Free Delta Bear (Rogue Bear Series 2) by Meredith Clarke, Ally Summers Page B

explosions. For a minute he forgot the mission wasn’t complete.
    “Last night was amazing.” She smiled. “I don’t feel as nervous for some reason.”
    The sunlight wisped around her hair.
    “I’m glad, doc.” He touched his lips to her forehead. “I wish I could say the same thing.”
    “I think you need to follow your heart, Jax.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “You’ve been a soldier for so long you’ve forgotten what it means to live. You’ve fought for everyone else, protecting our freedom, guarding us from evil, but you got lost in there.” Her palm pressed over his heart. “And once you came home your family started pulling you in a different direction, demanding you be the alpha, guilting you into taking a mate.” Her eyes shot to his.
    “No, that’s not why…”
    “It doesn’t matter. I know what we have. I don’t really care how or why it happened.”
    He stared at her, trying to process her words. Trying to figure out where she was going with this.
    “You’ve given me something I never thought was possible. What I would label as a medical miracle.” Her hands slid to her belly. “I thought not being able to get pregnant made me undesirable, but the irony was it made you want me more. And look what happened.”
    “What do you want me to do?” He felt the pain ache in his chest. He couldn’t leave her no matter how strong she was. They were bonded in ways he didn’t know were possible.
    “Don’t stay because you feel obligated. Don’t stay because it’s some kind of bear duty. Don’t stay out of obligation. Stay because you love me. I don’t want you any other way.”
    He closed his eyes. He wanted the answer to appear crystal clear. As clear as his need for her.
    “Haley, I…” when he opened his eyes she was gone. The front door latched quietly.
    He growled, looking at the woods. There was something he hadn’t done in a long time. Something that would calm the beast within.
    He felt the power surge under his skin as he let the animal take over. His lean, strong muscles twinged and hummed as his bear appeared. He let a roar rip from his chest as he barreled into the woods.

21

Haley
    S he didn’t know when the clarity had struck her. She smiled as she washed plates and stacked them in the cupboard. Maybe there was something to her new alpha status. But when she awoke she knew exactly what she needed. She wanted Jax to love her unconditionally. She wanted him to stay because it was what he wanted. If he didn’t, she knew he would be restless.
    His heart would be split always wondering if he should be helping his team. She couldn’t be the reason he was torn. She loved him too much to guilt him into a relationship.
    It was strange how the calm had washed over her. The stillness moved through her with certainty. Jax had to choose her because it was what he wanted. If Special Forces was still calling to him, she knew she wouldn’t come first.
    Her eyes drifted to the clock. He had been gone several hours.
    She reached for a bowl and scrubbed until the bubbles washed down the drain.

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Jax
    The forest was quiet. Almost too quiet. Jax’s ears snapped back when he heard the crack of a branch. From the high branches of the tree he could see a figure approaching. It was a man.
    Jax took each limb slowly as he lowered himself to the ground. He felt the fur slide into skin as his human form transformed. The change from animal to human always made him feel calm, as if easing the bear under his skin again gave him a new sense of control.
    He stepped into his jeans, snapping the button before the man was in front of him.
    Jax eyed him. It only took one sniff to recognize another bear, but one glance and he knew he was looking at a fellow Special Forces soldier.
    “You’ve got to be Landon.” The man walked forward, extending a hand.
    Jax shook his head. “Who’s asking?”
    “Gage.” He nodded his head. “I’m with a Green Beret team that just got back from