“You’re from Caleb’s pack.”
“Yes,” Benjamin said.
“What can I do for you?”
“We’ve heard there may be more issues with bears around town. Unpleasantries. You know anything about that?”
“Caleb sent you to ask me this?” He raised a brow. The tension in the room made her uneasy. “He’s too busy to leave the wolf’s den?”
“He thought a middleman would be the better way to go.”
“He’s a smart alpha. But, as to any bear problems, I wouldn’t know anything about that. As far as I’m concerned, it’s finally business as usual, and that’s the way I want it to stay. I’m a businessman. I have no time for shifter drama.”
“There’ve been bear attacks,” Benjamin said.
Joe crossed his arms over his chest. “If there were any attacks, I’d be the first to hear about it. Nothing in the bear shifter community goes on without passing through me. I’ve heard nothing. What’s Caleb up to, anyway? Sounds like he’s trying to frame our sleuth for some bullshit again.”
“Nothing like that.”
Heather needed to douse the rising flames. “If you don’t know, you don’t know. Let’s go, Benjamin.” She grabbed his arm, but it was like trying to move a brick wall. The men faced off, and panic welled up inside her.
“A man-eating bear on the loose, but you’ve heard nothing. Okay.” Her uncle turned to leave.
“You’ve all lost your minds. The forest is infested with native bears this far north. You’re obviously unable to decipher a bear from a shifter. It’s not always easy to tell,” Joe said.
“Of course. Whatever you say.”
Her uncle left the office and headed to the front. She felt his rage teetering dangerously on the edge. She tagged along behind him, watching her back while trying to keep up. This had not gone well. If Caleb had wanted a peacemaker, her uncle had more than likely seeded another war.
Once the diner door closed behind them, she raised both hands in the air as they walked back to the truck. “What the hell was that?”
“I was just sending a message. Letting him know I’m on to him.”
“He said he didn’t know anything.”
“Like he said himself, nothing goes by him. David was attacked by a bear shifter. You’re too naïve, Heather. Good thing you’re going to be mated. Hopefully David’s instincts are more sound.”
“More sound?” She felt her hackles rise. “If you have a problem, spit it out and stop being an asshole.”
He turned to her, glaring. “I’ve made a lot of sacrifices being here in this wayward pack—just for you two girls. I’ve bitten my tongue and minded my own fucking business. But my wolf is unsettled, agitated beyond recognition. I’m tired of playing house with your little crew of wolf shifters. There’s only so much I can tolerate.”
She began to panic, feeling him pull away emotionally. Why did she have to lash out on him? He’d only ever been good to her, stood by her all her life.
“I’m sorry, Uncle Benjamin. Please forget everything I said, okay? I totally understand your point, I’m just scared of more clashes after what happened to Mom and Dad.”
“Come on, Heather. Let’s go home.”
****
David and Reese had engorged on their kill. There was still plenty to bring back to the others, although nothing compared to the hunt itself.
“We should head back,” he said.
“No rush.”
“I don’t like leaving Heather alone with that freak on the loose,” David said. They were deep in the forest, far from home and another source of civilization.
“You heard Caleb. He’s keeping an eye on everything. He’s the alpha, so chill.”
He continued to eat but felt unsettled with so many miles between him and his mate.
“Did you see that bear shifter at all?” David asked. There were some topics he’d been meaning to touch on with Reese.
“No, why?”
“You were there so fast after I got hurt. I thought maybe you saw something.”
His pack mate had a blank expression. “Nothing.”
He was lying, but David had also been keeping secrets himself. Not only was it embarrassing being ripped apart by a female bear shifter, but he should have told his alpha every detail. Yet, it shouldn’t really matter if the maneater was male or female. A bear was a threat no matter what.
Guilt still haunted him.
Who was she? Why was she so fucking feral?
“You lost a fight. Stop making such a big deal about it. The bear’s probably moved on by now. If it had wanted you dead, you’d be dead.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because Caleb’s on high alert now and he’ll make our lives miserable. You can’t put ideas into that guy’s head, especially now that he’s mated to Bethany.”
“If you had your own mate, you’d understand.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? We waited how fucking long for Caleb to claim a mate so we could follow. You’re the first, so of course you’re on cloud nine. Brian and me, do you think we suddenly stopped caring, stopped craving our own mates?” He scoffed. “Think again. You have a mate to go home to at night. We have nothing.”
“Then do something about it. Now that our alpha has a mate, you’re free to claim your own. We can shift on will. Everything is different now.”
“Yeah, I got that part,” Reese said. “Easier said than done when I have to wait for some great fucking sign or fate or the gods to bestow me with the mating call.”
“It’ll come, Reese. Trust me.”
They were quiet for a while. An awkward silence between them. David felt for his friends. They’d had so many conversations about finding women and starting families. Now they felt left behind.
“How did you know? I mean, how did you know it was the mating call and not just blue balls talking?
“It was like instinct, something bigger than me. Bigger than my wolf. It was impossible to ignore the pull the lure of her scent, her presence. For over six months, I bottled up those feelings when she moved to our pack. I never knew I had such willpower. It was torture holding back all this time.”
“I just … I’m not sure if I felt it yet.”
“What do you mean? There aren’t exactly great pickings of women around here. Are you talking about the new woman at the diner?”
“She’s old enough to be my mother, David.”
“What? It’s happened.”
“Well, it’s not her. It’s not anyone. Just a feeling I got the other day when I was doing patrols.” He shrugged. “Probably just wishful thinking. Maybe I need to get laid. I don’t know.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to be a downer. Thanks for coming out with me.” David stood up and ran a hand through his hair. It had been a strenuous run but the burn in his muscles felt good. Their wolves needed the hunt now and then. It was important to find balance as shifters, nurturing their human and wolf sides.
“Let’s head back. Maybe we’ll make it by dinner,” Reese said.
“How can you think about food?”