by Ruby Madden
Of course, the jackal had made a terrible mistake. He’d taken Paige, their brother Quinn’s mate, hostage and held her at gunpoint for all of ten seconds before Quinn had taken him out. Unfortunately, he’d only taken him as far as the Shifter Council. Ryland wondered if the man knew his life had only been spared because Paige had gotten through the killer rage that had consumed Quinn when she’d been endangered.
Ryland would never admit something good had come from the jackal’s attack. But they’d also discovered the scent of a cat shifter mixed in with those of the jackals. A scent that had been driving his and Ryker’s bears insane for the past month or so. A scent that had all but disappeared.
After the brothers had turned the jackal over to the Council, the building had gone up swiftly. Framing, electrical, and plumbing was already in place. Tomorrow the drywall crew would start and then it would be up to the decorators to step in and do their magic with paint and fabric.
On this floor, the work hadn’t progressed so far or so fast. He and Ryker were to blame. Quinn had delayed work on the floor as long as he could. Tomorrow, workers, both human and shifter, would overrun the area. The twins were grateful for the delay. They didn’t want the slightly spicy scent of the cat overwhelmed until absolutely necessary.
Neither wanted another male scenting their mate.
Yeah, the elusive cat shifter was their mate.
Knowing his brother could stand there forever without moving a muscle or saying a word, Ryland took a step forward, then another. He felt rather than heard Ryker finally move, going to the other side of the floor. Grabbing a tool belt, he fastened it around his waist and got to work. The sooner they were done, they quicker they could go hunting. He clenched his hands as unfamiliar surges of bitterness rose inside him.
How the hell was he going to share his mate with his brother?
It wasn’t unheard of in the shifter world for two males to share a true-mate. Since they were bear shifters—and twins—the odds had been pretty damn good they would wind up sharing a mate.
Hell, they’d shared women before. In fact, they’d lost their virginity to the same woman—at the same time. A college girl they’d met at a high school rave. A blond whose name he didn’t even remember.
But now his bear roared at the thought of sharing the woman whose scent intoxicated him. Even sharing her with his brother.
He knew if these feelings of jealousy and rage were running rampant in him, Ryker had to be suffering twice as much.
Ryker had discovered the scent while patrolling the site at night while the jackals were on the loose. And he’d immediately recognized the cat as his mate. It was only after Ryland had joined the search for the jackals that they’d discovered they were both drawn to the cat. He knew his twin felt the draw harder and deeper. Where Ryland’s bear immediately came to life anytime he smelled the luscious scent, once he was away from it, the bear calmed. Not Ryker. It was as if the scent had permeated his pores, becoming a part of the big bear shifter. Leaving the man restless and dangerous.
The way a true-mate should.
If they were not meant to share this female—if she was intended only for Ryker—then why the hell was he drawn to her?
It took all of Ryker’s control not to throw his brother through a wall. Not because his twin had ticked him off—again—but because his bear knew fate intended for him to share his mate.
His mate, his bear roared inside. His.
He watched his brother, seeing the same tortured expression on his features he’d seen every morning in the mirror for the last few weeks, and knew his bear was wrong. The woman whose scent filled the air was his true-mate, but she was also his brother’s.
Ryker hated that he no longer felt as deep of a connection as he once had with his twin. The silent communication that drove their family wild was missing. Had been missing since he’d discovered the scent of that damn cat. How they hell could they share a mate, if they couldn’t read each other anymore?
A few weeks ago, he’d discovered the remnants of a fire on this floor. At first they’d thought the jackals had tried their hand at arson, but they’d discovered a stash of clothing and food that indicated someone had been making the unfinished floor their home.
That someone had been the cat.
Their mate.
Both men had immediately tried to protect the cat, hiding its existence from their brother in case she was involved with the jackals. A mate’s first priority was to protect.
When Quinn had rescued his mate from the jackal leader, he’d turned the piece of shit over to the Shifter Council. The Council chair, a wolf shifter named Liam Hart, had believed the animal when he’d sworn no cat had been working for him. Ryker trusted the wolf’s instincts. He appeared to be an honest man, even if he had some deep, dark secrets of his own.
Stepping around a stack of drywall, he decided to work on the opposite side of the floor from Ryland. His bear was still agitated and needed a little space. Neither man wanted to complete the job. To wipe out the last of their mate’s scent. For weeks, they’d been scouring the city, trying to find a hint of the elusive smell. For all they knew, she could have already left the area. But Ryker didn’t—couldn’t—believe that. The one thing that gave them hope was the fresh scent they’d discovered two days ago. The trail had ended abruptly right past the highway. On a city block in a not-so-good area of town. It was the furthest they’d ever been able to track her.
He did not believe it was a coincidence the woman had found her way to the construction site. In the shifter world, there was no such thing. Their very existence ruled out the happenstance most humans believed controlled their destiny.
But worry ate at the Ryker. Was she in danger? Did she need their help? Why hadn’t she tried to approach them? It wasn’t like they were hiding.
The day dragged on with the brothers preparing the floor for tomorrow. The sun was high in the sky when Ryland’s phone vibrated letting him know he’d received a text. Putting down his hammer, he pulled the phone from his front pocket. “Hey, Ryker,” he called to his twin. “Paige brought lunch.”
Paige was their soon-to-be sister-in-law, their brother Quinn’s mate. Besides being pretty and plump, she was also a hell of a good cook. Ryker continued hammering, but Ryland knew he had heard. As the day had passed, he had grown more and more sullen. Ryland knew it was because they were erasing all trace of their mate. Their hope of finding her was slowly, but surely, vanishing.
Finally, Ryker stopped and turned toward him. “You go on. I’ll finish.”
Ryland nodded and headed to the elevator. He knew it would do no good to argue with the stubborn bear shifter.
Ryland walked into the construction office glad to be away from the third floor of the building. Even though it soothed the bear when he was close to the scent of his mate, it also agitated the bear, knowing he couldn’t find her, have her. Their nightly searches had been useless and Ryland was getting a little tired of the game fate was playing with them. Was she alone? Did she need protecting? Something told Ryland they needed to find her sooner rather than later. But, he knew fate would take her own sweet fucking time. Just like a woman.
“Hello, beautiful.” He greeted his brother’s mate with a kiss on the cheek. Anything else and he knew his brother would lunge from the chair and rip his head off. Especially now that Paige was pregnant with the man’s cub. Or cubs. The damn lucky bear was having twins. Envy, sharp and bittersweet, rushed through him. “Are you tired of this bastard yet? Ready to go for some double pleasure?”
Paige laughed, missing the bleak expression that fell across his tight feature. Why did he have to mention double pleasure now of all times?
He and Ryker had been baiting Quinn’s bear since the couple’s blind date and it was almost automatic to flirt with the woman. Ryland had never been on a blind date. More often than not, he and Ryker club hopped and chased tail together. Now he knew way. Fate had apparently been prep
aring them to share their mate. He’d never had any qualms about sharing a woman with his brother. Until now. Now he had a huge I’m-gonna-tear-my-brother’s-fucking-throat-out issue sharing his mate. Was it because he didn’t feel the pull as strongly as Ryker? That he was afraid their mate would have a deeper connection with his twin than with him?
Yeah, that might have played a part in the feelings of possessiveness that rose at the mere thought of Ryker’s hands on his—their—mate. He knew his brother felt the same way. This was not some toy from their childhood they didn’t want to share. This was the woman who would complete each of them. Or tear them the fuck apart. Fuck a duck. What the hell were they going to do?
Paige laughed until she saw that he was alone. “Where’s Ryker?”
Ryland couldn’t help but smooth a stray strand of hair behind her ear, even if it did earn him a glare from Quinn. She’d invited both bears to lunch and looked upset that Ryker hadn’t shown up. “He’s finishing up some stuff.”
“Oh.” Paige’s smile weakened as she handed him a container of food. He bent to kiss her once more. This time on the lips. He grinned at Quinn’s warning chuff. He couldn’t fault the guy, however. He knew he would be just as possessive of his mate.
“Don’t fret, Paige. It isn’t good for the babies.”
The look she threw her mate almost made Ryland laugh. Almost.
“Am I going to hear that for the next seven months, Quinn? Every time I do something you don’t want me to do, you’re going to scold me because it might not be good for the babies’ health? Cause if I am, we’re gonna have trouble, big boy.” She reached for the food she’d put down when Ryland had entered.
Ryland made the sound of a whip slicing through the air as he sat down on the soft leather sofa facing the desk. Quinn had replaced the uncomfortable metal chairs they’d had soon after he and Paige had gotten together. Since then, he and Ryker had walked in on the couple getting down and dirty on it more than once. Now, Paige used it for quick catnaps when she came to see Quinn at the construction site after work and on weekends. He knew his brother couldn’t wait for the building to be completed so he could spend more time with his mate.
“You’ll do what the doctor says, woman.” Quinn’s voice held more than a trace of his bear as he stared down his mate. Ryland didn’t have his mate yet, but he knew they didn’t like it when you played the alpha male card. Well, maybe they liked it a little. He could smell the heat of Paige’s arousal at her mate going all macho. He had to agree with his brother this time. Paige was human and carrying two bear cubs would be taxing on her body.
“Mmm.” Paige continued to glare at her mate as she ate her lunch. “We’ll see about that now, won’t we?”
“When are you going to the doctor again, Paige?” He didn’t know what made him try to rescue his brother, but he did.
“Tomorrow morning. Then Quinn’s taking me out to lunch at this wonderful little diner Deb and I found near our office. They serve the most delicious burgers. Would you like to meet us there?”
Ryland finished chewing the bite of barbeque chicken he’d just taken, moaning at the mouthwatering taste. He’d never tell his Momma, but Paige was sometimes a better cook. His brother really was a lucky bastard. Not only did he have a mate whose curves made his bear growl with lust, but she looked and cooked like an angel. And now she was having his cubs. “I’d love to sweetheart, but we’ve got another pour scheduled.”
“Right,” Quinn nodded as he also devoured the food Paige had cooked. “We’re almost back on schedule.” The delays caused by the jackals had wreaked havoc on the production schedule. Coupled with his and Ryker’s no-shows some days when they’d searched late for their mate, and the build could have been in serious trouble.
He chose his next words carefully. He knew what he was about to say would put his brother in shitcreek without a paddle but that’s how brothers were. Helping each other out of a jam one minute then throwing then in front of a train the next. “I hear you finally caved, Quinn, and set a date for the wedding.”
“Mmm, mmm.” Quinn automatically agreed around a mouthful of food.
Not that Ryland could blame his brother for his lapse in manners. Paige’s cooking was almost as good as her curves. Thankfully, she liked to share. Her cooking. Not her curves. He took another bite of his food and almost rolled his eyes in ecstasy. He didn’t, for one reason. He wanted to see his brother go down. One, two—
“What do you mean you caved, Quinn Blackwood?” Paige slammed her container of food down on the desk with enough force to make the metal top sing. Which was something, considering the container was plastic and Paige was human.
Quinn swallowed his food hard. “Now, darling, that’s not what I meant. I was just agreeing with Ryland that I—”
“Caved!” When she twisted on the desk, her short skirt rode up on her rounded thighs. Ryland leaned over to get a better look. Damn, the girl was curvy.
Quinn’s gaze zeroed in on him. The man knew he was checking out his mate. He also knew there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He had a mate to soothe. Quinn rose from the chair and towered over Paige, the stance hard and fierce. But Ryland and Paige knew he would never harm her. That he’d give his life before he’d allow anything or anyone to hurt his mate.
“I did not cave in setting a date to marry you, Paige.” He placed his hands on her cheeks and tilted her face to his. “I love you, baby. I want to marry you. I need to make you mine in every possible way.” He kissed her with such sweetness Ryland thought they’d turn into a sugar pile. Ten years ago, hell ten months ago, he would have gagged at the thought of sharing something so tender with a woman. Don’t get him wrong. He loved women. Loved to fuck ‘em. And leave ‘em. He hadn’t had a serious relationship in his life.
Now… now seeing his brother with his mate made him want one of his own.
We have one, his bear reminded him.
Suddenly, he lost his appetite. He placed the container on the desk and walked to the door. Quinn and Paige were too busy whispering and kissing to pay him any mind. He picked up his tool belt and went back to work. Back to the third floor where the scent of his mate still lingered.
By the time Ryker walked up the front steps of his house, the moon had risen high in the sky. Clouds drifted by, sometimes obscuring the large white orb. Rain was predicted and he welcomed the thought. He wanted to shift and take a run. Needed to take a run. Needed something to cool his raging libido.
Staying on site all day had taken a toll on his control. He’d smelled her everywhere. In the air, along the walls. Had she been there last night? He could have sworn the scent had been stronger than it had been yesterday.
“Ryker?” His brother’s voice sounded from the side of the porch.
He grunted to acknowledge his presence then sat down to yank off his boots. The men on his crew had worked hard today, finishing the third floor, before moving on to the next. He’d driven them hard. Trying to remove the scent of his mate from the building and from his mind. He stood and glared at his brother. “What do you want, baby brother?” Ryland hated when he pulled the I-was-born-four-minutes-earlier card.
“Aren’t we going to look tonight?” He pointed to the discarded boots.
“Nope. Running. I need to run.”
Ryland was allowing his twin to take the lead on finding their mate, but that didn’t mean his bear wasn’t chomping at the bit to find her, too. His bear was confused. The animal knew the cat shifter was theirs, yet, the scent was off at times. Drawing him while pushing him away. All at the same time.
“Sounds good.” Ryland went to remove his t-shirt.
“Alone.” Ryker’s voice was clipped.
Ryland stopped and looked at his twin noticing, not for the first time, the lines etched on his features. While technically, bears didn’t run—running used too much energy—they did need to shift into their animal form. Usually when they needed to think. Or protect. Or hunt.
Ryland knew Ryker needed to do all three tonight. He knew what was driving Ryker’s bear. She’d been there yesterday. Today, they’d smelled her scent, the strongest it had been in days.
The past few months had been helicious. They’d think they were getting closer to finding their mate, only to have her trail disappear, lost in the jumble of smells in the city. It was frustrating as hell, but the scenting went both ways. The cat had to know the bears were her mates. So why was she running from them?
“You sure you don’t need any company?”
“Nope.” Ryker stripped and shifted before his brother could say anything else. The house had been designed with a bear shifter in mind. There was no question the porch would hold the bear’s weight and accommodate his height. Ryker lumbered down the steps, chuffing as he passed his brother. He knew Ryland understood his need to be alone.
What neither brother understood, was how they would willingly share a mate.
Ryker shuffled out of the yard and into the forest that surrounded the house. It was early fall and his bear tore easily through the undergrowth that covered the forest floor. When the brothers had bought the land, they’d made certain each of them had plenty of breathing room. Quinn had been the first to build a house, a good three years before Paige had entered his life. He had built his two years ago. Ryland had never had the urge and Ryker knew that was another indicator that they were meant to share this cat shifter.
Coming to his favorite spot, Ryker stopped and gazed up into the night sky. He studied the stars as his father had shown him and his brothers and found the North Star. The clouds parted, revealing the Great Bear constellation. As he stared, it seemed to grow brighter and brighter until it stood out in the star-studded sky. While the heavens might not reveal his mate’s location, he prayed the magic of the mating bound would lead him to her.
