Page 2 of My Unbearable Mate

A low growl rumbled in my throat. Someone had the audacity to snort.

“Seems like the two of you might have a history.” Brad’s voice broke the trance as he rose from the table. “Maybe we should give you some privacy.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Not that I blamed any of them for ignoring me and hightailing it out of this room. I wished I could do the same.

Get it over with, I told myself, expecting my bear to argue for a quick tumble first, but even he agreed that the last thing I needed was this woman complicating my life. Especially this week.

“What—

“What do I want?” Clover’s lips curled up into a smile, and damn. No. There was no way I could still feel anything for this woman after what she did to me.

She’s your mate, my bear said.

“I was trying to be professional. Not sure why.” I rose from my chair. I hadn’t forgotten the way I towered over her, but after all this time it caught me by surprise.

She softened. “Because you’re Bellamy Laredo, and not one thing about you has changed. Except for the little bit of silver in your beard that has no right to look that good.” She shook her head and chuckled softly. “And I’m still the horrible, rotten bitch who broke your heart in front of the entire clan. I don’t expect you to be nice to me. In fact, I don’t want you to be.”

“Then why are you here?” That question got delivered with the growl she deserved. “If you’re looking to make yourself feel better?—”

“I need your help,” she said quickly.

I couldn’t have possibly heard her right.

“Believe me, you’re literally the last person on earth I want to ask for anything,” she said when I didn’t respond. “But unfortunately, you’re also the perfect person to ask, and I’ve exhausted all possibilities. I would’ve settled for capable, but…” She finished the sentence with a shrug.

“Are you in danger?” My protective instinct was coming out and I hated that I couldn’t stop it. Not even for her. Whatever she was trying to hook me into, I couldn’t fall for it.

I couldn’t fall for her.

“Not exactly.” She dragged the second word out. This had to be good. “Nana’s locket is missing.”

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at the thought of her grandmother. Shirley Crowley was one of my favorite bears in the clan. She wasn’t our alpha, but she was the pack healer, a spot exalted to only those who were gifted with certain powers at birth, and the only woman powerful enough to keep a bunch of rowdy bears in check.

Except for her granddaughter, who wouldn’t listen to anyone.

“How is she?” I asked.

“Feisty as ever. Still mad at me for what I did to you.” Clover smiled sadly.

“That’s unfortunate.” And this conversation was over. I took my seat and opened my laptop, like she’d caught me in the middle of something important. She had—the meeting. Ugh. I wasn’t looking forward to the barrage of questions from the guys that would surely follow this surprise encounter.

I had to get Clover out of here.

“You know it’s not just a necklace,” she said as I opened my email. My inbox was overflowing with shifters who needed us, with real problems. “Nothing with Nana is what it seems. And of course, because I didn’t get her magic, she won’t tell me what will happen if the locket’s not safely returned to her. She’ll only say it’s gotta be found. Or else. You know how she is.”

“I hope you find it.” I chanced a glance up at Clover to drive my point home. Mistake.

“I’m here because I need you to find it.” She let out an exasperated sigh.

Of course I knew that was what she wanted, but I’d hoped she’d get the fucking hint that I wanted nothing to do with her. No way could I face my old pack after I’d been rejected. I missed them terribly, but this woman had made an absolute fool out of me.

Not that I could take the case anyway. I was in charge of Sawtooth Security until Barrett came back. I couldn’t go running off in search of a necklace. If Barrett caught wind of that, he’d be making Beau his second-in-command.

I’d already made my one questionable decision for the day, and I wasn’t looking to follow it up with a worse one.

“You don’t need me to find a locket.” It was on the tip of my tongue to quote her some outrageously inflated rate, but that would open up negotiation. Make it sound like there was a chance in hell that I’d take this job.

I wouldn’t.

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