Sentinel (Stone Bears, #1)

Gabriel is a Stone Bear—one of the the elite shifters trained by the Lionshead Mining Consortium to protect their precious goods. He's given up almost everything to be the best at his job, including the chance to take a mate. But after meeting his boss's new assistant, he can't help but wonder about the possibilities. Gabriel can withstand just about anything a shifter can throw at him in a fight, but when it comes to this strong, gorgeous, and witty woman, he finds himself weak in the knees. Could she truly be the one? Caia Rowan is tougher than she seems. Hired straight out of school to go through training as a police negotiator, she's seen her fair share of the ugly side of society. So when she's offered a job in Genesis Valley, the harsh lifestyle and brutal nature of its inhabitants doesn't faze her. But the tall, utterly intoxicating, and surprisingly well-mannered bear shifter she's partnered with has the butterflies in her stomach doing circus acts. As the pair investigate a series of odd occurrences within the Valley, they find that they can't ignore the tension growing between them. But one wrong move could cost them not only their jobs, but their lives. The darkness invading Genesis Valley is more perverse than either of them suspected, and it will take the power of their bond to burn it away. Can they survive the journey, or will the brash actions of one doom the other?