“I’m just going to hang out here, but thanks.”
He sighs as he drops a hand on my shoulder. Those tears that were stinging the back of my eyes threaten to spill out. One fat drop gets past my defenses and slides down my cheek. I keep my face away from him so he doesn’t see.
It’s pathetic, really. I was a military ranger once and then a hired mercenary. Tough as they come and here I am blubbering and crying over a girl I’ve never met.
“She’ll come, brother,” he says in a soft voice. “You’ll see.”
I nod, but I don’t believe it. Not anymore.
I’ve looked everywhere for her, waiting to feel her essence fill me up with that magical light, but it’s been nothing but cold dark loneliness. All of my hope has dried up like the bottom of a drained lake cracking in the hot sun.
I got nothing left.
Cameron leaves without another word. I stay on my knees, trying to block out the sounds of their happy voices as they pile into Roman’s truck.
“He’s not coming?” Ivy asks.
“Is it because of his mate?” Bailey says. “When is he going to find her?”
“Hopefully soon,” Easton whispers. “He’s been such a buzzkill lately.”
“He’s having a hard time,” Cameron snaps at him. “Just like you would be if you were the last one.”
“Thank God for that,” Easton answers and I hear Ivy squeal. He’s probably grabbing her hip and pulling her against him. I hope he realizes how fucking lucky he is…
I don’t move until the truck rumbles out of the ranch and down the road. With a heavy sigh, I get up to my feet and head back to the house. I’m exhausted. I haven’t slept in weeks. I spend the nights staring at the ceiling in my big lonely bed, or roaming the forest in my bear form when I can’t stand laying there without my mate for another minute.
I shuffle my feet through the dirt like a zombie, feeling half dead. My bear is ignoring me, which is a nice change.
How is it possible to have a two thousand pound Kodiak bear inside me and still feel so… empty?
I call out to Moose before I step inside the house. He doesn’t come. They must have taken him too. I sigh.
The house phone rings when I’m heading up to my room. I consider not answering it then I remember about Burton and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.
Dylan Burton is still alive. He was the one who hired us as mercenaries back in the day. He was also the one who crossed us, killed my father and uncle, and got his ass thrown off a cliff by Easton when we got him back.
We thought the tough old polar bear shifter was dead, but apparently, he’s still alive and wanting to settle the score. We’ve even had a few encounters with his team of wolf shifters, The Lone Wolf Mercenaries, since we’ve settled down on this Montana ranch.
I rush over to the phone as my heart pounds a little harder.
I love my brothers, but their mates are making them soft. Going for ice cream? Are you fucking kidding me? We should be tracking down this bastard and not stopping until he’s dead for real this time.
They think the wolves were lying and Burton is dead. I think they’re delusional. Blinded by love. Just because they’re done with our past, doesn’t mean our past is done with them.
“Hello,” I grunt into the phone.
“Is Easton there?”
I recognize the voice. It’s Bailey’s brother Enzo.
Just when my bear needs to get into a good fight to blow off steam, my brothers make friends with the firecunts and deny me a punching bag.
Easton mated with Bailey and she brokered a shaky peace between us and the town firefighters. Before that we were brawling every time we crossed paths.
“No,” I grunt into the phone. Not all of us are so thrilled about the new friendship.
“Who is this?”
I grit my teeth before I spit out an answer. “Jacob.”
He sighs. “I got word that there’s two Lone Wolf Mercenaries drinking it up in a dive bar outside of town.”
I perk up. So does my bear.
“Where?”
“The Tipsy Cobra. Do you know it?”
“Yeah.”
“I’d meet you there, but I’m on a shift with a new firefighter. A human.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
I slam the phone down, feeling happier than I have in a long time. I need this.
A good fight will help chill out my bear. I might finally get a good night’s sleep.
With a grin on my face, I grab my keys and race out of the house, straight into my truck. My adrenaline is racing as I peel out of the ranch, finally about to have some fun.
Chapter Two
Jacob
As I’m driving to The Tipsy Cobra, my adrenaline rush dissipates and I’m back to thinking about my mate.