Page 64 of Hunny and the Bear

“Do you want me to inform you the next time I bend my mate over and—”

“Shut the hell up,” Murphy demanded, clapping Tank on the shoulder. “That’s my sister-in-law you’re talking about.” He grinned before pushing past Tank and moving toward his SUV. “Have you told Mom yet?”

“No.”

Murphy whistled. “She’s going to lose her mind. Her and Jasper took bets on how long it would take you two to mate. Jasper bet three days, Mom bet four weeks.”

“Jasper didn’t say anything when I left him with Hunny earlier.”That little fucker.

Murphy shrugged. “You know he’s a sore loser.”

Stepping over to the passenger side of the SUV, Tank pulled open the door, climbing inside. “I’m surprised you didn’t make a bet,” he said once his brother started the engine, settling into his own seat.

“Who said I didn’t?” Smirking, Murphy drove to the main lodge, where they picked up Zeke, Colter, and Marcus.

“No Dante?” Tank asked Marcus in place of a greeting as the shifters piled into the vehicle.

“Nah. Murphy didn’t want to bring the scrawniest bear to the meeting,” Marcus joked.

Colter, sitting in the back middle seat, leaned forward. “Tank, why do you smell like puss—oh shit, brother!” He practically pressed his face to Tank’s neck, ignoring the warning growl that rumbled from the grizzly’s chest. “You mated your rabbit? Congrats, man!”

The other males in the vehicle issued similar well wishes, each of them praising his good fortune, and Tank didn’t hide the excitement from his features, relaxing in his seat as he told them smugly how Hunny had been the one to approach him about mating.

He still couldn’t believe it, even though he’d woken this morning with their combined scent filling his lungs, her sweet body pressed against him and the bite he’d placed on her staring proudly back at him.

“You dirty little bear,” Zeke teased from behind him. “Letting the lady do all the work in your relationship.”

Tank rolled his eyes, but his usual irritation was difficult to find. Instead, he felt grounded. Happy. It had been a long time since he had felt this way. Had he ever?

“You don’t even look like you want to beat the shit out of anyone,” Marcus commented, clearly impressed by Tank’s swift change in mood. “What did your mate do to you? Suck the frustration out through your di—”

Tank turned around before Marcus could finish his sentence, slamming his fist into the male’s gut. Marcus hunched forward in his seat, grunting in pain.

“Say another word like that about Hunny again, and I’ll rip your fucking head off,” Tank snarled.

“Duly … noted,” Marcus wheezed, his face a bright shade of red as a vein stuck out prominently on his forehead.

“No more talk about my mate,” Tank told the rest of them, turning back in his seat with an angry curl of his upper lip. His brother smirked, shaking his head as he focused on the road ahead.

The car was silent for the rest of the drive. As Murphy parked the SUV in front of the teahouse and Tank climbed out of the vehicle, he heard Zeke mutter from within, “Smart fucking idea that was Marcus, you goddamn idiot.”

“I was just joking,” Marcus hissed back, shoving Zeke’s shoulder. “You know I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

“Hell of a way to show it, fuckface.”

Glowering, Tank walked into the teahouse first, scanning it for any patrons. Murphy had rented the space for a few hours toensure their privacy, and it looked like Nessa had kept to her end of their arrangement. Murphy and the others piled in behind him, each looking around curiously.

“Nice place,” Murphy commented to no one in particular, almost like he couldn’t fathom humans creating anything that wasn’t completely disgusting.

“Thanks! I just put the finishing touches on the interior this morning.” Nessa came out from around a corner, smiling brightly at their group. Tank nodded his head in greeting while the others released a mixed chorus of ‘hellos.’

Everyone but Murphy. Instead of greeting her, the Alpha crossed his arms in front of his chest, sizing her up like he’d spotted a new enemy.

Quickly, the smile slipped from Nessa’s face, and she stiffened her shoulders, taking equal measure of the male. “Murphy, I take it?”

“Yes,” the Alpha stated coldly. A beat of silence passed between them before he asked reluctantly, “How did you know?”

“You look just like I pictured you from our phone call the other day,” Nessa told him happily. Moving past him and getting behind the counter, she muttered under her breath, “Like a dickhead.”

---