chapter 4

David clenched his jaw, clearly itching for a fight, but stayed silent. Caleb didn’t need a reminder—he knew better than anyone that he had to be the first in the pack to find a mate. It wasn’t just tradition. It was a burden he'd carried for decades.

“Boss…” Brian started, trailing after him.

For a moment, Caleb considered shifting into his wolf form and running into the night just to escape it all. They wouldn’t be able to follow—not without the full moon to empower them. But instead, he forced himself to breathe, to see things from their point of view.

Caleb came to a sudden stop and turned to face his men.

“Look, we’ve had this conversation more times than I can count. But this time—this time is different. So stop whining like a bunch of pups. It’s wearing on my patience. I will be claiming Bethany. I don’t know how or when yet, but it’s going to happen. That’s a fact.”

His words silenced them instantly. A few smiles even crept across their faces.

Despite how much they frustrated him, Caleb loved his little pack fiercely.

“She’s human. If I push too fast, I’ll lose her,” he added.

“So what’s the plan?” Reese asked.

“I don’t have one. Not yet. But I’ll figure it out,” Caleb said. “Now, go home. I need time to think.”

They didn’t argue. Caleb tossed Reese the truck keys and turned away, walking alone down the main street. The truth was, every part of him—especially the wolf—was demanding to stay close to Bethany. His mind wasn’t fogged by lust or magic. If anything, he’d never felt more certain of anything in his life.

She was it.

He could still see her so clearly in his mind—those deep green eyes, like moss-draped forest paths at sunrise. Her soft features, that quiet kindness. Curves that made his mouth water. Whether or not fate had brought her to him, Bethany was exactly the kind of woman he wanted by his side.

He didn’t even realize where he was going until he looked up and found himself near the diner. The lights were mostly out, the "Closed" sign in the window. Two waitresses were chatting in the parking lot near a navy-blue car. One climbed into the driver’s seat, and the other walked toward the far end of the lot. Caleb waited in the shadows until both cars drove off, their engines fading into the night.

Crickets took over, their song rising with the darkness that stretched out from the forest’s edge. On any other night, he would’ve welcomed the quiet call of the woods, the pull to run wild and free. But not tonight.

Tonight, something was off.

Where’s Bethany?

A chill settled along his spine as his instincts kicked in. He stepped closer, eyes narrowing at the faint glow of a back light in the diner. He considered shifting—just for the heightened senses—but it wasn’t necessary. The moment he got close, the smell hit him.

Fear.

Bethany’s fear.

The scent slammed into him like a sledgehammer, igniting a primal instinct buried deep in his soul. Logic fell away. All that remained was his mate—and the need to protect her.

He bolted toward the door. It was unlocked, which spared it from becoming splinters. In a blink, he vaulted over the counter and rushed down the narrow hallway, heading straight for the light bleeding from beneath the final door.

She was in there.

Caleb didn’t think. He acted.

He shoved the door open, fully prepared to tear apart whatever threat waited on the other side—and stopped cold.

Standing in the room was the diner’s owner. Caleb hadn’t paid him much attention earlier, too focused on Bethany. But now? He saw it clearly. This man was a bear shifter.

A big one.

“Looking for Bethany?” the bear asked calmly.

“Move,” Caleb growled.

The bear stepped aside with a slight smirk, gesturing with one arm. He was large, sure—but Caleb wasn’t just big. He was born alpha, a force of nature.

Caleb stepped inside, eyes landing on Bethany.

She sat in a chair across from the desk, startled but unharmed.

“Caleb? What are you doing here?” she asked, blinking in surprise.

He didn’t know how to explain. He’d been so sure she was in danger. His body still hummed with adrenaline, ready to fight, to destroy.

Behind him, the bear chuckled. It was a low, mocking sound that rubbed Caleb the wrong way.

“I knew you’d show up,” the bear said. “You should’ve seen the look in your eyes earlier.”

“Did you touch her?” Caleb asked, his voice sharp.

“Not a finger,” the bear replied, that smug grin still on his face.

Caleb clenched his fists, barely holding back the urge to lunge.

“What’s going on, Joe?” Bethany asked, looking between them.

Joe. So this was the man she worked for. The man who made her uncomfortable. Hearing her say his name sent a jolt of possessive rage through Caleb’s chest.

“Nothing, sweetheart,” Joe said with false sweetness. “You can go.”

Bethany squeezed out behind him. Neither of them moved as they faced off. Once she was gone and out of earshot, he dropped his façade.

“What fucking game are you playing, bear?”

“I should ask you the same. A wolf pack right under my nose?”

“You don’t own the forest. And I promise I don’t bend over for anyone trying to move in on my territory. Not for a wolf, a coyote … or a bear.”

Joe shrugged. “Interesting.” He chuckled again. Caleb clenched his jaw. “Something funny?”

“You’re making threats, but your mate works for me. I don’t see that changing either, not when I just gave her a nice big raise.”

Of course, he did. So, the bear was going to play dirty and try to blackmail him. He knew getting out of this wasn’t so simple as telling Bethany the truth. The conversation about shifters wasn’t one he needed to have when he’d just met her. “You planned all of this—Bethany, the raise, this little encounter.”

“I’m not a cub. I knew you wouldn’t wander far from her,” said Joe. “Give her a raise, fire her, it makes no difference to me. I’ll be taking care of her from now on. She doesn’t need your money anymore.” “Bethany’s independent to a fault. She doesn’t even know you.