Page 63 of Rocky Top

Birdie.

Eyes wide. Lip trembling. Shock written all over her pretty face.

Goddamn it.

Birdie

“You okay?” I asked, carefully. Rocky had gone after that guy like a rabid dog.

He ran a hand down his face. His knuckles were bloodied. “Yeah. No. I don’t know.” Rocky took me by my arm and whisked me away, out back, away from the onlookers.

“Who was that?”

“Don’t know, but under his skin, he’s a black bear.”

“A bear,” I said in wonder. “What’s next a lion?”

“You shouldn’t have been out of my sight today,” he snapped, finally turning his head to look at me. “When that bastard came sniffin’ around…”

“I was with Eliza or Knox all day. And maybe I should’ve been told some bear might wander in looking to kill me.”

He straightened then, not angry exactly—just...on edge. Like he was trying real hard not to lose control. “He didn’t want to kill you. He’s lookin’ for a mate.”

A mate? Visions of being violated by a bear of a man flittered through my head, and suddenly I didn’t know if the visions originated from me or not.

“Listen, I need some space,” I said before I could lose my nerve.

He didn’t even blink. “No.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said no. You don’t get space. You don’t get time. You sure as hell don’t get distance. Not anymore.”

My jaw dropped. “Are you serious right now?”

“You think I like this? Think I want to be babysittin’ a human who stirs up every goddamn instinct in me?” He stepped closer, and my breath hitched. “But Ihaveto. You saw what just happened. That bear didn’t wander in here by accident. He wasn’t lookin’ for picnic baskets or a patch of sunshine to nap in. He came to lookfor you.”

“Why?”

His eyes burned. “Because the Council knows.”

“TheCouncil?” I blinked. “What the hell is that?”

Rocky barked a humorless laugh. “It’s old and dangerous. Shifters, witches, some real ancient sons of bitches. They’ve got eyes everywhere. Seers, mostly. People who can sniff out secrets like blood on the wind. And they’ve picked up the scent ofyou.”

I wrapped my arms around myself. “But why would they care? I haven’t done anything.”

“You know things. You’ve seen things. Things humans ain’t supposed to. And they’re wonderin’ how I’m keepin’ you quiet.”

I felt a chill run through me. “And are you?”

He stepped right into my space. Close enough I could see the flecks of gold in his eyes. “They’ll expect me to answer for you soon. They’ll ask if I’ve blackmailed you. Bribed you.Markedyou.”

My mouth went dry. “Marked me?”

His jaw ticked. “Claimed you. Like what I told you before. A bite. A bond. Something that ties you to me. Permanently.”

“And if you haven’t?”

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