Julian wipes the tears from his eyes. “Dad wouldn’t let any of us help him. Said that we’d never taste a dessert for the rest of our lives if we helped him down.”
“How long were you hanging there?” Courtney asks as she laughs.
“Six hours,” I say and they all start up again. “Mom finally snuck in and helped me.”
After the food is long gone, we’re still sitting there telling stories and laughing. It feels like I’m part of the family once again and it’s all thanks to Courtney. I’ll never forget it.
“So,” Willow asks as she bounces the baby on her knee. “Are you two mates?”
Everyone goes quiet as they look at us. Even my brothers don’t know for sure since my mark is not on her neck.
Courtney looks up at me, her eyes full of love. “We are,” she says proudly. “I saw him yesterday and I just knew it.”
“Oh, you’re the one who was here with the class,” Logan says. “The teacher, right? I thought I recognized you.”
Seeing his eyes on my mate starts to rile up my jealous bear. He wakes up and lets his presence be known as he starts pacing around angrily. He doesn’t like it and lets out a low warning snarl.
My brothers pick up on it and their worried eyes snap up to mine. The girls are oblivious as they ask Courtney about her kindergarten class.
Mark her!
Mark her!
His demands are getting more forceful. More aggressive.
Courtney seems to realize something is up with me because she starts rubbing my flexed back.
“I could use some air,” she says as she smiles tightly at me. “Can you come with me?”
I nod and get up without a word. She’s doing this for me. She’s the perfect mate.
As soon as we step onto the porch, my bear starts to calm down.
“I’m yours, Adrian,” she says as she steps on her toes and runs her hand down my face. “You know that, right?”
“I do,” I say in a heavy voice.
She steps on her toes as her hand slides behind my neck. “Kiss me,” she whispers. “I can’t reach.”
I smile as I lean down and kiss her, tasting the orange juice on her tongue.
Cameron comes out a few minutes later and my bear growls, perking up once again.
He raises his hands. “Tell your bear I’m already mated. I’m not looking.”
“I’m sorry, bro. You know how he is.”
“It’s okay,” Cameron says with a nod. He slides his hands into the back pocket of his jeans as the three of us stand there awkwardly.
“I have a coffee to finish,” Courtney says as she reaches for the door. “So, I’ll head inside and let you boys talk.”
We both sigh as we lean on the porch railing and look out at the ranch. “It’s good to see you,” he says. “I’m sorry about the baby. I just…”
“You don’t have to explain,” I say, even though it hurts. “It was the right thing to do.”
We stand in silence for a moment and then he turns to me. “How are you able to even be here? What’s your bear like?”
I run my hand through my hair as I watch a cow eating some grass. “Still psychotic, but… I don’t know. Since Courtney walked into my life, he’s been different.”
“Calmer?”
“Yeah. He let me sleep in my human form, which hasn’t happened since… I don’t know.”
“That’s great!” he says with an enthusiastic nod. “Maybe that’s what he’s needed all along? His mate.”
“Maybe.” Another long stretch of silence passes. “I’m sorry. For everything, Cameron.”
“No…”
“How come you didn’t put me down?”
“You’re my brother,” he says, turning to me with anguish on his face. “I love you.”
My eyes start to tear up again. “You love me? I nearly killed you a few months ago.”
“Yeah, well, I was trying to kill Julian. And please… I nearly killed you. I think I had the upper hand.”
We look at each other and burst out laughing. “Whatever you say.”
He hugs me, warmly this time, and then slaps my shoulder. “I’m glad to have you back. I missed you, Adrian.”
“I missed you too.”
He takes a deep breath as he lets me go. “Courtney seems great. She fits right in.”
“She’s amazing.”
“I hope she can help you keep things under control.”
“Me too.”
“Come on,” he says as he wraps his arm around me and guides me back inside. “Let’s go catch up some more.”
I’m smiling as I head in, but my bear is still pacing. He’s still letting his dangerous presence be known.
Mark her.
Mark her.
Mark her.
Chapter Seven
Adrian
Courtney is willing to stay with me for another night, but I can’t do that to her again. She looks freezing as we sit here in the tent, talking. The temperature has dropped a lot throughout the day.
“I’m fine,” she says as she rubs her hands together and rocks back and forth. “I’m having a great time.”
I shake my head as I watch her. She’s way too nice. I always want to be by her side, protecting her, loving her. She’s too pure and innocent to be without a furry bodyguard by her side. I just wish mine wouldn’t cause her more danger than he prevented.
“You’re freezing.”
She smiles as she starts crawling over to me. “Then, maybe you should warm me up.”
I wrap my arms around her and gasp when I feel how cold her skin is. The poor girl has been outside for almost the entire day. It’s late in the afternoon and I can feel that it’s going to get even colder as the sun goes down.
“We’re not staying out here.”
“Where do you want to go? Your cabin?”
“There’s no electricity running to it and I think there’s a few leaks,” I say, remembering the hole I saw in the roof. “It’s probably worse than out here.”
Her lips pull into a straight line as she thinks about it.
“We could try… your place,” I say, getting nervous at the thought. My bear has been remaining cool for now, but I can feel him simmering below the surface. I’m still not sure I’d be able to hold him back if he wanted to come out.
“Are you ready for that?”
I take a deep breath and nod. “I have to leave this forest sometime, right?”
After making sure that I’m ready, she takes my hand and we head for her car. It’s a small sedan and as I squeeze into it, I have a horrible image of my grizzly bear ripping out of me and destroying the entire interior.
Please be cool.
He growls back, still not happy that I haven’t marked her.
“Ready?” she asks before starting the car.
I nod. “Let’s go.”
The first few miles go well. I’m like a kid riding in the car as I frantically look around at all of the sights. The trees, the mountains, the beauty of it nearly brings a tear to my eye.