Chapter 21
Torin
Gunnar looks around the room. “We need to make sure nobody comes anywhere near this place.”
“If they do, we need to make sure they don’t realize anyone’s living here,” I say.
Gunnar nods. “Exactly.”
“So, no driving anywhere. No fires outside. Nothing they could spot from a distance.”
“And nobody leaves the grounds in human form,” Gunnar adds.
“We should run patrols,” I say. “If they start spreading out from Bennett’s cabin, we need to know before they get anywhere near the lodge.”
Orson grins. “Now you’re talking.”
Gunnar ignores him. “Stay away from the trails. If you see a search team, don’t let them see where you came from.”
“And if they see us?” Orson asks.
“We’re bears,” I say. “As far as they’re concerned, that’s all we are.”
Gunnar nods. “Exactly. Run. Don’t engage. And don’t lead them back here.”
He turns to Alexandria. “You stay here with Hannah.”
Alexandria nods. “I’m going to start looking for the best criminal defense attorney I can find.”
“I’ll head toward Bennett’s cabin,” I say. “If they’re already searching the area, that’s where I’m most likely to pick them up.”
“I’ll take the north side,” Gunnar says. He looks at Orson. “You take the lake.”
Orson grins. “I call the lake.”
“I just gave you the lake.”
“Just wanted to say it.”
Gunnar shakes his head. “Orson.”
Orson is already tugging off his T-shirt. He stops.
“Straight back.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
He disappears down the hall.
Gunnar turns to me. “We’ll meet back here in two hours unless someone finds something first.”
“Okay.”
Everyone starts moving. Except Hannah. She’s still standing beside the television.
“Gunnar?”
He turns.
“What can I do?”
“We’ve got it.”
“Oh.”
She looks around at the rest of us. “Right. Okay.”
Then she turns to Alexandria. “I’ll make some tea.”
“That’d be lovely.”
Hannah slips out of the room. I watch her go. Something about the way she said it bothers me.
“I’ll catch you up,” I tell Gunnar.
He glances toward the door Hannah just disappeared through.
“Go.”
I’m already following her.
By the time I reach the kitchen, Hannah is filling the kettle at the sink.
She sets it on the stove and reaches for the tea.
“Hannah.”
She glances at me. “You should go. Gunnar’s waiting.”
“He can wait a minute.”
Her hands pause over the box of tea bags.
“What’s wrong?”
She looks down at the counter. “They didn’t even hesitate.”
“Who?”
“Any of you.” She turns to me. “Bennett gets arrested, and Alexandria starts calling lawyers. Gunnar starts organizing patrols. You’re all putting yourselves at risk for someone you don’t even know.”
“Bennett matters to you.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
She folds her arms across herself. “It’s happening again.”
I wait.
“Everyone who helps me…” She swallows. “My dad finds a way to hurt them. Bennett gave me somewhere to hide, and now he’s in jail. And you saw what my dad did. He made him sound like some kind of sexual predator.”
Anger burns through me again.
“And now all of you are involved.”
“We chose to be.”
“That doesn’t make me less frightened.”
“I know.”
Her voice drops. “He’ll come after you next.”
“Probably.”
Her head comes up. “And you’re saying that like it doesn’t bother you.”
“Of course it bothers me. But we know what we’re dealing with now.”
“He could hurt you.”
“Yeah.”
“Torin—”
“Hannah, you didn’t drag any of us into this. We know what your father’s capable of, and we’re still here.”
She looks at me for a long moment.
“I’m frightened for you,” she says.
I step closer. “I know.”
“And Gunnar. And Orson. Alexandria.”
“I know.”
“I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me.”
I reach for her and draw her against me.
For a second she holds herself stiffly. Then her arms go around my waist, and she presses her face against my chest.
I hold her.
“Hayes is frightened too,” I murmur. “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
A small laugh escapes her.
She lifts her face, and I kiss her.
Her arms tighten around me, and she kisses me back.
Fuck.
Her body is pressed against mine, her fingers grasping at my shirt, and every part of me wants to pick up exactly where we left off.
My bear has the same idea.
Mate is ready.
It surges forward, dragging me towards the bedroom. The bed’s ready. Fresh sheets. Hannah is ready.
Now, it growls.
If not now, when?
No.
I force it back.
Not like this. Not while she’s frightened for Bennett. For my brothers. For all of us. It takes every scrap of willpower I possess to pull away from her.
Hannah looks up at me, a little breathless and puzzled. “When I finally mate you,” I say, “I want you thinking about nothing except us.”
Her lips part.
Jesus. I need to get out of this kitchen.
“Go stay with Alexandria. I’m going to catch up with Gunnar.”
“Do you have to go so soon?”
“Yeah. If they’re already searching Bennett’s cabin, I don’t want to take any chances. It’s only twenty minutes from there to the lodge.”
She nods.
“I’ll be back,” I promise.
I kiss her once more, quickly, then I turn and walk out before I change my mind.
Leaving her kisses is torture.
Leaving her alone and unprotected is worse.
But the best way I can protect her right now is to make damn sure nobody gets anywhere near this lodge.
Gunnar emerges from his bedroom as I reach the hallway.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.”
We step outside onto the porch.
I eye my truck. Driving would be quicker, but the last thing we need is someone spotting a vehicle moving through the woods.
We strip off our clothes and let our bears come.
A moment later, we’re running for Bennett’s cabin.