Page 29 of Hunny and the Bear (Bearly Yours #1)

Twenty Nine

“ I still can’t believe you were watching those videos this morning,” Hunny commented, scrunching her nose in distaste as Tank led her into the foyer of Murphy’s home. His brother had contacted him earlier, asking to meet at his place to go over some things that had been overlooked yesterday.

Not wanting Hunny out of his sight for any genuine length of time, Tank had woken her with a firm tongue buried between her sweet thighs, giving her a few orgasms before making her breakfast while she got up and ready for the day.

Tank grunted in response as he closed the door behind them.

“What?” Hunny asked, a slight laugh in her voice as she looked around the large room, her brows rising in surprise before she turned to look at him. “You can’t tell me watching a vagina entrance expand to accommodate a baby’s head isn’t horrifying.”

“It’s not horrifying at all,” he reasoned with a shrug. “A baby has to come out somehow.” Plus, the more he knew about the birthing process now, the more prepared he’d be later. And considering he planned to be up close and personal as Hunny delivered their kits, he didn’t want to be taken by surprise by anything .

“Well, let’s hope ‘somehow’ is as painless as possible when the time comes.” She grimaced, clutching her belly protectively. Turning back to the main room once more, she let out a low whistle. “Murphy’s place is massive.” The awe in her voice was unmistakable.

Tank crossed his arms over his chest as he studied the room critically. Even though it was a log cabin like Tank’s, there was nothing modest about it. Giant floor-to-ceiling windows covered one wall almost entirely. The oak ceiling itself was vaulted, with a massive chandelier in the center dangling impressively above the living room. Expensive leather furniture filled the space in front of them, completing the sophisticated look.

For a split second, he regretted taking Hunny with him on this little trip. Why didn’t he just have Murphy meet them at the bear den? At least the main house, where the clan gathered together, wasn’t ostentatious like this. What if Hunny decided she wanted to move? He was already building onto their home, but he hated the thought of her finding it lacking, especially compared to the amount of money his brother had funneled into his own luxurious space.

“It’s fine, I guess,” Tank muttered under his breath, earning a snort from his mate. She shook her head at him in dismay before walking over to a leather couch and plopping down onto it.

She shimmied her hips over the cushion before sending him a sweet smile. “I prefer ours. Much comfier.”

Tank dropped his arms to his sides in surprise. “Really?”

“Oh, yeah. This seems super stiff, like no one actually sits on it or anything. Not to mention the view dead ahead.” She pointed toward the windows with exasperation. “What’s the point of all these windows if it doesn’t even face a clearing? I know we’re in the woods, but the view is literally just tree branches. And no TV?” Hunny made a displeased face. “Who doesn’t have a TV nowadays?”

“I fucking love you,” Tank admitted, warmth filling his chest as she let out a small laugh.

Tucking her lavender hair behind her ears, Hunny sent him a heated look, a glimmer of laughter in her eyes that he never grew tired of seeing. “I love you, too, but I’m dead serious. This couch feels terrible.”

“Well, it cost me ten grand,” Murphy explained irritably, stepping out of his office and into the hallway connected to the living room. “It’s meant to look good, not to be sat on.”

“Mission accomplished then.” Hunny popped up, sending Murphy a finger wave as both males walked over to her.

“Let’s go into my office. The chairs are more comfortable there,” Murphy commented dryly. “Cost me about a hundred dollars each, so I’m sure they’ll be right up your alley.”

Tank growled at the insult, but Hunny just rolled her eyes, trailing after the Alpha. When they were all seated inside the spacious room with the door shut, Murphy let out an aggravated sigh.

“Well, that doesn’t sound good.” Hunny leaned forward in her chair, propping her elbows on the top of Murphy’s desk. “Is it Jason? Did he get ahold of you?”

“Yes.” Murphy ran a hand down his face. “He hasn’t outright accused us of killing her, but he’s demanding his mate’s body be delivered to him as soon as possible.”

Tank’s brows furrowed. “Convenient that he wants us away from our own territory.” Tank didn’t like the idea of that one bit. The last time he’d left bear land, someone had thrown a fucking head at his front door.

“That’s what I thought too. Until we figure out who’s responsible, I don’t want any of us leaving bear territory for any length of time.”

“So what do we do then?” Hunny asked. “We can’t just leave Natasha’s body here. As much as I hated her, that’s not fair to her family.”

“I’m not interested in getting caught by the human authorities hauling a dead body around, either,” Murphy replied. “The only genuine option is to have him come here and get her.”

“Absolutely not,” Tank bit out through clenched teeth.

“You are not in charge.” Murphy’s jaw clenched, equally irate. “We’ll ensure Hunny is protected, and that only Jason and his Beta come into our territory. But it needs to be done, and it will be.”

Hunny slid her hand over Tank’s forearm and squeezed it gently as she looked at Murphy. “When will he arrive?”

“Nine a.m. tomorrow morning. He’ll bring his Beta and one other pack member, though he hasn’t specified who yet. We’re meeting them at the border of our territory and escorting them to the bear den. Mom’s got Natasha’s body at the morgue.”

“There’s a morgue on your territory?!” Hunny exclaimed.

Murphy nodded. “The clinic attached to the den has a room in the back. It’s small, but it’s equipped to handle a few dead bodies, if necessary.”

Hunny let out a small breath. “Okay, Henry and I will stay back at our cabin until he’s gone. Right?” she asked Tank, narrowing her eyes on him.

Tank grumbled his acknowledgement. There wasn’t a chance in hell he’d leave his mate alone, even though he wanted nothing more than to keep tabs on Jason the entire time he was here. He’d just have to trust his brother would keep the wolf fucker in line.

Murphy leaned back in his seat, the supple leather groaning slightly with his movement. He looked away from them both, staring at a small crack on his desk for what felt like an eternity, his brows pinched, and his shoulders hunched.

“What else do you need to say?” Tank asked abruptly, breaking the silence and cocking his head to the side as Murphy’s gaze shot up to meet his. “Just spit it out.”

“The human is my mate,” Murphy announced harshly, glaring back down at the crack in his desk as if it had somehow wronged him.

Tank blinked in surprise. “What?”

“The human? Wait— Nessa ?!” Hunny exclaimed, standing up abruptly. Just as quickly, she collapsed back into her seat, gaping at the Alpha. “That’s who you mean, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Murphy pinched the bridge of his nose before turning his attention to Tank’s mate. “I don’t like her.”

“You don’t like her?” Hunny scoffed in disbelief. She crossed her arms, pinning the Alpha with a look that brooked no argument. “That’s absurd. Nessa’s awesome.”

“A bit of a yapper,” Tank cut in, hoping to divert some of Hunny’s attention for the time being. Now that the truth was sinking in, Tank felt like a fool for not realizing it sooner. Murphy, while he hated humans, never acted out of character around them.

But with Nessa? He’d been a grumpy, insufferable dickhead. Now it made sense why. His inner bear had likely been clawing at him, demanding he claim the female right then and there, completely oblivious to all the reasons that match was unacceptable.

First, Nessa was human, so the odds of her knowing anything about the supernatural community were slim to none. Second, even if she did know about shifters, Murphy despised her kind. It was no wonder he’d sought every opportunity to argue with Nessa back at her teahouse. He’d likely been conflicted about what to do. Humans as true mates weren’t unheard of, but they were rare.

“You love yappers,” Hunny said indignantly, sending a haughty look in Tank’s direction.

Tank’s expression softened. “I love when you yap. There’s a difference.”

“Look,” Murphy cut in, his frustration evident in his voice. “I thought it was important to tell you both since you know the human—”

“Nessa,” Hunny corrected with a scowl.

“Right.” Murphy ran a hand down his face. “Regardless of her name, or who she is to me, I’m not going to claim her.”

This time, Tank was the one to gape at his brother in disbelief. “Are you serious, Murph?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t work. Nor do I want it to. I have no care for humans, and the thought of mating one …” He shook his head in disgust. “No. Absolutely not.”

Hunny leaned back in her seat, staring at Murphy like he was a foul-smelling stranger. “It’s not her fault she’s human, Murphy. And what happened to you a long time ago … it’s definitely not her fault, either.”

Murphy’s shot Tank a furious look. “You told her about that?”

Tank shrugged. “Hunny’s my mate. Of course, I told her.”

Seething, Murphy pushed to his feet, wandering over to an extravagant bookshelf littered with rare books written by the same humans he despised so much. But once upon a time, Murphy loved humans. He’d found them fascinating. Marvelous in just how different they were from all things supernatural. Reaching out, his brother ran his fingers gently over one book spine.

“Mating is supposed to be a joyous occasion. Whether it’s fated or chosen,” Murphy murmured, pulling the book from the shelf and opening it to a random page. His eyes roamed over the pristine, if old, paper. “As an Alpha, I’ve always known that when I found my mate, I’d likely have to work hard to ensure she was the perfect match for me. I need someone strong to stand by my side, someone reliable. Trustworthy.”

“Nessa is a good person,” Hunny argued, moving from her chair to stand by his side. She reached for the book in his hand, and surprisingly, the Alpha let her pluck it from his grasp. She closed it with a loud thunk, and Murphy clenched his jaw as she added, “You don’t even know her. She could literally be perfect for you. Fate seems to think so, but you aren’t even willing to give her a chance.”

“Your mate didn’t give you a chance, and now look at you. Happily mated to my brother. Things seem to have worked out for you.”

Hunny blinked at him in shock before waving the book around in exasperation. “So you want Nessa to find someone else? I figured you’d be possessive of your mate. Not disinterested.”

“He was possessive back at the teahouse,” Tank supplied helpfully from his seat, ignoring Murphy’s snarl. “He was furious when she told him one of the wolves asked her out.”

“Because she’s under my protection—as is the town. I would have felt the same way toward any human in her position,” Murphy argued through gritted teeth.

“Oh, that’s such bullcrap.” Hunny snorted. “Just ask her out on a date, or go back to her shop and feign an interest in tea. Get to know her before you cast her aside, at least.”

“I already know enough about her to know she isn’t for me,” Murphy exclaimed roughly, all but yanking the book out of Hunny’s hand. Reverently, he placed it back on the shelf, ignoring the warning growl Tank sent his way.

“What does that mean?” Tank stood, pulling Hunny to his side. “You run a background check on her?”

“Yeah,” Murphy all but snarled under his breath. “That was all I needed.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Hunny reiterated. “Was her credit score too low for you or something?”

“I couldn’t find anything,” Murphy exploded with exasperation. Running a hand through his hair, he took a few deep breaths to calm down. “Her identity is a sham. Nessa probably isn’t even her real name.”

Hunny shook her head slightly. “Yeah, I wondered about that. She mentioned that settling down in Montana was the safest option. It made me wonder if she was running from someone. Not that you give a shit, apparently,” she muttered under her breath.

Tank smirked despite the tense situation. Given to him by fate or not, Hunny was fucking perfect.

Murphy narrowed his eyes on Hunny, a hard edge flashing in his eyes as they turned gold for the briefest second. “Did she tell you specifically that’s why she came to Montana?”

“Well, she said—” Hunny threw her hands up in the air. “Actually, you know what? If you’re interested in why she’s here, how about you do something crazy and ask her about it?”

“You know I’m your permanent Alpha now, right? Since you’ve mated my brother, you’re bound to the same rules and laws that govern this clan as he is.” Murphy raised a brow, his voice laced heavily with irritation. “I can command you to tell me everything you know about her.”

Hunny laughed a little too loudly at that, the sound carrying a hint of mania that made even Tank feel wary. This conversation with his brother had gotten out of hand, and although his mate was a submissive shifter, he wouldn’t want his worst enemy going against her verbally, let alone Murphy. “Oh, really? Go ahead then, Alpha Murphy. Command me.”

Stiffening his shoulders, Murphy demanded, “You’ll tell me what you know about Nessa.”

Hunny narrowed her eyes as she opened her mouth. “Suck my dic—”

Tank popped his hand over Hunny’s mouth before she finished her sentence. “How about we all just calm down?”

“You’re both dismissed,” Murphy commanded, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. “And you’ll keep what I’ve told you to yourselves. Am I understood?”

Hunny’s voice was muffled by Tank’s palm, but Murphy didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, he left the room immediately, his footsteps echoing down the hall and into one of the bedrooms near the back of the house, the door slamming behind him.