“I don’t have to change to hurt you,” Jacob growled and wrapped his hand around the young man’s throat, pinning him to the wall.
“Stop!” Trish’s voice broke through, even as Cayden choked and thrashed. Finally, Jacob lowered the cougar, who crumpled against the wall and coughed.
Trish crouched down next to him and helped him up, her arm around his shoulders. To Jacob’s surprise, Cayden accepted the help, leaning on her. “Just tell us where he is,” Trish said softly. “We just want to take him back and go home. That’s all.”
“And the talisman,” Cayden spat.
“Not as important as my brother right now,” Jacob said sternly. “He’s a pain in my ass sometimes, but he’s family.”
Cayden knit his eyebrows at that, like the concept was foreign to him. “I know you’re protecting your mom,” Trish murmured. “But we don’t want to hurt her. We just want to get my uncle and we’ll leave.”
Speak for yourself, Jacob thought to himself. Still, he held his tongue and, when Cayden glanced up at him as though for reassurance, Jacob gave him a nod. “We’ll be out of your hair.”
Cayden’s head dropped, his hair falling in front of his face. After a second, he murmured, “He’s in a cave on the cliff. You can get to it through a path around the back—”
That was all Jacob needed. “Stay here with the boy,” Jacob said as he turned to go down the hall.
“My mom’s not gonna stop until she gets what she wants,” Cayden called back clearly.
Jacob stopped and clenched his jaw. He turned in his spot to face the boy. “What’s that?”
Cayden was still panting for breath, but his eyes locked on the Alpha bear’s. “You. She wants your Beast.”
Jacob pressed his lips together and then wordlessly made to turn and leave. He didn’t get far, however, before he felt a sharp stabbing inside of him. Jacob grunted, toppling against the wall, and winced in pain.
“Jacob?” Trish’s voice, like a little nagging bell behind him. “Are you okay?”
He could feel it, like a cold hand wrapping around his heart and squeezing. It was an instinctual pounding in his hears, pulsing as adrenaline whipped through his veins: Holly was in trouble.
(Mate. My Mate. Find my Mate.)
“Let’s find Brent and get the hell out of here,” Jacob hissed through his teeth as he shoved himself off of the wall and pushed forward. The sooner they found Brent, the sooner they could get out of here, the sooner he could find Holly.
If he wasn’t already too late.
Chapter 69
The roar was loud, animal, and it vibrated through Holly’s skull, making her teeth chatter. She put her hands to her ears and winced until it quieted. She couldn’t take her eyes off the white snout, the gleaming sharp teeth inside of it, teeth that could tear her limb from limb. Protectively, Holly’s hand flew over her stomach and she quickly stepped back. “Please…” she whispered, her voice shaking. “I’m pregnant—”
The animal growled and swiped its huge paw at her. Holly yelped and fell back, tumbling into the long, tangled roots of a tree. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest as those dark eyes stared at her.
Dark eyes. Black bear. It looked familiar, it looked like Jacob’s bear, almost, except…
Older. And then she put two and two together. She’d seen those eyes before. In the pages of an old edition of Eyes on Etna.
“Scott Westmore?” she whispered. It was him. Jacob’s father, who had turned all those years ago and never turned back.
The name seemed to irritate the bear and it roared again. Holly grabbed onto the tree as the noise vibrated through her very bones.
Stop acting afraid, a voice inside of her said. There’s nothing to be afraid of. He’s family. Show him that.
Slowly, Holly straightened up, her eyes never leaving the animal’s. It bared its teeth, but didn’t come any closer.
“I’m one of yours,” she said, forcing her voice to stay level. She peeled back the collar of her shirt to reveal the mark on her throat. “Jacob marked me. I’m his mate.” The bear stalled, breathing heavily, staring at her. Say it! the voice in Holly’s head screamed. “I’m your Alpha’s mate!” she said firmly. “And I demand your respect.”
Those dark eyes watched her, blinked at her, and then, slowly, the animal backed away. It huffed once, and then dropped its head, submitting to her.
Holly could barely believe it. Did I do that? She couldn’t help it; a laugh bubbled at her lips. She lifted the back of her hand and the bear craned his neck, sniffed, and then gave her a lick with his large, rough tongue. “That’s better,” Holly said, thrilled even while her heart was still going a mile a minute. She reached out and carefully drew her fingers over the top of his head. His fur felt coarse, dried with mud and the wear and tear of Mother Nature, but he leaned in as she scratched behind his ear.