Page 98 of Mated to the Mountain Bear
“So we’re what, helping him screw over his wife?”
I hate people. This is why I live alone on a mountain.
“We’re documenting facts. What he does with them is his business.” Maddox doesn’t look away from his surveillance, professional to the core.
Movement at the gates catches my attention. A silver Mercedes pulls up, pristine and gleaming, even under an overcast sky. The woman behind the wheel is beautiful in apolished way. Blonde hair that probably costs more to maintain than most people’s rent, designer sunglasses despite the dull skies. She punches in a code with manicured nails, each movement precise and practiced.
“That’s her,” Maddox says, making notes in his cramped handwriting. The pen scratches against the paper, the only sound besides the wind. “Third time this week she’s left at exactly 2 PM.”
As I watch her drive away, something twists in my gut. The slump of her shoulders once she thought she was out of sight. It all speaks of exhaustion, not excitement.
“Maybe she’s just going to yoga or something.”
“Maybe.” Maddox’s tone suggests otherwise. He flips through his notes, showing me previous entries. “But the GPS on her car has put her at the same hotel three times.”
“Christ.” I lower the binoculars, the world snapping back to a normal distance. The taste of bile rises in my throat. “And this is what people do? Spy on each other instead of just talking?”
Maddox shrugs, the movement rustling his tactical jacket. “Welcome to the real world, brother. Not everyone gets a fated mate who’ll never betray them.”
His words hit like a punch to the solar plexus. My hands clench around the binoculars hard enough that the plastic creaks.
Zara would never betray me. Even now, I know she’s probably tormenting herself with guilt over sending me away. The image of her face when I left, tears threatening as she tried to do what was best for me, still burns behind my eyelids.
“They’ve been married eight years,” Maddox continues, oblivious to my turmoil. He pulls out a tablet, showing me photos from their file. Happy red carpet smiles that don’t reach their eyes. “No kids, thank God. He’s got a prenup, but it’s weak. The infidelity clause is his only shot at keeping his money.”
I growl, looking at the landscaped gardens and flashy cars. He already seems to have more than he knows what to do with.
“Maybe he should have been a better husband.” I growl, my bear pushing closer to the surface.
Maddox snorts, a harsh sound in the quiet forest. “Did you see any of his movies? I doubt he loves anyone but himself. But if she’s stepped out, she’s not innocent, either.”
I think about Zara curled against me on the couch, the fire crackling while we read together. Such a simple moment but worth more than all this actor’s millions.
“This is bullshit,” I mutter, tossing the binoculars aside. They land in the pine needles with a soft thud.
“This is the job sometimes. One case might be helping someone like Zara while another is something like this. We don’t get to cherry-pick.” Maddox checks his watch, a military-grade thing that probably tells time on Mars. “She’ll be gone for exactly three hours. Same as always.”
Three hours.
“So what do we do now?”
Maddox claps me on the shoulder as he moves past, half crouched, making his way down the far side of the hill at pace. “Now, we follow her.”
The only woman I should be following is my mate. I wonder what she’s doing right now. Probably on the phone or stuck at her laptop. I should be there helping her, making sure she eats. If I were a better mate, I’d have handled the city.
My bear disagrees. He thinks we should be dragging her back to the mountain where she belongs.
“You know what pisses me off most?” I ask as we run parallel to the driveway, heading for the sedan we left parked down the road. A gardener moves across the lawn with mechanical precision, trimming hedges that are already perfect.
“What’s that?” Maddox’s tone is flat. He doesn’t care. He’s just here to do a job.
“They have everything. Money, looks, a life together. But people always want more without realizing what they have.” My voice rises, and I have to force it back down. Sound carries in these hills.
Maddox turns to look at me, really look at me. “Not everyone’s like you and Zara. Humans don’t have that certainty. You can’t blame them for getting it wrong sometimes when even you guys can’t seem to get it together.”
Ouch. That’s a low blow.
“This down there? This is done. They just need the paperwork to make it official. You guys are just… wasting time.”
