by Tia Didmon
“I didn’t?” he teased.
She turned onto her back. “I was afraid earlier.”
Brock kissed her nose. “What are you afraid of?”
Jane swallowed. “Everything I love has been taken from me... or damaged.”
Brock sighed. “And you think if you admit you love me, you will lose me.”
Jane closed her eyes. “It’s childish I know.”
Brock kissed her eyelids. “Fear isn’t childish, and yours comes from a horrible past experience.”
Jane shook her head. “Still, I want you to know what you mean to me...” She gasped at the force that surged inside her. Her cat held none of the reservations she did about expressing herself.
Brock’s eyes flashed amber. “Let her out, Jane. They need this. Give them their time together.”
A tear formed on her eyelid but remained unshed as fur slid up her forearms and over her shoulders.
Brock watched his mate complete her shift. She peered up at him expectantly. His male had his female’s complete devotion. Their animals’ union was complete. He wanted Jane to feel the same. He knew she loved him. His animal would not be content if she didn’t. He hoped he could find a way to erase the scars from her past, admitting the emotional ones were so much harder to overcome than the physical.
He knelt down running his hand along her bright tawny fur. “You are incredibly beautiful. Your coloring is unique, like you.”
She stretched slowly. She was preening, basking in his admiration. As she should. His male pushed, letting him know it was his turn to admire his mate. Brock felt the familiar sliding of fur travel over his body. The quick sting of welcome pain as his body morphed to his cougar form. The smells of his surroundings muted by the alluring scent of his mate. Her heat was almost over but he still had time and he planned to use it.
He touched her nose before nuzzling her neck. She purred softly then sprang toward the door. She was down the stairs and outside before he caught up to her.
He nipped her shoulder to warn her not to leave his protection. She hissed and swatted, forcing him to jump away, her fully extended claws raked through his fur, causing a shallow scratch.
He circled around her as she ran, giving her space until she neared the edge of their territory. After several attempts to change her direction, which she completely ignored. He nipped her shoulder, causing her to growl and swipe once more.
He halted her path, intending to turn her back by any means necessary when the largest bear in the Cascade mountains emerged from the brush hundreds of feet away.
Brock shifted. “Stay behind me. Do NOT shift. He’s a friend.”
He watched as the large black bear shifted to his human form.
Brock shook the man’s hand. “Judd, it’s good to see you.”
Judd peeked over at Jane. “Your mate is beautiful.”
Brock looked back at his clearly interested mate. “Jane, this is Judd Bronson. He belongs to the Bear den.” He turned back to Judd. “She hasn’t learned the territory lines yet.”
Judd waved his hand. “Thanks to your father those lines have blurred. Talen called. We had planned to come talk to him soon. He told us about Jane... and Carla. My father didn’t believe the stories but Carla is proof that Kallan is experimenting on us. If she shifts without a mate...” He glanced at Jane.
Brock nodded. “Yes, we don’t know how it will go yet. She’s still catching up mentally. Her animal appears to be helping with her memory but the years of isolation can’t be so easily overcome. Her social skills are... young.”
Judd looked around the forest. “We haven’t had a single mating in our generation. Our den leader is hoping that whatever the cougars are doing will rub off on us. You’ll likely see us more often.”
Brock laughed. “My mother will love that.”
Judd put his hand to his heart. “Your mother is a beautiful woman and her cooking...”
Brock winked. “Go back and tell your brothers that my mothers cooking is causing all the matings.”
Judd smirked. “We would have a complete defection. Poor Talen has enough on his plate without adding a dozen bears.”
Brock shrugged. “Trials of leadership.”
Judd sobered. “I suppose it is.”
“You will be the next den leader. You should enjoy your free time while you can.”
Judd nodded. “Being the biggest bear in the den was fun growing up but now the burden is real.”
“You should talk to Talen about it. We didn’t understand until recently the full scope of that burden.”
“I will.” He shook Brock’s hand. “Tell your mother I will be by to sample her cooking soon.”
“You know that crap about you being a growing bear stopped working a hundred years ago.”
Judd had an amused expression. “And yet she cooks for me every time.”
“Yes, and you flirt with her.”
Judd looked devious. “Drives your father nuts.”
“I know... they’re aging, Judd.”
Judd’s face sobered. “Talon didn’t mention that.”
“I’m not sure he wants to acknowledge it but it’s the reason he has taken over the lair.”
“We thought it was because he mated and had cubs on the way as is your custom.”
“It is but my parents started aging a few years ago. They knew we would start mating. Maybe you should talk to your den leader. It may not be his time yet but it has to be close.”
Judd nodded. “I’ll see you soon, cougar.” He shifted, walking slowly back into the forest.
Brock walked back to his mate, kneeling down before her. “Despite his understanding, Judd is the next leader of his den. We respect their territory. You have to abide by lair rules.”
Jane’s cougar was not impressed with his explanation. She turned with her head in the air and trotted back the way they had come.
Brock’s cat surged forward. His need to assert his dominance over his mate an instinct Brock couldn’t contain. He shifted quickly and took her down. She struggled until his teeth sunk into her shoulder, locking her in place.
His cougar took her every fifteen minutes for the next several hours. She stumbled as they walked back to the house.
Carla was standing on the porch as they emerged from the forest.
She ran over, putting her arms around Jane. “I can’t wait to shift. We will be able to race all the time.”
Jane licked her sister before resuming her human form. Carla looked around. “Janey, you have no clothes.”
Jane laughed. “I’ll get some inside.”
Carla took off her thin jacket. “Put this on. It’s yours anyway.”
Jane put on the jacket. “Thanks, honey.”
Carla was looking at Brock. “You should wait till you get inside.” Then she hugged him. “We haven’t raced yet. Are you as fast as Luca?”
Brock felt his cat’s amusement with their little sister. The need to outdo his brothers was one his cat would never outgrow. He bounded toward the house with Carla racing after him.
Jane’s laughter lightened his cat’s soul.
Brock could sense his mate’s happiness to see her sister. He could also tell she was completely exhausted. His animal had not been gentle. They had needed their time, but he chastised his cat. His animal sent him an image of a yawn then rolled over, effectively ignoring him. He grabbed his phone and sent out a text to Garrett. He got a response instantly with a file attached.
Jane was sitting at the table with both hands supporting her cup of tea when there was a tap at the door. He opened it smiling at his friend. “Come on in, Garrett.”
Carla jumped up and hugged him. “Are we going running?” she asked hopefully.
Garrett smiled. “Ryan said he took you today.”
Carla frowned. “He did. He’s a man now?”
Garrett nodded. “You knew he would be able to resume his form today.”
Carla shrugged. “I just hope he likes me as much when h
e is human.”
Garrett ran a gentle reassuring hand down her cheek. “How could anyone not love you? You have brought so much joy to our family.”
Carla looked unsure. Brock and Jane shared an uneasy stare.
Garrett took Carla’s hands into his. “I came here to see if you would be my partner.”
Carla’s head tipped to the side. “In what?”
Garrett took on a serious expression. “Liam and Luca bought this new gaming system and they are ganging up on me. I need some back up.”
Carla straitened. “I gotcha covered. Let me grab my coat.” She sprinted to the bedroom.
Jane looked between the two innocent looking men. “I know you two planned this.”
Brock shrugged. “You need some rest before dinner and the family is putting in requests to spend time with Carla.”
Jane looked at Garrett. “That true?”
Garrett nodded, smiling. “Absolutely.”
Carla returned to the kitchen with her jacket on. “Hey Garrett, are you as fast as your cat?”
Garrett winked. “Wanna find out?”
They both bolted for the door.
Brock watched them sprinting to the forest as he closed the door, they had left swinging.
Jane had a perplexed look on her face. “What is it?” Brock asked.
“I thought Carla would be spending most of her time with us. You know, because of the injury.”
Brock scratched his head. “I think she’s already healing from the physical aspects of her injury. Her memory has improved, and she seems more like a young teenager than a child now but her isolation was detrimental to her development. That will take more time.”
Jane’s face dropped. “That’s my fault. I didn’t visit as much as I should have. I took so many... assignments.”
Brock sat across from her. “No, it isn’t. You were practically a child yourself, trying to take care of a sister with special needs. You were in an impossible situation and Kevin Kallan took advantage of it.”
“You hope,” she said quietly.
Brock frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean.”
“What if Kevin arranged my financial difficulties?”
Brock grabbed her hand. “Your father entrenched himself with Kevin long before the accident. You were a child when you landed on Kevin’s radar.”
Jane pulled her hand away. He hated her retreat. “I just wish I knew the truth.”
Brock sat back in his chair. “I don’t think Kevin will be forthcoming with that information.”
Jane rose from her seat, pouring another cup of tea. “No, he won’t.”
Brock stood, walking over to take the cup from her hands. “Garrett sent me a file he decrypted from the bunker.”
“What was in it?”
“It is an experiment done on a subject that was acquired in Europe. The file was in Russian and It was carried out by something called the Consortium. Are you aware what that is?”
“That’s the name for a group of criminals Kevin has ties to. I… the Red Widow was invited to a gathering about six months ago but Kevin was noticeably upset when I told him. I never went.”
“Garrett will have to find out more about them but we have him working on so much right now it will have to wait,” he said, noticing his mate seemed distracted. “There’s something else.”
She looked perplexed. “I expected your family would be as good with Carla as you are, but they seem to like having her with them.”
Brock laughed. “They love her. She loves to race. She’s super competitive. She has all the traits of a teenage cougar but she is female. It’s a luxury we never thought we would experience.”
“I never thought of it like that.”
“While humans may envy our long life-spans. We envy their ability to have female babies.”
Jane smirked. “If you had a daughter, she would have you wrapped around her finger before she was two years old.”
Brock wiggled his eyebrows. “And how fun would that be?”
Jane laughed. “You’re incorrigible.”
Brock dumped the tea down the sink. “How about we skip the caffeine and get some rest before dinner? I have a few plans before we meet up with the family.”
Jane’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of plans?”
“After you rest, I plan to make love to you.”
Jane put her arms around his neck. “Pining for that little girl already?’
He kissed her. “Yes, but I will be just a thrilled with a little boy.”
Jane laughed. “I’ve only been here a few days and you’re already trying to knock me up.”
“Definitely. I will use any means possible to tie you to me.”
Jane shook her head with laughter in her eyes. “Shameless.”
He kissed he because her laughter was like a caress against his skin. Her happiness the only thing that would bring joy to his life. “Yes,” he said as he took her hand and lead her upstairs.
Jane sat beside Carla at the long oak table at Marie and Galen’s house. She was admiring the wooden sculpture in the corner of Marie and Galen with eight cougars at their feet.
Carla was looking nervously at the door.
She bumped her sister’s shoulder playfully. “He will be here soon.”
“I know,” Carla said but her gaze remained on the door,
“You know he adores you whether he is in his human or coyote form.”
Carla smiled, looking back at her twin. “Okay.”
Ryan enter with a smile on his face.
Carla got up and hugged him.
“Hello beautiful,” he said, kissing her forehead.
Carla pulled out the chair beside hers. “I saved a seat for you.”
Ryan motioned for her to sit first. “I’m a lucky man.” He sat down after Carla.
He winked at Jane when Carla hugged his arm.
They talked idly as the remainder of the Cascades arrived, taking their seats.
Liam, Luca and Garrett were the last to arrive. All kissed Carla’s cheek before taking their seats. She smiled at all of them affectionately but her arm remained locked around Ryan’s.
There was a knock at the door.
Marie looked around. “I thought everyone was here.”
Brock smiled. “We have a few guests tonight. I may have let it slip that it was taco night.”
Galen groaned.
Marie’s face brightened. “There is only one man that can force Galen to make that face.”
Judd entered with two other large men.
Marie was delighted. She walked over and hugged him. “Jane, Carla this is Judd and his two brothers, Owen and Jamie. What a pleasant surprise.”
Galen motioned the empty chairs at the table. “Might as well grab a seat. Marie won’t let you leave hungry.”
Owen nudged his brother. “I love coming here.”
Jamie rolled his eyes but took a seat after his brothers had taken theirs.
Galen took a seat at the head of the Table. He looked over at Judd. “Don’t flirt with my woman, Judd.”
Judd put a hand over his heart. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Then he winked at Marie.
Galen sighed while the rest of the Cascades laughed.
Carla was frowning. She sniffed a couple of times before leaning toward Judd. Sitting across from her. “Are you a bear?”
Judd winked at her. “I am.”
“Do you ever get called Yogi?”
The entire table stopped before they all burst out laughing. Judd the loudest of them all.
Carla looked at her sister. “Was that bad?”
Judd waved his hands. “No honey, that was not bad. I’m the biggest bear...”
“Ever.” Owen interrupted.
Judd gave his brother a hard look. Then softened as he turned back to Carla. “So, I don’t get... teased as often.”
Carla thought about it. “That makes sense... I guess.”
Owen nudged Jamie. “Can’t wait for this st
ory to circulate the den.”
Judd smiled as he grabbed a few tacos from the plate Marie put at the centre of the table. “Just remember that makes you Boo-Boo.”
Jamie held his hand over his mouth when Owen coughed a single word. “Dick.”
Every person at the table except for Judd and Owen were holding back their laughter.
Carla grabbed several tacos and put two on Ryan’s plate. “I helped make these for you.” She glanced accusingly at Liam. “Someone told me they were your favorite.”
Ryan grabbed some salsa off the table. “They are one of my favorites but honestly anything Marie makes is amazing.”
Judd bowed in his seat toward the Cascade matron. “You have the best cook in the Cascade mountains.”
Marie waved her hand dismissively. “Charmer.”
Carla eyes narrowed as she looked at Judd. “Are you causing trouble?”
Brock swallowed the taco he’d been eating hastily. “He’s been causing trouble since he was a kid.”
Jamie nudged Owen. “See that, she pegged him as a trouble-maker in less than a half hour.”
Judd shook his head. “I assure you, Carla, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Marie.”
Galen put a taco on his plate. “That’s Mrs. Cascade, boy.”
Everyone laughed except Carla. She leaned forward and whispered to Judd. “Good. I like Marie. She reminds me of my mother.”
Judd winked at her. “You must have had amazing parents to have brought such strong beautiful girls into this world.”
Carla’s face seemed to age before their eyes. “My father was not good. Galen would never do what my father did.”
The entire room went silent. No one moved.
Jane sucked in a breath. “Carla what are you talking about?”
Carla looked down, shaking her head.
Jane looked at Ryan in pain. She needed the truth but everything in her said she would regret it.
Ryan tipped Carla’s head up to reveal the silent tears running down her face. “You said you could tell me anything. If you need me to shift to make it easier for you…”
Carla shook her head. “You promise to still be my best friend.”
Ryan kissed her forehead. “You are far more than my best friend. You are my family and I love you.”