RANCHER BEAR’S BABY(37)

“It’s okay, Mason. It’s all okay.” This whole thing was about as far from okay as one could possibly imagine. I was talking to a bear cub. A real bear cub. A bear cub who a week before had been a little boy.

Nothing was okay.

I slipped out of my soiled clothes and did my best to wash them in the sink before hanging them up to dry. A knock sounded on the door and my chest tightened. “Occupied!”

A young female voice yelled back. “For how long?”

I relaxed and looked down at my mostly bare body and the bear cub huddled on the floor. “A while. I’d go somewhere else.”

She kicked the door and mumbled something, but she left.

I picked up Mason and held him against my side. “How about we do a quick wash? Do bears take baths, huh?”

I turned the water on and he made a whimpering sound before trying to climb up my head. I winced as his claws scraped across my skin, but tried to remain gentle with him. “Mason, baby, you’ve got to be easy with me. I’m not a tree.”

I finally pried him off of me and placed him back on the floor. “Okay, no bath. How ‘bout a snack?”

He turned away and curled into a little ball.

My heart ached for the little boy. I had no clue what was happening with him, but I knew enough to know that Mason was still in there.

The child had witnessed his mom and her junkie boyfriend shot to death in cold blood. Along with my partner, U.S. Marshal Aaron Givens. Aaron and I were tasked with keeping them hidden while they waited to testify against scumbag heroin distributor Wesley Butler. Something had gone wrong. I’d been out grabbing dinner for everyone. When I came back, the door was wide open and Aaron was sprawled out in front of it, dead.

I gagged as the recent memory flooded my vision, and rushed into the little stall to vomit up a lunch that I’d barely touched. Bile came up and I fought the tears. I couldn’t fall apart. I couldn’t afford to fall apart, or even to slow down.

Mason needed me. I swore I would do right by the little boy, and the best thing I could think of right now was to get him to his father. The only thing I could think of. I’d finally managed to track him down and we had only a few more miles to go. I didn’t know anything about his dad, but I was pretty sure his mom had never turned into a bear. I was praying that this was something his dad could explain. Explain and get him to turn back into a little boy so I could stop hiding from my boss.

As a U.S. Marshal, it was my job to keep Mason safe. My boss demanded proof that he was okay, but if I turned up with a bear cub claiming it was Mason Simmons, one of two things would happen. One, I’d get fired for being off my rocker, or two, they’d take little Mason and he’d end up being poked and prodded for God knows how long while they tried to figure out how a little boy could transform into an actual grizzly bear cub.

I wouldn’t let that happen. Mason had already been through more than any child should have to endure. I really didn’t want to get blacklisted by law enforcement either.

I flushed the toilet and stood up to find Mason sitting up, watching me wide-eyed. I forced a smile. “I’m okay. Let me get washed up and then we’ll get back on the road. We’re close to finding answers, buddy.”

I hurriedly washed my body with a wad of paper towels and the last few squirts of watered down soap. I dressed in my still damp clothes and scooped up Mason.

“Let’s get you wrapped back up, shall we? We wouldn’t want to start a bear flu, would we?”

He hugged his little body to mine and I sighed. He was warm and soft in my arms. I’d been with him for so long that I couldn’t help but love the little boy. Bear or boy, I loved him and needed to make things right for him.

I wrapped him up to made sure he was hidden from prying eyes before picking up our bag and heading out to the car. We had about half an hour to go before we reached Long Ranch.





CHAPTER 2: Sammie




The town of Landing, Wyoming was already green, despite how early in the year it was, and Long Ranch was breathtaking. I was stunned by its beautiful, mountainous backdrop. Horses ran in a little paddock and, on the other side of the winding driveway, cows grazed with their heads bent low. As I watched them munch on grass, I had the crazy thought that all of those animals could possibly be people.

I parked next to a large, picturesque white farm house that seemed to sprawl on forever. If Mason’s dad was as wealthy as it appeared, I was even more confused as to why he’d never been brought up before. Mallory had never mentioned him, not a word, not until literally the very last second of her life. She’d never brought up child support or anything.

I climbed out and debated with myself about taking Mason up to the front door with me. He didn’t like to be separated from me, but I didn’t know what situation I was walking into either. I couldn’t chance his safety. I decided to leave him in the car. I kept the heat on and reached into the glovebox to grab my gun.