Bear Necessities

Chapter Six

“So.”

Tabby raised her brow, wondering what the hell Alex was up to. He’d let her shower by herself this morning, his demeanor quiet and thoughtful. He’d finished his yoga before she got out, and damn if she wasn’t sorry to miss that. Watching him stretch that amazing body, his muscles quivering with strain, had been an incredible turn-on. After he was done, he’d led her to IHOP for breakfast, his expression still peaceful after his morning workout.

“Tell me about Gary.”

She thudded her head down on the Formica table hard enough she’d probably have a red mark. “Bacon. Need bacon.”

“Tabby.”

She huffed out a breath, leaving her face on the table. “Fine. Gary is a student at the college who thinks it’s fun to try to fuck with me.” She couldn’t go into too much detail; it was Saturday morning and the IHOP was packed to the rafters with humans and Pumas. One mention of shifters right now could lead to either a long life in a hug-me jacket or being forced to leave the only real home she’d ever known. Neither one was an option she wanted to contemplate.

“How long has this been going on?”

The quiet tone of voice had her stiffening. She was coming to recognize that tone as a dangerous sign. She stiffened, wondering if Alex would lose it. He couldn’t go after Gary. Gary, thanks to his friends, was too well protected. Besides, Gabe wouldn’t be able to keep Alex out of trouble if he went after Gary unprovoked.

Despite everything that had happened, they had no solid proof that Gary had ever threatened to lay a hand on her. It would be her word against his and his goon squad’s. That would work against Alex in both human and shifter law. “Why?”

He gave her an innocent look, totally incongruous on his face. “No reason.”

She glared up at him through the fall of her bangs. “Alex.”

“You are so not allowed near my mother anymore,” he grumbled.

“Why not?”

“You sound just like her.”

She could feel a smile trying to break free. He sounded like a grumpy little boy.

“After having met your mother, I’d say that’s a good thing.”

His eyes sparkled with approval even while he glowered at her. “Flattery will not get you out of telling me what I want to know.”

“What about a BJ? Will that get me out of it?”

He blinked, his eyes blanking before the frown returned.

She lifted her head and grinned at him. “You had to think about it, didn’t you?”

A slight flush crossed his cheeks. “Brat.” He sat back as the waitress piled pancakes in front of him. Tabby sat back too, the scent of her own breakfast driving her crazy. “If he’s a threat to you, I need to know. How can I protect you otherwise?”

The look on his face was hard, uncompromising. She sighed, just knowing he was going to try to be her fuzzy knight in matte black leathers. “Gary arrived in Halle in August. He’s a junior and a transfer from New Mexico, I think. I’m not sure what group he’s affiliated with, and it’s not like I can walk up to him and say,

‘Hey prick, who’s your boss? I’d like to complain about your customer service’.”

Tabby laughed at the look on Alex’s face. Her old Alpha had hammered into his Pack how to talk around humans without giving them away. The Pack was treated as a company. The analogy wasn’t that far off the mark. Most Packs came with bosses, employees, and yes, even customer service. Hell, the Senate actually did have a legal corporation headed by the Leo, the ruler of the American shifters, a charitable organization that was mostly concerned with the conservation of endangered species. They only accepted donations from shifters, so they didn’t fall under public scrutiny. The Wildlife Conservation Foundation did a lot of good, helping to repopulate the wolves in Yellowstone National Park and giving the big cats born in the U.S. a safe environment to live in. She’d heard that there were more tigers living in the U.S. than any other place in the world, and the WCF

helped to take care of them. Chloe would probably do very well working as one of their vets once she recovered from her injuries and graduated. “Anyway, he found out pretty quickly that I was an ex-employee and decided that harassment was A-okay.”

“Tell me what he’s done, Tabby.”

Fuck. His voice had dropped, deepened until it rumbled through her. “He’s egged Living Art, given me grief, harassed me on the phone, threatened the girls. You know, the usual.” She wasn’t sure if she should tell him about that time in the woods, when Gary had scared the shit out of her. She was afraid of what he’d do if she did. “You were there the other night. He’s done stuff like that off and on the entire time I’ve been here.”

“Have you tried petitioning the closest human resources office for help?”

She shook her head. “I’ve heard of the Poconos boss. He’s a scary guy, and his COO is said to be a little insane.” She heard someone in the booth behind her choke, but ignored it. “I heard she’s from around here, but she left before I arrived.” Tabby shrugged. “Besides, Gabe is aware of what’s going on and he’s doing his best to look out for me.” Although she hadn’t yet told Gabe about how Gary and his Pack had cornered her in the woods. Damn, with everything that had been going on, she’d forgotten she’d wanted to speak to the sheriff about that. It seemed like her life was both spinning out of control and finally finding its center.

Gary hadn’t found out her new cell number yet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still stalking her.

“What’s that frown for?”

She looked up from her plate. Seeing the look on Alex’s face, she grimaced. “I need to talk to Gabe about something.” One of those dark brows rose and she winced. “I just want to tell him that some of Gary’s issues are beginning to spill over onto Cyn and Glory.”

He looked unconvinced. “And then you’re going to tell him about the butterflies that flew out of your butt.”

Okay, the person behind them really needed to stop listening in on their conversation. Throaty feminine laughter floated over them and Tabby frowned, not sure if she was more pissed at the eavesdropper or Alex. “Look, he’s begun harassing them too. He knows that if he hurts them, it hurts me, and it would be my fault.” It would damn near kill her if something happened to Cyn or Glory because of her.

“Bullshit. It would be Gary’s fault.” Alex’s expression turned thoughtful. “Maybe its time we called in some reinforcements then.”

“I agree.”

Tabby blinked and turned. There, standing next to her, was a short, curvy woman with long dark hair and laughing brown eyes. Behind her stood one of the handsomest men Tabby had ever seen, his sky blue eyes serious. His blond hair just brushed the collar of his blue shirt. The only flaw on that perfect face she could see was a small scar just along one side of his nose, so faint it was barely noticeable. Dr. Max Cannon, Alpha of the Halle Pride, slipped his arm around the waist of his wife and Curana, Emma Cannon. “I understand you’re having some problems.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Captain Understatement.” She smiled at Tabby, her expression mischievous. “Lion-O and I heard everything.” She rattled off an address Tabby knew was in one of the more affluent sections of town. Not quite in the same area as the truly rich, like the Howards, but still pretty respectable. “Come over to our place, both of you. We need to talk.”

Tabby blinked. That hadn’t been a request. “Okay,” she drawled. She’d heard about the Little General who ran the Halle Pride alongside her mate. You did not want to be on her bad side.

Emma nodded. “Good. We’ll see you there in half an hour.” She pulled out her cell phone and began to dial. “Sarah? Listen, I need you and Gabe at our place in half an hour.” She frowned. “Sleeping in? There’s no time to sleep in.” She began to march out of the restaurant with an absent wave at the stunned couple at the table. “We have an issue! Oh, and I need to grab a hold of Becks and Simon. You can call Adrian and Sheri. Yes, I know what time it is, Sarah. Why do you think I’m giving you half an hour?” Emma pulled the phone away from her ear and frowned down at it. “Do you kiss your husband with that mouth?”

Tabby bit back a giggle. She now understood the other nickname she’d heard in conjunction with the Halle Curana. Hurricane Emma.

Max shook his head, his lips twitching as he watched his mate walk away, still chattering on the phone. “I don’t know where the hell she thinks she’s going. I’ve got the car keys.” He turned back to Tabby, a small swirl of power surrounding him briefly, sending a shiver down her spine. She had the oddest urge to bow down to the Puma, his Alpha powers caressing her with a different flavor than that of the Wolf Alpha she’d once served. “I’ll see you both in half an hour.

Whatever the problem is we can fix it. One way or another.” He nodded goodbye to Alex and followed his mate out the door.

Tabby gulped at Max’s ominous words. “Uh-oh.”

Alex frowned. “What? I’d think this would be a good thing. You have the local guys on your side, right?”

She bit her lip. “I don’t know if Gabe ever told them I…was fired, and what for.

And they have strong ties to the Poconos boss.”

Alex shrugged, his eyes glued to the man leaving the restaurant. “It’s a moot point now. We’ve been summoned, not much we can do about it.” He cut into his strawberry-coated pancakes. “Eat your bacon. Something tells me we’re going to need our strength.”

Bunny pulled the Jeep to a stop outside the two-story Craftsman style home. A dark gray gable roof was set off by rich mahogany brown shingles and bright white trim work, with rich red fieldstone set around the base of the house. The front had that beautiful pillar and post design, with a covered porch that wrapped around to the left side of the house. An attached garage had been seamlessly integrated into the right side of the house. Huge glass double doors with an art deco design waited to greet visitors to the home. The house was warm, inviting and beautifully maintained. In the driveway sat a red Dodge Ram and a black Mustang. “Wow. Nice place.”

Tabby nodded and opened her door. “Yeah. Nice.”

He studied her face. She was pale and shaking. “It’s okay, baby.”

She took a deep breath and huffed it out. “The last time I got summoned by an Alpha, I was Outcast.”

“Max has no cause to ask you to leave Halle. Besides, he’s not your Alpha.

Technically, he can’t outcast you.”

She shook her head. “Bears don’t have Outcasting, do they?”

“Not really, no. We don’t have the same kind of Pack or Pride structure.” Not all shifters had traditional Alphas and Omegas and all that political crap. Most were simple family groups, like the Bears, Foxes and even the otherwise solitary Tigers.

The loose-knit family groups would keep in touch via couriers in the old days and, in modern times, snail mail and e-mail. They held the vote for their proxies on the Senate that way, never having to meet unless they wanted to. Outcasting was something reserved for those who abided by the more stringent rules of the Packs and Prides, like the Wolves, Coyotes, Pumas and Lions, where one shifter’s actions could endanger the lives of all.

“Then trust me, it’s a really big deal.” She shrugged her shoulders like she was shifting a heavy weight. “Let’s go, I guess.”

Bunny held out his hand, offering his mate his full support. No matter what happened in that house, Tabby was his mate. That meant she could fall under either Pack law or Bear law. And since Bears had no Outcasting system, as far as he was concerned his mate had no problem.

One of the front doors opened. Emma Cannon stood there, a grin on her face and her hand on her hip. “I was wondering how long you two would stand out there.

C’mon in. We won’t bite, I promise.”

Bunny moved forward, enjoying the warmth of Emma’s greeting. He could already tell there would be few problems on that front. Emma was greeting them like old friends. “Thank you, Mrs. Cannon. I’m Alexander Bunsun.”

Emma’s lips curved up in a wicked smile. “I know who you are. You’re the wereBunny who rode into town on a hog.”

Bunny didn’t know whether to laugh or not. “Um… Yeah. Maybe?”

A woman with wild curly hair down to her waist pulled Emma out of the doorway.

“Don’t worry, she has that effect on a lot of people.” She ignored Emma’s rolled eyes and pulled Bunny inside.

Bunny took a second to look around the great room of the Halle Alpha’s house.

The sage green walls, cherry floors and white trim created a warm feeling of comfort and home. The skylights in the vaulted ceiling let in a great deal of natural light. A large, reddish-brown leather sofa dominated the room. It rested on a bold area rug done in a geometric pattern of reds, blacks and greens. It faced a set of built-in cherry cabinets along one wall that doubled as the entertainment center with bookshelves on either side. The fireplace, on the opposite wall, matched the fieldstone on the outside of the home. He really liked the feel of the place. He’d have to see if he could find something similar in the area. From the way Tabby was staring, wide-eyed, he had the feeling she liked it too.

The curly haired woman held out her hand. “I’m Becky Holt.”

Bunny returned her greeting. “Alexander Bunsun. Nice to meet you. This is my mate, Tabitha Garwood.”

Tabby smiled weakly and clung to his hand with a grip he just knew was leaving bruises.

Becky Holt pointed to a tall, dark-haired man with muscular arms and an easy grin. “That’s Simon, my mate. He’s the Beta of our Pride.”

“Pleased to meet you.” He exchanged nods with the Beta, keeping hold of Tabby’s hand. He could feel his mate trembling next to him.

Emma nodded toward a striking couple seated on her sofa. The man was dark-haired, with the same golden skintone Tabby had. The woman seated next to him was the palest woman Bunny had ever seen, with snow-white hair, pale blue eyes and pearly skin. Lying at their feet was a golden retriever in a guide dog harness.

“That’s our Marshall, Adrian Giordano, and his mate, Sheri.” The couple nodded at them, but quickly returned to their conversation. Bunny wasn’t fooled.

Something about Giordano’s body language told him that he and Tabby had the lion’s share of the Marshall’s attention. “Gabe and Sarah, our Omega, aren’t here yet, but they should be shortly. There were grumbles about coffee and doughnuts.”

“Doughnuts?” Becky shared a wicked, intimate grin with her mate. “I love doughnuts.”

Simon chuckled. “Bet I know something that tastes sweeter.”

“Oh, for the love of God, people.” Emma flopped down on the couch. “Get a room.”

“Works for me.” Simon grabbed a hold of Becky’s hand and began to drag her toward the stairs, ignoring her indignant squawking.

“Simon, knock it off. Emma, stop encouraging them.” Max stepped out of his kitchen and shook his head at his Pride leaders, ignoring Emma’s snickers and Becky’s slap to Simon’s arm. “You’re making us look like idiots.” He walked over to Bunny and Tabby and shook their hands. “Alex, Tabby, welcome to my home.

Please feel free to join the insanity.”

“Thanks, but everyone calls me Bunny.”

The room stopped dead. He’d never seen anything like it. It was like he’d picked up life’s remote and hit Pause.

“I’m sorry. Did you say people call you Bunny?” Simon, his dark eyes twinkling, leaned back against the fireplace mantel.

Bunny nodded. He loved some of the reactions he got when he told people his nickname, especially other shifters. They tended to range from horrified disbelief to unstoppable giggles.

“And you let them? Why not strap a cracker to your ass and call yourself lunch?

Ow! Damn it, Becky.” He rubbed the spot on his arm his curly-haired mate had just smacked.

“Ignore Garfield, he hasn’t had his Cat Chow yet.” Simon’s eyes flashed down at his mate, gold sparks dancing in the dark brown.

Bunny bit back his laugh. “And you’re making fun of my nickname?”

Max rubbed the side of his nose. “Why don’t you two have a seat while we wait for Gabe and Sarah.” He walked away, pointing languidly at Emma. “Not a word.”

“Damn. And I had so many of them, too.”

Max stopped and stared at Emma, one eyebrow rising.

Emma gave as good as she got, staring right back at her mate. From the way their mouths were curving, Bunny didn’t think there would be a fight, but the tension in the room seemed to ratchet up a notch. He wondered if the blond Alpha was about to drag his small mate up the stairs, Pride meeting be damned.

The doorbell rang, breaking the staring match between the two Alphas.

“I’ll get it.” The Marshall stood, moving with easy grace to the front door. “It’s Gabe and Sarah. One of you get a cold towel, she spilled some coffee on her hands again.”

Bunny frowned. “How did he know that?”

Emma waved Becky toward the kitchen and followed her through. “He’s the Marshall.”

And?

Sheri, Adrian’s mate, must have seen his confusion. “The Marshall can sense the physical well-being of every member of the Pride.” She frowned. “Your scent. It’s so…wild. Not like the other Bear in town.” She stared up at him, her pale blue gaze unfocused. Suddenly her eyes widened. “You’re a—”

“Hey, Bunny.” Gabe slapped him on the back, interrupting whatever it was Sheri had been about to say.

“Anderson. Learn anything about Chloe’s attacker yet?”

Gabe shook his head. “I wish I had some news already, but there were no witnesses. Nobody on the street heard or saw a thing. The evidence we’ve collected is still at the labs in Pittsburgh, so we have to wait.” He shrugged. “I wish I had more, but that’s all I’ve got so far. How is Chloe, by the way?”

Bunny could see the way the small brunette watched Gabe. Her short hair was windblown, her hands reddened. His fingers twitched, the urge to heal the small hurt nearly derailing his train of thought. This must be Gabe’s mate, the one who’d given Gabe fits over Chloe. “Still unconscious. Any idea when her mate is supposed to arrive?”

“Jimmy’s coming back?” Emma swept back into the room, a wet towel in her hands. “Here, Sarah. Wrap this around that burn.” She clucked her tongue. “That looks nasty.”

“Let me.” He took hold of the poor burned hands and breathed deep, the relief at being able to heal the small hurt releasing some of his tension. He opened himself up to his Bear and the spiral of the healing path. He mended the burned flesh, encouraged the new growth of tissue and forced the skin to reabsorb the swelling.

When he was done, no trace of the burn could be seen, and his legs were trembling with fatigue.

“Holy shit.” Adrian stared down at the woman’s hands, his eyes wide. “I felt that.”

He lifted his face, his gaze narrowed on Bunny. “I’d forgotten Bears could do that.”

The woman smiled up at him sweetly. “Thank you.” She patted his arm. “That really stung.”

Gabe took one of her hands in his own, stroking the healed skin. “I owe you one, Bear.”

Bunny shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with the awed reactions of the Pumas.

This sort of healing was as commonplace as hello among Bears. “It was nothing.”

Gabe’s jaw clenched. “You healed my mate. That means I owe you one.” His jaw relaxed and his brows shot up. “Unless you’d rather not have the man investigating the attack against your mate owe you?”

“Attack?” Emma frowned, taking a seat on the huge leather couch. “All I heard at the restaurant was talk of harassment.”

“Tabby was attacked outside her place of business a couple of days ago. A stink bomb was thrown through the window, and when she and the other girls ran out, she was hit on the back of the head hard enough for her to black out.”

Bunny glared at Tabby. He hadn’t known she’d lost consciousness. He might not have been quite so calm if he had.

“Look, before we get too far, why don’t we fill the others in on everything that’s been going on? We tend to get a little blind to what’s going on outside the Pride, so they might not know what all’s been happening.” Gabe took a seat in one of the side chairs and pulled his mate into his lap.

She settled in with a sigh, resting her head against his shoulder. “Good idea.”

Bunny took a seat on the couch again, Tabby next to him. Adrian and Sheri took up the remaining seats, leaving Emma in the other wing chair, Max standing by her side. Simon and Becky settled on the floor across from the couch, their backs to the entertainment center. “Okay, here’s what I know so far. Tabby was Outcast

—” he ignored the gasp of his mate “—for something she didn’t do. She roamed as a Wolf for about eight years before landing in Halle.” He stared at Gabe, willing him to understand what he was about to say. “And if anyone owes anyone else, it’s me who owes you and your grandmother for taking care of Tabby.”

Gabe nodded, acknowledging what he’d said. Bunny got the feeling he didn’t quite agree with him, but that was all right.

“Because of her status, this guy Gary feels he can do anything he wants to Tabby without repercussions.”

Max winced. “Unfortunately, he’s right. She’s without the protection of her Pack, set apart from them for a crime, whether she committed it or not. Unless she proves she’s worthy of joining another Pack or manages to get her old Alpha to take her back, she’s considered a criminal and fair game.”

Emma’s lips curled up in a wicked grin. He’d seen that grin before, on a cartoon when he’d been a kid. It was the same grin the Grinch had when he came up with his idea to dress as Santa and steal Christmas. The look sent shivers down Bunny’s spine. And from the looks her mate was giving her, he guessed the Alpha had no clue what his little mate was thinking.

“Great.” Bunny sighed and ran his hand over his bald head. The stubble there rasped against his palm. Time to shave again. “Anyway, he’s egged the store, bothered all of the girls who, by the way, are all human other than Tabby, and called her multiple times. I got to see him last night and, frankly, if I hadn’t been there, I’m not certain he would have stopped at harassing her. As it was, he tried to warn me off, telling me he had every right to bother my mate. In other words, he’s stalking her.”

“He’s given humans a hard time?” Max whistled. “Who’s his Alpha?”

Bunny blinked. “I have no clue.”

Gabe shrugged. “I’ve asked him, but he refuses to answer. The only thing I’ve been able to learn is he comes from New Mexico. I’m still running down his birth records. The college has been less than enthusiastic about turning over records and, without a warrant, they’re right. I can’t get one without probable cause.”

Gabe ran his hand up and down Sarah’s back. Whether it was to soothe her or himself, Bunny had no clue. “Besides, technically speaking, shifter law is on his side. The girls at Living Art are aware of what Tabby is and who the Pride members are, so they’re considered kin.”

Bunny could feel the helpless rage building up in him again. Did this mean that the little fucker could keep on taunting Tabby, possibly hurting her, and there was nothing he could do about it?

Fuck. That.

A soft hand landed on his arm. He looked up into the warm brown eyes of the Omega. “We’ll fix this. I promise.”

A calm peace he’d never felt off a yoga mat settled over him. He nodded, knowing she was right. Everything would be fine. Sarah smiled and sat back in her mate’s lap, her hands curled up in her own. Gabe took hold of her wrists, his thumb stroking the insides. Something about the caress had Bunny taking notice. He stared at the sheriff and his mate, and wondered…

“Alex?”

“Hmm?” He turned back to find Tabby staring up at him. The fact that his name was pretty much the first word she’d uttered since walking in the front door soothed something deep inside him.

Tabby took a deep breath. “Tell them about Chloe.”

He growled. “Some asshole beat my cousin Chloe damn near to death and left her in the road like trash. She would have died if it hadn’t been for Julian Ducharme.

She’s still in a coma. Nothing we’ve done so far will wake her up.”

Max’s blue eyes flashed gold for a moment. “I heard. We’re going to look into that.” He exchanged a glance with Gabe and Adrian, who both nodded.

Sheri bit her lip. “Chloe’s such a sweet little thing. Who would want do that to her?”

“We don’t know, but so far the clues are few and far between.”

“I’m betting on Gary and the Gutless Wonders,” Tabby muttered.

“Gutless Wonders?” Max’s tone was not amused. “How many Pack members does Gary have with him?”

Tabby winced. “He has two others who follow him. Oh, and he sent a kid out for a tattoo of his Wolf. I recognized it from when he changed once, just before he found out I was Outcast.” And from her tone of voice that conversation had not been full of warm fuzzies. “He told the boy that if he got the tattoo he could join his fraternity.” Tabby made little quotation marks with her fingers and made a face. “For all I know, he’s changed people around campus, but since I don’t exactly hang out there, I have no idea what he’s really up to.”

Max growled, the sound feral and feline. His sky blue eyes were pure gold. A light mist pooled around his feet, his power spilling out into the room. Bunny had only seen something like that once before, when a Lion had tried to make his father bow down before him.

It hadn’t worked on William Bunsun, and it sure as hell wasn’t going to work on William Bunsun’s baby boy. His chin lifted in the face of the Alpha’s anger.

“Why didn’t I know about this?” Max stared around the room at his core hierarchy, his expression full of outrage. “He’s changing humans on my territory and I didn’t know about it?”

“Shit. How the hell were we supposed to know? How many other Prides do you know of that are based in a college town with other shifters in it?” Simon showed why he was this man’s Beta. Other than the twitch of his shoulders and a brief wince, he stood tall. Even the Marshall was hunched over, fighting his Alpha’s anger. The only other person in the room who wasn’t bowed down was Emma.

Even Tabby had her head lowered. “For the most part, they’ve come, respected our boundaries, kept to themselves, and gone home when they graduated.”

“Except now we’ve got a wannabe Wolf Alpha roaming the streets, a Fox in the hospital, a group of Bears on the warpath, and God knows what else on the way.”

Emma sounded more thoughtful than upset. She rested her elbow against her knee and propped her chin in her hand. “Who the hell stood over my cradle and talked about living in interesting times?”

Max turned to his spouse, amused. The mist retreated, his eyes turning back from gold to sky blue. “At least we don’t have any more Senators running through town and co-opting our people.”

“Do you think it was Gary who attacked Chloe?”

Bunny turned to find Sarah, Gabe’s mate, staring up at him. “I have no idea, but I’m not sure why he would. Does he even know she exists?”

They all stared at Tabby, who shrank in on herself. “How the hell would I know? I stay as far away from him as I can.”

Max pointed to Adrian. “Thoughts?”

The man frowned. “We need to set Puma guards on Chloe, make sure no one can get into her room without authorization.”

Bunny bristled. “My family is there. Trust me, no one will get to Chloe.”

Adrian nodded. “I’ll need to discuss with them a rotation, so that they can get some rest. I have some people I trust to put with her, and I’m sure Gabe can come up with a few names as well.” Gabe nodded. “I’m going to assume you’re researching any possible human involvement, like a work rival or a romantic one?” Gabe nodded again, his eyes rolling. “Okay.” Adrian turned back to Max.

“Everything’s being done on the Chloe side that we can do for now. Without Chloe being Puma, there isn’t any way for me to monitor her physically other than keeping in touch with Jamie Howard.”

“Do that.” Max pointed at both men. “I want regular updates on her condition.

Once she’s awake, we can find out from her what she saw of her attackers. Maybe she’ll be able to identify whether or not it was shifters who did this.”

“And if it was?”

Max eyed Gabe. “We find out if it was Pumas, specifically my Pumas, who did this. If it wasn’t, whoever it was is all yours. Hell, if it was my Pumas, they’re all yours after I Outcast them.”

Gabe’s answering grin was feral.

Whoever hurt Bunny’s baby cousin was going to pay in a big, big way.

“We still need to deal with the Gary issue,” Emma pointed out. “Whether or not he’s involved in Chloe’s attack we know he did something to Tabby.”

Speaking of which… “Gabe, could I talk to you alone for a moment?” Tabby tried to ignore the questioning look on Alex’s face. If he found out about Gary’s little stunt in the woods last week, he’d blow his top. There was no way she’d risk letting him go off in a rage. He’d get himself killed.

“Sure.” Gabe helped Sarah to her feet and stood, settling his mate back down in the chair they’d been occupying. He kissed her forehead and released her wrists.

“Be right back.”

Tabby pointed at Alex, who was about to rise and join them. “Sit. Stay. Good Bear.” She followed Gabe out onto Max’s back deck, ignoring the giggles coming from Emma.

Gabe stood in front of her and crossed his arms, his expression concerned.

“Okay, Tabby. What did you want to tell me that you didn’t want Bunny hearing?”

She described what had happened in the woods. Gary and his proto-Pack surrounding her, the look of lust on their faces. The way Gary had tried to punch out her windshield to get to her.

By the time she was done, Gabe’s eyes had gone gold and he was cursing up a blue streak. “Why didn’t you call me immediately?”

“I meant to, I really did. But I kept getting distracted.”

He glared at her.

She winced. Damn it, he knew her so well, and they’d been friends for only six months. “Fine. I was worried that some people would blame me.” She was Outcast, despite Bunny’s unwavering support. There were those who would hear what Gary had done and shrug, thinking it nothing more than she deserved.

Some would actively encourage Gary, hoping to drive her away. It was one of the many reasons she’d stayed Wolf for years rather than try to find a home in the shifter world. Real wolves didn’t care that she’d been Outcast.

It had been lonelier than anything she’d ever been forced to endure. She prayed every night that she’d never have to face living like that again.

“Admit it. You were worried Max would kick you out of Halle.”

She bit her lip. “Yeah. I was.”

“Tabby. ” Gabe ran his hands through his hair, obviously frustrated. “How many times do I have to tell you? You’re home, okay? No one is going to take that away from you, especially not Max.”

Max could take it away by simply turning his back on her. “You don’t have the authority to say that, and you know it. You aren’t the Alpha.”

“No, but the Alpha listens to me, especially when it comes to Outcasts and rogues. I’m a Hunter, for crying out loud. Hell, his Marshall has vouched for you, his Omega thinks you’re wonderful and wants a fucking tattoo now, thank you very much, and even his Curana is in there fighting for you! And Emma barely knows you! So let it go, Tabby.” He pulled her into a hug. “Whether you believe it or not, you’re home.”

She shuddered, collapsing into the embrace. Gabe was solid warmth, his feline scent tickling her nostrils in a—

“Excuse me. Is this a private party or can anyone join?”

She lifted her head to find the back door open. Alex stood there, leaning against the doorjamb, his hands jammed into his pockets. His fangs had descended. He was eyeing Gabe’s hands at Tabby’s waist.

Gabe’s hands lifted up and stepped away from her. “Mind out of the gutter, Bunny. Tabby’s like a sister to me.”

“Just like Chloe, huh?”

Gabe groaned. “When will people get over that? We never dated! God, as soon as she wakes up, I’m kicking her ass all over again.”

Alex relaxed and chuckled, his fangs receding. “No kicking girl ass. That’s just wrong.”

“Please. Like Chloe wouldn’t willingly kick my ass up and down the block if she thought I deserved it.” Gabe shook his head. “It’s hard to see her in that hospital bed.”

“Tell me about it.” He studied Gabe’s face for a moment. “Are you going to fill me in on what my mate’s hiding from me?”

Gabe shook his head. “Wish I could, but she has to be the one to tell you.”

“Thanks a lot. Traitor.” Tabby glared up at Gabe, ignoring the way Alex was watching her. All of his attention was suddenly focused on her, and not in a good way.

Gabe hesitated only for a moment, then shrugged and headed back inside. “Do me a favor, Tabby. Tell him. Trust him. He’s your mate.”

She nodded. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Alex. She just didn’t want Gary to get his hands on him. Gary would fuck him up without thinking twice about it.

Alex stepped out. Gabe shut the door behind him, giving the two of them their privacy. “Tabby?”

Better rip the Band-Aid off. “Gary attacked me one morning after a run. He and his goons cornered me out in the woods, up against my car. I’m pretty sure they were going to rape me.”

Alex’s whole body rippled. His fangs descended. His nails blackened, lengthening two inches. He freaking grew about six inches, the seams of his shirt popping, his jeans creaking against the strain. Considering he was pretty massive to begin with, it was impressive. “Where does Gary live?”

Tabby gulped. This was an Alex she didn’t know. His voice had turned gravelly, deepened until he sounded like something out of a horror film. “I don’t know.”

“Tell me. ”

“I don’t know!” She did her best to stare him down, but her heart was racing a mile a minute. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

“Tabby.” His fingers twitched. She wondered if he was picturing Gary’s neck between them.

“No.” She tried to soothe him, resting one hand against his arm. “One Bear against a Wolf wins. One Bear against a Pack loses. I’m not worth your life, Alex.”

He blinked, his hazel eyes turning dark brown. “What? ” He roared, startling the birds from the trees. Tabby clapped her hands over her ears and wondered if they would start bleeding. “Would you care to repeat that?”

“I’m not worth dying over?” She gulped again, watching fury etch itself into Alex’s features.

The door slammed open. “Okay, break it up.” Sarah, the Pride Omega, stepped onto the deck. “Whatever’s causing Mt. Vesuvius here to erupt has to stop now.

You’re going to scare the straights.” Alex growled down at her. Sarah growled back. “Calm down, big guy. No one’s going to touch your mate, okay? She’s safe here.” She patted Alex’s arm. “Why don’t you both go back inside? We have a few more things to discuss, and Max was thinking we might have you and Gabe run out to Frank’s for some burgers. Doesn’t that sound good? We could order some fruit for you, maybe a salad.” Sarah tugged on Alex’s arm, dragging him inside the house. The chatter continued all the way back into the great room. “We could get some pie. How about blueberry? Frank’s pies are some of the best in town.”

Alex’s body began to retract, shrinking back down to his normal size. His muscles relaxed, his fangs receding. Whatever mojo the Puma Omega wielded was working, calming her big Bear down. She decided to help, adding her own hands to Alex’s back, stroking him through his T-shirt. “Pie’s good. Maybe we should get Ryan and Julian here too. Their mates are being harassed by Gary too.” The grumbling under her palm was more irritated than pissed now, thank God.

“Good idea. Tabby, why don’t you call them, get them over here? Ryan can let his family know that we plan on helping guard his sister while we’re at it.” Sarah’s gaze never left Alex. Her hand continued to pet him until he’d completely calmed down. A fine sheen of sweat was covering the Omega by the time she had Alex down on the sofa, a confused look on his face. “Gabe? Could you get everyone’s orders please?”

Tabby looked at Gabe. His jaw was clenched as he watched his mate tame another shifter into the palm of her hand. Tabby didn’t know if he was jealous or concerned for her safety. “Sure. I can do that.”

Sarah smiled at her mate. “Everything’s fine, Gabe. Just take the orders and call it in. Bunny would never hurt me.”

Alex shook his head. He looked like he was waking up from a trance. “No, of course I wouldn’t.” He looked over at Tabby. “Baby?”

Tabby rushed forward and threw herself onto Alex’s lap. She curled into him, burying her face against his neck. His scent wrapped around her, warming her, comforting her as nothing else could. “It’s okay, sugar. Everything will be okay.”

He buried his face in her hair and breathed deep. “If he lays a hand on you, I will kill him. You need to understand that.” He tipped her chin up. “You may not think you’re worth dying over, but I know you’re worth killing over.”

Crap. His eyes hadn’t returned to normal. They were full of savage anger, the eyes of a predator. That scary fury she’d seen on the deck was still there under the surface, barely contained by his force of will. “Alex, let it go. For me. Please?”

He took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and rotated his head. When he opened his eyes again, they were back to warm hazel. “For you.”

She nodded. It wasn’t over yet. Not by a long shot. She cuddled up against him and let him press his face to her neck. She knew what he was doing. He was breathing her in, filling his senses with her. If that was what it took to calm him down, she’d stay in his lap for the rest of his life.

“I need to know if you’re a danger to my Pumas.”

Bunny settled into Anderson’s car with a wince. He’d really lost it out there on Max’s deck. Just the thought of someone trying to rape his mate was enough to send him right back to that blistering rage. “Are any of them planning on assaulting Tabby?”

Gabe’s brows rose. “Not that I’m aware of.”

“Then no.” He smiled sweetly, knowing that Tabby’s chosen lifestyle was in jeopardy and he was the cause. If the Hunter believed he was a danger to his Pride, the two of them would be run out of town that same night.

Gabe studied him for a moment, his lips twitching. “Hands off the Wolf. Got it.”

He pulled out of the driveway and headed off to Frank’s. “Where are you thinking of house hunting?”

Bunny shrugged. “Near here, I think. The houses are nice.”

Gabe shot him a startled glance. “No offense, but can you afford it? Even with the housing market on a downturn, places near Max go for a pretty penny.”

“I can afford it, especially if some of my family is here. We’ll probably start up a branch of the family business here.”

“And that business would be?”

“Bunsun Exteriors. Corporate specializes in commercial landscaping and hardscaping, but I want to start some residential options here. I’m a landscape architect.”

“So your family is rich?”

Bunny made a face. “We’re comfortable. Besides, it’s my father’s business, not mine. If a branch opens up down here, it will be run by my Uncle Steven.” He was pretty sure Uncle Steven would fall in with what he wanted to do. Hell, he’d probably put Ryan in charge just so Bunny wouldn’t be forced to do the paperwork. The last time they’d put an expense sheet in front of Bunny, he’d drawn big pink azalea bushes on it. Ryan was this generation’s money man. “I wonder if I could get Eric down here or if he’ll stay in Oregon?”

“Eric?”

“My brother. Dad left him behind to deal with the business while he’s in town.”

“Ah.” Gabe pulled into the parking lot and turned off the ignition. “How many of you are there?”

“Family or Bears?”

Gabe frowned. “Huh?”

“Aunt Laura, Chloe’s mom? She’s a Fox. Her brother, Uncle Ray, married Uncle Steven’s sister, and they have three kids, one Fox and two Bears. So most of the family is half Fox, half Bear. Dad is the only one who mated a human, so Eric and I are both Bears. What makes it even more confusing? Uncle Steven and Aunt Stacy are Dad’s cousins.” He glowered at Gabe. “And no jokes about rednecks and first cousins.”

Gabe’s lips twitched. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He got out of the car and headed to the diner, not bothering to wait for Bunny. From the set of his shoulders, Bunny figured he was still fighting a laugh.

He got out of the car, noting six bikes sitting off in a row. He frowned, something about those bikes looked familiar. Bunny followed the sheriff into the diner, a scent tickling his nose he hadn’t encountered in a long time. He smelled Bears, ones he thought he recognized.

Gabe was standing just inside the door, his hands loose at his sides, his back straight and tight. “I’m going to ask you one more time. Back off and leave the girl alone.”

Bunny blinked at the hard note in the Sheriff’s voice. “Gabe? What’s going on?”

He looked over Gabe’s shoulder to find six men, all above average height, surrounding a tiny woman. She held a tray in her visibly shaking hands. “Harry?

Is that you?”

All six men flinched. “Alex Bu-Bunsun?”

Bunny smiled. “Well hell, Harry. How’ve you been?” He hadn’t seen these guys in dogs’ years. “Doing good since I last saw you?” That had been, what, ten years ago?

“Better. Better. Arm’s all healed up, thanks. Gives me fits in the rain, though. Not so bad off as Barney. He still can’t use his hand.”

Bunny grimaced. He hated being reminded of Barney. He’d done everything he could to make up for what he’d almost done to the man, but Barney would have nothing to do with him. Bunny didn’t blame him. He wouldn’t want anything to do with the man who nearly killed him either. Last he heard, Barney was in Alaska, owned a bar, and was happily mated with two cubs. Rumor had it he’d moved there to put as much distance as he could between himself and Bunny, yet still remain in the United States.

Harry swallowed hard. “You, uh, just passing through?”

Harry’s five gang members backed away from the waitress, wary eyes glued to Bunny. He shrugged. “Nah, I’m living here now. My, um, fiancée is here.” The human waitress was looking at them strangely. No way could he use the word

“mate” here.

Harry’s eyes went wide. He managed to turn even paler. “F-fiancée? You’re engaged. Congratulations.” He feebly waved at the bikers behind him. They all took a polite seat at the counter, watching him with fear-filled eyes.

“Yeah, she’s a tattoo artist.” One of the six men moaned. Bunny thought it might have been Mikey. Despite his rough look, he’d always been a little more delicate than the others. You’d think a man with a flaming skull tattooed on the nape of his neck would be a little less wimpy. “Why, you thinking of getting one? She does good work.” He’d seen that when he caught a look at Mrs. H’s cross. She was a true artist, someone whose work he’d be proud to wear.

“Um, no.” Harry shook his head so hard it should have snapped off his neck.

“We’re, uh, just passing through.”

Lee, the smallest of the six men, gently tapped the waitress on the shoulder. “Can we please get that order to go ma’am?”

Bunny rolled his eyes. “C’mon guys. It was years ago.”

“He took on all of us. All of us,” Lee whispered. “He didn’t even get a scratch.”

Mikey whimpered. The wuss.

“You shouldn’t have picked on Heather. She was only ten.” And a Fox, which left her completely vulnerable to the seven teenage Bears who’d chosen to make her life miserable. He’d had no choice but to come to his cousin’s aid. The decision to nearly kill the worst offender was something he had to live with every day. “I did ask you to stop.” And he’d made each and every one of them apologize to Heather after he was done with them, even Barney.

It had taken two years for Heather’s nightmares to stop. All of them had starred her cousin rather than her attackers. She still eyed him warily whenever the family got together.

Gabe was staring at him like he’d suddenly sprouted wings. “And Tabby’s worried about you facing Gary?”

Bunny shrugged. He’d tried to tell her he could handle it, but she didn’t want to believe him. She was too used to Julian. Black Bears would run from a fight they knew they couldn’t win. Kermode, for all that they were some shade of cream or white in Bear form, were still a species of black bear.

Brown Bears, on the other hand, were a lot more aggressive. They’d stand until they dropped dead. And Bunny was still considered more aggressive than most.

“She’s used to Julian, but she’ll learn.” The men in front of him twitched. Bunny looked around, noting the curiosity of the rest of the diners. He smiled, hoping to reassure them. These people were all potential clients, after all. “So. It was nice seeing all of you again.”

Food was plunked down in front of Harry, six large boxes and six smaller ones.

The waitress pulled two bags out from under the counter. The relief in Harry’s expression would have been amusing if it hadn’t reminded Bunny of just how aggressive he could be. That look right there was one of the many reasons Bunny had learned how not to fight.

He didn’t like it when people were afraid of him. Of all the people in this room, only Harry and his friends were truly aware of what Bunny was capable of, and they were terrified. He sighed. He rammed into this every time he saw someone who knew him from his wild teen years. He decided to try one last time. Maybe he could still show them he wasn’t the same person he’d been when they knew him.

“Where are you all headed?”

“Um. West.” Harry picked up the bags and held out a credit card. “We’re going west. Possibly California.” The five other men nodded their agreement. “Maybe even Washington.”

Bunny nodded. There’d be no convincing them he was a changed Bear. “I see. I wish you well on your journey.”

Harry signed his receipt and stood. His fellow Bears fell in behind him. “We need to get going. Losing daylight and all that. Nice running into you, Bunsun.”

“You too, Harry.” He stepped aside, giving the men plenty of room to get out the door. “Have a good ride.” He waved, not surprised when none of them waved back.

“What the hell, Bunny. What was that all about?”

He turned back to the sheriff. “Long story. I’ll tell you on the way back.” He knew his cheerful expression wasn’t fooling the other man, but right now he couldn’t be bothered to put much effort into it. “Let’s get our order and get out of here.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that.” Gabe went to the counter and asked for their food. Bunny stayed by the door and listened to the sound of motorcycles riding off into the distance.

Ryan arrived shortly before Alex and Gabe got back and introduced himself to the Pride leaders. He was just settling in near Simon when Gabe and Alex walked in the front door carrying their burgers. Gabe had the strangest look on his face, and Alex looked like someone had run over his dog. Tabby, concerned, sat forward. “Alex? Gabe? What’s wrong?”

Gabe shot Tabby a wild look before handing the food over to Emma and Becky.

Alex shared a long look with Ryan. “Ran into Harry and his buddies over at Frank’s Diner.”

Ryan groaned. “Shit. What were they doing here?”

“Heading west. Far, far west.”

“You think…?” Ryan let the rest of the sentence trail off.

“Nah. They’re still terrified. They wouldn’t risk it.”

“True.”

Tabby looked back and forth between them. There was something there that she didn’t understand. “What are you two talking about?”

Alex had the weirdest look on his face. He looked almost apologetic. But why?

“Harry and his friends harassed one of our cousins years ago. Bunny taught them not to do that anymore.”

“Taught them how?”

“He nearly ripped their leader’s arms off.”

Tabby blinked. He did not just say what I thought he said. “He what?”

Alex turned on his heel and walked right back out the door.

“Alex?” She got up and ran after him, ignoring Ryan’s voice calling after her.

“Alex!”

He stopped. “I know you think you understand what’s going on.”

“In what universe?”

He turned. He looked harsh, drawn. “Fine. What do you think you know?”

“Other than the fact that you seem to be turning into an idiot? Not much.”

He took a deep breath, rotating his neck. “A long time ago, I had anger management issues.”

She waved her hand for him to keep going. The fact her mate seemed to have a temper hadn’t been lost on her.

“Some Bears went after my cousin, Heather, who’s a Fox like Chloe. She was only ten years old. They thought it would be fun to see if they could force her to shift.”

Tabby winced. That was bad, very bad. Most shifters couldn’t make the change until puberty started. “Why would they do that?”

“They were drunk, and…stupid.” He raised an eyebrow at her, his expression turning even harsher.

“Ew!” Tabby shuddered. “A ten-year-old?”

“They tried to force her into puberty. They thought it was a fucking joke. Of course the idiots didn’t realize that puberty isn’t something you can force.

Heather was terrified.”

“I bet. What happened?”

“I found them.” He sat on the front step and leaned against the porch rail. He looked lost. “I almost killed them. All seven of them.”

“Seven?”

He nodded. “Seven.” He patted the step and she sat next to him. “I maimed one of them.”

She snarled. “Good.”

He stared at her, stunned. “Good?”

“They traumatized a child. I’d have maimed them too. Did you go for the balls?

Please tell me they aren’t going to procreate.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Um. No. I tried to rip the leader’s arms off. Then I forced all of them to their knees and made them beg for forgiveness. When the first one said no, I snapped his arm like a twig. The rest fell into line after that.”

“I bet.” She grinned savagely and wriggled with excitement. “Did they whimper like little babies?”

His laugh sounded shocked. “Bloodthirsty little thing.”

She cuddled up against him. “You protected your family, your Pack. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’d have done exactly that if given the chance.”

“Then you understand why I need to protect you.”

She froze. Damn it, he would turn this around on her. “Pain in my ass.”

He stuck his hand down the back of her jeans. “Yup. And you loved every minute of it.” He pinched, making her squeal. “Now stop changing the subject.”

“Okay, fine. You could probably take on Gary and his idiot friends without too much trouble.”

“That’s putting it mildly. Tabby, if Gary so much as gives you a papercut, he’ll be eating his own ass.”

“Can I watch?”

He snorted. “You just don’t get it, do you?”

“Alex.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

He sighed. “You will be.”

“Right, Yoda. Sure I will.” She kicked his shin when he pinched her again. “You’d sooner chew off your own paw than hurt me.”

“True.” He pushed until her head was resting against his shoulder. “After lunch I want some ink.”

She cuddled close, loving the way he seemed to surround her. “Done.”

“Food’s getting cold.” Emma stepped out onto the front porch. “And for the record? I’m not afraid of you either.”

Alex stood slowly and pulled Tabby up alongside him. His hand nearly crushed hers. Her big Bear was nervous.

“Neither am I.” Max took up position next to his mate. “I heard all about what you did. You protected your own. There’s nothing to be ashamed of in that.”

“Ditto.” Adrian nodded respectfully to Alex. “Now come inside. Julian should be here any minute and rumor has it he loves cantaloupe.”

Alex chuffed out a laugh. “You’re all nuts.”

“Nope. I trust my people, and they tell me you’re worth it.” Max waved them into his home. “Alex?”

Alex stopped. He looked startled at the sound of his name on Max’s lips. “Yeah?”

“Welcome to Halle.”

Tabby felt Alex tense beside her. “Thank you, Alpha.”

Tabby nearly collapsed in relief. They weren’t going to be turned away.

They were finally home.