Page 43 of Bear's Rejected Love

“No. Technically, we’re still mates.”

“Technically and not so technically. It’s been… a long time. He would never have held you to that. If you’d wanted to find someone else—”

“I never did.”

“It would only be natural that he did too.”

She knew her brother was trying to spare her feelings while introducing her to the reality of life and it was all unnecessary. At the same time, he looked like he was going to bleed for her and go hunt down Roan and punch him into tomorrow for betraying his sacred mating vows, for abandoning her, and for being a general asshole when he should have stayed and been his best friend. He should have been family and whatever he’d chosen, it wasn’t them.

“He didn’t, Den. I’m not trying to sugarcoat anything. The girls are people from his past who needed a place to stay, and they chose him because they all went through something similar, something not so great. The baby is adopted, they’re a family. Corbin and I are a family. We’re still trying to figure out how all of that can work together.”

Denver shook his head. He thrust a hand in his hair and then dropped them down on the table and interlaced his fingers. He let out a sigh longer than all the hours he’d driven to get there. “This place is kind of weird, Tabby, I’m not going to lie. I’m still willing to ask Roan to come back with us if you’re willing. If you want him to. He’s a part of us. Blood is thicker than anything, and if he’s still technically your mate, then of course that matters too.”

She grasped her brother’s hand with a shaking one. “I don’t know that I could go back even if you did get the clan back together.”

There. She’d said it. She hadn’t waited. It was out there. She watched his face carefully for the impending breakdown slash possible implosion of astonishment that was going to happen. To him, that made zero sense. A person didn’t choose a strange clan over another. They didn’t go off to some other part of the world and refuse to reunite with family. To a shifter, family and clan, honor and loyalty were everything.

It was unthinkable that she’d not only turn her back on her own clan, but on her own brother.

“If Roan doesn’t want to go, then I can’t see myself going. I’m sorry. I know you’ll think that I’m choosing one clan over another, but that’s not how it is. I want Corbin to be near his dad. He deserves to know him. I spent so many years trying to make that a reality and we’re making a life for ourselves out here.”

Denver’s eyes were softer than she’d seen them in a long time and clear with understanding. “I get it. A boy should know his father. I just thought that Roan might be happier with his own clan. I didn’t think that you two were…”

“We’re not anything yet, Denver. Just because we never did the un-mating ceremony and because we’re technically mates doesn’t mean that we’re lovers.” She flushed, heat traveling up her neck and flooding her face.

“It doesn’t mean that you’re not.” Seeing the look on her face, he quickly added. “Connected. Not connected.”

“Yeah.” A nervous laugh scraped out of her. She wasn’t used to doing this with her bother. They’d once been so close. All of them. He and Roan especially. “Do you want to talk to Roan then?”

A shrug, just a lift of his shoulder, too casual. He’d worn a leather jacket that also looked too hot for the weather, jeans, and his big steel toed boots. “Dunno. If you want me to.”

“Of course I want you to, he was your best friend.”

“A million years ago. When he left, he broke off contact with all of us. You can talk to him, if you like. I’ll leave the decision up to both of you. I didn’t come here to try and break anything up or make your life more difficult. I hadn’t heard from you in a while, I just… wanted to come out here and see you again. News like this is best said in person.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come for dinner? Corbin would love to see you. Roan too. We could invite him. You could meet Helena, Ora, and Honor.”

She couldn’t read her own brother. He suddenly seemed oddly shy and hesitant. “Nah, Tabs. I better get back. Macy is back home with the kids, waiting for me. She worries incessantly.”

“As any good mate should. How is she? How are the boys?”

“They’re good. Everyone’s good. Excited about the prospect of having somewhere to go again.”

“If you needed anything, you should get in touch with the alpha here. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. He might have connections, or people he could talk to that could help you out if you’re looking for land for the right place. Do you want me to give you his number?”

A long hesitation, but then her brother nodded. “Yeah. Alright. Couldn’t hurt, right?”

What hurt was that he’d come all this way, and he wouldn’t have dinner with her. She knew it wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Corbin or that he was scared of seeing Roan after so long—scared that he’d kick his ass or speak whatever it was on his mind.

She quickly jotted down Sam’s number on the notepad she kept in her little waist apron even though she’d ceased to need it a long time ago. She was a great waitress. She’d had years of practice, but it was force of habit.

Her brother was a piece of home, and she found herself suddenly aching for it even though she had everything she could want here. “I can’t promise that we’ll ever make it back there to stay,” she said, voice as rough as if she’d barked out the words instead of barely whispering them. “But I hope you do reform the clan. You and whoever else is involved. I hope everyone is safe and that everyone ends up happy. It’s important to raise kids with other shifters. It’s important for everyone to have a place they feel like they can thrive and be safe. I truly hope it all works out.”

“Thanks.”

“I still can’t believe that you came all this way out here just to tell me this. It’s monumental for sure, but not staying for dinner? Where are your manners, Den?”

“Left somewhere between the eighty-first and eighty-second calls from an anxious wife. And that’s just today. I’m heading back home as soon as possible. I hope you don’t think that I’m angry with you or that I’m holding anything against you. I’m disappointed too. I would have liked to stay, but I know that I’m needed back at home. Maybe we can come back sometime, all of us as a family?”

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