Page 4 of My Unbearable Mate

Which it probably had.

Not that I wanted to spend the rest of the trip thinking about what our lives could’ve been like together had I only accepted his claim. He wasn’t the only one who could barely look at me after I’d said no. A few members of the pack still acted like I was invisible after all these years.

And my bear had yet to forgive me, saying I told you so after every failed relationship.

Why did I reject him? It had made so much sense at the time. The magic had skipped my generation, and everyone had expected me to bear the next daughter who would carry on Nana’s work. For that reason, I had to marry well. Many thought Bellamy would be pack alpha someday. He was the natural choice. The golden boy of the clan. Smart, strong, charming, entirely too fuckable, and could absolutely do no wrong. I was supposed to lead the pack into the next generation, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean. I’d been twenty-five years old, and willing to take the gamble and challenge every single one of our traditions.

Now, fifteen years later, the feral spinster of the pack, I might have some regrets. Not that I’d ever admit that out loud. Or that I still dreamed about being with Bellamy.

* * *

I banged my hand against the steering wheel in frustration. How dare he say no. Sure, I had some audacity to think he’d come to my rescue. I should’ve just told him how scared and stupid I was back then. That I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to produce this magical heir, no matter how perfect my mate was. That no matter what, I’d fail the clan.

But he hadn’t just said no to me. I could accept that. I was no damsel. He’d said no to Nana.

Something dark, fuzzy, and familiar appeared in the road ahead, and I slowed the car. For a long time, we’d been the only bear clan in the area, but recently a few more had decided to call the forest home after getting displaced. And, of course, there was the Sawtooth Security clan that was growing rapidly. It was strange not to know every bear I saw.

My car stopped in front of them. There were four bears in the road, staring me down. I waved, but they didn’t so much as blink.

Right, they didn’t know me either.

A few more appeared from either side of the road.

This didn’t seem so much like a random crossing anymore.

I lowered my window.

“Hey.” I ignored the icy stares and gave them the brightest smile I possibly could. “I’m part of the clan just north of here.”

Silence. Stillness.

“I’m Clover Crowley.” The Crowleys were an important family, thanks to my grandmother’s lineage. I thought name checking would bring me a little good fortune, but still nothing but these creepy, empty stares.

“It’s her,” one of them finally said.

I held my hands up as they came in closer. It was broad daylight, but we were smack dab in the middle of nowhere, so it was as good as time of any for an ambush.

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure which clan you belong to. There are so many new bears in the area. We need to plan a gathering so we can all get acquainted with each other.” I chuckled nervously, wishing that Nana had given me some protection stones instead of the ones that were supposed to make me more fuckable.

The biggest bear of the bunch came up to me, flanked by two others who were almost as huge. They were grizzlies, but they were bigger than the males in our clan. In my human form, they could take me down in two bites.

If I shifted, it would be an almost fair fight…one on one.

Nothing about this fight is fair, my bear warned. I would help you if I could.

Like I hadn’t already been filled with dread.

Also, why wasn’t I shifting?

“Where is it?” the alpha demanded.

I cautioned a look behind me, to see if anyone else was here. But it was just me and a growing number of unfamiliar bears.

“I think you might have me confused with someone else,” I said.

“No, you cleared that up for us.” How could this bear manage to growl and grin at the same time? “You’re Clover Crowley of the Crowley Clan. Your grandmother Shirley is your pack’s healer. Her ancestral talisman has gone missing.”

Nana had never once called it by such a formal name. It was always her locket. A chill went down my spine when I realized these unfamiliar bears knew more about an important clan relic than I did.

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