Chapter 7
Chapter
Seven
“So how’s he doing?” Nolan and Race were sitting in Ryder’s living room, both of them sipping a cup of tea and having a bear claw.
Connal was honestly doing well. The bullet wound was a barely pink scar now, and the soreness was fading quickly.
The issue was more that winter was coming.
Race had no idea if his mate was a hibernator.
“Better, he’s getting better.”
“Good. I’m so glad. We were worried about him.” Nolan leaned forward, touching Race’s leg. “How are you?”
Race shrugged. “I don’t really know. I’m not even being a bummer; I just don’t know what to say exactly.”
Nolan tilted his head. “But you like him?”
“I more than like him. That’s not a thing. He makes me incredibly happy, but I’ve never lived with anybody as an adult. I don’t even have my own pillow. I have a backpack. He has this amazing house.”
“I bet he’d get you a pillow.”
He glared at his brother. “That’s not what I mean, and you know what? Seriously, I worry that I’m going to be the world’s worst mate, and he’s gonna regret picking me.”
“He’s not.” Nolan arched an eyebrow at him, squeezing his leg. “I’m not sure he picked you anyway, but that’s probably not very comforting. What I mean is, he’s not going to regret it. You might regret him, though.”
His immediate response to that was hot anger. “No way. He’s Con. I’m not gonna regret that.”
Nolan arched an eyebrow, gave him a glare. “Sounds to me like you’re mated.”
His cheeks started to burn. “Oh, shut up.”
“No, you shut up.” Nolan shook his head. “You gave me shit about Ryder forever. Now I am going to ride you like a prized pony.”
He did have an answer for that. “That’s Connal’s job.”
“Ew. Don’t be nasty.”
“You’re the one who started it.” Although to be honest, Race was extremely happy to see Nolan have a spark to him these days.
He’d been so downtrodden and sad and unhappy, and Race didn’t blame him.
He felt guilty about it because he left Nolan in that situation far longer than he wanted to, but wallowing in that did no good.
He would just be happy for his brother now.
“What can I say? I start all sorts of shit. You do know that Con doesn’t hibernate, right?”
“What?”
Nolan nodded sagely. “When I first met him, Rye told me he doesn’t hibernate. He just putters around all winter making art and stuff while Rye and War sleep. He likes to cuddle, and he loves to nap, but he doesn’t actually hibernate.”
Now, Race liked to hear that. He was way too restless to hibernate. He spent the winters riding his bike, playing in the snow, and gearing up for the next runaway season. Always there were omegas who needed rescuing.
“Well, now that he’s healed up, he should be sleeping less and hunting more.”
Preferably hunting his ass.
Mmm your ass is mine. Connal said it in his head, and he could tell, just like before, that his mate was still asleep. Even in his sleep Con babbled.
He couldn’t help his grin. Seriously, what else was he supposed to do?
“What are you smiling about?” Nolan asked with a knowing look.
He stuck his tongue out. “Nothing. How’s everything going with Ryder, by the way?”
“We’re having a great life, getting ready for the winter, really.” Nathan sipped his tea. “Gathering food and pillows and blankets. Anyway, have you seen the big den yet? If you never actually have...”
Wait, what? “What big den?”
“I haven’t seen it myself, but the rumor is there’s a great big room somewhere in this house that is just pillows and blankets and big enough for many, many bears.”
He tilted his head. “Really? Shall we go look for it?”
“I think we should.” Nolan got up, taking his mug of tea with him. They had demolished the pastry; he had kept a bunch more back for his mate.
He grabbed his own teacup, and they headed off, systematically searching the ground floor, which was where he assumed it would be since it would probably be a sunken sort of den that had to hold a lot of weight.
It took what seemed like forever because there was a warren of rooms that had been organically added onto the cabin.
Some of them were just full of art; some of them had furniture; some of them had what seemed to be weird open bathrooms. Finally toward the back of the house, as it was pushed toward the mountain, they found the den.
“Oh this is amazing.” Nolan stepped into the room and stared around.
There was a sunken area that went down two stairs, which they stood at the edge of, the hardwood floor almost like a deck around it.
Down in the depression, though, it was just pillows and blankets and the floor was padded when they walked down and put their feet on it.
It smelled like lemons, honey, and berries.
And bear, which was a little funky but, since they were both bears, he and Nolan were not going to complain about that.
Mate, can we wallow in the bear den for a minute? Me and Nolan?
Connal’s answer came back right away. Of course you can. Make sure you put your clothes in the little chest off to the left side of the room and then bear out all you want.
Should we invite your brothers?
I will. Later. You two explore first. You haven’t been bears together in a long time.
We haven’t. Tears actually stung his eyes. “He says leave our clothes in the little press there.” He stripped off, his bear pushing behind his eyes, in his chest right under his breastbone.
Nolan nodded, opening the wooden chest and stripping off quickly. His low vocalizations were already pure bear.
This room was amazing, and Race leapt into the center of the cushions with a happy growl, rolling around.
Oh, it was glorious.
The only thing better would be if his mate were here, and if there was water close by. He was going to have to arrange with Connal to put in a big, warmed pool, somewhere they could splash.
Mmmm. Yes. Have fun, mate.
He grunted. rolling right into Nolan, who was wallowing with him.
Nolan barreled over the top of him, batting his head with his big paws playfully, like he had when he was a kid, and then scrambled over to a corner and stood up on his hind legs and went “rawr!”
Race snorted and then stood as well, realizing all of a sudden that his brother’s bear was relatively large.
It was so odd to see Nolan beared out, but really he was a good-sized bear, impressive. That meant that Race would have to go for the legs.
He went in low, barreling over to his brother to take him down, the padding on the floor softening the brunt of it. They rolled around and gnawed on ears and paws like a pair of cubs.
I missed you so bad. Nolan hugged him. Thank you for finding me a place to come.
I’m glad you’re happy, brother. He rested his snout on Nolan’s shoulder, which flowed into a strong bear leg with a big paw. I missed you so much. I feel so bad.
For what? You didn’t choose that stupid ass fake mate for me. You gave me a place to come.
I love you. That was the best thing he could say. They flopped down together, snorting like they were laughing in bear form.
This was, without doubt, the best room in history. He stretched out, his feet up in the air.
Nolan followed suit, nose working as he just sniffed the air. There were a lot of scents in the room from Rye and Con and War, so they could sniff for a long while.
Connal came galumphing down, big blond head swaying back and forth nice and slow.
Mate! Come join us!
Nolan made welcoming noises, pushing to the other side of him so Con would have room to snuggle.
My brothers are coming. They’re bringing food. They’re good bears.
They are. And there was room.
Connal wallowed in, nose sliding along his neck, ruffling the fur there.
It wasn’t sexual, not at all, and Race was totally safe, aware that it felt good, it felt mate-like.
He wanted to deny it because he’d always said he didn’t believe it, right, but this wasn’t deniable.
It was undeniable? Whatever the word was.
It was like his own personal playground physically, but that wasn’t what was super-important. He liked Connal. He liked how he laughed at things; he liked how he danced first thing in the morning. Race liked how Con drove him crazy.
Most of all, Race loved how Connal loved him.
It’s addicting, huh? Nolan’s mental voice was totally knowing.
It really is. He’s like no one I’ve ever met. So open and giving and happy.
Rye and War are on the way. They have blueberry muffins.
He chuffed softly. Those are Con’s favorite.
Mine too. Nolan waved his paws around. And I am starving.
Me too.
Me three! Con mock growled and nibbled at his belly.
He wrapped around Con’s head, gnawing on one of Con’s ears.
They tussled, and he could feel how much of Con’s strength had returned, which made him incredibly happy. He wanted to make sure his mate could get up and move around if something should happen.
They had proven that, while remote, Con and his brothers’ land was never totally safe.
“Look at you three. You seem comfy.” War’s voice was dry as dust. “Who wants a muffin?”
Con roared and opened his mouth, and War tossed a muffin right in.
Rye chuckled, coming into the room to feed Nolan a muffin with his fingers. “Having fun?”
Nolan bobbed his head before he carefully nibbled the muffin from Rye’s fingers.
“I bet you are. This is the best room huh?”
Con grunted his assent; Race thought the sound was so happy. They were all together, and he always had thought he was a lone wolf kind of bear or something, but he could see himself being part of this family.
They were loving and wonderful to each other, and they had fallen for him and Nolan, like there was nothing else to do about it. Maybe there wasn’t but it sure felt like it was deliberate.
They love you like I do, Con told him. How could they not? You’re amazing, and you protected me when I was down.
Of course I did. If somebody doesn’t give me a muffin, I’m going to bite them.
“Fair enough. Let me toss the muffin in.” War waggled one at him, then tossed.
Race caught it out of the air, not even tasting it really. He might not be as big as the grizzlies, but he was faster. He was fierce.
You’re the most perfect bear ever.
He curled against Con’s side. Thank you.
“Should we join them, brother?” War asked.
Rye nodded, putting the tray of muffins to one side of the sunken area and stripping off. “Let’s.”
Soon there were five bears wallowing and playing and pawing each and finally settling, going boneless. It was so comfortable, and it felt so safe to be here with his mate, their family.
Race checked Connal’s shoulder one more time, but in bear form there wasn’t even hardly a scar there. The hair was already growing back.
So he curled up even tighter and let it go. It was time to sleep.
There would be more omegas to rescue, he was sure, but right now they could all enjoy each other’s company and have the long nap that this room promised.