Page 27 of Cowboy Bear’s Hope (Motley Crewd Shifters #3)

A few days later.

Because of the inclement weather, the rodeo was canceled this month, but that was to be expected.

January and February were the worst of winter in this part of New Jersey, but today was still special. We were celebrating Rosie Posie’s seventh birthday with an indoor petting zoo party for Rosie and some of her friends from her old school.

After a long, heartfelt conversation with Avery. And a pretty intense one with Sybil Harbor-Calloway. We’d decided homeschooling was the best option for now.

It wasn’t a permanent solution, but it felt like the right move after everything that had happened.

Besides, it worked out perfectly. Avery had quit her job after filing a formal complaint against that absolute asshat, Dryden.

Fucker is still breathing by a miracle.

My Bear scratched beneath my skin, restless and still pissed we hadn’t taken a more direct approach.

Like, say, squashing the bastard into the ground.

The thought was tempting, but Dryden was human, and no matter how satisfying it might’ve been, we didn’t need that kind of trouble in our lives.

Letting it go was hard, though. My Bear didn’t like loose ends.

Sybil, though, had turned out to be the kind of surprise we hadn’t seen coming.

When she first showed up at the school, we’d both thought she was with Child Services, here to rip Rosie away from us.

It had sent me into full-on fight mode, every instinct roaring to protect my family.

But Sybil wasn’t what we’d expected.

She wasn’t from Child Services at all. She worked for a special branch of the government called the Division of Paranormal Creatures & Activity, or the DPCA, for short.

More specifically, she was part of their Supernatural Child Protection Services department. And when she sat us down and explained her role, her purpose, it was a revelation for sure.

She wasn’t here to take Rosie away. Far from it.

In fact, Sybil had a lot of good things to say about the ranch and what it could offer Rosie as she grew into her abilities.

A Crew of Shifters was one of the best environments for a young one like her to learn control, to understand her animal side, and to grow into her strength.

But what she said that endeared her to me was that Avery was a fine mother. I grinned just picturing when Sybil had told my mate all that.

Sweetheart that she was, my Honey had broken down in tears.

Not the soft, sniffly kind, either.

Oh, no. She’d cried like a baby, and my heart ached and swelled at the same time.

Because she needed to hear it.

She deserved that much. So after Sybil assured her—over and over again—that she was an incredible mother. I did, too.

Because it was the damn truth. Avery had done an amazing job raising Rosie, protecting her, loving her.

As if my sweet Honey could be anything other than a perfect mom.

Silly mate.

She didn’t even realize how amazing she was.

Speaking of my beautiful Avery, a small crash sounded from the refurbished barn up ahead, followed by a burst of giggles that could only belong to Rosie.

I smiled to myself as I walked Trixie, the little Shetland pony I’d gotten for Rosie, as a surprise for her big day, toward the barn.

The pony snorted, flicking her ears, as if curious about the commotion inside.

Whatever was going on in there, it sounded like my girls were having fun.

And honestly, after everything we’d been through, they deserved every bit of joy and laughter they could get.

“Dante!”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to see Kian racing for me. Every instinct I had gone into high alert.

Something was wrong.

“What is it?” I asked without preamble.

“There are a couple of guys here for you. They stink like fur. Say they’re here to issue a challenge,” Kian explained.

He was out of breath and sweating. His eyes glittered and rolled around, angry with his Bull.

I growled deep and low in my chest. My Bear’s immediate response to this outside threat.

“They Bears? From my old Clan? Where’s Max?”

“I think so. He’s with them now. Zeke, too.”

“Dante? Penny is coming with the cake, and the guests will be here in about ninety minutes,” Avery called out and poked her pretty head out of the barn doors.

She looked so happy, dressed in tight jeans and a pink plaid shirt that matched mine. Rosie Posie had insisted everyone wear pink, including me and the guys.

No one dared object.

Hell. Jed went as far as to deck out his goats with little pink bandanas wrapped around their necks.

Dozens of pink balloons were tied in bunches around the barn, and glittery banners and streamers hung from the rafters.

Everyone had pitched in to make today special. Kian had even plowed and salted the road leading to the ranch just so Rosie’s friends could make it.

It was going to be an awesome party. I was damn well going to make sure of that.

“You got Trixie? Let’s give it to her,” Avery asked, probably wondering why I was standing there like an idiot.

My chest squeezed and a moment of fear hit me that I had to go and meet that challenge. That I might be leaving her here all alone.

Fuck.

“Don’t say a word about this to her, Kian, understand?”

“I got you,” he said, and I nodded.

“Be right there, Honey,” I said and tried to smile.

But Avery knew something was up and her brows furrowed, and her lips turned down in a frown.

“Where are they?” I asked Kian quietly.

“By the empty bull pen. Zeke is there, too,” Kian said.

“Okay, let’s show Trixie to Rosie. Then I want you to stay here and watch them for me.”

“You’d ask me to watch over your family?” the Bull asked eyebrows sky high.

“Look, you might be an ass most of the time, but you’re Crew, Kian. I trust you to keep my family safe,” I said, and I meant it.

“I will. On my honor,” he replied, and then he ruined it by hugging me.

“Get. Off.”

I shook him off and walked towards the barn with the pony, ignoring him the best I could.

“Too late now, Yogi. I know how you really feel. It’s all about the love, bro!”

I growled with my Bear, making him jump. But when he wasn’t looking, I grinned.

Idiot.

But yeah, I did trust him to keep my girls safe while I went to take out the trash.

No one threatened what was mine. And these fuckers thought they could come to try to take me away from my family today of all days?

Hell no.

That was so not going to happen.