hiker shouted with concern. “I don’t know how much time we have before it floods.”
Leif ran his hand across his eyes and stared down into the shaft. “Stay calm. We’ll get you out of there.”
“Can we get them out?” Thane asked, as he peered down into the shaft.
“We have no choice.” Leif stood up and took his pack from his back and placed it down on the ground. “I’ll call for help, but there’s no way a rescue helicopter can land up here. And if the water is rising, we don’t have time to wait for another rescue team to reach us. So, it’s up to us to get them out of there.”
