Bear Necessities (23 page)

Gabe
whistled. “I didn’t think Bears were
that
strong.”

“Black
Bears aren’t,” Bunny muttered. Were Julian’s lashes fluttering?

“Right.
Grizzly. I keep forgetting that.” Gabe propped the broken door in the opening
and made his way to the sofa. “How is he?”

“Waking
up, I think.”

“Why
is his hair white?”

“He’s
Kermode, remember? Their hair does this when they’re healing.”

“Or
spirit-walking,” Julian groaned. His eyes opened and Bunny gasped. The man’s
normally deep brown eyes were a steely gray. “Chloe’s awake.”

“Yeah.
I got the call. The family asked me to come check on you when you didn’t answer
your phone.”

Julian
grimaced. “Told them I needed lots of privacy.”

“In
this family? You’ll be lucky if you get to take a piss alone from now on.”

Julian
frowned. “I’m not family.”

Gabe
began to laugh. “That’s what you think. I just came from the hospital. Trust
me, you’ve been informally adopted. By a bunch of grizzlies, no less.”

Julian’s
eyes went wide. “
Grizzlies?
” He stared at Bunny, his expression a
mixture of shock and wicked amusement. “Does Gary know you’re a grizzly?”

Bunny
smirked. “Not yet.”

“Besides,
the ones you really need to worry about are the Foxes,” Gabe added. “They’re
sneaky. You’ll never see them coming.”

Now it
was Bunny’s turn to laugh. Foxes were notoriously good at hiding their scent.
Gabe was right. Julian wouldn’t know what hit him if
that
half of the
family decided to show up on his doorstep. Uncle Ray, Aunt Laura, Chloe, Tiffany
and Heather could be formidable when they banded together. God help him if
those four decided Julian needed nursing.

Julian
shivered. “Why is it so cold in here?” He looked over at his door and frowned.
“What the hell happened to my door?”

Bunny
rolled his eyes. Gabe really needed to stop laughing.

“So
she’s awake?”

“Yup.”

“Julian
woke her?”

Tabby
sighed. Cyn had been up her ass all morning. “Yup.”

“And
Bunny said he’s fine?”

She
eyed her boss. “Julian’s fine, just very tired.” And what an understatement
that was. Alex told her that whatever Julian had done to help his cousin had
taken a lot out of her friend. He’d stayed awake long enough to “come back
completely” (whatever the hell
that
meant) before sleeping again. Alex
figured he’d sleep for at least twenty-four hours.

“She.
I meant
she
. Chloe’s fine, right?”

Tabby
hid her face and groaned. “Chloe’s awake but she’s not fine. She doesn’t
remember who attacked her.”

“Crap.”
Cyn leaned against the countertop. “What does she remember?”

“She
says she thinks she got a phone call from a friend. She was walking to meet the
person when bam. Lights out. She woke up in the hospital last night, wondering
what the hell happened.”

“Shit.
So it could have been Gary?”

Tabby
shook her head. “I don’t think so. Gary hasn’t made a move toward anyone but
me. He’d have no reason to go after her.”

“Does
he need one?” Tabby lifted her head, ready to argue the point. Cyn held up her
hand, stopping her. “Hear me out. He’s an asshat. He doesn’t
need
a
reason to go after someone he sees as weaker.”

“How
would Chloe be weaker?”

“She’s
unprotected, right? Not part of a Pack?”

Tabby
snorted. “No Fox is part of a Pack. They live in family groups, remember?”

“No,
because, duh, I’m not a member of the furry set. Remember?”

“What
happened, couldn’t find someone to give you a bite?”

Cyn
glowered. “Julian got to them before I did. I went to talk to Chloe’s aunt like
you told me to. She turned me down.”

“Oh.”
Tabby hid her face again. It wouldn’t do to laugh in Cyn’s face.

“She
told me her
adopted son
would take care of it when the time was right.”

Tabby’s
shoulders shook. She hoped her arms were muffling her laughter.

“What
the hell? She told me it wasn’t her place to change me and that the
honor
belonged to my
mate
.”

“He’d
probably prefer it that way, actually.”

Cyn
growled.

“Seriously.”
Tabby lifted her head again and let Cyn see the evil grin on her face. “If it’s
anything like a mating bite then you’ll
want
him to do it.” She waggled
her eyebrows at her friend and waited for the explosion.

“In
his dreams!” Cyn stomped toward the back of the shop. “Don’t think I won’t find
a way around this. Fucking asshole. Thinks he can stop
me
, does he?” She
eyed Tabby speculatively. “So. Does your offer still stand?”

Tabby
groaned. “Julian said if you become Wolf or Puma, your life will be in danger.
I
can’t
.”

Cyn
growled.

“Believe
me, if I could, I would in a heartbeat. But I’m not willing to risk your life.
If Julian’s right, you could die, Cyn.” Tabby shook her head. Julian was in for
an interesting time of it. Cyn had taken it into her head that Julian was
holding out on her for no good reason.

“Fine,”
Cyn ground out between her teeth. “I’ll be in the back doing paperwork.” She
stormed off, and Tabby knew it wouldn’t be long before Cyn took matters into
her own hands.

Truthfully,
Tabby didn’t know why Julian was waiting to mark Cyn. Cyn was his mate. He had
to have known it for some time. So why was he insisting that they needed to
wait? Tabby had wanted to mark Alex the moment she saw him. She couldn’t
imagine leaving either one of them hanging, especially now that she’d gotten a
taste of him.

The
bell over the front door jingled. Tabby got off her stool and turned to greet
the new customer. Hopefully the customer would take Cyn’s mind off becoming a
shifter, at least until she could get Julian to explain things to Cyn
personally.

“Hello,
Outcast.”

“Gary.”
She stepped away from the countertop, her back hitting the wall. Gary was
flanked by his two idiot bits of muscle.
Fuck.
He had a baseball bat in
his hands.

“C’mon
out, Tabby. You know what we want. Give it to us and no one will get hurt.” He
grinned, his fangs showing. “Especially that pussy mate of yours.”

She
shuddered. No way was she letting Gary get his hands on her.

“Tabby?”
Aw hell.
Before Tabby could stop her, Glory stepped out from behind the
curtain. “Um. Gary. What can we do for you?”

She’d
said it just a little too loudly. Gary scowled at her before gesturing to one
of his minions. “Get Cyn. I bet she’s in the back.”

Tabby
scooted out from behind the counter. “Leave them alone, Gary.”

He
smiled, his expression cold. “Now why would I want to do that?”

The
two goons laughed. One of them pushed past Glory and headed into the back.

“Get
your hands off me!”

Tabby
stiffened at the dull sound of a fist landing on flesh. She didn’t know if it
was Cyn or the goon who’d landed a blow. She hoped it was Cyn. If Cyn got hurt,
she had no idea what Julian would do.

Cyn
was shoved through the open curtain. Gary’s friend took his place next to Gary.
Tabby risked looking back. Hell, Cyn had a big red mark on her cheek. Julian
was going to flip out.

Glass
shattered. Glory shrieked. Tabby turned back to Gary to find him standing over
the broken remains of their glass counter, the baseball bat stuck through the
metal shell. “Pay attention, bitch!”

Tabby
held up her hands. She moved in front of Cyn and Glory, protecting them from
the three Wolves menacing them. “You really don’t want to do this.”

Gary
smirked. “You’re Outcast. I can do whatever the fuck I want to you.” He tilted
his head. “We don’t want to hurt the little humans too much, though.” His grin
turned mean. “We don’t want to cause trouble.”

“I
hate to tell you this, son, but you’re already in trouble.” Gabe stepped into
the shop followed by a tall, golden-haired man in a suit. Max Cannon glowered
at the three wolves, his gaze raking across the women’s faces, assessing the
damage.

Oh,
thank God, the cavalry is here.

Gabe’s
hand rested on the gun at his hip. He was in full uniform. “Put the bat down.
Now.”

Gary
glared at Tabby. “I’m Wolf. I have the right to lay claim to the Outcast.”

Max
chuckled, but there was nothing of amusement in the sound. “In your dreams.” He
straightened. “You’re on my territory, asshole, threatening one of mine. Back
off.” An invisible wave of power flowed from the man. The strength of the Alpha
who stood in the doorway was subtle, but strong, a lot stronger than Tabby’s
old Alpha. “You don’t really want to piss me off, do you?”

Gary’s
packmates cringed and backed away from the women. Gary merely sneered. “You
can’t claim the bitch as one of yours. She’s a Wolf and an Outcast.”

Max
Cannon merely lifted one golden brow. “Oh? Why not?”

Gary
turned to face the Puma Alpha. “It’s against Protocol!”

Max
grinned. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not a Wolf.” He pointed to Tabby,
Glory, and Cyn, his gesture encompassing all three of them. “And these ladies
are under
my
protection.”

Tabby
shivered. Something shifted deep within her soul, her Wolf reacting with a mix
of confusion and happiness. She’d never felt anything like it before.

Max
took a step forward, menace dripping off of him, an Alpha defending his
territory. “Do you want to go a few rounds and see which one of us wins?” His
eyes had turned from pure crystalline blue to molten gold. Puma eyes. His hands
flexed, his claws coming out. “I guarantee you don’t.”

Gary
shook his head, his expression full of disbelief. “You can’t do that.”

Max cocked
his head, his golden eyes narrowed “She’s proven herself to me and, more
importantly, to my Second. Who, by the way, happens to be a Hunter.”

Gary
paled.

Gabe’s
deep blue eyes had also turned gold. He winked at Tabby over Max’s shoulder.
“Welcome to the Pride.”

She
gaped at Max, who nodded, his gaze never leaving the stunned, furious Wolf in
front of him. She hadn’t even realized what had been missing until Max accepted
her. She was part of something again, even if it wasn’t a Pack. The deep burden
of loneliness that had dogged her steps for years was finally gone. “Thank
you.”

“You
can’t
.
You’re not a Wolf. You don’t have the right to take her in.”

Max
grinned. His fangs were showing. “You’ve already pointed out she’s Outcast.
That means she’d have to prove herself in order to join a Pack. In case you
missed it, I just happen to be an Alpha. She’s proven herself to me, and now
I’ve chosen to take her in. That makes her mine.” In the blink of an eye, Max
moved, wrapping his hand around Gary’s throat. Tabby could see the little dents
in Gary’s skin where Max’s claws pressed hard enough to leave a mark, but not
hard enough to draw blood. “Are we clear?”

Gary
gulped. “Yes.”

“Yes,
what?”

“Yes,
Alpha
,”
Gary whimpered.

“Good.
Now. If I find out you’re harassing my Pridemate again, I will kick your ass so
hard you’ll be eating through your sphincter. Do you understand me?” Max shook
him lightly.

“Yes,
Alpha Cannon,” Gary gritted out through clenched teeth. He’d just acknowledged
Max’s right to protect Tabby and he didn’t look very happy about it.

“And
you’re paying for the damages to this shop and Cyn’s face. Understand, pup?”
Mist swirled around Max’s feet, almost invisible, but incredibly powerful.
Tabby trembled. Her shoulders bowed and her head dropped, Max’s power pulling
her to her knees. Behind her, Glory and Cyn both groaned, obviously feeling the
same effects.

Gary’s
eyes changed, turning deep brown. Wolf’s eyes. He stayed on his feet; he had no
choice. Max’s claws were still digging into his neck. “Yes, Alpha Cannon.”

Max
let go slowly, drawing his claws across the outside of Gary’s neck. “Now, get
out of here before I have Gabe arrest you. Or worse.” He tilted his head, his
gaze never leaving Gary’s face. “What happens to Hunted shifters, Gabe?”

“I’m
not Outcast!” Gary’s face turned beet red.

“No,
but you’re bordering on rogue, boy.” Gabe took a stance to Max’s left, placing
himself between the girls and the Wolves. “And rogues are my specialty.”

“Go
back to school, little boy. If you grow up to be a
real
Alpha, you’ll
understand what I’m doing here. Until then? Stay out of town. You’re not
welcome here anymore.”