a pack slung over his shoulder. “You have no idea what you might be facing. If the person who killed your father is stalking your sister, then you might need all the help you can get.”
“Caleb. We should all go.” She placed her hand on her heart as she stared into his eyes. Leaning forward, she said, “It feels right. I can’t explain it.”
Caleb held his mate’s gaze. Her eyes shone, reminding him of the stars above their heads last night. “If you feel it’s right then okay.” He wasn’t especially pleased with Karros coming along. But he was a man who trusted and relied on his instincts. If Elise had a feeling that Karros should come, then he wasn’t going to argue.
“We’ll need to take Aiden’s truck since it has six seats. It’s going to be a squeeze if we have to bring Zara back with us, but we’ll manage.”
“Thank you.” She kissed his cheek and swung around to face Karros. “Are you ready to go?”
“All packed.” Karros held up his pack.
“I just need to get all the food we foraged into the fridge.” She sighed as she headed into the house. “I don’t know how long we’re going to be so it might all be spoiled by the time we get back.”
“Then we’ll have to go back.” Caleb followed behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back toward him. “It was the best night of my life.”
Elise ducked her head and blushed. “I bet you say that to all the women in your life.”
“I don’t recall any other women,” he growled and sent shivers down her spine. “For me, there is only you. There will only ever be you.”
“I thought we were in a hurry.” Karros came into the kitchen and Caleb let Elise go, wishing he’d denied her request for Karros to come.
He’s right, Caleb’s bear said. We are in a hurry. Everything else can wait.
Caleb passed the food to Elise who packed it into containers before storing it in the fridge. As they worked, Karros grabbed some snacks from the cupboard which he put in a separate pack.
The guy is thinking of his stomach, his bear said. Perhaps we have more in common than we thought.
That depends on whether he intends to share, Caleb answered.
“Okay, I think that’s everything.” Elise sniffed the mushrooms before she put them in a container. “These shouldn’t ferment too much more if I put them in the fridge, but if your bear does eat them, we should proceed with caution.”
“You’re going to feed the fermented mushrooms to a bear?” Karros asked in shock.
“Not just any bear.” Elise placed her hand on Caleb’s shoulder and the familiar jolt of recognition course through him. “Caleb and his bear share a special connection. He’s quite house-trained.”
House-trained, his bear grumbled, and Caleb laughed.
She doesn’t mean it as an insult, she is just trying to explain to her brother that we are not going to rip anyone’s head off if we eat a few too many mushrooms, Caleb explained.
“I’ll take your word for it,” Karros replied. “But a drunk bear just sounds dangerous.”
“There’s nothing dangerous about Caleb’s bear as long as you are on the right side of him,” Elise replied. “And you will stay on the right side of him, won’t you?”
It was more of a warning than a question and Karros bowed his head. “I am not stupid enough to provoke any bear, whether it’s a shifter or not. I like my life and want to keep it.”
She went to him and patted his cheek. “You also like your face. And want to keep it.”
“Come on,” Karros chuckled. “Let’s get going. Your sister needs us.”
Ah, so that’s why he insisted he came, Caleb’s bear said. He cares for his sister and knows how much you care for Zara. He is being protective of our sister because he can empathize with us.
And there was I thinking he was coming along because he doesn’t think we are strong enough to keep Elise safe. Or because he thought it would give him a chance to prove to Flora she’d chosen the wrong man. As if he thinks we might need his help. Caleb studied Karros for a moment. His bear might be right. Karros was more compassionate than they’d given him credit for.
Ten minutes later, they were driving to the hotel, where they had arranged to meet up with Aiden and Flora. Caleb had decided not to tell his brother that Karros was