Page 51 of Mated to the Mountain Bear (Bear Protector #1)

BEN

T he sharp rock at my back digs into my skin through the thin padding of my jacket. I could move, but strangely, I’m enjoying the pain. It’s better than the chilling numbness I’ve felt since I left her in that apartment.

Wind cuts through the trees above us, sending leaves rustling. I tug my padded jacket tighter around me and scowl at the grey sky visible through the canopy. The cold’s seeping through my jeans where they press against the damp earth, and my fingers are going numb around these binoculars.

“Stop moving,” Maddox mutters from his position beside me, his own pair trained on the estate below. “You’re making noise.” He’s been in the same position for two hours, completely still, like the predator he is. I don’t know how he does it.

The boulder we’re using for cover is massive granite streaked with white and positioned perfectly on this hillside. It gives us a clear view of the mansion’s gates while keeping us hidden.

We’re maybe an hour outside the city, close enough to civilisation, that I can hear the distant hum of traffic when the wind shifts. The whole setup below screams money. From the manicured lawns to a fountain that probably costs more than my cabin, with security cameras on every corner.

“Remind me why I agreed to this?” I complain, shifting again just to annoy him. Coming along was supposed to be a distraction, not another form of torture.

“Because you were destroying your cabin and scaring the shit out of your brothers.” He adjusts his position against the boulder, the movement so slight, I barely catch it.

His breath mists in the cold air as he speaks.

“Besides, this one’s easy. Wife of that action star, Rick Dalton. He thinks she’s cheating.”

I pick up the spare binoculars. The metal’s cold against my face as I focus on the mansion’s driveway. The lens brings everything into sharp focus: the ornate iron gates, the perfectly paved drive. It’s the kind of excess that makes my stomach turn.

“And we care about some actor’s marriage because...?”

“Because he’s paying us a fortune to document everything before his lawyers move in.

” Maddox’s voice is matter of fact, the same tone he uses when discussing the weather.

He pulls out a notebook, pages already filled with neat timestamps and observations.

“He needs proof of infidelity, or he loses half of everything in the divorce.”

My bear growls at the cynicism of it all, the sound vibrating through my chest before I can stop it. The idea of reducing a marriage to surveillance photos and financial calculations makes me sick.

“So we’re what, helping him screw over his wife?”

I hate people. This is why I live alone on a mountain.

“We’re documenting facts. What he does with them is his business.” Maddox doesn’t look away from his surveillance, professional to the core.

Movement at the gates catches my attention.

A silver Mercedes pulls up, pristine and gleaming, even under an overcast sky.

The woman behind the wheel is beautiful in a polished way.

Blonde hair that probably costs more to maintain than most people’s rent, designer sunglasses despite the dull skies.

She punches in a code with manicured nails, each movement precise and practiced.

“That’s her,” Maddox says, making notes in his cramped handwriting. The pen scratches against the paper, the only sound besides the wind. “Third time this week she’s left at exactly 2 PM.”

As I watch her drive away, something twists in my gut. The slump of her shoulders once she thought she was out of sight. It all speaks of exhaustion, not excitement.

“Maybe she’s just going to yoga or something.”

“Maybe.” Maddox’s tone suggests otherwise. He flips through his notes, showing me previous entries. “But the GPS on her car has put her at the same hotel three times.”

“Christ.” I lower the binoculars, the world snapping back to a normal distance. The taste of bile rises in my throat. “And this is what people do? Spy on each other instead of just talking?”

Maddox shrugs, the movement rustling his tactical jacket. “Welcome to the real world, brother. Not everyone gets a fated mate who’ll never betray them.”

His words hit like a punch to the solar plexus. My hands clench around the binoculars hard enough that the plastic creaks.

Zara would never betray me. Even now, I know she’s probably tormenting herself with guilt over sending me away. The image of her face when I left, tears threatening as she tried to do what was best for me, still burns behind my eyelids.

“They’ve been married eight years,” Maddox continues, oblivious to my turmoil.

He pulls out a tablet, showing me photos from their file.

Happy red carpet smiles that don’t reach their eyes.

“No kids, thank God. He’s got a prenup, but it’s weak.

The infidelity clause is his only shot at keeping his money. ”

I growl, looking at the landscaped gardens and flashy cars. He already seems to have more than he knows what to do with.

“Maybe he should have been a better husband.” I growl, my bear pushing closer to the surface.

Maddox snorts, a harsh sound in the quiet forest. “Did you see any of his movies? I doubt he loves anyone but himself. But if she’s stepped out, she’s not innocent, either.”

I think about Zara curled against me on the couch, the fire crackling while we read together. Such a simple moment but worth more than all this actor’s millions.

“This is bullshit,” I mutter, tossing the binoculars aside. They land in the pine needles with a soft thud.

“This is the job sometimes. One case might be helping someone like Zara while another is something like this. We don’t get to cherry-pick.” Maddox checks his watch, a military-grade thing that probably tells time on Mars. “She’ll be gone for exactly three hours. Same as always.”

Three hours.

“So what do we do now?”

Maddox claps me on the shoulder as he moves past, half crouched, making his way down the far side of the hill at pace. “Now, we follow her.”

The only woman I should be following is my mate. I wonder what she’s doing right now. Probably on the phone or stuck at her laptop. I should be there helping her, making sure she eats. If I were a better mate, I’d have handled the city.

My bear disagrees. He thinks we should be dragging her back to the mountain where she belongs.

“You know what pisses me off most?” I ask as we run parallel to the driveway, heading for the sedan we left parked down the road. A gardener moves across the lawn with mechanical precision, trimming hedges that are already perfect.

“What’s that?” Maddox’s tone is flat. He doesn’t care. He’s just here to do a job.

“They have everything. Money, looks, a life together. But people always want more without realizing what they have.” My voice rises, and I have to force it back down. Sound carries in these hills.

Maddox turns to look at me, really look at me. “Not everyone’s like you and Zara. Humans don’t have that certainty. You can’t blame them for getting it wrong sometimes when even you guys can’t seem to get it together.”

Ouch. That’s a low blow.

“This down there? This is done. They just need the paperwork to make it official. You guys are just… wasting time.”

Hope is dangerous for someone in my position, but it flickers anyway. A stubborn flame I can’t quite extinguish.

“She asked me to leave,” I say quietly, my voice nearly lost in the wind. “Saw how miserable I was and gave me an out.”

“Yeah,” Maddox agrees, his voice unusually gentle. “Because she loves you.”

There’s a hint of envy in his voice. Even knowing the torture I’m going through, all bears want to find their mate.

“She’s not marked.”

“Then you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought.” He pulls the keys from his pocket and unlocks the doors and climbs behind the wheel in one smooth movement. “No wonder your bear is frantic.”

We sit in silence as Maddox follows the Mercedes through afternoon traffic at a distance. When she stops for coffee, and we have to sit and wait, I almost lose my mind.

“I hate this,” I finally say, the admission carrying all the weight of the last two days.

“The job or the situation?” Maddox never takes his eyes off the road.

“Both.”

Maddox nods, understanding in his eyes. “Fair enough. Maybe it’s not for you, but it beats sitting in your cabin going stir crazy, doesn’t it?”

I’m not so sure. At least there, I could properly wallow in memories of her. Here, all I can think about is how I should be with her.

My bear shows me images of her curled up sleeping, using me as a pillow. Her face when she came apart beneath me. The way she tried to be strong when she sent me away.

The first drops of rain fall, hitting the windshield in fat splats. Maddox turns on the wipers as we watch the Mercedes pull into a hotel parking lot. The blonde woman throws her keys to the valet with a practiced smile.

Maddox pulls over and turns off the engine, pushing his seat back. He reaches into the back for a bag of snacks, handing me a thick sandwich. More meat than bread, just how I like it.

I grunt my thanks and unwrap it, breathing in the scent of roast beef and mustard. Okay, maybe this is better than destroying my cabin.

My phone buzzes. Beau’s name flashes on the screen.

“How’s it going?” he asks carefully.

“Thrilling. We’ve documented two delivery trucks and a gardener.”

“Better than destroying property.” A pause. “Hang in there. Two more days.”

The rain drums harder on the roof, and I watch this stranger's life unravel in slow motion.

I pull out my phone and text Zara: "Miss you. See you Friday."

Three dots appear immediately. She's typing. Then they disappear. Then appear again.

Finally: "Miss you too."