Page 313 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

“He found her,” Drew whispered as panic welled up in hischest.

“Who found her?” Mackasked.

“Her ex-husband. He’s dangerous as hell. Get the others to meet me in the woods but don’t come with them. Stay at the B&B in case Cindy shows upthere.”

“Be careful,”Macksaid.

As Mack ran toward the main house to get his brothers, Drew sprinted along the tracks. When he reached the edge of the forest, he stopped and sniffed the air. Fear lingered, along with the scent of his mate. His bear roared. Before he could stop him, the beastburstfree.

Drew dropped to all fours as his muscles twisted and contorted. His spine stretched. His feet and hands formed paws. As his nose elongated into a snout, he sniffed the ground. The second the transformation was complete, he took off into the woods. He tracked her scent until he reached a muddled section of intersectingtrails.

Which way didshego?

He rose up on his hind legs and chuffed. He sucked in deep breaths, searching for her smell. It was subtly stronger to the east, so he took off in that direction. His nostrils flared as the scent of terror filled the air. If her ex had so much as touched her, Drew’s bear would tear him topieces.

* * *

Cindy’s headjerked back as Liam yankedherhair.

“Bitch,” hesnarled.

“Help,” sheshrieked.

“Good. Get your cowboy out here too. I’d love to cut him up while youwatch.”

She flailed and clawed at his hands but his griptightened.

“He’ll never let you catch him. He’s ten times the man you ever were,” Cindysnapped.

Liam released her hair and spun her around. He backhanded her hard enough to send her careening into a pile of snow. Her butt slammed against the ground, sending a shockwave up her tailbone. Sheyelped.

He pulled a huge hunting knife out from behind his back. Her eyes went wide. The serrated edges glinted in thelight.

Oh, God. And she’d thought the kitchen knife hadbeenbad.

“I’ll make sure my daughter forgets she ever had a mother,” he snarled. Spittle spilled from his lips. “I know she’s at your parent’s house. I left her there because they’re taking good enough care of her, for now. I couldn’t hunt you down and make sure she got to school at the same time. And I’m not about to ruin my daughter’s education because she had a whore for amother.”

Cindy scanned the ground looking for anything she could use as a weapon. Frantic desperation made her movements jerky. Nothing. Not even a measly treebranch.

In the distance, a crashing sound came through the woods. She looked up and caught a glimpse of something brown and furry pounding through thetrees.

A bear. Oh, God. If Liam didn’t kill her, they’d both end up mauled todeath.

Liam spun just as the bear rushed toward him. The bear leapt and knocked him to theground.

Cindy scrambled to her feet and turned to run. The bear roared. She glanced over her shoulder as it swiped a huge paw at Liam. Her ex screamed as the bear pinned him to theground.

She turned and slammed right into a tree. Dazed, she grabbed the trunk for support. Her vision doubled and twisted. For a moment, two bears came into view. But there were two Liams too. Her legs wouldn’t hold her, so she slid down to the base ofthetree.

When she looked up, Liam grabbed the fallen knife. In a wide arc, he brought the knife up and stabbed the bear in the shoulder. The bear roared and backed up. It twisted and screeched as its muscles rippled. Its fur receded. Paws became hands and feet. Its snout morphed into a nose and when it was finished, Drew lay on the ground where the bear hadstood.

Her jaw dropped. Was she hallucinating? What the hell justhappened?

Liam rose to a crouch, knife in hand. He stalkedtowardDrew.

Without thinking, Cindy pushed off the tree and rantowardLiam.

“No,” sheyelled.

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