RANCHER BEAR’S BABY(41)

“Sammie!” Before I could lunge for her, she melted sideways and slumped to the ground. Her head made an awful thud as it landed on the floor.

Mason cried out and flung his little body on top of hers. I rushed to her side, ignoring the way he growled at me. “I’ve got to make sure she’s okay, Mason.”

I could smell blood, but her head was dry as I brushed my fingers over it. I scooped her into my arms and looked down at Mason. “Come on.”

Mom was already racing into the room. “What happened?”

“She just collapsed. Where’s Michael? Is he still here?” My bear threatened to push forward. He raged inside of me, pissed that I’d let her get hurt. “Where is he?!”

Mason clawed at my legs, fighting to get to Sammie. He roared pitifully and got under my feet until I nearly fell.

“Mason! We have to get her to Michael to make sure she’s okay. I know you can understand me, little man. Walk beside me and you can sit with her when we get there.”

He pouted and huffed, but did as I asked.

Mom rushed ahead of us and yelled out of the front door for Michael. He was there in seconds.

He looked at Sammie in my arms and then pointed to the kitchen. “Get her on the table.”

I laid her out on the table and snatched up Mason so he could sit on the table next to her. He immediately curled up beside her and laid his head on her stomach.

Michael ran his hands over her body and it twisted something deep in my stomach watching him touch her. I was growling at him before I even knew what I was doing.

He looked up at me with a frown. “Now’s not the time, big brother. Tell me what happened.”

I fisted my hands and leaned on the table as he continued his examination. I told him what happened through gritted teeth. “Is she okay?”

He rolled her over onto her stomach and flinched when both Mason and I sent a warning growl at him. He gently lifted her shirt from her shoulders and frowned. “The only thing I can see wrong with her is a knot on her head from falling, and just about a million little holes and scratches on her shoulders from Mason. He’s practically torn her shirt to shreds back here. Everything else seems normal. Honestly, I think she just passed out. Let’s give her a little while to rest and then see.”

Michael was a natural at medicine. He’d completed several years of schooling before returning to the ranch. I trusted him.

I moved over to look at her shoulders and frowned. Mason had done quite the number on her. The upper part of her shirt was in tatters. Her shoulders were covered in claw marks, some scratches deeper than others. There was dried blood in spots and fresher droplets in others.

My eyes rested on my son. I’d just been handed him and I didn’t know how to parent a kid, but I knew that he couldn’t be hurting her like that. “You have to be careful with her, Mason. She’s not like us. She won’t heal like we do.”

He whimpered and buried his face into her side. His body shook and I could tell he was crying.

I scooped him up and held him against my chest. His little body was heavy in my arms and I glanced back at Sammie, impressed by her strength. “She’ll be okay, Mason.”

He didn’t fight me, but instead wrapped his paws around my neck and held on. My chest felt heavy and I sunk down onto one of the kitchen chairs. My family moved around me, being sure to keep a wide berth around Sammie, but to me there was just the three of us in that room. Only three of us existed. I had never experienced anything like the feeling that surrounded us.

I sat staring at Sammie’s unconscious form until I’d memorized every line and curve of her, while Mason breathed deeply in my arms. When I realized he’d fallen asleep in my arms, I stood up and looked around. I wanted to be alone with them.

Mom appeared at my side and held out her arms. “I’ll carry him up to a guest room so you can carry Sammie. We’ll put them together.”

I nodded and handed Mason to her before scooping Sammie into my arms. She made a whimpering noise, not unlike the ones Mason made, and curled into my chest. I held her tighter and prayed that she’d wake up soon so I could be assured she was okay.

Mom and I secured them in one of the guest bedrooms and Mom patted me on the shoulder before leaving. She came back to the room a few minutes later with a first aid kit. “You may as well take care of her shoulders while she’s asleep. She doesn’t seem like the type to let you when she’s awake.”

I couldn’t help the smile that touched my face. “Did you get to talk to her much before I got here?”

She nodded. “She’s a tough one. She loves Mason, that’s for sure. I don’t know how she’ll leave him.”