Bearing Secrets (5 page)

Music and laughter drifted
through the air from the party that was still in full swing when Turi wandered
out to the deck with a bottle of beer in hand. The wrap-around deck had been
one of his favorite features of the home; it was one of the special touches
none of the other cabins had. Since his place sat on a slight incline, the deck
allowed him to take advantage of all the views.

The views
…

He cursed and took a long swig
from his beer. For the first time, he didn’t see the magnificence of the area,
the beautiful water or the snowcapped mountains. All he could see was how
dangerous their world had become. His life was about the missions, taking down
rogues, saving the innocent, eliminating abusive Alphas, helping to heal those
who needed it. That wasn’t the life he wanted a mate to be surrounded with, let
alone children. Never knowing if he’d make it back alive—what kind of life was
that for a family?

Ty and his clan had backed the
Kodiak Bears when they needed it the most, and now, not only did the Brown
brothers feel it was their duty to help him, but it was also something they
wanted. The idea of living in a world where shifters were safe, no longer
terrified of what might happen if their secret became known, was heavenly. It
was the reason each of the brothers were ready at a moment’s notice whenever Ty
called. They were fighting for a better world for future generations.

At least that was what he had
thought up until now. In that moment, he wondered if living in secret was such
a bad thing. He had grown up happy and healthy on the island, never longing to
mix with humans on the mainland. Being on the island had given him a childhood
he knew many didn’t have. He’d been safe and there were no hunters trying to
eliminate them. Bear shifters were different from others; normally they were
able to shift by their first birthday whereas tiger shifters had to pass
through a transition phase normally in their early teens. At that age they
didn’t understand the risks, and they needed a safe place to be raised in case
of an accidental shift.

While watching his family
celebrate, he leaned forward on the wooden banister and wondered if all the
fighting was worth it. Was all the blood, death, and risk really worth it in
the end? What would happen when they came out to the world? Would there be more
threats? Instead of just having to worry about Randolph and the rogues, would
there be hunters trying to win a shifter skin for their trophy room?

Behind him, the screen door
creaked and the thump of boots neared. Even knowing Trey was standing behind
him, Turi couldn’t pull his gaze away from the party. He didn’t know what to
say to his brother. The anger that flowed through him over finding their mate
now wasn’t Trey’s fault, it was destiny.

“She’s finally resting.” Trey
came to stand next to Turi, keeping his back to the party. “I’m sorry.”

“This isn’t your fault.” Turi
ran his hand through his hair. “This is supposed to be a time of celebration.
If finding your mate is supposed to be joyful then why do I feel so anxious?”

“You’ve always been the
worrier of the family.” Trey took a swig of his beer before looking at Turi.
“Mating will help eliminate some of the unease.”

“It’s not just about mating.
Do you ever wonder if what we’re doing is really worth it? Maybe we’re doing
more harm than good. All the blood and death…what kind of life is that for
her?”

“It’s the only life if we want
to make this a better world for our children.”

“Why? So hunters can start
collecting our skin, instead of actual bears? Or maybe so our mates and
children have to live in fear that we won’t come back from the latest goddamn
mission?” He slammed his beer bottle down onto the banister sending liquid
sloshing around inside. “Look at them down there celebrating, but we’re not
celebrating mating…we’re actually celebrating that we’re still alive. That the
only one who was killed by this stupid war was Travis and that was due to his
own betrayal.”

“What happened to you? You’ve
always believed in the cause.”

“Maybe I’ve seen too much
blood and death to believe any longer.” Turi had to loosen his grip on the
banister, or leave grooves from his fingers in the handcrafted wood.

“I think it might have
something to do with that beautiful blonde that just strolled into our lives.”

Turi wanted to beat the smirk
right off Trey’s face, but he was partially right. “All this danger was fun
when we had nothing to worry about, but now all of us except Theodore are
mated. If something happened to us, we’d leave behind a widow.”

“That’s the risk we all take,
including the tigers.” Trey set his beer aside. “Think of the good we’ve done
and the lives we’ve saved. That’s what should keep us getting up each morning
to fight another day.”

“Don’t forget the lives we’ve
lost. The innocents we were too late to save.”

“Turi, why are we having this
conversation? You and I both know that little woman in the house is going to
keep us fighting. If we don’t then how will we keep her safe? We have to
eliminate Randolph and deal with the other rogues.”

“After Randolph there will be
another one. It will never end. Our battle for freedom from the shadows has
only just begun, and I’m already tired.”

“Tired is one thing, but what
you’re not doing is giving up. She’s depending on us and I don’t care if you
hate me, we’re not letting her down.”

The unusual authority in
Trey’s voice had Turi turning to him in surprise. “I don’t hate you.”

“You just wish I was more like
you.”

“Sometimes, but when you were
with Ivy I realized there was so much more to you. You comforted her while I
was being an ass.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “Maybe we’re two sides
of the same coin. You show the fun and softer side that I keep hidden, while
I’m the one always worried about the next threat and I’m always business.”

“Have you considered that
might be the reason you doubt all of this now?” When Turi didn’t answer, Trey
added, “Don’t worry, Ivy and I will help you let your wild side loose.”

“Dad won’t know what to do if
I start acting like you,” Turi teased. “Speaking of Dad, we’ll have to tell
him, but no one else can know about Ivy’s heritage. I’m sure the sleuth will
handle it better than I did, but we need to keep it as quiet as we can. Anyone
else who might know is a risk to us and in danger themselves.”

“I think the immediate family
has a right to know. Taber, Thorben, Tad, and Theodore are out there risking
their lives every day to make this world better for all of us. We’re key
players when it comes to taking down Randolph. They need to know the whole
story.”

“We’d be putting them in more
danger.”

“They’re already in danger. So
they should know so they can act accordingly. Mom should know too.”

Turi relented with a nod.
“We’ll tell them in the morning, let them enjoy the party tonight.”

“Don’t you think Ty must
know?”

“I don’t know, but we’re going
to find out just how much he does.” Turi grabbed the beer bottle he’d set aside
earlier and polished off the last gulp. “You did well tonight with Tad and Aunt
Bev.”

“Thanks.” Trey gave Turi one
of his trademark grins, sending a twinkle to his eyes. “They’ve got to work out
their problems eventually.”

“There’s no problem except
Tad’s guilt. Aunt Bev doesn’t hold what happened with Rosemarie against him.
But after the crap with John going with Travis the night he was killed, it did
bring up some of the old emotions. Aunt Bev was worried she had lost her only
living child that night. Now if only we could get Tad to give up the ghost.”

“Maybe mating will help.”

“If anyone can do it, then
Courtney and Milo can. We should get some sleep, tomorrow I want to put
together a plan to keep Ivy safe and see what we can do to find her brother.”
Turi stepped away from the banister and looked at his brother. The resentment
of always having to deal with sleuth business while Trey did his own thing was
nearly gone. Maybe the mating was going to fix things completely between them.

I can only hope.

Ivy woke with fear icing her
veins. Something had hauled her out of a deep sleep. She glanced around the
dark room and found nothing. Too terrified to move, she lay there listening,
waiting for something or someone to attack. Convinced Randolph or his men had
come back for her, she couldn’t breathe.

Scooting up in bed, she
pressed her back against the beautifully carved wood headboard and wished for
some of Chad’s courage. He wouldn’t stay in bed scared of whatever went bump in
the night; he’d face it head-on, even if it meant his death.

“At least then I’ll die on my
own terms and with courage.”
She could hear his voice in
her head as if he was right beside her, repeating the line he had told her
numerous times.

Chad might have jumped out of
bed, ready to take on whatever was waiting, but he had two key things she
didn’t—the ability to shift and a gun. She glanced to the nightstand checking
for anything she could use as a weapon. Her gaze quickly passed over the alarm
clock, her cell phone, and finally settled on the only thing she could use: the
lamp. It wasn’t much against a shifter, but it was all she had.

Her fingers wrapped around the
base of the lamp and a sense of freedom poured through her. She’d used the lamp
to stand her ground, and as long as she didn’t beg at the end, she would die
with a little dignity.

“Ivy…” A deep voice whispered
from the hallway.

Was it Trey or Turi? She could
feel them nearby, but without the mating complete, she couldn’t tell where they
were except in the house. She almost replied, but she feared it was someone
else and her throat went dry.

A dominating figured stepped
into the door frame, filling it almost completely. “Are you okay?”

With the compassion in his
voice and the spicy aroma of his beast drifting toward her, she recognized him
even though she couldn’t see his face across the dark room. “Trey!” She dropped
the lamp and reached out to him.

“Angel, I didn’t mean to scare
you.” He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her.

“It’s not you, I’m jumpy.” She
whispered against his chest, her hands sliding up his back, pulling him closer.

“You’re safe here.” He
massaged her back in small circles, soothing her. “There’s nothing to worry
about.”

“Where’s Turi?” Before she’d
fallen asleep, she had learned it was Turi’s house and that Trey lived next
door. Yet it was Trey who came to her in the middle of the night.

“He’s down talking to Dad and
my brothers.” She pulled back from him, the fear returning. “
Shhh
,
angel. Everything is fine. I know you’re concerned with anyone knowing your
heritage…”

“Please, if you tell anyone it
will put all of us in danger.” Her heart pounded as a cold sweat crawled along
her spine.

He rubbed his hand along her
back, but his attempt to soothe her wasn’t working; the fear wouldn’t be pushed
aside so easily.

“My brothers and I have been
on the front lines of this war against the rogues, we’ll be up against Randolph
and his men, and they need to know
everything
that could play into the
fight. Going in unprepared could get any of us killed. If he knows about you,
then he’ll try to use it to his advantage, but if they already know your heritage
Randolph no longer has the upper hand.”

“But if he doesn’t know and
this spreads…”

“It will go no further than
those who can help. They’re going to find out if Ty knows.”

She pulled out of his embrace.
“I told you only Chad and Mason knows.”

“As Queen of the Tigers,
Tabitha is able to access information without being told. She’s connected to
any clan who has vowed their loyalty. It’s possible she could have felt it
through Mason’s connection to her. If not, there is also the book.”

“Book?”

“It’s a magical book that has
been handed down through her family for generations. It has been her
step-by-step guide, and has helped whenever she needed it. They knew Alaskan
Tigers’ Lieutenant Raja had to find his mate before things could be set into
motion, and they even knew who it would be. The book gave them all the
information.”

“So they might know.” She
pulled her legs up against her chest. “This is all getting so out of hand. It
was supposed to be kept quiet, only Chad and Mason would ever know. I had mixed
feelings about even telling my mate, if I even found one. When I found you and
Turi I knew the truth had to be told. I never expected so many people to find
out.”

“It’s overwhelming now, but
we’re going to see that everything works out. Randolph will be no threat to
you, I promise.”

“How much danger will everyone
else be in though?”

“No more than they have been.”
Tentatively he reached out to her and placed his hand on her knee. “Don’t
worry, nothing’s going to happen to us. We’re trained to deal with this type of
situation from an early age. Everything is going to be fine and we’re going to
make sure you’re safe.”

She laid her hand over his,
interlocking their fingers. “How’s Turi handing things?”

“You mean having to share his
new mate with his idiot brother or the news of her heritage?”

“Everything, and you’re not
the idiot brother. The two of you just have different personalities. There’s
nothing wrong with that. Actually, I think it’s pretty amazing you’re not
carbon copies of each other.”

“He’s fine. After you fell
asleep, we had the first civil conversation we had in a long time. There’s no
denying the mating desire so we’ll have to work out our issues. Hopefully in
time he’ll trust me.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m really not as bad as he makes
me out to be.”

“I never thought you were.”
She reached out with her free hand and cupped his cheek, feeling the stubble
along his jawline before caressing down to his chin with her thumb.

“When I’m needed I’ve always
been there. Never once have I skirted my duties.”

“You’re too defensive.” She
continued to caress his face, her thoughts turning to how his lips would feel
against hers. “I can feel you within me, unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.
You’re playful and full of life, but you’d never ignore a call from anyone in
need.”

He tipped his head and kissed
her palm. “That scares you, doesn’t it?”

“I’d be lying if I said it
didn’t. However, I wouldn’t change this mating either. It sounds strange but I
can feel the type of person you are and I’m glad you’re my mate.”
She
paused, enjoying his warm breath against her hand. “It’s the same with Turi. I
can feel him within me, the strong, business side, always in control, and the
same desire courses through me for him. I think we’ve been mated together
because we’re each part of what the other needs, like three parts of a whole.
When we come together we’ll make an unstoppable team.”

“I don’t like the sound of
unstoppable, it implies we’ll be in a lot of danger. You’re human and I want
you safe…no danger for you.” He kissed the curve of her hand again, this time
drawing a fingertip within his mouth and gently sucking it.

“Human, yes…but I do have some
shifter blood running within me. Not that it matters, we’re living in a
dangerous time. There’s nothing we can do about that. Instead we just have to
protect each other and cherish each day.” She leaned forward, advancing on him,
until her face was hovering next to his. Her fear had been replaced with a
different feeling—but it was just as intense. “Let’s cherish this moment.”