Page 18 of Bear Haven
Chapter Five
Gus wrapped his arms around Bex from behind. She stood at the window overlooking the side yard. Weeks ago, there’d been a standoff between good and evil in the grass. Now, there was a game of football going on between bear and wolf shifters.
From play to play, it seemed they couldn’t decide if they wanted to actually progress the game or kill each other.
“I don’t think you’re supposed to do that,” Leah yelled at Michael when he tackled one of the wolves who hadn’t done more than stand to the side.
“But he’s on the other team, so he’s fair game,” Michael yelled back. That comment earned him a retaliatory tackle which landed him flat on the ground with said wolf sitting on top of him.
“That’s gonna leave a mark,” Bex said.
Beck sat on the side porch in a rocking chair, watching, laughing, coaching at times.
“You okay, pretty girl?”
“I am.” She turned in his arms and laid her head on his chest. There was nowhere in the world he wanted to be more than with her, right then, right in that moment. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth? Why didn’t you tell me you were taking Beck to see his father?”
Okay, so maybe he should want to be on the other side of the room, unsure how upset she was about his side trip. He thought about how silly it was for his full grown bear to be balking at her not so full grown bear. At the same time… “Because you’d have tried to stop us.”
“Damn right I would have.” She nudged him and he took a step back. “Something could’ve happened to you. To Beck.”
“But it didn’t.”
“But it could have.”
And that’s when he saw the fear in her eyes. He took her face in his hands and kissed her with lingering tenderness. “But it didn’t. You have to trust me. I can handle myself. Been doing it all my life. And Luke was out there.”
“Stupid wolf.”
Gus smiled and kissed her again. “Yes, he is. We knew he was trailing the Mayor. Wouldn’t you rather us be out there? Beck was determined to see his father. What if he’d gone off alone?”
“I know. It makes sense. It really does, I just… I can’t lose you. I can’t lose Beck.”
“You’re not going to.” He hoped that remained true. None of them knew what was coming or when it would arrive, but his goal was to not leave her. Ever.
Every day her love and her strength gave him hope that things would work out. He had to believe that and he had to make sure she believed it, too.
“If it makes you feel better, Luke has company. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Confusion marred her brow and he smoothed it with his thumb. “Who?”
“Martin and Blake’s uncle.”
“Where are they?”
“They were going to get closer to the cabin and take up trailing the Mayor.”
“Jesus, Gus.”
“I know, baby. But we have to figure out what he’s up to, where he’s going. We have to know or we’re nothing but targets.”
“And Luke? Where did he really go?”
“I don’t know. He said there was something he had to check out. I don’t know anything more. He said he’d be here in a couple of days.”
“What if he’s not?”
“Then we’ll go look for him. Please, pretty girl. Trust me. Everything is going to be okay.”
