The Bear Essentials (Siren Publishing: The Stormy Glenn ManLove Collection) Page 11
“Now that you’ve mated and come into your omega abilities, it is no longer safe for you in King City. Not only would you have come to the attention of others when you joined the clan, Raymond would have tried to mate with you because of that pesky little alpha clause.”
Casey shuddered, and not just because Raymond was his half brother. “Yuck.”
“I take it Raymond doesn’t know Casey is his brother?” Rob asked.
“No.” Garret shook his head. “That was one of the stipulations of Casey staying in King City. No one except Alpha Barker, the alpha mate, and I were to know.”
Casey swallowed hard when he felt bile rise up in his throat. “I think she broke that rule.”
Garret gave him a considering look. “Why do you say that?”
It wasn’t anything Casey knew for sure, just something he felt. “I was always placed in bear shifter foster homes, and except for a woman I was with for only a short time, pretty much every foster home was hell. There just can’t be that many bad foster families in one small town. Someone had to have said something.”
Garret’s eyes narrowed as they sparkled with anger. “Are you saying you were abused in those foster homes?”
Really?
Casey just stared at the man until he growled.
“Alpha Barker chose those foster homes himself,” Garret snapped. “He was trying to find you the best foster parents he could.”
“Well, he sucked at it.”
Garret’s eyes grew grim but determined. “You may not like the choices Alpha Barker made about your life but at least you had one. He did what he thought best to keep you alive.” Garret’s eyes hardened as they strayed to Rob. “Even now, he is trying to protect you.”
“By banishing my mate from all he’s ever known?”
“By getting you out of town before Raymond or his bitch of a mother can hurt you.”
Casey just stared at the man as he tried to come up with a response to that. Nothing was coming immediately to mind. He didn’t understand why Alpha Barker hadn’t simply divorced his wife and mated with Casey’s mother. They all would have been a lot happier if the man had grown a set of balls and stood up to the woman.
“So, what now?” Casey finally asked.
Garret nodded to the credit card Casey held in his hand. “Alpha Barker arranged for money to be placed on that card, money no one but you can access. Use it as you see fit but mostly, use it to make a life for yourself somewhere away from here. It’s still not safe for you in King City, and it may never be.”
“We weren’t exactly planning on coming back anytime soon,” Rob stated. “I won’t stay anywhere my mate isn’t welcome.”
“Good.” Garret nodded. “Take him away from here. There are clans out there that will willingly accept you, and if they have any questions, have them call me. I’ll give you a good recommendation.”
Casey wasn’t sure what that meant, but Rob’s eyebrows shot up, so it must be good.
“All of us?” Rob asked.
Garret turned to look at Harvey, Billy Ray, Jed, and Dwayne. He huffed a small sigh. “Yes, all of you.”
“Thank you.”
Garret nodded again. “Just go. You’re supposed to be out of this territory by dawn and that was about ten minutes ago.”
Casey almost laughed at how quickly things moved after that. He was bundled up in the truck, buckled into his seat, and a pair of jogging pants tossed in his lap. As he wiggled into them, Rob started the truck and got them underway. The two other vehicles drove in line behind them, Garret just sitting in his truck until he disappeared from sight.
Rob didn’t take his foot off the gas as they raced toward the border. The silence that hung in the air was cloying. It felt almost as if the man was afraid if they slowed down or stopped, they were never going to escape. And it did suddenly feel like they were escaping. If what Garret told them was true, they were.
“Do you think Garret was telling the truth?” Casey asked as he stared at the credit card in his hand, turning it over and over again before running his finger along the thin edge. “Do you think Alpha Barker is really my father?”
“Possibly, but even if he is, I’m not sure it matters. You’re mine and I’m not giving you back.”
Casey chuckled at the forcefulness in Rob’s voice. “Another rule?”
Rob grinned at him. “Rule six, cub. Once mated, a bear never gives his mate back.”
“I like these rules.” All of them. “So, what now?”
“Now, we drive until we find a new home. We make sure wherever we stay, we’re not put in a position where we are forced to choose between home and safety. And then we build the life we were meant to live together.”
“Another rule?”
“No, cub.” Rob reached down and entwined his fingers with Casey’s. “It’s a bear essential.”
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stormy believes the only thing sexier than a man in cowboy boots is two or three men in cowboy boots. She also believes in love at first sight, soul mates, true love, and happy endings.
You can usually find her cuddled in bed with a book in her hand and a puppy in her lap, or on her laptop, creating the next sexy man for one of her stories. Stormy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website at www.stormyglenn.com.
For all titles by Stormy Glenn, please visit
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
About the Author