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Withdrawing from Jared’s hold, he knew he had to stop the events before things went too far. He brushed some of the pine needles and debris from his body and eyed Royce. “Is he really going to kill him?”

“No one touches our mate. No one.”

“But he’s just a boy,” Carson whispered.

“Boy or no, he broke a cardinal rule. He needs to learn a lesson,” Jared spat.

Carson looked toward the other one. “What about the other bear? Is he dead?”

“I’m not sure,” Jared answered. “Royce slammed him pretty hard, but these McCreary boys are hard to stop.”

Carson looked down at the silent, still bear and decided there had been enough violence for one day. The boy was barely more than a child and deserved a second chance.

It was all his fault. He’d been warned not to hike alone. No another might pay the price for his mistake.

“Don’t hurt him, Royce!” Carson called out.

Royce glanced at Carson, and he could see the rage in the man’s eyes. He needed to soften it in some way.

“I shouldn’t have come up here alone. You warned me, and I didn’t listen.”

The younger bear shifter nodded and pointed at Carson. “See, he knows he didn’t belong up here.”

Carson noticed the bear was slowly shifting into a human form, blood coating his bruised body. When he looked up, his stare captured Royce’s. “I think they’ve learned their lesson.”

Royce’s gaze pinned Carson. “They don’t touch another’s mate.”

Mate.

Why did that word send tendrils of longing through him? Carson struggled for air, sensing way down deep that he indeed belonged to Royce and Jared… no matter how much he wanted to fight it.

“I’m the injured party here. Does my opinion hold no weight?”

Royce’s jaw worked, rolling side to side. It was clear he wasn’t ready to give in, but clearly Carson’s opinion did matter.

“Take your brother home,” Royce spat toward the boy on his knees, his voice full of gravel. “But if either of you lay one paw on our mate again, I’ll eviscerate you both with my bare hands.”

“I swear we’ll stay away from your human. You’ve got my word.”

“Get out of here!” Royce roared.

The young man rose to his feet, his shoulders slumped as he shuffled over to his brother. With a quick fireman’s haul, he pulled the hurt shifter over his shoulder and disappeared down the mountain trail.

Royce spun to face Carson, anger in his stare.

Carson’s gaze dipped to the long, thick cock swaying between Royce’s muscular thighs, and he dragged his gaze away.

It was too late. His body had seen and immediately wanted the pleasure that part of the man could provide.

Heat filled his cheeks, his gaze drifting to Jared and the equally impressive cock hanging there.

“What were you thinking coming up here alone?”

Carson turned to fully face Royce, and then Jared. “Last night… was a lot. I needed some time to clear my head.” He’d been shown a world he didn’t know existed and still wasn’t completely sure he believed what he’d witnessed with his own eyes.

“And did you do that? Are you clear now?” Royce asked sarcastically. “I sure hope you are after what you just put us through.”

Carson narrowed his stare, ignoring the tightening of his body. “I don’t know. I spent most of that time running for my life.”

Royce chuckled, but there was no mirth in it. He stalked closer, some of the anger still in his gaze. “You wouldn’t have been running if you’d listened to us.”

Carson scoffed, shaking his head. “Oh, now I get yelled at, hmm? First it was a child and now a lowly human. Tell me, do you always attack those weaker than you?”

As soon as the words were out of Carson’s mouth, he wished he could reel them back in.

All the anger fled from Royce’s gaze, his eyes widening. “Attack?”

“That was a bit unnecessary,” Jared whispered.

Royce shook his head. “Carson, they nearly killed you. If we hadn’t gotten here in time…” He paused and jammed a hand through his hair, letting out a slow breath. “Seeing you struggling to breathe scared me more than anything in my entire life. I didn’t attack, I defended.”

“I know,” Carson whispered under his breath, glancing at the ground. “But this is all new to me. I didn’t understand the danger.” He lifted his gaze and eyed both of them before his gaze fully settled on Royce. “Now I do. I’m sorry.”

Royce grabbed the front of Carson’s jacket and dragged him into an embrace. He wrapped his arms so tight around Carson, making it difficult to breathe once more.

He drew in a breath, Royce’s masculine scent filling his nose and making it hard to concentrate. He shivered against Royce’s heat and strength, fighting the desire to surrender then and there.

All he could see in his mind was going to his knees like the boy and begging Royce and Jared for another type of mercy. Fucking him until the growing ache was gone.

“You scared the hell out of us,” Royce said, his voice thick with emotion. “I couldn’t imagine losing you before we’d truly claimed you.”

Carson let the anger he’d felt drift away.

Royce had only screamed because he’d been afraid.

It felt so unusual to have someone care so much, so quickly.

So deeply. The intensity only seemed to draw Carson in tighter, binding him even closer to the two bears.

After so many passionless years, the strength of emotion dragging them together was potent.

Alluring.

No one had ever wanted him like Royce and Jared seemed to.

Royce leaned back some before lowering his head and capturing Carson’s lips. Carson let the bear have him. He sensed Royce needed it after what had just happened. He warred with Royce’s tongue and allowed the bear to devour him, leaving him breathless when they finally parted.

His head spun as Royce stepped back, releasing him.

He’d come out here to clear his mind, yet he was as confused as ever.

When they were this close, he wanted them with a ferocity he didn’t and couldn’t understand.

He needed distance to put it all in some kind of order in his head.

Apparently, he wouldn’t get that on the mountain.

Royce turned to Jared. “I’ve got to get down to the lobby to relieve Daniel. I’ll try to get someone to cover for us for the rest of the day. Until then, can you keep an eye on our mate? I don’t want him alone on the mountain.”

Yep. Just as I suspected. No alone time.

If Carson was honest with himself, he didn’t want to be apart from them. He wasn’t in the mood for honesty, though.

Jared eyed Carson. “I won’t let him out of my sight.”

Heat swept over Carson from the look in Jared’s eyes.

Royce hugged him again and brushed his lips over Carson’s forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Carson nodded, unable to answer. The need had been sparked within him and if he spoke, he feared he’d beg Royce to stay.

Once Royce had shifted and raced down the mountain, Jared turned to him. “Want to finish that hike?”

Carson eyed Jared. “If you put some clothes on.”

Jared looked down before lifting to meet Carson’s gaze. “Don’t like my birthday suit?”

Carson scanned the man. Unfortunately, he liked it too much. “Just put some clothes on.”

Jared smiled and sauntered closer. “Finding it hard to concentrate?”

Carson rolled his eyes. “Just put some clothes on.”

“If you insist.” Jared strutted down the mountain path a ways before turning to look over his shoulder. “You comin’?”

Carson eyed Jared’s firm ass and his fingers itched to squeeze that tight flesh.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”