Forbidden Bear (Bear Creek Biker Bears #1)(12)
Joel closed his mouth and simply said, “You’re right. But still, it’s not right.”
She went to him, kissing him and wrapping her arms round his neck, needing him to understand. “This is who I am. It’s who I have to be for now, for my family.”
“Is it also the way it’s always going to be?”
“I don’t know. My brother is not on the scene. If I leave, then what happens to my family? To my mom?”
“Where is your brother? It seems like this is his mess. Why isn’t he here sorting it out?”
“Still in the hospital. Or at least, somewhere where they look after him.”
“You don’t know?”
“Haven’t seen him. My mom goes, but I’m just too mad at him.”
“Don’t you think he needs your support?”
“Joel,” she said, pulling away from him. “What he did was wrong. What he left behind was a whole pile of crap. He made me into what I am. It wasn’t a choice. I mean, yeah, I was never going to be a stay at home kind of woman. I always wanted to make my own way.” She pulled on her catsuit, zipping it up. “But this. This is not me.”
“Then let it go. Change.” He came to her and rubbed her back, soothing away the sorrow he could feel emanating from her.
“It’s too late now. This is who I am.”
“People change, Mia. Your brother might have changed.”
“That I will never know.”
“Listen, if you do one thing for me, go and see him.”
“And what’s in it for you?” Her eyes narrowed, and she looked at him, trying to see why he cared about her seeing her brother.
“Absolutely nothing, other than seeing my mate happy, or at least at peace.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “I am never going to be at peace. Too much has happened for that to ever be possible. So you are wasting your time.”
“I don’t think so. Listen, go see him, just once, for me. If no other reason than because it would make me happy.”
She sat on the bed and pulled her boots on, then stood up. “Damn you, Joel. Damn this fated mates thing.”
“So you’ll do it?”
“If it makes you happy,” she said, in such a condescending way he burst out laughing once more. His laughter was contagious, but still, she fought it. If she wasn’t careful, he might actually make her feel all light and fluffy, like some airhead who had no problems. But she had problems, and Joel was making her face them head on, whilst she would rather get on her bike and ride off in the opposite direction.
Chapter Twelve – Joel
Reluctantly he dressed, and then checked the cabin was secure before they headed back down the mountain. Neither of them changed into their animal, although he could feel his bear trying to escape the confines of his mind. He wanted to run with his little wolf and frolic in the streams that ran down through the trees further down the mountain.
In fact, there was this lovely little waterfall with a deep pool that they could swim in.
“Are you aright?” she asked. “You look slightly preoccupied.”
“I’m OK.” He reached out for her hand, silencing his bear. “Does your wolf sometimes put ideas into your head?”
She laughed, the first time he had heard her sound carefree. “Tell me about it. Right now, it wants to run headlong down this track and out over the meadow. Then she would probably find something disgusting to roll in.”
“Sounds like we have more in common than I thought.”
“Your bear like that too?”
“He has some ideas that I find hard to stomach sometimes. But you’ve got to let them have some fun too, right?”
“You know, I’m not sure when the last time was that I let my wolf, or myself, have any real fun.”
“Then we’ll do it. Tomorrow, can you get away?”
“That would depend on how today goes.” She sighed heavily and then took in a deep breath of mountain air. “You know. I think I’ll make time, I had forgotten how good it is to be up here.”
Joel stopped, pulling her into his arms and then kissing her fiercely. When he finally let her come up for air, he said, “There, sealed with a kiss. Now you can’t back out of it.”
“I thought bears were the spit-on-your-hand type of guys.”
“Might be. But with you, I feel I should be more civilised.”
She laughed again. “That is the first time anyone has ever decided to be more civilised around me. I grew up in the company of boys. I am used to being one of the guys.”
“Not around me, Mia. You are my lady.”
“Like your old lady?”
“No,” he said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. “You are definitely a real lady to me.”
With that, he released her and turned into his bear to run down the mountain as if he had not a care in the world. Behind him, he felt the air shift and knew she had gone wolf and was now after him, and would surely catch him.
When he turned, he couldn’t see her, and paused, slowing down in case something had happened to her. Then he saw her above him, jumping nimbly from boulder to boulder and then racing ahead of him, dust spraying up in his face.
His bear grinned. Life was never going to be dull with a wolf as his mate. Exhausting, he thought as his legs began to ache and his breath came in short, sharp gasps. Speed was not his thing; he was more of an endurance bear. However, he didn’t want to lose her. Not now on this mountain and not ever in his life.