Chapter Three
Beare
Itapped the button on the steering wheel to accept the call from Wolf, my eldest cousin. “When are you coming?” I blurted.
Give me technology, and I was in my element. But a hammer, or a two-by-four? I wouldn’t know where to start, which was why I needed Wolf’s construction experience.
“I’ll be there by Friday, and so will the rest of our cousins.” What should have been a caravan of bears, heading north, was now only me.
“Alright,” I said with resolve.
“So, is it true?” asked Wolf.
“Is what true?” I played dumb. The grapevine in this den was faster than the speed of light.
“Aunt Frances sold the lake house,” he snickered.
He might think my situation was funny, but I sure as hell didn’t. “Laugh it up, asshole.” I mocked his laughter. “You’re lucky you’re not here with me.”
“Still! I can’t believe Aunt Frances did that.” His laughter rang louder from the speakers. It set me on edge.
“If your mother sold part of our family’s heritage, you wouldn’t be laughing.” Wolf’s father, who had been my dad’s youngest brother, had owned the land adjacent to ours.
“She wouldn’t,” Wolf huffed, but his sullen tone had me regretting opening my mouth. “Besides, the entirety of the land became mine when dad died.”
That was a sad day—one I would never forget. “I’m sorry.”
“No worries, Alpha. Now, did you…everything…need?” Loud crackling sounds drowned out some of Wolf’s words.
“What’s going on over there? I missed what you said.” I tapped the screen thinking I was going into a dead zone. Reception got spotty the farther north you went.
“I said, did you get everything we need for the build?”
“Yes, everything on the list you texted me. It’ll be delivered on Thursday.” It took me a few weeks to gather the equipment, the lumber we couldn’t make on our own, and the other necessities to build my seven hundred ninety square foot structure. “Tiny home” was what I was aiming for. I just hoped, between my cousins and me, we could get it finished in time to move in four weeks from now.
“Shit. Gotta to go, cuz. See you Friday.” Wolf hung up abruptly.
“What the hell was going on over there?” I shook my head.
I had about twenty minutes before I reached my property line. The night was murky, and the fingernail moon wasn’t a good light source, especially with the gray clouds obscuring the stars. But I knew these roads so well that I could maneuver them blindfolded.
I turned onto the semi-paved lane that led to the east side of my property, careful to avoid the potholes that could upend the camper I was pulling. I wondered how my new next-door neighbor would handle the next few weeks. Since Mom divided the family land in such a way that the original den sits just barely inside the western lot line, Axton Fields will have a front row seat to the noise and chaos as we build just inside my eastern boundary.
Did I care? I shouldn’t since this Axton took what should have been mine. However, I had to remind myself that it wasn’t his fault.
What would he think about where I was building? I’d studied the remaining acres and several reasons led me to conclude that the best spot for my new den was right next door to the old one.
One. It was the best location for access out to the main road and to the lake.
Two. I wanted the lake view from my bay window, just like in the old house.
Three. I wanted to keep an eye on this Axton. Since he was human, I didn’t need him discovering our world and calling Channel 26 news. That would bring a whole shit ton of problems I didn’t want my den mixed up in.
And finally, four. There might be a chance, like I’d hinted to Wolf, that if I explained how precious that acre was—especially the house, the new owner might sell it to me. I’d pay anything to get it.
Fingers crossed.
Solidified even more in my reasoning, I drove until I reached the site where I’d be parking my trailer. Since it would be three days before my cousins arrived, this was my chance to observe Axton.
As I backed up the trailer next to the old den, I glanced at the home and reminisced about the times here with my parents and extended family. It was the first place I kissed the boy, Trent Davies. He was best friends at the time with my cousin Pike.
Yeah… so many memories.
I got out of the truck, unhitched the camper, and began setting up what was going to be my home for a while.
Being a pop up, I had to hand crank the top until it was at the correct level. The problem was, I hadn’t realized the crank needed oil, and the screech of metal was ear-piercing. It echoed off the trees and shattered the quiet of the night. I swear it woke up all the wildlife in the woods.
I couldn’t help making the noise, but I ruefully chuckled knowing what was to come. And sure enough, the lights inside the house blinked on.
Turning my back to the house, I couldn’t see what was happening. But I heard the familiar slam of the whiny screen door, which preceded pounding footsteps drawing near.
“Excuse me,” a meek voice uttered. There was a flash of light, but it quickly blinked out. “Crap.”
I mustered up a pleasant smile, turned to apologize, and the light from this guy’s cell phone blinked back on, blinding me. I covered my eyes with my arm and growled out, “Shut that off!”
“N-no.” The small voice had a shaky edge.
“Please,” I insisted.
The light dropped from my face, but it lit up a three-foot radius around me.
Once the spots in my vision receded, I got my first look at Axton. Every molecule of breath left my lungs, and I stood there—ogling him like an idiot.
I smelled homemade bread, warm honey and sweet oranges. Never in my life had I reacted so to a man, nor had my sensory factors been bombarded by such wonderful scents. Axton was the most beautiful male I had ever seen. But…
Either something was wrong with my nose, or this man… No, he couldn’t be.
He’s human. It must have been lust, confusing my other senses.
I took another deep inhale, but fear choked the air. It overpowered the other scents my bear had picked up.
As Axton took several steps back, I realized I was hulking over the man. Damn. He was afraid of me.
I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry. I thought I—”
“Who are you? Don’t you know you’re on private property?” Axton interrupted. He straightened to his full height and his chin jutted out, but I couldn’t miss the trepidation in his voice.
Damn, he barely reached my tit. I loved smaller men. At six-five, I towered over most of them. But Axton’s small, lean frame was especially enticing. The idea that I could pick him up with one hand and do naughty—No, we aren’t going there. Be cool.
The last thing I wanted to do was scare Axton. I quickly wiped my hands on my jeans and extended one out to him. “I’m sorry for all the racket, but I’m Beare Beckett. I’ll be your new neighbor.” I looked over his shoulder to be sure that no one else was coming out of the house. The house was still.
“Beckett?” he said my last name as though he couldn’t believe it was true. He tilted his head, looked down at my big hand and then back at my face.
“Yes. And your name?” I asked, a little grumpily, since my hand was still extended and empty.
“Oh. Yes. I’m Axton. Axton Fields.” He took my hand and shook it with a firm confidence that wasn’t reflected in his voice.
With the cell light now cast upward, I saw reluctance and a bit a fear in the way his smile thinned out. Yet, there was something within the depths of his light green eyes. Maybe attraction?
Goddess, I hope—nope! Not going there.
“You’re Frances Beckett’s son?”
“That’s me. What my mother sold you… Um, used to be part of this property that I own.” I wanted to go into why Axton should sell me back the acre, but I couldn’t get out the words.
Axton looked over his shoulder to where I kept glancing. “What are you looking for?”
“Nothing,” I quickly snapped out, instantly regretting it. “Sorry.”
“I guess welcome to the neighborhood isn’t quite right, since you were here before me.” Axton crossed his arms at his chest and rocked on his feet. “I’m going back inside and leave you to it.”
I stood there like a total idiot, not knowing what to say.
“Well, goodnight.” Axton turned and strode away through the darkness.
I appreciated being a bear right then. With my keen eyesight, I was able to watch Axton’s pert ass as he walked away.
After he shut the door, I shook off the strange encounter and finished setting up the camper, making as little noise as possible. Once I was done, I locked up my truck and went to bed. My sleep was far from restful. I tossed and turned, dreaming of Axton.