Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,25

don’t burn him,” I ordered Chief. The bear had never seen it for real, felt it near him.

To say the reality of it was even more terrifying to the bear was an understatement. Chief felt it too and let the flames die out, coming over by me and sitting obediently at my feet.

“You fear him and he is mine,” I explained to the bear. “He shows me his belly and is sworn to me.”

Chief flopped onto his back and showed Lucca just to make it extra clear. I squatted down and rubbed Chief’s stomach, giving my dog lots of love.

“He’s Alpha of his pack of fae dogs, much stronger than a bear shifter, even an Alpha bear shifter like you. And they all submit to me because I’m stronger and their boss. Why are you being mean to your mate and starting this trouble? Do you not want me as a mate? Are you trying to drive me away? That’s what it seems like to me.”

That was the moment I won. The bear gave a cry and ducked his head behind his arms.

“You submit and will stop this shit?” I checked, glad when the bear nodded. “And your person? Will Lucca pull his head out of his ass?” Relief filled me when the bear nodded again.

But it didn’t help the pain really. I wasn’t happy with Lucca and I was tired of all the issues. Being with someone shouldn’t be this hard and always so much drama. Fine, our lives weren’t calm or easy but still, it was too much.

Plus, I was right in what I’d said. I didn’t know any woman who would have been fine with their man publicly siding with another woman, even if no one knew we were together. It was crap, and a crappy way to treat me.

I turned on my heel to leave and locked gazes with Darby, unable to read what was swimming in his eyes. “Let me guess—you disapprove?”

He glanced behind me to Lucca and shook his head. “What you do with your mate isn’t my business.”

My heart broke. Which meant he did, but he was at least learning not to publicly say shit about what I did. I didn’t realize tears had fallen until he went pale.

“Agra,” he whispered.

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, wiping my eyes. “You haven’t wanted to call me that, so now I don’t want to hear it.” I practically snarled when he tried to object. “I think you need some of what I just gave the bear, but for now, I’ll start with having you leave my house.”

“What?” he gasped, his eyes going wide.

I nodded, feeling better about the decision as my hurt and anger rolled. “Yeah, I don’t need you here.” I gestured back to Neldor. “I have enough disapproval and problems. I don’t need someone who swears he loves me adding to stress when I need to focus on saving my people and surviving.”

“I do love—”

“The several shifters who guard me, care about me, said I needed to smack him around. So it wasn’t even my idea and I didn’t want to do it. I would have just bailed.” I flinched as I realized it was the truth.

And Lucca knew it was from the tension I felt from behind me, knowing he’d shifted back to a man.

“So why don’t you go stay with Mel since you’re all on her side. You can go be on her team when I did it to save her life and she bailed on me too. She promised she was in this with me no matter what and bailed. So all of you can just fucking take her side and bail and I don’t care anymore!”

“I’m sorry,” Lucca mumbled as he hugged me from behind, his voice sounding rough. “I’m sorry I was so harsh and—”

“And judged me,” I bitched, elbowing him hard enough that I could get away with him healing still. I turned to face them both. “You both had lots to say about Craftsman judging me for what I did and bailing, but at least he didn’t get all in my face and run his mouth to everyone. I honestly don’t…” I shook my head, not wanting to put this in the same boat because it wasn’t.

I also didn’t want to sound like I was defending Craftsman because I wasn’t.

“I didn’t want to do this to Mel,” I whispered, trying to fight the tears. “Hudson was the only one who saw the truth. I hated to