Bearing Secrets (2 page)

The Browns’ Island was unlike
any place in the world, offering the best of everything from pristine waters to
mountain views. Turi Brown was one of the last brothers left in residence on
the island; this was the home he never wanted to leave. If he could choose to
be anywhere in the world forever, it would be the island.

In need of a break from family
drama, he traipsed through the snow down to the dock. The sun was sinking low
into the horizon, sending pinks and reds through the sky, casting a beautiful
glow on the ocean. His mother once told him Alaska was the most beautiful place.
Until he started traveling, completing missions both for his sleuth—bear
clan—and the Alaskan Tigers, he never realized just how amazing the place was.

He slipped down onto one of
the wood benches Theodore had crafted. In under two hours, the whole family
would be gathered together again on the island. The eldest twins, Taber and
Thorben, had already returned with their mate Kallie. Thaddeus, Milo, and their
mate Courtney were on their way, along with the youngest of the Brown brothers,
Theodore. Everyone in one place again.

It was going to be hell.

The brothers got along for the
most part, but whenever they were together it always became a competition. It
didn’t matter what it was, they always tried to better the others. Who could
run fastest, shift the quickest? Who was the best shot? They tried to outdo
each other in every aspect of their lives. It was what boys did, but having a
bear within each of them only made it worse.

Hearing footsteps crunching
snow, he turned to find his twin standing just beyond the dock, in his typical
attire of jeans and white T-shirt, with a black leather jacket. Trey and Turi
were identical in every way, except when it came to the leather jacket. That
was Trey’s way of rebelling from their mother’s control, using the jacket as
his way of getting under her skin. Even as an adult he found pleasure in doing
little things to annoy their parents, while Turi was the peacemaker, always
trying to smooth things over.

“Mom’s looking for you.” Trey
shoved his hands into the pockets of the leather jacket and stepped onto the
dock.

Turi looked back out at the
water, trying to relax the anxiety that was charging the beast within. “I
needed a bit of fresh air, she’s driving me crazy.”

“She wants everything to be
perfect. It’s the first time we’ll all be home since before Taber and Thorben
claimed their mate. This is the first time she’ll meet her new daughter-in-law,
Courtney. It’s understandable she’s on edge.”

“You haven’t had to deal with
her since the crack of dawn. She was over at my place banging on the window to
get me up so I could help her,” Turi bitched.

“Why’d she let me sleep?”

“Dad and you didn’t get back
until late from inland. She wanted to make sure you were well rested, so you
wouldn’t be grumpy. That left me to be her service boy.” He’d never known a
homecoming could be so exhausting. “If she needs anything else done, you’re her
man, Trey.”

“Nah, I think I’ll stay down
here with you for a bit.” Trey strolled over, heaving a sigh as he took a seat
next to him on the bench.

Turi glanced toward Trey and
noticed the deep lines across his forehead. Something was up with his easygoing
brother. “What’s on your mind?”

“We’re next…”

“Don’t go there.” He shook his
head not willing to think about it.

“Seriously, Turi. Dad said he
and his brothers found their mates in the order they were born. If the pattern
holds, we’re next.”

“I heard you the first time,
you don’t need to repeat it,” he snapped. “Maybe it won’t be for a while.”

“You mean because Travis would
have been next if Taber hadn’t killed him to protect Kallie.” Trey leaned
forward, placing his elbows on his knees, and met Turi’s gaze.

Turi didn’t want to think
about how their own brother had turned against them and went after Kallie for a
payout. “It’s possible.”

“We need to think about what
is more likely…” He paused before glancing back at Turi. “I know you don’t want
to hear it, but it’s likely we’ll end up with the same mate. Just as Taber and
Thorben did.”

“You’re right. I don’t want to
think about that.” Turi pushed off the bench and strolled farther down the
dock. “It might work for them but for us…”

“It won’t work,” Trey agreed.

“No.” He ran his hand through
his hair, sending the brown strands the wind had blown away from his face.
“Let’s face it, Trey. We were never even able to share a toy growing up. How
are we supposed to share a woman? We fight over the stupidest shit sometimes.”

“I see you’re going to make
this all my fault. It’s impossible to share with you, you’re possessive. That’s
why we couldn’t share a mate.”

“Me, possessive? Are you
insane? That’s you.” Turi laughed at the irrational idea. “What about the fact
you’ve never been able to finish a single thing you’ve started? You want to
cruise through life like it owes you something. You’re not a teenager, yet you
still do the things you know are bound to get under our parents’ skin.”

“What about you? That shifter
forum we were going to do, you didn’t stick with that. Nothing’s ever as
important to you as rushing off the island to save the day with Dad or the
Alaskan Tigers.”

“You could have done it, I
wasn’t stopping you. It was a good idea but when do
I
have the time?” Turi
turned to face him. “There used to be time for everything I enjoyed. Instead,
I’m stuck helping Dad and the others while you keep to yourself. This world
doesn’t own you anything, Trey. If I’m supposed to share a mate with anyone I
need it to be someone I can trust to keep her safe, someone I
know
will
have my back through all the shit that’s coming. With this attitude of yours,
it couldn’t be you.”

“The forum was ours, it seemed
wrong to do it without out you.” The disappointment sank Trey’s shoulders.
“What do you plan to do about the mating, then? It’s not like it’s something we
can change.”

“Do my best
not
to find
the one we’re destined to be with.” He had no other ideas how to avoid it,
except to stay away from anyone who could possibly be meant for them. What Tad
had said when they were protecting Courtney came back to him.
Once
you’ve found your destined mate, nothing can stop you from claiming her, not
even the idea of sharing her with Trey.

“Logically, she’ll fall into
our laps. We should be ready.”

“Ready?” Turi slid his hands
into the pockets of his jeans to hide the anger that had balled them into
fists. “Then maybe you should realize it’s time to do more for the sleuth than
the bare minimum.”

“I’ve been there whenever
anyone needs me,” Trey defended.

“Yeah, when someone
calls
you. If you inserted yourself more to the sleuth and shifter business…” Turi
kick a stick off the dock, sending it into the water. “Forget it.”

“No, say it. I’m a failure.”

“You’re not a failure…” Turi
shook his head. He never thought of his brother as a failure, just a slacker.

“But?” Trey prodded.

“You could do more. With
Tabitha claiming her place as the Queen of the Tigers and the uneasiness that’s
rippling through the shifter population, it’s a dangerous time for all of us,
not just the tiger shifters.”

“How did we get so wrapped up
in the Alaskan Tigers’ drama?”

“They came to help us when we
needed it. Now we’re there for them. Plus with Taber, Thorben, and Tad all
mated with tigers, how could we turn our backs on them even without our past?”

“Family.” Trey nodded. “You’re
right, I could do more.”

“Then do it. With the others
at the Alaskan Tigers’ compound, Dad and I could use all the help we can get.”

“What can I do?”

“Let’s see if you’re up for
the challenge.” Turi joked. “Tad still blames himself for what happened to
Rosemarie, and he does his best to keep away from Aunt Bev, but with the family
gathering tonight it’s going to be hard. Can you help make sure things don’t
get out of hand with them?”

“You think there’s going to be
problems?”

Turi shrugged. “It’s possible,
Aunt Bev has been through a lot. First Rosemarie killed by those trespassing
hunters, and then she thought she lost John because he was with Travis the
night he was killed.”

“John’s a follower. He always
respected Travis and when John thought he needed help, he followed. John never
suspected Travis to betray his sleuth, and go after his brothers’ mate.”

“It’s lucky John wised up or
he’d be dead, and our sleuth would have lost two.” Turi’s lips curled up into a
smile. “You realize this is the first time we’ve actually talked without
bickering in months?”

“Yeah, it might give Mom a
heart attack,” Trey teased as he lowered himself back onto the bench. “We’ve
had a few rough spots in the past, but we’ve got to find solid ground to build
on. I know you’re against us sharing a mate, but if that’s our destiny then
there’s nothing we can do about it. I want to find her. I’m tired of the single
life.”

“Let’s take this one step at a
time. You start doing more for the sleuth and we’ll see about building what we
once had.” Turi tipped his head back and looked up at the sky. “Sharing a mate
won’t be easy.”

“Nothing worth having is
easy.” Trey turned on his heel and headed back toward the cabins.

Turi stood there by the water,
his thoughts in turmoil. There was more tension between him and his twin than
there had been for years. It was sickening. They had never been as close as
some twins, but they were brothers. Somehow he’d have to find the solid ground
between them again. With a silent curse for being born a twin and destined to
share a mate, he made his way back to the house. They had a family celebration
to attend.

As the helicopter came over
the mountains and the Brown Island came into view, Ivy couldn’t stop herself
from hating how her life had turned out. As a lone human surrounded by
shifters, she had a poor idea of what normal life was like. And there was
danger everywhere she turned. Despite this, she couldn’t separate herself from
it. Not after the good she’d witnessed, the people she had met.

“You’ll be safe here while we
figure out what to do next.” Ty glanced back at her from the co-pilot’s chair.
“The Brown family will protect you while we find your brother.”

“I should be out there looking
for him.”

“You’ve been shot,” Ty
reminded her as if the searing pain wasn’t a continual reminder. “You’re not a
shifter and you need time to heal. This is no time for you to go traipsing
through who-knows-what to find Chad. Let us worry about that.”

“I know, but sitting around
doing nothing isn’t my style.”

“One of the brothers will have
a laptop you can use and you can get back to your…stuff.”

Stuff.
She
shook her head. “I was putting together a proposal of why there needs to be a
group of shifters banding together to keep law and order. So that what happened
in Ohio and Texas doesn’t repeat itself.”

“That’s why Tabitha is taking
her position as Queen of the Tigers.”

She adjusted the microphone on
the headset so she could be sure Ty heard her over the whipping of the
helicopter. “I’m not just concerned with the tigers but with all shifters. It
has to be happening across the board, in other breeds. I’m aware not all
shifters live in groups like the tigers do, but there’re still problems for
everyone. No group is spared from the rogue issues.”

Ty nodded. “You’re right, but
now I think we have all the problems we can manage. Give us time and we’ll move
to a shifter-wide solution. We have to be able to show the other breeds we’ve
made this work. It won’t happen overnight, but there’s a future with the
shifters and humans living side by side. That’s what we’re all working toward.”

“It’s what I thought my clan
wanted too,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else as Adam brought
the helicopter down.

“The Alpha of the Arizona
Tigers did want that.”

“Do you think he’s dead?” She
knew the Alpha well, but that wasn’t her reason for asking. If Mason was dead,
it was likely her brother was as well, since he was the Captain of Mason’s
guards.
Damn him! I warned him against taking the position as an Elder
guard. He couldn’t just be happy and live a quiet life. He always had to risk
everything.

Ty glanced back at her with
sadness in his gaze. “It’s likely. The rogues would have gone after Mason
first. Their first objection would have been to eliminate him. That doesn’t
mean Chad is gone though.”

It was nice he tried to put
her mind at ease, but she knew the risks of his job. It would have been Chad’s
responsibility to defend Mason to the death. The only way he’d have been able
to get out of it, without being a traitor, was if there’d been a direct
challenge to the Alpha to take over the clan. Even then, it couldn’t have been
a challenge by a true rogue; it would have to be a lone shifter or one devoted
to a clan. There was only a slim possibility Chad hadn’t been there when it
happened. He could have been attending to something else when shit hit the fan.
If he was alive, where was he? He’d have come after her; there wasn’t a chance
he’d have left her to die if he could help it.

She pushed the thoughts and
tears away and stepped out of the helicopter. There would be plenty of other
time to regret not seeing what was coming. Now that she thought about it, there
had been little hints online that something bad could be coming to those clans
who agreed to follow Tabitha in her one-ruler plan. Back then, Ivy hadn’t put
the pieces together, and now it was too late. She couldn’t save anyone.

“The Browns are
celebrating…being together and the matings that have happened. In the world we
live in, we must celebrate the little things,” Ty explained as she hesitated at
the sound of loud music.

“Then we shouldn’t be here…we
shouldn’t intrude on this.” She took a step backward, her hand reaching out
behind her for the helicopter.

“This is the one place I know
you’ll be safe. They’ll understand.” Ty took a few more steps and when he
realized she wasn’t behind him, he paused. “Come along. This night isn’t
getting younger, and there are things I need to attend to after this.”

“I just imagine there are.
Your job is never done.” She had learned long ago that the long hours Chad put
in was only the surface of what an Alpha did.

“What are you doing crashing
our party?” A man in jeans and a sapphire blue dress shirt strolled toward
them. As he came down the slight incline, the last remaining light sparkled
over the sun kissed highlights of his light brown hair.
He stood
almost seven feet tall, every part of his body was toned and tight.
Wow!

“Turi.” Ty held out a hand to
the other man. “I need to speak with Devon.”

Turi took hold of Ty’s hand
and nodded to Adam who had come around the helicopter to join them. “Dad’s at
the party, is there something I can help you with?”

Ty tipped his head in her
direction. “This is Ivy. She needs somewhere safe to stay.”

“Welcome, Ivy, to the Brown
Island. I’m Turi. My father, Devon, is the Alpha of the Kodiak Bears.” He
smiled at her before turning his attention back to Ty. “You know the sleuth is
always willing to help, but we need to know the story. We can’t get into this
without knowing what it’s about.”

“Ivy was a member of the
Arizona Tigers. There was an attack on her compound, dispensing the clan, and
we fear she could be in danger. Those who weren’t killed turned rogue and
joined Randolph’s ranks. We’re concerned because of her position within the
clan and the project she was working on, that if Randolph finds out she’s alive
he’ll seek to eliminate her. Having her here is the safest place while we find
her brother,” Ty explained.

Turi glanced between her and
Ty. “She’s human.”

“I’m right here. Could you
please not speak like I’m an idiot who can’t understand you?” She couldn’t keep
the anger out of her voice. Taking a deep breath, she quickly ran down the
answers of the questions she knew he would ask. “Yes, I’m human. It’s a long
story. No, I wasn’t mated to anyone in the clan. My brother is a shifter and
was the Captain of the Guards for the Alpha.”

Turi’s eyes widened for a
moment before he finally nodded. “My apologies. There’s a party going on, why
don’t you join us? I’ll introduce you to the family.”

“If you agree Ivy can stay
here, then Adam and I need to return. I have a team following leads for Chad
and the other Elders now, but we should get back.”

“You think—” Turi stopped
mid-sentence and glanced toward her.

“Chad could be dead,” she finished
tersely.

“We don’t know, and until we
do we’ll search for him or a clue he’s dead. He could have been hurt and found
a safe place to wait and heal,” Ty explained before he leaned toward Turi and
kept his voice low. “It’s unlikely, so try to keep her realistic.”

“This is becoming ridiculous.”
She stepped away from the helicopter and toward Ty. “I don’t have the spidery
senses you guys do, so I have to rely on what I do. Since I have the hearing of
a human, my lip reading skills are amazing.”

The men turned to look at her,
as if wondering where she was going with it. “I can read your lips. I know it’s
unlikely he’s alive, but I know if anyone could survive it’s Chad. So please
stop treating me like a child, don’t sugarcoat things, or leave me out of it
because you think I can’t handle it.”

“I forgot to mention…Ivy is a
live wire.” Ty smirked. “She’s feisty and hates when you keep things from her.”

“My family and I will keep her
safe. Do you need help?”

Ty shook his head. “Your mom
has been waiting to have everyone here for some time, so we’re not going to
break up the party. Tomorrow, if we need it, but not today.”

Adam sat the suitcase on the
ground next to Ivy. “It’s why we’re not coming to the party. Your brothers will
know something is wrong if we show up.”

“Then you should go.” Turi
glanced back the way he came, as if looking for someone. “We heard the
helicopter, so it won’t be long before they come to see why I haven’t come
back.”

“Adam, get the helicopter
started,” Ty ordered.

“You’ll call if you have
any
news.” Ivy dragged her hand through her hair until she was able to get all the
loose strands away from her face.

“I’ll call when I have
something to report.” Ty closed the distance between them and took her hand in
his. “Don’t go nagging the Browns for an update. You’ll know when I have news.”

“I won’t make any promises.”
She glanced to the stud of a man, Turi. She had a feeling she was going to have
more excitement here than in Arizona. “If I can get back to the project I was
working on, it would give me something to keep me occupied, and maybe keep my
mind off Chad.”

“Turi, can you get Ivy a
laptop to use while she’s here?” Ty asked over the whipping of the helicopter
blades. “Hers was blown up.”

“Sure, first thing tomorrow.”
Turi reached down and grabbed the small suitcase Adam had set down. “If you’ll
come with me, I’ll introduce you to the family.”

“I’ll be in touch.” Ty told
her just before he slipped into the helicopter next to Adam.

She moved back from the
helicopter, feeling as if she’d just been cut off from the rest of the world. Surrounded
by strangers on an island was not her idea of a good time. She had always been
so shy, and new people made her nervous. “Maybe if you’ll just show me to where
I’ll be staying, you can get back to your party.”

“Wouldn’t you like to come
meet everyone? No one bites, I promise.”

She shook her head, sending
her blonde hair into her face again. “It’s a family event, I don’t want to
intrude.”

“You’re not. Plus I’m sure
you’re hungry.”

His mention of food won her
over. “Okay, if you’re sure it’s all right,” she relented, following him. After
all, she was a guest. She had to be friendly.

“We won’t stay long and then
I’ll get you settled so you can rest and heal.”

“How…” She stopped in her
tracks. “How did you know?”

“I can smell the gun powder,
the blood, and faint traces of the healing magic. With the way you are carrying
yourself, gingerly, it was an easy deduction. Your wrist was broken too. One of
the healers must have started the healing process, but you still need to take
it easy while your body does the rest.”

“That’s amazing.”

He shrugged and started
walking again. “It’s a bear thing. For some reason bears can sense the healing
magic when no other breeds can.”

“Bears?” She called out to
him, just as the party came into view. Before he could answer, she saw one. A
giant brown bear…dancing. She blinked. “This can’t be happening.”

“That would be my twin, Trey.”

“Bears? This can’t be
happening.”

“What’s wrong with bears?” He
laid her suitcase on the porch of the nearby house before coming to stand next
to her.

“I should be with a tiger
clan.” She let out a light chuckle as the bear started to sway his hips like he
was a belly dancer. All she could think about was those stupid bears that
danced to a song that stores sold around Valentine’s Day. “Sorry, that was
rude. I only meant Chad wouldn’t look for me here.”

“That’s the point. No one will
be able to find you.”

“Chad is my brother.” She
wanted to glance at him, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the dancing
bear, still making his way through the dance area.

“Brother or not, his position
put you in danger. Right now you need to be here so you’re safe and can heal.”

Her statement had come out
wrong, making her feel slightly guilty. She had nothing against other shifters,
she was just worried Chad wouldn’t be able to find her if he was still alive.
Would he think to contract the Alaskan Tigers? Maybe if Mason was alive, but
otherwise she didn’t think he’d have a reason to.

Chad, please find me…