by Jo Penn
Finn and Kelly had one of those love/hate relationships that could be amusing, and frustrating to deal with. They were going to have to learn to work together, or really, Kelly was going to have to learn to accept that Finn could trounce her and she had to follow his orders. Uri was giving everyone some time to get used to one another and their roles, Finn hadn’t stepped up to take Alpha mate duties until a month ago, so there was some discord. He’d give them one more week to sort their shit out, then Urian was going to put them back in line.
He believed in providing time, giving a chance. Everyone needed an opportunity. Right now they were having a slight battle of wills, so be it. They’d have a week before he put his fist down.
Urian drew his mate into his arms and sniffed along Finn’s cheek. He frowned, leaning back to study his mate’s face.
“You’ve been crying. Why?”
Finn laid his head against Uri’s shoulder. “Because of what Tris told me.”
Hell. Though Finn had compassion and cared, he didn’t cry easily. Which meant what their bear went through was pretty damn awful. Urian took comfort in holding his gorgeous seer for a short time, feeling Finn’s breath against his neck, their heartbeats in sync.
Of course, their brief moment was shattered by Tris yelling up at the bigger bear and flinging his arms about. Cole was generally an even-tempered man. The big dark male tolerated the hedgehog Dalton’s pickiness over meals, Adrian and Stanley the squirrel shifter stealing all the fruit, and he even put up with Beta Kelly who could be growly at times. Now the big black bear snarled a bit, did the finger and lumbered past Urian and Finn.
“Good argument?” Finn asked with a chuckle.
Cole grunted. “Good bear you’ve got there, Alpha couple.”
Uri grinned. Bear shifters just loved to cause shit and argue. Wolves didn’t do that. They told how it was, barked a bit and went on their way. Seers, Urian was finding, would smile and pay you back for whatever slight they perceived.
“Tris!” Finn pulled away, kissed Urian’s cheek then turned and cocked his finger at their mate. “I’ve got some important calls to make. Urian’s going to show you around. Have fun!”
Urian watched Finn walk off before turning back to Tristian and finding the bear’s blueberry eyes fixed on him suspiciously. He sighed, guessing he may deserve the caution and suspicion. They didn’t know each other after all, and the more time they spent together, the quicker their mate connection would build and take away a lot of the anxiety and concerns.
“I wanted to apologize for earlier. Instead of making you decide, I should be talking to you so we can get to know one another. I’ll be honest, Tristian, I’m having a difficult time with this. I never expected to have more than one mate, and…” He had been happy with Finn as they were.
But that was changing now as he breathed in Tristian’s crisp pine scent. He just wanted, to be honest, to move forward. Tristian nodded, hands shoved into the pockets of his skin-tight jeans. Uri had no idea how the creature could even get his hands in there considering the denim looked plastered on. Puffing out a breath, Tristian gazed over to the one-storey building that housed the indoor pool and gymnasium.
“I guess I can understand that. And Finn’s right, I went about it wrong. You know,” Blueberry eyes fixed steadily on Uri. “I know a creature able to severe mate bonds—”
“No,” Urian said firmly.
A dark blond brow rose. “No? But you get Finn all to yourself and as he’s so ill—”
“I said no. Mates don’t desert each other.” Reaching out, Uri wrapped a hand around Tris’s bicep and turned them to the right. “This part of the pack village is mostly residential. There are twenty small streets with houses lining both sides and a large park at the end to walk pets and for pups to play in.”
For the next fifty minutes, Urian walked around the pack residential land introducing Tristian and showing his mate around. They stopped at one of the two cafés where Uri got a good strong coffee and Tristian got some weird, weak herbal tea.
Once the walk around of the residential area was finished and Uri had shown Tristian through the pack house, the bar, and their home, he asked if the man would like to see the lake and some of the forest. Tristian though, planted his cute little ass on one of the iron wrought cushioned chairs on the back patio.
“I’m more a city dweller than nature enthusiast.” The bear yawned. “Big place you’ve got, a lot of pack members. Lots of responsibility.”
“Yep. Responsibility doesn’t bother me. I have a lot of pack members who take on duties. It’s pack mentality to work together, help each other and protect. Does the forest around us bother you?”
“Not unless I’m made to go into it.”
There didn’t seem to be anything they had in common. Uri was scrambling for something, anything, to build a connection with his new mate, but there wasn’t a frigging thing between them.
The mate pull between them was driving Uri a bit crazy, his body on edge, his hands itching to sink into that glossy light brown hair with its abundance of ringlets, and to cover those pale pink lips with his own and devour. But at the same time, there was nothing tangible between them mentally and emotionally. It was all physical. Since mating Finn, Urian needed, wanted, more than physical. He’d found heaven with his seer, he’d never settle for less again.
“What do you like to do, Tristian?”
“Research.”
Uri was stunned. “Research? What do you research?”
“Everything. I’ve had twenty papers published and three more I’m working on. I’m also a freelance writer, mostly about social structures and creature and human interactions.”
Holy shit!
“That’s amazing, Tristian. What interests you in particular?”
Tristian shrugged, tucking his feet beneath him and leaning back on the cushions. “For the first thirty years, my life wasn’t my own. The next ten I was on the run and consumed by anger and pain. For a hundred years I scavenged for food, shelter and kept out of sight. I spent a lot of time observing to better understand reactions, behaviors, and attitudes. The dynamics of groups and prejudices. I did it to stay safe. For the next fifty years, I learned I was shit at writing and a very poor student. When universities began letting people and creatures enroll via distance education, I gave it a go.” Tristian offered a self-depreciating half smile. “I was a rotten student. I could never put into words what I observed, not the types of words scholars and professionals expected and demanded. So after five subjects and failing each one dismally, I gave up. Then there was Google.” Tristian gave a happy little sigh. “I started a crappy blog about what I saw every day, and after every bastard criticized and critiqued, argued and slandered me, eleven years later I painstakingly went through university and learned how to write critically and professionally. I’m an observer, like that fiction writer you have in town, can’t remember his name.”
Tristian whipped out his phone and began typing while Urian sat there stunned.
“Ah, so, you ended up back at university?”
“Yeah, I do an online course. It’s taken me seven years so far, and I haven’t finished, I’ve failed four subjects, the professors don’t always like my writing style, and other times I don’t understand everything, I’m mediocre, you see, but I’m good at research. So I research topics and write about them. With help from editors, the work is published. I’m still learning how to put it into professional style. That’s the writer! Blair Jones. He has a blog and writes crime fiction. He’s good, I like that he’s different. He goes on about being mediocre and being fine with that. He has the right approach and attitude, though he’s more anti-social than me from what I can tell.”
Uri grinned. He was learning a bit more about his new mate and liked the man a lot. Tristian wasn’t afraid to admit what he sucked at, that he had failed some things, and the fact the man kept trying, kept plugging away year after year despite his reclusive enforced lifestyle was pretty damn amaz
ing. Uri wouldn’t call Tristian mediocre in any respect. Where Tristian felt he was below average at one thing, he worked toward being better and found a way to still achieve what he wanted. Uri couldn’t wait to get his hands on these research papers his mate had written, he could see they would be full of insight and facts others may not notice when rushing about with their busy lives.
Hell, Urian felt he missed half of what was going on because he was so busy. That’s why he had a Second, betas, an Enforcer and members of the pack as advisors.
“Where can I find these papers of yours?”
“Give me your number, and I’ll text you the link. I write under a pseudonym. And just remember, the Wolves in the Den is about a particular group of wolves, not your kind in general.”
Urian grinned. “Can’t wait to read it. The pack has two professional editors and content writers. Give anything you’re working on to either of them if you want professional writing guidance. Want an office?”
“Huh?” Tristian removed his woolen hat, silky light brown curls bouncing around his slender, elfin face. “Why would I need an office?”
“For your studies and work. I’ve got an idea.” Urian stood and waved a hand at Tristian, urging the man up and to follow inside the mansion. “Considering it’s Finn and I living here, and before that, only me, there is a lot of unused space. Finn is slowly going through clearing out rooms and redecorating, but between his seer position, pack mate duties, and now High Council, the place is still a frigging mess.”
“You want me to decorate? No freaking way—”
“Nope. I’m not sure about your decorating style, but mine is a big ass television, sound system, pool table and fully stocked bar. Finn disagrees. So I’m happy to leave it with our seer.” Uri smiled, beginning not to mind that Finn was his and Tristian’s now. “I’ve got an office here and at the pack house, Finn has the same.” Urian waved a hand into his office as they passed it along the hall, then Finn’s. He stopped at the end of the hall and pushed open a door. “This one is a mess, but we can fix that.”
Tristian brushed past and poked his head into the office. He grimaced. “The spiders are creeping me out, man. What’s upstairs?”
“A sitting room, second living room, bedrooms and a few studies. Let’s go up.”
Ten minutes later, Uri could see Tristian was contemplating the offer. He didn’t know why the bear wasn’t interested in the office downstairs, but as Tristian didn’t elaborate, Uri didn’t press.
“This is cool. What was it used for?”
“Sitting room. Most of the furniture in here is the eighteenth century. It’s in good condition, but we can move it to the attic and get you something modern if you want.”
“Nah, this is good.” Tristian pulled a dust cover off a chaise and coughed as dust saturated the air. “I just need a television, desktop computer and ergonomic chair and I’m set. So why are you doing this, Urian?”
The direct question, the use of his name, had Uri studying his little bear appreciatively. He liked directness, and enjoyed it even more now that Tristian seemed to have relaxed in his company and was accepting this sitting room as his own space.
“Because you’re my mate. You need your own space and a place to do your research.” Urian gave a cheeky grin. “And sometimes you might do research projects for the pack if I ask nicely. We don’t have much staff who like to sit for hours and investigate. And I don’t like outsourcing or relying on anyone else to provide us with relevant information. But there’s no pressure. Your time is your own. But you’re a pack member now, so if you need anything, just let me know.”
“Pack mentality is weird.” Tris shrugged, removing drop sheets and looking over the antique desk. “I can research things your pack needs. I’m gonna head to the cafeteria. Cole said he’d make me lunch.”
“Let’s go.” Urian waited in front of the doorway as Tristian walked across the room toward him. When the sexy little man stopped directly in front of him, Urian couldn’t help it. He grinned at the suspicious, snarly look and reached out to twirl a silky soft curl. “Pack mentality might seem weird to you, my mate, but it keeps my kind strong physically, mentally, emotionally. We support each other. We trust each other. You might not have had that before, but you do now. The entire pack will always have your back. So will I.”
He could see that Tristian had doubts, but Uri took the fact not once had his mate said anything about leaving during their tour as a big step forward in their bonding. The mate pull helped to reduce nerves, inhabitations, and drew mates together quicker. Uri wanted to be real close to his new mate. He wanted to cover those pale pink cupid lips with his own and taste the man, feel every curve pressed against him and learn the contours of that slender, sinewy body.
Man, Urian was so hard he hurt. He lowered his head to get just a little taste, to add fuel to the fires burning inside.
“What are you doing?”
Uri blinked and straightened. “Well, I was going to kiss you.”
“We’re not there yet.” Tristian slipped past Uri and out the door. “Are we going to lunch or what? I don’t want anyone getting the tofu salad Cole promised me.”
Smirking, Uri adjusted himself, so his aching cock wasn’t being strangled and followed his mate across to the large cafeteria in the pack house. Every member of the pack, and anyone visiting was welcome to eat here. The cafeteria was open twenty-four hours a day, every day and catered for a lot of different culinary preferences. Until recently they went through cooks and chefs like Uri went through coffee, which he pretty much lived on. Then Xavier Dalton directed the bear shifter Cole to them. Now Uri had a happy pack with a new head chef and three sous chefs. Plus, he had four cooks and three apprentices. And a lot of pack members cramming the cafeteria daily.
“Trust me, no one will take your tofu salad, love.”
“You shouldn’t throw that word around.”
“I’m not throwing it anywhere but at you and our seer mate.” Uri winked. “It’s a term of endearment, Tris, to someone who is important in my life. Romantically or otherwise. You’re my mate. Can’t get much more important than that—oh shit.”
They had reached the long row of counters that contained hot food, cold food, desserts, dairy, salads and more. There was no tofu salad, just a little placard in front of a large stainless steel tub that was empty. Tristian stood beside Urian, frowning at the tub then looked around, wandered the rows before coming back to the empty container. He growled and pointed, glaring up at Urian.
Uri winced and grabbed one of the kitchen apprentices that was filling a nearby chocolate mousse tray.
“What happened to the tofu salad?”
“Brady thought it was a high protein bean and had some. When he realized it was tofu, he got shitty and tossed it at Olivia, the other apprentice.”
“Moron,” Uri growled. “He should have read the placard.”
“Brady isn’t one to read signs, that’s why he always gets lost off pack land.” The pup scampered away when Tristian slapped a hand on the salad bar.
“Now what am I gonna have?”
“Well, there’s a whole bar here of salads, mate. There’s fruit over there, sweets, and if you wanted to try some meat—”
“I don’t want any of those!” Tristian looked like he wanted to stamp his foot but instead clenched his jaw and growled.
“Baby bear, there’s some bagels with salad on, too. If you really want I can ask the kitchen staff to whip up another tofu salad. Probably won’t take them long.”
“Forget it. Last time I trust you.”
With that, the beautiful little sun bear stormed out of the cafeteria, snarling at anyone who got too close.
“Well fuck.” Uri sighed.
“Yeah, I was looking forward to trying the tofu salad. A real shame.” Trekk Croggen ambled past, fiddling with some strange contraption. “See ya, Uri, I’ll let you know about the satellite.”
“Okay—what?” Uri hurried after the genius bea
r. “That satellite isn’t planned to go up until next month.”
Trekk frowned, tucking a pencil behind his ear. “Didn’t I let you know I’m ahead of schedule?”
“No, no you didn’t, Trekk.” Uri closed his eyes briefly and breathed out. He reminded himself Trekk was a genius and danced to his very own tune.
“Oh right. Okay. I’m ahead of schedule. I’ll be starting the satellite erection today. It’ll take a while. I’ll let you know how it’s going. Oh, congrats on your new mate. He seems fun.”
With that last parting comment and a boisterous laugh, Trekk hurried away. Damn bear. One of the triplets, the Croggen’s were the packs bear leaders and Uri trusted them completely. Tredd was the eldest by a few minutes and was an Alpha through and through. As he was mated to Sebastian’s brother Trent, the man spent most of his time working for the Alliance with his mate. Uri would rather Tredd was back here leading the Alliance soldiers and getting the pack guards and security in line. Tripp was next and was Uri’s Second as well as the Captain of Milson Valley Police. Tripp was a good bear, rational and level headed. Trekk was a genius and until recently worked part time as a deputy, a job he didn’t like. Trekk had finally come out and said he would rather invent and teach and Uri was relieved. The man caused havoc in the cop house and came up with the best inventive ways to help the pack and everyone in the valley.
Uri veered back into the cafeteria and went to see Cole. After a quick discussion where Uri got to find out all about tofu, how to marinate, the time it took, the different types, and what went best with it, he made a fast getaway. Man, chefs were testy! He’d rather deal with a crazed wildebeest!
Hurrying out of the cafeteria, Uri pulled up short at finding his other mate standing with his arms crossed, foot tapping, and a disappointed scowl on his face.
“Oh come on!” Uri exclaimed. “How is Brady having a manic moment and destroying all the tofu salad my fault? That’s just plain—err, unreasonable.”
“Were you going to say ‘dumb’? Hmm?” The foot tapped faster. “I came in to join you guys for lunch and what do I get? Snarled at!” Finn shouted. “By a hungry mate. So come on, we need to get him fed so we can get to the claiming and bonding.”
