Page 52 of Mated to the Mountain Bear (Bear Protector #1)

ZARA

T he laptop screen glows in the dim apartment. I’ve been hunched over the coffee table for hours, working through Amber’s contracts. Empty coffee mugs crowd the surface, and my back protests when I shift positions. Jerry’s sprawled across my feet, occasionally sighing, like he’s as bored as I am.

I hate it here. Amber’s everywhere and nowhere, all at once.

A knock breaks the monotony of my work and the bouts of sadness that hit whenever a memory of her, no matter how inconsequential, fills my mind.

Jerry lifts his head, ears forward, then trots to the door with his tail doing that uncertain wag he does with strangers.

“Who is it?” I call, not ready to deal with anyone.

“Natalie Lennox. Ben’s sister.”

I freeze. Ben’s sister? Here? I glance down at myself, wearing his borrowed flannel that I definitely didn’t mean to pack, and hair probably a disaster while I’m surrounded by the chaos of paperwork and dishes I haven’t dealt with.

“Just a minute.” I shove the worst of the mess aside and finger-comb my hair before opening the door.

She has the same dark hair as her brothers, falling in waves past her shoulders.

The family resemblance is strong. Same bone structure, same direct gaze, though her features are softer.

She’s wearing jeans and a leather jacket, looking effortlessly put-together in a way that makes me even more aware of my disheveled state.

“Hi.” Her smile is warm, but those Lennox eyes are definitely assessing. “Sorry to just show up, but Beau mentioned you were dealing with everything alone, and I thought... well, coffee?”

I glance back at my laptop, at the half-finished emails. But the walls feel too close, and I haven’t left the apartment in two days.

“Sure. Let me just grab my shoes. There’s a place around the corner.”

Ten minutes later, we’re settled in a corner booth at a coffee shop that smells like cinnamon and fresh bread. It’s one of those deliberately cosy places with mismatched chairs and local art on exposed brick walls.

Jerry’s under the table, his head on my foot, watching other customers with mild interest.

The barista greets Natalie by name, already starting her usual. I order a latte and wrap my hands around the warm ceramic when it arrives, grateful for something to hold.

“I’m surprised Ben’s not glued to your side,” Natalie says, stirring sugar into her cup. The spoon clinks against ceramic in the brief silence. “When Beau told me he’d found his mate, I expected to find you two joined at the hip.”

I stare into my latte’s foam pattern, watching it slowly dissolve. “He’s... he went back to the mountain for a few days. The city was too much for him.”

“Ah.” She nods, taking a sip. “Bears and cities don’t mix well. I can only handle it for a couple of days at a time. Though I’m surprised he left you here alone.”

He sent her to check on me and to make sure I’m okay. He just can’t help himself.

“I asked him to go.” My voice is wobblier than I expected, my emotions suddenly getting the better of me.

A couple at the next table glances over, and I lower my voice.

“He was miserable. Pacing the apartment at all hours, standing at the windows like he was trapped. I couldn’t stand watching him suffer just to be near me.”

Natalie gives me a kind smile. “He knows that. They’re difficult to deal with when they’re in that alpha overprotective mode, and then combined with being here…”

My phone buzzes against the wooden table, making my empty mug rattle. I glance at the screen, and my breath catches.

Ben: Miss you. See you Friday.

My fingers hover over the keyboard. Three little dots appear and disappear as I type and delete responses.

Finally, I manage: Miss you too.

It seems so feeble. An inadequate response for what I’m feeling. Torn. Gutted. Like a part of me is missing. But I don’t want him to feel guilty for going.

“Oh, honey.” Natalie reaches across the table, her hand warm over mine. Her rings catch the afternoon light streaming through the window. “How long have you been apart?”

“Two days.” My voice cracks, and I have to clear my throat. “We’re supposed to meet on Friday to fly to Vancouver.”

“Friday, yikes.” She winces, genuine sympathy creasing her features. “That must be torture. All mates struggle with separation. I remember when Chase and I first got together, before we were...”

Her words trail off as her gaze drops to my neck. I watch her expression change, a slight widening of her eyes, lips parting in surprise. The coffee shop’s background chatter seems to fade as she stares.

“You’re not marked.”

My hand flies to my neck self-consciously, fingers finding only bare skin where she clearly expected to see something else.

“Marked?” I feel embarrassed. Apparently, I should know what that means. “No, we haven’t... he hasn’t...”

I guess there’s still so much I need to learn about what he is.

“Oh.” She leans back in the booth, the leather creaking. Her coffee cup lands on the saucer with a soft clink. The surprise on her face is unmistakable. “That’s... how are you both managing?”

She drums her fingers on the table, a nervous gesture that reminds me of Beau.

“Chase put a tracker on my car before he marked me.” A rueful laugh escapes her. “Couldn’t handle not knowing where I was every second.”

The casual way she mentions it, like it’s normal behaviour, makes something twist in my stomach.

Jerry shifts under the table, sensing my tension.

“A tracker,” I repeat slowly.

“Mmm.” She takes another sip of coffee, but her eyes stay on me over the rim. “The bond without the mark... it’s intense. Makes them a little crazy.”

“Because…?” I think about Ben alone in his cabin, about the desperation I heard in his voice when he didn’t want to leave. About how I pushed him away anyway, thinking I was doing the right thing.

“Because the mark cements his claim on you. Tells his bear that you’re his completely, and forever. You can feel each other’s emotions. Know what they’re thinking. It makes a bear feel… secure. Complete.”

The coffee shop suddenly feels too warm, too crowded.

“Without it, you’ll both feel… off. Like there’s something missing. It can even hurt.”

Someone drops a plate in the kitchen, the crash making me jump. Jerry whines softly.

“I should go,” I say, already gathering my things. My hands shake slightly as I pull out my wallet. “Thank you for the coffee.”

Natalie’s knowing smile follows me as I stand. “Of course. Take care of yourself, Zara.” I’m almost out the door when she calls after me. “You know, Chase could send someone else to collect Amber’s things… if you wanted…”

The walk back to the apartment is a blur. Jerry stays close to my leg, picking up on my agitation. The city sounds of sirens, car horns, and people shouting, all grate against my nerves. Everything feels wrong.

By the time I reach the apartment, my mind is made up. Jerry watches as I grab my keys from the hook by the door, his tail wagging.

“Ready for a drive, boy?”