Page 35 of Bear the Burden

“Is that all you want, babe?” Hyett asked, noticing Wesley’s single bag of candy.

“Yep. I’m not a bear shifter with an insatiable sweet tooth like a family I know. On second thought…” Wesley strolled over to the “limited time only” section and picked up a small jar shaped like a bee and filled with about a teaspoon of honey. Grinning, he made his way back to his mate.

“Very cute.” Hyett chuckled.

“I think so.” Wesley was going to set it on the counter at work to feel connected with his mate whenever he had to be there. “Whenever I look at this jar, I’ll always think of you.”

After studying it for a moment, Hyett went back and grabbed the whole box.

Wesley laughed. “What’re you doing?”

His mate counted the jars in the box. “Now you’ll have nearly two dozen reminders.”

“Dude, each one cost seven dollars.” Which Wesley thought was outrageous for such a tiny jar. But he had to have it. Hyatt, on the other hand, was insane.

He did the math in his head, and his jaw slightly dropped. “Are you seriously going to spend over 160 dollars on these?”

“Whenever I open a jar of honey, I’ll remember this moment.” Hyett placed the case on the counter.

“What is with you and sentimental moments, Winnie the Pooh?” Wesley teased, still stunned Hyett was buying all of them.

He wasn’t the only one. The clerk looked at Hyett like he’d lost his mind. “We sell much larger containers of honey for a heck of a lot less,” he remarked.

“I’ll take these.” Hyett pulled out his wallet.

“I’m heading to the car before you buy something else insane,” he said, starting away.

But his mate snagged the back of Wesley’s shirt with a finger and pulled him back.

Hyett didn’t say a word as he completed his outrageous transaction. Sighing, Wesley waited until his mate grabbed his things before they headed toward the exit, stepping aside to make room for two deputies entering the store.

“I highly doubt anyone will try to kidnap me from the checkout counter to the SUV.” Wesley opened his bag of gummy worms and took a bite. “Plus, your family is parked right next to us.”

“Whose responsibility is it to protect you?” Hyett asked once they reached the car.

“Winnie the Pooh’s job.” Wesley groaned, ready to bang his head against the SUV if Hyett reminded him of it one more time.

His mate narrowed his eyes. “You are not about to start calling me that. I’m much deadlier than him. Does he have a six pack like mine?” Hyett flexed his arms.

“Oh bother…” Wesley attempted a poor impression of the cartoon character.

His mood tanked when they reached his house. For a year he had walked through the door without issue, but it no longer felt like his safe haven. Not after he’d been attacked in his own home, and definitely not since learning what his father had been doing behind his back.

The rumbling of motorcycles died as Hyett’s family parked and cut their motors.

“You don’t have to do this, hon.” Hyett brushed his knuckles over Wesley’s cheek. “Just tell us what you need and they’ll grab it for you.”

Wesley closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. “My dad caused the fire,” he murmured, for some reason feeling compelled to tell his mate what happened.

“Babe.”

Wesley held up a hand. If he didn’t push through this, the nightmare would always have a tight hold on him. He was sick of the secrets he kept buried. All they had done was fester inside of him.

“He was high. That was when he’d just started using, but I naively told myself he was just tired from working all day. I didn’t want to believe my own father was an addict, because prior to his addiction, he was a good dad, though we butted heads a lot.”

Hyett slid a hand over Wesley’s shoulder.

“Jackson had started hanging with a few guys he’d just met. I think they’re the ones who got him started.”

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