Page 42 of Bear with Me

Laramie didn’t look happy about Ruby not being with him and Em. Jemma knew how much the alpha had grown to love Malachai’s daughter. Hell, Malachai had sent Ruby and Em to Laramie, for him to watch over and protect while Malachai stayed in Washington, chasing down leads on the attack there and who in the Langston den might have been involved. Jemma had wondered how he and Malachai would get along since Em and Malachai were best friends and shared his daughter since Ruby’s mother, who’d been Em’s cousin, had died after giving birth to Ruby. Em was the only mother Ruby had ever known, and she was super excited about having a new baby. However things played out, Jemma had a feeling it would be interesting watching the dynamics between the two men.

“We should all head down to get some sleep,” Laramie ordered. “Lawrence Walker will be dealt with in the morning. We’ve waited long enough for justice.” He shared a look with Em. “Plus, Em and I want to make a statement about the Langston den members and what it means for our two dens to merge as one.” He glanced at Jemma. “It’s time to move forward.” He winked at her, took his mate’s hand, then led her out of the kitchen.

“What was that about?” she whispered to Brock as everyone cleaned up after themselves, rinsing dishes and stacking them into the dishwasher.

“Which part?” Brock asked.

“Where your brother looked at me and winked.”

“I’d say you gave him things to think about.” Brock dropped a kiss on her lips. “You should talk to Jensen tomorrow. He’ll be happy you want to keep working with him.”

He took her dishes and fell in behind Slade to rinse and load. Then he had her hand, threading their fingers together before tugging her back downstairs. She shivered at the heat in his gaze. She had a feeling he had much more in mind than sleep.

Chapter Eighteen

Brock woke early and slipped quietly from bed, letting Jemma sleep. He’d kept her up most of the night, loving her over and over again. He couldn’t get enough of his mate. In between bouts of lovemaking, they’d talked, sharing everything from favorite foods to childhood memories, to their hopes and dreams for the future. It seemed they were both on the same page when it came to children and starting a family. Jemma wanted to wait a few years, giving them more time with just the two of them. Brock agreed completely. He wanted children, but he wasn’t ready to share Jemma yet.

He didn’t bother with shoes, slipping on a pair of sweats then padding out of the room and upstairs before heading for the back door. Night still lingered in the sky as Brock stripped, stretched, then shifted from man to grizzly. He swallowed the growl that wanted to spill from him as he hit the ground on all fours and took off between the trees. He was restless and unsure why. Now that he and Jemma had found their way, he was happier than he’d ever been. He hated that it had taken her being injured for him to stop fighting himself and her and open his eyes.

He made his way to the boundary of Holloway land and followed it, taking in the world around him with the keen senses of his bear. He’d traveled a few miles when the air changed. The stillness had him pausing as he surveyed everything around him. Something was wrong. He jerked on the link with his mate, making sure she was still safely in bed where he’d left her. She wasn’t. She must have sensed him leave and followed. She’d also shifted. He could feel her joy at having her bear fully back. She was moving through the woods, heading toward him and whatever danger lay before him.

Careful! He warned her through the bond they shared. Don’t come any closer. Something’s off. Stay alert. I’m heading toward you.

I’m not that far from you. Someone’s out there, Brock.

He caught sight of the big brown bear in his peripheral and moved toward her. Jemma’s bear wasn’t as big as his grizzly, but she was still a force to be reckoned with. Despite her inability to shift while she’d been hidden, she was comfortable in her bear form.

Let me reach out to my brothers.

Jemma nodded as she moved to his side, rubbing her fur against his, her nose scenting the air as she gazed around them. Brock tugged on the link he shared with his brothers, managing to connect with all of them except Matheus. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find his younger brother. He ignored Laramie’s order to hold until one of them could join him and Jemma, letting his brother know where he was headed instead. He needed to find Matheus. Brock knew where his younger brother had been last night.

He nudged Jemma. Follow me. East. We need to find Matheus.

She nodded, staying on his tail as they made their way toward the cabin where Matheus had helped Milo watch Caleb Oaks. The scent of blood grew stronger the closer they got. Brock didn’t contain the roar that filled his throat. He let every bear nearby feel the force of his anger. If anything had happened to his brother…

They finally broke through the trees, and another roar filled his chest as he took in the wide-open door. He stood on two legs as he climbed onto the porch, shifting back to human as he hit the door and stepped inside.

“Fuck!” he yelled as he took in the destroyed room around him.

He found Milo as Jemma joined him. She immediately darted around him, making a beeline for Milo while Brock searched the room for his brother.

“He’s alive,” Jemma shouted. “Milo! Milo! Wake up!”

Brock found Matheus in the hallway that led to the room where Caleb had been locked in. Brock fell to his knees as he assessed his brother. Matheus’ pulse was thready but present.

“Matheus!” Brock shook him, lightly slapping his face, but Matheus didn’t move, his eyes firmly shut. At least, he was alive, and the scent of blood wasn’t coming from him. It was coming from the back bedroom here Caleb should be.

“I think Milo may have been drugged,” Jemma said as she joined him, dropping beside him to take a closer look at Matheus. “Needle mark.” She pointed out a spot on Matheus’ neck. “I don’t know what they were given. We need to get Jensen here or get them to him.” She glanced around before locking her gaze on the door Brock stared at. “Blood.”

“My brothers are on the way,” Brock said. “Stay with Matheus.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Stay on my ass,” he ordered and stood, moving toward the door and the rich scent of copper that saturated the air. Jemma’s palm pressed against his back, letting him know she was with him.

He toed open the door and took in the carnage before him. The room had been ripped apart. It looked as if someone had shifted and taken claws to the walls and furniture. Only problem was, when they’d placed Caleb in the cabin, Jensen had given him something to suppress his ability to shift. It was a short-term drug that was easy to flush from a shifter’s system with no side effects. The recipient was still able to feel his animal side but couldn’t shift.

“Brock.” Jemma pointed toward the back corner where Caleb sat against the wall. Someone had taken a swipe at his chest, ripping cloth, skin, and muscle. His arm hung at an odd angle, and one of his thighs was flayed to the bone. He sat in a pool of blood. As they stared, he blinked open his eyes. They dropped shut just as quickly, but Caleb kept working to get them back open.

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