Bear's Match (Bear Heat Book 6) by Natalie Kristen Page B

shoulder.
    “I don't know!”
she screamed back, grabbing the back of his seat to prevent herself
from sliding from one end of the car to the other.
    “Is that your kid?”
he yelled.
    “What?”
    “The baby. He's
yours?”
    “He is now.”
    “What the hell does
that mean? Is he yours or not?” The thought that Nicole had
given birth to another man's baby made his heart clench painfully.
    “I'm not his mother, if
that's what you're asking!”
    “Yeah. That's what I'm
asking.”
    “Sheesh. Men.”
    Luke turned to see Nicole
rolling her eyes.
    “What?” he
demanded.
    “Nothing! Drive
faster!”
    “Who is his mother?”
    “His mother's dead.
She died, just after meeting me. I, ah, I should have saved her.
It's my fault. She came to me for help, but I didn't take her
seriously. Not at first. I thought she was just, I don't know,
depressed or something. I...”
    Nicole was babbling and
crying. Rather, she was trying not to cry. She kept swiping at her
eyes, refusing to let her tears roll down her cheeks as the words
tumbled out of her. “I could have saved her, and Brendon
wouldn't have lost his mom! I...”
    “Hey, it's not your
fault,” Luke said, swerving to avoid hurtling up the curb. He
glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw that no one was in pursuit.
He let out a long breath and drove at a more normal, less insane
speed.
    “The baby's mother...is
she the client you met this morning?” he asked.
    “Anna Ward. Yes. I
promised her I would protect her son. I heard them torture her,”
Nicole said, hiccuping a sob. “She died protecting her son.”
    “What do they want with
the boy? He's just a baby.”
    “He's a very brave
baby,” Nicole said fiercely.
    “I'm sure he is. And
we'll make sure he's safe.”
    “We?”
    “Yes. You're not
alone,” Luke said grimly.
    Luke pulled up right in front
of the Black Bears Building. The Black Bears Group owned the low
building which housed the Group's offices. It was one of the best
investments made by their business-savvy alpha.
    Luke saw the Black Bears
alpha and beta, Ethan and Caleb standing at the entrance. They were
flanked by a few team leaders and all along the street, there were
Black Bears standing guard.
    Caleb opened the door for
Nicole and immediately, four Black Bears crowded around her to shield
her with their bodies. Nicole and the baby disappeared into the
building.
    “I have to go back for
Bax!” Luke yelled to his alpha. “He's...”
    Ethan put up a hand. “Bax
punched in a Code Red and activated the tracking function on his
watch. He has enough backup. Two teams reached him in under a
minute. They're cleaning up the trash right now.”
    Luke nodded and closed his
eyes briefly. While his main priority was getting Nicole and the
baby to safety, he hated himself for leaving Baxter behind.
    The Black Bears never left
anyone behind.
    “Bax is fine. He can
take care of himself,” Ethan said. “Park your car and
come to my office, Luke. Now.”

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

    Nicole sat down in front of a
huge desk, hugging Brendon tightly to her. The tall, imposing man
behind the desk had introduced himself as Ethan Flint. She had heard
his name before. Ethan Flint was the CEO of the Black Bears Group,
and a very astute businessman and investor. She also knew for a fact
that he was a bear shifter.
    There were many paranormals
living in the city. Some flaunted their supernatural powers, but
most didn't. The lawyers in Nicole's firm were mostly human. One of
the senior partner's secretary was a witch and it was rumored that Mr
Morgann himself was a werewolf.
    Nicole swallowed and eyed the
other two men in the room. Caleb Nash and Thor McKenzie. Caleb was
Ethan's beta and he was the most chatty of the three. Thor was
silent and unsmiling but Nicole knew that the man was sharp and
observant. His dark, mismatched eyes saw everything and missed
nothing. He would make a good spy, she thought.
    Ethan's secretary, Tabitha,
came in and put the cups of coffee on