chapter 12

Stepping out of the room, he made his way out of the diner. “You’re paying for my door,” Joe called out.

“I’m not paying for anything.” He went straight to his truck, climbed inside, and headed to where his pack was waiting.

Brian was there as he returned. “Where is everyone?” he asked. “They’re out gathering wood and tending the gardens. What is it?” “Get them.

We need to talk.”

“Bethany called,” Brian said. This made him stop. “What?”

“She wanted to talk to you, said it was urgent.”

He clenched his fist so tight, his claws began to prick his palm. There was too much shit on his mind.

“You need to go to her.”

“Trouble is coming,” he said. “Get the men.” He wanted Bethany more than anything else, but he needed to prepare them for what was going to come. He’d put them all in danger by agreeing to allow Joe to stay with them.

Once all of his men were home, he told them everything Joe had disclosed to him.

“He could be lying,” David said.

“You know we can’t trust the bears.” This came from Reese. “We shouldn’t trust anyone.”

“And if he’s not lying?” Caleb asked.

“As if a bear would admit to using us to hide. It seems so … wrong.

Surely you don’t believe it,” Brian said. “It’s too easy of a cover story.” “But it would explain why he would even risk using the wolves for protection.

You guys were out there last night. I don’t know. I think there’s more to this. I’ve told him to come here.”

“That’s real stupid of you,” David said. “We shouldn’t have to take care of a fucking bear. They’re messy.”

“You’ve been close to one?” Reese asked.

“They stink. Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for all of his customers, that damn diner would stink.” David shook his head. “He’s not staying in the house.”said.

“You’re also going to have to keep an eye on him tonight,” Caleb

“And why is that? Why do we even need to get meddled in any kind

of this business? I say fuck him and let him deal with his own bear problems. We’ve got our own. Like the fact we’ve still got the full moon as a little problem,” Reese said.

“Until we know for sure this isn’t some kind of fluke, we’re taking care of Joe.

I don’t like it any more than you guys, but we need to do whatever we can to keep us all safe.

A rogue bear coming to town and sniffing out some wolves, it’ll be too tempting for him to simply kill his bear and leave us be. We all know the risks.

We’re going to have to deal with it the best way we know how. Now I’ve got other pressing matters.” He left the house, going back to his truck.

Something in the pit of his stomach told him Joe wasn’t joking around.

There was something scary coming. Caleb only hoped for all of their sakes that he’d be able to handle it.

This wasn’t the best time or place to start mating. Not if a war was coming.

****

Bethany sat on the boarding house steps waiting. There was a chill in the air and she checked her watch not for the first time. Brian had told her Caleb would be meeting her at the boarding house.

As she ran her fingers through her hair, her nerves started to pick up.

She stood and started to pace.

Some rustling across the road drew her attention. She thought she saw a shadow and as she was about to make her way over, she suddenly stopped.

Clearly, her mind was playing tricks on her because of last night.

There was nothing there at all.

The rustling started again and she frowned. What could it possibly be? Just as she was about to march right on over there, she came to a stop as Caleb’s truck appeared down the road. Finally.

She waited for him to pull up. Bethany smiled and tucked some loose hair behind her ear. It was good to see him.

All last night she’d dreamed about him.

The full moon. Sex. She’d woken with this aching need, something she’d never experienced.

Caleb climbed out of the truck and she noticed him tense. She offered him a smile, one he didn’t return, and she wondered what was the matter.

He didn’t look happy to see her, which didn’t exactly help her nerves. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Get in the truck.” “Caleb?”

“Do it,” he said, growling.

She jumped. Rather than tell him to go and drop dead, she climbed into the truck, hating herself for conforming.

Why was she jumping in the truck? She wasn’t his kid and right now, she didn’t need to follow his orders. She stayed put in her seat even as he ran toward the wood’s edge.

So much time passed.

She didn’t know what to expect, then Caleb reappeared. He ran to the truck, putting it into reverse without a backward glance.

“Caleb, what’s going on?”

“Just a couple of bears. Nothing to concern yourself with.”

“I don’t like this. I think I should go back to the boarding house.”

“You wanted to see my place and I didn’t exactly leave it at a good place last night, did I?”

“I had a good time.”

She’d been the one to bring their date to a close. After the bear attack and him not seeming to have a scratch on him, she’d been a little nervous. Now, her hands shook and her body ached.

She fought with her own needs to throw herself into his arms, to beg him to take her. Rubbing at her chest, she tried to calm herself, but being close to him, he smelled amazing.

Why did he smell so amazing?

“Me too.” He reached over taking her hand.

The moment he touched her, she felt heat envelop her. The pleasure rushed through every part of her body, overwhelming her.

“Fuck,” he said.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me,” she said, moaning. “Caleb?” “I’ve never heard of this happening before.”

She felt the truck jolt forward. Pressing her thighs together, she tried to alleviate the ache, but that only served to make her want him more.

This wasn’t what she wanted. Closing her eyes, she tried to count to ten, to remember her life. To feel anything but the consuming need that had struck her.

“It’s okay, Bethany.”

Even his voice sent a wave of pleasure washing over her. The deep timber irresistible. She arched her back, wishing for his hand to touch her.

The journey suddenly came to a stop.