Page 80 of Hunny and the Bear

“What’s going on in here?” Murphy asked coolly. “You were supposed to meet with my enforcers at a specific location on the edge of bear territory. But you didn’t show up, Jason, and now I find you here, harassing my brother and his pregnant mate.”

Hunny released a relieved breath, grabbing Tank’s arm and yanking him back to her side. For a second, he didn’t budge, but he must have sensed her desperation, because when she tugged again, he let her lead him backward. He repositioned himself until he was standing protectively in front of both Hunny and Tabitha.

Jason scoffed. “I don’t trust your clan, so no, I was never going to do as you instructed and risk an ambush. One of you killed Natasha, and until you deliver me the bear responsible, you’re all my enemy.”

The she-wolf looked away from her group, her eyes finding Dante for a second before skittering away again.

Murphy raised a brow. “That’s a heavy accusation and a bold threat to make when it’s just the three of you here.”

Jason smirked. “Who says it’s just the three of us?”

Tank stilled, and Hunny’s heart skipped a beat, half expecting a slew of wolves to burst into the room past Murphy and the twins.

“We came alone,” the female muttered, looking toward the twins again. Ben snarled something at her from under his breath, and she flinched before looking down at the ground once more, hunching her shoulders inward.

“I want Natasha returned to me. Now,” Jason ordered with a furious jerk of his head toward Hunny. “And I want to talk with the mother of my pups. I’m entitled to this.”

“The fuck you are,” Hunny spat, pushing past her mate and giving Jason a snarl of her own. Her heart was beating hard, the ghostly remnants of his dominance still slithering over her skin, but she ignored it, instead choosing to focus on the sweet heat from Tank’s own dominance as it cradled around her protectively like an invisible force field. “You have nothing to discuss with me.”

“Easy, darlin’,” Tank murmured, wrapping an arm over her shoulder and pulling her back against him. He kept his eyes focused on Jason, a sinister curl to his upper lip, practically daring the other male to set him off again.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her racing heart. Tank was right. Losing her shit on Jason wouldn’t help the situation at hand, and after she’d glimpsed that crazy look in his eyes, did she really want to anger him? No, she sure as hell didn’t. She wanted him to collect his horrible mate and leave forever.

“The hell I don’t,” Jason argued, crossing his arms over his chest. “My mate is dead, and now those pups are the future of my pack—”

“You are insane,” Hunny interrupted hotly, her body vibrating with rage. “Mykitsare nothing to you. Do you understand? Not your future, not part of your pack, becauseHenryis the father of my kits, you arrogant prick. You have no say and no rights to our—”she pointed between herself and Tank“—children.”

Tank leaned in, his lips brushing over the crown of her head. “I fucking love you, little rabbit,” he whispered, so low that only she could hear it. If she wasn’t so furious, she might have blushed. But right now?

She just wanted to punch something. Preferably,someone.

She also wanted to run far away from the oppression his very being brought back into her life. The feeling of inferiority and repulsion he instilled in her very being. How had she never noticed before just how terrible he was?

Jason’s face turned an unflattering shade of red, his eyes skittering wildly around the room before settling on her once more. He took a step toward her. “I have rights, you little—”

“Knock it off,” Ben snapped, grabbing Jason’s shoulder and holding him back. “This isn’t the time or the place. Angela, grab his other arm.”

Murphy cleared his throat, moving further into the room with the twins at his back. Stepping between Tank and Jason, he rounded on the wolf, bumping against Jason’s chest.

“Jason, my offer to help you discover what happened to your mate has expired. Dante,” Murphy called, waiting for the male to acknowledge him. When he did, he nodded toward the wolves. “Take Angela to the morgue with Tabitha. Secure Natasha’s body and bring it out here for her mate and brother to collect.” When Dante nodded, and Angela quickly made her way to his side,Murphy continued, staring blankly at Jason. “You’ll receive an escort from my territory as soon as your mate is in your care.”

“This isn’t over,” Jason spat, getting in Murphy’s face. “I won’t rest until I handle whoever took my mate from me. I’m owed my vengeance.”

“If you step one foot into this territory after today, I’ll consider it an act of war,” Murphy warned, refusing to move an inch. “And if you refuse to take that seriously, then you’ll pay in blood.”

Jason’s chest rose and fell heavily, his nostrils flaring as if he were fighting the urge to attack Murphy regardless, consequences be damned. Hunny waited with bated breath, clinging to Tank’s side as tension filled the air, almost as palpable as his display of dominance had been. Just when she thought the wolf Alpha would attack, Dante and Angela came back into the room, carrying a body bag between them.

“Dante, Marcus. Escort our guests outside. Make sure they find their way back home,” Murphy ordered.

After what felt like forever, but couldn’t have been longer than a few minutes at most, Jason and his wolves left with the twins trailing after them. As soon as the doors to the clinic closed, Hunny let out a relieved breath, sagging into her mate. “Thank God that’s over with,” she muttered.

Murphy turned toward them with a shake of his head and a resigned look on his face. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s it. Not until we can figure out what happened to Natasha.”

“Any leads?” Tank asked gruffly, kissing the top of Hunny’s head again.

“Not a damned one. Zeke’s looking into the scent blocker; specifically, where a shifter can acquire it in our region, and we’ll go from there.”

Hunny wrinkled her nose. “I feel like I need a hot shower to clean off this entire day.”

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