The Silver Bear's Mate

by Fay Walsh

  Nathan grinned. “Yeah, we were supposed to go to California, but plans changed and now we’re here.” He closed his book and shifted it off to the side.

  “But Wuthering Heights, though? Impressive, I won’t lie, I can’t get past the first chapter… Or the first page, really.”

  “We could have a book club, if you like, it would give us an excuse to hang out again. I’ve missed you and our days hanging out.”

  There was a sullen look in his eyes as Nathan looked at her. She wasn’t sure what it meant or what he was feeling, but she didn’t have time to think about it because Nathan continued speaking again.

  “Anyway, you pulling all-nighters again, like back when we were in school? You look like you haven’t slept in a few days.”

  Chrys’ eyes widened and touched her eyes with her fingers. Damn it, I hope I still don’t look that way. She dropped her hands and stretched her lips into a tight smile, quickly thinking of a lie.

  “Yeah, kind of. Sometimes I just don’t get enough sleep. My boss almost threatened to fire me too.”

  Nathan chuckled under his breath. “Maybe I should be your designated driver from now on.”

  “Yeah, thanks but I’m good. But guess who I saw? Freaking Kathy Dimico.”

  Nathan laughed. “Really? I thought she swore up and down she was, and I quote, “leaving this dump” for the big city. I don’t suppose she still has her resting bitch face?”

  “Major one, and she still thinks she’s “head cheerleader” making major tremors like it’s high school again.”

  Chrys smiled, again, and she unconsciously placed a strand of her dark blonde hair behind her ear. She felt comfortable speaking with Nathan as if they were back into school. She started to feel butterflies in her stomach, like they did a few years ago.

  “Major tremors? That is so corny, but at least she’s getting her just desserts.”

  “Chrys, I’m not paying you to chit-chat! Get your ass behind this counter now.”

  Chrys rolled her eyes. “Talk later?”

  “Yeah, I’ll wait right here and we’ll talk when everyone leaves.”

  ***

  Once they had concluded their work day, Connie and Chrys put their things back into their lockers, and clocked out. Chrys noticed Nathan was not waiting at the table but he was outside talking to an older gentleman with ear length dark brown hair and a full beard. The expression on his face was angry as he was yelling something at Nathan.

  Chrys frowned, wondering what was going on. She didn’t recognize the man, but assumed it was his father.

  “Hey, Chrys, Connie!” A guy with a dyed blue Mohawk hair called out to them when he entered the ice cream parlor. “Y'all are just getting off?”

  “Yes but let’s get out of here before Carl makes us stay longer?” Connie said. She and Jonah started to make their way toward the door, but as Chrys followed them out the door she stopped halfway out the door.

  “Guys, hold on...” Chrys said. “I’ll catch up.”

  Connie and Jonah nodded and started walking, leaving Chrys behind so she could overhear the conversation with Nathan and his father.

  “...Yeah, I know, father, I was only just stopping for a break. That was it.”

  There was a tension that hung in the air that Chrys could feel. She leaned against the brick wall of the ice cream parlor and took out her phone as she pretended to scroll through as she listened to their conversation.

  “Was that her? The girl?”

  Chrys furrowed her brow as she stared at the screen of her phone. Does he mean me?

  Nathan didn’t say anything for a moment and he looked down at the floor awkwardly.

  “Nathan, answer me! Did you forget what you were supposed to do?”

  Chrys jumped at the harsh tone in the man’s voice and she wondered what it was that he was referring too and what he meant by what Nathan was supposed to be doing.

  “...Don’t worry father, I won’t let you down.”

  The moment Chrys looked up at Nathan and his father, both men turned to look at her. Chrys’ eyes widened and she quickly turned away rushing down the street to catch up with Connie and Jonah.

  She didn’t understand the conversation that Nathan was having with his father or what Nathan was supposed to do, or why it had anything to do with her.

  Am I thinking too deeply into this? Why did it seem like that his father didn’t like me?

  Chrys didn’t think much longer because she saw Jonah and Connie at the end of the street.

  “Hey, guys!” she shouted and waved to them, rushing to meet up with them. “...So, did you tell him the plan?” Chrys asked, catching her breath. Both of them stared at her with an odd look on their face.

  “Yeah, we’re driving to Sydney, but...We have no way of getting there because someone scratched his dad’s car, and now he can’t use it.” Connie slowly turned her head and gave him a look.

  Jonah, sensing that he was on trial, turned to look at Connie and gave her an incredulous look. “What? That’s not my fault, that person drove way to close.”

  “Or,” Connie stretched out her words. “Maybe you should you’re your own car? Now, how are we going to hunt?”

  “Hey, well, what happened to your car?”

  While Connie and Jonah bickered with one another, Chrys felt pressure on the back of her neck. When she turned around in her seat, she noticed Nathan walking toward them.

  It was like he completely dismissed the fact that she had seen him and his father arguing. He stretched his lips into a smile, revealing his teeth, and waved.

  “Is that Nathan?” Connie asked, looking in Chrys’ direction.

  “Yeah, looks different.” Chrys quickly said, which made Connie raise her brow.

  “Mmm… yeah, he barely showed up in school. And now he’s suddenly back? What’s up with that? And what’s up with that peculiar smell coming off him.”

  Chrys’ face turned beet red, forgetting that as Shifters, both Connie and Jonah, had keenly sensitive noses.

  “It’s probably nothing. I mean, I don’t know what was up with all that, but he’s always told me his dad was a bit hard on him.”

  “Sounds like a ruffian to me,” Jonah chimed in.

  Both Chrys and Connie narrowed their eyes at him, but it was Connie who spoke first, “ruffian, really?”

  “Hey, everyone? It’s good to see everyone after these past two years.” Nathan said when he approached the three. Connie’s attention pulled away from Jonah as her eyes narrowed at Nathan, suspiciously.

  “Uh, shouldn’t you be elsewhere? And what was with you two arguing?”

  Chrys glared at her a look to signify her rudeness.

  “It was nothing, you know, parent kind of stuff. I was supposed to lock up the shop and stay overnight, but I came here.” Chrys nodded at his explanation. She didn’t know if she fully believed it, but Nathan had never lied to her before.

  “So, what you guys up too? I heard that you all were going out tonight, like how you all did in high school.” He winked in Chrys’ direction and she shyly smiled.

  “We’re trying to figure out how to get to Sydney,” Jonah blurted out without thinking. Chrys smacked him in the arm and so did Connie.

  “Ow, what the hell guys?”

  “Oh, cool. What’s there? I could probably drive you guys if you need it. I could use a break from my family.”

  Knowing there wasn’t any way of it, Chrys knew that it would be pointless to try to hide anything.

  “Are you sure that your dad won’t get pissed again?” Connie chastised him.

  Chrys rolled her eyes. “It’s a bar there, Reggie’s Surf Lounge,” She told him and quickly made up a lie on the spot. “... My ex was a douche bag and we were going there to set up a prank on him.”

  “You and that guy broke up?” Nathan curiously said, Chrys noticed a gleam in his eyes. She knew he was referring to Kai, since he had seen him a few times before.

  “Yeah, say no more, I’m in. A
nyone who would dump you is a real ass hole.”

  Nathan looked to her and his eyes were fixed on her, it was like Chrys was forced to stay there. It felt different when Kai looked at her, she felt wrapped in a warming embrace, but with Nathan, she felt oddly constricted.

  Thankfully, her cell phone vibrated, and it pulled her attention away.

  Her smiled enlarged and saw that it was a text message from Kai:

  Hey beautiful, are you just getting off of work? I hope Carl isn’t being too much of an asshole. But, anyway, I wanted to check on you, see if you wanted me to pick you up and we can go out to eat?

  She was about to tell him yes, but then remembered that they had prior engagements after work. She frowned slightly and texted back.

  Can’t. I made plans to go out with Connie, Jonah, and Nathan is our driver. I’ll call you tonight or if you want to come to the ranch and sleep over?

  As Chrys waited for the text message, she could feel the heavy pressure on the back of her neck again, and from her peripheral she saw Nathan looking at her from the corner of his eye.

  Her phone vibrated again, and she saw his message:

  I love you. To the moon and back.

  She replied and her heart hammered in her chest as the fiery feeling ignited inside of her.

  To the moon and back. And forever.

  This Book will be Live Soon!

  About Fay Walsh

  Fay Walsh loves to write about curvy heroines and their hot alpha males. Her paranormal romance stories are sizzling hot with lots of action, humor, and a happily-ever-after! Current obsessions: bears and dragons!

  Right now she lives in Northern California with her husband and their grey ball of fluffiness, Shadow. Besides writing, she can never say no to chocolate and a big cup of coffee.

  Also by Fay Walsh

  ● Book 1: Bonded to the Bear

  ● Book 2: Bear’s Temptation

  ● Book 3: The Bear’s Secret