Page 54 of Mated to the Mountain Bear

An exaggeration. Shifters always run hot, and my fur kept warm, but being in bear form made it impossible to climb down.

More stories follow. Mason’s failed attempt at making moonshine that nearly poisoned us all gets told with dramatic flair, complete with sound effects. And his run-in with a particularly territorial turkey has Zara laughing so hard, she has to set down her fork.

“You boys sure got into some trouble,” she says, wiping at her eyes.

“Still do.” Mason grins, pushing his empty plate away. “Though now, it’s the legal kind. Mostly. Being upstanding citizens is harder than it looks.”

“Speak for yourself,” Beau says. “Some of us transitioned just fine.”

“Right, because that thing in Portland wastotallylegal.”

“We don’t talk about Portland,” Beau says firmly, amusement in his eyes.

“What happened in Portland?” Zara asks, looking between them with bright curiosity.

“Nothing,” all three of us answer in unison.

She looks at me, eyebrows raised, but I shrug.

“Lennox family secret. You’ll have to join the family to find out,” Mason says, earning himself a kick in the shin before his expression turns thoughtful. “Hey, remember when everyone used to run when they heard the Lennox name? Now we’re all respectable. Ben’s a hermit, Beau runs security… we’re practically boy scouts.”

“Hardly.” Beau snorts. “But it is weird being the good guys for once. Thanks to Bodhi.”

“Bodhi?” Zara looks confused.

The kitchen goes quiet except for the rain that’s started patting against the windows. Mason’s mouth opens then closes, like a fish gasping for air, and Beau suddenly finds his empty plate fascinating, turning it in slow circles.

“Our youngest brother put our father out of action,” Beau says carefully. “With him behind bars, it gives the rest of us a chance to move on.”

“Oh.” She looks between us, clearly sensing there’s more, but she’s too polite to push, so she fiddles with her napkin. “Well, good for him.”

“Exactly.” Mason latches onto the subject change. “And speaking of moving on, since you seem to have so much power over our Ben here, how about you talk him into coming to work with us? Or even coming off the mountain every now and again. He can be grumpy someplace else for a change.”

“I’ll make up my own mind,” I protest, uncomfortable with their scrutiny, as my bear grows more and more unhappy having these unmated males around Zara.

Zara smiles shyly. “I like it up here. I can see why he never wants to leave.”

Stunned silence follows as all three of us stare at her. That’s not the usual reaction of women to our preference for remote living. Whether it’s the influence of the bond, or just her, it loosens a knot that’s been sitting in my chest since I realised what she is to me.

Maybe there is hope.

“Let’s get back to it.” Beau stands and squeezes Zara’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard; hopefully next time we’ll come with better news.”

Zara nods.

“Stay safe,” Beau says, levelling me with a look that’s heavy with meaning, before he glances at my mate. “And be careful.”

18

ZARA

The cabin feels too quiet after Beau’s visit. Ben’s been on the porch for the last hour, sharpening tools with methodical precision. I’m pretending to read in the living room, but really, I’m watching him through the window, noting the tension in his shoulders. Which is probably a result of my rather somber mood since Beau and Mason left.

I’m disappointed, even though it’s probably unreasonable to expect him to find this guy in just a few days when the police haven’t been able to do it in almost four weeks. Still, I was hoping for answers, and the prospect of never getting any is becoming a real possibility the more time passes.

Jerry lies at his feet, occasionally lifting his head to track a bird or distant sound before settling back down.

Finally, Ben sets down the whetstone and looks toward the window, catching me watching. He comes inside, pausing in the doorway to rest one thick forearm against the frame while he takes me in. “Want to see something?”