Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 132(@200wpm)___ 106(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
“That beast is my brother,” Jackson snaps, glaring at the tattooed mercenary. “Let’s give him a chance. He’s my younger brother. I think I owe him that at least.”
“I owe him too for fucking up my ear,” Grayson says. He’s touching his right ear and there’s a chunk missing from the top of it.
“Come on,” I whisper as I turn back to the grizzly. “Let him out. Please. For me.”
I step back as his body begins to shake.
Yes! Come on!
His massive shoulders cave in and then in a flash, August’s naked form explodes out of him and the bear disappears.
They all stare at him in shock.
“See?” I say as August catches his breath. “Have you ever seen a feral bear do that?”
“No,” Jackson says, shaking his head. “I haven’t.”
August and his brother stare at each other while the other three look annoyed.
“This proves nothing,” Remy says as he slices his sword through the air. “We came to put the monster down and that’s what we’re going to do.”
“I agree,” Ryker says as he rolls his big shoulders and steps forward.
“Hold it!” Jackson bellows, making them all freeze.
His eyes soften as he turns to his brother. “Is it true, Gus? Is she your mate?”
August looks at me with those stunning blue eyes and my legs nearly give out. I don’t know how you can love someone so deeply after only one day of knowing them, but here we are. We’re in love.
“It’s true,” he says. “This incredible woman is my mate. And it appears that she’s changed everything. She’s calmed my bear. She’s calmed me.”
“Your eyes don’t have that golden hue anymore,” Jackson says. “You look more at peace. Like the young boy I remember growing up.”
“That’s how I feel,” he says as he walks over to me. He takes my hand and gazes into my eyes. “It’s all thanks to Hazel.”
“That’s just fucking great!” Grayson says as he throws up his arms in frustration. “What about my fucking ear?”
“And my fucking chest?” Ryker hollers.
“I’m sorry about that,” August says with a sigh as he turns to them. “I’m truly sorry. I was out of my mind with needing to find her. I’m sure you guys can understand that. Have any of you found your mate?”
Grayson drops his eyes to the ground, Ryker looks away, and Remy sighs. Jackson is the only one looking at his brother and I can feel the sadness and yearning emanating from him. “No,” he finally says. “We’re all waiting too.”
“Then, I’m sure you can understand what I was going through.”
They’re all silent. They know. They know about the long nights thinking about her, wondering if she’s safe, wondering where she is. The torture of knowing she’s out there but not being able to be with her and look after her. From what August told me, it’s pure torture.
I look at my man and my heart goes out to him, knowing what he went through all those years because of his love for me. I vow to never forget it. I’ll make every moment from now on so good for him that it will be worth all that pain, torment, and frustration.
“I feel the change in my grizzly,” he says to the guys. “The nightmare is over. He’s not going to go back. Not while this beautiful angel is by my side.”
Jackson looks at him for a long moment and then steps forward with his arms out. Tears well up in my eyes as he hugs his brother, forgiving him for everything.
“I’m glad to have you back, Gus,” Jackson says as he holds him tight. August is hugging him too, those big sexy arms wrapped around him.
“It’s good to be back.”
The two brothers release each other and then Jackson turns to me. “I guess this makes you my sister then,” he says with a warm smile.
“I guess so. Do I get a hug too?”
He laughs as he comes over and hugs me. His arms are big and hard, just like August’s. This family has some pretty good genes.
“So, we’re not killing him?” Grayson says with a sigh as he walks back to his dirt bike while shaking his head.
“Calisse,” Remy says as he sheathes his sword.
Ryker is grumbling too as he gets back on his bike. “Can we at least go take down that feral Kodiak bear that’s tearing through Abottsville, Montana?”
“I got first dibs on him,” Remy says as he starts his bike.
“No way,” Grayson says as he cranks the engine. “You had first dibs on those rabid beasts in Cooperville and look how that turned out.”
“That wasn’t my fault!” Remy says as he turns his bike. “I didn’t know there were two of them!”
The three of them race off, disappearing down the road as they yell at each other over the rumbling engines.
“Duty calls,” Jackson says with a smile as he watches his boys racing down the dirt road. He turns back to us with a warm smile. “I’m really happy for you, bro. For both of you.”