reasons don’t matter. You can’t ask why or how about love. It just is.”
“I don’t dislike him,” Muriel said softly. “I just want to see you happy.”
“What should I do?” Reese said, sinking down onto the bottom singed stair step. “I feel out of control of my thoughts. He’s called me twice and told me to call him if I ever needed him. It’s been so hard not to call him back just to see if he’s going through the same. He tried to warn me, like he knew what was going to happen and I just ignored him. I just wanted something to numb the pain of Trent’s passing. I know what Trent and I had probably didn’t look real or special to you guys, but he was all I knew. I haven’t been with another man. Not until now, and this happened.”
“He called you?” Muriel asked in a small voice.
Reese nodded. “After we were together, he asked to take me out on a date. Whatever I wanted to do, he said he just wanted to spend some time with me. I got scared and kicked him out of my house instead.”
“Jesus,” Sam breathed, pulling her up and into a hug. “Well, after what you’ve been through, a surprise bond would scare anyone.”
“Reese?” Muriel asked. “The Ethan I knew would’ve never called a girl and told her he was there to talk. He wouldn’t have been interested in taking her out either. I think I misspoke earlier. I don’t really know Ethan anymore. I just had this vision of who he used to be, and the boy I knew scared me and everyone in the clan. I was just afraid he would hurt you, but it wasn’t my place to tell you he isn’t right for you. You should go see him and at least talk about what happened between you two. Everyone said Logan wasn’t right for me, and I defied them. And now I’m happier than ever. I should’ve known better than to talk against a man you’re interested in. I’m sorry.” Muriel wrapped her arms around her and Sam, and though her belly got in the way, it felt good to have the argument done with.
“You think I should talk to him?”
Muriel heaved a lingering sigh. “I do. You deserve to find happiness. If there is even a tiny chance Ethan the Maniac Bear is your Logan—”
“Or your Bron,” Sam chimed in.
“Then you should at least see what he is about.” Muriel squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. “And who knows? Maybe Ethan and his bear are perfectly tame now.”
Chapter Seven
This was a bad idea.
Reese’s brakes to her jacked-up, mud-covered jet gray truck whined as she pressed the pedal down to the floorboard. Ethan’s camp was bustling with activity. Families scurried home after a long day of work, two fire pits donned blazing flames while a handful of shifters sat around them in deep conversation. Laughter rang out and a couple of kids ran out of the main tent toward the cabins.
Reese cut the engine. She should’ve just called. Coming out here was a terrible plan. Why had it seemed like the only way after talking to the girls? Now, she was right at the heart of a rival clan. Alone.
“Hey!” Rieland yelled, her stern voice echoing through the ranger camp. “What are you doing here?” The shorter woman approached with her arms crossed and a frown so deep over her hazel eyes, it had to hurt her face. She’d probably be pretty if she smiled more and snarled less. “This wasn’t an open invitation, bitch. You had your meeting with Ethan, now go back to your own people.”
Reese gripped the wheel and stifled the urge to reach through the open window and choke the fuming woman. She couldn’t afford to fight with no back up though. Was she reckless? Sometimes. But she wasn’t stupid and she sure as shit wasn’t going to be baited by some half-pint pissed off troll-doll.
“I need to speak with Ethan,” Reese gritted out as calmly as she could muster.
“Well, he doesn’t need to speak to you. Are you deaf? I told you to leave, and I don’t like repeating myself.”
“Rieland!” a man called out. “Back off her.” In
“I don’t dislike him,” Muriel said softly. “I just want to see you happy.”
“What should I do?” Reese said, sinking down onto the bottom singed stair step. “I feel out of control of my thoughts. He’s called me twice and told me to call him if I ever needed him. It’s been so hard not to call him back just to see if he’s going through the same. He tried to warn me, like he knew what was going to happen and I just ignored him. I just wanted something to numb the pain of Trent’s passing. I know what Trent and I had probably didn’t look real or special to you guys, but he was all I knew. I haven’t been with another man. Not until now, and this happened.”
“He called you?” Muriel asked in a small voice.
Reese nodded. “After we were together, he asked to take me out on a date. Whatever I wanted to do, he said he just wanted to spend some time with me. I got scared and kicked him out of my house instead.”
“Jesus,” Sam breathed, pulling her up and into a hug. “Well, after what you’ve been through, a surprise bond would scare anyone.”
“Reese?” Muriel asked. “The Ethan I knew would’ve never called a girl and told her he was there to talk. He wouldn’t have been interested in taking her out either. I think I misspoke earlier. I don’t really know Ethan anymore. I just had this vision of who he used to be, and the boy I knew scared me and everyone in the clan. I was just afraid he would hurt you, but it wasn’t my place to tell you he isn’t right for you. You should go see him and at least talk about what happened between you two. Everyone said Logan wasn’t right for me, and I defied them. And now I’m happier than ever. I should’ve known better than to talk against a man you’re interested in. I’m sorry.” Muriel wrapped her arms around her and Sam, and though her belly got in the way, it felt good to have the argument done with.
“You think I should talk to him?”
Muriel heaved a lingering sigh. “I do. You deserve to find happiness. If there is even a tiny chance Ethan the Maniac Bear is your Logan—”
“Or your Bron,” Sam chimed in.
“Then you should at least see what he is about.” Muriel squeezed her shoulder comfortingly. “And who knows? Maybe Ethan and his bear are perfectly tame now.”
Chapter Seven
This was a bad idea.
Reese’s brakes to her jacked-up, mud-covered jet gray truck whined as she pressed the pedal down to the floorboard. Ethan’s camp was bustling with activity. Families scurried home after a long day of work, two fire pits donned blazing flames while a handful of shifters sat around them in deep conversation. Laughter rang out and a couple of kids ran out of the main tent toward the cabins.
Reese cut the engine. She should’ve just called. Coming out here was a terrible plan. Why had it seemed like the only way after talking to the girls? Now, she was right at the heart of a rival clan. Alone.
“Hey!” Rieland yelled, her stern voice echoing through the ranger camp. “What are you doing here?” The shorter woman approached with her arms crossed and a frown so deep over her hazel eyes, it had to hurt her face. She’d probably be pretty if she smiled more and snarled less. “This wasn’t an open invitation, bitch. You had your meeting with Ethan, now go back to your own people.”
Reese gripped the wheel and stifled the urge to reach through the open window and choke the fuming woman. She couldn’t afford to fight with no back up though. Was she reckless? Sometimes. But she wasn’t stupid and she sure as shit wasn’t going to be baited by some half-pint pissed off troll-doll.
“I need to speak with Ethan,” Reese gritted out as calmly as she could muster.
“Well, he doesn’t need to speak to you. Are you deaf? I told you to leave, and I don’t like repeating myself.”
“Rieland!” a man called out. “Back off her.” In
Similar Books
