Page 12

Chapter Twelve

Owen

M y temples ache as I rest my head in my palms. This entire week has been one thing after another to the point my nerves are fried. My bear is always a pain in the ass, but he’s been a petulant dick to the point I’m plotting ways to have him plucked out of my skull. Too bad it’s an impossibility.

The magic that gave me eternal life did so at a cost. I may hide as a simple bear shifter, but my history is much more complicated than that.

A little over thirteen hundred years ago, I was simply a man.

A Viking warrior like all my people. Up until the witches found a way to meld us into even more formidable weapons.

Though it wasn’t always the case, there’s almost no connection between myself and my beast now.

I’m fully to blame for the disconnect. I’ve kept him locked away for so long that we essentially hate one another, but he’s not a normal bear.

Berserkers were hunted nearly out of existence when our creators realized they couldn’t control their creation.

For many hundreds of years, it was unsafe for me to shift.

When someone sees my bear, they can instantly tell he’s not a normal beast. Enough centuries have passed that we’re no longer actively hunted, but the trust between my animal and human sides long ago disintegrated.

If I were to let him out now, there’s no guarantee he would ever return the reins, and he would immediately go after his mate. Which would, without a doubt, destroy an over twenty-year-long friendship.

The supernatural world is a clusterfuck. You end up with monsters with extended lifespans who all look give or take thirty, but I’ve got a whole lot more life experience than Rogue.

Every time I see her, my bear tries to take control, which leaves my nerves shot and my willpower paper-thin.

It’s complicated.

We share one body.

Our thoughts and feelings often line up, but occasionally, we have differences of opinion on how to make our goals a reality.

I’m pretty sure we need to give that fae about another hundred years to grow and experience life. Maybe then it’ll be socially acceptable to court a friend’s daughter.

I swipe a hand over my face.

Yeah, I don’t think that will ever be okay with Atlas. That half-giant, half-orc would probably try to rip my spine out.

The fact my office door flies open, and Rogue’s scent floods my nose, speaks to how much the universe hates me.

My bear immediately starts in. He sends his favorite memories of her shocked faces and others where she was annoyed at me.

He loves her.

To him, everything she does is perfect.

I’m the villain who keeps them apart.

“Rogue, what can I help you with this fine morning?” My words come out a low rumble.

She pushes the door closed behind her and strides over, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from my desk. “Have you heard from Ember?”

I sigh, stretching back in my chair in an attempt to get away from her potent sweet scent. “I have not.”

Rogue frowns and several long beats pass before she nods like she’s just decided something. “I doubt she’s going to be back to work. Probably ever. Some shit went down last night…” Her lips blow together, and she shrugs. “Ember is now the prime alpha of the North American Pack.”

My hands dig into the arms of my chair as I lean back even farther.

Damn.

That sucks for me, because she’s a talented team leader, but good for her.

She’s going to have a hell of a fight on her hands, proving she can keep control of such a large pack, but she’s mated to a dragon. If shit hits the fan, Veryn will be there to back her up. He can put a few stubborn wolves in their place, and the others should fall in line relatively quickly.

My eyes meet Rogue’s gray orbs, and I pause those thoughts as I take her in.

She looks… exhausted.

Perhaps she had a long night at Ember’s side, but there are bags under her eyes, and even her skin looks a little sallow.

“Does that mean you and Gemma will be taking some time off as well?” I ask, trying to determine what this is about.

It dawns on me a half second too late that Rogue mentioned she saw in a vision that Ethan Sanders has some tie to the North American Pack.

The council believes he has knowledge of how to find The Doctor, and now I can’t help but wonder if I walked Ember straight into a disaster of her own.

If they were following the Sanders lead, I assume they visited pack lands.

I just have no fucking clue how that ended with Ember taking the prime alpha role…

Rogue scoffs. “Why is Delta playing games? She called Gemma and me in last night on a supposed takedown for the Market Heist Crew, but her information was bogus.”

My brow furrows as I study her beautiful face. She seems angry, which could be due to me attempting to remove her from the Plague Doctor case. Still, that doesn’t explain why she’s so frustrated about Delta.

“Everyone gets bad information from time to time,” I say slowly. “It happens?—”

The scoffing sound that leaves my mate’s lips tells me that it was the wrong thing to say.

My bear paces my mind, berating me for upsetting her.

“You always defend her,” she mutters, shaking her head. “I don’t know why I’m even here.”

Delta has worked for me for close to fifteen years. She’s an employee—nothing more. Very few contract workers stick around for as long as she has, but she’s still disposable muscle.

If Rogue truly despises her as much as it now seems, then it might be time to cut all ties with the witch. I’m sure one of my competitors will be happy to scoop up Delta and her team…

Maybe I could make a few calls and get the ball rolling on that.

It might make Rogue happy, and even the chance of that is enough for me to take the risk. It’ll be complicated losing Ember and Delta all at one time. Training new teams is always a pain in the ass, but I’ll make it work.

“I’m not defending anyone,” I say to clarify. “False leads happen, but if you don’t tell me what’s going on, then I’m just sitting here in the dark.”

“You have a file on my team, right?” She gives me an expectant look. “I’m guessing you have those on all of us. Can I see Delta’s?”

My metaphorical hackles rise.

“Yes.” I would really love to know what the fuck is going on. “If you tell me why you want to see it.”

Shoving my chair back, I stand and take the few steps to the filing cabinet where I keep the employee files.

Delta is the team lead, much like Ember has always taken point for their unit.

I grab the file, head back to my desk, and drop it in front of Rogue before flipping it open.

“Can you tell me what you’re looking for?

” I ask, trying to keep my tone gentle. Normally there’s a fire in her eyes that I like to match, but something about her energy today tells me now isn’t the time to push.

“You’ve met them all. There are four on her core team, outside of Delta.

Everyone else she works with is paid directly through her, not my office. ”

Rogue flips through the papers, studying the pictures clipped to the top of the employee information sheets. She shakes her head and falls against the back of the chair. “That’s not them.”

Sliding around my desk, I come to a stop at her side and squat down. “Not who?”

She looks away and bites her lower lip.

Oh yeah, she’s keeping something from me.

Like you’ve given her any reason to trust you , my bear growls in my head.

He doesn’t understand the tightrope I’m walking where Rogue is concerned.

To him, there’s no good reason for us to keep our distance, and on one hand, I agree. She’s an adult now, but the age difference is still staggering.

Who the fuck knows how the universe decided she would be my other half, but it did. And I’m not displeased with its choice.

We just need to give her a few more years to grow into her own. Then maybe I won’t feel like a creepy old man for being so enamored by her.

My bear is more animalistic in nature. If it was up to him, he would have declared her his mate the day after she turned eighteen. He sees no point in waiting, and no amount of reasoning will reach him.

Rogue keeps her gaze averted, saying nothing.

It fucking kills me.

It feels like she should trust me implicitly, but she’s not a shifter. She’s never given any indication that she feels any connection to me. If she had, my bear would have jumped at the chance to declare our intent to court her in the old ways.

“Come on, little one. You’ve got to tell me something…” I tilt her chin until she’s forced to look at me once more.

If she doesn’t tell me something, my bear is going to freak the fuck out worse than he already is.

When the berserker takes over…carnage ensues.

And I enjoy living in Haven.

If he massacres his way through Delta’s team, I would have to move, and chances are, Rogue wouldn’t be keen on coming with me.

My alarm rises as my fingers heat, simply from touching her skin.

Fae don’t suffer from illnesses like humans do.

“I saw a vision of Delta with three men.” Rogue swallows thickly.

“They seemed friendly. I mean, they definitely knew each other. I saw those same three men when I was searching for The Doctor. They followed me. I knew they weren’t part of her core team, but I guess I hoped I didn’t know all of the members…

Do you have names or information on the others she brings in when she needs extra help on a case? ”

I hear her words, but my nostrils flare, picking up her pheromones. I freeze, locking my muscles tight in preparation for the fight that’s coming.

My bear roars in my mind, instantly understanding what’s happening.

She’s in the early stages of going into heat .

Gods.

Fae experience something similar called the quickening, but my beast recognizes it for what it truly is—the most optimal time to breed her.

My bear slams his will into my mind, and my skin ripples as he tries to force me to hand over control. He’s been biding his time and saving up his energy for the moment he would give me a true fight.

I bring a hand to cover my mouth as my canines elongate.

“Go!” I growl. My eyes light orange, signaling the beginning of the change to berserker form. “You have to go.” Jabbing my free hand at the door, I sling myself backward, landing on my ass as my hand transforms into the bear’s claws. “Get as far away from me as you can.”

“Owen, are you okay?” she asks with wide eyes.

“Run,” I choke out. “And keep your distance until the quickening passes.”

Fur sprouts on my arms, and my bear tries to slam me out of the driver’s seat once again.

The edges of my vision go hazy as we mentally battle for control.

He wants to lock me away so I can’t interfere, and he intends to claim our mate immediately.

He’ll court her and ask forgiveness once she won’t be able to escape.

“How did you know?” A frown mars her pretty face, but she doesn’t move toward the door.

“ Mate! ” It comes out sounding more animal than man, and Rogue finally pushes herself to her feet.

“What did you just say?”

“You have to get out,” I hiss, pointing at the door once more. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hold him off.”

There are woods surrounding the back line of the property, but if someone sees me, I’m done for. At least, if they’re old enough to recognize a berserker.

The council will call for my extermination, no matter if I’ve been a trusted ally over the years.

Rogue stumbles toward the door, but the entire energy in the room changes, and Gemma siphons in. She takes one look at me, grimaces, and wraps her sister up in her arms.

They disappear in a blink, and my bear snarls his displeasure.

She might be safe from him for the moment, but now that he’s scented her upcoming heat…

He won’t be stopped until he claims his mate.