Page 8 of Bear It All (Bears in Love Duet Book 2)

Mallory caught up to Alaina as she placed her foot on the bottom step leading to the porch. She clasped the girl’s forearm. “Alaina, don’t?—”

The slab of wood was pulled open, and there stood Orsen.

Their pack leader.

For a bear, he sure resembled a weasel. Beady eyes, triangular nose, skinny body. His seemingly small size was deceiving. She’d watched him take down men twice his size.

He didn’t fight fair. Physically or mentally.

Mallory felt rather than saw Remy slip up beside her, and was it weird that his nearness gave her confidence?

“You finally made it,” Orsen said, a growl in his voice. “Thought I was going to have to start beating on old people to pass the time waiting for you.”

He said this while looking down his nose at Alaina, who shrank away, subtly moving until she was partially tucked behind Mallory.

Orsen’s gaze finally shifted to Mallory, and his eyes widened a fraction. “You,” he said before he furrowed his brow. “So this was all contrived? You partnered up with a kid, set her up to kill my brother?”

Of course he would think that way. He had probably convinced himself his brother had not done anything to provoke the attack, either.

“You gonna answer me?” he demanded.

“No,” Mallory said.

His eyes widened again. People didn’t say no to the pack leader. Not this one, anyway.

“Technically, that was an answer,” Remy supplied helpfully, drawing the pack leader’s attention.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Remy said, and Mallory thought, he very much matters.

What a really terrible time to have such an epiphany.

“Then why don’t you get the hell out of here?” Orsen suggested to Remy.

“Nah, I’m good,” Remy replied as casually as if Orsen had asked if he wanted a drink of water.

“Whatever,” Orsen said, dismissing Remy. He wagged his finger between Alaina and Mallory. “I’ll punish you both for my brother’s death. Works for me.”

“You leave her out of this,” Alaina blurted. She stepped out from behind Mallory, her hands fisted at her sides. “And leave my family alone too.”

Mallory touched her arm, a warning not to push the bully too far, but Alaina shook her off.

“Or what?” Orsen drawled, looking mildly amused.

“Or we’ll kick you out of your position once and for all. You don’t deserve to be pack leader anyway. You never have.”

Mallory reached out again, this time squeezing Alaina’s arm in warning. “Not the best time to develop a backbone,” she murmured.

Alaina shook her off again. “I don’t need to develop a backbone. I’ve always had one. And you know what? I’m done putting up with such shitty leadership. I’m not going back to the pack. I’m staying here with my grandparents.”

“News flash, little girl. You need my permission to leave pack land,” Orsen said.

“Bad idea, dude,” Remy quipped, pulling Orsen’s focus.

“Huh?” Orsen was clearly confused.

Yeah, so was Mallory. She threw Remy a puzzled look, but he didn’t even glance her way. He stabbed his thumb in Alaina’s direction. “Calling her little girl. Bad move.”

Orsen narrowed his eyes once more. “Who the fuck are you again?”

“Told you, it doesn’t matter.”

“You’re right. I don’t give a shit who you are. I’m still gonna kick your ass.” Orsen stalked down the steps, pulling off his shirt and tossing it on the grass.

Remy held his ground as the guy stormed toward him. His face was impassive, his limbs loose, his hands at his sides. His fists weren’t even clenched.

Lip curled into a snarl, Orsen unlatched the button on his jeans, presumably preparing to shift.

“Is it just me, or does he look like he’s about to perform a strip tease?” Remy idly commented.

A laugh burst from between Mallory’s lips. “I’m pretty sure he thinks he’s being intimidating.”

Orsen stuttered to a stop, his thumbs hooked into the waistband on his jeans.

Remy shook his head. “Not particularly intimating. Or sexy, for that matter. The guy’s totally missing the mark.”

Orsen’s eyes were practically shooting sparks while he gnashed his teeth and magic shimmered along his skin, indicating he was about to shift.

“Alaina! Oh my God, you’re here!”

The front door burst open behind Orsen, and a middle-aged man and woman charged out onto the porch, followed by another, older couple who moved at a much slower pace as they made their way down the porch steps.

The first woman, a mirror image of Alaina and presumably her mother, shoved Orsen out of the way as she beelined for her daughter, pulling her into a full body hug and clinging to her like they hadn’t seen each other in years.

Or, more accurately, like her daughter had just gone through a traumatic experience and she’d been worried sick. “Are you okay, baby?” she asked, pulling away just enough to cup Alaina’s face, her gaze darting over the young girl like she was searching for injuries.

Alaina nodded, and her mother pulled her tightly to her body again, while Dad came over and wrapped them both in his arms.

“Get out of the way, Orsen,” the oldest gentleman of the bunch muttered, using his cane and a sharp-looking elbow to help him edge past the pack leader, who stood there, dazed, clearly unsure how to proceed.

“If I were you,” Remy said, leaning in like he was conspiring with Orsen, “I’d resign my position as pack leader. Suggest they vote for a new one. Take a step back. Figure out your life. There’s still time.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Orsen demanded.

“I’m telling you, we’re cutting you a break.”

Orsen bristled. “You think you can take me?”

“That’s not what I was talking about, but yes, I do.” Remy slipped his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “However, on the odd chance that you fight dirty enough to get the best of me, we’re currently surrounded by shifters, all ready to take you down. The median age is seventy-five, but trust me, you don’t stand a chance. Not against this community.”

Orsen wasn’t quite ready to let it go. “She killed?—”

“She did us all a favor,” Remy interrupted. “And now you get to live with it. With the reality that what happened to him is at least partially your fault.”

Orsen’s eyes went round.

Remy clamped a hand onto his shoulder. “Yeah, you mull over that for a while. Somewhere else, though. This family needs to start healing, and your presence isn’t helping.”

Alaina’s grandmother edged between the two men, knocking her hip into Orsen and sending him staggering backward. “Move out of my way,” she snapped, hustling past so she could embrace her granddaughter.

Orsen’s gaze darted every which way, bouncing off each person in turn before sweeping out over the shadows surrounding them. Mallory had no idea if Remy spoke the truth about a bunch of elderly shifters hiding in the shadows, but it honestly wouldn’t surprise her.

Finally, after long seconds, the hapless pack leader snagged his shirt off the ground and stormed away, stomping down the sidewalk, his image fading and appearing again as he stepped into each pool of light.

The shadows shifted and moved.

Remy was right.

She snagged his shirtsleeve, tugging him away from the reuniting family. He followed her to the edge of the driveway. When she turned to face him, he still had his hands stuffed into the front pockets of his jeans. The expression on his face was… earnest.

Good. That made it easier for her to say what she had to say.

“So, I was thinking.”

“Yeah?”

She tapped her lips with her pointer finger. Remy’s gaze tracked the motion. “I’d like to see if we can, um, you know.”

He shook his head. “No, I don’t know. I need you to spell it out.”

* * *

He could probably guesswhat she was thinking, but he suspected it was important for her to talk it out. Maybe this was the closure she’d been seeking. This admitting to herself that she was ready to move on. Get her life back.

Mallory frowned, staring out into the darkness for too many heartbeats. Until she finally shook her head and stared into his eyes.

“I thought I needed to go back to my pack to find closure, but really, I needed to find you. My bear has been harassing me since I left you in that hotel room in Detroit.”

“I knew I liked your bear.”

She snickered. “My bear is quite fond of you too.”

He tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear, let his fingers linger there. “What about you? Are you fond of me too?”

Grasping the fabric of his T-shirt, she pulled him close until their chests bumped. “Quite. I think I might be in love with you. I’ve finally realized you’re my fated mate.”

He wrapped his arms around her, gave her a squeeze. Kissed her temple. “Took you long enough.”

“I have issues, Remy. A lot of them.”

“Don’t we all?”

“Yes, but?—”

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “Those issues are what shaped us into who we are. Our bears seem to be pretty confident we can make this work. My heart feels that way too. Maybe we should give it a try.”

“Oh, we’re not just giving it a try. We’re going all in.”

He laughed. “That sounds like an excellent plan. Now, what do you think about sneaking away so we can find some privacy? Because I really, really want to get you naked right now.”

Her cheeks went dusky while her eyes sparkled with mischief. “That sounds like an excellent idea.”