Page 31 of Bearly Yours
“I’m so sorry, Roarke!” Mia said abruptly, her voice sounding suddenly distressed. “You should have told me you were troubled! And I’ve been going on and on and stole the phone from Draven!”
Before I could protest and tell her it was fine, she transferred the phone to Draven, who got on and growled at me for upsetting his wife. “What did you do?”
“He didn’t do anything,” Mia protested in the background. “But he’s upset. He called to talk to you.”
I sighed.
Empaths.
Emrie was right. It was really annoying when people could see into your soul.
“She read my emotions,” I explained. “I didn’t actuallydoanything.” I could hear Draven cover the phone and some low murmuring happening, then a door opened and shut.
“Okay, we’re alone. Tell me.”
“I found my mate.”
“That’s fantastic! Wait...is it fantastic?” he asked hesitantly.
“Fantastic isn’t even a big enough word. I’m currently accepting synonyms for life-altering. But there are some problems as well. Can you keep this under wraps for now? All I need is the Council butting into my life, and the life of my mate.”
“Of course.”
“We just found out recently, and have pretty much confirmed it today, that Emrie’s parents were murdered eighteen years ago. Tonight someone broke into her house, and before I could get to them, they tackled Emrie and ripped her necklace off. The necklace her parents gave her and asked her to keep on. It turns out it had been spelled to hide Emrie’s scent. When the necklacecame off, I knew in an instant that she was my mate. The problem is whoever attacked her—we couldn’t catch them—stole the necklace, and it had a picture of Emrie’s parents in it. So now—and I’m conjecturing here—whoever killed her parents now knows that Emrie is their daughter. I’m worried they’ll come after her next.”
Draven was quiet, but I knew it was because his brain was quickly sorting through all the information I’d given him and coming up with his own theories on the matter.
“Any advice?” I asked.
“You’re not going to like it.”
I grimaced, steeling myself. “Hit me with it.”
“Until the person or persons involved are caught, the best place for Emrie is with her Clan, and the best place for you is by her side. I’m not saying you guys should get married right away. That’s up to the two of you. But she needs your protection and the protection of her Clan right now.”
“You want me to move in with the bear Clan?” I asked in disbelief. “With a bunch of bear shifters, with Riggs, the very dominant, very alpha, alpha?”
“You and Riggs have worked well with each other in the past. I’m sure you guys can come up with something. And, yes, with the bear shifters and with Emrie is the best place for you right now.”
I groaned. “I don’t play well with others, Draven. You know this.”
“Is your grouchiness and aversion to being around anything with a pulse worth Emrie’s life?”
I groaned again, then cursed. “You know it’s not.”
“Then my friend, it looks to me like you’re moving in with the Moonhaven Bear Clan.”
Wonderful. Just wonderful.
Chapter 8
Emrie
Iwoke up in an unfamiliar bed to my phone buzzing. I slapped the nightstand until I found it, only to have it stop buzzing the moment my hand touched it. I sighed in relief and tried to go back to sleep.
My phone started buzzing again.
I groaned and cracked an eye open to grab it.
