Page 19 of The Alpha Grizzly's Mate

“I’m coming home.”

“Good. We miss you around here.”

“And…Aunt Patty? I’m bringing my new omega.”

I walked to the farmhouse where I saw Colson surrounded by the cubs we’d rescued. Two clung like leeches on his legs, and the others were playing and running in the sun. Before I could say anything, Colson turned and I was struck with his beauty.

I was one fucking lucky bear.

“What is it?” he asked as I sat next to him. One of the cubs crawled from Colson to me and nuzzled into my chest. They were so affection-starved.

Poor little cubs.

“I need to talk to you about something,” I said, taking my omega’s hand in mine.

“Tell me.”

“I need to go back to my lands. I have to protect my clan. I’m their alpha.”

Colson nodded. “Then I’m coming with you.”

Chapter Twelve

Colson

Back in college, I remembered all of my classmates who fell in love and were a combination of giddy and nervous because they were going to meet their boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s parents for the first time during Parents Weekend or a holiday pickup. I never really understood it because, being a shifter, you find your mate, and that was that for the most part. Parents tended to accept you even if you weren’t their favorite person. Sure, they didn’t always, but you always knew that at the end of it all, your mate was still by your side. Humans couldn’t say the same.

And that was why, with humans, it was a whole big thing. I saw multiple couples break up over family. It was a whole big thing I never quite understood…until today.

I was going to meet his family and his den. Or I guess it was my den now, wasn’t it. I never thought I’d have one of those, or a pack of any kind. I was part of a notorious crime factory. That was my fate. Except it wasn’t.

And having the family I did, there was a chance they might not want me there. They might look at me and think I was the next “uncle.” Because, frankly, they had no reason not to. I came from the family that killed a den member, and it wasn’t for self-defense or an accident. It was intentional and cold-blooded. They didn’t even let him shift.

It was more than that trepidation, though. The more time I spent with those pups, the more I bonded with them. They were so sweet, even after all they had been through. I wanted to wrap them in a protective bubble and keep them safe and happy. I couldn’t do that from the den.

I wasn’t alone in this. Leaving all of them here had my wolf on a tear. But my mate needed me, and I was going to go. That was all there was to it. Still…

“Are you okay, mate?” Levi walked into the room and took a seat beside me on the bed.

“What?” It took me a second to catch up. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine and just about ready.”

“No.” He took my hand in his. “I didn’t ask if you were ready. I asked if you were all right.”

“I’m fine. It’s just…much.”

“It is much, isn’t it?” He turned to face me. “Why don’t you tell me what some of the ‘much’ is, and I can take the burden from you.”

If only it were that easy.

“Okay.” But then the words didn’t come. Levi was patient, waiting for me to find them. “I mean, there’s the obvious.”

He kissed my cheek. “If it was obvious, I wouldn’t be asking you.”

“Fair.” I rolled my eyes, trying to lighten the mood—and probably looked more cross-eyed than anything.

He chuckled, and I guess it worked.

“I’m worried your family’s gonna hate me because mine killed your uncle.” It all came out as almost one word.

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