Page 51 of Bear Facts

“I’m more worried about you.” Freya looked surprised at her own admission. “You text us the minute you know anything, all right?” Her eyes took on the glare of a she-wolf who expected her wishes to be commands.

On impulse, Shane cupped her face in his hands and kissed her mouth.

Freya started, but not in distaste. Her lips softened beneath his, a woman who wanted this kiss. Shane closed his eyes as he savored it.

Graham loudly cleared his throat. “Meanwhile, one of my wolves is in dire peril.”

Shane ignored him. He took his time easing away from Freya, who released him with reluctance.

“You stay out of dire peril while I’m gone,” Shane told her.

Freya rested a hand on Shane’s chest, where his heart rocketed. “Be careful,” she said softly. “I don’t like this.”

“I don’t either. But it’s my job to flush out the bad stuff.” Shane lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. “I’ll be back soon, and we’ll party.”

Freya’s expression told him she didn’t believe his glib reassurance, and Shane didn’t believe it either, but what the hell. He was just happy she’d agreed to remain here, where Nell and Graham could look after her.

There was a reason Shifter leaders stayed put and sent out the trackers to uncover the danger. The leaders needed to guard the more vulnerable, in case that danger came home. Trackers were expendable.

No one ever said that, but Shane knew it to be the truth. He and the other trackers were the scouts, the spies, and the first line of defense. They had to be tough, fearless, and have nothing to lose.

Shane realized this morning he’d now found something he didn’t want to lose.

Freya smiled shakily as she let him go. Shane ignored Graham hovering impatiently, Nell watching in interest, and Reid, as impatient as Graham but with more understanding, to gaze into Freya’s eyes and touch her smooth cheek.

Then he gave Freya one last, brief kiss, sent his mom a grateful glance, and waved for Reid to join him as he strode away to become a fearless tracker once more.

“She’ll be okay, bro.” Brody gunned the big pickup Cormac had insisted they use, taking Shane, Reid, and Neal at breakneck speed down the freeway to the turnoff toward Mount Charleston.

Reid, who couldn’t teleport to a place he’d never seen, hung on to the back of Brody’s seat, his face set in grim lines. Neal hulked next to him, the big Lupine barely fitting in the small space. His large sword, sheathed, lay across his lap, the tip over Reid’s knees.

Reid looked like he might puke, but whether because of proximity to High Fae magic or Brody’s driving, Shane couldn’t say.

“I know.” Shane tried to reassure himself. “Mom won’t let Graham bully her or anyone hurt her.”

“Cormac won’t either.”

Shane, as usual, felt better just thinking about Cormac, who took care of people without belligerence. He might not have the prominence Nell did, but everyone seemed to do what he wanted without resistance.

“When I get my hands on Leo, though …” Shane left the thought hanging. If Leo was alive and well, Graham would punish him thoroughly, yes, but Shane’s anger soared beyond logical proportion.

“There’s still the Challenge,” Brody reminded him.

“That’s true.” A fair fight in the ring with referees wasn’t what Shane had in mind, but he knew he’d have to take it.

“I don’t understand the Challenge at all.” Reid’s strong fingers gripped the upholstery as Brody roared off the freeway to the winding mountain highway. “A woman accepts or rejects the mate-claim, and that should be it.”

“Should be,” Brody said, sounding reasonable. “But Shifters have always complicated things.”

“No kidding,” Reid said dryly.

“Do not tell me dokk alfar live simple and straightforward lives,” Brody said. “I’ve heard differently, mostly from your mate.”

“We have our rituals,” Reid admitted. “But when it comes to taking our partner for life, it’s private. Between the two of us.”

“Uh huh.” Brody tried unsuccessfully to smother a chuckle. Reid and his mate, Peigi, had gone through a lot before they’d figured out they should stay together.

Shane shut out their banter, which was created through nervousness. Neal, the silent type, said nothing at all. Refreshing.

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