Beaufort Creek Shifters (10 book series)
The Bear’s Arranged Mate Epilogue

Jermaine

This was definitely something that couldn't have possibly fit into an email.

The world around us had changed drastically. And with great change came great meetings.

Everyone was on high alert in the community center. People packed the seats in front of the stage, pushing as close together as possible. That Myrtle group had done a number on us-though they hadn't reduced our numbers by much. Just by one. And that was something that needed to be remedied immediately.

I sat with Elva near the stage. Blake was deliberating with his mother in the back room, going over the footage I had delivered to him once my neck had fully healed. Part of me felt awful about forgetting such an important piece of evidence. But then again, I had nearly lost my life.

Thanks to my mate, I hadn't.

Elva wrapped her arm around my waist. She couldn't reach entirely around me, but she sure did like to try. I hugged her tightly to my side. "What's up, sweet pea?" "Just worried."

"About?"

I knew what it was about. But I asked because it was hard to believe how in sync we were these days.

Only a week had gone by since we had officially become mates. The mark on the right side of my neck mirrored the mark on the left side of her neck. They weren't bright red anymore, but close inspection revealed the scar tissue of teeth marks.

My chest boasted a few scratches from her as well. It seemed like mates could continue leaving marks on each other long after the bond had been initiated. But I wasn't complaining. Any reminder of her was welcome on my body.

I lowered my ear to her, a show of confidence. She tilted her head back. "It's this whole mole business. Are you sure someone messed with that footage?"

"I'm positive. There's no way Tanner would have brought me grainy footage like that. I installed those cameras myself."

"You're not exactly a tech wizard."

My cheeks burned. "I'm not stupid either."

"No, darling." She patted my forearm gently. "You're not stupid at all."

Hearing her affirm that relaxed my muscles. I sat up a little straighter, strengthened by her words. It was strange how the power of her voice alone influenced me. Yet I couldn't imagine my life without it.

I squeezed her hand. "Even if it was my fault the footage came out that way, that still doesn't explain how someone just walked right up to the booth and got inside-with a key code."

"Is it the same code? Maybe somebody spilled it drunkenly in town."

I shook my head. "It changes every hour on the hour. I made sure the generator would be randomized, too. The only person who has access to the codes every hour are me and Blake." "Do you think...?"

I knew what she was asking.

I didn't want to entertain the possibility of such a thing.

Her knuckles cracked when I squeezed her hand again. I choked with embarrassment and then started rubbing the muscles gently, kneading into her palm and loosening the tendons of her fingers. "Baby, sorry. I don't know my own strength. I just-" "I understand. I didn't want to think about it either. But it's worth going through all the possibilities."

"It just...hurts."

She gave me a sympathetic frown. "Once we eliminate the impossible things, we can look at the probable things that are left."

"What would I do without you?"

"You would have lost your trachea and died."

My gut split with laughter. A few shifters nearby shot us curious looks but I didn't care about their inquisitive stares. I only cared about wrapping my mate up in a giant hug and nuzzling her neck. Considering all the trouble the pack had gone through to make sure we were together, the least they could do was look even halfway happy that we were getting along.

They must have been upset about losing their up close and personal version of a reality television show, I guess.

A low chatter thrummed around us as I recovered myself. I patted my chest, trying to loosen the last of the laughs before my alpha took the stage. I didn't want to sully his speech. It was likely to be his best. We had to rally arms to prepare for war, one that would ravage us if we weren't careful about it.

That set my features in stone.

Elva swept her hand over my upper back. Her tiny palm caressing me made me chuckle again, and then I got lost in the rhythm of her rubbing my muscles. By the time Blake took the stage, I was nearly half asleep.

He coughed once and then looked around, his gaze stern and commanding. Bad boy or not, Blake looked rougher than usual. His leather jacket was hanging over a chair next to him and his skin was pale, even for a night owl such as him. Dark circles rounded his eyes.

He had been losing sleep. And for good reason. One of his own had been taken. Any good alpha would be concerned.

A great alpha would stop at nothing to get his pack member back.

And I knew that was what he had in store.

"Friends, family-I'm sorry to say we haven't been able to locate our dear Gwendolyn," he announced.

Murmurs broke through the room. I straightened my posture and cleared my throat authoritatively, inspiring the group to fall silent with one piercing glare.

Blake nodded thankfully. The motion was tired, as though his neck were about to break off with too hard of a movement. Veronica chaffed her arm, sighing with worry as she waited for her mate to continue. She was as concerned as he was-and even more concerned about him.

It made me hug Elva harder.

"But we know our enemy now," Blake continued. "They're a family of wolves called the Myrtles. They're a small, humble pack-though we're not sure why they've decided to attack us."

His gaze cut to his mother, a fierceness flashing there that I hadn't ever seen him express toward his own parent.

"Sources report that they're old, old friends of the Haydens. Though we haven't got much information." He focused on his pack again, his determination renewed. "We'll continue our tracking efforts and send a team out as soon as we can."

A bird of paradise squawked in the front row. The man beside the bird nodded and then leaned forward. "Alpha, with all due respect, what are we going to do to protect ourselves?"

"We all need to be paired," the alpha replied. "The sooner, the better."

Another wave of reactions rolled through the room. Most of us were accustomed to the alpha announcing mate bonds. Certainly that could just be an email. But there were still a few among the group who resisted the idea.

One of them happened to be on stage wearing a scowl that rivaled even my grumpiest looks.

Neil stepped forward and stage whispered, "Are you sure we all have to do that?"

"Every one of us," Blake replied with a hiss. "That includes you."

"I've told you I do better on my own."

Blake shook his head. "You remember the last time you went out on your own? You nearly got yourself skinned, Neil."

"It wasn't my fault those poachers liked my mane so much." Neil combed his fingers through his hair, making the gesture appear more elegant than it needed to be. "I'm appealing to most creatures. But I don't need a mate."

"You're important to me, Neil. You're important as part of my council. We're not losing you on a technicality-not if I can prevent it."

Neil huffed and stomped to the other side of the stage. It took all my strength not to bark with laughter. Neil was the most temperamental of us all. If anyone could handle him as a mate, it would be a miracle.

Elva elbowed me. "What's so funny?"

"I wasn't even laughing."

She smirked. "No, but I could feel it."

"You're a witch."

"I'm just your mate."

I sighed as I focused on the stage again. Blake was speaking in low whispers with Tanner and Milton. Brandi and Leah stood nearby with Veronica, the three of them speculating over the crowd. It seemed like they were trying to find the right mate for Neil. Good luck with that.

I squeezed Elva's knee affectionately. "I don't know if Neil is going to get paired with anyone here."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's not exactly marriage material."

She squinted in his direction and then shrugged nonchalantly. "I'd smash."

"Yeah, but for eternity?"

She cringed. "Alright, I guess you have a point. He's got a bit of an attitude."

"He's too proud."

"Most lions are like that."

Neil glared at us. "We have great hearing, too."

While Elva respectfully blushed, I puffed up my chest and said, "We're just looking out for you, Neil."

"Go to hell."

"I'll drive the bus," Elva offered.

That got a laugh out of our alpha. The chuckle seemed to liven him up a bit, adding some color to his cheeks. He sighed as he returned to the center of the stage. "We'll break for lunch and return just before dinner to announce the last of the pairings." Relief slithered through the room as our pack scrambled to get out the door. Worried as they were, meetings weren't exactly loved around here. I was about to suggest an email to Blake when Elva patted my arm.

She nodded toward one of the side doors. "Can we talk?"

I slapped my mouth shut and nodded.

I informed my alpha that I was stepping away for a second, scanned the room for any signs of danger, and then walked away with my mate. The door we walked through led to a storage closet. It was big enough to be a living room but jam-packed with tables and chairs.

I could hardly stand without both my elbows touching something.

"What's wrong, sweet pea?" I asked-though, of course, I didn't necessarily need to ask. "You're thinking about Gwendolyn."

"Something about it feels weird."

I arched my right brow. "What about it?"

"I hardly even knew who she was until Blake mentioned she was taken. She didn't exactly have a huge role on the farm. She wasn't a field worker and she never did any type of security." "So?"

She gestured around as if that were the answer.

And while I could feel most things from my mate nowadays, I couldn't exactly determine her logic just yet.

"So," she said pointedly, "Gwendolyn is-forgive how I'm saying this, too-a literal nobody. She doesn't have an important job. She just did some medical stuff with Dr. Windsor for a little bit." "Maybe it was random. Did she join the defense when Blake and Tanner showed up?"

She frowned pensively. "I don't know. I have no idea what the woman even looks like. But if she did some things with Dr. Windsor, maybe she knows something."

"About what?"

"About anything. I imagine she's seen a lot of private information."

I scratched at the scruff thickening on my cheek. "How would that play into her kidnapping?"

"I have no idea." She deflated against a wall. "I just have a bad feeling, Jermaine. I have an awful feeling that something big is about to happen."

"That's probably the adrenaline. It's only been a week since we were attacked."

She sank into the wall. I hated seeing her defeated like this.

I opened my arms. When she fell into me, I squeezed her tightly, waiting for the sound of her squeak to tell me when she'd had enough. I scooped her up and held her bottom gently while peering into her eyes.

"If you think something is wrong, you should speak to Blake," I whispered. "Anything like that can help."

"I'm not psychic or anything. I'm just concerned."

I nodded. "We're all in this together, Elva. Remember?"

She relaxed slightly while wrapping her arms around my neck. "I remember."

"Your concerns are my concerns. And that makes them Blake's concerns, too."

"I just don't want to make a fuss over something that isn't important."

I nudged her cheek with my nose. "Better to fuss over it now and have it be nothing later than to ignore it now for it to be important later."

"You sure?"

"I'm positive."

She grinned. "Thank you for always believing in me, Jermaine. That's what I love about you."

"I love that you trust me."

Her lips collided with mine. That was all it took these days-just a few words of encouragement. It seemed our mouths were more content connected than not. And that was the least of my complaints.

Despite the trials we had faced and the uncertainty laying ahead, I felt secure in the knowledge of my mate's affection. Her love, her commitment, was evident in everything she did, right down to the very last syllable. Each sigh promised our future. Every smile assured my place in her heart.

That alone was enough to keep me going. That alone would fuel me for the rest of my life. My days were paired with her days-and nothing could ever keep us apart. Nothing could prevent our coupling.

Not even death.

*****

THE END