Rune leaned forwards and peered around him. “You okay, Winnie?”
She emerged from behind Maverick, her free hand firmly gripping his biceps as she pressed closer to his bare back. “I’m fine. A little shaken, but I’m good. I thought we were dead there for a moment.”
Rune cracked a rare grin at Maverick. “Good thinking blowing up that helicopter. One hell of a distress signal you sent up. We wouldn’t have found you without it.”
Maverick glanced over his shoulder at Bronwyn. “It wasn’t me.”
She smiled at Rune when the bear scowled at her.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he barked, the switch in his mood drawing a wider smile from her, one that was filled with affection.
It was typical of Rune to react differently to the fact Bronwyn had been involved in the fighting. Maverick had the feeling that Rune was going to act like her father for the rest of his days. He pulled a face at that, hoping it didn’t mean that Rune was going to try to stop him from claiming her as his mate.
Rune’s expression softened again. “I’m glad you’re both safe. Let’s get you out of here and close this place down for good.”
Maverick released Bronwyn’s hand and looked at her, right into her eyes, holding her gaze until he was sure she would remain close to him. He needed her by his side, needed to know at all times where she was and that she was safe.
“Head for Saint.” Rune gestured towards the open side of the hangar where the big grizzly alpha was fighting alongside the cougar alpha, Rath.
Both dark-haired males blended with the night in their black clothing, illuminated only by the blaze of the helicopters and muzzle flashes as they exchanged fire with the hunters.
“You’re coming too.” Winnie’s fear hit Maverick hard and he gave Rune a look that backed her up, because he didn’t want her worrying about the black bear. He didn’t want to worry about his friend either. He wanted Rune where he could see him, needed him to make it through this fight too.
“Not going anywhere.” Rune gave her a soft look, one that revealed how deeply her concern had touched him, and gestured to her. “Come on. Wedge yourself between us.”
She scooted around Maverick and shocked Rune by easing further away from cover to snag another gun. When she caught the look Rune was giving her, she looked at the weapon and then him and frowned.
“I can fight too. I’m not a cub anymore.” A flush of heat touched her cheeks when she said that.
Rune slid him a knowing look, one that said Maverick was going to get a talking to about that later, once they were safely back home.
Maverick swallowed hard and followed Rune and Winnie, keeping low as he crossed an open stretch of concrete. He popped up from cover just long enough to sweep the room and locate a few hunters, and then gave Bronwyn a look that told her to stay put. She ignored him, rising to stand beside him and firing at the same time as he did.
Missing all her shots.
He had the feeling it was intentional, that his beautiful female still couldn’t bring herself to harm someone, even when they were her enemy. She provided a distraction though, caused several hunters to panic, allowing him and Rune to pick them off. Their numbers were dwindling thanks to Knox and Lowe as they cut a path down one side of the hangar, and the cougar brothers who had teamed up to slice straight through the middle of it. Storm, Cobalt and Flint moved as one, the way they used cover, ducking behind it to pop up the second there was a break in hunter fire, making them look as if they had been trained for combat.
Maverick knew better though. The felines were employing their senses, using them to chart the position of every hunter in the hangar just as Maverick was. Only he was keeping tabs on those who were a danger to Bronwyn, his focus on getting her out of the hangar to safety as soon as possible.
Rune moved again and Maverick pushed Winnie, urging her to follow. She tucked her gun to her chest and hurried after the black bear, giving Maverick one hell of a view of her backside. The black fatigues she wore stretched tight over it, making him want to growl. Certainly made it impossible to keep his eyes off her.
She glanced back at him, a blush staining her cheeks even as she arched an eyebrow at him.
“Payback,” he whispered with a wicked smile.
She had set him on fire by staring at his ass after all. It was only fair he got to stare at hers now their positions were reversed and he was following her.
They made it to the open side of the hangar just as the gunfire ceased.
Rune popped up and looked around, and Maverick eased to stand too.
“Think that was the last of them,” Lowe hollered.
All of the tension drained from Maverick and he breathed a sigh as he looked at Winnie and then the others. A deep sense of gratitude rolled through him as the cougars and his pride slowly gathered around him. He would never be able to thank them enough for what they had done.
“What happened to your brother?” Saint said, his dark eyes soft as he frowned at Bronwyn.
She clammed up, her gaze falling to the ground.
Maverick stepped up beside her, was about to explain everything when she spoke.
“He’s dead. He was never a captive. It was all a lie. He was helping the hunters… was running this place with them… and now he’s dead.” Her voice was soft, quiet, and she refused to look at anyone, even him, as everyone stared at her.
He shifted his hand closer to hers and brushed the back of it across her knuckles.
She glanced at him, tears lining her lashes, the pain he could feel in her immense, stealing his breath and filling him with a need to hold her.
Rune beat him to it, slung his arm around her and stroked her hair as she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest.
Making Maverick want to growl and snap fangs at his friend for daring to comfort his fated female. He dialled it back, told himself that Rune was happily mated and wasn’t interested in stealing Winnie from him. Didn’t stop him from wanting to punch the male.
“They made Maverick fight… they made me watch.” She turned and buried her face against Rune’s chest.
Rune growled and wrapped his arms around her, held her tightly as he flicked a look at Maverick.
“It was Klaus.” Maverick couldn’t take his eyes away from Bronwyn, couldn’t stop himself from lifting a hand towards her as the pain he could feel in her grew more intense, and fear laced it. “I killed the son of a bitch.”
Rune nodded. “Grace can be at peace now. I can be at peace. Thank you, brother.”
Maverick shook his head, because he hadn’t done it for Grace or for Rune. He had done it for his fated female, to protect her and keep her safe.
Rune gently gripped her shoulders and eased her back, gave Maverick another look that said they were going to have a talk about everything that had happened later, and then nodded and released her.
Maverick stepped up to her and gathered her into his arms, held her close to him, his heart drumming hard as she nestled against his chest and leaned her cheek against it, seeking comfort from him.
Knox jogged over to them with a canister of fuel in one hand and an RPG in the other.
He waggled both of them, his blue eyes bright with mischief. “Let’s torch this place!”
Lowe rolled his eyes at his twin and so did Rath, but Storm and Flint grinned, looking more than up for it.
Maverick escorted Bronwyn outside, leaving the males to it, following Saint, Rath, Cobalt and Rune to a safe distance. As he turned back to face the hangar, he placed his arm around her shoulders, keeping her tucked close to him. Fire chased back the darkness, a series of explosions shaking the tarmac beneath his bare feet, and before long the entire compound was blazing.
As he watched it all burn, a strange sense of closure swept through him.
He was finally ready to let go of his past, because there was a future he wanted to seize with both hands.
He glanced at Bronwyn.
If she would have hi
m.
Chapter 21
“You can stop glaring at me now.” Maverick strode along the pebbly bank of the creek, the hot summer sunshine beating down on his bare back together with Rune’s black look.
The big bear had caught up with him on his morning run and had been on his back ever since, dogging his every step and making it damned clear that he wasn’t happy about what had happened with Bronwyn at the compound.
Last night, during a get together to celebrate taking down the Archangel compound, it had come out that he and Bronwyn had gotten physical, thanks to Skye and the other females interrogating her about the fact she kept blushing whenever she looked his way.
Rune had blown his top, causing a scene in front of the cougars. It had only been a matter of time before the bear had exploded, Maverick had known that from the second Rune had given him that look back in the hangar. He just wished his friend could have waited until they were alone in his cabin before he had come at him.
Maverick huffed. He knew in his heart that Rune meant well, was just being protective of Bronwyn, but gods, it stung a little. Rune knew the things he had been through, knew how low Maverick’s opinion of himself could get, but it hadn’t stopped the male from tossing it all out there in front of everyone.
“I came to apologise,” Rune muttered behind him. “But I can see you’re in about as good a mood as you were last night.”
Maverick snorted. “I don’t hear you apologising. All I hear is that bite in your tone that says you want another go at me.”
He pivoted to face his friend, staring right into his pale blue eyes.
“So, come at me. Come on.” He spread his arms wide and glared at Rune. “What are you waiting for? I’m sure there’s someone within fifty miles who doesn’t know how fucked up I am.”
Rune heaved a sigh that stretched his black T-shirt tight across his chest and ran a hand over his close-cropped dark hair, a hint of guilt shining in his eyes now. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that… I’d blame the beers, but… you know how I get about Winnie.”
“Protective. Yeah. I get that.” Maverick pivoted on his heel and began walking again, his steps harder now, each stride filled with anger and irritation, and despair. That last one ate away at him, chipping at his hope, and no matter how many times he told himself that Bronwyn had already known about the things he had done back when they were captives, he couldn’t stop thinking she was going to leave and never look back. He snapped, “I know all about feeling protective when it comes to her.”
Because part of him still wanted to protect her from himself.
And last night he had wanted to protect her from everyone who had given her looks that had made her grow awkward, had caused a blush to stain her cheeks that had looked an awful lot like shame to him.
She was ashamed of what they had done.
He growled and scrubbed a hand over his face, tried to tell that wretched, poisonous part of himself that was determined to make him feel as if he had lost her to shut up. It didn’t. It whispered at him that he had ruined it all. He had destroyed the only thing he had ever really wanted in this world—a shot at forever with his beautiful fated female.
Maverick ground to a halt.
Stared at his feet as his shoulders sagged, all the hope bleeding from him as he thought about how quickly she had made an exit when Rune had launched into an argument with him. It was over before it had really begun. He should have seen that back in the hangar.
Only she had looked at him as if she loved him, as if she wanted forever with him too.
He curled his fingers into fists at his sides.
Maybe it had been the fear talking, the desperate desire to live. They had been about to die after all. Maybe he had mistaken regret for love.
“Mav,” Rune murmured softly as he closed the distance between them.
Maverick sighed and closed his eyes, clenched his teeth so hard that his jaw flexed and then relaxed, on the verge of giving up even when part of him still wanted to fight, refused to let her go without trying to make her see that he could be worthy of her.
He just needed to do a little work on himself. Shape himself into someone better. Someone deserving of her love.
He just needed a chance.
He opened his eyes and looked at the grey pebbles. “I didn’t want to do it.”
Rune moved closer still, coming to stand beside him.
Before his friend could say anything, Maverick continued, “Winnie made the decision to do it. She knew what she was getting into. I tried so damned hard to protect her from that side of myself back then… but she saw it. She knew. She knew the kind of male I was… the kind of male I am.”
Rune placed a hand on his right shoulder, his grip gentle. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Maverick.”
“How am I supposed to be anything else?” He slid Rune a look. “Even my own friend thinks I’m a monster.”
Rune’s pale blue eyes narrowed as he frowned, his tone hardening. “I don’t—”
Maverick shrugged free of his hold and refused to look at him, knew in his heart that Rune didn’t think he was a monster. He was just acting out, fear that Bronwyn was going to leave him making him cranky.
“Just… I want to be alone,” he muttered, even though what he really needed was to hear Rune tell him that he hadn’t messed everything up, and that he wasn’t a monster.
He needed some reassurance.
He took a few steps away from Rune and then stopped and looked back at him.
“I get it. You know? If it was someone else she wanted, I’d be feeling protective of her too. But I swear, Rune… I would never hurt her, and not because she’s my fated one. I was blind back then, didn’t see how I really felt about her, was in a dark place and didn’t recognise her for the light she was in my life.” He pressed his hand to his bare chest as he turned back to face Rune. His brow furrowed as he looked at his friend, aching inside. “But, gods, I need her. I’ve never loved anyone… but I love her. I love her, Rune… gods help her. I need her in my life. I need her as my mate. I just… need her. What can I do to make you see that? What can I say that will make you give me your permission?”
Rune’s expression softened, his eyes warming. “You want my permission?”
Maverick cast his gaze down at his feet and then sighed and lifted it to lock with Rune’s again as he ran his hand over his black hair. “I don’t know. Maybe. Yes? I just… I don’t want you angry with me. I want to know that you’re cool with this thing happening between me and Bronwyn.”
Rune stepped up to him, raised his hands and clasped both of Maverick’s shoulders, his look earnest. “You don’t need my permission.”
“Kinda feels like I do.” Maverick tried to smile, but it faltered as he thought about how Rune had reacted last night. “I want to claim Bronwyn. If she’ll have me. Honestly, you’re the closest thing to a parent she has. You’re always acting like her dad. I don’t want you mad at me for the rest of our lives. I’ll be good to her. I tried to be good to her and she took the choice out of my hands… but I wasn’t… It wasn’t like back then… It was different with her.”
Rune grimaced.
“This is verging on too much information. There’s some things I don’t need to know.” Rune sighed and palmed Maverick’s shoulders. “But… I’m not against you and Winnie. I’m not going to stand in the way. You say it was her choice. This should be her choice too. I hope she chooses you. You deserve to have something good happen to you… and I think Bronwyn would be good for you. I know you love her. I’ve always known. You’re both as lousy as each other when it comes to hiding your feelings.”
He patted Maverick’s cheek, pulling a frown from him, and strolled past him.
Maverick looked over his shoulder, tracking Rune with his gaze as he headed towards the two cabins he and Maverick called home, lifting his hand to wave at Callie as his black-haired mate appeared between them.
What Rune had said felt as close to permi
ssion as Maverick was going to get.
He gazed at the cabin where Bronwyn was staying, nerves fluttering in his stomach as he thought about going to see her. Was she up yet? It was gone midday, but the drapes were still drawn. Maybe she was sleeping in late.
Maybe she was hiding from everyone.
From him.
He huffed and looked himself over, resisting the temptation to go to her and see if she was all right, and try to fix things. He was filthy from his run. Going to her now wouldn’t make a great impression. And he wanted to make a good impression.
Rather than heading to her cabin, he strode towards his, running over what he would say to her. He would wash up, get everything he needed to tell her straight in his head, and then he would go to see her.
And hopefully she wouldn’t turn him away.
Maverick took the steps up to his deck and then shoved the door open. He stepped inside, closed it behind him, and tossed his damp T-shirt on the dark grey couch that faced the log burner that stood against the wall to his left, his thoughts on Bronwyn. That look she had given him in the hangar was seared on his mind and he felt sure she had wanted to tell him that she loved him.
He filled the washbowl with water and cleaned himself off, debated heading to the outbuilding in the centre of the clearing to have a shower. It would probably be better than just rinsing off the sweat. He turned away from the kitchen that overlooked the deck and frowned as he headed for the far end of the cabin, to the navy terrycloth robe hung by the wardrobe there.
The door behind him opened.
Maverick huffed as he reached for the robe. “If you’ve come to lecture me again or you changed your mind about what you said, I’m not going to listen. I love Winnie and I want to be with her. I’ll be a good male for her. I know I will… or I hope I will.”
“I know you will.”
That soft female voice wasn’t the one he had been expecting to hear.
He pivoted on his heel to face Bronwyn where she stood by the door, an awkward edge to her honey-coloured eyes as she fidgeted with the hem of her burgundy flowing camisole.
Awakened by her Bear (Black Ridge Bears Shifter Romance Series Book 5) Page 18
