Page 14 of Grizzly's Bear

“Jack,” Adam answered. He rubbed her shoulder before giving it a squeeze. “He lived next door. We were always running here or there. Usually with Rissa not far behind. The three of us grew up together.”

“Why didn’t he come with you to Wyoming?”

“He died.” Rissa answered Slade’s question but couldn’t meet his gaze. Instead, she turned and stared out the window.

“He was with our alpha when they were attacked. Jack was killed. I actually owe him my life.”

“What?” Rissa snapped, turning around quickly.

“We argued just before he left. I’d planned to go along but changed my mind at the last minute.”

“I never knew that.” She hadn’t asked. Not once. She’d been too busy being grateful her brother hadn’t been with the others during the attack. Now, looking at him, seeing the pain in his eyes, she wondered if his final moments with his best friend had been spent arguing over her.

“I can see what you’re thinking, but our argument had nothing to do with you. I swear,” Adam assured her. “Still, my disagreement with him saved my life. I could feel guilty for that and did for a little bit. Then I realized Jack wouldn’t want that. For either of us.”

Rissa felt Slade’s gaze but kept hers glued to her brother. She knew she needed to talk to Slade about Jack. She’d planned to eventually. But things had moved fairly quickly since she and Slade had mated in the woods. Finally, she forced her gaze to his. Maybe, it would be easier to say with others around them.

“Jack and I had an argument that day, too,” she admitted. “I’m the reason he went to meet the others. He was angry with me.”

“No,” Adam countered. “He wasn’t angry with you. He was never angry with you.”

“I take it Jack decided he wanted to be more than friends with you, Rissa.” Jensen cut right to the chase, but then she figured he’d be the type to rip off the band-aid fast instead of slowly peeling it away.

“He was in love with her,” Adam agreed then surprised her with his next words. “I told him Rissa would never be interested in him that way. That he was like another brother to her.”

“Was that how you felt?” Slade asked quietly.

Rissa nodded. “Yes. I never thought of Jack as anything other than my brother’s best friend. I had no clue he’d considered me differently. Not until he hinted he wanted to mate me. I was…” She paused, shaking her head back and forth.

“Blindsided,” Adam offered, and she nodded gratefully. That pretty much summed it up. She’d never given Jack the chance to say the words to her and that played a huge part in her guilt, as well. She’d never even allowed him to share how he felt. She’d denied him that, sending him off with a laugh while teasing him. She’d never forget the hurt lingering behind his smile as he’d walked away. She’d been consumed with guilt since she’d found out he’d been killed.

“Stop,” Adam commanded, and she blinked at him with surprise. “What happened to Jack isn’t your fault any more than it’s mine. That responsibility belongs to the men who hunted and killed our alpha and den mates. As well as anyone who helped them.”

“Amen,” Jensen agreed.

Slade didn’t say anything. He merely watched her, and she knew they’d discuss it more when they were alone. She knew he could pick up on her emotions. As their bond grew and strengthened, he’d pick up on even more. God, she needed him. His touch. His kiss. The brush of his naked skin against hers.

“How close—”

“We’re there.” Jensen spoke over her, cutting her question off before she’d fully spoken it.

She glanced out the window with interest then. They’d stopped at a gate. Coyotes prowled the fence line. She’d bet anything it was a security measure to help keep Talbot secure on the property and the rest of the pride safe.

“I thought this was a pride of cats?” Adam said as he stared out the windshield.

“They’re friends with a lot of different shifters. Coyotes, wolves.” Jensen indicated the four of them in the vehicle. “Bears.”

“Will Ariel be here?” Rissa asked before anyone could make a smartass comment.

“Daniel and Ariel should both be at the main house,” Slade offered. “There’s Gabriel now.”

Rissa watched as the shifter moved toward them, nodding at another man as he worked the gate open for them.

“’Bout time we had a few of you here for a visit,” Gabriel teased as Jensen lowered the window.

Rissa could tell the other man was trying to ease them, but she saw his concern when he glanced toward her. Since Ariel had been captured with her, Rissa doubted there was anything they didn’t know about what had happened to her. Hell, most of them probably knew more than she did. At least, more than she remembered on her own. She needed those memories back. It was driving her crazy that she had no idea what had been said and done to her while she’d been held by Dr. Talbot and his crazy group of hunters.

“We were just waiting for an invite,” Jensen joked back. “You know I’ve been wanting to take a look at the medical facility you guys have here. Plus, I’d like to pick the brain of the famous Professor Mueller you guys are always talking about. I’m starting to wonder if he really exists.”

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