Forbidden Bear (Bear Creek Biker Bears #1)(21)

Taking her bike right up to the house, she waited for Joel to dismount and then did the same, both keeping their helmets on until they were at the front door. Only when Joel was inside did he take it off. Mia had never seen him looking so uneasy.

“There’s someone here,” he said, sniffing the air.

“Yes, my mom,” she said taking his helmet from him.

“No, there’s a male here too.”

“My brother used to live here. Is that what you can smell?” She took a sniff of the air but couldn’t smell anything different, but then she was immune to the smell of wolf to some extent.

“Too fresh.”

At that moment, the door of the kitchen opened and her mom came out looking very excited, and then she saw Joel. “Oh, Mia, I didn’t know we were having guests.” Her mom looked slightly uneasy, and Mia’s heart turned to stone. Joel was right; there was someone else here.

“Joel,” she said brightly. “This is my mom, and this is my brother, Kurt.” Of all the days for him to decide to come home, it had to be today. Not that she could feel angry with him or her mom: she had encouraged it, after all.


The four of them froze, and Mia wondered if she was going to have to get between her brother and her mate. She could tell her mom was thinking the same thing. However, Kurt moved forward, his body language relaxed, no tension showing at all.

“Hello, Joel. I’m Kurt, the black wolf of the family.” Kurt offered his hand, and they all waited for Joel’s response.

“Kurt,” he said, a little sharply, and there was a definite hesitation before he shook hands with the wolf.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it, boys?” Her mom stepped forward now, putting herself between the two men, and Mia was thankful for the break in tension when she hugged Joel and said, “Welcome to the family. We’re not exactly conventional, but I’m sure we’ll all get along.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m sure we will,” Joel answered, although his eyes still flicked nervously towards Kurt.

“Tea?” her mom asked.

“Actually, I’m not staying,” Mia said. “I was hoping to leave Joel here with you while I go over to the hangout.” She turned to face Kurt. “I plan to hand the presidency over to one of the others, but since you are here, do you want to take it back yourself, Kurt? I suppose it is still rightfully yours.”

“Oh no, Mia,” he said, holding up his hands. “I want nothing to do with any of that. In fact, Mom and I have been discussing a move to the mountains. I want to paint, so we could do with some more space.”

“You have?” she asked her mom.

“Well, yes, you are moving out to be with Joel, and we thought getting out of Wolf Valley might be the best thing for us all.”

“I see. That’s probably for the best, in light of what’s happened,” Mia said, although she sounded petulant. Her mom was willing to take Kurt back with open arms and then up sticks and move because he wanted to paint.

“Yes,” her mom said, looking at Joel and then back to Mia. “I’m not sure we will be welcome once it comes out that you are with a bear.”

“Oh.” She hung her head, feeling ashamed that she still wanted to blame Kurt for everything. “Of course.”

“Mountain air will do us both good, won’t it, Kurt?” her mom said, trying to include Kurt in the conversation again.

“It sure will. Although right now it all seems a little strange, you know, being outside.” An expression Mia had never seen flicked across his face; he really was unsure of being here in the house. But then he asked, “Mia, do you want me to come as back up? For when you tell the gang?”

“No. I’ll be fine.”

“But that doesn’t mean you don’t want me by your side. For old times’ sake.” Kurt smiled, looking a little bit like his old self. Mia wasn’t sure how she felt about that. What if he really did want his old presidency back and he went with her and then betrayed her. If he told them Mia was mated to a bear, they might come back here and lynch Joel.

Surely he wouldn’t do that. But she did have to find out one way or another if he truly had changed before she left her mom at his mercy.

“That would be great, Kurt.”

“Are you sure, Kurt?” her mom asked worriedly.

“Absolutely,” said Kurt. “I’ll get a jacket.”





Chapter Twenty – Joel


“Do you think they should be back by now?” Joel asked.

“Maybe. Who knows? But Kurt will look after her, Joel.”

They had been waiting for over half an hour, although it seemed so much longer than that. He had paced backwards and forwards up to the front window to look out. He hated been in wolf territory, and he hated Mia being out there without him. It would be different if he trusted Kurt, or if she was accompanied by one of the bears, but as it was, he just feared the worst.

“And you’re sure Kurt wouldn’t do anything to hurt her? I should have gone with her.”

“Absolutely. He has changed. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but he is different. Something happened to him in the hospital.”

“The meds, probably.”

“No. I think it’s more than that. Like how Mia is changed now she has you.” Mia’s mom sighed and then said, “I hate to ask you this, Joel. But you are going to look after her properly, aren’t you? She’s been through so much. I want her to be settled. I have just got my family back together and I want my kids to be happy.”