Page 30 of Bear Haven
Chapter Eight
He was there and Bex couldn’t quite get her mind to believe what her eyes were seeing. She thought he was a ghost at first; the haze of smoke was so thick. But he wasn’t. He was real. He was alive. He was breathing. And he was standing on the corner across the street, staring at his handy work.
Son of a fucking bitch.
She ran toward him. Beck called after her, but she didn’t stop. She expected him to run from her, but he didn’t. He stood stock still.
Blood dotted his face. Cuts and rips crisscrossed his arms and shirt. Dirt caked the knees of his pants.
And… Fear. Waves of fear poured off him.
Another figure appeared at the edge of her vision. Wolf. Luke. She didn’t turn to look at him, but his scent was strong. He stood by, not saying anything, not interfering. She took some measure of comfort in that.
Bex glared at the man in front of her. She was afraid if she took her eyes off him for even a half second, he’d disappear and she couldn’t let him disappear.
“What are you doing here?” she yelled loud enough to be heard over the noise at her back.
“B-Beck… Is he alive? Is he hurt? I have to know.”
“Why do you care?”
“He’s my son. How is he? Where is he? Is that him in the ambulance?
“Did you do this?” Bex waved her arm to encompass the fire. Did you set my fucking house on fire?”
She stepped close. So closer. Her bear wanted out. Her bear wanted to roar. Her bear wanted to rip the man in front of her to pieces. She couldn’t shift. Not in front of all the people gathered around. Not in front of the medics and firemen. But oh how she wanted to.
“I… I… No. No, I didn’t do this. I wouldn’t do anything to harm Beck. Please… You have to believe me.”
The trouble was, she did believe him. She did believe he’d never hurt Beck. Sure, he’d put a bullet between her eyes or an arrow in her back without thinking twice, but he wouldn’t harm his own son.
“I killed him,” the Mayor said. His voice stronger than before, certain and full of conviction.
“No. Beck is fine. He —”
“The one who ordered the fire. I killed him.”
“Why?
“Because he could’ve killed my son. I couldn’t let that happen.”
“Yes, you’re right. He could have.”
“They’ll come for me now. I’ll be hunted the same way you’ve been hunted.”
“How does that feel?” She didn’t want an answer. She only knew what she’d have done if anyone harmed Gus or any of the others. No one would be safe from her.
“I… Please, Rebecca. I just need to see him for a moment. I just need to see with my own eyes that he’s okay.”
She was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t been called Rebecca in a long time and the piercing pain in her heart nearly dropped her to her knees.
But she drew herself up and nodded. She wouldn’t deny him that. It took guts and stupid courage to show up where everyone wanted to kill you.
She should know.
She motioned for him to walk ahead of her. No way would she turn her back on him. The others hadn’t noticed him yet, but the closer they got to the house, to the ambulance, the more attention they drew. Gus ran toward her, rage distorting his face. Bryan and Martin saw them as and began to approach with caution.
When Gus reached for him, Bex stayed his hand. “He’s only here to see Beck.”
