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“In the meantime, Paul can be put to work doing whatever’s needed,” Royce continued. “I noticed some dead limbs near a couple of the cabins that need to be removed before they cause any damage. I noticed them on my way in this morning.”

“I’ve got them on my to-do list. Property maintenance is my job,” Jared snarled.

“Then do it,” Royce snapped back.

“What the fuck is up your ass?” Jared asked.

“I handle the front office shit and guests. You’re supposed to maintain the grounds. If it’s too much work, then use Paul to get it up to snuff.”

Jared let out a low growl.

Royce tried to reel himself in.

Jared’s jaw was set. “We’re equal partners in this business.”

Royce felt his chest puff.

“Then act like it,” he all but roared.

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to reel them back in, especially seeing the hurt in Jared’s eyes.

Jared crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I’ve been covering all the shit you’re missing and doing the day-to-day shit. I’m so sorry I can’t be in three places at once.”

Royce clutched his hands at his sides.

One of the side effects of their place being overrun by humans was they’d been unable to shift in weeks. That made them both grumpy. As time wore on, it was becoming harder and harder to keep his animal side at bay. The arguments between him and Jared had escalated, too.

You always hurt the ones you love.

Jared was his best friend and companion.

As children, they’d been matched as brother bears by their den’s alpha—two who would one day be bound together by a third.

They weren’t usually at odds with one another, but the perfect storm of too many humans and having to hide who they really were was getting to them both.

Something needed to change.

And fast.

He didn’t know how to calm the beast within.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Royce mumbled.

Jared’s eyes began to glow golden, emotion high.

“You have no idea all I do around here,” he snapped, the raw sound of his voice letting Royce know he was close to a shift.

“Just because this place was your grandparents’ that doesn’t make it more yours than mine.

They left it to both of us, Royce. Both of us .

” Jared moved closer to the door. “I work my ass off every godsdamned day. But if you think you can do things better on your own, maybe I need to let you try. Then you’d see all I really do. ”

Royce clamped down on his bear before it raged and ruined anything more. Jared did work his ass off and Royce well knew it. “We’re both feeling raw. We haven’t shifted in weeks.” He sighed. “I know you work hard. I’m just… on edge.”

Jared’s eyes dimmed and the glow ebbed. He took a deep breath before speaking again. After glancing at the floor a few seconds, he lifted his face back up to Royce. “I’ve felt… off lately. I don’t know if it’s me feeding off you or what.”

Royce leaned back in his chair. “I feel it, too. I don’t know how to describe it.

I feel like my skin’s two sizes too small and I’m ready to lash out.

I assumed it was because we’ve been unable to shift, but I can’t stop thinking something’s about to happen.

I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but it’s coming for us. ”

“I feel it, too,” Jared whispered.

Royce offered Jared a small smile. At least they were both attune to those feelings. It spoke for something.

Jared grinned softly. “The moon’s full tonight. Maybe we can sneak in a night run.”

“Maybe,” Royce said as he closed his ledger.

The bell rung out front, alerting him they had a guest. Royce rose to his feet. “Hopefully that’s our final guest for the weekend. Let’s get them set and we can talk about that run.”

Jared’s smile widened—but he suddenly whipped his head to the side. He lifted a hand, signaling Royce to stop. He scented the air and his eyes grew larger. He sniffed again, and frowned. “Do you smell that?”

Royce inhaled and caught a whiff of something…

odd. Not unpleasant, but unfamiliar. A warm, tingling sensation raced through his entire body, making him feel both exhilarated and apprehensive all at the same moment.

The scent was musky…yet sweet. He inhaled again and felt the same rush through his body.

“What is that?” Jared asked, turning toward the door.

Royce wasn’t sure, but he sure as hell wanted to find out. He stalked out of the back office, passing Jared, and out into the small lobby. A lone man stood at the counter. When he turned to look at Royce…

Something struck Royce like a physical blow.

The air was drawn from his lungs, and he felt a fire low and deep in his gut.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. A roar bubbled up his throat and if he hadn’t the clarity of mind to tamp down on the instinct, he would’ve let loose until the walls and windows rattled.

He knew his eyes were glowing, had to be, from the look of terror on the human’s face.

The human’s handsome face. His eyes were the same color of the blue sky on a summer’s day on the mountain.

His hair was blond with glints the same shade as the golden bits shimmering in the mountain’s creek bed under the sun.

The color was matched by the stubble growing on his chin, not yet a beard.

By the warm glow of his skin, he’d spent many a day outdoors, enjoying nature.

His body was fit, too, muscled in all the right places.

Royce noticed the quickening of the man’s breath. A glimmer of fear and longing circling in his eyes.

And the sudden tenting of his pants.

Royce’s own cock had thickened as he’d laid eyes on the man.

The man looked between them before pulling his backpack higher onto his shoulder. “I think I’m in the wrong place.”

He spun and headed for the door.

Royce snapped out of his stupor and raced around the front desk, stepping between the human and the door. “I’m sorry. Our customer service is typically better than this. I’m one of the owners, Royce. How can I help you?”

The man’s gaze swung between him and Jared again.

“You’re here for a reason,” Royce whispered.

“I-I have a reservation.” The man stepped back and kept them both in his eyeline. “ Had a reservation. I was stupid for coming up here. I need to go.”

“You drove all the way out here only to turn back now?” Jared asked, stepping closer.

“Yeah, well… it was a beautiful ride. I think that’s all I needed to see. No reason to stay any longer.”

“Reservations are non-refundable. You don’t want to lose what you paid already,” Jared stated, creeping ever closer.

“I’ll take the loss.” The man looked between them again, near panting.

“Are you alright?” Royce asked.

“Your eyes… they were… glowing .” He shook his head. “I saw them glow.”

Royce chuckled, knowing they’d let the human see too much. He hated to lie, but they had to tread lightly. “Glowing? I’m sure it was… just the setting sun coming in the window behind you.”

The man looked over his shoulder at the window. “It’s cloudy.”

“The sun’s been peeking in and out all day,” Jared said, inching up to take the man’s bags. “Here, let me help you with those.”

“The sun?” the human said more to himself than them. He looked to Royce, and then to Jared, before chuckling. “Yeah. It had to be the sun.” He handed his bag to Jared after a couple of heartbeats. “My head’s not on right at the moment. I’m sure it was the sun. It had to be, right?”

“Right,” Jared answered, along with a slow, steady smile.

Royce forced himself behind the desk. He didn’t want anything between him and the human, but they’d already spooked him. He needed to act as normal as possible and quell the raging beast inside—who was still ready to roar.

He had an idea what was happening. Looking at Jared, he caught his eye. Jared’s knowing look told Royce they might be on the same page.

Opening the computer registration system, Royce glanced over the screen.

“We only have one cabin left unclaimed. Party of two.” A shot of jealousy spiked through him at the thought of the man being with someone else.

His mind went back to Jared’s comment earlier about people only coming up to fuck. No one was touching this human.

No one but them.

Royce’s bear was ready to tear whoever it was to shreds.

“That’ll be party of one. I’m came alone,” the man said as he stepped closer to the desk. “Davies is the name the reservation is under. Carson Davies.”

Royce clicked a few keys on his computer, trying to keep a satisfied smile off his lips. Alone. That sounded much better.

“You’re also signed up for a couple of nature hikes. Will you still be interested in those?” he asked, looking up to take another glance at the handsome man.

Carson shook his head. “I’m not in any shape to be around people. Maybe you have a map of the trails? I could go hike on my own.”

“It’s not safe to go hiking alone,” Jared piped up. “We’ve got a lot of bears on the mountain. I could take you on a private hike, if you’d like. No other guests, so you wouldn’t have more than me to deal with.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Carson said offhandedly. He still appeared to be a little off-center.

“ Either of us would be more than willing to give you a tour of the mountain,” Royce said, eyeing Jared for a moment.

He turned back and smiled at Carson. “But I do agree about not hiking alone,” Royce said.

“Jared’s right about the bears on this mountain.

They’ve been known to attack humans, Mr. Davies. ”

“You can call me Carson,” the man said, locking gazes with Royce.

Royce felt a wave of heat with that gaze, but then it was gone as quickly as it peeked out.

“Okay… Carson ,” Royce answered, sensing the man finally relaxing a little. After he had Carson registered, he pulled out the key for the Larchmont Cabin. “I can show you to your cabin.”

“I’ll carry his bags,” Jared offered.

Royce met Jared’s gaze before eyeing Carson.

“Follow me.”