Billionaire Bear Shifters A Paranormal Romance Complete Series Boxset - Brittany White Page 0,189

the lodge were loyal, hard workers. They were like family. “You were right. I can’t look after anyone.”

“That’s not true.” Brooke’s arms tightened around him. “All of your brothers are healthy and happy with their mates because you were there to drag their sorry asses out of trouble when they needed it.” She was quiet for a long moment, hands soothing through his hair. “I’m so sorry, Connor, it was my pack that did this. I thought I knew what they were capable of but I was so wrong. I- I’ll understand if you want us to leave…”

No, you can’t go!

“I don’t want you to leave,” he said quickly. He couldn’t bear it if she left now, not when he finally had the feeling he had been craving for so long. You’re my mate. I know it's impossible, but I can feel it. Whatever happened at this point, he knew he couldn’t do it without her. “You said it earlier, we’re in this together.”

“So what do we do?” She looked so tired as she asked him that, lines around her eyes and mouth. He wanted to soothe them away, rubbing his thumb over one as though that would make it disappear. His idea was a long shot - their species had never gotten along, it would be a tentative truce if nothing else - but if he and Brooke both presented the idea…

Connor sighed, running a hand through his hair. “We’re going to have to make them talk to each other.”

Brooke stared up at him incredulously. “You’re joking.”

“Afraid not.”

Brooke’s head hit the pillow with a thump and a groan. “Oh, this is not going to be fun.”

73

Vince

Vince had been sitting in the parking lot of Black Bear Lake Lodge for a few hours now, the morning becoming afternoon. The sunlight was slowly driving him insane as it heated the inside of the car to higher and higher temperatures. He was about to lose his temper; he could feel irritation itching at his skin. Where the fuck was she?

He’d followed Brooke’s scent through the forest, nose wrinkling at how closely it mingled with that of Connor Strauss, and eventually arrived at the lodge, where the scent trail stopped. He’d gone back and borrowed Carlo’s car and returned to wait for Brooke to reappear. He wouldn’t be caught dead in Black Bear Lake Lodge.

He could see Eric Strauss, the youngest brother, just inside the door, rubbing absently at his bandaged arm. That put a smile on Vince’s face. He could still feel the way the flesh had given under his teeth, slotting themselves between muscle and bone and wrenching while his alpha could do nothing but watch.

The happy memory was interrupted by Connor appearing next to Eric at the front entrance, a very dishevelled looking Brooke by his side. They both waved to the doorman before stepping out into the sun. Vince narrowed his eyes, sinking down low in his seat in hopes Brooke wouldn’t spot him.

How she could stand to be so close to these bears was beyond him. Every wolf knew that bears were second rate predators - there was a reason they liked to throw their weight around. It was simply because they knew if they didn’t, they'd be overthrown quicker than pinning a pup in his first fight. The Strauss sleuth had used their brawn to rule the Rockies for nearly two hundred years, which, in Vince’s opinion, was far too long.

He couldn’t hear what the pair were saying to each other as they lingered outside the lodge, but the words weren’t that important. Instead, Vince paid attention to the lodge itself. It was garish, that was for sure, but, Vince supposed there was a certain charm to it. He could easily imagine owning the place, gleefully tossing out every last scrap of the Strauss family’s heirlooms and purging the place of their stench. The name would have to go too, though he could see the town having some problems with it. Maybe if he kept the new name similar enough they’d be more inclined to let it go without a fight. The Grey Wolf Lodge maybe? He shrugged; a better name would come later.

Brooke and Connor finally headed towards where she had parked her car on the other side of the lot. Vince didn’t miss the way Connor stared at her ass as she climbed into her car. Vince’s eyes narrowed as anger and disgust flared through him, mingling with the triumph of catching her out. Bingo.

Vince