Page 35 of Bound to Two Bears

Royce forced his clothing on his still wet body before following Carson back through the pines and down the mountain path.

Every step back to the cabin felt like a stab to the gut.

He wouldn’t force their human to stay against his will. He’d tried it Jared’s way and maybe more, and it hadn’t worked.

But now what did he have left to do?

Let him go.

The thought caused terror to rip through his entire body.

Let him go and pray he returned.

As the sun set on the mountain, Jared climbed up toward their cabin. Royce sat on the porch, his feet resting on the railing. He drank from a beer bottle, and several empties rested around the bottom of the chair.

“Where’s Carson?” Jared asked.

Royce was silent a moment. “Gone.”

“Gone? Where?”

“Home.”

Jared felt as if the air was knocked from his lungs. He leaned against the railing for support. “Why has he gone home?”

“We pushed him too far.” Royce shook his head.“Ipushed him too far.”

Anger swelled in Jared. “What did you do?”

“He asked what was expected of a bear’s mate. I told him his new home was here, with us, with the other bears. He refused, said he wouldn’t give up the life he knew.”

“And you just let him go?”

“We can’t force him, no matter what you think.”

Jared felt the loss bone deep. “And now what do we do?”

Royce took a drink from his bottle, finishing off the rest of the deep amber liquid. “We wait and see if our mate returns to us. If not… then we go find him.”

The hell we do.

“Once you sober up, we’re going to go collect our mate.”

10

Carson opened his apartment door and quietly slipped inside. Once the door closed behind him, he flipped on a light and stared at his place. For some reason, it felt different.

It doesn’t feel like home anymore.

The entire drive home, he’d ignored the desire to turn around and go back. It had screamed inside his head, his body aching with every mile put between them.

“I’m armed! Get out of my house!”

Carson frowned until Deidre came running out, a long chef’s knife clutched in her palm. She paused when she saw Carson and lowered the knife with a sigh of relief. “You scared the hell out of me. I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

Carson stood stock still, unable to speak for some reason.

“You’re back early.” Deidre cocked her head to the side, looking him over. “Are you okay?”

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