chapter 29

He understood now why Joe and the men had no choice but to leave. There was no way to survive against this monstrosity. He could only keep on attacking, hoping to tire the bear.

What he needed to do was tear his heart out, but he’d seen the bear was very protective of his chest. If he could get around to the back, maybe he could plunge his hand inside, and pull the heart out. Without a heart, he couldn’t change, he couldn’t do anything.

Their wolf or bear, their animal was part of them, and the only way to kill them for real was to take that one function.

“Are you done?” the rogue asked. “I can keep on going. Come on.

I’m ready. I’m more than ready.”

Caleb got to his feet again. “And so am I!”

He changed again, and this time, just as he was about to pounce, his packmates charged through the woods, and he was shocked to see his woman coming toward the edge of the trees.

What the fuck was she doing in the open? She was supposed to be kept safe. Not helping here.

“Sorry, Alpha.” Reese’s voice entered his head.

“Why is she here?”

“She won’t leave you. She’s your mate,” Brian said. “She won’t see you hurt.”

“We have a plan,” said Reese.

“What?”

“This rogue has only ever dealt with people who are afraid of him. We’re going to distract him. All of us together. Whoever can, they must take his heart. It is the only way,” Brian said.

“Seriously, attack until one of us is successful?” he asked.

“It’s all we have, Alpha,” Reese said.

“Then let’s get it done.”

His men were stuck in their skin, but they were no ordinary men. They were strong with many abilities and heightened senses. Caleb took his place and the rogue was surrounded. Even with the additional muscle, the rogue took them all on.

Little by little, he sensed the fight leaving the rogue. Still, he protected his chest.

This time, as Caleb rushed him, he took one hand, holding him, claws extended, and the rogue growled, trying to pull away.

Brian took the other arm. Two more attacked the legs and Caleb didn’t know when Joe had burst through the lake, but in the next second, his hand was through the rogue’s chest.

Silence. Pain.

The final countdown was coming.

Joe looked at the rogue. “For my sleuth, for those women, for everyone you have ever hurt, this is what is owed to you.” He twisted his hand and pulled.

The rogue stumbled and Caleb let him go. There was a single hole in his chest, blood oozing down.

Joe panted. He held the heart in his hand. It was bigger than Caleb imagined it would be.

“I’ve got to bury this.”

Once the body dropped, Caleb frowned, following Joe. “What are you doing?”

“I can’t put this in the lake. There’s no way we can allow this heart to be reborn.”

“You believe in all of that?”

“I believe in everything, Caleb. You should as well. How do you think we find our mates, the loves of our lives? What about the power we hold? How can you not believe?” Joe asked.

He hadn’t really thought of it like that, but seeing it now, he understood.

Joe put the heart on top of the soil and began to pull the earth back. Getting on his hands and knees, he helped, digging a big enough hole. The heart was placed inside, and he covered it up.

“Now, he will forever be lost and there will be no way back for him. This is how it is supposed to be.” Joe stood.

“What do we do with the body for you?” Caleb asked. “We burn it. It can guarantee he doesn’t come back.”

****

Two weeks later

Bethany tucked some hair behind her ear as she looked around Joe’s diner. The door and windows had been repaired, and the customers were all in a happier mood. Of course, there was talk of a giant bear sighting. She didn’t tell them anything that she knew.

Slipping her notepad into her apron, she made her way back to Joe’s office. The man himself was sitting at his desk, staring into space.

The rogue had been killed. Caleb told her everything about what had gone down.

She missed her mate.

Since their return home, they hadn’t been together. Caleb had been busy helping Heather with her pack. They wanted to join Caleb’s, which meant his family was growing. She didn’t mind. Heather was so sweet, and she was a down-to-earth, kind soul who loved to garden. She didn’t like to hunt, and in fact, loved animals—and she was even a vegan. It was unheard of for a wolf shifter.

She liked having a friend, at least a girlfriend to chat with. What made it even more awesome, they shared ice cream—of the vegan variety—but Bethany didn’t mind.

“You okay?” she asked. Joe looked up.

He hadn’t been doing any work but looked very focused. “Yes.”

She stepped into his office and closed the door behind her. “Are you sure?”

“Actually, I want to apologize to you,” he said. He got up and nodded at the chair, taking a step back and leaning against the wall. “I shouldn’t have touched you. I knew you were Caleb’s and I was a prick. I shouldn’t have done what I did.”

“Please don’t worry about it.”

“I can’t help it. I … you saw what he was like.” “You’re worried about turning into a rogue?”

“It’s always there, Bethany. Each one of us is at risk.”

She laughed. “Joe, you’re not going to turn into that kind of monster.” “I killed him.”

“And he had killed so many. You’re not going to end up like him.” She watched him as he ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head.

“Some of the survivors of my sleuth are returning.” “How do you feel about that?”

“They want me to lead and I can’t do that,” he said, shaking his head. “I ran, Bethany. I can’t allow them to think I’m something I’m not.”

“You won’t. You did kill him,” she said. “You saved them all. You saved all of us.”

“With help.”

She chuckled. “Does it matter?”

“Yes. I was going to run. I was terrified.” “You had a right to be,” Caleb said.

She hadn’t even heard the door open and she quickly stood to look at her man. He was so damn sexy. She wanted him, but rather than tell him that, she offered him a smile. Caleb ignored her, focusing on Joe.

“You can’t blame yourself for wanting to run. I didn’t get it until I was fighting him. He was the strongest man I’d ever gone against. I get why you did what you did.”

“It doesn’t make it right,” Joe said. “To be an alpha, you don’t run.” Caleb sighed. “I wasn’t always an alpha, Joe. I was part of a pack.

Look at me, I’m huge and the alpha in charge at the time, he didn’t like it. He considered that I was too much of a risk, and so … he expelled me from the pack. I ran.

I was ashamed. Embarrassed. I didn’t fight for my spot. For my chance to be part of that pack. Along the way, I found Reese, Brian, and David. They became part of me. Now I have my woman.” Caleb put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

“You did what you needed to do. What any of us would do in that situation. Don’t blame yourself. What you’ve got to do now is be there for your people. Be strong and don’t fail them, ever.”

Joe nodded his head. “Can I steal my woman?”

“Sure, go ahead. Will I be able to keep her for much longer?” Joe asked.

“I love working for you. I don’t see a reason why I won’t stick around.” She winked at him but followed Caleb out to his waiting truck. This was the first time they’d been alone together since she’d been taken.

She climbed in, aware of his hand on the base of her back, helping her inside. That one touch and all she wanted to do was wrap her body around his and forget about the world and everything else inside it.

Sitting her ass down on the seat, she waited for him to climb on inside. She was angry at him. Confused. He’d pushed her away and she’d nearly died. Their lives could have come to such a quick end. Didn’t he feel that?

The cab of the truck was uncomfortably quiet.

She took several deep breaths in an effort to control her anger, but it was hard. She’d given up everything to be his mate. Now he’d gone from hot to cold.

He didn’t speak. He drove.

They were strangers now. The fairy tale was dying before her eyes.

She knew they were heading home, which didn’t surprise her. He always had distractions and she was left wondering why the hell he’d mated her in the first place.

They arrived at home and of course, David and Heather were there, as were Reese and Heather’s Uncle Benjamin. She didn’t want to see who else was watching. Climbing out of the truck, she stormed toward the house, ignoring Caleb’s call.

He wasn’t going to get everything he wanted. Marching into Joe’s office, asking for her, and then what? Doing absolutely nothing about it. She wasn’t going to give in to him.

She didn’t go to the kitchen, but to their bedroom.

Wrapping her arms around her waist, she went straight to the window and looked out over his beautiful land. It was supposed to be theirs. Their life together was supposed to be beautiful, not this.

“Why did you run?” he asked. Caleb stepped into the room, closing the door. She wished the deep baritone of his voice didn’t affect her so much.

“Don’t you have something to do?” she asked. This wasn’t being nice. She should be supportive. A lot had happened in the past couple of weeks.

She didn’t have time to be selfish, but her life had changed so fast, and now, she didn’t know what the hell to do and it scared her.

“Bethany, I’m not good with this. I don’t know what the hell it is you want from me.”

“I don’t want anything from you. I don’t need anything.” She turned and glared at him. “Seriously, this is nothing. I’ll be fine. Just go.” Tears filled her eyes as she returned her gaze to the forest. I can do this. I can handle this.

“You’re pissed at me. I nearly got you killed.” “Caleb, don’t,” she said.

“I … sending you away, I didn’t want to.”

“But it was so easy for you to do so. Believe me, I get it. It’s all that has ever happened all of my life.

I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities for you to do it again.” Those horrible insecurities came right back to taunt her.