Hearten (Bayou Bear Chronicles) Read online

  Like word through the clans that the grizzlies had been recruiting young members even though Hawke had banned them from ever being a part of or forming a clan.

  I bet the Creator regretted ever making Grizzlies—the savage animals.

  As I debated somehow trying to diffuse the situation, a movement out of the window caught my eye. For all the yellows and whites blowing in the breeze, her dress could’ve been a field of daisies.

  I was overcome with a jealously that beat me upside the head.

  Her black hair blew in the wind as she walked. She knew where she was walking and where I was. Must she walk right in my line of sight while I’m trying to concentrate on the meeting at hand?

  Being a Beta, the best damned Beta this clan had ever seen, was all I had.

  I had to pay attention, damn it.

  A whip of wind blew her cropped white sweater off of her shoulders as she smiled at someone I couldn’t see.

  If it was a male she was smiling at, I’d choke him.

  With my bare hands—or my bear hands.

  Look at her, practically frolicking in the damned backyard looking gorgeous. She knows I’m in here. She’s gonna kill me. Her and her need to prance around like that will literally be the death of me. Did I really compare her dress to daisies?

  I flexed my bicep and sat up, clearing my throat, letting out a testosterone-filled grunt—there, that should’ve knocked the daisies out of the way.

  If there had been beer cans near I would’ve crushed one on my forehead for good measure.

  Daisies. Pfft.

  Willing myself back to the meeting, I found that it had paused. No one was talking. Instead, all eyes but the Alpha’s were on Martha, strutting her stuff in front of the Creator and everyone else. I met Hawke’s eyes and cowered under his shit-eating grin.

  If no one else, he knew what had taken my attention away.

  And he knew better than to allow his gaze to wander there.

  Not that I would ever do anything to harm the Alpha.

  But Tarrow and River, whose eyes were scanning my female from head to toe? Yeah, those boys were about to not even be Betas. They’d be lucky if I allowed them to be Omegas if they didn’t overt their attentions.

  “Do you mind,” I blurted out, effectively diverting them.

  The whole room broke out into chuckles and I dared my face to show any lowering of my defenses.

  “Boys, come on. Don’t look at his female. My friend here might just maul you. It’s difficult in the beginning.”

  I didn’t trust Tarrow. His eyes were still a little shifty for my taste. I picked up my cell phone and pressed number one. I’d designated hers as the first number in my phone.

  “Hello?” She always answered sweetly.

  “Walk faster and with a lot less hip, please.” The command was growled out and I barely managed to grind the please through my teeth. Another round of laughter could be heard from the Betas, but I didn’t care.

  She gasped as I watched her through the window. But she wasn’t moving any faster.

  “Now, Martha. Before I maim someone.”

  The tick of acknowledgement crossed her face. After several looks around and she zeroed in on Hawke’s house and directly into his office.

  Yeah, that’s right. I’m here with males who aren’t very sly about ogling you. Move along, female.

  I expected her compliance. I expected her to move along quickly with as little hip swaying required.

  Boy, was I wrong.

  Dead wrong.

  Less than one day together and she was going to put me in my place.

  I would never admit how much I loved it.

  I became the target of her blatant defiance. Not only did she not hurry her cute ass up—she walked, more like sauntered, as slowly as possible, making sure to pop her hips back and forth in as wide a girth as possible, while simultaneously gesturing to me with a finger I doubted her mother, or anyone else approved of.

  “What is she doing?” The Coeur entered the room. Her eyes I didn’t mind being on my mate.

  “She’s purposefully trying to piss me off,” I grumbled at a prostrate stance, giving our female leader my allegiance and submission at once.

  She giggled and opened the window. My anger burst forth a little as I thought opening a window might encourage the ogling twins in the room.

  “Hey, Martha,” my mate turned and gave the Coeur the proper greeting. “Do me a favor and set up the snacks for the kids. This meeting is being held up a little longer than we thought.”

  Martha nodded once and then did what I’d wanted her to all along—move herself out of Tarrow’s line of sight.

  “Better?” Echo asked me.

  Maybe I could have a little more couth. I was just a big barbarian.

  “Yes, thank you Coeur.”

  Nothing was settled that day. The land situation was a touchy subject between the Alpha and his mate. She was just as torn about the issue as he was, but ultimately I thought he would do whatever made her happy. Usually the things that made her happy were in tune with the things that were best for the clan.

  She’d come a long way in the last months. The strength and wisdom she gained with her mother had also afforded her a new sense of self.

  Which was all the more reason the lands were such an issue.

  It was Echo’s mother’s tribe who was now demanding the land they’d been relieved of at gunpoint so long ago.

  Then there was the issue of the Coeur’s health. Whispers and wishes flourished throughout the clan about her probably being with child, but neither the Alpha nor the Coeur had confirmed or denied anything.

  I did notice that Hawke was taking more care in his tone and attitude while she was around and she wasn’t always present for the full meetings as much.

  “Gentleman, let’s postpone this meeting for now. Remember the clan run is tomorrow night.”

  At the mention, the Coeur gasped and turned around quickly to face me. The Alpha whispered something to her along the lines of ‘mind your own business’, but nicer, and with bared necks and ‘see you tomorrows’ we were dismissed.

  Now, I was expected to teach a bunch of squirts about the history of who we were while trying not to constantly think about her.

  If I thought she was on my mind before—I was wrong.

  Walking into the newly built meeting hall the Alpha had rightly named ‘the Den’, I had two things on my mind. One was, obviously, teaching the children their first lesson without boring them to death with my mumbling and simultaneously not scaring them to death. These were freshly laid cedar floors and I doubted the Alpha planned for them to be christened by the piss of children I’d scared to death.

  Second, I needed to let Martha know exactly how her antics had interrupted the Alpha’s meeting. And how I expected her to keep her pseudo-burlesque dancing to herself. Or at least limit her audience—to me.

  What did she think she was doing? She never did that before—running around the clan lands, turning the heads of every unmated male around here. I rethought my earlier conclusion. Maybe I liked her being an author. That way she’d keep her ass in the damned house.

  I walked into the Den. The place was filled with little squatty cubs, bouncing around on the floors, crawling and clawing their way up the rock-climbing wall the Alpha had set up. I didn’t understand it myself—not when there were perfectly good Cypress and Oak trees just within running distance. I supposed it was for the children who got home to empty houses. I never wanted that for my young. I wanted them to have a mother who was home when they got home and was available whenever she was needed.

  My thoughts collided with reality as I looked to the left and saw Martha smiling brightly as she helped another clanswoman set up the chairs for my class. When the Alpha had suggested the class a couple of months ago, I’d heartily agreed—until I found out weeks later that he’d intended me to teach it.

  One cub, by the name of Timber, latched himself by the claws onto
my pant leg. It wasn’t unusual for young to phase back and forth, often one limb or one part of their body at a time, when they were younger. Most cubs had grown out of the spontaneous semi-phasing by the time they were ready for school. But some did not—Timber was not one of those. His mother would’ve never been able to leave him alone if he was having trouble. It also wasn’t unusual for a cub to be homeschooled until they could control their shifting. Human children worried about being potty trained by the time they were ready for school—our children needed to be able to not grow claws and maul their classmates over crayons.

  “Wev, why you here?” The tike was the shortest of others of his size. His father had died in an accident while he worked at a chemical plant. So his mother did the best she could to raise him right—but it had to be more than difficult. His black hair looked freshly washed though his clothes looked to be second or third hand. He had no shoes on and I wondered if he’d taken them off or simply had none.

  He pulled at my pant legs again and nearly scaled me with his gusto.

  “I’m going to teach you about the Creator and why we are bears.”

  “When I gwow up, I’m gonna be a huge bear. I’m gonna eat deers and big cows.” His boisterous comment was followed by his best growl—which was pitiful. But at least he was trying.

  “I’m sure you will, but we don’t really eat cows. They taste like grass. Why don’t you go play until we are ready to start?”

  “’Cause I wanna stay wif you.”

  A small, feminine giggle caught my attention and my bear’s. It was Martha, getting quite a bit of entertainment from the mess I was in with this cub.

  Tumbling inside me, her emotions ran rampant, leveling out somewhere between pride and hope. Her eyes dared between me and the cub at my leg and my bear immediately connected it all and relayed it to me—she liked seeing me with young.

  It was written all over her face and was engraving itself onto me.

  Before the class started, the Coeur slipped in through the door and tip-toed to the back of the meeting. Her failed attempt at a quiet entrance was in vain, because rightly, at the sight of her, we all paid our respects and waited to carry on until she was seated.

  Timber ran his mouth the entire class. His mother never showed up and neither did his shoes.

  The cub was in desperate need of some discipline.

  I was barely able to make one point before the whole thing went to hell. The cubs were on the mountain wall in a flat second.

  “What just happened?” I asked no one in particular.

  “They don’t wike you. They think you’re scawy.”

  I growled at the accusation and Timber jumped at my reaction.

  “Timber, where are your shoes?” A now familiar voice clipped my defensiveness and focused me on the issue at hand—the children—not my own ego.

  “I don’t got no shoes.”

  Martha crouched to his level. “You don’t have any shoes. And do you mean you don’t have any here or at all?”

  Timber’s posture turned sheepish. “I don’t have any. I wost them in the woods. Mama twied to sniff them out when she was a bear, but she onwy found one.”

  Must every R be turned into a W?

  “How about I call your mama and see if it’s okay if I take you to get shoes?”

  Her only answer was a grappling hug from the tiny tike. In a few minutes, arrangements had been made and Martha and the mini-bear were making their way from the Den hand in hand.

  It stung that she hadn’t even regarded me in the plans or the execution.

  It was that same sting that stopped her in her tracks and caused her to turn and face me.

  “Rev, you’re coming, right?”

  I stood, stunned in place by that smile. I’d give her anything she wanted just to have her smile at me like that.

  “Better join your mate, Rev—before any more ogling occurs.” The Coeur whispered to me. I hadn’t even realized she was standing next to me. And she knew how to press my buttons. Instantly, my guard went up as I pictured Martha going off the lands in view of other males without me.

  “Thank you, Coeur.”

  Martha and our female leader exchanged a knowing smile as she waited for me to catch up.

  Martha

  Timber’s mother had mentioned having a lot of trouble with the tiny menace of late.

  And ten minutes into what I’d intended to be a short shopping trip, I agreed. He was a hellion. He’d monkeyed on the clothing racks so many times that we’d been asked to leave the first department store. Before we could even get to the second store, he was begging for food—well, the mall’s idea of food.

  And Rev was no help.

  He was practically catatonic in the mall.

  So, after the third pair of shoes that Timber had thrown at the salesman, I demanded that Rev snap out of it.

  “A little help?”

  I may or may not have snapped—with my fingers—I admitted nothing.

  “What?” He stared at me with a glazed over expression. The man really didn’t get out.

  I never did get a chance to answer. Something in my voice or maybe the absolute rage in my eyes called him to action.

  “Timber, you will not throw another pair of shoes and if the next pair of shoes fit you properly, then we will buy them and leave—that’s the end of it.”

  There was no raising of his voice—no threats, bartering, or bribing. There was simply a demand that gave no choice—it must be obeyed.

  Damn that was hot.

  I’d have to see if I could get that tone out of him later.

  Pervert.

  Even Rev seemed surprised at not only his smooth handling of it, but also the solid compliance of the otherwise unruly shoe-needing beast.

  “Okay, Wev.”

  Wev—I guessed the kid was kind of cute.

  And though he only really needed shoes, Timber’s clothes left a lot to be desired. His mother did say that she wouldn’t be home from work until much later.

  “You know,” I said, appealing to his newfound complacency. “I saw a pair of spider pajamas over there. I was thinking about buying them—but maybe you’re scared of spiders.”

  The little fart was offended but couldn’t quite show it yet, as the salesman was still straightening the tongue on his shoes. However, as soon as the laces were tied he jumped from his chair and with hands on his hips declared, “I am not scawed of spidews.”

  “Good, then let’s go get them.” I grabbed his hand and got a nod from the sales clerk when I asked if Timber could wear his shoes until we paid. I’m sure the man thought we might make a break for it without paying, but a little growl from Rev changed his mind.

  Pajamas were just the beginning. I bought that kid enough clothes to clothe an army of brats for a year, and even bought some too big for the future.

  The whole thing made Rev a little green—and a worrisome feeling emanated from him the whole time we were shopping.

  “What’s wrong with you,” I asked, finally at the register.

  “You’re spoiling him.” He shrugged. That’s the first time I felt Rev’ deceit. It tasted metallic, like a penny that had been left to the elements. A burning, akin to the beginnings of a heat rash, trailed from behind my ears, down my neck and continued to waterfall down my spine in waves of knowing.

  Lying felt like murder.

  Like being burned alive with the taste of blood on your lips.

  “Rev?” I questioned his lie but was interrupted by the woman who had finally reached a total. I paid without regard to the amount and began to gather the bags when I noticed that Rev had taken on a very unattractive shade of ghost.

  He didn’t answer me. His eyes remained downward cast as he took the remaining bags from the counter and then jerked the bags I was holding from me.

  His insides were churning with knots and kinks to the point where I couldn’t decipher one feeling from another.

  The entire ride home, he stared out the window—no
t that Timber gave anyone the chance to talk. He told me about his parents and his friends at school. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t tell his human friends that he could turn into a bear. He thought they would think it was cool, and that he would be their hero. The kid was funny and he talked a lot with his hands.

  But Rev kept his face plastered to the car window.

  In order to somewhat mute the sounds coming from the rambling tot, I directed my thoughts towards my work in progress. Over the past weeks, the male had evolved into Rev—the physical appearance of Rev –and I’d written him like a big sap. He was complacent and compliant, letting the heroine not only get her way all of the time—but allowing her to run him over.

  The theatrics that morning let me know that I’d been writing him all wrong. I mean really, it wasn’t like I was whirring around a pole in Hawke’s backyard in my tiniest bikini calling out to all the available males in the clan.

  I was seriously just walking to the Den.

  Okay, so maybe—just maybe I was putting a little more swagger in my sway than necessary or even normal for me.

  It wasn’t like I was Betty Booping it across the lands—just rubbing a little funk on it—in my cutest dress—in the Alpha’s backyard.

  Of course, I knew Rev would be watching.

  I covered my mouth to stifle the giggle threatening to interrupt at my own flirtiness but Rev turned and met my eyes. He knew. No, that was impossible.

  No, he knew.

  We dropped Timber and his entourage of wardrobe off at his house and endured almost a full half hour of sincere gratefulness from his mother.

  My nerves bundled and stacked up in my stomach as we arrived back at my house. I didn’t know what his problem was, but already I wished maybe Hawke hadn’t made him look up the day before.

  This was all a mistake.

  At least I thought so, until I looked at him again.

  Just one look and I knew that, no, this wasn’t a mistake at all.

  We just had a little more work to do than most.

  Rev was still focused on something outside. His arms were crossed across his chest making his well-formed biceps bulge. His poor shirt looked like it was tapping out. Feet, now barefoot with worn shoes beside them, ticked in annoyance.