Page 85 of Mated to the Mountain Bear

With a warning growl right in his face, I step back, for her. Zara wraps her arms around my neck before I shift, keeping one foot on Rowan’s chest, to hold him down.

He’s not even fighting anymore. He knows.

“Get him off my land. Now. Before I change my mind.”

The pack surges forward. Four wolves grab their alpha, who immediately starts thrashing.

“No,” he howls. “She’s here. My mate. Let me...”

It’s pitiful. He’s fighting for Amber like I would for Zara.

“Come on, Alpha.” The beta’s voice is thick with grief. “Let’s go home. We’ll keep searching, but she’s not here.”

I don’t doubt they will. Amber’s the only thing that can save him now.

“She needs me.” The alpha’s words dissolve into snarls as they drag him away.

I pull Zara against me, shielding her from the sight. She’s trembling, tears streaming down her face.

“When he’s... better. If he ever is, I need to know about that night. What he remembers.”

The beta pauses, looking back with hollow eyes. “I’ll try. But without his mate...”

He doesn’t finish. We all know what happens to wolves who never find their mates.

“Beau will be in touch,” I tell him. “My brother’s a PI. If Rowan knows anything that could help us find Amber, we need to know.”

The beta nods. “I’ll do what I can. You showed mercy tonight. The pack won’t forget.”

Maddox steps forward, still naked and bloody, but standing strong. “We’ll help with transport. Make sure Rowan gets home safely.”

They load him into the truck bed, several pack members pinning him down. After finding shorts from his bike, Maddox pulls out down my driveway with a salute and sad nod.

Everyone’s safe. We caught the bad guy. But it doesn’t feel like much of a victory.

As Rowan’s cries fade, Zara turns in my arms.

“You think she was definitely his mate?” She looks up at me, eyes red-rimmed. Her bottom lip trembles.

When I nod, her sadness fills the air between us. “I’m so sorry,” I say, dipping my head to nuzzle her neck.

She puts a hand over her shoulder, resting her palm against my cheek.

“It’s not fair,” she whispers. “I’m here, safe, happy, with you. And Amber...” Her voice breaks. “She should be the one with her mate. She should be the one who gets to be happy.”

The guilt in her voice cuts deep.

“Ben? Is he going to die? Without her?”

I press a kiss to her head as we move inside. I close the door, guiding her toward the back of the cabin where the sounds of the pack’s retreat fade.

“It’s what he’d want. No shifter wants to live without their mate.” I stroke her hair, swaying slightly as she holds on. “Wolves are different; their bonds are more instantaneous, but absolutely, I would. Gladly.”

There isn’t a doubt in my mind that if I were that wolf out there, and my mate was gone, I’d prefer to be put out of my misery. I already can’t see the point of going on if Zara was no longer on this earth.

She pulls back, staring at me. “You’d die? If something happened to me, you’d just... give up?”

Wide-eyed, she waits for me to tell her I’d be okay, but that’s a lie. And I won’t lie to her, not about something this important.