Bear
Istormeddownthedimly lit hallway, the echo of my footsteps reverberating off the empty walls. My heart pounded in my chest as I approached the door to my room. With a forceful push, I flung the door open and stepped inside. The air was still and stale, with a faint scent of mustiness lingering in the space. I took in my sparsely furnished room, the only sound being the rustling of my duffle bag as I dragged it out from underneath the creaky bed.
I stayed at the club only because the gym I owned was in town. On the weekends I liked to go to my cabin to get away from everyone. Bears didn’t like to spend much time around other people, which may be why I wanted to go on this mission.
Get away from all the mates around this damn place.
As I yanked open the drawers of the old pine chest, the sweet smell of polished wood filled my nostrils, making me feel like I was in a forest. I rummaged through the contents, my fingers brushing against the rough texture of black clothing, the cold metal of weapons, and the softness of ski masks. The creaking of the chest’s joints echoed through the room, blending with my heavy breathing. Suddenly, a flicker of movement caught my attention, but I chose to ignore it, slamming the drawers shut with a loud thud that reverberated around the room.
“I’m here to check on your health, Bear,” Bones said as he walked in. The club doc set his bag on top of my pile of shit, and I scowled when I saw his stuff over mine. He lifted it, shaking his head and placing it on the bedside table. “You know you shouldn’t leave. It isn’t wise.”
I scoffed and pulled the claws from my knuckles, feeling the sharp edges graze my skin. I ran my fingers across the cool metal, then tossed it with the rest of my stuff. “Who says? You? You help more wolves than you do bears. Bears do better off alone. I do fine when I go off for a few days and come back here.”
“You don’t know how long you will be gone on this mission. You still need the strength of others.” Bones opened his bag, pulling out a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, and a needle and syringe.
“I’ll be with the stealth team. It will be fine,” I argued, throwing my hands up. “They are broken like the rest of us. It doesn’t matter who I’m with.”
“They’re different. They are trained for this and have their own bond with each other.” Bones grabbed my arm and pulled me to sitting, wrapping the cuff around my arm. Once wrapped, I flexed and let the Velcro rip apart.
“Bear,” he chastised.
“No!” I bellowed, ripping it off. “I’m going, no matter what you say.” I stuck my finger into his chest. “I’m going to help rescue that woman whether you say I can or not. You or Locke can’t tell me otherwise.” I knocked his bag on the floor and grabbed my clothes, stuffing them inside the duffle.
Bones stood, holding his stethoscope in his hand, fiddling with it. I continued with my task, not bothering to fold anything, and retreated to the caddy I took with me to the communal bathroom and stuffed my toiletries inside as well.
“Bear?” Bones asked.
I grunted, zipping up the duffle. “Is she your mate?”
I sank my hands into the plush queen mattress, feeling the softness and warmth beneath my fingertips. With my head drooping heavily between my shoulders, I took in the sight of the disheveled blankets scattered haphazardly across the bed, remnants of a restless night’s sleep. As I closed my eyes, the silence of the room enveloped me, broken only by the sound of my own breathing.
My grizzly didn’t wake up, didn’t claim that female, so what? But my protective instinct awakened. I wanted to help someone. I needed a reason to live. A passion, a drive to do something good. On the last mission, when we found Journey, I was losing that spark and will to do good. Seeing that battered girl, I found meaning again, a will to wake up. The candle that was burning out inside me had sparked again. I didn’t want to let it go; it gave me motivation to live until I found my mate.
“No,” I replied.
Bones’ shoulders slumped, and he picked up his things. “I can’t recommend you go. Bear or not, you will be away from the club, away from your support group. What if something happens? You can’t heal quickly. What are you even lifting now? Has your strength dropped? Be honest.”
I pushed away from the bed. “Ten pounds less from my previous best.”
Bones pulled out his tablet and typed it into his notes. “Bear, what if you go rabid? You are going on a plane; what if you go rabid on the—”
“Listen,” I said calmly. “I know. I’ve been an ass for the past couple of weeks.”
Bones put the tablet away and pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s an understatement.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been slipping, I know that. I gave Journey hell in the beginning about this second chance thing. I’ve been snapping at Anaki when he asked me if I believe in all this second chance stuff since Hawke has Delilah now. The thing is, I do believe in it. I think I’ll get a chance, but”—I pulled on my beard—“I don’t know if I’ll get my chance in time. I’m getting jealous, irrational and can’t hold back my emotions like I used to. I want a mate. I want her now.
“Past missions haven’t done it for me. I normally get a rush, a sense of accomplishment. It fills part of the void since my animal is not there. But then I saw her. That woman on the screen. For the first time in a long time, I had a protective urge, an instinct to go and rescue someone. I need to do this, Bones. Keep my mind off finding a mate and protect someone. And I don’t need you or Locke’s damn permission to do it. I’m going because if I don’t, I’ll lose myself more than I already have.”
Bones stared at me for a long moment, his eyes never leaving mine. “I can only tell Locke what I know about your physical abilities. I can’t tell him what you want to do. I can’t put you on a plane with the team and put them in danger. It’s for their safety and yours. I’m doing this as your friend. I hope you see that.”
Bones was a doctor, sure. Trained through human and supernatural ways of medicine, and he took a damn oath to protect all of us. Most of all, he was our friend, keeping us safe as rogues to protect the brotherhood.
That didn’t matter to me now. I was pissed as hell. I needed this. I needed to save that woman. My entire being was telling me I needed to be there for her. I stepped forward, my bloodied boots sticking to the floor with blood, and my hand reached out ready to grab Bones’s neck.
I knew I wasn’t thinking right; I was losing it. I could very well be going rabid right now, but nothing was going to stop me from saving this woman.
Bones stood there unafraid, his jaw tightening.
