Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 138217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138217 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Theo had also spent considerable energy unlocking the gate at the facility yesterday, never mind the emotional energy she’d expended when she’d walked into the past.
“Yes, of course,” she said, emerging from her room wearing dark blue jeans, a gray sweater . . . and his jacket. She’d braided her hair neatly and once again wore that metal bracelet on her wrist. “We don’t want to let down your clanmates after they stepped in to assist.”
They put on their shoes side by side. And when he held out a hand, she slid hers into his. It was only after they were outside that he realized she hadn’t even asked about moving to her apartment.
Bear and man both smiled, and for this misty morning, they didn’t talk about the dark cloud that hovered above, and just kept everything light. Yakov did get an odd prickling sensation when he pulled out onto the street, as if they were being watched, but he saw nothing when he scanned the area.
Might just be the whole Ripper situation making him edgy.
That reminded him not to turn on the radio in the car; he didn’t want news of blood and death to fill the vehicle when Theo looked relaxed for the first time since he’d met her.
When he pulled up in front of the bakery, he groaned. “Bears, fucking bears everywhere.” He looked around. “It’s six in the morning! Not even full light!”
“You’re a bear and you’re here,” Theo pointed out.
He scowled. “I’m different.”
Getting out, they walked into the bakery. A dark-haired male was leaning on the top of the display case, chatting with the owner, Gustav, while a bear cub in cub form clung upside down to his back. Another cub—this one a polar bear—was clinging to his leg like a barnacle.
Chapter 28
“Fitz and Nurlan, you gotta keep watch. Juji, Arkasha, you carry the bags. I’ll put the cupcakes in. Ready?”
—Early-morning cupcake raid by five tiny gangsters, led by current chief tiny gangster Svetlana Valeria Kuznetsov (today)
“YASHA!” VALENTIN’S BOOM of a voice as he spotted Yakov.
The cubs saw him at the same time and released Valentin to run over to him. It was instinct to crouch down, grab them both. Throwing them over one shoulder each, where they chortled and clung on, he rose to his feet. “Theo,” he said, “meet Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of StoneWater.”
His alpha was an imposing figure—one of the biggest men in StoneWater, all wide shoulders and taut muscle. Only his clan knew that he was a complete teddy bear. Unless, of course, you came after those under his care. Then Valentin Nikolaev would be the last thing you ever saw.
Valentin’s night-dark eyes gleamed as he took in Theo. Damn it to all hells. Yakov’s friend and alpha was too fucking clever for anyone’s good. He’d either scented Yakov on Theo, or Yakov had given it away with his body language, but Valentin knew this was no longer just a business relationship.
But his alpha only grinned, and said, “Zdravstvuyte, Theo. If Yasha gives you any trouble, just come to me—I’ll report him to his mother, and his furry butt is toast.”
“Funny, Valya.” He threw the polar bear cub at his alpha.
Only when Theo let out an involuntary cry did he realize what he’d done. Wincing, he turned to take in her shocked face. “They love it,” he told her. “Look.” Then he threw the other cub.
Both cubs laughed so hard they almost fell out of Valentin’s grasp. A second later, they positioned themselves to be thrown again.
Yakov caught first Dima, followed by Zhenya, then kissed each laughing cub in the face. “My friend Theo thinks throwing you is scary. You want her to give it a try?”
When both cubs nodded, he turned and raised an eyebrow at Theo with a grin. “Want to try bear cub throwing? Get good enough and you might make it to the annual den championship.”
Theo blinked, looked at the small bears in his arms. Who put on their best innocent looks. Hah! The tiny gangsters had no doubt been awake far too early and snuck into Valentin’s truck when they realized he was about to drive into the city. Valya would’ve known of his illicit passengers—he was alpha, and they were babies. But sometimes, you had to allow a cub to think they’d gotten away with something, build up their confidence.
“They do love it,” Valentin assured Theo as Gustav—long used to bear antics and a frequent guest at the den—put Valentin’s boxed-up order on the counter and charged it to the account on record. The box was the largest the bakery offered, so their alpha was probably grabbing treats for the senior soldier meeting this morning.
Breath still not steady, Theo carefully accepted young Dima into her arms. The usually rambunctious polar bear cub sat quietly looking up at her. “Oh, he’s so beautiful.” Theo’s voice was awed. “They’re both so beautiful.”