by Milly Taiden
Summer wished there was some way of making the asshole feel sorry for what he’d done in all this. “Barry,” she said quietly, “you haven’t done anything wrong. You did the best you could considering the circumstances.”
He nodded and got up, schlepping toward the wood he’d dropped. “I’ll start a fire to warm up the place. It gets cold at night up here.”
She didn’t want to bring more misery to her friend, but she had to know the answer. “Barry,” she said, “you mentioned that you didn’t read the note. So you don’t know what it said?”
He shook his head while picking up the logs. She continued. “There was an address I was supposed to go to find the answers.” Her eyes glanced toward Gus. “When I got there, I was trapped in the attic and the house was set on fire.”
The logs fell out of Barry’s arms again. “What? You were trapped and—” His face turned tomato red and his fists clenched. He yelled at Gus, “You said no one would get hurt. You lied.”
He dashed toward the table, fur sprouting from his face and arms. When he neared Gus, the asshole reached out and grabbed Barry around the neck, choking him.
“Watch it, shithead. I told you what you needed to hear. Now back off before I rip your fucking head off. I don’t know nothing about any fire.” He tossed Barry away like a rag doll. Summer leaped off the couch to help a gasping Barry back to the sofa.
Then Gus’s phone rang. Startled, he dropped it on the table. Dumbass. When he saw who the caller was, his face scrunched and he cursed. “Be quiet, both of you.”
He lifted the device to his ear. “Hello, Alpha.” His eyes glanced at her. “Yes, she’s here.” Gus frowned. “No, I didn’t ask.”
He pulled the phone away from his ear. Barry smiled. Dickhead must’ve been getting yelled at by the alpha.
Gus raised the middle finger of his other hand and flipped off the phone, then put it back to his ear. Like that accomplished anything.
“Yes, Alpha.” His brows drew down. “Bess? Now?” He glanced at his watch. “Yes, Alpha, right away.” Gus hung up and slammed the phone on the table. “Stupid ass, piece of shit, old bear.”
His hands wrapped around the edge of the table and he squeezed, face turning red. The table cracked into two halves. He snatched up one side and threw it into the living area. Summer and Barry scrambled to get out of the path of the incoming missile.
With a deep breath, Gus settled down. “I have to go,” he said. “One of the other guys are on their way up. If either of you leave, we will kill every member of Barry’s family. Am I clear?”
Stunned into a scared silence, Summer nodded. Barry stood beside her, not moving or saying anything. They watched as Gus walked out, closing the door behind him. Not sure what to do, Summer held onto her friend. He had his arm around her shoulders for support.
She wanted to tell Barry they had to run now. But that meant death to the people he loved the most. Dammit, she couldn’t do that. They had to come up with another plan.
“I’m tempted to go,” Barry said.
Summer choked on her breath. “You can’t.”
“I know,” he replied, “but Gus is the nicest of those in the group. You don’t want to meet the others.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Summer stumbled to the upholstered chair and fell into it. Dust billowed up, making her cough. “Where are we anyway?”
For the third time, he loaded his arms with chopped wood, this time getting to the fireplace. “It’s a cabin that belonged to a deceased den member. For the longest time, a lady named Bess and her son lived here. But they moved out several years ago.”
“How far are we from town?”
“Well, if we safely got off the mountain, then we could probably walk back in a few hours.”
“Mountain? Shit.” Summer ran her fingers through her hair. The sun was still up for several hours, but with the dense trees, the forest looked to almost be night. “Why are you here?” she asked him. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
He shrugged, piling up a stack of wood inside the firebox. “They’re probably worried I’d say something to the wrong person, so they’re making me stay here for a while. Up here, at least, no one would talk to me. Nothing different than usual.”
Her heart crushed for him. Why wouldn’t anybody want to socialize with Barry? He was a fabulous person, well, bear. Then anger took over. “When we get out of here, I will have Quinn talk to your alpha about how you’re treated. It pisses me off when someone is picked on and bullied.”
Barry stopped his stacking and turned toward her, tears in his eyes. “You’d do that or me? I’m nobody.”
She stomped her way to him and pulled him up in front of her. “I don’t ever want to hear that from you again. You are somebody to me. You are my friend and Gerri likes you too.”
Big drops rolled from his eyes. “Mrs. Wilder said that? That she liked me?”
“She did, still does. She even hopes your mate becomes known.”
More tears rolled down his face. “My true mate?” His hands clutched his shirt over his chest. “For me? My mate?” God, she couldn’t stand it anymore and wrapped the small man in her arms. She wanted to take away the deep pain he’d had to have from suffering for so long.
“I have a better idea,” she said. “When we get out of here, you’re coming with me. Quinn can give you a job at the B & B and you can stay with us.”
He stared at her. “How do you know the brown alpha will give me, a black bear, a job?”
“Because there is always a need for people like you, Barry. Besides, if he plans on us mating, then he’d better consider my advice.” She laughed to let him know it was a joke, but that didn’t work.
Barry’s mouth dropped. “Y-you are the alpha mate for the brown bears?”
She nodded. “Yeah, I met Quinn not too long ago and he knew.”
Barry plopped his hands on his head and frantically looked around. Then he grabbed her hand, dragging her toward the door. “We have to get you outta here.”
She pulled back. “Barry, no. Your family.”
He turned and got in her face. “Do you know how important you are? How much danger you’d be in if anyone knew you were the alpha’s mate?”
She was speechless. She had no idea. “Doesn’t matter. We are not risking your family for one person. That’s final.”
The sound of a big engine came from down the mountainside. The other guy Gus mentioned had arrived.
“I have a plan,” Summer said. “Come with me.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
From inside the front door of his home, Quinn stared at the man who claimed to be his relative. The man was about ten years younger than he was, but he could see a vague family resemblance.
“I’m really sorry to meet you this way. I’m your cousin on your mom’s side. That’s probably why we’ve never met.”
Anthony pulled the door open wider and stood next to Quinn. “Jared, you’re related to my mate? Is she okay, do you know where she is?”
The man blanched and looked over his shoulder. “I can answer what questions I know in the truck.” Quinn thought that was weird. They weren’t going anywhere. Jared continued, “A female human you know as Summer is in danger and I need your help to get her out.”
Quinn grabbed Jared’s shirt, hauled him inside the door and slammed him against the wall. “Where is my mate? If you’ve hurt her—”
“Fuck,” Jared said, “if she’s your mate then we need to go now. We may already be too late.”
Seconds later, Quinn sat between his dad and cousin, speeding down the highway. Jared talked as he drove.
“About ten years ago, I found out about you and your father. I grew up around Aunt Bess and Cousin Finn, so I never thought about why she didn’t have a mate. I think when I was young, someone told me he died or something.
“They lived in a secluded cabin for a long time. In fact, that’s where we’re going. Aunt Bess never seemed right in the head, you know? It
was like she was in a constant daze. It wasn’t too bad when Finn and I were young, but in recent years, my mom’s said she’s not doing well.”
Anthony lifted the scarf around his neck and took a deep breath. “She’s suffering from her mate being away from her. I was the same until this morning.”
Jared looked at him, then back at the road.
“She lives with her parents. Both are still alive. They take care of her. At one time, I think Aunt Bess had a job somewhere in town. I don’t know much concerning all that. Finn never talked about her.”
Quinn’s anger at the situation built quickly. His dad grabbed his forearm and squeezed, telling him to stay calm. But dammit, this was his mother that had been purposely kept away from them.
“Why?” Quinn asked. “Why would they do that?”
Jared turned his head away. “I’m ashamed to say it, but I think some of it has to do with black bears versus brown bears. Grandpa Norm has very strong opinions about the differences between them. His main belief is that black bears are superior to brown.”
Quinn nodded. He could believe it. Ms. Grendel had pretty much said the same thing.
“What do you think?” Quinn asked point blank.
Jared’s hands gripped the wheel tighter, but no telltale smell hinted at a negative emotion. “I think it’s time for the older generations to grow up and see we are all the same. Pure bloodlines mean nothing. What good does it do? Doesn’t make you richer or more famous or smarter or bigger. They’re hung up on old shit that’s now completely irrelevant.”
“Good answer, cub,” his dad said.
Jared glanced at Quinn. “It’s time to reunite your family. Let’s get to Summer and Bess. Then I’ll give you the information where to find Finn, too. You’ll have to wait to meet see him, though. He’s away on a business trip.”
Quinn couldn’t believe that he would meet his mother and brother. She would be non-coherent like his father was, but once his essence reached her, she’d come back to them. Hopefully. Now that he felt confident in that regards, he wanted to know about his own mate.
“How did Summer get mixed up in all this?” he asked.
Jared’s brows drew down as they turned off the highway onto a rock road that looked to wind through the woods.
“I’m not sure,” his cousin replied. “Annabella got a call from the lady working at the Historical Society telling her that a young woman was coming over and to keep her there until the alpha told them what to do with her.”
Quinn’s emotions whirled inside him. Anger took control, then concern and worry took charge. His love for her was the only constant.
Jared navigated the bumpy road with skill. “When you called her, she was speaking with me and I listened in on the conversation and realized who she was talking to. I tried to get her to leave immediately, but one of the guys showed up before I could get her in the car.”
“What guys?” Quinn asked.
Jared sighed. “Hold on, we have to go through town to get to the road that leads to the secluded cabin.”
Quinn and his father sat quietly while Jared turned off the dirt path and rode along the street. Old buildings and empty storefronts lined both sides. Quinn was surprised how rundown the place was.
“Wow,” his dad said. “This place has changed in thirty years. Where did all the businesses go?”
Jared grunted. “If the alpha and council don’t change and catch up with modern times, Blisstown won’t have a population. We have to drive up the road twenty minutes to get to anything. Somebody needs to do something.”
Several people walked the sidewalk, cars passing by. When they turned onto another rock road, Jared visibly relaxed. Quinn wondered what he was afraid of. “Back to the group and why they have my mate.”
“Right,” Jared said, swerving to avoid potholes that would swallow a small bear. “First off, your mate was asking questions that a normal visitor wouldn’t and probing too deeply. I’m not sure, but the alpha didn’t want her nosing around. When he found out she saw Bess, he wanted her held until he could question her.
“The group is his personal police, I guess you could say. They do whatever he tells them, and they get special privileges.”
“What kinds of things does he ask?” Anthony questioned.
Jared scoffed. “Anything from getting his dry cleaning to taking care of a bear who’s gotten too liberal for his taste.”
“Is your alpha into organized crime?” Quinn asked. That would be something he’d have to deal with. He couldn’t let that go. It sounded like their alpha had become a tyrant, oppressing his people. Did the alpha not see what he was doing to the town?
“No, I don’t think so. He’d be too controlled by others to suit him. Once we get out of town, his power ends. We’ll be safe then. The cabin is up ahead. You all stay here until I see who’s guarding them.”
When they reached the drive to the cabin, Jared frowned. “Doesn’t seem anybody is watching them. Gus said he was taking your mate here. This doesn’t make sense.”
Parking the truck, all three spilled out and headed to the front door. When they approached, Quinn saw the door was part way open. Jared put an arm out, keeping him from going in first.
Quinn pushed against the arm. “This is my mate. If something is going on, you’ll be the first I get revenge on. Family or not.”
Jared stepped to the side and waved him forward. “Be my guest.”
Quinn ran to the door, then stopped to sniff the area. No lights shone out the opening. He smelled Summer and a few other males, one particularly strong. His ears didn’t pick up any noise, so he barged in, throwing the door wide open.
Just as he was about to call out for his mate, something large and heavy fell from the top of the door. It knocked him to the ground where he hit something else and heavy blocks of cut wood fell on his head and chest. Then a bear roared, coming at him in attack mode.
“Summer!” he yelled. “Summer!”
The lights popped on and he heard his mate shout at Barry to stop, whoever Barry was. Next he knew, a bear of smaller size slid into his side and tumbled head first onto him, hitting him in the solar plexus and taking his breath away.
Suddenly, his mate’s beautiful face was on his, planting butterfly kisses on his cheeks. He had yet to get a breath back in. But she was safe and with him. He looked around and saw what looked like a dining table that had been split in half lying next to him and several pieces of firewood scattered around. What the hell had happened?
“Quinn, are you okay? Oh my god, we didn’t know it was you.” Sweet kisses rained down on him as his head stopped spinning and he finally got air into his lungs.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorta.” He breathed her in, sitting up. She smelled so good. He grabbed her and set her on his lap, feeling up and down her body for injuries. “Are you hurt anywhere?”
She slapped at his hands. “I’m fine. We need to leave. Someone is coming to watch us.”
Outside, Jared cursed and rushed up to the door. “Come on, everyone in the truck. We have to go now.”
Chapter Thirty
Summer was overjoyed when she realized Quinn was the man who came through the door and not Gus’s goon. She felt bad about the half of the table that crashed on him and the wood smashing his head. But at least she stopped Barry from gutting him. She dropped her butter knife which was the deadliest weapon she could find.
The man she’d met at Dates & Mates stood at the door. She pointed at him. “He’s a bad guy. He tied me up in the truck.”
Jared lifted his hands, explaining. “I had to play along with Gus so he wouldn’t know I planned on going to the brown alpha for help. Once I learned he was taking you to the cabin and not the alpha, then I knew you’d be safe for a little while. I had no choice.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, eyes narrowed. She wasn’t that stupid to fall for such a lame story.
“He’s my cousin,” Quinn said. “He smells honest.”
She
let out a long breath. “Fine. Let’s go.”
When Barry came out in his bear form, they were going to leave him. She’d have kittens before that happened.
“He’s coming with us!” she shouted.
“Why?” Quinn asked as Jared put down the tailgate then helped Barry climb in.
“Because he’s the new host and bellhop at the bed and breakfast,” she replied.
“Oh,” Quinn commented, “didn’t know I needed one.”
“We got Barry. He’ll be fantastic.”
Jared started the truck with all four in the cab, Summer on Quinn’s lap. He kissed her forehead. “Whatever you think, baby.”
“Good answer,” she replied as she looked over his shoulder into the back to see Barry lying flat on the bed. She remembered the bumpy ride up. She hoped he’d be okay.
Everyone held on the best they could as Jared raced down the hill. No one spoke. She heard a few grunts from Barry in the back. She’d put him in the Jacuzzi when they got home.
They turned off the mountain road and headed through town. She gasped. “Can’t we go another way? What if someone recognizes us?”
Jared studied the area. “This is the only way to the other side where we can cut through the forest to the highway. That’s how we got here.”
She had a really bad feeling about this. The light outside had dwindled with the sun fallen behind the hilltops, but there was still plenty of ambient light to see inside the truck. In a stark opposite to the morning when she drove into town, many people were out and about shopping or getting a bite to eat. The truck jerked and she looked up to see an SUV like Gus’s blocking the road. Three large men got out.
“Fuck!” Jared hollered and put the truck in reverse only to stop immediately. Behind them a second SUV blocked the escape route. They were screwed. Only a driver got out from the back SUV.
“Time to rumble, cubs,” Anthony said, opening the door.
“Wait,” she said, whipping around to see Jared getting out also, “what are you doing?”
