Page 9 of Grumpy Special Ops Bear: Ep. 3
“Sorry. I just thought of something,” I whispered.
They continued to watch me. Grant growled at Cutter, and he turned to me, tilting his head.
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t speak bear.”
Grant shook his head as Cutter plopped his furry ass in the snow and grunted at me. I shook my head and laughed, still not understanding what he was trying to say, but it made me smile. Then I was laughing so hard my sides ached. It had been days since I could relax.
It was as if I’d known Cutter and Grant my entire life. They felt like family, something I’d never dreamed of having.
Chapter 6
Fergus
Cutter kept grunting and snorting,making Trinity laugh even harder. She didn’t realize Grant had disappeared into the trees, shifting back into a man.
I stood a few feet away, observing Trinity laughing, and a smile found its way to my lips. The whole time I examined her, I realized I’d never seen her so happy. She was laughing as if she didn’t have a pack of wolves trying to hunt her down and kill her. A light shone in her eyes that I could see even from that far away.
I longed to be the man who would spend his life devoted to ensuring her happiness.
“Her smile is a beautiful thing,” Grant mused over my shoulder.
“Yes, it is,” I whispered, unable to take my eyes off her as Cutter’s antics made her fall to the snow, still laughing uncontrollably. “It’s nice to see her happy.”
Grant grinned at me. “Your mood has changed. Finally, no brooding or sulkiness. And wait… Is that an actual gleam in your eyes? Shit. I haven’t seen that in years.” He looked back at Trinity. “For a Protector, she seems to be quite at home around us. Cutter and I, for a moment, thought we were strolling with a shifter, not a hybrid.”
My stomach twisted. “Well, she’s not. So what’s your point?”
“That perhaps she fits in better with us than I first assumed. She’s not just a meddlesome human we have to protect.” He scratched his nose and tried to ignore the look I gave him. “Maybe she should stick around for a while.”
“Stick around for a while?” I repeated.
Grant nodded. “Just to see how she gets along with everyone… and you.”
My hands were suddenly sweaty. I grunted, avoiding the issue, even as my gaze immediately went back to Trinity. She was holding Cutter’s paw against her palm, her eyes widening as she took in the size compared to her tiny hand. A pang of jealousy shot through me as I witnessed her with another bear, and I flashed my teeth.
I didn’t want to have this conversation right now. There was no time for me to understand what I might feel for Trinity. She was a Protector, of all things. There was no way my fellow bears would accept her. Just no chance in hell. There was too much animosity and distrust between Protectors and shifters.
“Enough, Grant. We have more important things to deal with right now than my possible feelings for Trinity.”
“Possible?” Grant mumbled under his breath as he shook his head. “So fucking stubborn.”
I ignored him. “I haven’t smelled the wolves in a while. What do you think?”
Grant took a long sniff of the air. “There’s no hint of wolf. They must be downwind, or they turned tail and ran. We covered our tracks well.” He patted me on the shoulder. “It should give us time to come up with a plan to finish this for good.”
I said nothing in response to that either. I knew the only way to draw Price out long enough to attack him would be to use Trinity as bait. It was what Price wanted, what he’d come all the way up here for—to get Trinity, start a war, and watch the shifters’ world fall to pieces. So only the wolves remained on top.
I knew my family was the strongest among the clans, and we were the only actual force that could threaten Price. But I wouldn’t go to war alone and risk the lives of the members of my clan.
If Price crossed the line by killing a human—Trinity—if he started a war, I would call in Taggert without hesitation in order to keep the situation contained and under control. I’d be damned if I let Price tear this country apart.
“Fergus, did you hear me?”
“Hmm? Sorry,” I replied, turning to Grant. “What did you say?”
“What should we do until then? We can’t just keep wandering through the woods.”
“Trinity isn’t ready to face Price again.” I stepped toward her and then stopped. “Her wound is still too fresh, and she doesn’t even know how to fight.”
