Page 23 of Hunny and the Bear

“That almost sounds like a threat,” Hunny replied.

Tabitha winked, causing the rabbit shifter to crack a small smile.

Turning back to Tank, Hunny murmured, “I think we should talk a bit more before you build anything, though.”

His mom turned to Jasper. “Well, I think we should leave and give these two some privacy. Besides, you need to help me with several chores around the house.”

“Shit,” Jasper whined pitifully. “I need to find a woman and build her a cabin. Then you won’t put me to work like a dog.”

“You could just move out,” Tabitha answered, ushering Jasper toward the driveway. She lifted a hand in goodbye.

Without bothering with farewells, Tank scooped Hunny up, carrying her bridal-style back toward the cabin.

“Henry!” Hunny sassed him, pushing lightly at his chest. “We talked about this; you can’t just carry me everywhere.” Her face flushed with embarrassment as she glanced after his family.

“It’s getting cold and you don’t have shoes on. Do you want to get sick?”

She rolled her eyes, putting an arm around his shoulders and one on his chest, her fingers playing with the hair there. “We both know you’re not carrying me around because you’re worried my feet are cold. You like it.”

He grunted in answer, seeing no point in denying it.

Once they were safely inside, he moved back to the couch, dropping onto the leather cushion with her still tucked into his arms. Part of him hoped she’d straddle his waist like she had last night. But that would just further distract him, and if she was open to talking about her life, he’d listen to every word.

His brow furrowed. Actually, having her on his lap probably wasn’t the smartest decision if he intended to remain present for their conversation.

He put his hands on her hips, on the verge of sliding her onto the cushion beside him, when she blurted out, “I have a mate.” He stilled, eyes snapping to hers as the breath froze in his lungs. She wrinkled her nose again. “I’m sorry, Ihada mate. He rejected me the night you found me.”

Suddenly, Tank could breathe again. So he did, inhaling her scent deep into his lungs to calm himself down. “Okay.”

Hunny snorted, staring at him in bewilderment. “That’s all you have to say?”

“I’m sorry he rejected you,” he added after a few tense seconds of silence. And hewassorry. Sorry that her mate was clearly a fucking idiot. Who rejected their true mate? Especially someone like Hunny?

She sat up straighter in his arms. “Thanks,” she murmured softly.

“It was a huge shock when it happened. Actually, maybe I’m still in shock about it all. I thought he was going to make me a member of his pack. He …” She trailed off, releasing a ragged sigh. “I thought he was going to turn my life around, you know? Instead, he knocked me up and then mated someone else.”

Mated someoneelse? The thought was unfathomable. As absurd as rejecting Hunny in the first place.

“Why would he do that?”

“Apparently, I was too tempting to resist, even though he’d made promises to another shifter before we met.” She sniffled, but her eyes remained dry, much to his relief.

“He sounds like a prick,” Tank supplied grumpily. “Anyone that would use you like that is a piece of shit.”

Hunny grinned, nudging her shoulder against his. “You really believe that, don’t you?” He grunted again and she let out a small laugh, the light sound something he relished. He enjoyed making her laugh. “Well, in this case, I definitely agree. Jason sucks.”

Tank stiffened. “Jason, the Alpha of the Moon Rose pack?”

Now it made sense how she’d stumbled into bear territory during a wolf attack. Had the evil prick sent one of his she-wolves to kill Hunny and their unborn kit after he rejected her? Tank’s hands tightened on Hunny’s thighs, rage boiling to the surface. He beat it back, schooling his features.

The humor faded from Hunny’s face, replaced quickly with panic. “You know him? Is he allied with your clan?”

“Fuck no, he’s not our ally,” Tank denied, disgusted at the mere idea. “I can’t stand the rat bastard, neither can my brother. Jason’s entire wolf pack is full of depraved animals. They’re terrible people; every one of them. You were lucky he let you go.”

But why would he? Jason didn’t seem like a male to relinquish any of his toys—the fact that he’d used Hunny for just sex was a clear indicator that the dickhead had viewed her as exactly that, and not as his true mate at all.

Sick bastard.

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